I love that everyone keeps changing their minds on who the killer is. It's exactly what I wanted to make people do. Think it's Olivenose or Crowfrost, maybe even Redwillow, change the suspicion over to Blackstar, Ratscar and Redwillow, et cetera. It's really fun… but it's so close to over! I mean, book one. There's still two more.

Conspiracy - Paramore

Hollyleaf slept restlessly that night, afraid of what her brother knew. He definitely had an idea of who the killer was, but Hollyleaf had no way of getting to him; she was deputy, after all, and had duties to attend to here. And Blackstar's suspicion of her was already large enough, and disappearing into ThunderClan territory would set him off on another rant.

So instead of doing what she wanted, she woke up the next morning, tired from not sleeping enough. She wasn't the first one up, she realized, somewhat surprised. It was earlier than the usual time to get up.

"'Scuse me," a meow behind her interrupted her thoughts. Hollyleaf stepped out of way of the entrance to and from the warrior's den, and faced Olivenose awkwardly. Olivenose looked at her reproachfully, almost unsure, "Oh. Hey, Hollyleaf."

Hollyleaf dipped her head in greeting, "Morning, Olivenose…" she trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

Olivenose opened her mouth to say something, but shut it again and headed towards the fresh-kill pile, meeting up with Ratscar on the way.

Interview Ratscar in spare time. She reminded herself, It would be so much easier to just talk to Lionblaze… She shook the thought away, and went over to stand by the entrance to ShadowClan's camp, settling down tiredly.

Blackstar came out of his den moments later, stretched, and trotted over to her, "You look awful." He greeted plainly.

She swatted at him impatiently, "I didn't sleep well," she growled angrily.

He sat down next to her, "Is something troubling you, Hollyleaf?"

Hollyleaf did a triple-take, expecting to be scolded, not worried about. "Uh, y-yeah a little."

He wrapped his tail neatly around his paws, "You can tell me, you know."

"Why? You'll end up being mad at me, or thinking me a traitor, or something." She replied bitterly, tail bushing.

"Let's go for a walk," he meowed coolly.

"I have deputy duties."

He huffed impatiently, and then turned to Rowanclaw, "Rowanclaw, you're in charge while me and Hollyleaf are out."

Rowanclaw nodded consent.

Blackstar turned back to her, grinning cheekily, "Now then, come on."

Her heart picked up speed, and Redwillow's words of caution zoomed through her mind. But she couldn't protest, because Blackstar was already shoving her out into the forest.

They walked in silence, Hollyleaf not wanting to talk, because she knew her voice would shake in fear, and Blackstar just not saying a word.

They must have been walking a long time, because they ended up at the lake, and Blackstar finally spoke, "There's somewhere I want to show you; we can talk there."

Another wave of fear washed through her, but she followed him as he turned toward the RiverClan border. He took a maze of turns, and Hollyleaf struggled to keep up with him. What could be so complicated to find? she thought impatiently, A hidden place used to kill in secret? She mentally slapped her subconscious voice, hating that it was sparking even more fear into her.

With one last abrupt turn to the left, the pair was in a small clearing. Blackstar swished his tail, sitting down, and Hollyleaf looked around in wonder, "You brought me to a clearing?" she asked flatly.

He rolled his eyes, "Not just a clearing; I'm the only one in the clan that knows about this place."

Another terrifying thought, courtesy of her subconscious.

He motioned for her to sit down, and she did hesitantly. "I brought you here because," he paused using that dramatic effect he thought he was good at, "I think you need to talk to someone."

Well, that was anti-climatic.

"Talk to someone?" she repeated, "About what?"

He rolled his eyes again, "Well, you could start with why you've been searching for the killer."

She froze. "Was it that obvious?"

"It was when Crowfrost told me that you were harassing him with questions about the murder."

She cursed under her breath for not thinking about that concept. "Yes, I've been searching for who the killer is, and Crowfrost is a suspect."

He sighed in annoyance, "But so is everyone else with blue eyes!"

"Blue eyes and white fur. Also in ShadowClan," she huffed.

He narrowed his eyes, "When did white fur become part of the criteria?"

She blinked, and then realized she had never told him about Lionblaze's white fur theory. "Uh… when Scorchfur died."

He looked furious, then annoyed. "And you didn't tell me?"

She grinned sheepishly, "Sorry."

"So who do you have in mind for the killer?"

You. "Ratscar is the most suspicious right now. But Olivenose and Crowfrost are suspects, too."

He tilted his head curiously, "What about Redwillow? He's got both."

"And so do you!" Hollyleaf snapped in Redwillow's defence, then stuffed her tail in her mouth, embarrassed.

"Me?" Blackstar asked, taken aback, "Why would I kill my clan?"

Hollyleaf shuffled around awkwardly, "Because you have blue eyes, white fur, you're strong and have a knack for killing?" she suggested truthfully.

He sighed, "I'm going to ignore that, and hope that you're never stupid enough to say anything like that to me again." She shuffled around again. "So, why not Redwillow?"

"W-well, why would he kill his brothers?" she offered helplessly.

"W-well, why would he kill his clan mates?" Blackstar mimicked angrily.

Mousedung. He had a point.

"I know he didn't do it!" Hollyleaf insisted, "I believe in him!"

