"Redtail, there is something you need to know."

Redtail wondered if Bluestar's was being dramatic just to make him feel even more anxious. "What is it, Bluestar?"

"Spottedleaf has received a prophecy," she mewed softly, her voice heavy with the weight of all the forest.

Redtail felt a chill up his spine.

"Fire alone can save our Clan."

For a heartbeat, Redtail could scarcely breathe. "Fire?" he echoed.

"I do not understand what it means, Redtail," mewed Bluestar. "Fire is a dangerous thing. It kills all cats and destroys forests. How can it save us?"

"Are you sure they meant Fire?"

Bluestar looked at him with deep, wise eyes. "Do you know what they are talking about?"

Redtail considered telling her, but stopped himself and shuffled on his paws. "No, Bluestar." He glanced down at his paws, wondering if he really should tell his leader what he knew. "Perhaps they wish to warn us about a future forest fire?"

"Perhaps."

Bluestar looked away, and Redtail fought not to let out a sigh of relief.

"Perhaps we should wait before we attack RiverClan," he mewed. "Just in case it has something to do with that."

"We cannot wait forever," mewed Bluestar, gazing up at Redtail. "ShadowClan has already tried to take back Snakerocks and SkyClan's scent has been picked up near tallpines."

Redtail twitched his whiskers in displeasure.

"That's all, Redtail," mewed Bluestar with a soft sigh. "If you find anything about this 'Fire', let me know right away."

Redtail dipped his head respectfully and padded out, his tail dragging through the dust. His gaze swept the Clan, his thoughts turning back to the prophecy. Was he a traitor for refusing to tell his leader the truth? Would the Clan even accept the truth if he told them? Would they think he was just like his father, a disloyal traitor? His tail started to curl over his back and he padded out of the camp, wanting to escape the quiet murmurs and stares of his Clan. His paws had taken him to the barkwalls of treecutplace, where the forest was so loud it drowned out his thoughts. His gaze traveled almost automatically to the twolegplace, the home of many a kittypet, including his son. His paws seemed to move without his input, his gaze searching the fence line for the familiar pelt.

"Dad!"

A yellow-orange tabby tom, eyes a bright forest green, like little reflections of his inner wildcat spirit.

Redtail purred, his tail curling in pleasure. "Hello, Fire."

The kittypet grinned at him, whiskers bushed up. "You know my name is Rusty, right?"

Redtail let out a soft purr. "You will always be Fire to me, just as your sister will always be Rose and your brother will always be Magpie."

Fire rolled his eyes. "Don't let Smudge hear you say that."

The memory of his other son's disinterest in anything that had to do with the forest reminded Redtail how fortunate he was to have Fire as his son and how unfortunate his son was to be his.

If only you had been born in the forest, he thought with a sigh.

"What's wrong?" His son tilted his head up at him.

"Nothing," mewed Redtail, realizing that he didn't have to keep the wild life away from Fire. "How about I teach you how to hunt?"

Fire's eyes sparked. "Really?"

"Sure. You are old enough to be learning a few hunting moves already. Come down here and I'll show you how its done."

Without any hesitation, the limber young tom leaped down the bark, eyes gleaming in excitement. His bushy mane and lean muscular body reminded Redtail too much of the ThunderClan blood in him. Fire mimicked the hunting crouch Redtail showed him and Redtail was pleased to see how much of a natural Fire was. His thoughts turned toward the prophecy.

"Fire," he mewed but the words caught in his throat.

His son rose to his paws, giving him his full attention even as his eyes sparked with worry. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Redtail mewed, looking away.

He heard paws stamp towards him, too loud for a cat of the Clans. He looked down and stared into his son's deep eyes.

"What is it?" Fire mewed in a tone that told Redtail he was not going to drop this.

You would make a great leader for ThunderClan, Redtail thought, emotions choking him. The young tom was almost as big as his father now, as most six moon old kits were.

Fire seemed to read the sadness in his father's gaze and butted him in the chest, pressing into his chest. Redtail's paws trembled with emotion.

"I want you to know that whatever happens to me I will always love you," Redtail mewed fiercely.

"You're going into battle again, aren't you?"

Redtail wordlessly lowered his head, resting it on Fire's neck. "Yes."

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

Fire lashed his tail. "Why can't you stay here with me where it's safe?"

Redtail pulled away, claws unsheathed. "You think I am the only one who suffers during these battles? I have kin in ThunderClan who need me to fight for them. I cannot abandon them for you – not for anyone."

