"Many seasons ago, I was Coldgaze's medicine cat. I was an apprentice when that... tyrant rose up in power and became the sole king of MistClan."

Snowpaw listened intently, his ears pricked and his gaze narrowed. Seven days had passed since the unsuccessful trial to expose the truth behind Dewspring's death. During that time, Dappledleaf had been impossible to converse with outside of training, her words short and concise; these seven days seemed to have aged her even more, so Snowpaw tried his best to be patient with the molly. 

Today, when she finally opened up to him, it was to explain Seedstep's choice of words- 'the Holly Leafed Genocider' -that he had used to refer to her. While most of Snowpaw's Clanmates had seemingly forgotten the elder's allegation, he did not.

"In a way, I was his closest advisor," the medicine cat solemnly continued. "I didn't agree with his actions, but I had no choice." She sighed, closing her eyes for a few moments before gazing back at her apprentice. "I-I would've been killed! All who retaliated were killed... or worse, severely injured by him..." She paused, pinning her ears back as a cough wracked her frail frame. "I wasn't able to reach StarClan at the time, so I didn't know what to do, and those he injured- they would've died either way. I didn't want to prolong their suffering, so I killed them with hollies. It was my duty as a medicine cat."

Snowpaw's eyes slightly widened, his claws pricking out to dig into the medicine den's soil. His mouth felt dry as he swallowed. So that's why-? He lost his train of thought as Dappledleaf continued.

"Coldgaze had a child, and his child had children: Seedstep and Acornpaw. When Coldgaze and his child were eventually killed, only Seedstep and Acornpaw remained. They were shunned by everyone for crimes they never did commit." Dappledleaf flicked her tail, lamenting. Another cough wracked her body. "But I was forgiven, because StarClan willed it so... StarClan refused to let my crimes get dwelled upon, so it became forbidden to speak of them. And yet, somehow, my apprentice Dovepaw found out, and he told his best friend Seedstep."

"Dovepaw snapped. I don't know why, but he wanted me to suffer for the time I spent as Coldgaze's advisor. He wanted us all to suffer, he wanted us all to die." Dappledleaf seemed helpless as she stared into Snowpaw's eyes. She took a deep, shaky breath as she confessed. "He killed himself by ingesting holly berries. The Clan proved that it was suicide, but Seedstep still refuses to believe that. He thinks that I murdered Dovepaw."

A silence fell upon the medicine den. Snowpaw had no idea of what to say, or rather, he had no idea how he could even utter a word. He dragged his gaze down to his paws, shifting them anxiously. After a few moments, he sheathed his claws and lifted his head, exhaling as he looked at Dappledleaf. "...I'm sorry. You didn't deserve to go through any of that," he awkwardly stammered out.

Gradually, a small, relieved smile formed on the old medicine cat's face. "You're a good cat, Snowpaw. Don't let anyone change that. No matter how hard your life is, or gets, don't lose sight of your purpose and morals. And above all, always be accepting of StarClan and their divine will."

Ignoring Dappledleaf's comment about StarClan, Snowpaw dipped his head in acknowledgement, sensing that silence was a sufficient and preferred response. I'll be sure to follow your advice, Dappledleaf. While part of me can't understand how you were "content" with waiting idly for Coldgaze's eventual demise, part of me can understand your actions. He tilted his head ever-so-slightly to the right. A pit of trepidation swelled in his chest. I should try to speak to Nightpaw about this- about Coldgaze- tonight. 

"It's getting late. Bring me a sparrow, and then eat your own supper," Dappledleaf rasped as an order, her purr breaking up. "You're free for the rest of the afternoon, so leave camp if you wish. Just bring back a few juniper berries when you return."

Snowpaw nodded, exiting the medicine den. He collected a sparrow, delivered it to his mentor, and then settled at the fresh-kill pile to select and savour a squirrel. As he began to feast upon his choice of prey, a grey-furred tomcat settled beside him.

"Good evening, Snowpaw." 

Snowpaw swallowed a mouthful of the squirrel and gazed up at the cat. "Good evening to you too, Stonepaw."

