Flarepaw yawned, padding out of the apprentices' den. The cool night air blew through his fur, sending shivers running down his spine. He looked at the sky, noticing that it was a little after moonhigh. Perhaps it was hunger that awoke Flarepaw from his sleep. Or maybe something else...

He shook his fur, stepping towards the entrance of the camp. The guard, Wolffang, a newly made warrior, looked over at Flarepaw. The dark gray tom flicked an ear in greeting.

"Hi, Wolffang," Flarepaw whispered. "I'm heading out on a walk. I'll be back in a little bit." Wolffang blinked for a moment, before smiling and giving Flarepaw a small nod. Flarepaw trotted off, walking deeper into the forest. The eerie silence made Flarepaw uneasy. He always had a problem with the deafening silence of the night. He shuddered, but pushed the dark thoughts aside as he continued to walk along. Flarepaw began to hear the slight sound of voices, and slowly walked over to the spot. It was near the stream border with WindClan. Quietly, he poked his head through the bushes. He instantly noticed the white speckled jet black pelt of Nightfrost, the deputy. In front of her stood Falconfang, Flarepaw's father, and a limp figure behind him. Flarepaw held back a cry as he realized it was Petalfall, his mother. Her pelt that was once white as snow was drenched in scarlet, slashes covering her pelt and a nasty bite mark over her throat. Her eyes were glazed. Flarepaw could tell she was dead.

He shifted his gaze over to Falconfang. His dark brown tabby fur was also covered in slashes and bites. Flarepaw's father was glaring at Nightfrost, hate glowing in his bright green eyes.

"You traitor!" he snarled. "Y-You killed her! Why? How could you do this?"

"It was meant to be," Nightfrost meowed cooly, simply shrugging as if they were talking about fresh kill. Flarepaw's stomach churned in fear and anger. Part of him wanted to leap in and attack Nightfrost in revenge, though another part told him it was unwise. So he stayed put.

"Y-You're a traitor to your Clan and your family, you foxheart!" Falconfang hissed, stalking forward. He lunged forward at Nightfrost. "I'll kill you!"

No! Falconfang! Flarepaw cried inwardly, the words unable to come out of his jaws. He watched in horror as the time seemed to slow. Falconfang flew towards Nightfrost as she held up a pawfull of claws. Momentum did the rest of the work for her. Falconfang slid to the ground, soaked in blood from the tear from his throat to tail. He thrashed on the ground for a moment before falling limp, soaking the grass in scarlet. Flarepaw stood rigid in terror. He felt tears well in his eyes, a hot drop dabbing onto his paw. His heart jumped as Nightfrost's gaze whipped around to meet his. Their eyes locked for a moment before terror took over and Flarepaw turned, running as fast as he could in the first direction he saw: towards the lake. Fear rippled through him as he ran. He heard the hard footsteps of Nightfrost on his tail. StarClan, StarClan, Flarepaw thought desprately. Helpmehelpme help me! He skidded to a halt at the lakeshore. He was trapped. He turned around and saw Nightfrost on the hillside, looking down at him. Flarepaw slowly stepped backward, his body shaking rapidly. He saw the blood drenched on the deputy's paws. There was a coldness in her eyes that seemed to challenge Flarepaw, but the terror kept him frozen to the spot. Nightfrost slowly approached him, stalking a whiskers length away from him. She turned, dragging her tail slowly under his chin. Shudders went down Flarepaw's spine.

"You're a naughty kitty," she meowed cooly. "What are you doing out of camp, hmm? We both know you aren't supposed to be out here at this time of night."

"I-I-I was g-going on a walk..." Flarepaw stuttered. He gained control of himself and slowly moved away. "W-W-Why d-did you kill Falconfang and P-Petalfall?" Nightfrost froze. She stood over the lake. She seemed to be looking down at her reflection.

"Oh, how naive you are, Flarepaw," Nightfrost let out an exasperated sigh as she soaked her paws in the lake. The blood liquefied and soiled the crystal blue water, creating black splotches in the night. She bent down and lapped the water around the blood, and then Flarepaw realized what she was doing. Nightfrost looked over, the blood on her muzzle and pelt gone. "You know nothing about what us warriors are up to, nor you would understand why we do what we do. Go back to camp," Flarepaw stalked back as Nightfrost approached. He felt his back touch the bark of the tree and he shrunk down against it as Nightfrost's form grew. Her ice blue eyes were narrowed, and her paw was up with her claws unsheathed. Flarepaw pressed his eyes shut.

"Please don't kill me, please don't kill me!" he whimpered. He felt a gust of air and was prepared to feel pain, but nothing came. Instead, he felt hot breath on his ear.

"Don't utter a word, and your life will be spared," she whispered. "Once you do-" Flarepaw heard the sound of her claws ripping up grass. "-you'll share the same fate as your parents." She pulled back. Flarepaw charged away from the lakeshore. His vision was blurred by the tears in his eyes as he ran as fast as he could back to camp. He saw the camp entrance come into view and streaked through the thorn barrier, ignoring the meow of confusion from Wolffang. He skidded into the camp and ran to the apprentices' den, curling into a tight ball in his nest. There he sobbed himself to sleep. I-I'll get you one day, Nightfrost, Flarepaw thought as heartache and tiredness took over him. I-I'll avenge them one day. I-I promise, Falconfang, Petalfall...