The whole clan was out in the rain mourning their lost warrior. Only the closest to him got to lay with him: Mistytail, Sootpaw and Featherfoot, with her belly swollen with kits. Greeneyes gave a quick prayer for him, willing his spirit to StarClan. The elders covered his fur with herbs to prepare him for burial and the clan stayed in the rain while the elders buried the senior warrior. That would be Rainclaw's final resting place. But his death brought many questions with it.

Who's claws slit his throat? An enemy? Or some cat from within MoonClan?

Sootpaw couldn't think about one of his clanmates killing their family. It was against the warrior code. The sky had darkened considerably and clouds still covered the stars. Who would be Sootpaw's mentor now?

Clawstar answered his question. "Cheetahclaw, will you continue Sootpaw's warrior training?" The spotted warrior nodded briskly and padded slowly, with his head down and tail dragging in the mud, to the shaded warriors den. Snowflight and her brothers took their place beneath the entrance bush for their silent vigil and the rest of the clan dispersed to their dens. Sootpaw remained in the middle of the clearing, letting the rain wash away the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. His mentor was dead and no cat had asked how it happened. If no cat was going to say anything, he would figure it out for himself.

Then a thought struck him. 'You will have to wade through blood to win this war.'

Maybe this is the war spoken about in the prophecy? Is some cat trying to kill all of MoonClan? Sootpaw shivered at the thought. He headed towards dirtplace, and snuck out the tunnel and into the open forest. He new the territory well enough now not to get lost. His instincts told him to go where they found his body, but he found himself at warmrocks. This was the last place he saw Rainclaw alive. Maybe he could find some clues there. The rain would be washing everything away soon.

When he arrived at warmrocks, he sniffed ever rock and every blade of grass, but nothing suggested that any battle had taken place here. No smell of a hostile warrior, just the smell of rocks and herbs. He took a peek at the river, with waves rocking about in the wind. A storm was being brought with the rain.

His paws slipped on the slick rocky surface and his body plunged into the swarming river. He would never be able swim above the waves. His only goal right now was to keep his head above the water. Cold liquid surged at him from all angles and filled his ears.