The patrol padded behind Firestar in solemn silence; Lionblaze brought up the rear. He could tell that the rest of the cats were uneasy, halting every few paw steps to taste the air. Sorreltail spun around, her tail lashing, at the sound of an acorn dropping into the undergrowth.

“It doesn’t feel like our territory anymore,” she mewed disgustedly when she realized her mistake. “There could be anything lurking about. Suppose it was a rogue who killed Ashfur?”

“It might have been.” Brackenfur touched his mate’s shoulder with his tail-tip. “But you’re safe with us. One cat can’t take on a whole patrol.”

“That crow-food-eating menace Sol could still be hanging around,” Sorreltail went on. “No cat knows where he went after ShadowClan threw him out.”

Firestar, who had paused to wait for his Clanmates, pricked his ears with interest. “It’s an idea. We should all stay alert for any signs of him. I’ll announce it to the rest of the Clan when we get back.”

“Sol doesn’t strike me as the sort of cat who would kill,” Brambleclaw commented thoughtfully. “Getting other cats to do his dirty work is more his style.”

Firestar nodded. “True. But maybe Ashfur caught him trying to do something to harm ThunderClan.”

“Ashfur might have attacked Sol just for being on our territory,” Brackenfur meowed. “He would have taken on a badger to protect his Clan.”

“He was a loyal warrior,” Brambleclaw agreed.

Miserably Lionblaze wished he could feel what they did, and mourn his Clanmate sincerely. Ashfur’s famous loyalty wouldn’t have stopped him from ruining ThunderClan’s reputation by revealing Squirrelflight’s secret at the Gathering. He had confessed that he had plotted with Hawkfrost to make Brambleclaw kill Firestar. His obsession with Squirrelflight had destroyed his commitment to ThunderClan. But now that he was dead, his Clan was determined to make him into a hero. Lionblaze longed to yowl out the truth to every cat in the forest, but he knew the destruction that would follow. When the patrol set off again, he could only plod along at the rear, hating the need for silence and hating himself.

“Are you okay?” Brambleclaw had dropped back to pad beside him. “I know you must be missing Ashfur.”

Fury at Brambleclaw’s misunderstanding flooded through Lionblaze. “I’m fine!” he snapped, knowing he was being illogical. “Stay out of my fur, will you?”

Brambleclaw’s eyes widened, but he said nothing, just nodded and quickened his pace again to catch up with Firestar.

“You shouldn’t claw his whiskers off,” Sorreltail mewed, padding up to Lionblaze and touching his ear with her nose. “Brambleclaw is bound to be worried about you; that’s what fathers do.” Her amber eyes gleamed with affection. “My kits are warriors now, but they’ll always be my kits.”

Lionblaze gave her an awkward nod, but he couldn’t reply. His secret trapped him like rising floodwater, cutting him off from every cat in his Clan. He’s not my father! Lionblaze wanted to yowl. Everything you’ve been told is a lie!