Darkheart and the other cats that had come from the gathering saw a pool of blood surrounded by the cats of the clan that had not went to the gathering. Who's body was in there? Darkheart thought. He saw Shrewfur, Tinyberry and Rosepetal.
Shadestar moved towards the cats. "Break it up." She mewed. As the cats moved away, Shrewfur came running over to Darkheart. Darkheart then saw the cat lying there dead. Thistlefern! Darkheart heard mews behind him about the young tom. Then Darkheart saw something else in the pool of blood. A rose!
"What happened?" Shadestar mewed
Rosepetal spoke, "We were in our den when Shrewfur and Wildflower smelt blood."
"Could you detect any scent?" Shadestar asked.
"No," This time Owlpaw answered, "the rain has muffled any scent."
Darkheart then realized it was raining. Then he heard a yowl from the Nursery. Tinyberry came running out screaming, "My kits! My kits!"
"What's wrong?" Shadestar mewed.
"My kits are missing!" Tinyberry meowed.
"Darkheart, Shrewfur and Nightpaw!" Shadestar yowled, "Search our territory for Barkkit and Spottedkit. Don't search cross the Windclan border unless it is completely necessary."
Darkheart dipped his head to Shadestar, and then ran out of camp with Nightpaw and Shrewfur.
Darkheart turned to Shrewfur, "Can you pick up any scent?"
Shrewfur opened his mouth. He turned to Darkheart, "No."
Nightpaw was fixated on the trees. Was he scenting? He turned to Darkheart and Shrewfur, "I smell a faint scent heading towards the beach."
"Take the lead." Shrewfur mewed.
The three began to run towards the cliff that led to the beach.
"Darkheart," Shrewfur hissed, as if to make sure that Nightpaw didn't hear him, "I saw everything."
Darkheart turned to look at him. "You saw everything of what?" he asked.
"I saw who killed Thistlefern, I saw who took the kits. I was watching from the den." Shrewfur answered.
"Why didn't you do something!?" Darkheart growled.
"Calm down, you'll understand in a little bit." Shrewfur mewed quietly.
"Who was it?" Darkheart asked, realizing that there was a rose next to Thistlefern. This may be a key in helping me figure out who is causing all the destruction.
Shrewfur opened his mouth to answer, but Nightpaw mewed, "I know where they are!"
Darkheart ran up to the apprentice. "Where are they?"
"Somewhere on the beach," Nightpaw answered, "I can scent them."
"So can I." Shrewfur mewed.
Darkheart then realized that he could also scent the two kits.
"Looks like we'll have to climb down the cliff." Shrewfur mewed.
Darkheart scaled down the mossy cliff first and did it with little effort. Nightpaw went next, and went down well. Darkheart then remembered he had taught him how to do that. Finally Shrewfur climbed down. Now the search was on. The sand on the beach was wet from the rain.
"Shrewfur, search near the Riverclan border. Nightpaw, go down by the river. I'll search on the other side of the beach." Darkheart mewed.
Darkheart opened his mouth to scent out any sign of the kits. As he moved towards the river, the scent got stronger.
"I see them!" Nightpaw yowled.
Darkheart turned and ran to Nightpaw. "Where are they?" he asked.
Shrewfur ran up to the two. "Where are they?" he mewed.
Nightpaw looked bewildered. "Over there." He mewed.
Darkheart then saw Barkkit and Spottedkit on the other side of the Great River.