Blackstar's fur stood on end, "Maybe he's tricking you!" he hissed back.

Hollyleaf flinched, "H-he wouldn't do that." She continued weakly. "Why don't you ever trust my judgment?"

His gaze softened. "I do trust you, Hollyleaf."

"No you don't! You never believe me, you always question my motives, and you never notice the things I do right!" She cried helplessly.

He looked surprised by her outburst, "I've always trusted you, Hollyleaf." He mewed softly, "I notice the things you do right," he continued. "And I question you because I worry about you."

Now Hollyleaf was surprised. She floundered for words, but none came to her mind, and all that came out was a stupid "oh."

He looked at her sadly, "I think of you like a daughter, Hollyleaf."

Now even the meek "oh" flew her mind.

"Now," he continued on, ignoring her silence. "There is another reason I brought you here." He looked around momentarily, "I thought you could let out some frustrations. Go attack a tree or something."

Hollyleaf quirked an eyebrow, "Uh, okay?" she pondered this over, before adding, "Actually, I do need to take my anger out on something."

Blackstar flicked his tail in farewell, "Do your worst then."

A broken claw, three shredded tree trunks, and littered moss everywhere later, Hollyleaf sat down with a huff of satisfaction.

The only thing left to do, would be send this place to ruins using her odd StarClan given power.

She could do that. Quite happily, she might add.

She let anger run through her, one of the few things she found that started her sacred power.

Nothing.

She blinked.

Fury was one of the few things that she knew would kick it in - that and fear or pain.

She tried again.

Nothing.

Fear coursed through her now; would that do anything? Apparently not.

She clawed at her side.

No.

Not a thing. Not even a small cloud of dust.

She swiped a paw full of soil into the air, and tried to control the wind to make it fly. It slowly slid back onto the ground.

"What's happening?" She shrieked to no one.

"Time's up." A voice echoed across the clearing eerily.

Hollyleaf's ears perked, and she looked around wildly. She recognized that voice; "Scorchfur!" Hollyleaf called desperately.

"Your powers are gone, Hollyleaf."

"I know! Why? What's happening?"

"You missed." The voice trailed away, and Hollyleaf listened hopefully for more. And she received. "I'm sorry."

She stayed there, ears perked, listening, scared.

Everything suddenly seemed like a threat, bigger than her, more powerful. Everything was off; colors swirled together, making obscure figures and unnatural colors and shades.

And she took off, zigzagging through the maze like path to get back to the beach. Fear waved through her, making her dizzy, and the obscurities shake violently.

Stumbling half-blind through the last part of the path, she collapsed on the beach, trying to catch her breath, trying to see normally, trying to go back.

'There is no going back.' A voice whispered. 'You're to late.'

Hollyleaf struggled back to her feet, and propelled herself forward, trying to run away from it.

'Tick tock, tick tock,' the voice repeated insanely.

"Hollyleaf!" Another voice called.

'Tick tock, tick tock,'

She flinched and looked towards the region the voice had come from, praying that it wasn't another voice.

It wasn't. "Where were you?" Redwillow asked worriedly. He didn't look like himself. Yellow and red dots covered his pelt, and his eyes, instead of the happy, shining, friendly blue, were a cold amber. But it was him.

She stared at him blankly.

'Tick tock, tick tock,'

"I-" her voice cut off. There was a figure behind Redwillow. A shadow. Large, dark furred, with glowing red eyes. "What do you need?" she asked instead, eyes glued behind him, to the monster that sat there.

'Tick tock, tick tock,'

"Uh, well, by the ThunderClan border, Lionblaze wanted to talk to you. You should head over there." Redwillow explained, looking at her weirdly.

She nodded dumbly, "I'll head over." Redwillow nodded, backing away from her, and turning to go back to camp, away from the half-crazed she-cat. "Oh, and Redwillow?" he paused. "Be careful." She didn't know what plagued her to say that. She felt like she had too. He looked at her worriedly, and took off back to camp, running through the shadow, shattering it into shards of black splotches that floated in the air ominously.

'Tick tock, Hollyleaf,' the voice cackled.

She hurried to the ThunderClan border, eager to see her brother, someone she could confide in, who would listen and not judge.

Lionblaze was there, looking awkwardly at the two warriors –Shrewfoot and Dawnpelt, Hollyleaf thought; they looked almost like them, but she couldn't be sure- that were guarding him, making sure he wouldn't cross the border.

His eyes lit up when he caught sight of her, and his guards nodded respectively to their deputy, before heading off.

"Lionblaze." Hollyleaf breathed, unable to keep the relief from her voice.

'Tick'

He greeted her warmly, "Hollyleaf! Thank StarClan you're here!"

'Tock'

"Lionblaze I-" he cut her off, excitement and fear in his eyes.

'Tick'

"No, let me talk first," he started.

'Tock'

He glanced around suspiciously, before leaning closer to her. "Hollyleaf, I remember. I know who the killer is!"

'Tick, tock,'

'Time's up.'

Wow, that even scared me a little… One more, and epilogue.

I feel possessed for writing this. And, oh God, Hollyleaf is what I imagine to be high xD But she's actually just having a breakdown. No catnip was involved. She's just having issues. No drugs for the kitty.

Edit: Took the lyrics out because they were against the rules. Please take the time to listen to the song or search it up.