The fur between Larkwing's claws felt unpleasantly sticky. At that moment, she would have much preferred to wade through the mud.

I just killed another cat.

This truth reverberated in her head like a nightmarish echo, over and over again, until she had to flatten her ears and dig her paws into the ground.

I've just done the worst thing imaginable. Not only have I broken the code of combat, I've also ended a life forever.

Lakepelt, realising she wasn't following, turned and ran the few steps back to her. "Are you all right?" he asked.

His casual tone made Larkwing want to scream. How could he pretend that nothing bad had happened?

"Can't we go to a water source first? I... I don't want everyone to see that right away..." Her voice trailed off. At the same time, her gaze involuntarily wandered to the ground.

"That's probably better." Lakepelt looked around. "I don't see any water here. Seems like we'll have to go all the way back to the cliff."

At a fast gallop, they reached the pool by the gigantic rock face in no time at all. Ignoring the biting cold, Larkwing slipped into the water and waded around in the shallow bank. Gradually, she felt the sticky sensation leave her paws. A light, bright red glow appeared in the water, which she tried to splash away.

Soon after, her paws were almost completely white again. It reassured Larkwing to see no more evidence of what she had done.

Then her chest tightened. But the memory will stay forever, whispered an accusing voice in her subconscious.

"Do you think there are more of them here?" Lakepelt was the first to break the silence.

A tingle ran through Larkwing's fur. "I hope not," she murmured, though her guts told her that was just a pathetic attempt to cling to a tiny piece of hope.

As if he shared her apprehension, Lakepelt turned his head and scanned his surroundings. Larkwing leapt out of the water and shook out her paws.

"Let's go find the others now," she meowed.

On the way, she did her best not to think about the tendril-pierced she-cat. Nevertheless, at some point her curiosity was so great that she could no longer hold it back. She had a hunch what kind of cat it was. Admittedly, this guess seemed a little far-fetched, but what other logical explanation was there?

Nervously, she cast a sideways glance at Lakepelt. "Can I ask you something?" she began, her voice far too high and squeaky.

Lakepelt turned an ear in her direction. "Yes?"

Mousedung on crowfood, why don't I think about what I'm saying before I open my mouth? Furious at her rashness, Larkwing bit her tongue. Although she knew exactly what she wanted to ask Lakepelt, she didn't know how to phrase it.

She could clearly feel his piercing gaze burning into her pelt. Lakepelt didn't follow up, which made her even more nervous.

Finally, she blurted out, "Don't you think it's... it's strange that I just killed someone, even though there was no reason for it?"

Lakepelt averted his eyes. "It was self-defence," he said simply.

Larkwing let her tail flick through the air once in frustration. "Maybe so, but—"

"Besides, I think it was a Shadowless."

Larkwing's mouth was open in surprise. Had she just heard correctly? "Wh-what makes you think that?" she croaked. "I was thinking exactly the same thing!"

"I don't know, it was just a feeling," Lakepelt replied.

Coldness rose in Larkwing. Inwardly, she had hoped she wouldn't meet the Shadowless again so soon, now that they were outside the Clan territories. "But if that was a Shadowless, why—"

The rest of the sentence stuck in her throat. She just couldn't bring herself to continue meowing.

Then why did she actually die?

Lakepelt seemed just as perplexed. "It's strange that you were able to kill her at all, though. Why wasn't it possible back then?" A hint of frustration and bitterness resonated in his tone.

Larkwing closed her eyes in agony. I wish I had an answer ready. I know as much as any other Clan cat. Namely, nothing at all.

Suddenly, a memory appeared before her inner eye. She, Amberhaze and Fruittail on StarClan's Peninsula, surrounded by the Shadowless.

Their eyes were empty! Fruittail's dark, rough voice echoed in her head. There was no lustre, no life in them like I can see in yours and all the other cats'. I've only ever seen eyes like that in deceased cats.

Deep fear now dominated Larkwing, the kind of fear that choked one's throat and robbed one of all courage. 

What exactly were the Shadowless? There was evidence that at least some of them were in fact long dead and controlled by an outside force. That would also explain why they had attacked and killed everyone who had shown even the slightest hint of hostility towards them in the battle in the MoonClan camp, but were like normal cats in the RoseClan camp. With the only difference that they couldn't die there.

"Whatever they are, I hope we'll find answers here," Larkwing sighed, glancing at the skydens. The tendrils — wrong, the tentacles reflected the sunlight so brightly on their black, smooth surface that Larkwing had to squint her eyes the next moment.

