I'm so glad you all liked the last chapter so here's another one for you! (I told you I was getting my writing muse back) XD

Spottedfire07: thank you so much!

Ty7769: Well, I'm glad it satisfied your boredom! Lol

Lover or Hater: Ah, I can't stand drama between friends :\ But thanks anyway, and I'm glad you're feeling better :)

Stranger of the Night: Lol I deliberately kept the cat's identity hidden but don't worry about it. It'll all fall into place in due time….*ominous music* O.O

Wingbreeze: Thank. You. So. Much. XD And yeah, Rainpaw can be a bit of a jerk but everyone has their faults.

SwiftStar1: You can say that again O.O Lol

Dewleaf31: You'll just have to wait and see! *evil laughter*

Born of True Destiny: Thanks for your review and I like your new pen name! Also, I'll try and check out your story when I have the chance, don't worry. :3

mevsyousvthem9: XD I'm glad Swiftbreeze has an admirer! ^-^ And here's the next chapter that you were hoping for!

Sunleaf13: Thank you so much! And it's kind of funny how your name is the name of one of the characters in Echoes of a Whisper XD

Honeyshine: Thank you so much, but I highly doubt I'm the best writer on Fanfiction. You should give yourself some credit :) I've just been writing for a long time, that's why my writing's good. Thank you so much for your review, and whish plushie would you like?

I cannot believe this story has almost 100 reviews already. Thank you all so, so, so much.

Now, let's get this show on the road!

Oh, and the 100th reviewer gets another plushie. (I give so many of these out….)

The Clan was in complete and utter chaos.

Featherheart's bloody and mangled body lay crumpled in the center of the clearing and her brother, Rabbitflight, was screaming his grief to the stars. Brackentail was speaking in harsh undertones to a stunned Thornstar while Fawnwillow, Clovermist, and Cinderfrost could only stare at the dead elder with mirrored looks of disbelief. The rest of the WindClan warriors were arguing in raised voices about immediately taking revenge and Skypaw could hardly bear the pain exploding in her head.

"Who did this?" Dawnbreeze screeched, pacing back and forth with her tabby tail lashing.

"We found her on the ThunderClan border!" Falconclaw snarled, unsheathed claws scratching at the dusty ground and creating lone marks in the sand.

"We need to attack and get revenge!" Crowtail spat. "We cannot let those fox-hearts get away with murder!"

"But why would they kill her?" Heathergaze protested from where she was crouched next to Rabbitflight. Her amber eyes were filled with sorrow. "Featherheart did nothing to any of them so what reason would they have to do something this cruel?"

"Murderers don't need a reason to kill!" Rainpaw snapped from beside Fallowpaw. Her eyes betrayed the horror she felt and her ears were flat against her skull.

Skypaw gritted her teeth against the pounding anger that tore at her walls and her muscles tensed as she struggled to keep her protection up. However, amid the grief and pain the others were feeling, fear and despair struck her heart as Featherheart's death replayed in her mind.

But how had she witnessed it?

"We need to teach them not to mess with us!" Sundapple shrieked, trembling against her mate Ashstorm.

"We should attack now!"

"They can't get away with this!"

"They deserve to suffer!"

"ENOUGH!"

The whole clearing froze as Thornstar's furious yowl washed over them. Skypaw's head snapped dup to see the golden/brown tom standing under the Tallstone, his eyes blazing with amber fire. His gaze swept over his warriors until they landed on the still body of Featherheart.

"Thornstar, we need to hurry before those ThunderClan scum think they can get away with this! We need to-" Birdswoop called out, breaking the silence.

"No," Thornstar stated flatly, cutting her off. "There will be no attack on ThunderClan." Yowls of protest rose from every cat and the tom let them shout out their shock and anger, the fire dimming slightly from his eyes.

"They killed our Clanmate!" Dawnbreeze wailed furiously. "How can you just stand by and do nothing?"