Stonepaw glided a paw over his ear. "As I'm sure you've already learned, raspberry leaves serve numerous beneficial purposes, right? Primarily beneficial, of course." Without waiting for a response, the apprentice continued. "But actually, you see-" 

As Stonepaw divulged in a rant, Snowpaw found himself almost transfixed. Not particularly by the content of Stonepaw's words, which contained information already known to him, but by his eyes- those beautiful, blue eyes which appeared luminous in the cascading sunlight rays. Though as transfixing as they were, Snowpaw pried away his stare, the discomfort of his peer quite noticeable.

"Don't stare at me like that!" Stonepaw buried his face into his paws, and the tip of his tail anxiously flicked. 

"A-Ah-! I'm sorry Stonepaw, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I think I zoned out," Snowpaw hurriedly explained. The white tomcat was met with a taut nod, yet Stonepaw stood and excused himself despite. Snowpaw watched as he left, sighing as he once again began to feed on his squirrel. I really didn't mean to 'scare' him off. My brain is all jumbled; I have much to worry about and I'm letting it all get to my head. Once I'm alone in the forest, I'll have the proper time to think to myself.

Hearing the quiet patter of paw-steps approaching him, Snowpaw turned his head, his yellow gaze casting upon Whitespeckle. With only a few mouthfuls left to eat of the squirrel, he turned his full attention to the warrior, a small smile etching onto his face as he waved his tail. 

"Greetings," Whitespeckle purred, taking a seat beside him. "It's quite nice outside, isn't it?" He paused. "How have you been faring, Snowpaw? In reference to the events from a week ago." The tomcat's gaze was both gentle and reticent, while likewise portraying a sense of solicitous authority. "Though it is perfectly okay if you would rather not speak about it. Losing a Clanmate to such... detestable means has a toll on us all. Most choose to move on with their lives, hence the topic rarely being brought up since." 

"It's alright." Snowpaw gave the warrior a reassuring look. "I didn't know Dewspring well, so I didn't need to grieve." I recall Nightpaw saying something along the lines of Dewspring being an 'ordinary cat', and that her death didn't upset him. But part of me can't believe that he truly believes that himself. Speaking of Nightpaw- actually, that can wait. Snowpaw cut his ruminations short, flicking his ear. "I just... I just don't want another murder to occur. I want to solve this case." 

Whitespeckle bowed his head, closing his eyes for but a few moments. "Mmm... While it is the common belief that Dewspring was murdered by a member of our Clan, I won't accept it unless any other unfortunate event occurs. But that won't happen." The tomcat's honey eyes shone with a gallant glint. "As a warrior, it is my duty to protect my fellow Clanmates. I vow by my honour as a Clan-born cat, that for as long as I live, erstwhile events shall not ensue again. I will do whatever it takes to ensure this vow. And you, Snowpaw," Whitespeckle slowly blinked, "are my witness. How does that sound?"

Snowpaw matched his slow blink, dipping his head to the large warrior. "Well, it sounds like I'll be by your side and assisting you in any way that I can." I won't allow the past to repeat itself either. Whether I stay as a medicine cat, or fulfill my purpose as a warrior, I'll find a way to protect everyone. The small, white tomcat timidly glanced away, his body warming up. Although I don't mind being a medicine cat much, Whitespeckle's passion fuels my ambition to become a warrior apprentice even more. Someday, maybe I'll even stand beside him as a warrior.

Whitespeckle grinned, letting out a soft purr. "You've always had such an introspective quality to you. You may be young, but if anyone can solve this case, it'd be you. You seem to know more than most." 

The ambiguity of the tomcat's statement caused Snowpaw to scowl. Is he referring to the trial? 

"It was nice to get to talk to you again, Snowpaw. I'll be taking my leave." Whitespeckle stood up, taking a stretch. Before he left, he stole one last warm glance at the small apprentice. "I'll preface this by stating that I'm fully aware that it is not my duty to get involved in such personal matters. However, you should speak to your mother sometime. She's been having it quite rough this week." 

