Hearing a soft scratch on the front door, Cheese-It's ears rose with alertness as she scanned the quiet room with her bright yellow eyes.

   Light off, checked.

   Closed bedroom door, checked.

   No sound, checked.

   All safe.

   Cheese-It hunched low to the ground. Walking on tiptoes, she went closer to the door as she stood as high as possible on two paws. She pulled down the lever slowly and slightly pulled back to get the door ajar. When the door was ajar, she stuck her paw underneath the door and pulled it open, revealing a brown striped tabby she-cat that was soaked in the rain.

   The door creaked as Cheese-It pulled it open slowly, trying not to wake Grumpy. The brown striped tabby she-cat was not alone. She gently put something down on the ground as Cheese-It looked at the she-cat with questions running around her head.

   "Shellsplash, what are you doing here?," Cheese-It glanced at Shellsplash with her eyebrows raised questionably.

   Looking down on the ground, Cheese-It's eyes widened as she saw a brown striped tabby kit sleeping peacefully. Her tail twitched nervously as two names formed in her mind.

   Falconshadow.

   Lilybloom.

   The kit looked exactly like Falconshadow.

   Shellsplash was giving it gentle licks before she rolled her calm and narrow sky-blue eyes, "Do I need to get an invitation to visit you?"

   Cheese-It sighed as she replied with a whisper, "What did I miss during my so-called imprisonment for one moon..."

   Cheese-It lost her voice as she stared at the brown tabby on the ground, cuddling up into a ball as his eyes closed and traveling in his dream. His white underbelly was shown clearly as his fur was dripping wet.

   Hearing a growl from the bedroom, Cheese-It backed away as she studied the room carefully. Doing a tail flick, she signaled Shellsplash to keep quiet. After the sound stopped, Cheese-It took a deep breath as she mewed, "Phew, that was close."

   Grumpy was having a bad mood lately and Cheese-It decided that it was not safe for her to travel to PeakClan again. Therefore, she stayed at home and kept a lookout for everything. What she did not know, many things would have happened in a moon.

   Shellsplash continued drying him up as she continued, "This is urgent."

   The flashbacks of blood were stirring in Cheese-It's head. Cheese-It shivered as her ginger and white fur shot up like needles. Clan murders. Who would be next?

   Shellsplash was most likely to be bringing the truth.

   "It was...true...Falcon...was...the...one...?"

   Shellsplash made herself nod ever so slightly as Cheese-It's world was spinning like she was trapped inside a whirlwind, without any clues to get out.

   It was true.

   It was true.

   It was true.

   How many nights that Cheese-It was begging that it was not, she lost count.

   It was true.

   It was true.

   It was true.

   She hated to admit that she did not want to believe in the truth, but the truth was in front of her eyes.

   The kit let out a soft purr in his sleep as both of them kept quiet immediately. If a cat could die of cuteness, Cheese-It would have died a lot of times already. Sadly, the kit was bearing something that would leave a huge impact on his life forever.

   He would not be the happy kit anymore, once he knew the truth...

   There would be a shadow that covered him forever...

   "Then-" Cheese-It managed to choke out the words, "why do you bring this kit here? Falconshadow and Lilybloom's kit?"

   "I am pretty sure that the clan is going to plan revenge on him and he does not deserve that. Yes, Falconshadow is his father, but it does not mean that this kit belongs to the dark side. He is just a kit. And..." Shellsplash mewed calmly while Cheese-It's ears twitched with unease.

   "And what?" Cheese-It would like to hear the full story. Ever since the murders in PeakClan, no cat would ever smile. Every cat was treating their day as their last.

   Who knew when the icy claw of death would lie eyes on them?

   "There was a prophecy," Cheese-It could not help but wondering how Shellsplash could be so calm as she listened quietly, "It went like this, 'The claw of death will rise again, haunting the never-ending night. Only claw can stop claw and rise like a never-ending flame,"

   "So?"

   "Now we know who the killer is, and he is 'the claw of death'. Quailflight thinks that this kit is the claw of death's kit, which also meant that he can be the 'claw'. Therefore, she asks me to hide the kit as he will be the one who settles this mess."