"Thornstar, think this through," Brackentail added, halting in his pacing to glare up at his leader. "We know Thunderclan did it-"

"We know no such thing, Brackentail," the old tom replied grimly, his voice a mere rasp.

"Then how else would you explain it?" Hareflight asked scathingly, his tone mocking. "Featherheart was found on the ThunderClan border, covered in ThunderClan scent and you're acting as if there is someone else at fault?"

Rage filled caterwauls pierced the air and every WindClan cat was put on edge. Skypaw took a deep breath and tried to focus on Thornstar's words so as to help distract herself from the insane humming in her mind. Concentrate, Skypaw, she told herself. Focus, focus, focus! Her ivory claws were unsheathed as she dug them hard into the ground in an effort to keep herself from running straight out of the camp and away from everything. She needed to hear the rest of the meeting, even though every muscle screamed in protest at staying still.

"I said we will not attack and that is final!" Thornstar was yowling to be heard over the noise of the WindClan cats.

"Do you not even care?" Cinderfrost demanded, swiping her tail protectively over her growing belly. "How can we be sure any of us are safe if we don't do something?"

Thornstar's shoulder's sagged slightly at the silver and white she-cat's words and he suddenly appeared far older than he was. "Do not tell me that I don't care!" he hissed, his tail lashing back and forth. "She was my Clanmate just as much as she was yours but I refuse to start a war against ThunderClan when there is not enough evidence to prove that they are the ones who murdered her."

Cinderfrost opened her mouth to retort but Dewfeather touched her tail gently to the queen's shoulder and she snapped her jaws closed.

What's happening? Skypaw thought, blinking furiously to clear her vision as blurred around the edges. StarClan what have you done? Featherheart's wails of agony echoed in her ears but there was something far louder than either that and the buzzing in her mind: the soft, whispering rasp of the Elder's last breath before she finally made her way to StarClan.

"Why are we arguing when we have a Clan to battle?" Rainpaw asked, eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. Her dappled pelt turned silver in the soft moonlight that bathed the WindClan cats and her eyes held green fury. Skypaw watched as her sister pointed her muzzle towards Thornstar and directed her next words to him. "Are you too scared to teach Lionstar not to mess with us? Is that it?"

"Rainpaw!" Ashstorm scolded, his black and gray fur also shimmering like his daughter's. "You do not talk to your leader that way!"

Rainpaw held her father's gaze for a heartbeat before she dipped her head and muttered, "Sorry Thornstar."

However, the brown and golden tom merely flicked an ear dismissively at the she-cat's comment and turned to where Rosefire was sitting ridged on the ground near the stone. "Rosefire," he meowed, his voice ragged and weary, "Why did StarClan allow this?"

Skypaw had never once before seen the Medicine Cat's composure waver but right then the she-cat looked broken and utterly lost. She doesn't understand, either, Skypaw realized. Her heart started pounding in her chest and she let out a short burst of air to keep herself steady as the thoughts continued to drive their way into her skull. In a way, it was almost worse than at the Gathering. At least when the thoughts had overtaken her, she had been able to stop them; but now all she could do was grit her teeth, force more walls up, and pray to whoever was listening that no one would notice how much she was struggling to keep everything locked inside.

Consumed in her own raging battle, Skypaw nearly missed Rosefire's quivering reply. "StarClan did not do this, Thornstar. Our ancestors guide the paws of our Clanmates; they do not murder them. You know that as well as I do."

"Then why did they take her?"

Skypaw startled as Rabbitflight's thin voice hurled the question at the Medicine Cat. For a moment, she struggled through the wave of nausea in her stomach and the screaming in her head to finally get a clear view of the Elder.

His gray and white tabby fur hung limply off of his bony frame and the hunched shape of his back caused his spine to jut out as he crouched next to his dead sister. His yellow eyes were wild with misery but they held a dark fire in them that Skypaw could only guess came from the need for revenge of the death of a littermate.

She quickly glanced at Rainpaw and felt a sudden-though maybe a bit selfish-rush of gratitude that her own sister was still here and not with StarClan.

