AN: Long time no update! Man, I'm running out of twists for this story… oo You should no I never have a plot, I just write whatever comes in my head. :P

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Mistflower's fear gave her strength, and she passed the other patrol cats. The underbrush was thicker as they made their way down the mountain towards ForestClan, where Featherflight's cry came. The branches were thick with wet leaves that slapped at them as they crashed through them. The dusty-colored tabby pelt of Featherflight eventually came into view through the high shrubs, as well as the motionless body of another, dark brown cat. One that Mistflower didn't recognize.

Mistflower let out a relieved sigh, and earned a glare from Featherflight.

"CaveClan?" Maplestream asked, padding over to the dead she-cat. Featherflight swallowed and nodded.

"Mooneye," she murmured, and Mistflower twitched as she remembered Pebblepaw. "She was my sister." Featherflight turned away and padded heavily back into ForestClan, with Mistflower and Maplestream not far behind.

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"So, now one of the CaveClan cats is killing their own clan members?" Treestar asked once Mistflower, Maplestream and Ebonycloud were once again gathered around her, as well as a gloomy Featherflight and Copperstreak.

"They would never hurt one another," Featherflight mewed, but stared at her paws. Copperstreak licked her shoulder reassuringly.

"I know somewhere there who would, though," Maplestream hissed, and all eyes looked at him in shock.

"Falconheart!" Treestar spat, and Maplestream nodded.

"How are we sure no ForestClan cat killed Mooneye while on patrol, in revenge for Scatterblaze?" Mistflower asked innocently. For once, Treestar restrained her anger and answered reasonably.

"As much as I hate it, it is a possibility." She turned her gaze slightly towards Copperstreak, who did NOT restrain his angry.

"I would NEVER kill a cat in cold blood!" he snarled. "How dare you even suspect that, after all the time I've been loyal to you and this clan!"

Before Treestar could stop him, Copperstreak bounded off Council Rock and disappeared into the warrior's den down the clearing. Featherflight looked back at Treestar unsurely, then followed him. Mistflower watched them leave, then spoke up again. "I think it WAS Falconheart," she mewed, shivering from the thought of the traitorous cat she'd once liked. "He had a plan from the beginning. Kill Scatterblaze, and Copperstreak would look guilty for any dead CaveClan members. Then, THAT would happen. He's trying to break the clan up… or at least Copperstreak from us. But his mistake was that he chose Mooneye, Featherflight's sister." Mistflower looked at Maplestream, who nodded encouragingly and a look of pride came into his golden eyes.

"I'm not sure," Mistflower continued, as Treestar listened with rapt interest, "whether or not he knew that Mooneye was Featherflight's sister."

"He WAS new to CaveClan," Ebonycloud added.

"But Featherflight would know Copperstreak wouldn't kill her sister, under any circumstances besides battle," Maplestream put in. "So… was this just a plan against Featherflight?"

"We have no time to think about this," Treestar meowed reluctantly. "The Gathering is tonight."

"The Gathering!" Maplestream and Mistflower exclaimed together. "I completely forget!" Mistflower mewed, and Maplestream agreed.

"Ebonycloud," Treestar ordered, "Pick the cats you think should come, but leave Winterheart. He's our best senior warrior, so he should guard the camp."

"What about Featherflight?" Ebonycloud asked, twitching a black ear.

"If you want, bring her," Treestar muttered. "Now go! I must discuss this a little longer with Mistflower and Maplestream." Ebonycloud nodded, looked over at his sister with his warm, green eyes hopeful, then leapt off of Council Rock swiftly.

"What do you think, Treestar?" Maplestream asked.

"I think that either way, this affects Featherflight the most," the tabby leader replied. "One way or another, her sister is dead. If we make her think that Copperstreak killed her, that will make them both angry. Featherflight would leave to live with CaveClan again, and Copperstreak may just wander."

"Which means that by affecting Featherflight, it would affect Copperstreak as well?" Maplestream asked, and Treestar nodded. "So, if Copperstreak left, what would Silverclaw do?"

"Are you saying this is meant for my mother?" Mistflower asked, confused. Maplestream looked at her, his laughing eyes now dead serious.

"No…" he mewed. "If Falconheart IS behind this… I think he's after… you."

"I was the only one that didn't think he would betray us," Mistflower replied, "but would he go after Treestar instead?"

"Ebonycloud!" Treestar suddenly yowled. Maplestream and Mistflower looked around for the black deputy, who was by the warrior's den talking to Ivorywind. "No, no!" Treestar continued. "If Falconheart is after you, by hurting you he'd also hurt Ebonycloud. And because he's my deputy…."

"So this is about me AND you?" Mistflower asked.

"It sounds right," Maplestream mewed, looking out at Ebonycloud. "And if Ebonycloud was hurt- or even killed – it would affect Ivorywind as well. I don't want that to happen to my sister… or anyone," he said, looking back at Mistflower.

"This is a very complex plan," Treestar muttered. "I'm not sure if only Falconheart is behind this."

"Dreamstar?" Mistflower suggested.

"Not the clan leader… she wouldn't sink that low." Treestar meowed impatiently. "But definitely someone smart."

"That eliminates the whole of CaveClan," Maplestream said humorously, and they all laughed. "Could it be one of the elders?" he asked on a serious note.

"I'd doubt it," Mistflower said, "but speaking of elders, maybe I should go visit Bristletail. Just to see how he's fitting in."

Treestar purred. "I'm sure he's fine. The only other elders there are Ripplefur and Pebblepelt, your mom and dad's old mentors. I'm sure Ripplefur wouldn't mind her old apprentice's father. But I should probably send an apprentice along with you, in case they need more bedding. But hurry, we must leave for the Gathering soon." The three cats looked up at the sky, which was as dark a red as Maplestream's pelt, the sun round and pink, sinking below the silhouetted trees.

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"Hey, kits, what are you up to?" Bristletail asked as Maplestream and Mistflower entered the elder's den, a small cave formed from two large rocks propped up against the rocky wall surrounding camp. The moss under them was somewhat dry, so the apprentice Treestar had sent with them, Dustpaw, Streameye's oldest son, ran off to get some fresh moss.

"Just checking in," Mistflower replied cheerfully. "How are you?"

"Never been better," Bristletail replied, chuckling. "These two have been very kind ever since I joined." He nodded towards Ripplefur and Pebblepelt, curled up not too far from him.

"Don't worry about it!" Pebblepelt mewed, licking Ripplefur's tortoiseshell pelt in order to rouse her. "The father of our son's mate is welcomed here, no matter where he comes from!" ((Note: Ripplefur and Pebblepelt were Winterheart's parents.))

"Glad to see you're doing alright," Maplestream mewed, still slightly uneasy about Bristletail being the old MountainClan leader. Dustpaw returned then with his mouth stuffed full of soft moss, more curled up in his tail.

"Thanks, kit," Bristletail said to Dustpaw, who beamed proudly. It was amazing how kindly the clan was reacting to Bristletail.

"C'mon," Ebonycloud said, sticking his head in the elder's den. "Time for the Gathering." Mistflower and Maplestream nodded, and stepped out to join the clan towards Crossing Rock, where Dreamstar – and Falconheart – would be waiting.