They walked toward the camp with heavy paws.

Robinpaw wasn't sure what to expect-- but she was confident it wouldn't be pleasant...

After all... She shivered, remembering Brownkit's exile. FloraClan isn't big on mercy.

Leopardpaw's expression was blank, void of emotion. He seemed calm...too calm.

He refuted that a moment later.

He padded up to her, and the silver trainee detected a small shiver down his back. He was so vulnerable that Robinpaw had to resist laying her tail on his back.

After all, that might be taken as a sign of weakness.

"What...what do you think happened?" he asked shakily.

Robinpaw flicked her tail helplessly looked at her paws. I don't know. But...but I'm scared to find out...

Robinpaw suddenly wished that Thrushnose were there, next to her. She needed her strength. But for now, Leopardpaw would have to do.

Heart heavy, she matched her steps with his.

The snow seemed almost suffocating now, though it was still falling ever lightly. Every flake seemed to weigh down Robinpaw and her companions until she almost didn't want to move.

What's waiting there...? she wondered.

She looked up suddenly as she heard the rushing of water ahead. So the river isn't frozen yet, she thought dimly. Isn't that strange.

She sunk her claws deeply into the tree trunk as they crossed the river, as usual, but her mind was far away from the usual danger. Instead, her thoughts were consumed by images of blood, and death...and Tankit.

Her paws made imprints on the snow as she walked-- pawprints that seemed oddly larger than she remembered. She'd grown a lot in a season...

"Robinpaw?" Foxtail's mew was soft but urgent, and she glanced up to see herself almost walk straight into a tree. She felt a flush of embarrassment, but simply looked up and kept walking.

They were almost there now, she could hear the anxious mew of her Clanmates ahead.

They entered the camp, where FloraClan was gathered under the Great Tree. The three Hunters and the Servant fought through the crowd to see what was happening and there, at the foot of the tree, were Crowclaw and Swallowtooth.

And pinned underneath them were a silver tom and a brown-she cat, both struggling to escape.

Robinpaw's mind was whirling. What had happened?

Thrushnose was suddenly by her side, her tail wrapped around Robinpaw comfortingly. The silver she-cat leaned against her thankfully, then turned to speak to her. "What happened?"

Thrushnose opened her mouth to speak before shutting it abruptly and gesturing to the Tree. Marigoldflower made eye contact with Orangepaw, who nodded slightly.

It seemed like she was about to find out.

The golden leader stepped forward and lifted her tail, quieting the hubbub of voices.

"FloraClan," boomed Marigoldflower, "we are gathered here to witness the trial of a rebellious cat of FloraClan and his accomplice." She glanced down disdainfully at the cats in question. "Silverfur of the Den of Servants and a rogue...what's her name? Mud? How fitting."

Purrs escaped the cats below, but they were tinged with fear or anger, she couldn't tell which.

"These cats," mewed Oakbranch, "have tried to injure and kill two of our Lesser Leader Trainees. They have also been involved in a forbidden relationship." He spat at them with contempt and they flinched slightly.

Beside her, Robinpaw could've sworn she heard a strangled gasp from her mentor.

"We also have reason to suspect that there are others." His eyes scanned the gathered cats coldly, and Robinpaw felt her claws dig into the snow-covered ground. She quickly re-sheathed them. Don't want to look suspicious.

"Irispaw and Orchidpaw, come forward."

Robinpaw's heart seized as her sister walked forward, shaking slightly as she glared as menacingly as she could at the two trapped cats. Orchidpaw beside her did likewise, but with a hint of smugness.

Irispaw?

Fear for her sister gripped Robinpaw-- had the cats in question tried to attack her? Did they dare to try and hurt a Lesser Leader?

Nobody messes with my littermate! she thought fiercely. She bared her teeth at the unfamiliar cat and the silver tom she assumed was a Servant. You deserve whatever you get!

"Irispaw and Orchidpaw went on a walk in the territory when these two cats attacked them. Fortunately, they had been accompanied by Crowclaw--" Here, he dipped his head to the black tom-cat, who inclined his head slightly in response. "--and the aggressors were compromised." He turned to Irispaw and Orchidpaw. "Speak."

Irispaw shivered violently, her fur bushed up in terror. She shook her head mutely, and Orchidpaw spoke. "They...they came out of nowhere. We were just walking, minding our own business, when..." She froze as well, then sat down heavily, a tremor going through her. "They..." She tried again. "They..."

Marigoldflower nodded sympathetically and gestured for her to be silent. Orchidpaw subsided with a grateful nod.

Heatherblossom stepped forward and curled her tail around Irispaw, baring her teeth. "What do you have to say for yourselves, scum?!" she hissed with an intensity mirroring one of a mother-- she deeply cared for Irispaw, Robinpaw realized. Irispaw probably was a daughter to her.

Robinpaw felt her claws unsheathe in defense of her littermate. She found herself calling out "Yeah! What do you have to say?"

The she-cat, Mud, tried to choke something out, but Swallowtooth pushed down hard on her windpipe. She coughed once violently, then fell silent.

"Kill them! Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!"

The silver trainee couldn't tell where the chant had begun, but it spread like a wildfire. She found herself repeating it as well, despite her fear of blood, despite her fear of death.

The snow swirled down, seemingly oblivious of that anger and insanity taking place. It fell silently, steadily, and seemed to already be pink with blood.

NO ONE messes with my sister! I won't lose another littermate!

Marigoldflower didn't even bother quieting the crowd, simply yowled over it. "And FloraClan does not condone this! We shall not let these cats live!"

"Kill them! Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!"

The chant had risen to a peak that seemed impossible, and Robinpaw's mew was growing hoarse from the volume she was yowling at.

They deserve to DIE!

She glared at them with fierce animosity, the unfamiliar she-cat and inferior Servant who'd dared to hurt her sister. She noted, then, suddenly, the absolute terror in their eyes, and the mist cleared from her eyes for a moment.

Had they really attacked Irispaw? Neither she nor her friend had a visible scratch on them...

But the other cats didn't seem to care, they yelled their anger to the sky. Robinpaw hesitated for a moment before finally seeing the injury, a deep cut along Irispaw's back.

They had hurt her!

They made her bleed!

Memories of the cut along her own back flooded through her, adding fuel to Robinpaw's anger. It burned brighter and brighter until the mist returned again, staining her vision red.

"Kill them! Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!"

Robinpaw's voice joined the rest once again.

Irispaw huddled closer to her mentor.

She was only faintly aware of the nod of Marigoldflower's head.

Swallowtooth and Crowclaw bit down, hard.

Two screams of pain.

The white snow was stained a deep red.

A scent of blood and death cut through the air.

"Long live FloraClan!" the Clan cheered.

The two broken bodies lay limply, terror imprinted forever in their gazes.

For maybe a moment, Robinpaw hesitated. Is a scratch really deserving of two deaths?

If it's my littermate...

Robinpaw cheered with them.

Wow.

What did you think, guys? This affect your opinion about FloraClan? 

Any theories? (About anything in this chapter)

Till next chapter!

~Ember

Dedicated to RavenFeather_TC and special thanks NightFrost_WC for editing this chapter for me!