The votes were counted. By the smallest margin possible, Shadeflight and Brackentail had been voted innocent. Brackentail padded over to Sedgeheart, Oakpaw, and Blossompaw, murmuring assurances that he wasn't going anywhere.

Meanwhile, Shadeflight immediately ran over to Batwhisker and Ravenfeather, burying her face in her brother's fur. The black tom glared at all of the cats who had voted her guilty.

Robinclaw pointed out that despite the murders, they still needed to hunt and patrol. All of the cats voiced their agreement, although some did it more reluctantly than others.

Oakpaw, who no longer had a mentor, was given to Badgerpath. The black and white tom was a good mentor. His teaching style was different from Pebblefang's, but Oakpaw would eventually get used to it.

When they split up for patrols, Ravenfeather was put on a hunting patrol led by Badgerpath. She was accompanied by Shadeflight and Blossompaw. Since all of the cats who had sat vigil needed to sleep, it left only eight cats who could patrol. Blossompaw didn't have her mentor with her, so while she talked incessantly to Badgerpath, Ravenfeather and Shadeflight held a quiet conversation.

Eventually, Badgerpath motioned for them to be quiet, and split up to hunt. After thinking for a bit, Ravenfeather slunk over to an area covered in ferns, tail lazily twitching back and forth. This patch always had a rabbit or two hiding in it.

She crouched, lightly padding forward as quietly as she could. She could smell the rabbit, see the brown fur through the plants. She leapt. As she collided with the rabbit, snapping its neck, someone dropped from a tree, snapping hers. She didn't even feel any pain as she dropped to the ground.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Applekit was happy, but in a bittersweet kind of way. He was too young to process death — all he knew was that Heathershine and Twigkit had gone somewhere. He was kind of jealous that Twigkit got to leave camp and he didn't, but now Cedarblaze and Berryleaf were staying with him! They played with him whenever he asked, and fed him pieces of mouse when he got hungry.

For some reason, a ton of cats had stayed up last night. He didn't know why. He had a curfew, and had stayed with Mottledthorn last night. But then Mottledthorn had gone on the trip too! Pebblefang had gone with them, probably to protect them. She was a good fighter. He liked Pebblefang.

Bluepaw and Oakpaw padded past him and into the apprentice den. They were sad, like Ivywing. They probably missed Pebblefang, like he missed Heathershine and Twigkit! He wondered when they would come back.

Cedarblaze carried him into the warriors' den. It was huge! There were already some cats sleeping in there. Cedarblaze settled into his nest, and Applekit followed. He curled up next to his father, and with a contented sigh, buried his face in Cedarblaze's fluffy, brown fur.

He was having a great dream when the cat padded over to him. He heard commotion outside, and figured the patrols had returned. At least, one of them had. He looked up drowsily at the cat. They stood over him, a sinister look on their face.

"Hey, Applekit. I can help you see Heathershine and Twigkit again," they offered. Applekit's face lit up.

"Really?" he squeaked, just as quiet as the cat. They nodded. White claws slipped out from their paws, stark against their fur. Why were the cat's claws out? Maybe they were going to dig a tunnel! He loved tunnels! Then the claws swiped down, and he saw Heathershine and Twigkit again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Blossompaw sniffed along the ground, looking for prey. She caught the scent of rabbit, and immediately perked up. Rabbits could feed multiple cats. Some of them could be bigger than she was.

She caught the scent of Ravenfeather, and the metallic scent of blood. Her hopes immediately fell. Ravenfeather had already caught that rabbit. But where there was one, there were usually more. Maybe she could catch one of the others.

The calico she-cat followed the scent, until she reached a patch of ferns. She knew that something was wrong. Black fur was visible through the ferns, unmoving.

"Ravenfeather?" Blossompaw padded closer, disturbed by the eerie silence. When she parted the ferns, she let out a yowl of horror.

"Badgerpath! Shadeflight! Ravenfeather's been attacked!" She ran away from the motionless she-cat, and towards the place she had last seen the rest of the patrol.

Badgerpath broke into the clearing at the same time as her, Shadeflight right on his tail. Blossompaw panted breathlessly, while motioning towards the path she had come from. Badgerpath and Shadeflight dashed down it, and soon, she heard a distraught wail come from Shadeflight. A few moments later, the two cats returned, with Ravenfeather on their shoulders.

When they returned, there was already chaos in camp. The border patrol and the cats who had been sleeping were already accusing each other of a murder. Through the legs of Cedarblaze, Blossompaw saw Applekit.

Batwhisker ordered everyone to be quiet, as he ran to his sister's body. He started muttering, gradually growing louder, until it cumulated into a final, furious yowl of "NO!". Ravenfeather was set down in the center of camp, next to the bodies of Mottledthorn, Twigkit, and Applekit.

Batwhisker, Shadeflight, Badgerpath, Cedarblaze, Berryleaf, and Brackentail all settled down to mourn. The rest of the cats stepped aside, and began to discuss accusations.

"I think it could be Cedarblaze. Applekit was found next to him, murdered. How would he not know?" Ivywing mewed quietly. The cats nodded in agreement.

"Anyone else?" Robinclaw asked. Feathersong shuffled her paws, then spoke up.

"I'm sorry Oakpaw, but maybe it was you. We can't discount anyone based on age. You haven't been too affected, except perhaps by Pebblefang's loss, but that could have been done by your partner." Oakpaw went to object, pressing himself closer to Blossompaw, Bluepaw, and Willowpaw, but was cut off by Sedgeheart.

"We have our accusations then. Let's go tell the others".

Murdered: Ravenfeather, Applekit
Healed: Robinclaw
Accused: Cedarblaze, Oakpaw
Revealed: No one
Revived: No one
Murderers Left: 2