Sunrise

Breezepelt let out an annoyed hiss, and Tornear looked uneasy, stopping once to glance back as both cats climbed to the top of the hill and vanished over it in the direction of the camp.

Ashfoot silently watched until they were out of sight, then turned to Firestar with a sigh. “I wanted to talk to you alone, Firestar. There’s something I have to tell you.”

Lionblaze’s belly lurched. Had Ashfoot been by the stream that night? Could she put a name to the cat whose teeth had torn out Ashfur’s life? But the WindClan deputy looked too calm for a cat who had been a witness to murder.

“Go on,” Firestar meowed.

“A few sunrises ago,” Ashfoot continued, “I was leading the dawn patrol along the stream when I spotted Sol—you remember, the cat who took over ShadowClan for a while?”

“Sol?” Firestar’s green eyes stretched wide. “I thought he had left the lake.”

“No—or at least, he was here a few days ago.”

“Then why didn’t Onestar tell me about him?” Firestar’s shock was giving way to anger.

Ashfoot shrugged, looking uncomfortable. Lionblaze knew that she was a fair-minded cat; she couldn’t be happy about the tensions between her own Clan and ThunderClan. But her loyalty to Onestar wouldn’t let her speak openly.

“Ashfur’s death is your problem, not ours,” she pointed out. “You can’t expect Onestar to be happy when you come barging into his camp accusing his cats of murder.”

“We didn’t—” Brambleclaw began indignantly, his amber eyes blazing.

Firestar raised his tail for silence. “Let’s end this misunderstanding now,” he meowed to Ashfoot. “We are not accusing WindClan of anything. We just want to find out anything we can about Ashfur’s death. Now tell us what you know about Sol. Where did you see him? When?”

“It was about a quarter moon ago,” Ashfoot replied. “He was near the lake, in the woods on your side of the stream. I don’t think he saw us; he was too busy eating some fresh-kill.”

“Prey-stealing!” Sorreltail hissed.

“That’s not the day Ashfur died,” Brackenfur murmured thoughtfully. “But it’s close to the place where we found his body.”

“Very close,” Firestar agreed. “Thank you, Ashfoot. That’s the most useful thing we’ve learned so far.”

Ashfoot dipped her head. “I’m glad to be of help. I wish you and your Clan well, Firestar.”

Lionblaze could see the sympathy in her eyes. She can tell we’re in trouble, he realized. If only she knew how much!

Sunhigh was past and long black shadows were beginning to creep across the hollow when Firestar’s patrol returned. The queens and Birchfall were drowsily sharing tongues outside the nursery, while Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Hazeltail were crouched beside the fresh-kill pile. Foxpaw and Icepaw were practicing fighting moves outside their den. Lionblaze heard Icepaw screech, “WindClan murderer! I’ll rip your pelt off!”

Firestar sighed. “We’d better put a stop to that. I’ll call another meeting right away.”

Brambleclaw’s whiskers twitched in surprise. “Shouldn’t we discuss it with the senior warriors first?”

Firestar shook his head. “No. The whole Clan is involved in this. I want them to know about Sol right now, before some of these hotheads manage to sneak off and attack WindClan.”

He bounded across the clearing toward the tumbled rocks, but before he reached them Hazeltail spotted the returning warriors and leaped to her paws. “Hey!” she yowled. “Firestar’s back!”

Heads popped out from between the branches of the warriors’ den. The queens sat up and pricked up their ears, while all five kits tumbled out of the nursery, tripping over one another’s paws. Jayfeather poked his head out from behind the bramble screen, a bundle of herbs in his jaws. By the time Firestar reached the Highledge, there was no need for him to summon the Clan; every cat in the camp had gathered to hear what WindClan had to say. Lionblaze, with Brambleclaw and the rest of the patrol, padded over to sit at the back of the crowd.

“What did you find out?” Thornclaw called from where he sat at the foot of the tumbled rocks. “When do we attack?”

“We don’t,” Firestar replied. “WindClan did not murder Ashfur.”

An uneasy muttering spread among the cats, but Firestar didn’t wait for an argument to break out. Quickly he went on: “Onestar and his warriors knew nothing about Ashfur’s death until I told them. And Ashfoot gave me one very useful piece of information: She saw Sol a few sunrises ago, by the stream near the lake.”

Spiderleg shot upright, his tail waving. “That’s where Ashfur’s body was found!”

Yowls of shock and anger broke out; several cats leaped up, eyes blazing and fur bristling, as if they wanted to attack the rogue cat right away.

“Sol killed Ashfur!”

“Filthy murderer!”

“We should find him and teach him what happens when rogues attack a warrior!”

Firestar raised his tail for silence. “We still have no proof,” he went on when he could make himself heard. “But—”

“What proof do we need?” Mousefur rasped. “Look at what he did to ShadowClan!”