That's right. I haven't spoken to Mother since the trial. Snowpaw pinned down his ears, sighing. I feel ashamed for this, but part of me really doesn't want to speak to her. And she hasn't tried speaking to me, either. The white tomcat began to exit camp, his tail swishing anxiously. But I'll... talk to her tomorrow. I can't have her angry with me.

Snowpaw wandered aimlessly around for a few minutes, encountering some patrols here and there. He decided to walk along the edge of Pine Slope, looking out at the intangible field of poppies lying in the distance. Since the sun was beginning to set, the mist began to convene, creating a veil over the coniferous forest. The soft humming of a few flying insects, along with the gentle breeze, added to the comforting atmosphere. 

The small tomcat sat at the edge, purring softly as he watched a beetle scurry through the grass. Snowpaw was rather fond of such creatures, but he considered his favourite "bug" to be spiders. Their webs, crafted with such acuity, and used as such a divine confinement which only they can command, intrigued him unlike any other. 

He enjoyed the solace of the evening for a while, until his mind whispered and posed many possibilities to dwell upon. Dewspring's murder? He knew in order to solve her murder, he'd need to diligently investigate. Nightpaw? While Snowpaw continued to train every night with Nightpaw, that's all that it was: training. We haven't had a real conversation in a week, the tomcat thought, beginning to draw lines in the soil. There's much I have to talk to him about. I do plan to speak to him about Coldgaze tonight- that's a definite. But also... He closed his eyes for a few moments. Whenever I try to bring up what he said to me that night after the trial, he always dismisses me. Would it be selfish to ask him to talk to me? Is it selfish to want confirmation? He's been avoiding his own words, and it's making me confused. 

Snowpaw scowled, narrowing his eyes. I've decided that no matter what, I'll talk to him about all of this tonight. We can even skip out on training, if that's what it takes. I've already become quite skilled in combat, as it's quite easy to pick up on, and it's exhilarating to predict the opponent's next moves and react accordingly. Nightpaw did mention that at the rate I'm advancing, in a moon from now, I'd be on par with that of a young warrior. Wouldn't that mean that Nightpaw's fighting ability would also be on par with that of a young warrior? He hummed, tilting his head slightly to the right as he continued to draw lines in the soil. Warrior apprentices don't spend all their time in combat practice. That's only half of it, and they don't train every day in that field. There's also hunting. So in terms of fighting, it would make sense for me to be way ahead of the other warrior apprentices. 

The white tomcat sheathed his claws, standing up to stretch. I might as well gather some junipers, and head back to camp. Snowpaw began to search for a patch of the small, blue berries, which didn't take long. He collected a few, wrapped them in a laurel leaf, and carefully carried them in his mouth. He began to head back to camp, noticing how much darker the atmosphere had gotten. Most of my Clanmates are probably back by now. MistClan was pretty empty today, Snowpaw reflected. 

As he got closer to camp, he could sense that he was approaching a few of his Clanmates. His fur pricked as he recognized their scents, and his claws subconsciously unsheathed when he saw them. Leaftuft and Kestrelpaw were off to the side, their backs turned to Snowpaw as they seemed to be conversing. As Snowpaw walked past, his yellow gaze tearing into them, he locked eyes with Kestrelpaw, who had turned his head. For what felt like an eternity, though realistically only lasting a few seconds, the two tomcats stared at one another. I can't read any hostility on him, the small, white tomcat noted. He almost looks perturbed. 

Snowpaw broke their eye contact, walking back towards camp at a brisker pace than before. Once he entered, he immediately went to the medicine den, storing the juniper berries in the shelves of herbs. 

"Welcome back," Dappledleaf rasped, greeting him from her nest. The golden molly yawned, closing her eyes. "I hope you enjoyed your time out. But now it's late, so we should rest. Good night, Snowpaw." 

"Good night," Snowpaw replied, laying in his nest as well. He watched as eventually, all the warriors and apprentices returned to their respective dens. Once he was certain that most cats were asleep, he slunk out the medicine den, waiting outside of it for Rainkit. Whilst waiting, he gazed at the apprentice den, spotting a familiar pair of green eyes staring out at him. I hope tonight goes well with Nightpaw, the white tomcat thought, his tail flicking apprehensively. 

