"All cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Bonehill for a clan meeting!" called Tigerstar called, his fur black against the snow and sun-bleached bones.

Cats poured into the clearing, riddled with hunger and sorrow and longing for fish and Leopardstar's leadership. Blackfoot took his place on one side of the Bonehill, Leopardstar and Tawnypaw at the other.

"It is time for the trial to begin!" Tigerstar called, turning to Jaggedtooth, sat at the camp entrance, "Fetch the prisoners!"

Jaggedtooth nodded, ducking into the reeds and letting out a snarl. Stonefur, sickly and skinny, emerged, Featherpaw and Stormpaw held close to either side. Deerfoot was out guarding Mistyfoot, still in the hole. Jaggedtooth shoved Stonefur forward, though the warrior never lost his footing.

Darkstripe emerged to sit next to Blackfoot, smiling maliciously.

"Cats of Tigerclan," Tigerstar went on, "You all know the hardships we have to face. The cold of leaf-bare threatens us. Twolegs threatens us. The other two clans in the forest, who have not yet realized the wisdom of joining with Tigerclan, are a threat to us."

Blackfoot had to suppress a shudder as Tigerstar called this situation wise. Firestar, who Blackfoot had always butted heads with and Tallstar, who Blackfoot didn't believe had a bad bone in his body, were much wiser not to have joined.

"Surrounded as we are by enemies," Tigerstar continued, "We must be sure of the loyalty of our warriors. There is no room in Tigerclan for the half-hearted. No room for cats who might waver in battle, or worse still, turn on their own Clanmates. Tigerclan will not tolerate traitors!"

Except the traitor who leads it, Blackfoot thought, remembering who Tigerstar had been exiled from his old home of Thunderclan. They had more recently found out that Tigerstar was the father of Sasha's kits. Blackfoot wondered if, should Tigerstar meet Goldenflower or Bramblepaw in battle, would he harm them? He knew he'd never be able to harm his kin no matter the clan.

Thoughts of Badgerpaw and his sibling's angry yowls at him flashed in his mind, and he tore at the grass with his claws to tune back into Tigerstar's speech.

"Especially we will not tolerate the abomination of half-clan cats," Tigerstar said, and Blackfoot had to suppress another shudder as Hollyflower's tale of his loner father resurfaced. "No loyal warrior would ever take a mate from another clan, diluting the pure blood our warrior ancestors decreed for us. Bluestar and Graystripe of Thunderclan both flouted the warrior code when they took mates from such a union, like the ones you see before you now, can never be trusted."

"Filth!" Blackfoot yowled, directing the insult at Tigerstar more so than the half-clanners.

"Filth!" took up Darkstripe, misunderstanding. Blackfoot looked desprately at Leopardstar and Tawnypaw, who each nodded.

"Filth! Filth!"

Tigerstar let the cats quiet down themselves. Stormpaw and Featherpaw pressed closer to the ground, scared the wails would sweep them away. Blackfoot longed to protect them, but knew Tigerstar would only make a massacre of the camp if he dared move. Stonefur's eyes glowed in defiance.

Tigerstar spoke again. "Half-clan cats have been tolerated until now, but the time for tolerance has passed. There is no place in Tigerclan for warriors who owe allegiance to two Clans. How can we trust them not to betray our secrets, or even turn on us and kill us? Can we expect StarClan to fight on our side if we allow those who are not pure in heart and blood to walk freely among us?"

"No!" Darkstripe screeched, flexing his claws and lashing his tail from side to side.

"No, my friends. We must get rid of the abominations in our midst! Then our clan will be clean again and we can be sure of the favor of Starclan."

Stonefur sprang to his paws. He was so weak that he stumbled and almost fell, but he managed to stay upright and face Tigerstar. "No cat has ever questioned my loyalty," he snarled. "Come down here and tell me to my face that I'm a traitor!"

Blackfoot half-expected Tigerstar to jump down at that moment and tear out his throat there and then. Resistance was suicide, and he was sure Stonefur knew it.

