Redwillow was on the front lines of the battle when he spotted a well-fed black tom pacing back and forth across a tall border, tail twitching irritably.

Weakling! He thought. He's not even fighting. This makes it easy.

Shredtail's voice echoed in his mind as he sprinted past the horde of screeching cats towards Nightstar. You must kill him- he ruined ShadowClan. He is the reason why you have to train with us to gain any strength in the first place.

Nightstar was too busy surveying the battle to notice the mottled ginger tom as he leaped up onto the boulder, knocking the older spirit off his paws.

The ex-leader's pale yellow eyes were wide in shock as Redwillow pinned him down, taking in the pure fury that rushed through him as he clutched the tom's head with his claws, blood slowly bubbling from where he held it.

"Finally!" he growled. Though he meant ill intentions, his voice was of an almost kitlike glee. "I found you! Shredtail has to promote me now!"

His other claws dug into Nightstar's neck, and the old and frail StarClan spirit struggled to push him off. "F... Fo..."

Redwillow loosened his grip slightly, though his lips still curled in a snarl. "What are you saying?"

Nightstar coughed up a deep red blood before speaking again, eyes wild. "Fourth cat! You are the fourth cat!"

Redwillow took a few pawsteps backward in shock, shaking his head. "No. I can't be! I'm loyal to the Dark Forest... I'm part of their prophecy!"

Nightstar scrambled to his paws, eyes wide with sadness and fear. "I tried to tell you. In dreams. But you never dreamed of anything but the Place of No Stars..."

A voice sounded from behind him, as a shadow reached over him. Shredtail.

"He's right."

Redwillow spun around. "You lied to me!"

Shredtail laughed eerily. "I never lied. I simply didn't tell. I needed you to be a loyal warrior..."

Redwillow had only wanted strength, and he found comfort in the dead cat's brutal honesty. He thought it helped him.

But he lied to me.

With one leap of faith, he knocked the ragged warrior off of the boulder, along with himself, as it seemed that the battle had grown slower.

Now, he thought. No matter how weak the Clans are, they told the truth when Shredtail lied.

The least I can do is fulfill their prophecy.