Starstone.

Starstone

Starstone.

Find the starstone.

Find the starstone.

Find the starstone.

Why?

She could not believe a life was taken.

Just like that.

Because they were a little too late.

Mudblossom kept wailing on the way of finding Birdflight and claimed that she was too afraid of the dark as Fernheart dragged her down the path of the forest. Yes, she was scared. Twilightbreeze could see that from her eyes. But not afraid of the dark.

What was it?

Twilightbreeze discovered the faint scent of Birdflight as she smelt along the forest where the fire burnt, her white pelt was covered with dust, mud, and ash. Above her was Fernheart, who was staring at her with watery eyes, waiting for her answer.

But at that moment when Twilightbreeze looked up, Fernheart turned away, not wanting to know the bad news. Twilightbreeze could not possibly blame her as they had spent a lot of time convincing Mudblossom to co-operate.

And at that time, Mudblossom was nowhere to be found.

"Uh uh," Twilightbreeze made a note as Fernheart turned and glanced at her with anxiety, "I have a piece of good news and a piece of bad news. Your call."

Fernheart stomped the ground as the mud and dust flying. She lost her patience already, "Come on! You can do better than that, Twilight! Stop joking!"

Twilightbreeze replied calmly, "Then automatic choice. The good news is I think I know where is Bird-"

Fernheart jumped even before Twilightbreeze finished her sentences, sending a storm of dust and ashes. Twilightbreeze coughed as she replied, "Wait, listen! I meant I smelt a bird! Tweet tweet!"

"Impossible!" Fernheart smacked Twilightbreeze as she laughed the first time that night. Twilightbreeze was glad that she looked a bit more like herself again. She stood and dragged Fernheart to the forest. The joke worked. Suddenly, happiness drained from her face as she asked, "What about the bad news?"

The air was silent. The whole world paused.

Fernheart sat down and was looking at her paws as Twilightbreeze looked at everywhere except at Fernheart. "Well, Birdflight...Birdflight...scent was mixed with another...another...scent...that I have never smelt before..."

Fernheart stood up and ran to Twilightbreeze, "Twilight, tell me! Where are they? I am ready to fight! Whatever it takes! I will never let them hurt my brother! Or maybe the unknown cat is one of Birdflight's friend?"

Twilightbreeze swallowed as she nodded and mewed, "Under one condition, okay?" 

Fernheart rolled her eyes as she waited for Twilightbreeze's reply. Twilightbreeze groaned, "I will fight with you."

Fernheart beamed and she nodded. She gently pushed Twilightbreeze as she snapped, "What are you staring at? Lead the way!"

They are still too late.

Starstone.

Starstone

Starstone.

Find the starstone.

Find the starstone.

Find the starstone.

Too late.

They could just watch.

Birdflight vanished into nothing.

Things were not as simple as she thought.

First thing first, she needed to know why the starstone was connected.

And she was sure that Mudblossom played a role in the trauma.

"Twilightbreeze, did you find anything that may lead to Birdflight's sudden death?"

The cats were busy rebuilding StarClan when Twilightbreeze and Ravenwind inspected the cats one by one, checking for injuries.

"What?" Twilightbreeze was checking Whitestripe when she spotted a gash on his paw. She reached for the oak leaf and fished Black herb from the leaf. She smashed some on his paw as he winced. Twilightbreeze gave Whitestripe a pat on his shoulder and glanced at Ravenwind.

"I mean," Ravenwind was a bit impatient, "did you find anything that may lead to Birdflight's sudden death?"

Twilightbreeze was confused why Ravenwind asked about this, "Isn't it obvious? He died because of smoke!"

Ravenwind rolled her eyes as she snored, "If everything is that easy, should we be worrying a lot of things? Did you smell the smoke when you were - never mind, your sense was stronger. But Fernheart did not faint, right? And according to you, the fire was at the other part of the forest, so I do not think smoke is the reason."

Twilightbreeze hated that she had made a good point. She really did not want to think about the possibility of...

Murdering.

Or maybe there were other reasons?

Maybe he fell?

The body would vanish after the cat died, so it was very hard to know the reason.

On the other side, Fernheart was in thunderstorm mode. Which was not a good time to ask her about her brother.

But, there was another method.

The only way to know the truth was to seek it.

"Ravenwind, I have a little request. Can I pay the forest a visit?"

Almost there.

Almost there.

Twilightbreeze's paws ached because of the sharp stones and her pelt was covered with mud and dust. She was smelt of a strong smell of ashes as she crawled over branches and branches fallen on the only path going into the forest. The memories flashed back.

Of that terrible night.

It was only one sunrise ago.

She jumped over the branches, and she came here to find the truth.

She sniffed as she reached the spot where they found Birdflight, her fur straightened up as she remembered the lifeless Birdflight lying there, telling him his last three words.

Find the Starstone.

It must be important.

An important clue to a lot of things.

She should have told any cat about the vision.

Even if she had a doubt in it.

And this mistake took Birdflight's life as a consequence for her to remember this forever.

She murmured, "I should have told. This is my fault-"

The sentence was cut short as Twilightbreeze discovered something. She kneeled down and stared at the tuft of ginger fur with blood. 

That was the proof, the evidence.

Ravenwind was right.

The fire burnt like losing its temper yesterday as if the leaping flames had terrible anger. It wanted everything.

And now, Birdflight's death, her friend's death, was not because of smoke or fire.

She wanted to doubt herself.

It was impossible.

But yet, all clues pointed to that.

And there was only one possible answer.

Murder.