   Shellsplash took a deep breath as Cheese-It was speechless. She knew what Shellsplash would want her to do. The huge responsibility was dropped on her shoulder as she released a breath that she did not notice she was holding.

   "I tried to make the clan see this, but they could not. I did not blame them as..."

   Shellsplash's voice tailed away in the dark as silence wrapped them out like a thick blanket. They both looked outside the window and spotted the silver moon shining in the sky like a huge silver plate that Grumpy used.

   Too many cats were lost.

   Too many.

   Without farewells.

   A gentle breeze seemed to calm Cheese-It down as the rain stopped. A refreshed scent crept into Cheese-It's nose as she could imagine the raindrops dancing on the leaves.

   "You want me to take care of this kit?" Cheese-It asked quietly.

   "I think this is the only way, friend," Shellsplash replied as she smiled faintly at the kit.

   "But Shelly, you know that Grumpy-"

   "I know, but you are my only friend. No one else is going to take care of him. It is dangerous living here, but I know that you will not let any harm come to him, right?"

   "If you change your cold attitude to the others-"

   "Skip that talk please, I do not need it," Shellsplash looked out of the window as red was splashed over the dark sky, "He can grow up, using the fact that he is a kittypet as a camouflage. No one will know as long as no one tells him about his parents..."

   The city was awakened as the sunbeam sneaked into the room and left shadows on the ground.

   "I have to go, you will take care of him?"

   Cheese-It looked hesitant, but she nodded eventually. She could not think of the scene in which the kit was starving to death.

   "I will."

   She could not turn a kit away.

   "Thanks, oh and his name is Chipmunk."

   And now, she handed him to PeakClan, on a silver plate and wrapped up like a gift.

   "Cheese-It, you are a daytime-warrior. Can you help us to search for Falconshadow's kit?" Malastar asked. It was one of her pleasant day which Cheese-It was grateful, but she was still afraid of any sudden mood swift.

   "S...sure..." Cheese-It replied hesitantly.

   She made a big mistake hesitating.

   "Cheese-It, I am pretty sure that you are hiding something. Are you?" May eyed Cheese-It suspiciously as she blocked the way.

   "No...I do not know anything about Chipmunk-"

   "Are you sure? Then why do you know his name? In PeakClan, we never refer to Falconshadow's kit as his name."

   The secret was out.

   "I am not going to question you anymore, but remember where your loyalty lies, whether a killer's son or a clan." May turned as she disappeared into the dark.

   The loyalty to her friend or to her clan, she did not know what to choose.

   But, she chose the latter.

   "So, according to Cheese-It's plan, Cheese-It will be releasing Falconshadow's son. May will be leading a patrol with Hickorycliff, Obsianspiral, and Wrenfeather in a dark alley. When they go past, you can ambush them. Chase the rest of the kittypets off, bring Falconshadow's son back and everything is completed." Malastar mewed confidently.

   Cheese-It stared at her paws as she remembered the pair of bright yellow eyes and the teasing smile, her heart was torn.

   "Cheese-It, where are my parents?" Chipmunk stared at Cheese-It one day, his bright eyes became misty.

   Cheese-It stared away nervously as she tried to sound casual, "Oh, they are going on an important mission and they will be back soon."

   Chipmunk studied Cheese-It curiously as he leaped on the windowsill, letting his long tail hang down.

   "I...miss them..."

   Cheese-It squeezed out a smile, "You will see them soon, they will always be your heart."

   Cheese-It pushed away from her thoughts as she glanced at the others nervously. Obsidianspiral seemed to be confident as her amber eyes sparkled with determination. Hickorycliff stood straight as he held his head high, eager to catch Chipmunk. Wrenfeather nodded as he listened carefully and seriously without a smile.

   Cheese-It studied them as she tried to convince herself.

   She was doing this for her clan. For the clan which made her feel like home.

   She tried to convince that she had done the right thing, but she could not. She did not really feel like she was doing the right thing, instead, she felt like she was going to commit a sin.

