A/N: Next chapter!

The killer will be revealed in a couple chapters... There's just one more thing that has to happen first.

Chapter 9

Sunlight glinted off of the calm waters of the river. Partially hidden among the strands of vibrant green reeds on the shore, on top of a small, smooth stone, was a small she-cat.

Petalfur had gone on two patrols today, so she had taken a piece of prey to eat. The she-cat had not wished to eat in camp, so she had gone by the river, her favourite spot in RiverClan territory.

She finished the last bite of her fish, slowly savouring the flavor, then buried up its remains.

She licked her paws and groomed herself, then padded away, back to camp. Petalfur had not gone more than two fox-lengths when an exasperated voice drifted from a thick clump of weeds.

"Listen, Pebblepaw, you've got to understand. You can't go around like that." It seemed to belong to an apprentice.

"But—" A different voice came, this one almost pleading.

"We've already told you why. If you go on like this…"

Petalfur recognized Pebblepaw's voice. The young tom wasn't doing as well in his training these days, and the warriors suspected it had something to do with the other apprentices. Whenever the apprentice was around the others, he would act almost forlorn. Petalfur felt sorry for the dejected young cat.

The she-cat stalked up the weeds, and with one paw pushed it apart to reveal three apprentices huddled together, heads down: Pebblepaw, Mallowpaw, and Robinpaw. "Alright, what were you doing?"

"We—we weren't doing anything," Pebblepaw answered, sinking lower into the ground.

"That's right," Mallowpaw agreed, though the cats noticed his eyes were cast onto the ground.

"Where are your mentors?" asked Petalfur suspiciously, glancing at each apprentice in turn.

"They… Um, I think they're off hunting," Mallowpaw answered uncertainly.

"Actually, I know for a fact that Pinefur, Rippletail, and Mosspelt are in camp. So what are you doing alone out here?"

"Playing!" Robinpaw blurted out.

"You're not kits anymore," Petalfur meowed firmly. Although you might act like them, she thought to herself wryly.

"We know," Mallowpaw answered. "Sorry, we'll go back to camp now. Come on, Pebblepaw and Robinpaw, let's go."

The three young cats left, Mallowpaw in the lead. Petalfur watched their receding figures, and wondered what was up with the apprentices. Was it just RiverClan, or all four Clans? She'd noticed that at Gatherings, the other apprentices were like this as well.

"Oh well," Petalfur sighed to herself, and also headed back to camp.

"I want to go on the patrol," Blackclaw meowed stubbornly. He and the deputy of RiverClan were arguing in the camp.

"Oh, Blackclaw, Mothwing told you to rest. You tore out a claw yesterday while hunting," Mistyfoot replied.

"So? It doesn't hurt," he persisted, lifting his paw and waving it around.

"Very well," Mistyfoot acknowledged. She watched as Blackclaw sped away, tail high in the air. "But don't blame me if it starts to throb!"

He was already out of camp, missing her last words.

A few fat fish later, Blackclaw had to admit that he was getting tired. He told his Clanmates to go on without him, and he'd return to camp later. The others were hesitant, but Blackclaw persisted. Eventually, they left.

He had settled on a large rock by the river, and took a quick nap. However, he was alert, and even the most minute sound could warn of forthcoming danger.

Blackclaw suddenly awoke, and glanced up. Judging from the sun's position, the other cats should be back now. He hopped off the large boulder, and began his way back, threading his way through the tall reeds.

Unfortunately, he didn't stop to taste the air in his rush. Four pairs of familiar eyes watched him recede, hidden in an unfathomable spot.

"Almost," they whispered in unison. The air seemed tense around them.

A/N: First Tornear, then Thornclaw, and now Blackclaw...