She gave Crowfeather one last glance, then padded across the clearing with her head bowed. Cats scrambled out of her way as she made for the bushes and pushed her way through, out of sight. Every cat stared after her, still shocked into silence.

Brambleclaw was the first to move, padding forward until he stood face to face with Squirrelflight. “Why?” he meowed.

Squirrelflight’s voice was desperate. “I had to! She’s my sister!”

“And you couldn’t trust me?” Brambleclaw’s voice was shaking, and Hollyleaf saw a deep shudder pass through his body. For a heartbeat, she was sorry for what she had done. This was a noble cat, and he had not been responsible for any of the lies. I was so proud when I thought he was my father.

Squirrelflight did not reply, just held his gaze without flinching.

“You couldn’t trust me,” he repeated. “Don’t you think I would have helped you, if you’d told me the truth? But it’s too late now.”

He turned away, shouldering a path through the crowd.

“Brambleclaw—” Squirrelflight took a pace after him, then halted, her head hanging and her tail drooping in despair.

Hollyleaf turned her back. Let her suffer. She deserves it!

A cat nudged her from behind. It was Cinderheart. “What have you done?” she cried.

Hollyleaf blinked in surprise. “I did the right thing.”

The gray she-cat shook her head. “There is no right thing. Everything to do with this leads to more pain.” The wisdom in her voice seemed to come from a much older and more experienced cat. Hollyleaf waited for her to say something else, something to show how sorry she felt for Hollyleaf and her littermates. But Cinderheart just turned and padded away.

Hollyleaf stared after her. Why didn’t she understand? Surely any cat could see that they couldn’t have carried on living a lie? Besides, StarClan hadn’t sent clouds to cover the moon. Her warrior ancestors must be pleased that the secrets were out and the deceit was at an end.

But none of the cats here seemed pleased. Not even her own Clanmates. Sandstorm was staring at her, bewilderment and sorrow in her green gaze. Graystripe’s amber eyes were blank with disbelief. Poppyfrost and Berrynose had their heads close together, talking urgently and shooting hostile glances at her.

Suddenly Hollyleaf couldn’t bear to be stared at for another heartbeat. Blundering through the crowd, she thrust through the bushes, ignoring the thorns that tore her pelt, and fled across the strip of pebbles and over the tree-bridge. Racing past the horseplace, she began to climb the ridge, skirting the WindClan border until she reached the very top and could look out over the lake.

A silver path of moonlight stretched across the surface of the water. The reflections of countless warriors of StarClan glittered around it.

“Was it all worth it?” Hollyleaf wailed to them. “Being an apprentice, working hard to learn the warrior code? What could any of us have done to make things different?”