After Brokenshadow had lunged at Dawnpaw, Frozenleaf realized that something had been deeply wrong.

"Brokenshadow? Honey...she is hurt." She laid a tail across the tom's shoulders, lightly stroking his long white fur. "Perhaps I should go and comfort her."

"No, Frozenleaf. It doesn't matter," Brokenshadow gruffed as he pulled away from Frozenleaf. "She's only an apprentice. She doesn't know how she feels. She sees queens and senior warriors in love, and she wants what they have. It's not uncommon for a young cat to feel that way."

Frozenleaf didn't argue with him, because his words were somewhat true; many apprentices fell "in love" with older warriors...though she'd never before witnessed an apprentice acting like that.

"She seemed so - "

"Frozenleaf! I don't care. Neither of us are associated with her. Just forget about her."

She sighed. "Okay...but Brokenshadow?"

"Yes?"

"There was more to you and Dawnpaw's romance, wasn't there?"

Fallenstar left Frozenleaf and the other three cats alone in the cave to talk amongst themselves - for reasons she could not comprehend - though Whispersecrets and Quietwind were left guarding the exit of the den.

Frozenleaf glanced around at the other suspects. Falconflight was sitting off by himself, staring at a cave wall. Tanglepaw seemed to be trying to drift off into sleep. The only one who was attentive was Dawnpaw, other than, of course, the two cats who were the only way out.

Partly out of boredom, and partly out of frustration, Frozenleaf marched over to Dawnpaw. "Listen here, Dawnpaw. I know you were the one who did it."

The tiny apprentice leaped up as soon as the words dripped out of Frozenleaf's mouth. "What?! Why would I kill Brokenshadow?!"

"You know why."

The scuffle seemed to awaken Tanglepaw. She groggily padded over to the quarreling she-cats, ready to defend her friend. "Frozenleaf, it's not fair to accuse Dawnpaw. We all had issues with Brokenshadow."

"I - "

"Don't even try to deny it!"

"I don't need to listen to some apprentice," Frozenleaf huffed.

Tanglepaw took a quick step toward the white she-cat, her eyes narrowed into slits. Well, she woke up quickly. "I'm supposed to be a warrior. In fact, I would be right now if it weren't for your pathetic mate."

She ignored Tanglepaw's remark. Instead, she decided to talk to Falconflight - he'd still been watching the wall throughout the whole conversation. "Falconflight?" she called over to him. "Did you...?"

Falconflight averted his gaze and stared at his paws. "No. I didn't. You know that."

Frozenleaf stood up and walked in a circle around Tanglepaw and Dawnpaw, and she noticed that they both stiffened as she did. She could practically feel the tension in the air. "Motives? No one wants to admit them. Tanglepaw...murdering Brokenshadow in revenge, based upon the fact he didn't let you have the ceremony you'd always wanted?"

Tanglepaw said nothing.

"Dawnpaw...a young, star-crossed lover. Part of a relationship that would rock the Clans if anyone knew of it. Perhaps you killed him because you got the 'if I can't have him, then no one can' state of mind?"

Dawnpaw turned away, not meeting Frozenleaf's eyes. "We don't need to rehash. Fallenstar already covered all of this," she muttered.
"And Falconflight...the jealous brother, always one-up'd, always second. Always mother's second favorite."

Falconflight, to Frozenleaf's surprise, stood up. "And let's not forget Frozenleaf, the she-cat that had always wanted kits, yet never had them. A murder in retaliation of not getting what you wanted? Besides, for cat whose mate was just mysteriously murdered, you don't seem to be grieving too heavily."

She didn't argue with Falconflight for the same reason no one argued with her or Fallenstar; there was truth to those words.

"Why doesn't Fallenstar ask Spritbloom to ask Brokenshadow who killed him?" Dawnpaw asked, seemingly regaining some of her confidence.

"He said he already tried that," Tanglepaw said. "She couldn't find Brokenshadow."

"I knew it," Falconflight muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

As the four cats shifted around each other, Frozenleaf was sure they were all thinking the same thing...

In the Clans, they were guilty until proven innocent.

A/N: And there was the longest chapter thus far! Things are going to get quite intense soon! I'm glad you all enjoy this story and enjoy trying to figure out who the murderer is! Once again, thank you all for your reviews. - vulpixzii325