"Staring out at the apprentice den again, hmm? You're not slick with it at all, Snowpaw," Rainkit teased, tapping the addressed tomcat on his shoulder.

"Oh? Slick about what?" Snowpaw tilted his head, his attention now on the blue-grey molly beside him. 

"You were staring out at green-eyes over there. Nightpaw, was it?" Rainkit smirked, sticking out her tongue. Then, the molly purred, her blue gaze warm. "Lately, I've been counting down the weeks until I become an apprentice, because I'm really excited for the celebration the Clan will have. I think I counted around seven weeks until then, so about two moons. And that'll put you at roughly seven moons and two weeks old by then, right?" Rainkit gasped, feigning dismay. "Snowpaw, you're so old!"

The white tomcat rolled his eyes, fighting back a smirk. "Imagine being so young that you're not even an apprentice yet," he sarcastically stated. "Couldn't be me."

"You literally became an apprentice at five moons old, don't even!" Rainkit batted at him. "You're still too young to be one!"

"Well, that doesn't change the fact that at least I am an apprentice," Snowpaw playfully retorted. "Kits are so mouse-brained."

"Liar, liar, tail on fire! I'm the smartest cat MistClan has ever known!"

"Not true, I'm smarter."

"Nuh uh!"

"You get the final word, because I'm not going to argue with a mouse-brain."

"Oh, stop it!" Rainkit laughed, slapping the ground with her paw. After a few moments spent calming down, she gazed down at Snowpaw. "I always look forward to meeting up with you. Although our meetings aren't the longest, I still have a lot of fun."

"So do I," Snowpaw agreed, smiling warmly as he purred. "I truly am excited for you to become an apprentice as well. We'll get to see each other at more convenient times by then."

The blue-grey molly glanced at the ground, flicking her tail. "Yeah, that'll be nice." She glanced back at him. "Well, I should probably go back and get some sleep. I'll see you again tomorrow night?"

Snowpaw nodded, wishing Rainkit a good night as she bounded away. Once she was back in her den, Snowpaw stood up, taking a few steps towards the apprentice den. As his eyes met Nightpaw's, his mouth went dry. I shouldn't be this nervous. I wasn't nervous when I was thinking about this earlier.

Nightpaw met him halfway between the apprentice den and the medicine den. He smiled warmly at Snowpaw, his green eyes soft and gentle. "Hello, Snowpaw. It's great to see you again."

"I-It's great to see you again, too," Snowpaw murmured. He cleared his throat, shifting his weight from side-to-side. "Nightpaw, I... Well... Can we just talk tonight? By the river. Instead of training. If that's alright with you?" The white tomcat inwardly winced with embarrassment due to his disjointed sentences. 

The addressed black tomcat was silent for a few seconds. He slowly blinked at Snowpaw, purring out a response. "Of course that's alright with me, Snowpaw! Thank you- so much- for asking."

Their travel to the river was tranquil, for neither spoke. I am seriously overreacting, Snowpaw thought, scowling. My heart won't stop pounding. Once the two tomcats arrived at the river, they sat next to one another.

Nightpaw peered into the water, his eyes half-lidded as he lapped at its surface. "The river is always so breathtaking. I truly could stare at it all day," the black tomcat stated. Contradictory to his words, he turned his attention to the smaller cat beside him. "But I would always prefer to look at you, Snowpaw," he purred. "What would you like to talk to me about? It's alright if you changed your mind, of course. I'd understand."

Snowpaw immediately shook his head. He took a deep breath, apprehensively shuffling his paws. "Th-There's multiple things I'd like to say, actually." I should bring up the topic of Coldgaze first. "Have you gotten any dreams from the Place of No Stars recently?"

Nightpaw tilted his head, smiling. "Snowpaw, if I had received another dream from the Place of No Stars, I surely would've told you."

"I-I know, it's just..." The white tomcat swallowed, his mouth feeling dry. "Today, Dappledleaf and I had a conversation. She told me a bit about Coldgaze, though more specifically, her relation to him. And I got worried because I know he's targeted you in the past- he and Acornpaw, his granddaughter." Snowpaw paused. "I don't want you to end up injured. Coldgaze truly was an abhorrent cat." 

