The water was cold. But Bluestar's heart felt even colder. As she paddled across the lake and towards the island, she mentally prepared herself for another meeting with the codeless cats. This was going to be hard. Clawface and Stumpytail would no doubt be present, probably with some more outrageous demands from their exiled leader. Maybe chasing Brokenstar out of the Clans was a bad idea. Now he had no reason to follow the Code at all.

She pulled herself up out of the water and onto the dark island. Apparently she was the last to arrive. Oakheart was already arguing about something with Clawface, and Mudclaw stood slightly to the side, watching with a grim expression on his muzzle. Mudclaw! That meant WindClan was back! Fireheart had succeeded his first mission, and now there were once more four Clans in the forest. It took a few moments before the other cats noticed Bluestar's arrival. When they did, Oakheart nodded a greeting. But his eyes were as cold as ice. Bluestar almost winced under his gaze.

"What is all this arguing about?" The ThuderClan leader asked, to no cat in particular. Silence reigned on the clearing. Clawface was the first to answer, disbelief and rage written all over his ugly muzzle.

"I'll tell you what this arguing's about!" His mew was strained, as if he was struggling not to burst with anger, "A RiverClan cat died today. And Oakheart here has the audacity to blame it on us!"

"You've broken the Warrior Code once before," The RiverClan deputy hissed, "Why wouldn't you break it again?"

Bluestar's heart sank, "Who died?"

Oakheart turned his gaze on Bluestar, "It was Whiteclaw. Somecat pushed him into the river, near that gulch on the ShadowClan border. He hit the rocks and drowned helpless." So another cat had died. Death was becoming an all too common word, in Bluestar's opinion.

Clawface narrowed his eyes, "Why would we want to kill him anyway? He was the smartest cat here!"

"Well," Bluestar pointed out, ignoring his barely hidden insult,"He did refuse to trade for those herbs you wanted. That could be why you killed him."

"The rest of you refused the offer too, so why didn't we just kill everyone?"

"Maybe you're just waiting for a chance," Oakheart growled.

Clawface ignored him, "We wouldn't have killed off an asset like that for such a pathetic reason!" A chill ran down Bluestar's spine. So, a cat, a living breathing cat, is now nothing more than an asset? Did I think of Whiteclaw as only an asset? Before Bluestar could respond, Mudclaw stepped closer to the other cats.

"Maybe," he mewed in his usual coarse voice, "I could shed some light on this unfortunate event." Bluestar felt her hackles rising. Mudclaw seemed bent on stirring up strife. Whether he had some kind of genius masterplan, or he was simply playing some kind of deranged game Bluestar could never tell.

For the first time, Stumpytail spoke up, "What? What do you know? C'mon, tell us!"

Mudclaw seemed pleased to divulge the information, "I know who killed Whiteclaw. It was that orange ThunderClan cat, Fireheart. Ya know, the one who brought us back." None of the other cats seemed surprised to hear that Firepaw had been the one who had fetched WindClan back. Just goes to show how nothing is secret anymore.

Bluestar hissed at the WindClan foxheart, "That's impossible! You're lying!"

Mudclaw shrugged, looking completely uncaring, "No I ain't. Why would I lie 'bout something like that?" Because you like stirring up fights! Oakheart seemed just as unwilling to believe this turn of events as Bluestar.

Maybe he didn't find Mudclaw very charming either, "But what would ThunderClan gain from a pointless murder?"

Mudclaw shrugged, which seemed to be his favorite physical movement, "I dunno. All I know is that Fireheart shoved Whiteclaw into the river on purpose."

"Even if you did see him," Oakheart pointed out, "You'd have no idea whether it was on purpose or not!"

Clawface purred rustily, "It wouldn't be the first time Bluestar's been at the center of a murder. Her deputies don't seem to last too long."

Bluestar shot the ShadowClan cat a withering glare, "I wouldn't talk. You practically worship a cat who lets kits do his fighting for him."

Oakheart turned to Bluestar, "Did Fireheart kill a RiverClan cat?"

"No. At least, I don't think so. I'll speak to him when I return to camp." She rose to her feet, glaring pointedly at Mudclaw.

"If he is responsible, then he must be punished," she mewed, "But if he is innocent, than you will regret that you ever mentioned his name."

Oakheart nodded in farewell, "May StarClan light your path." Bluestar couldn't even return his gaze. She simply turned around and jumped back into the water. Fireheart wouldn't kill like that. He just wouldn't. He's not like Redtail. She wished she could believe herself.