Graystripe let out a small laugh as his friend, Firestar, was writhing around on the ground, claw marks all over his body. Firestar whispered, "Graystripe... How could you do this?"

Graystripe replied, "From the moment we became friends, Firestar, or should I say, Rusty,"

Firestar flinched when Graystripe used his kittypet name.

Graystripe continued, "I was planning all along to do this. I was always trying to impress Bluestar, but Tigerclaw murdered her... I've always wanted to be a leader, but nobody really paid attention to me... You fell right into my trap. I knew that you would sometime become leader, and make me your deputy right away. Now, when you are supposedly 'killed by Sandstorm,' your own mate, she will be punished. Nobody will know, Firestar. Trust no one."

Firestar listened to intently, and he weakly got up after. Graystripe lunged at him. Firestar tried to step away, but Graystripe was too quick. Firestar was pinned down. Graystripe raked his claws on Firestar's belly, and blood flowed onto the floor. Firestar grimaced, "Graystripe... You betrayed me... And I... I will never forgive you for that..."

Firestar closed his eyes, and his body became cold.

Graystripe let out a loud wail at dawn. The whole clan woke up to see what had happened. Graystripe stuttered, "F-Firestar is dead!"

All the clan cats gasped as they scrambled to see Firestar. Sandstorm was the first one who went to see Firestar. Graystripe yowled, "Sandstorm! Stop!"

Sandstorm skidded to a halt and the clan turned to watch her. Graystripe said, "Sandstorm murdered Firestar! I saw her!"

The clan muttered, and they didn't believe Sandstorm would murder her. Graystripe said, "W-when I woke up... S-sandstorm's scent was fresh! Right next to Firestar's den! Also... W-what is that scarlet color on Sandstorm's fur?"

Sandstorm looked at her flank, and it was soaked with Firestar's blood. Every cat gasped and started to shriek. Graystripe hissed, "Sandstorm... How could you?"

Sandstorm shouted, "I never went close to Firestar's den! I was sleeping through the night!"

Graystripe yelled, "Nobody will believe you, Sandstorm... Traitor!"

Every cat hushed him. Brambleclaw said, "Sandstorm, I thought you were loyal to your clan."

Sandstorm said, "But... But I didn't do it!"

Graystripe lunged at Sandstorm and slammed her against a tree. All the warriors gasped at his ferocity, and they felt sympathy for Sandstorm at once. But all that sympathy disappeared once they remembered the crime that she had committed. Sandstorm saw the whole clan rushing at her, and she struggled to get out of the huge mass of fur and claws. She even saw Squirrelpaw, her own daughter, trying to kill her just like the rest of the clan. After all warriors lost interest in trying to claw her fur off, Graystripe walked up to Sandstorm and smirked.

Sandstorm hissed quietly, "This was all your plan, Graystripe... I thought you were Firestar's friend."

Graystripe laughed, "Please! He acts like a kittypet! He's still so gentle. He never tries to fight!"

Graystripe then pushed Sandstorm out of the cave entrance and grinned, "You are banished. Don't come back to this camp or else you will pay..."

Graystripe turned around with his tail up and walked away.

Sandstorm buried her head in her paws and tears dropped down onto the ground.