Chapter 36

My jaw hung slack with disbelief. Rainpool? She was exiled moons ago for Duskstar's murder...but could it be her?

I walked forward tentatively. A crowd had formed around her, some hanging back, unsure whether to look or not.

I pushed my way through the warriors to get a closer look, seeing Shimmertail licking the scratches of the cat. It had to be Rainpool, Shimmertail would never get so close to some random loner.

"Shimmertail, step away..." I pawed the gray and white warrior on the shoulder. "Rainpool may be your sister, but she still killed Duskstar." I growled slightly, remembering seeing him dead when I was only an apprentice."

Rainpool looked up, her blind eyes pleading. "Please, let me speak!" she meowed, her voice raspy and weak. "You need to listen, you don't know the whole story."

I nodded, not sure whether I could trust her or not. But she was once a RiverClan warrior, and every cat has to the right to defend themselves. "Silverheart, get her some water. Breezeflight, get Sparkstar, Flowershine, and Earthstone from the hunting patrol. The rest of you, give Rainpool some space."

The cats I asked left, and the rest backed up a bit.

"Can you stand, Rainpool?"

She nodded, and got to her feet. "Frostpaw?" She looked up at me, her blind eyes staring.

"Yes," I meowed, nodding slowly. "But I'm Frostleaf now. I'm the deputy."

She gasped softly at this. "Has it really been that long? What about Coalpaw and Moonpaw?"

I sighed. I wanted to talk with her, seeing as I knew her since I was a kit, but my duty as deputy came first. "We don't have time to catch up. I want you to tell me why we should even let you inside of camp, considering as far as we know, you killed Duskstar."

Rainpool grit her teeth nervously. "I...did kill Duskstar. But not for the reason you think."

I sat, curling my feathery tail over my paws. "Explain."

The Clan was silent with interest. The only sounds in the camp were the swollen river rushing and the newleaf wind rustling the trees.

Pawsteps interrupted the silence, and Sparkstar and the rest of the morning hunting patrol burst through the reeds.

I dipped my head. "Sparkstar, Rainpool is here."

The ginger tom looked at Rainpool, taking in her ragged appearance. "I see. What is she doing back?"

"She was just explaining Duskstar's death, which she did commit but for...reasons." I spoke quickly, confused and ready to hear her speak.

"Then I'll let her talk." Sparkstar sat beside me, ready to listen with the rest of the Clan.

Rainpool flicked her tail, thinking about how to start. "The day before...it happened, when I was out hunting, a cat came up to me. I wasn't sure where he came from, and his scent wasn't like any of the Clans. I thought he was a loner. But we were by the lake, and there were no other cats around. He had black fur and was covered in stars, but it was late and I was tired from hunting, so I couldn't make out the details. He was very straightforward, and asked me to kill Duskstar."

I lowered my ears. A scarred black cat...like the one in my dreams? "He asked you?"

"Yes. He said, 'Will you kill Duskstar?' Of course I said no, I would never kill my own leader."

Someone in the crowd snorted. Sparkstar glared at them.

"Then he laughed, kind of low and quiet and said, 'You will by sunset tomorrow, or I'll make sure you, your sister, and your mate are dead before you can think about betraying me.'"

"Mate?" Sparkstar flicked his ear. "I don't remember you having a mate."

"It was never...official. But we were together. I don't think he'd take me now..."

Sparkstar shook his head. "Never mind. Continue."

"This was too much. I couldn't risk Shimmertail and Bur- his life, let alone mine. So I said I would do it to save them, and I did. I suppose he never did kill them, but now that I've told..."

Rainpool whimpered, and dipped her head.

Shimmertail rushed forward and batted Rainpool hard on the side of the head. "You mousebrain!" She then quickly licked her sister's muzzle. "You killed the leader to keep me safe? That is...the stupidest thing you've ever done!"

"Calm down, Shimmertail." I nosed between the two cats.

"How do we know she's telling the truth?" Eagleclaw meowed from his place outside of the elders' den.

Breezeflight shrugged. "He could be right. Rainpool could be making this up."

Rainpool growled softly. "If I made this up, how do you explain my scars? After you exiled me, I left up over the ridge and headed past ShadowClan territory. I made it pretty far, many foxlengths past the Clan territories, when the same cat attacked me. He blinded me and left me for dead until two loners found me. I owe them my life. They patched up my wounds and helped me with being blind. I lived with them until I thought I was well enough to come back and tell you my story."

I grit my teeth and flicked the tip of my tail, still a bit unconvinced. I wanted to believe her, but there was no concrete evidence that any of this happened. Even her battered appearance and blindness could be explained by an animal attack or simply just falling into a thorn bush.

"Rainpool," I sighed, looking her in the eyes. "We don't have any sure evidence or witnesses to your story. What do you think, Sparkstar?"

"You admitted to murdering Duskstar for whatever reason, and we can't prove your story. You are still exiled from RiverClan." Sparkstar narrowed his eyes. I remembered Sparkstar had a particularly close relationship with Duskstar. They were good friends as apprentices and warriors. "Leave."

Rainpool's ears flattened, and she whimpered, crouching and bristling her fur slightly. "No, please, you can't make me go!" she yowled indignantly. "This is my Clan! I was forced to kill him! You have to forgive me! PLEASE!"

Sparkstar's fur bristled and he took a step forward.

"Wait!" Coalflame leaped into camp with wet paws, his call calm but loud. "I'm a witness."

Sparkstar turned his head toward the medicine cat, his paws firmly on the ground. "What do you mean, Coalflame?"

"I was there when Rainpool talked to that cat. I was out collecting watermint by the lake for Mudstripe and was heading back when I heard them talking. Everything she says is true."

I looked at my brother. "Were you listening outside of camp the whole time?"

"No, I just came back. I heard Rainpool and knew she must be telling her story."

Rainpool's face lit up. "So I can stay in RiverClan?"

I looked over at Sparkstar unsurely, waiting for his decision.

"I suppose. But you still killed Duskstar, so you'll be on close watch. No leaving the camp except on special circumstances, and you'll be watched."

Rainpool twitched her whiskers. "Thank you, Sparkstar. And thank you Coalflame. I wouldn't be here without you."

Coalflame smiled. "I had to do something."

"And I have to repay you. I'll help you in the medicine den, sorting herbs and things. I can't do much else now that my sight is gone, and I don't want to retire just yet."

"That would be great." Coalflame purred and walked to his den.

I trotted after him. "Is that why you were acting weird? You saw Rainpool get threatened?"

He nodded. "I didn't want to tell because I was afraid he would find out."

"Rainpool said a scarred black cat. Like the one in my dreams. Could he be real?"

Coalflame flicked his tail. "It's possible it could be the same cat. Something is definitely going on, and you need to be careful, for you and your kits."

I looked down at my stomach, which was more swollen than last time. I hadn't noticed how large I'd gotten. "I've been going out of camp as often as possible to keep eyes off of me, but I'm afraid it won't be enough in the later moon."

Coalflame sighed. "What you need is rest. All that exercise is going to hurt soon. The kits will be here any time."

I flattened my ears. "You are the medicine cat..."

He nudged my side. "Go. Rest."

I turned around toward the warriors' den, leaving Coalflame in his den. He was right. The kits would be here very soon, and it was going to be very hard to hide.

A/N: Speaking of Frostleaf's kits...I've picked all of their names! Thank you to all that submitted names, you'll see what they are very soon! Thank you for reading, and for 100 reviews!