Rosefire was staring at the old tom with a blank, troubled look in her eyes. "It was her time," she answered simply.

"Fox-dung to that!" Rabbitflight spat, spittle flying from his mouth. "Her place is here with me, not with StarClan!"

Was, Skypaw silently corrected, even though she would have never had the heart to correct him. She winced as her distraction allowed the thoughts to almost break down her walls and she once again focused on trying to protect herself. Her fur was bristling with the effort of holding them back and her claws were scourging the ground with deep claw marks. Instinct told her that if she didn't find a way out of this situation soon, things would start to get ugly real fast.

Her pelt itched uncomfortably with the sense of someone watching her and she scanned the clearing to find out who it was. With a jolt, she realized it was Sundapple who was staring at her from across the way with unblinking blue eyes.

The arguing had once again started up between all of her Clanmates and, though Thornstar was trying to get them all to be quiet, there was really nothing he could say that would calm them. Skypaw couldn't blame them. The urge to avenge Featherheart coursed through her veins as well; even more so since she had been the only one to witness the murder.

"Hey, Skypaw, are you okay?"

The white and golden she-cat lifted her gaze and realized it was Sagepaw who had asked the question. The molted brown and gray tom was looking at her with his narrow head cocked in concern and his amber eyes held deep sorrow.

She swallowed hard and replied, "I'm fine."

"You don't look like it," the Medicine Cat apprentice stated flatly. "What's wrong?"

What could she say? Well, I can Hear other cats' thoughts, my mother hates me, I just witnessed Featherheart's death even though I wasn't anywhere near her, I have no idea who killed her and I feel terrible about it, and I'm trying really hard not to run away right now because my head is driving me insane. Instead, she simply repeated, "I'm fine."

Sagepaw opened his mouth to say something but never had the chance because just then, Sundapple padded stiffly up to them with a hard look in her eyes. "Skypaw, I'd like to speak with you. Now."

To say Skypaw was surprised would be the understatement of the season. Not only had her mother refused to go on patrol, much less speak to her, ever since she had been an apprentice, but now Sundapple was talking to her about needing talk with her? Shock made the words slip out before she could consider them. "Um…okay."

Sagepaw, looking indignant and ruffled at being interrupted, shot a glare at Sundapple before striding away back to the rest of the cats whose arguments were now more heated and intense. Rabbitflight had begun to whimper again as he shoved his muzzle deep into Featherheart's cold fur and now even Heathergaze had left his side to join in on the controversy.

Skypaw flinched again when the yelling reached her ears. Along with that, the buzzing inside of her head all but drowned out Sundapple's next statement, which the warrior had to repeat before Skypaw fully heard it.

"Follow me."

Skypaw didn't even protest as she trudged after her mother. She needed to quickly get away from all the noise her Clanmates' thoughts were causing and-if she let herself really dwell on it-there was a small, tiny hope inside her that maybe Sundapple would finally want her as her daughter again.

As they padded in silence away from the raised voices of the other cats, Skypaw felt a burning sensation run from her front paws to her tail tip. Bewildered, she snapped up her head and glanced around the clearing to see what was happening. Nothing seemed different from a few heartbeats ago and she was about to dismiss the feeling entirely before she caught sight of her sister staring at her from beside Fallowpaw.

Rainpaw's pretty features were expressionless but her green eyes were curious as she followed their movement up the steep path. She locked gazes with Skypaw and for some reason a tiny shiver ran down the white she-cat's spine even though Rainpaw looked nothing except simply questioning.

Shaking her head, Skypaw shoved the strange feeling aside and turned her focus back on following Sundapple out of the gorge. Her mother didn't speak as she led her daughter away from the camp and slowly, the thoughts banging against Skypaw's walls began to dull.

