1"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" Brightstar yowled.

The sleek shapes of DuskClan cats slipped from where they had been sharing tongues and gathered beneath the high bough where Brightstar sat. Wingfoot started towards his normal spot below Highbranch, but a glare from Brightstar sent him padding over to where the warriors were. He glowered at Riversong as if to say This is your fault, I know it is!

"Cats of DuskClan, I don't doubt you have noticed the badger in our midst," Brightstar meowed, "You need not fear him. His name is Scars and, provided you are respectful, he has no desire to harm you."

"Brightstar, tell us what this all means!" Paleface's cracked voice yowled. Cat nodded to their neighbors. "A badger among cats? It's unheard of!"

"Paleface, listen well. I assure you that this badger is just as much a cat as you and I are. He has been blamed for the killing of our warrior, Foxpelt." Heads were bowed and murmurs broke out. Brightstar silenced them with a flick of his tail. "Scars, this badger, is innocent. Wingfoot, step forwards."

The tawny he-cat trudged over to stand in front of DuskClan's leader. Brightstar's brown eyes were stone-like, emotionless. "Wingfoot, you stand accused for the murder of the warrior Foxpelt. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Brightstar, I am offended. You actually believe a beast we know to have killed Foxpelt, a beloved cat, is innocent, and that I, your deputy, am guilty?"

"While Scars did play a role in Foxpelt's death, Wingfoot, it would not have happened if you hadn't enraged him enough to charge."

"Lies!" Wingfoot snarled, "All lies! What makes you think I bit the badger's rear?"

"Well, let's start with the fact that I never said how you enraged him," Brightstar retorted, "And end with a few words from Healingtouch."

The medicine cat stepped forwards. She had Scars stand up and turn around, pointing to a small scar on his hindquarters with her tail-tip. "Here was an interesting injury," she mewed, "An old bite-mark caused by the fangs of a cat." She nodded to Scars, who sat down again.

Wingfoot's green eyes glinted. "Who says it was me?" he demanded.

"Scars?" Brightstar prompted. Scars stood up once more. He turned to Wingfoot.

"I never forget face," he rumbled, "I remember day when you came to see my old master. Bone Marrow. Perhaps you recall?" Wingfoot was silent, so Scars kept going. "You said you had need of badger for to kill another cat. I recall now you said a fox's pelt. Fur like a fox's pelt. Reddy was my cat-friend. Never would I kill him. Never. Not unless provoked. And even then, it would be accident." Riversong could see his muscles straining in an effort to keep himself from flying at Wingfoot. "You are murderer."

"Hold on, now!" Wingfoot cried, "One, you lot'd believe a kit-eating badger? Two, you think that you can use one little scar out of his billions against me, when it could've been any cat? Three, won't anyone speak in my defense?"

Sleetfur stood up. Her belly was round with kits. Her blue eyes were harsh. "Maybe if you had been a little kinder to Riversong, we'd be willing to defend you," she growled.

"And anyways, Scars has proven himself to be gentle and good-natured," Firebelly added, "He's been letting the apprentices climb all over him without harming a one."

"We all like 'im!" Birdpaw mewed, nudging his shoulder with her head, "He's nice to us!" Scars gave his impression of a cat purr.

Wingfoot glared into the crowd. "Riversong!" he spat, "If I ever get my claws on you, you demon of PlagueClan, they'll be the last thing you ever see!"

Riversong wove her way between Snakepelt and Timidheart to stand before Wingfoot. She gazed deep into his eyes. "No, Wingfoot," she meowed calmly, "The last thing I see will be Foxpelt's spirit come to guide me to StarClan. You thought you had won, didn't you? You knew I had seen you kill Foxpelt. You thought that when I left, you were home free."

Wingfoot lashed out with his claws. The blow caught Riversong full on the face. She did not flinch away. Blood dripped from her cheek onto the dusty ground. "That hurt," Riversong meowed, her voice full of anything but pain, "Get out."

"Wingfoot, for acts of treason and murder, I hereby banish you from DuskClan. You have until sunhigh tomorrow to leave our territory," Brightstar meowed, "If any cat sees you in DuskClan land after that time, they have my permission to kill you."

Wingfoot stepped back. He gathered himself and sprang at Brightstar. His claws caught the old tom full on the throat. Then, he turned and raced from the camp. Healingtouch watched Brightstar lose his eighth life and shooed the rest of the cats away. "Riversong," Brightstar gasped, "I must speak to her!"

"Later. Tell her about it when you name the new deputy."

Brightstar watched the blue-gray she-cat pad after Seedgrowth. He sighed. "But that's what I must speak to her about," he rasped, "I must...and Sunpaw too."

"Later," Healingtouch insisted, "In the meantime, be very careful. This is your last life, Brightstar."

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At sundown, Brightstar called another meeting. Riversong had spoken to the old leader after he had recovered from Wingfoot's attack. She knew what to expect: Sunpaw's warrior ceremony. The reddish-ginger tom sat beside her, his fur sleek and fine. Riversong felt a wave of pride wash over her, drenching her in happiness. "Cats of DuskClan," Brightstar began, his voice fully recovered, "I have called you together for two happy notes. You all recall the cats whom Sunpaw knew as apprentices have now earned their warrior names. Now it is time for Sunpaw to do the same." He gazed upwards to where the first stars of Silverpelt were beginning to appear, "I, Brightstar, leader of DuskClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." He turned his brown stare to Sunpaw. "Sunpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Sunpaw shivered. His tawny eyes blazed. "I do," he meowed in a deep voice.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Sunpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Sunface. StarClan honors your strength and your patience and we welcome you as a full member of DuskClan." Brightstar leapt from his perch and laid his muzzle on Sunface's head. Sunface licked his shoulder, purring like thunder.

"Sunface! Sunface! Sunface!" the cats of DuskClan cheered. Heavenstep, Radianteyes, Quartzfur, Timidheart, Snakepelt, Creekflow, Moonstream, Willowclaw, and Racefoot all crowded around Sunface.

"The last of the apprentices has become one of us," Snakepelt meowed, "Good on you, Sunface."

"In the traditions of our warrior ancestors, Sunface must keep silent vigil tonight," Brightstar added. Sunface nodded.

"Ooh!" Racefoot mewed, prodding Sunface with a paw, "Have fun with that! The rest of us will be getting some sleep!"

"I have something else to add," Brightstar meowed, "You all know that Wingfoot has been cast from DuskClan. That means we have no deputy. I say these words before StarClan that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve my choice."

He paused, his brown gaze passing over each cat as if silently assessing them. Finally, he spoke. His voice was strong and filled with conviction. All who heard it felt his feelings about the special cat he had chosen to be second-in-command to him.

"Riversong will be the new deputy of DuskClan," Brightstar declared proudly, his tail and chin raised.