Nightpaw hummed, shifting his position to allow his fur to brush against Snowpaw's. "If you don't mind me asking, could you inform me about Dappledleaf's relation to him? I recall Seedstep's words about her, but the topic hasn't been brought up ever since. Though, you don't have to tell me, of course!" The black tomcat slowly blinked at Snowpaw, his green eyes once again displaying their characteristic tenderness.

Snowpaw flicked his tail. Am I supposed to disclose this information? The white tomcat met Nightpaw's unwavering gaze. Nightpaw has a right to know about this. Especially when taking his contact with Coldgaze into account. 

The small apprentice cleared his throat. "Seasons ago, Dappledleaf was Coldgaze's closest advisor. Not because she wanted to be, but because she was forced to as the sole medicine cat of MistClan," Snowpaw recollected. "Coldgaze had severely harmed many cats, to the point where living was far crueler of a fate than death. So, Dappledleaf would send them off by feeding them holly berries. That's why she was called 'the Holly Leafed Genocider' by Seedstep."

Nightpaw seemed to be deep in thought for a few moments, staring at the ground. Under his breath, he muttered incoherent words. He snapped his gaze back to Snowpaw. "Thank you for telling me this, Snowpaw. Ah... It gives me quite a lot to ponder..." The black tomcat hummed, glancing up at the stars. "When we first became apprentices, I told you that I heard from Coldgaze himself that he used to be a kittypet." Nightpaw's voice adopted a meek tone. "I apologize for not telling you sooner, but he also did tell me other things about his past. Of course, I left before he could say much- after all, it's unwise to listen to the words of a cat who resides outside of StarClan -but I did get some information from him."

Snowpaw's yellow eyes widened. What?

"Coldgaze must truly be delusional," the black tomcat prefaced. "What he told me was far different than what Dappledleaf told you. He really hates her and believes that she belongs in the Place of No Stars, because to him, she's lying." Nightpaw sneered, his fangs bared. "Ah, the sheer desperation he had in his voice was unforgettable, as he attempted to convince me to train in the Place of No Stars in-between him berating Dappledleaf, who wasn't even present! Heh... I don't know why he'd ever think I would fall for such lies. Even a forgettable, ordinary MistClan cat like me could see right through his facade!"

"Again, I really do apologize for not telling you sooner," Nightpaw repeated. "I intended on telling you eventually."

Snowpaw swallowed, his ears now pinned back. "I-It's fine, there's no need to apologize." For someone who's made out to be a guileful tyrant, I don't understand how Coldgaze could ever believe a cat like Nightpaw would ever believe his lies. This is all so troubling, but at least the Place of No Stars hasn't attempted to visit Nightpaw in around a week. 

Nightpaw cleared his throat, back to exhibiting a composed mien. "Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but you have something else on your mind as well, correct?" The warrior apprentice looked down at his paws, an unreadable expression now upon his face. "...I believe I know what it is."

"Ah..." Snowpaw looked off to the side, his pulse quickening and his mouth going dry. Despite having brought the topic up to Nightpaw on multiple nights, actually being in a situation where he'd get a definitive response was making him quite flustered. "That night, when you said that you... uh..."

"I wasn't lying about that," Nightpaw asserted. "I have candidly fallen in love with your fortitude."

"But what does that even mean?" he immediately asked in response, his voice dwindling. "I-I've barely done or been through anything that would be fitting of that word." It almost feels, Snowpaw dully noted, as if he's seeing a version of me in his head that doesn't exist.

"Mmm, Snowpaw..." Nightpaw leaned in close to the small, white tomcat. "You have to start giving yourself more credit." The black tomcat smiled warmly. "May I explain what I see?"

"Please do," Snowpaw murmured.