The humming gradually grew fainter as they walked farther away from camp and soon it was only a soft buzzing in the back of her mind. Skypaw breathed out a heavy sigh of relief and the noise caught Sundapple's attention. The warrior glanced back at her over her shoulder and her blue eyes were narrowed before she turned away again.

Suddenly, her mother came to an abrupt halt and Skypaw nearly collided into the she-cat's rump. Sundapple spun around and demanded, "What's going on?"

Skypaw blinked, confused. "W-what?" she stammered, shocked by the unexpected question.

Sundapple bared her teeth. "I don't have time for your games, Skypaw," she hissed. "I know you know something about Featherheart's death."

Skypaw's heart began to pound harder. "What do you mean?"

The dappled she-cat scanned the area around them, but of course they were the only two there. The moonlight shone off of her fur and made her dark blue eyes seem even darker. "You know something, Skypaw. I can see it in your eyes. Just admit it. Do you know who killed Featherheart?"

"No!" The protest burst out of her with more force than she had intended and she winced at the way her voice had raised an octave.

Sundapple looked, if possible, even more disbelieving at that. Her eyes blazed with anger but when she spoke again, her voice quivered slightly and Skypaw knew her mother was scared, just like everyone else. "Skypaw, if you know anything-anything- about what happened to Featherheart, you better tell me now. Keeping secrets is as good as lying."

Injustice burned through Skypaw from her nose to her yellow tail-tip and she couldn't help but snap, "Yeah, I guess you would know all about secrets, huh?" Sarcasm dripped from her voice like maple from a leaf and she immediately wanted to take it back.

The warrior's eyes widened with shock and the rage in them intensified. Sundapple leaned forward until she was barely a whisker length from Skypaw's muzzle. "Listen to me, you ungrateful cat. I have good reasons for keeping your secret from the rest of the Clan. Don't act like you're all innocent either, Skypaw. I don't see you willingly running up to Thornstar and spilling the truth to him."

Hurt pierced her heart and her ears swept back against her skull as humiliation spread across her pelt. She's so selfish! Skypaw silently screamed to the stars that glittered above them. All she cares about is her reputation and Rainpaw. She'll never even try to understand me!

"And furthermore," Sundapple continued, oblivious to her daughter's feelings, "this is the death of our Clanmate we're talking about. Now is not the time to keep valuable information to yourself when you could help us get revenge on whoever did this!" Ivory claws gleamed in the moonlight as the she-cat unsheathed them to gorge dark lines into the ground in frustration.

The fact that Sundapple thought she would deliberately watch her Clanmates suffer just for the satisfaction of keeping a secret, crushed every tiny sense of hope Skypaw had left. She slammed up another wall around her mind and around her heart as familiar rejection tore at the stupid possibility that her mother truly cared about her. Sundapple had made it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with the young apprentice, and Skypaw knew she shouldn't have set her hopes so high.

But, no matter how many cold, dismissive remarks she endured from her mother, Skypaw still grasped onto that tiny chance that everything would be all right.

"Are you listening to me?" Sundapple screeched, jolting Skypaw from her thoughts.

"Of course I'm listening to you," the apprentice murmured quietly, her muscles tense.

"Then answer me!"

Skypaw narrowed her eyes at the she-cat standing before her and she realized that Sundapple wasn't even looking at her. The dappled warrior's blue gaze was fixed on the distant moor where the gentle slopes of the hills were crested in moonlight. "Look at me," she whispered, her voice unexpectedly cold and steely.

"What?" Sundapple demanded, swinging her head around so that her eyes were focused on the younger cat. "I'm looking at you right now, cloud-brain."

"No you're not!" The wail burst forth from the white she-cat before she could stop to think. However once the wall broke, it was like a flowing river of words that she had no control over. "Ever since you've learned of my curse you've pushed me aside and made Rainpaw your favorite. You think I'm some sort of freak or something! Why can't you understand that I need you too?"

Sundapple stared at her, expressionless, and the only sign of emotion was in her twitching tail-tip. Skypaw knew she should stop, knew she was treading on thin ice, but the pain rushed out of her with a fury she'd never felt before.

