Water lapped at the shore of the lake as early evening set upon it. A sleek, blue-eyed tabby emerged from the water with an object in his mouth. Hawkfrost shook his pelt dry, taking the wooden part of the fox trap and ramming it into the ground with all of the force that he could muster. Once properly secured, he slipped among the reeds.

With careful observation, Hawkfrost had learned that Firestar and Hazelpaw were due for some undergrowth-training nearby, and the smell of RiverClan was sure to lure the great leader out. He also knew for a fact that his half-brother was hunting alone nearby. He lashed his tail and stepped out of the brush, waiting until he could smell the pair of hunters downwind. He set a scent marker, darted back, and waited.

"There's RiverClan scent here!" Hazelpaw mewed.

"Good spot. Strong, too. Likely a patrol. I want you to find help as quick as you can." Hazelpaw obliged, shooting off into the bush. Hawkfrost smirked. He moved out of the reed to be just on the opposite side of the fox trap, at just a height where Firestar's pounce would trap him.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan land?" Firestar hissed at him.

"Only scouting. Looks like this place is decent for fish." He smirked at the ginger leader and watched as he pounced, falling headfirst into Hawkfrost's trap.

"Are you going to monologue, or get this over with?" Firestar hissed, trying to slip out of the trap. Hawkfrost only smiled and tightened the trap's grip before starting.

"As you know, family is forever. So I'm giving my brother one last chance to redeem himself. He can become ThunderClan's leader... or pay the price."

"You're insane. Tigerclaw is using you as a pawn. It's not too late."

"Oh? Well, the battle is on my side today." Hawkfrost taunted. Just then, Brambleclaw crashed through the bushes.

"What are you doing here?" Brambleclaw asked, claws unsheathing.

"Last chance, Brambleclaw. Come here and tighten this fox trap... we could be family again. We could rule as brothers and make this forest strong. Under us, no cat will go hungry again."

Brambleclaw paused. A family...

But he already had a family.

"Hey, Brambleclaw! I found a cool rock!"

"Going on the journey was the best decision I ever made."

"Don't overwork yourself, okay?"

He had a father. A mate. An amazing litter of kits coming soon. And all the adoptive and real brothers and sisters he could want for.

He leapt up, headbutting Hawkfrost in the jaw.

"Hang on, Firestar!" He yowled, digging at the stake.

"Idiot!" Hawkfrost hissed, attempting to pounce on him. Brambleclaw swiftly evaded, using the opportunity to yank the stake further out of the ground. But he couldn't evade forever. After dodging blow after dodging blow, Hawkfrost feinted, and Brambleclaw went down hard.

"It's such a shame." Hawkfrost lamented. "All this time I wanted to know you... turns out you're spineless."

"Not spineless, just loyal. Tell me, Hawkfrost, who are you loyal to?"

Hawkfrost paused. "Tigerclaw. And RiverClan's happiness. Now say your prayers to StarClan." He moved to slit his half-brother's throat, when...

Brambleclaw saw his chance, yanking the dense wood out of the ground and freeing Firestar. The ginger cat flopped to the grass with a half-sigh. He took the stake, pointy-end up, and pushed as hard as he could. The paw went away and warm stickiness flooded down his torso. Hawkfrost gaped at him, stumbling off of his half-brother and onto the lakeshore. His limbs crumpled under him as viscous blood poured out of the wound.

"You think this is over? It isn't over." Hawkfrost choked out.

"Go wherever you'll go, Hawkfrost." Brambleclaw sighed, suddenly bone-weary. "You chose power and greed over love and loyalty, and now it is over."

Hawkfrost glared at him for a split second before his head fell limp onto the pebbles and his eyes glazed over in death.

Firestar stirred.

"Are you okay, Firestar?" Brambleclaw asked. He would take what came.

"I lost a life, but otherwise I'm fine. Don't need to worry about not meeting the grandkits yet." Firestar chuckled.

Then, Brambleclaw looked up to find Leopardstar gaping at them, being supported by Mothwing and Tadpolefur.

"How much did you see?" Brambleclaw asked.

Leopardstar was visibly shaken as she answered: "I saw him pounce on you, and you stab him with the stake. I can piece together the rest."

Leafpool and Squirrelflight hurtled through the reeds to join them.

"Oh, Brambleclaw..." Squirrelflight sighed, pressing herself against him. He curled into her, enjoying her warmth.

Leafpool's eye, meanwhile, was drawn to the lake, and the viscous fluid spilling out of Hawkfrost's lifeless body.

"Before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red." She whispered, somehow loud enough for all to hear.

"Well, I'm looking forward to that peace." Firestar sighed, getting heavily to his paws.

"Ah-ah." Leafpool said, darting away and coming back with cobweb. "These will hold until we can treat you properly." She deftly applied the bandages to her father, until there was no sign of bleeding.

Meanwhile, Leopardstar had sunk to her haunches on the pebbles, some of which were spackled with red.

"How could I have been so blind?" She asked no-one in particular.

"Love can do that to you." Mothwing advised. "He played it masterfully – the plausible deniability, the blackmail ring... but in the end, he was taken by surprise."

Leopardstar gave a heavy sigh. "I suppose we'd better haul him back. I don't suppose many cats will want to sit vigil for him. I wasn't expecting this when you two dragged me through the pebbles."

"Travel well." Firestar said, even as Leafpool guided him into the rushes.

Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw stayed awhile longer, looking out into the sunset. The cloud of blood was dissipating, leaving ever-clearer water behind. The reeds waved – if not for the blood on Brambleclaw's claws and the pebbles, it would have looked normal to anyone.

"We weren't on the best of terms-" Squirrelflight snorted, muttering something to the tune of "understatement of the moon" - "but it still hurts. Guess a part of me never gave up on him. I'm a flea-brain."

"Having a loyalty to your family makes you loyal, not a flea-brain. You just have to choose the family that counts."

"When did you transform from Squirrelpaw, the rambunctious apprentice, to Squirrelflight, the wise warrior?"

"Well, the journey helped." Squirrelflight chuckled.

"Of course." As sunset turned to night, Squirrelflight caught a glimpse of starlight across the lake. Pawsteps, intertwined, padded across the surface of the lake, until their owners were visible. With shock, Squirrelflight recognised herself in the starry figure, and Brambleclaw standing tall beside her.

"It's a sign." Brambleclaw whispered.

"We were meant to be." Squirrelflight breathed back.

"Well, we'd best get going. ThunderClan can't wait."

"I think Firestar will understand if we spent the night in the territory."

"That would be lovely."

Tails intertwined, they padded off to find a clearing.

Blood had been spilled, but for the time being, peace would reign.

Hawkfrost: *Gets impaled*

Hawkfrost Mitigation Squad: That saves us a job.