Shadeflight studied Darkstorm's shocked gaze. Darkstorm flinched. What does he know?

"They're dead," Darkstorm whispered hoarsely. Shadeflight scowled visibly for an unknown reason.

"Yes. They're dead. We lost then- Fishkit and Badgerleap." Darkstorm flinched at his calm tone. Cats were dead, one that barely lived and another that they had been close friends with.

"What did we do to deserve this?" Her mew rose to an agonized wail. "I promised them! I promised them that I would do everything I could to make sure they didn't die!" StarClan, no! You took them! You took them from us!

Coralfall scampered over and screeched in horror. "Fishkit!"

Orangetail was silent, her eyes stretching wide. Snarlfang placed his tail on her shoulders and slowly herded her away. Amberkit, Starkit, Riverkit and Duskkit sat beside Coralfall.

"What's wrong with Fishkit?" Riverkit squeaked, lifting a paw to step forward. Coralfall snatched his scruff, dragging him back.

"I won't lose you too," she murmured, stiffening. "Kits!" she snapped. "We're going to bury him."

The kits excused her anger and began to dig, exchanging confused glances as the pinkish she-cat placed Fishkit's body in it. Amberkit and Duskkit stepped back.

"Is he... dead?" Amberkit asked. Coralfall dipped her head numbly.

"Never again..." she muttered. "Never again. Darkstorm." What? Me? "Don't- don't blame yourself." Is it that obvious? But I should have protected them! "You are going to save the clans. You have to go on."

Darkstorm blinked. I know that.

"Wha-"

"I'm leaving," Coralfall interrupted. "I'll go in the direction of the brightest star, and once you find a home, I might join you. Kits. Will you come? It's- it's your choice."

Riverkit nodded. "Sure, Mama! For you!"

"You're leaving?" Starkit asked, more understandingly. "I want to go, Mama, but I have to be a medicine cat."

Coralfall nuzzled her. "I understand. You have to stay." Starkit licked her mother's nose and glanced at Amberkit and Duskkit. "You have a choice, too," Coralfall added. "You're almost my kits."

Amberkit glanced at Starkit. "I'll stay," he decided. Look who's padding after Starkit, Darkstorm thought.

"I c-can't, like St-st... Like Starkit, I need to become a medicine c-cat," Duskkit mewed, hiding her head under her paws. Coralfall's gaze flickered as she nudged the little kit.

"Then I'll go n-"

"No!" Sparrownose screeched. "You can't go!"

"Come with me," Coralfall suggested calmly. Sparrownose's eyes narrowed, as if trying to find sarcasm behind her voice. Realizing there was none, he nodded slowly. Darkstorm watched them. It's surprising. After Coralfall forgave him, they became very close... The two cats touched noses. Close like mates.

"You're free to go," Darkstorm mewed gently, her heart cracking as she watched the two friends and kit leave. Who is the killer?

...

"...and now Hardclaw, too. StarClan, why, tell us, why?" Darkstorm yowled. Shadeflight frowned.

"They won't talk to us until we reach our new home," he reminded her softly. "We all know that we have to find the killer. There's been so may deaths on this journey- Shellstripe, Beechleap, Am... Amberflight, Grassfang, Fishkit, Finkit, Hardclaw, Badgerleap..."

"It's too much," Darkstorm hissed, glaring at the stars. "StarClan, you're supposed to guide us, not leave us when we need you most!" Her mew was agonized and stressed, like she was losing control, but she wasn't. arkClan still trusted her, and she hadn't even found the killer! 

"Don't blame yourself," Shadeflight continued. "Maybe the killer will st-"

"I can't trust you," Darkstorm growled. "My own littermate knows who the killer is and won't tell me! How can I trust you, Shadeflight, when you know the truth but won't tell me?" She snarled and curled up into a ball to sleep. "Thorntail, assign a guard patrol!" she ordered, closing her eyes and trying to sleep.

"Thinfur and Sparktail, you'll guard until the moon is brightest. Then Ravenfur and... Tenderleaf, you two will take over for the rest of the night."

Darkstorm sighed and thought about Arrowheart. When would she see him again? Where was he? What about her mother, Rabbitear? She wanted to meet her kin.

When she woke up she walked around the camp. Please, let everyone be alive, everyone. Please, StarClan, GhostClan, the Tribe of Endless Hunting, all our ancestors. I know I was mad yesterday, but this is just so hard. How do leaders stand it?

"They stand it because they don't give up," a voice mewed from behind her. A black she-cat was standing there.

"You- you heard my thoughts?" she demanded. "Are you... a StarClan cat?" The she-cat nodded.

"I was the first leader of ShadowClan." Her green eyes glittered. "The rest of StarClan may not be talking, but I will. If the clans can't go on, we're supposed to help- you're right."

Darkstorm stared at her.

"I'm- who's the killer?" she asked. "You must know! Please, tell me!"

"No. That is something I can't do, not even if I want to tell you."

"Then help me, at least! How far are we from our new home? Where are the clans? Will we make it? Will they come with us?" Shadowstar, that's her name, she remembered from the legends.

"You are near your new home, and you will find the clans soon."Shadowstar replied calmly.

"That's not an answer!"

"It is, Darkstar, it is." Darkstar? But...

"I'm not the leader of ShadowClan, Treestar is."

"Treepool. And he isn't."

"Then... Yowltail is!"

"She is not, ever, going to be Yowlstar, She will always be who she is right now. And she doesn't want to be leader- she'd be a good one, but she doesn't want to, and that is what she needs. She needs to want this. You are going to be the leader, Darkstar. You will be."

"I'm Darkstorm!" she reprimanded. "I don't want to be leader, either!"

"You do. You have ambition, not too much, but not too little. You want to be a leader." Darkstorm stepped back. 

"I need to find the killer," she muttered. "I- Shadowstar, thank you. I can do this now." Shadowstar dipped her head, beginning to disappear. 

"I'll be here if you need me." 

Darkstorm blinked. I'm going to be leader. I'm going to be leader!

She headed for the fresh-kill and took a thin mouse, sharing it with Orangetail. "Badgerleap is in StarClan," she mewed comfortingly. Orangetail sighed as they finished the prey.

"You're a good leader," she mewed. "Nobody could be a better one." Darkstorm dipped her head. I have my friends, she thought, leaping onto a patch of grass and raising her head to yowl.

"DarkClan! Shadowstar, the first leader of ShadowClan, just visited me." Cats looked up, excited. "She said that we are close to the clans and our new home." No need to tell them that I'm destined to be a leader. "Nobody has a clue of who the killer is?" She directed her gaze at Shadeflight. He narrowed his eyes, about to defend himself, when his fur suddenly bristled and he slid out his claws. Darkstorm glanced at where he was standing and gasped, recognizing the cat. Thinfur! Standing over her father's body was a handsome, dark grey tom with gleaming blue eyes. Darkstorm froze, the familiar gaze registering. Now she understood why Shadeflight hadn't told her anything. She stumbled back and let out a shocked screech.

"Arrowheart!"

Whoa, what's happening? Seriously, what do you think? Nice cliffhanger, if I do say so myself. I have this all planned out... Do you think it's a simple misunderstanding, or... is Arrowheart the killer?

-Shadowstorm