"Mistyfoot and I never even knew that Bluestar was our mother until a couple of moons ago," Stonefur insisted. "We have been loyal RiverClan warriors all our lives. Let any cat who thinks different come out here and prove it!"

Tigerstar angrily swept his tail toward Leopardstar. "You showed poor judgment when you chose this cat as your deputy," he growled. "Riverclan is choked by the weeds of treachery, and we must root them out."

Leopardstar bowed her head. The gesture showed just how far Tigerstar's power extended, that the once-formidable RiverClan leader was unable or unwilling to protect her own deputy.

When Tigerstar spoke again, his voice was measured and cold. "Stonefur, I will give you a chance to show your loyalty to Tigerclan. Kill these two half-clan apprentices."

The blue-gray warrior had turned to face Leopardstar. "I take orders from you," he growled. "You must know this is wrong. What do you want me to do?"

For a heartbeat Leopardstar looked uncertain, eyes glazed over in sorrow already at the thought she'd about to witness a murder. "These are difficult times," she meowed at last, knowing she'd be added to the bodycount if she said anything else "As we fight for survival we must be able to count on every one of our clanmates. There is no room for divided loyalties. Do as Tigerstar tells you."

Stonefur held her gaze for a moment more, then he faced the two apprentices and they shrank away from him, their eyes glazed with terror.

Stormpaw gave his sister a comforting lick. "We'll fight him," he promised. "I won't let him kill us."

Blackfoot had to force himself to keep his claws sheathed to protect the apprentices. Brokenstar's reign resurfaced, and he couldn't figure out if the leader killing kits themself was better or worse than forcing a warrior to. He braced himself as he watched Stonefur ready himself and Stormpaw fluff up. Something that never should be seen between mentor and apprentice.

Stonefur looked ready to launch himself up at Tigerstar, "You'll have to kill me first, Tigerclaw!"

Tigerstar blinked cooly, flicking his tail to Darkstripe. "Very well. Kill him."

Darkstripe beamed, crouching low, every hair on his pelt quivering with joy that Tigerstar had chosen him. Stonefur's skills had yet to desert him. Quick as lightning, he dropped backward so that instead of landing on his shoulders, Darkstripe was met with all four paws clawing his fur.

The two warriors were a clawing, screeching knot of fur on the floor of the clearing. The rest of the cats scrambled backward to give them space, eerily silent. With a hiss of fury Darkstripe launched another attack, but Stonefur was ready for him again. Slipping to one side, he raked his claws down Darkstripe's side, and followed up with a blow to his back leg as the dark warrior crashed past him. Stonefur staggered from the force of the impact, but by the time Darkstripe regained his paws, he had recovered. This time the Riverclan warrior went on the attack, bowling Darkstripe over and fastening teeth and claws in his neck.

But Tigerstar had no intention of letting Stonefur escape. As Darkstripe struggled vainly to break free, the massive tabby flicked his ears at Blackfoot. "Finish it," he ordered.

Reluctantly, Blackfoot flung himself into the battle. He bit Stonefur in the shoulder and dragged him off Darkstripe, ducking to avoid his flailing paws. Darkstripe sprang on Stonefur to hold his hindquarters down, while Blackfoot scored his claws across the blue-gray warrior's throat. Stonefur let out a gurgling cry that was cut short. Both Tigerclan cats released him and stood back. Stonefur's body convulsed as blood welled from his throat.

A thin wailing noise went up from the watching cats, strengthening into a cry of triumph. Even Leopardstar, after a brief hesitation, joined in. The two apprentices were the only cats to remain silent, their terrified eyes fixed on the warrior who had died to save them.

Blackfoot only stared in horror as Stonefur went limp and the last breath left his body. Blackfoot sat, back turned to Tigerstar, grieving.

"Tigerstar," Darkstripe wailed, facing the apprentices, "Let me kill them!"

"Really, Darkstripe?" mewed Tigerstar, "A prisoner can defeat you and you expect me to believe you can take on two apprentices? No. For now I will let them live. They may be of use alive." Blackfoot heard bones clattering as he scattered down, "Take the apprentices back. This meeting is dismissed."