Tenebrouspaw had been raised in a litter by a mother who often touted how awful the world was. How they'd been denied great things.

'We are the unrecognized greats! It is an absolute crime that we have gone unnoticed. So it is up to you, to claw your way to making your mark. One day the clans will know our names. One day it will be us they remember. Rather than forget.' Frozenfire had told her children once before they were made apprentices. Before she urged them all out of NightClan, leaving only Viridianpaw, the mama's boy. With her.

Tenebrouspaw was starting to realize that his mother was full of hot air. As he'd watched Bloodystar lead along his stolen children, Tenebrouspaw had smirked to himself. How dumb could they be? This cat didn't love them, they were toys he'd stolen from his enemy and was parading around. It was pathetic.

...

Well Tenebrouspaw was realizing he wasn't much better. Joining a clan to watch it all burn up close.

What a mousebrain he was.

He'd stuck with Ferventprayer when she'd been an apprentice knowing that proximity to Bloodystar would keep him safer. IT was easy to put on a friendly smile, she didn't expect much or look too deeply. As she was a cat so tied and devoted to her faith that all would be okay.

She'd put her faith in a god.

Tenebrouspaw had put his faith in his mother's lies. He'd been led along by his nose just as much as she and her siblings had. Except there was no excuse. Frozenfire had filled his mind with false promises.

Tenebrouspaw wasn't great. He wasn't crowing as SunClan burned, he'd been burned and hurt right with the rest of them.

He wasn't using Ferventprayer, he was clinging to her for protection.

Every action he'd thought was strength, manipulation and all cunning machinations on his part. Was clinging to an absolutely stupid idea.

He felt angry. Angry at himself, angry at the other clans for lashing out at all the SunClan cats when it was Bloodystar who should be dead.

But his anger would get him nowhere.

He'd already learned just how worthless and useless he was.

He was stuck in a clan where he had nothing and was nothing. He hadn't even been promoted with the others because he was that much of a nothing.

All he had, was this friendship with Ferventprayer. This cat who likely thought of him as a good friend, who he'd internally looked down on. When she was far stronger than he was.

So he had to make it right.

He turned his back on those mean cruel thoughts he'd kept inside and instead came over to her as he saw her struggling.

"Hey, you want to help me try to find some moss?" He asked. IT would get her out of camp, and get them both moving.

He'd been spending far too much time thinking and he knew moving around always helped him feel a little better. Maybe it would make Ferventprayer feel better.