Feathertail woke up suddenly. It was midnight. She padded out of her den to Bluestar's. She entered the den and spotted Bluestar's gray-blue pelt almost immediately.
"Bluestar, wake up." Feathertail gently prodded her.
"Who is it?" Bluestar sat up slowly.
"Feathertail. We need to talk. It's urgent."
"Feathertail?" Bluestar was fully awake now. She quietly padded out of her den, gesturing for Feathertail to follow her.
"What is it?" Bluestar asked.
"I think I know the truth now." Feathertail hesitated before saying the words.
"You do?" Bluestar's eyes widened slightly. "Tell me."
"Spottedleaf has really been acting strangely lately," she began. "And she has been shutting me out. She is no longer gentle or kind, she is cold and deceiving. She keeps sneaking out of camp. She keeps secrets. She lies to me. She has never done that before. She is… hiding something from everyone."
"What are you saying?" Bluestar was looking horrified now. "She has lied to you?"
"Yes. Subtly, but she has been concealing the truth. She is not herself. This is not the Spottedleaf I know."
Bluestar was trying to comprehend all of this information. "So… how does this tie with everything? Appledusk is murdered, then Spottedleaf acts strangely, and then the Dark Forest attacks…"
Feathertail felt shivers run down her spine.
She took a deep breath. "And also there is another clue. You said that Spottedleaf keeps sneaking out of camp. Where to?"
Feathertail thought back. "To… the lake near the Dark Forest border."
"That's it." Bluestar was staring at the ground, her gaze hardened. Her mew was more like a hiss. "It all adds up. I don't have to say it, do I?"
"Bluestar, what-?" Feathertail could barely speak. "Are you saying that Spottedleaf murdered Appledusk?"
Bluestar did not answer her question. "I thought I smelled a trace of the Dark Forest on Appledusk's pelt, but had no idea what it meant. I did not tell Reedshine, either. I presumed that a Dark Forest cat murdered him…. But now…"
Bluestar's eyes suddenly widened. She stood up quickly. "Where's Spottedleaf?" she asked quickly, but her mew was filled with fear.
"In her…" Feathertail spoke, but Bluestar was already racing toward the medicine den.
Bluestar rushed out, her pelt bristling. "She's not in her den," she told Feathertail.
"Where is she, then?" Feathertail's insides were consumed by fear. Her heart was beating in the chilly night air.
Bluestar was one step ahead of her. She was already sniffing the air. For scents.
"This way," Bluestar mewed. She had already raced out of camp. Feathertail hurried to catch up. "It seems like Spottedleaf was in a hurry," Bluestar remarked as Feathertail, panting, caught up. "Come on."
Bluestar raced off again, with Feathertail close behind.
"The scent is leading toward the place where I found Spottedleaf last time," Feathertail said with barely any breath.
"That means…" Bluestar panted, "that she is heading for the Dark Forest."
"What could she be doing there?" asked Feathertail.
Bluestar finally stopped. Feathertail skidded to a halt next to her.
Bluestar's eyes were anxious. "I have absolutely no idea what in StarClan Spottedleaf could be doing there, but I know she is up to no good."