"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the HighLedge for a Clan meeting!"
Icepaw poked her head outside the apprentices' den. Foxpaw, blinking sleepily behind her, yawned, "What's going on? I thought Millie's kits were too young to get their mentors yet."
"I don't know, mousebrain!" Icepaw nudged him playfully. "It's probably about Ashfur's murder. Yesterday Firestar made it clear that one of the Clan is responsible. I think it was an accident. Who would kill Ashfur?"
"May-maybe someone got mad at him," Foxpaw mewed, letting out another huge yawn. "Are you sure he didn't steal your fresh-kill and maybe you wanted revenge?" His amber eyes glinted with amusement. He wriggled his haunches and sprang at his sister.
"Are you two fighting again?" Ferncloud's voice made the two look up. "Well, stop it. Firestar has something to tell us."
"Is it about Ashfur?" Icepaw asked excitedly. She drew one paw over her ear, trying to get off some dirt.
"I don't know! Let's find out!" Ferncloud sat down beside Dustpelt and gazed up at Firestar and Brambleclaw. Icepaw shrugged and found a seat beside Lionblaze, who glanced at her and narrowed his eyes. He scooted away and plopped down next to Hollyleaf. Icepaw growled a bit and turned her attention to Firestar. He cleared his throat and his voice rang out:
"Many of you might think this is about Ashfur's murder!"
Icepaw saw Squirrelflight back away nervously.
"It is! I know what happened. It was the fault of the Star of the Ages!"
The elders and most of the warriors gasped, but Icepaw looked at Foxpaw, confused. "What is the Star of the Ages?"
Foxpaw shrugged.
"For those of you who don't know what that is, consult someone. The senior warriors please come to my den." Firestar disappeared into his cave.
Icepaw ran over to Mousefur. "Mousefur, do you know what the Star of the Ages is?" She hoped Mousefur wasn't feeling cranky today.
Mousefur closed her eyes. "I was hoping to have a nice nap." She groaned. "My bones are especially weary right now. Perhaps a vole would help."
Icepaw scurried over to the fresh-kill pile and picked up the fattest vole she could find. Laying it down in front on Mousefur, she meowed, "Please tell me?"
Mousefur smiled and took a bite. "Let me see…
"There is a legend, a legend that goes back so far there was no StarClan."
Icepaw gasped. "No StarClan?"
"Yes, and that time there was a warrior named Starpelt. He lived in a forest that was almost empty except for two Twolegs. Those Twolegs were his best friends. They could speak the same tongue. One of the Twolegs could make amazing things happen with a stick, and the other drank blood."
Icepaw wrinkled her nose. "That's gross."
"I know. Anyway, Starpelt had a fight with his friends, and they separated. One day, he found a strange rock. It was shaped like a star, and when he touched it, he dreamed of starry cats. Days after that, his friends found him and they killed him. When Starpelt died, he was in a place in the sky. From then on, Twolegs and the Clans have been enemies, and StarClan was made. And there is a special star in Silverpelt that is the spirit of Starpelt."
"Is that it?" Icepaw asked.
"More or less so. Now go away. I want a nap." Mousefur closed her eyes and soon her breathing got deep. Icepaw sighed and went back to the den, looking up at Silverpelt and trying to find the star that was Starpelt.