AN: I'm updating now because I'll likely be gone all day. Going to parties is rather boring for me, especially when it's someone I barely know. But it's my cousin's baby's birthday, so I suppose I should be happier for her. =Grumbles= She's still not married, yet she's the queen of our family!

-Chapter 6-

It felt as though moons had passed until something happened. Willowshine had been helping Mothwing clean out what herbs had become old and dusty. When they were finished sorting through the piles, a queen wailed out in pain.

Willowshine's eyes widened in horror when she recognized Duskfur's voice. She exchanged a startled glance with her mentor before she raced towards the nursery. Memories of her night with Flametail still burned within her. Yet she had focused most of her life on finding out which cat would betray RiverClan. Blue's words would still leave a ringing tone in her ears.

There is a darkness coming, she thought as she nosed her way into the nursery. One that will cause every cat to lose themselves.

Her heart skipped a beat when the stench of blood filled her lungs. Her ears flattened as she sent a silent prayer, hoping that Duskfur's kits were not harmed. Willowshine's tail flicked from side to side as she spotted the tabby queen.

Duskfur was crouched in front of a mass of fur. Willowshine felt her heart drop when she recognized the body. Mothwing stood beside her, trembling in disbelief at the sight that held her attention.

"Mosspelt!" Willowshine breathed out the words in a mewl of dismay.

The gentle queen that every cat in RiverClan knew about was dead. Blood seeped from the marks that lined her flank. Horror surged through Willowshine as she looked down at the once beautiful cat that had helped queens in the nursery.

Mothwing was at Mosspelt's side. Duskfur's kits were crouched between their mother's tail, looking terrified as they watched the scene unfold before them.

"She is dead," Mothwing murmured softly.

For the first time in the past moon, Willowshine felt as though her world had taken a turn for the worse. The reeds that covered the nursery seemed like nothing as she glanced through the open cracks.

She could see that cats were rising from their nests to find out what was wrong. Mistystar's scent writhed around the entrance, followed closely by Reedwhisker. She looked over her shoulder and saw their shadows shifting outside the nursery.

Mothwing quickly herded Duskfur out of the nursery before the kits could begin asking questions. Willowshine doubted that either of them would have been aware. Owlkit and Featherkit were too young to know that something had happened to their denmate. On top of that, there would be stress in the air. She knew that kits could easily pick up on stress, especially if it came from their own mother, who was closely watching Mothwing work.

Soon the nursery had become empty once more. Willowshine crouched in front of Mosspelt's body. Her throat felt dry as she looked down at the once lively tortoiseshell queen. A warrior had done this to Mosspelt. A warrior had come into the nursery, while Duskfur was away. Mosspelt had been murdered by the cold claws of a warrior.

Her legs trembled as Mothwing tried to uncover what had caused Willowshine's death. As if the clawmarks on her pelt weren't enough for her mentor to see that it was one of their own. Willowshine held back a wail of grief as Mothwing shook her head. Even she looked devastated by the loss that had taken place only heartbeats ago.

"This should never have happened," she muttered.

Before Willowshine could speak, the pelt of a cat brushed against her own. She turned her head slightly to see that Mistystar had joined them. The gray-furred leader's eyes were dark with grief as she looked down at the broken body.

"Can you figure out who did this to her?" she demanded after Mothwing had lifted her muzzle.

The dappled medicine cat shook her head. "There are too many scents," she replied. Willowshine was surprised to hear the bitterness in her tone. Than she remembered that Mosspelt had helped raise Mothwing into becoming a fine warrior. "Whoever did this knew that their scent would be hidden," she added dryly.

Mistystar didn't look surprised by Mothwing's answer. She could only sigh as she thought of the ways they could figure out who did this. "Only a cat with time, a keen nose, and a sense of nobility could figure this out," she meowed. "Jayfeather could be that cat, but he would have to sniff out every warrior in the Clan."

Willowshine's teeth grit together as she imagined the blind tabby medicine cat. She and Jayfeather had never gotten along, especially as apprentices. Yet she knew that he would have been a good friend if he wasn't so bitter about his failed sight.

"Jayfeather couldn't possibly make it this far," Mothwing whispered. "Firestar would never let him come."

This seemed to ease Mistystar's tension. Willowshine lashed her tail as she thought of what she could do. Perhaps she could ask Jayfeather for help. Sneak behind Mothwing's back and tell him about the dreams she'd been having. Normally she would have refused to speak with him, unless it was necessary. But at this moment, all she could think of was finding out what had caused Mosspelt's death.

As if she'd whispered the thoughts out loud, Mothwing gave her a sharp look. "You are not to tell a cat what has happened," she hissed. "They would likely take advantage of us if they think we are weak."

"I wasn't planning on telling any cat," Willowshine growled. But I may tell someone else, if he comes, she added silently.

Mothwing may have had control over what she could do or speak to, but that didn't stop her from meeting with Flametail. For the past moon now she'd met up with him during the darkness of night. Under the stars, she felt protected as she spent the night with her friend. The ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice had formed a sort of barrier over her that only opened when they were apart.

Without another word Willowshine turned to leave the den. She couldn't stand looking at Mosspelt's broken body. It was like looking at her own shadow. The tortoiseshell queen had been with the Clan longer than she herself had been alive.

"Is the bad cat gone mama?" Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Owlkit looking at Duskfur. His large yellow eyes were wide as he stared at her.

"We must wait until Mothwing tells us it is safe," Duskfur murmured in a soft, soothing voice.

Willowshine was surprised when she felt a sense of longing as she watched the small family. Duskfur was a good mother to her kits, and they would likely become fine warriors. It made her think of the times she spent in the nursery. When Dawnflower had given her soothing licks as a kit who struggled to find out what she wanted for her Clan.