"Every single day I have to watch what I say, what I do, while all you have to worry about is your reputation! Does that sound fair to you, mother? Why is it so hard for you to see that this hurts me more than it hurts you? You never look at me. I mean-I mean you look at me but you don't see me, you don't see who I really am. Does the sight of me disgust you? Is that it? Am I not worthy enough to be your daughter just because I'm cursed with this…this…whatever this is?"

Skypaw took a trembling step forward and the storm or raging emotions in her threatened to take over as she looked Sundapple straight in the eye. "Why can't you love me just the way I am?" she said this last part softly, with desperation etched deep into every word. "Please, Sundapple. Just look at me. I mean really, really look at me."

Silence settled heavily over the two she-cats and the tension was so thick that it coated them like the thick moss that draped from the willow tree. Blue eyes locked with yellow as they stared at each other, waiting for the other to break the silence.

Finally, Sundapple let out a sigh so weary that it seemed to come from someplace deep inside of her, somewhere unattainable. She glanced at Skypaw and for just a moment, the young apprentice thought she'd seen something flash in her mother's eyes; something that might have been regret. But it was gone so fast she didn't know if she'd even saw it all.

"I'll ask you one more time, Skypaw," Sundapple hissed quietly. "Do you know anything about Featherheart's death?"

Why does she want to know so badly? Skypaw wondered. A thought struck her so unexpectedly but she immediately shoved it away. No. Even Sundapple wouldn't be capable of that. Right?

"Well? Do you?"

She took a deep breath and looked straight at her mother. Then, she lied straight through her teeth. "No," she mewed simply, haltingly.

An unreadable emotion flared behind those blue eyes, but Skypaw couldn't put a name to it. "Very well then," Sundapple replied flatly. "Do not tell anyone we had this conversation, understand?"

As if she had anyone to tell that wouldn't think she was mad.

Then, with a terse nod that ended all hopes for anything else, the warrior spun around and stalked back in the direction of the WindClan camp. Soon, Sundapple's golden and white dappled pelt blended into the darkness that the weak light of the moon couldn't penetrate.

Skypaw exhaled sharply, not realizing she had been holding her breath. Her heart thumped in her chest and it seemed too loud for the silence that had descended. The humming in her mind had all but disappeared. Of course, it was never truly gone, but that was as close as it was going to get.

Now that Sundapple had left, Skypaw was now at the mercy of her own thoughts without a wall to hold them back.

Why had she lied? What had made her hold back the knowledge of Featherheart's killer? Her mother was hardly going to go straight to Thornstar and tell him that Skypaw had seen the elder's murder without actually being there. So if being exposed wasn't at stake, then what had made her lie?

As soon as the question appeared, Skypaw knew the answer. It was not the fact that the secret of her curse was in danger of being disclosed, or even that Sundapple would think her more of a freak. No the thing that had halted her in confessing the horrible scene she'd witnessed was the thought a little voice in her head had whispered right before she'd made the decision to lie:

The murderer could've been anybody.

The fact shook Skypaw to her very core and a sudden trickle of icy fear slid down her spin. The evidence was there, in Featherheart's death-she hadn't been able to make out the features of the cat, its scent, its voice, or even its gender, for StarClan's sake. It was glaringly obvious that whoever it had been, its purpose had been to kill; and it had succeeded.

As much as she prayed it wasn't true, something inside of her screamed at her that who it was that killed Featherheart, they would strike again without hesitation. And she had absolutely no idea who it could be.

And as of right then, her vision cleared and she saw the truth with sudden clarity. Because until she found out the murderer-and she would; she would not let Featherheart's death be without vengeance-the only one she truly knew was herself.

The only one Skypaw could trust was herself. And no one else.

Ugh, this took me FOREVER to write :\ so sorry for the long wait but that's what we blame school for. XD Review, please, your opinion is always welcome.

Well…most of the time. :) Lol, just kidding :3