Fire crouched and looked up at him with sad eyes. "What about fighting for me?"

Redtail suddenly felt a wave of frustration. "You don't have to worry about running out of prey or cats attacking you for your Clan's territory. You are safe here."

"You would be safe here. I'm sure you could find a great housefolk."

"If my Clan became kittypets, we would not be allowed to stay together."

"But you would be safe."

"But we wouldn't be together."

"We aren't together."

Redtail's teeth clicked shut and he sucked in a calming breath before murmuring. "And that is entirely my fault."

Fire's eyes grew round. They said nothing for a few long moments.

"They need you," Fire mewed.

"They need me."

"They don't need me."

Redtail's thoughts turned to the prophecy but he sighed. "They would never accept you."

Fire stared at him as if was hoping Redtail would change his mind before looking away. "I understand."

The sadness in his voice felt like a claw stabbing in Redtail's heart. He looked up at the sky. I've failed you, my son. You and your siblings should have been born to a ThunderClan queen.

"I need to go," Redtail murmured.

Fire pushed his head forcefully into Redtail's chest, but he didn't purr. Redtail absorbed his son's affection silently. Then, all too soon, Fire turned away and padded back to his fence, head and tail drooping. Redtail felt a deep pain in his heart at the sight.

I should never have come here.

When he heard the thud of his son landing on the other side, Redtail turned away and padded back into the forest. He was searching for a clump of mintleaf to roll in when a dark ginger tabby emerged out of the bushes. Redtail's stomach rolled in dread. They were only two tree-lengths away from the twolegplace border.

"Hello, Tigerclaw."

"Redtail," mewed the large tom gruffly. The dark amber eyes stared darkly. "That kittypet is a friend of yours?"

Redtail's fur prickled but he forced it to stay flat. "Yes. He gives me news on the other kittypets in the area."

"I see," Tigerclaw mewed. "And the bushy mane?"

Redtail tried to suppress the wince but at Tigerclaw's huff he knew he hadn't succeeded.

"You're a soft-hearted traitor," mewed Tigerclaw, so matter of factly that Redtail almost didn't recognize it as an insult.

The white and ginger tabby rose to his full height and stared hard at Tigerclaw. "Do I look like a soft-hearted kittypet to you?"

Tigerclaw sneered, unimpressed. "That kittypet looks like a ThunderClan warrior."

Redtail lashed his tail. "He has only known the softness of a kittypet's life."

"He'll never be able to survive as a ThunderClan warrior," Tigerclaw mewed.

Redtail felt his fur prickle defensively. "He could learn. He is like one of our apprentices before they've been taken out of the camp, only stronger. He is more of a natural at hunting mice than Graypaw."

Tigerclaw snarled. "I overheard your argument. He understands nothing about Clan loyalty."

"He can learn!"

"He would already know if you had taken him to ThunderClan when he was a kit!"

Redtail snarled back. "You think I don't know that? I think of it every day! He deserves to be ThunderClan."

"He'll never be a warrior," Tigerclaw retorted. "He won't be able to kill."

Redtail flinched. "Why are you here, Tigerclaw?"

"I am here because of my apprentice," mewed Tigerclaw. "You're lucky he didn't see your weakness or else I would have clawed your ears off."

"I was wondering when you would," Redtail mewed, amused and relaxing.

Tigerclaw looked away. "Don't try to bring him into the Clan."

"I won't," Redtail promised. "He is safer where he is."

Tigerclaw snorted. "Only you would care about that."

Redtail sighed. "I should be hunting."

"Good luck then." The big tabby turned around and disappeared into the forest.

When silence had fallen over the forest again, Redtail noticed for the first time that the forest was silent. His pelt prickled but he slinked across the forest floor, searching for any noises or sights of prey. After the sun had started to sink over the horizon, he started to head towards camp, disappointed that he wasn't able to find anything.

He greeted the camp guard, Longpaw, surprised to see the smokey black tom. Longpaw raised his head proudly but did not mew back, and Redtail had an inkling that he missed the young tom's warrior ceremony. All because he had gone to visit his son.

He went to the base of the large pile of stones they used as a meeting place and looked around at his Clanmates. The elders had already gone to their nests. The older warriors and all the queens had done the same. It was quiet, with only a few apprentice murmuring quietly beside the prey pile. Redtail recognized Graypaw's massive gray tabby bulk and the distinct RiverClan swirl on his sides. Another half-Clan kit.

Are any of us really true ThunderClan cats? he wondered.

