Chapter 2

Littlecloud was sorting herbs when he heard the sound of paw steps coming into the ShadowClan camp. He eagerly hurried out to the group of ShadowClan cats who were returning from the Gathering. Littlecloud had been anticipating the news, but when he saw the cats' expression, he knew something was wrong. The cats showed disbelief, anger, fear, and one young apprentice, Shrewpaw, showed signs of shock. Littlecloud padded back to his den, and pulled a few thyme leaves out of his store.

"Here," he meowed, dropping the leaves at the apprentice's paws. "These will help."

The apprentice shakily ate the leaves, and he wrinkled his nose at the smell and taste. The medicine cat padded up to Blackstar, but before he could open his mouth, Blackstar murmured, "Meet me in my den later, and I will tell you everything." Then he quickly trotted to the center of the camp, where there was a crowd of warriors who had not gone to the Gathering.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around me for a short Clan meeting," Blackstar yowled. Those weren't the usual words used to summon the Clan, but Blackstar wanted to quickly explain the night's events.

"Tonight was not a normal Gathering," the leader of ShadowClan meowed. "Tonight, Firestar, the leader the ThunderClan, was murdered."

"Murdered? By who?" asked Cedarheart, an elder.

"We don't know yet," stated Blackstar, but a warrior interrupted him.

"But Blackstar, isn't it Brokenstar who murdered Firestar?" asked Crowfrost.

Blackstar blinked. "Brokenstar's dead," he hissed.

"Then what's with the broken star that everyone is talking about?" Crowfrost asked.

"We don't know," the ShadowClan leader answered. Raising his voice, he added, "This meeting is now over. Go back to your dens."

Littlecloud went to Blackstar's den, where the leader was sitting with his tail curled around his paws.

"What was it that you wanted to tell me before, Blackstar?" the medicine cat mewed.

"Littlecloud, I know you weren't at the Gathering, but who do you think did it? I'm afraid whoever did it may do it again," the leader replied.

Littlecloud didn't have to ask what "It" was; it was obvious what Blackstar was talking about. "I don't know. But how about this, Blackstar, when I go to the Moonpool tomorrow, I'll ask Jayfeather and the others what they think."

Blackstar was a proud cat, who didn't like to ask for help, but he knew they had to solve this mystery. "Fine," he grumbled.

Barkface, Kestrelpaw, Mothwing, and Littlecloud and Flamepaw were waiting for Jayfeather to arrive. Littlecloud was anxious that the ThunderClan medicine cat would not come, but if he didn't, how was ShadowClan going to get answers for what had happened the day before?

"I don't think he's coming," rumbled Barkface. "Should we go on without him?"

"We're wasting moonlight," warned Mothwing.

No! We have to wait! I need answers! Littlecloud wanted to yowl.

"Let's go on without him," Barkface decided. "Maybe he'll catch up."

Littlecloud had no choice but to follow him. He regretfully looked back, and trudged along with Barkface.

When they arrived at the Moonpool, every cat found a place to lie down, and lapped a bit of the water. Littlecloud instantly fell asleep.

The medicine cat was wandering StarClan's forest. He found himself near a cliff, looked down, and gasped. The cats of StarClan were at a meeting, with an orange cat at the center. It was Firestar! Littlecloud saw many cats, including Bluestar, Yellowfang, Raggedstar, Tallstar, and Spottedleaf. Soon, the meeting broke up, and the cats padded off in all different directions. The bushes behind Littlecloud rustled, and out stepped Firestar.

"Firestar!" Littlecloud gasped in surprise. "Oh, um, if you don't mind me asking, who killed you?"

For a moment, Firestar didn't reply, just looked at him strangely. Then he said, "I don't know, Littlecloud."

"Can I check you over for clues?" Littlecloud mumbled.

Firestar nodded, somewhat reluctantly, and padded over to sit beside Littlecloud. He pushed back the fur on Firestar's neck, and saw exactly what Jayfeather had seen on the night of the Gathering. A broken star. But what shocked Littlecloud more than the shape of the gash, was the smell. It was the smell of the poison that had ripped Firestar of all his lives.

"Littlecloud, wake up."

The ShadowClan medicine cat opened his eyes, and saw the other cats awakening as well. "Come," she hissed to Flamepaw. "We need to go back immediately."

Flamepaw looked at her. "I had a dream as well. About Firestar's death."