   Caring for Chipmunk was a promise to Shellsplash. He would be the only hope for PeakClan, 'the claw' that would bring peace.

   Not only a promise and the hope, but he was also the cat who brightened up her days.

   She knew that the truth would always hurt.

   Clan or Chipmunk, she did not really know what to choose.

   The smile and the spark in his eyes when he turned and left could not be wiped away from Cheese-It's mind as she leaned against the doorway, glancing Chipmunk climbing up the piles and disappearing into the dark.

   Staring at the shadow on the ground, she noticed that this might be the last time seeing him again. She just realized how she could not live without him.

   "You only know that you cannot live without someone until you lose him."

   She has made up her mind.

   Even if she might be called a traitor, she could not bear to throw Chipmunk to the wolves, knowing that he would not come back out alive again.

   Keeping him hostage and killing. That was the plan.

   Feeling her fur brush against the ground, Cheese-It sniffed in the air as she traveled through the crowd of people. Her ears twitched as she crept into a dark alley.

   The cold wind that rushed towards her brought a cold shiver down her pelt. Heart punching her chest, she took a deep breath but she was not prepared for the scene in front of her eyes.

   Blood.

   "STOP! You have got the wrong cat!"

   The world was spinning as she screamed inside her head. Not until every cat stared at her with widened eyes, did she realize that she had said the sentence out loud.

   "What do you mean by 'the wrong cat'?" Obsibianspiral growled frustratedly as she shot Cheese-It a death glance that sent shivers racing down her pelt.

   The black she-cat loosed her grip on Chipmunk as Chipmunk's eyes landed on Cheese-It. His eyes were filled with confusion as he raised his eyebrows. Cheese-It held her breath as she answered, "It was all a misunderstanding."

   Cheese-It's glance stayed on Chipmunk as she spotted a large scratch on his belly. The fear thoughts looped around her mind until there was no room for anything else.

   What if Chipmunk could not come out of the place alive?

   She would never forgive herself.

   "Do you think I am a kit? You planned tonight and now you are telling me that you were joking?" Obsibianspiral glanced at Cheese-It with disbelief as May snored loudly.

   "I have made a terrible mistake and it is all my responsibility." Cheese-It mewed, trying to sound guilty. She did not really want to think about what her punishment would be, but she was sure that she deserved them all.

   May narrowed her eyes as Chipmunk shifted his glance between Cheese-It and May suspiciously. Obviously, he sensed the tension in the air as he twitched his eyes.

   "But Cheese-It-"

   Hickorycliff cut off what May was saying, "May, can't you have any faith in your clanmates? Let's go. We have already wasted a lot of time. Let the kittypets go." Obsibianspiral backed away as she seemed like she wanted to question Cheese-It but the words never made out of her mouth.

   Instead, she hissed, "You will get what you deserve."

   What waiting for her was not her biggest concern. Chipmunk already knew enough. She betrayed him.

   The pair of eyes that once filled with love was replaced by hate and bitterness.

   She thought that she would always be the one who gave warmth and light to Chipmunk, but now, it was her who ripped him apart.

   While she chose clan instead of Chipmunk, what would have Chipmunk thought? The closest cat in his life turned against him and threw him in a dark corner with murderous cats and truth that he never knew?

   Betrayal. Burning of the soul.

   How many times did she tell herself that it was not Chipmunk's fault that Falconshadow killed? She wanted to be a loyal cat. She wanted to stand up for what was right. She wanted to make cats see clear of the facts but no one would understand.

   She chose to help the clan, coming up with the plan to catch Chipmunk tonight. It sounded like the right thing, but she did not feel like it.

   Her mouth was dry as regret burnt in her chest.

   No matter how many 'sorry' she would say afterward, the cut that bled in his heart could never fully heal. The mistake that she had made could not be erased. Instead, it would always be a memory in her head that haunted her dreams every night.

   Throwing Cheese-It a glance filled with rage and hurt, Chipmunk limped out of the alley with Rise, Surf, and disappeared into the darkness without looking back.

   And what's left was the shell of Cheese-It...