Lakepelt flicked his tail in agreement and slowed his run until he finally stopped. Larkwing did the same and looked at him questioningly with her head tilted.

"Listen, Larkwing, this might be weird to say — well, at least under different circumstances," Lakepelt began, "but I'm really glad you did this. I mean, killing the Shadowless. I'm sure it was hard for you, but like I said, I would have done it too. The Shadowless aren't normal cats that can be driven away at a moment's notice. They are a serious danger. That's why we should consider everything to get rid of them once and for all. Even if it doesn't conform to our moral standards."

Even if we are banished to the Dark Forest after death, where the most evil cats have to endure their eternal existence? Larkwing refrained from making this snide remark and instead hung her head in silence. The truth was, she had been possessed. A voice had entered her head and pestered her until she lost control of her thoughts and actions.

Suddenly, Larkwing felt torn. Should she tell Lakepelt that she hadn't done it of her own free will? She opened her mouth slightly and took a deep breath.

Then there was a constricting feeling and her tongue felt as dry as sand. It simply didn't work. Lakepelt was her best friend, she was so incredibly fond of him and would trust him with her life at any time. But right now she couldn't make a sound. Her fear that he wouldn't take her seriously was too great.

After all, how many cats even believed that possession existed? With a heavy heart, Larkwing finally decided to keep her mouth shut for the time being. Maybe it was a one-time thing. As long as she kept her distance from the tentacles, she had nothing to fear.

***

None of them said a word the rest of the way. Every now and then, Larkwing felt the urge to bring up the subject of the supposed Shadowless again. However, the thought immediately made her feel queasy and she stayed quiet.

It's better if I don't bother with it anymore anyway, she decided. I simply can't let it happen again.

Now they reached an angular slope that led to a flat, wide area between two smaller, compact skydens. Dry moss, which crumbled into dusty flakes when touched, grew out of the cracks and in some places the rocks had broken away.

Larkwing cautiously made her way upwards. Despite its dilapidated state, the slope was more stable than expected. When she reached the flat plateau, she was pleased to see that the rest of the reconnaissance patrol had already gathered here.

Crowshadow was the first to notice their return. "Took you quite a while," the black she-cat remarked with a mocking purr. "Were you constipated?"

Larkwing's lower jaw dropped in astonishment. "Uh... no?" she clarified. Cheeky SnowClan cat! Hold on, she's not part of SnowClan anymore. Cheeky rogue!

With flashing eyes, Larkwing glared as angrily as she could at Crowshadow. She didn't seem to notice, though.

"If you say so, I believe you." Crowshadow twitched her ears. "Still, it took you an unusually long time to come back. That's why we..." She gave Lakepelt a questioning glance. "What's your name again?"

"Lakepelt?" The black tabby white tabby tom's answer sounded more like a question, as if he was surprised or even annoyed that Crowshadow had forgotten his name.

"Oh yes, that's right!" Crowshadow exclaimed. "So, that's why we sent Lakepelt after you, to see if everything was alright. But it seems to me that it is."

Larkwing nodded in comfirmation. Exactly. Everything is in perfect order. I'm fine, Lakepelt's fine, we're all fine. There's nothing to worry about.

Her heart grew heavy at this silent lie. She exchanged a quick glance with Lakepelt and pointed behind her with her muzzle. Should we tell them about the shadowless cat?, she wanted to say.

But Lakepelt only tilted his head in confusion. Larkwing gritted her teeth. I take that as a no.

Suddenly Splashfur gasped for air. "What happened to your ear?" the reddish-cream tom meowed, startled. He wanted to take a step forwards to take a closer look at Lakepelt, but the latter backed away with an annoyed twitch of his intact ear.

Mousedung! Larkwing suppressed an irritated hiss. How were they supposed to explain this without mentioning the fight with the Shadowless?

Her courage sank even lower when Redleaf interjected. "That's new, isn't it?" the ginger and white tabby tom asked concernedly. "What happened while you were away?"

Under his penetrating, fir green gaze, Larkwing felt pitifully small. What am I supposed to say now? She had to think of some excuse.

We mustn't tell them about the Shadowless. Otherwise we'll have to mention that she's dead. And how are we supposed to explain that?

Larkwing was about to simply deny the issue when an angry yowl sounded from below.

"What are you doing here?"