Nightpaw looked out ahead of him as he began. "I see a cat who was raised by- forgive me, but it's stark -a terrible mother, and had an absent father, yet he pushes forward and hasn't become spiteful or envious; I see a cat who's been harassed and bullied, yet he doesn't cry about it, he pushes forward and tries to get stronger each and every night; I see a cat forced to be in a role he never wanted to pursue, and not only does he partake in said role and try learning all there is to be learned, but he pushes forward and is determined to eventually become the warrior he's always wanted to be; I see a cat who's seen a corpse and knows better than most just how cruel others can be, yet he pushes forward because he wants to solve the case." Nightpaw now gazed at Snowpaw, leaning in even closer. His voice was quiet, and almost sounded tense. "I see you, who's become special to me ever since you accepted my proposition of friendship. So, if I may say it in another way, I believe I fell in love with you."

Oh StarClan... Snowpaw's heart pounded in his chest, but he could feel the ringing all over. He felt a multitude of emotions, none of which he could tame at the moment. His entire body felt warm, and his face flushed. His mind raced. He almost felt queasy. "I-I-" He swallowed thickly, his eyes wandering. His voice was hushed as he finally replied. "Nightpaw... I really... I care about you, a lot."

Snowpaw locked eyes with Nightpaw. "I appreciate you so much, a-and I'm really glad to be here with you. But... but you're looking for more than friendship... Yeah..." The white tomcat closed his eyes for a few seconds, taking a deep breath. I wouldn't... I wouldn't doubt that I may feel the same way. However... "We're still very young. I don't think we should-" Snowpaw cleared his throat. "We should wait until we're warriors to change the bond we already share."

Nightpaw smiled, as tenderly as he'd been the entire night. "Of course. If you are willing to wait until we become warriors, then I will gladly wait as well." The black tomcat chuckled, his head tilting slightly. "I never thought a cat like me could be so lucky!" Then, he stood up, stretching as he did so. "Let's head back to camp now, Snowpaw."

 Snowpaw nodded, standing up as well. He walked beside the black tomcat, barely able to think. Thankfully, to his benefit, Nightpaw spoke up. 

"Not to change the topic so abruptly, but there has been something I've been meaning to ask you for a while now." Nightpaw murmured, an unmistakable curiosity in his taut voice. "When a cat ingests poppy seeds, is it impossible to wake the cat? Do poppy seeds operate as a simple herb to cause sleep, or rather, do they manifest unconsciousness? And, if it is the latter, would it mean that a cat could be harmed while under the influence?"

Snowpaw considered his questions, furrowing his eyebrows. "Well, it does seem more likely that poppy seeds make a cat go unconscious. So on that basis, theoretically, a cat who is harmed wouldn't awake. Why do you ask?"

"I've been considering many possibilities." Nightpaw grunted, his tail lashing. "My Mother didn't go to the medicine den that night, did she? Or anyone, for that matter."

Snowpaw shook his head. "No, I hadn't seen her at the medicine den. Longwhisker, Stonepaw, and Fernpaw were all briefly there, but I can assert that none of them touched the herb shelves. And later on, you were there, of course. What's your-"

"I had theorized the possibility that she ingested poppy seeds, fell asleep in the forest, and got mauled. You mentioned once that poppy seeds are nearly impossible to detect when mingled with fresh-kill. Perhaps she got drugged?" Nightpaw sighed. "But... that doesn't make any sense. I know that poppy seeds work quite soon after being ingested. Also, if nobody went to the medicine den and had the chance..." The black tomcat glanced at Snowpaw. "Unless poppy seeds were collected from that field of poppies you once mentioned to me. But, it's impossible for any of that to have happened," Nightpaw mumbled. "Dewspring had blood staining her paws, as if she fought back. Isn't that right, Snowpaw? Or have I misremembered?"

"You're completely right," Snowpaw concurred, his tail flicking. 

The two tomcats entered camp, walking to its centre. "Dewspring's murder will be solved," Snowpaw reassured. "I'm sure of it. Whoever did this should expect retribution." His yellow eyes glistened under the starlight as he raised his head. It's evident, despite how much he denies it, that her death has impacted him. And I don't want him to ever feel that way again. "As long as I'm in this forest, I'll try my best to protect everyone." No matter what.

"So, let's train harder from now on and get stronger." Snowpaw smiled confidently. "After all, I've decided that this will be my true reason to become a warrior."