Falling With the Rain

~ Suspicions ~

Rainsong's POV

I paid attention to every little word the jet-black apprentice had to say. But before he could finish his story, he passed out. The poor thing, he was always a furball of nerves. I remember when he refused under every circumstance to go outside of the nursery. As Spottedleaf was patching up his cuts, the cat whom I had my suspicion on, came staggering through the gorse tunnel with our dead deputy.

The shock rippled through us like wind blowing from one side of the moor to the other. Personally, I was keeping my steady gaze on my first suspect. I let no emotion through my face as I observed the giant tabby tom.

"How did this happen, Tigerclaw?" demanded Bluestar from her position on the Highrock.

Tigerclaw let the scruff of Redtail's neck fall from his mouth. He looked steadily back at Bluestar. "He died with honour, struck down by Oakheart. I couldn't save him, but I managed to take Oakheart's life while he was still gloating over his victory." Tigerclaw's voice was strong and deep. "Redtail's death was not in vain, for I doubt we'll see RiverClan hunters in our territory again."

Hmmm, so Oakheart, now impossible to question because he is dead. Too bad Tigerclaw's pelt was giving him away. Sure it was laid flat on his back, but one could see - if they looked hard enough - that he was tensing his muscles. A sign of forcing the fur to lay on his back. There could be 2 reasons he was doing this. Firstly, he could be nervous and scared that he was lying to his clanmates. Or, he was being filled with pride because he thinks he'd be the new deputy. Knowing Tigerclaw, it was the latter. But of course we still have to put in the account that it may have been Oakheart.

I stole a glance at Bluestar, only now realising that cats were now starting to sit vigil. I blinked, I should probably do that. But I couldn't shake the feeling of how Oakheart was a loyal and noble warrior. Not to mention Bluestar... Never mind that I have to investigate this. Then I saw Whitestorm walking towards me from the corner of my eye.

"Are you coming to sit vigil?" Whitestorm mewed softly

"I have to check something first," I replied in a whisper, "I'll come as soon as possible"

Whitestorm nodded and padded over to sit vigil himself. With that done, I trotted calmly out of camp. As soon as I was out of the view of other cats, I ran as fast as I could to Sunningrocks. When I got there, I noticed something new. Near the rocks and the river, were clumps of stones, a rockfall? I quickly walked over and started pushing rocks off of each other.

Underneath? I found a dead cat. I stifled a shriek and stepped back, my eyes wide in horror. It was Oakheart. So Tigerclaw had lied. Tigerclaw did not kill Oakheart, Oakheart died on impact from the rockfall. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I re-opened them and carefully dragged the body out. I took him by the scruff and over the stepping stones to Riverclan territory. I carefully laid the body in plain view, then leaped back to the Thunderclan side.

~ Magical Time Skip To Rainsong Being Back At the Camp~

I trotted out of the tunnel with a mask of calm and pain. Calm so I wouldn't raise suspicion, and pain because I had lost a friend. Evidently, it wasn't hard with the pain, Redtail had been a sort of brother to me. Some of the cats were still sitting vigil. Including Whitestorm. I quietly padded over and dropped down to sit vigil myself. I lay down and poked my small muzzle into Redtail's bushy fur.

Using my ears to make sure no other cat was paying attention to me, I closed my eyes and took a long inhale. I smelled rosemary and lavender, typical for a vigil. But underneath it was covered in Tigerclaw stench. Hmm well he had evidently brought the body back to Thunderclan. I decided to search for the next scent layer. I was honestly expecting a variety of Riverclan warriors, or even Oakheart to see if Tigerclaw was telling the truth. Because maybe Tigerclaw had caused the rockfall? Who knows? Yet, instead of Oakheart, or Riverclan in general. I was hit by Tigerclaw's scent again.