"Thunderstar is dead."

"Dead?" I ask. "He's... Dead?!"

"Blackcough is worse than any cat thought. Shadowkit is dead as well, and Snowstorm has caught it."

"This will wipe out the clan if we aren't careful!" I cry. I can't help but think of Firelight.

"All infected cats are going to stay in the Hollow Log. Tigerleaf found more catmint, as well. A lot."

I nod. "Has Firelight caught greencough?"

Wolfshade snorts. "Ah, yes. I heard she was expecting your kits. She fine. Not even whitecough."

"Thank you. Are you traveling to the moonstone tonight?"

"Yes. You're in charge when I'm gone."

"Me?" I ask "Why not someone like… Foxtail?"

"Because I've chosen you." Wolfshade says. "I will leave soon."

"Yes, Wolfshade." I sigh.

"I've organized patrols for today." He adds.

The day passes uneventfully. We sit vigil for Thunderstar, and no cat dies. But the next morning, I wake up and see Firelight gone. I get up and pad outside. I look in Every den, but Firelight is nowhere to be seen. I can't help but be worried, seeing as how she is expecting kits. So I look in the forest.

I taste the air. She left camp, and recently. I follow the trail and find a dead mouse in the snow. So she just went hunting. What is a cat in her state doing out here hunting? What a mouse brain.

Annoyed, I continue to follow the scent. I grow tense as I realize her scent trail is leading to the RogueClan clearing. My pace quickens.

A yowl of terror slices through the air. My eyes widen. Firelight. I take off toward the yowl in a panicked sprint until I come to the clearing that is the border between us and RogueClan.

When I emerge into the clearing, I stop dead in my tracks. The sharp taste of blood hangs in the air. Standing in the snow, looking proud as ever, is Blood. His eyes glitter coldly, as he stares down at his most recent kill.

The red lump of fur at his paws lies motionless in a vast pool of scarlet blood. No. I think, running over. No! Firelight's belly and neck is soaked in her own blood, her yellow eyes glazed over and unseeing.

"Why have you come to RogueClan territory, son?" I hear Blood say, his voice dripping with superiority. I jump to my paws, every hair standing on end. I throw myself at my father, ripping my claws through his fur.

"You pile of fox dung!" I screech.

Blood yowls, pulling away from me. "She was hunting in RogueClan territory. She was weak-"

"SHE WAS EXPECTING KITS!" I roar, again attacking him. I bite down on the back of his neck, holding my grip until his thrashing stopped.

I step away, staring down at his motionless body. My body shakes with rage. I have just killed my father, but I don't care. Why should I? He is the one who killed the only cat I loved, and my kits with her. I hold onto my anger and hatred. Adrenaline coursed through me.

I look up, hearing another cat. She is a pale brown shecat with white spots dotted on her back. When she sees Blood, she gasps. "You... You killed him! You killed my father!"

"Yeah, well, he deserved it." I snarled. "Wait-. Your father?"

Her ice blue eyes hardened. "Yes. You must be Bloodstrike? My half brother, I suppose."

"Get out of here, rogue, before I make you into crowfood. RogueClan has tried one too many times to take this territory!" I took a step forward, making the rogue flatten her ears.

"Why should I? You killed Blood, my father and my leader. I will stay and never leave! ROGUECLAN, ATTACK!"

My eyes widen as rogues leap from the shadows and race past me. The brown tabby glares at me, then darts past me. I turn to try to catch her, but suddenly am flattened by a rogue. Her scent reached my nose.

"I'll finally be able to kill you! How dare you kill Blood! He did nothing to you." Shred's claws sink deeper in my fur

"He killed Firelight." I snarl, throwing her off. I leap onto my paws, fresh rage surging through me.

Shred glances at Firelights body. "Did he, now? Well, why does she matter?"

I throw myself at her, snarling. "She was my mate, expecting my kits."

Shred winces, but her mouth is twisted into a cruel smile. "Oh, that's a shame." She purrs. "Why not just get another mate? That's what Blood did when your mother, Nightshade died."

I hiss and rake my claws over her belly, causing blood to soak her fur almost instantly. She lets out a yowl and struggles under my paws.

"I cannot simply replace her, mousebrain. She was one of a kind, perfect in every way. There is no other shecat like that in the world." I place my claws over her throat.

"No! Don't kill me!" Shred yowls, thrashing even more. There is terror in her words, and she changes from cruel and taunting to frightened and weak. Why shouldn't I kill her? I press my claws into her fur, causing her to emit a small squeak.

"Why shouldn't I?" I ask, my voice stonily calm. "It is far better than you deserve."

"B-but... We're kin!" She trembled desperately.

I snort and extend my claws just long enough so that they pierce her skin. "I. Don't. Care."

I tear my claws through my opponents fur, sending them fleeing from StormClan territory. I glance around me, looking for another cat to attack, but then I hear someone yowl,

"RogueClan, retreat!"

The cats around me look up, then the rogues dart out of camp. I sheathe my claws.