As highmoon rose overhead, Tigerclaw returned and headed towards the warrior's den, and a small black shadow headed towards the apprentices. Graypaw greeted the shadow warmly and the two retired to the apprentice's den. In only a few heartbeats, Redtail was the only cat up. He padded to the entrance, looked up at the stars one last time before disappearing inside.

Morning brought a dull gray fog that clung to the ground. Redtail could barely see a tree length in front of him and wondered how the Clan was going to win the fight for Sunningrocks today. He shook off his doubt and padded towards the entrance.

A orange-and-black tortoiseshell she-cat stepped towards him.

"Redtail?"

Reluctantly, Redtail turned away. "Spottedleaf?"

Pale green eyes glittered at him nervously. For a heartbeat, he was reminded of his son's eyes.

"StarClan is angry with you, Redtail," the she-cat mewed quietly.

A chill went up his spine. "Why?"

"I don't know," she mewed, "but I don't think you should go on the battle patrol."

Redtail lifted his head and hardened his voice. "I have to go."

"Redtail…"

"I must," he insisted. "I cannot seem weak to my Clanmates."

Spottedleaf shuddered. "Be careful," she mewed.

"I will," he promised, lifting his tail confidently. "I'll be fine."

Spottedleaf stared at him sadly for a long wordless moment then padded away. Redtail let out a soft sigh and glanced up, but the pale fog covered everything. His gaze swept the camp, and he saw his Clanmates moving quietly in the dawn. Tigerclaw had dragged the black apprentice out of the den, along with his brother, a black tom with a dusty pelt. Redtail spotted a black she-cat with dusty fur and a black tom with barely visible black stripes heading towards him. Redtail wondered if Tigerclaw had roused them as well and the thought prickled his pelt.

Half the time, he felt like his Clan refused to acknowledge he was the new deputy. He always felt like his Clanmates wished he looked more like a true ThunderClan cat – an orange tabby, a black cat, or a black-and-orange tortoiseshell like his sister. But he wasn't, he was mostly white, like a SkyClan cat, except for the ThunderClan's orange tabby tail and the bushy white mane. It made him want to flatten his ears and snarl at them, but he kept his head high and his mane exposed for them all to see. He wasn't disloyal because of his white fur and he was no less a fighter than any one of them.

Redtail turned away and flicked his tail silently. Without a word, they left the Clan behind and raced into the heart of the fog. Redtail recognized every tree they passed. He occasionally saw shadows stirring in the fog but he smelled nothing and heard none of the sounds of the forest. It was eerily quiet. As they neared the clearing, he halted, his patrol gathered around him.

"Be prepared for anything," he mewed.

He glanced over the cats.

Ravenpaw, Dustpaw, Mousefur, Darkstripe... How many of them would die today? Their faces were hard and serious.

Then he flicked his tail forward, and the six cats raced into the clearing. The ground was squishy under paw, which sounded loud in the fog. Redtail hoped no RiverClan cat was nearby.

A loud yowl, muffled by fog, echoed up to them. Redtail flashed his tail for attack and threw himself into the fog, yowling back. He slammed into a black-and-gray tabby pelt, knocking the RiverClan warrior off his paws. He twisted around in the mud, struggling to get on top of the much larger warrior, and slithered out from under the heavy tom. When he twisted around, bringing his claws forward to strike, he realized he was looking at Oakheart. The tabby's black stripes were straight, like trees, and his eyes were amber.

"Redtail," snarled the tom, kicking out.

Redtail twisted out of reach, and leaped forward to bite the tom's neck. The tom lacked the fluffy mane of a ThunderClan cat and Redtail felt his teeth scrape bone. Oakheart yowled and slammed his big paws into Redtail's stomach, sending the cat crashing into the pile of Sunningrocks. He staggered to his feet, and thought he heard the sound of thunder overhead.

A cat crashed into him, knocking him back into the rocks. The world rumbled. Oakheart yowled a warning. Someone grabbed Redtail by the scruff and threw him aside. When Redtail scrambled to his paws, Oakheart was gone and the ground in front of him was covered in rocks.

Accident! He realized. Oakheart saved me!

A cat slammed into his back, hissing and spitting furiously. Redtail whipped around, ears ringing. His eyes caught sight of the cat attacking him.

No!

Claws slashed across his throat. He coughed, tried to scream, but he couldn't anymore. A darkness was gathering at the edge of his vision. Spottedleaf's warning echoed in his ears.

I'm sorry...