When Rowanpaw returned to camp with Hazelpaw, he tensed at the scent of SwiftClan in the camp. "Hazelpaw," He whispered. "Stay behind me." He was surprised when she obeyed and let him enter camp first. If something went array, he was the older apprentice and could protect her.

At the center of camp, Skystar and Ravenwing greeted Hawkstar, the leader of SwiftClan. Rowanpaw started with surprise to see Eclipsepool accompanying Hawkstar along with Eaglewing, one of SwiftClan's senior warriors. She looked up and their eyes instantly locked.

"What is SwiftClan doing here?" Hazelpaw wondered as her pelt began to bristle.

He was wondering the same thing.

"I don't know," Rowanpaw replied carefully. As he thought about it, he wondered if it had anything to do with Gorsetail's death. Eclipsepool had shared her suspicions with him that the former SwiftClan deputy was murdered some moons back. Rowanpaw hadn't really considered it too much until now. Perhaps her suspicions held some truth.

"Well, I'm going to find Sablepaw and see what she thinks." Hazelpaw meowed before trotting off.

Rowanpaw didn't move to follow her. He wanted to see if he could talk to Eclipsepool to satisfy his curiosity. Plus, he enjoyed talking with Eclipsepool. She was the first cat who treated him like a normal clan cat. Even after several moons, she still treated him better than his clanmates. It was sad to admit that a SwiftClan cat viewed him with more respect than his own clan.

He hung in the shadows with his tail tucked neatly over his paws and his green eyes focused intently on them. From this distance, it was hard to hear what was being said, but Rowanpaw could tell that Hawkstar was flustered. He's never seen the confident SwiftClan leader look so embarrassed. Clearly, he didn't like coming to HiddenClan for help or advice.

He must be desperate.

Rowanpaw scooted a little closer and pretended he was heading for the fresh-kill pile. He didn't dare get too close, but he got close enough that he could hear bits and pieces of their conversation.

He heard the tail-end of Hawkstar's phrase: "-scratches and blood. There were pine needles in his pelt, Skystar."

Skystar replied a little defensively, the fur along his spine raising, "What exactly are you implying, Hawkstar?"

"Put two and two together, Skystar," Hawkstar growled. "Gorsetail was killed in your territory."

Rowanpaw walked to the fresh-kill pile before they suspected him of eves-dropping. Everything they said is what Eclipsepool already told him when they met at the border. The only difference is now Hawkstar openly admitted it. At the Gathering, the SwiftClan leader seemed awfully intent on covering up the former deputy's death as heart failure.

He began to wonder if what Eclipsepool said was true, that Gorsetail was killed. If it was true, then who took his life? Rowanpaw didn't think a HiddenClan cat could be capable of such a thing, but he didn't know. The cruelest cat in the clan was Wolfgaze, but he only acted that way towards him. He might be a bully but he wasn't a murderer.

Another question sprung to his mind. If Hawkstar claimed that Gorsetail was killed on HiddenClan territory because of evidence, then that meant they found his body somewhere else. Why would the killer move Gorsetail's body? And why was there no evidence of murder  on HiddenClan's side of the border? No blood, no scent, no loose fur, nothing.

Ravenwing spoke with agitation towards Hawkstar, but Rowanpaw couldn't hear what he said. Instead, he ambled off towards the apprentice den with a fresh vole in his jaws. His mind was whirling with possible explainations for Gorsetail's death: a fox had gotten him, perhaps a loner? That's when Rowanpaw stopped dead in his tracks.

What if Poisonblood had killed the SwiftClan deputy?

Poisonblood wouldn't leave a scent, so he'd be nearly undetectable. As far as Rowanpaw knew, the only one that could see Poisonblood was himself. It seemed that the mysterious tom, his father, only showed himself to those he wished to see him. Would that mean he was a murderer's son? In spite of this, Rowanpaw couldn't think of one reason Poisonblood would have for killing Gorsetail. What could he expect to gain from killing the former SwiftClan deputy?

Rowanpaw shook his head in disbelief. No, it didn't make sense for Poisonblood to be the murderer, even if he wouldn't put something like that past him. Although Poisonblood admitted to being his father, Rowanpaw couldn't deny the darkness surrounding him. He wasn't sure how much he could trust Poisonblood, even though he claimed to be helping Rowanpaw.

Poisonblood was his father... Rowanpaw could still hardly believe it. How could that be? Poisonblood seemed hardly a cat, relating more to an apparition. If he spoke the truth, then what did that mean for Rowanpaw? Was he partially an otherworldly being? He also found it suspicious that Poisonblood refused to talk about Ivorymoon. What could he be hiding?

"Hello, Rowanpaw."

He lifted his green gaze to find himself peering into those of Eclipsepool. The black and white she-cat's pelt glimmered in the sunlight. She watched him with guarded curiosity. If only she knew the troubles that plagued his mind, she wouldn't be so concerned about him then.

"Eclipsepool," Rowanpaw replied curtly. His eyes flitted over to where Skystar and Hawkstar were now in a heated discussion. "Hawkstar doesn't really believe a HiddenClan cat is responsible for Gorsetail's death, does he?"

She shrugged, stifling a sigh. "I don't think Hawkstar knows what to believe. The clan has been uneasy after Gorsetail's death. They're afraid it's a sickness that'll spread, even though Driftsong has assured them it won't."

Rowanpaw rolled his eyes and huffed. "Are all SwiftClan cats that dim?"

That earned him a glare from Eclipsepool. "They're scared, Rowanpaw. Our deputy is dead and no one knows who or what killed him. Even StarClan is silent."

"Sorry, Eclipsepool," Rowanpaw apologized with genuine sincerity. He hadn't meant to offend her, but their problems seemed silly to his. "Maybe StarClan will send Driftsong a sign soon?"

Eclipsepool opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by Hawkstar calling for her. "I have to go. I'll talk to you at the next Gathering." She turned on her heel before bounding off to join her clanmates.

Rowanpaw watched her go sadly. A part of him wished that he could go with her. If SwiftClan didn't know the circumstances of his birth, then perhaps they might treat him better? He had no kin in HiddenClan other than Fernshade, no real reason to stay other than this was the clan of his birth. The clan where his mother was born. But if he was half rogue, or whatever Poisonblood was, then did it really matter?

After all, was he truly a HiddenClan cat?

~*~

A/N

Here's the update that you desperately deserved! Again, thank you for your patience. I'm a senior in college and I also work full-time, so life is crazy busy.