The sun glowed a warm, orange light as it slowly began to disappear. Troutpaw felt slightly comforted by the sun's warmth as she was feeling chilly after a swim.

She had asked Sorrelpaw to meet her at the Oaks, at Jaypaw's request. He seems rather edgy about something, she reflected.

Troutpaw hoped that it was worth it. It was difficult for her to sneak away from her mentor's prying eyes and Hoppaw's insistence to come with her.

Jaypaw had not arrived. Feeling crossed, Troutpaw looked in the direction of RookClan's territory, waiting for Jaypaw to arrive.

"Hey," it was not Jaypaw who spoke, much to Troutpaw's annoyance. Falconpaw, the SunClan apprentice, was panting slightly as he sat down nearby. He must have been running, Troutpaw thought.

"Where's Kinkpaw and Shadowpaw? I thought they were coming," Troutpaw mewed to him.

"Shadowpaw didn't want to come," Falconpaw mewed, catching his breath. "As for Kinkpaw, I couldn't find him anywhere."

Troutpaw frowned, but didn't respond.

Sorrelpaw arrived next, padding towards her, looking nervous. Her pelt blended with the darkening shadows almost perfectly as she sat beside Troutpaw.

"So, what is this meeting about?" Sorrelpaw asked.

"Ask Jaypaw - he was the one who asked me to come," Troutpaw mewed, keeping her gaze fixed on RookClan's territory.

By the time the sun disappeared, Jaypaw arrived, looking rather flustered. "Sorry for being late," he mumbled.

"Make it quick," Falconpaw meowed. "We won't want to be spotted out of our nests at this hour."

"It's about that rogue," Jaypaw mewed, his voice anxious and shaky. "There's something off about him."

"He is just over confident," Sorrelpaw suggested.

"No... not that," Jaypaw mewed. "The way he talks, the way he stood at the branch... it's so familiar to me but I can't seem to put my paw on it."

Troutpaw thought about what Jaypaw said. "It might sound crazy, but what if that rogue is some cat related to you?" she mewed to Jaypaw.

Thunder boomed in the cloud gathering sky. Jaypaw shook his head. "None of my parents act that way. I am certain of that."

"Then it is something else," Falconpaw mewed.

Sorrelpaw started pacing, looking more excited by the moment. Troutpaw gave her a questioning gaze and waited for the BrambleClan apprentice to explain.

"I got it!" Sorrelpaw was practically hopping up and down in excitement and realisation. "Maybe it's your mentor that acts that way!"

"W-what?" Jaypaw sputtered.

"That's a possibility," Falconpaw spoke up.

"You know your mentor best, Jaypaw," Troutpaw mewed. "Tell us what you know."

Jaypaw still looked hesitant. "I... know Stormjaw acts strangely, but what you are suggesting is that he is working with that rogue." He sounded defensive.

"We are not suggesting that," Troutpaw sighed. "This is getting nowhere," she added in frustration.

There was silence for a while. The sky was a dark blue colour and the stars were watching their every move. Troutpaw wondered if StarClan disapproved their actions that night.

"If there's nothing else," Falconpaw mewed. "I'm returning to my Clan. Some cat is bound to miss me soon."

"I am too," Troutpaw meowed, flicking her tail restlessly.

Jaypaw looked upset and he gave a resigned sigh. "I'm sure you would get it one day," Sorrelpaw mewed, sounding awkward.

Troutpaw and Falconpaw left, missing the rest of their conversation. "Do you want to pretend that this never happened?" he asked as they walked back to their Clans.

"It's not against the warrior code," Troutpaw replied.

Falconpaw ran ahead of her, blocking her way. "If our leaders find out about this, there will be trouble," he explained worriedly.

Troutpaw looked annoyed. "If you are so afraid that your leader is going to punish you, you shouldn't have came."

"Well, some cat had to come," Falconpaw insisted. "I couldn't leave Jaypaw all alone."

"Stop following me," Troutpaw mewed. "Your territory is that way." She was avoiding the subject.

Falconpaw stopped and turned to walk in the opposite direction. Troutpaw was relieved that the SunClan apprentice didn't pursue the subject even further. She felt that it was getting annoying.

Her paws felt heavier than before as she slipped into the camp, hoping that no cat noticed her.

As quietly as Troutpaw could, she sneaked into the apprentice's den and lay down on her nest to get some sleep for the next day.

"Troutpaw?" Smallpaw mumbled. "Are you awake?"

"I just went out to catch a breath," she replied quickly.

Her denmate did not ask anymore questions as he popped back into his nest.

Troutpaw did the same. As she tried to sleep, memories of the meeting kept flashing in her head. Is it really necessary to discover that rogue's identity?