The medicine cat apprentice began to walk away as dusk settled in. She could see that cats were worried about what had happened. For the most part they were unaware that their Clanmate was dead. Willowshine was thankful that they didn't know. Panic would have spread through every warrior like wildfire.

She was about to leave the clearing when she heard a huff of annoyance from the warriors' den. Her fur bristled slightly when she saw that it was the dark form of Hollowstorm who crouched in the den. He wasn't aware that she'd heard him. It sounded like he was talking to himself. She peered through the open cracks to see that he was grooming patches of fur that stood on end.

Without thinking about she left the den to himself. Hollowstorm had always struck her as a strange cat. His ambitions had grown since he became a warrior. Secretly she knew that he was getting stronger than most of the cats in RiverClan. His muscles had grown in what seemed like an unusually fast pace. When he was able to go to the Gatherings, he spent most of his time with cats that Willowshine had never known.

Her gray tabby fur was slowly turning orange from the sun that had begun to sink behind the mountains. She managed to creep out of camp unnoticed. Mothwing was too busy helping the cats that had discovered what happened to Mosspelt. It was the chance she was looking for, though she doubted Mosspelt would appreciate the fact that she wasn't sitting vigil. That time would come later tonight, when she was finished explaining to Flametail what had happened.

Tough grass scraped against her pads as she trotted along the tangled path that patrols used. This was the quickest way towards the ShadowClan border. She'd used it many times before to look for thyme and borage. Mothwing had shown her the best places to look for those kind of plants. She reminded herself to pick some thyme before going back. Mothwing would likely need more after using it on some of the warriors.

Night had fallen by the time she reached the border's edge. ShadowClan scent writhed around her lungs as she opened her jaws. Her fur bristled slightly when she saw a group of ShadowClan warriors moving in the distance. She knew that if they caught her, they would likely attack. Willowshine tried to keep her calm as they disappeared further into the approaching darkness.

"Willowshine!" The voice was hissed across the border. Willowshine's ears pricked forward when she spotted a pair of amber eyes gleaming through the darkness. Flametail bounded out of the undergrowth that concealed him. His fur was smoothed down after a good grooming session. Her heart had skipped a beat when his muzzle brushed against her own. "I'm sorry I'm late," he murmured after settling down beside her. "Kinkfur caught me sneaking out of camp, and asked where I was going."

"I'm sorry if she got you in trouble," Willowshine mewed.

She knew how hot-headed Kinkfur was. The tabby had been caught rushing across the border several times. Reedwhisker's patrol had managed to keep her away the last time she made an attempt.

Amusement gleamed within Flametail's eyes. "All I had to do was tell her I was looking for herbs," he explained. "Of course, she isn't the brightest warrior in our Clan."

Willowshine was relieved to hear this news. She tried to think of the best way to explain what had happened during the day. If she gave away too much information, Flametail might tell Blackstar. And if Blackstar knew what had happened, he might use the information against RiverClan in some way or another. Mothwing had taught her to always be cautious around ShadowClan cats. Even if Flametail was her friend, she still couldn't trust his loyalties.

"A cat is sick," she meowed after mulling over the idea for quite some time.

Flametail's eyes widened in shock. "Who is it?" he asked in a low whisper.

"Mosspelt." Willowshine's heart sank like a boulder in the lake. Just saying the name made her think of what Mosspelt had done for the Clan. She couldn't believe that Mosspelt was gone. Just like that.

"I'm sorry," he meowed sympathetically. "Do you think she's going to survive?"

Willowshine shook her head. If she could cry, she would be bawling out tears right about now. She wasn't sure why all of a sudden she felt so much hurt. Mosspelt had never been a mother to her, but the tortoiseshell had treated her Clanmates like they were her kits.

Her fur bristled when she felt Flametail's pelt rub against her own. She glanced at him and saw that he was gazing at her sympathetically. He understood what it was like to lose a Clanmate. Russetfur had died because of a battle that should not have been fought. All because Firestar had followed the words of a foolish apprentice.

"She's with StarClan now..." Willowshine's voice broke when she realized what she'd just done. She glanced at Flametail, hoping and praying that he would never tell Blackstar. Or Littlecloud for that matter.

"I know I should have told you sooner but...Littlecloud died just a couple of days ago too." Flametail's voice was taught with grief. He stared down at his paws, as if feeling too guilty to meet her gaze.

"Littlecloud is dead?" Willowshine's eyes widened as she imagined the small tabby that had been ShadowClan's medicine cat for seasons. She could remember seeing Littlecloud even when she was a kit. Littlecloud's name had left a strong legacy in RiverClan, one that not even Cinderpelt's name could withstand.

Flametail nodded after silence had settled upon them. Willowshine's paws kneaded the ground as she thought of what to say. He needed her comfort now more than anything. It reminded her of when he comforted her. He used the right words, and knew how to soothe her without causing guilt.

"I'll see you tomorrow night," Flametail meowed after he shifted uncomfortably.

Willowshine's eyes never left his pelt as he disappeared into the shadows once more. Their meeting had ended faster than she'd hoped. Yet she knew that she would have to sit vigil over Mosspelt's body tonight. Mothwing would have finished preparing the body before placing it in the center of camp.

Her paws felt heavy as she returned to camp. She used the same route she took the last time. It was faster this way. None of her Clanmates would question where she'd been, since she'd found some thyme to take back with her. The time to sit vigil over Mosspelt's body would come. For now all she wanted to do was rest under the watchful gaze of StarClan. Than she would worry about Mosspelt once more.

AN: Sorry for the crappy ending. I wasn't sure how to end this chapter, so I put it here. Basically more will be explained tomorrow when I update. And yes, Mosspelt and Littlecloud are dead. =Bawls into tears=