"Stop!" the sound of Sorrelpaw's voice caught both toms' attention. Icefang looked utterly surprised while Jaypaw's reaction was that of relief.

"Icefang, let him go," Sorrelpaw meowed firmly.

Luckily, Icefang obeyed and let Jaypaw go. The RookClan apprentice's eyes were still wide and he quickly took the chance to scurry off.

Sorrelpaw faced her mentor, her eyes filled with disappointment. He met her gaze with an unreadable look.

"I never imagined that you did such a thing," she mewed. "Jaypaw's innocent, yet you attacked him."

Icefang did not respond.

Sorrelpaw continued. "Why?" she asked, her voice soft and fragile. "Why did you do such a thing?"

She stared at Icefang, who was beginning to look slightly worried. Her eyes darkened. "Why did you betray our Clan?"

He looked surprised at her question and he leaped forward to defend himself. "Why would I do that?" he growled, agitated. "Every cat knows that I-"

"Then they do not know you," Sorrelpaw mewed. "I do not know you anymore." She unsheathed and sheathed her claws, digging up dirt.

"I thought that you were the greatest warrior," she meowed. "That you were a loyal warrior, with only the intention serving the Clan the best you could. I admired you, and I was so happy when you were chosen as my mentor. Now, I can't recognise you anymore."

After Sorrelpaw finished speaking, she turned and walked away, with a lingering pain that hung in her trusting heart.

Icefang did not follow her as she headed back to the BrambleClan camp, her thoughts filled with that night's incident.

When Sorrelpaw returned, all she could think of is to sleep off the pain. She never felt like this. She never felt... betrayed.

It was not easy, but she managed to fall asleep.

~~~~

The next day, Sorrelpaw was awoken by sunlight warming her pelt, which shone a bright golden brown colour. She rose to her paws and padded outside, where her Clanmates fulfilled their respective duties.

I have to tell Flailstar about Icefang, she thought, though the odd feeling of guilt made her to think about her decision. It's my duty.

Sorrelpaw forced herself to Flailstar's den. Mintleap, who recieved his medicine cat name two days ago, was guarding the leader's den with a resolved look.

"I-I need to talk to Flailstar," Sorrelpaw told him.

Mintleap shook his head dismissively. "Flailstar is sick," he meowed firmly. "Grasswind forbids any cat from visiting him. If you have something important to say, you should tell Icefang about it. He is the deputy."

Strangely relieved, Sorrelpaw nodded and padded away to find a patrol to join.

She realised that Icefang was nowhere to be seen. Is he hiding from guilt?

When a hunting patrol returned, Sorrelpaw went over to ask one of the warriors about Icefang.

Snapblaze put down his prey and noticed her, not saying anything. With a reluctant sigh, Sorrelpaw decided to ask the new warrior.

"Do you know where is Icefang?" she asked.

"No," he replied bluntly with an uninterested face, preparing to walk away. Unexpectedly, he stopped and added, "But I last saw him near Shaded Hollow at sunrise."

"Thank..." Sorrelpaw began, but Snapblaze already left.

At least he bothered speaking to me without adding a snark remark.

The BrambleClan apprentice headed out of camp and entered the spruce forest with the goal of finding her mentor.

He must have a reason for what he did, she thought as she raced through the forest, her nose trying to catch his scent. I believe I can change him.

As Sorrelpaw's search progressed, so does the time. Her paws ached from running too much on the leaf covered ground and she was hungry.

Sorrelpaw refused to give up and persisted on the search. At last, she caught Icefang's faint, but recognisable scent.

Following it carefully, Sorrelpaw reached the edge of BrambleClan territory, in the direction of the mystical Star Stone.

The thought of walking on unknown territory frightened her, but she took a step forward.

"Are you looking for me?" Sorrelpaw whipped around and spotted Icefang standing a fox length away from her, with an almost hopeful expression.

"Yes." Sorrelpaw took a deep breath.

"Why?" he questioned.

"I believe you can change," her voice sounded weak and feeble. "That you could be a great warrior."

Icefang looked shocked but hid his emotions away, facing Sorrelpaw with an emotionless expression.

"If you want to know why I did all this, I will tell you," he meowed, pacing.

"I had a littermate. His name was Nightpaw and he got all the fame and attention. Many cats, including my mentor and mother, were quick to point out my mistakes and praise Nightpaw's accomplishments. It was becoming unbearable." Icefang stopped pacing.

"Then, I took action. First, I killed my mentor, then my own mother without any remorse. I took the opportunity to blame it on Nightpaw, using a flawless plan. Every cat was fooled and Nightpaw was exiled. However, I wasn't going to let him get away with making me suffer. I ended his life the next day."

Sorrelpaw's eyes were wide as Icefang rounded on her, his green eyes fiercer than before. "Now that you heard all this, you can't be allow to live."

"You can change!" Sorrelpaw mewed as Icefang walked towards her with his claws unsheathed.

"They won't allow it. I won't allow it!" his voice rose to almost a yowl.

"I believe in you," Sorrelpaw held her ground as Icefang advanced, secretly afraid but determined.

"You are wasting your time," he responded, but Sorrelpaw noticed that for a split second, his eyes were speckled with guilt.

She was filled with hope. "You are a great mentor. You taught me the best I ever wished for."

Icefang hesitated, but he continued moving forward.

"It's not too late for you to change," Sorrelpaw encouraged. "It's not too late to be the warrior every cat dreamed of being."

Her mentor was barely a mouse length away from her now. Sorrelpaw's amber eyes met his cold green ones.

"I love you." Those words just flew out of her mouth without her realising until the last moment.

Icefang took a step back, startled. He stared at his paws and then at Sorrelpaw.

"Show me."