It had been almost a quarter moon since the ShadowClan raid, and ThunderClan was starting to recover. Darkfoot had been exercising his new power as a temporary deputy mercilessly on the apprentices, and every cat was starting to get sick of him. He had also been allowing Shadowstripe to stay in camp all day without doing a single thing, but he had sent Sparrowtail out on every single patrol for two days running. Sparrowtail had gone to talk to Icestar furiously, but she refused to hear a single word against her brother. Most cats thought that she was simply too stubborn to admit that she had made the wrong choice for her temporary deputy.

Nightpaw was out alone, on a hunting patrol. When he got back, he would still have to change the elders bedding and clean their pelts, as though he was being punished. He knew that Darkfoot disliked him, but for what reason he could not understand.

Nightpaw was just contemplating the unfairness of this, when a strong scent caught his attention. It was a huge, fat mouse, the biggest he had ever seen. He dropped into the hunter's crouch, carefully placing his paws so that they made no sound on the forest floor. The mouse was too intent on the small patch of grass where he was rummaging for seeds. Nightpaw drew himself slowly closer. He was only about three tail-lengths from the mouse now, and it still didn't realise he was there.

Suddenly, a stronger scent filled his nostrils. Darkfoot. Nightpaw sat up quickly, all thoughts of the hunt forgotten. The mouse squeaked in fright and ran for cover. He tasted the air, drawing in all the scents around him. The black tom was alone, and his scent was fresh. What was Darkfoot doing so far from camp? He was sure it was nothing good. Should he follow him? If Darkfoot was doing something to endanger the Clan, then he couldn't just sit back and watch it happen. No, he would have to follow him.

Nightpaw set off along Darkfoot's scent trail. Luckily it had been dry over the last few days, so the deputy's scent was easy to follow. Nightpaw realised that the trail was leading ever closer to the ShadowClan border. What would he do if the trail crossed the border?

A few heartbeats later, Nightpaw emerged into a sunlit clearing. He could only be a few fox-lengths from the border now. He tasted the air again, and then froze with fright. He could smell fresh ShadowClan scent, probably about four or five cats. Had he crossed the border by accident? He scented the air again. No, there was no way he could have done. This was definitely ThunderClan territory. What was ShadowClan doing on their territory? Darkfoot's scent was still clear in the air.

What if Darkfoot had been meeting with the ShadowClan warriors? No. He pushed the thought firmly out of his mind. Maybe Darkfoot had driven the ShadowClan cats off of ThunderClan territory? But he was alone... Nightpaw shook his head. There was no way that one cat would be a match against five. Was Darkfoot disloyal to ThunderClan? And if he was, how was Nightpaw going to prove it?

A few days later, Nightpaw was up early. He couldn't sleep, so he decided to go for a walk in the forest to clear his mind. He pushed his way through the undergrowth until he sat on a grassy hillside, staring across the lake. The sun was rising, casting a pinkish red glow over the lake, and turning the lazy waves that slapped against the shore red. Out of nowhere, a cloud scudded over the sun, blocking the light and turning the lake black and full of shadows. He heard a horribly familiar voice whispering in his ear. 'A time of great change is upon us. Darkness will deceive the narrow-minded, but the night shall speak the truth. The dawn will only come when shadows find their place, and stars return from the sky...'

Nightpaw felt his paws trembling with fear, but then the cloud was blown sideways and the lake was once more filled with pinkish red light. What could this prophecy possibly mean? And why did it involve him? StarClan was only meant to share with medicine cats and leaders. Had they got through to the wrong cat by accident?

Nightpaw heaved himself to his paws, and turned his back on the lake. He headed back into the forest, and found himself once again beside the old sycamore tree where he had been hunting a few days ago. If he brought back some prey for the Clan, maybe Darkfoot would let him rest for a bit. He let the air wash over his scent glands. He could smell the faint smell of mouse, a stronger smell of wood pigeon and... Darkfoot. The scent was still fresh. By now it should have faded. The only explanation was that the ThunderClan deputy had passed through here again.

Nightpaw felt curiosity pricking at his paws again. He turned and set off through the trees. He didn't need scent to guide him this time, as he knew where Darkfoot was going. When he neared the clearing, he dropped into the hunter's crouch and crept slowly through the undergrowth, until he could peer through the bracken, into the clearing.

Shock swept through him like a lightning bolt, rooting his paws to the ground. Darkfoot was here alright. And with him were Redfoot, Bloodclaw, Rippleshadow, Shadowclaw and Hawktalon. The six cats were talking in hushed voices, their head bent together. Nightpaw could just hear what they were saying.

"But what's in it for us?" Bloodclaw was hissing, his cold green eyes narrowed.

"I told you. You'll have complete power, as long as you play your part right," retorted Darkfoot.

"And what, exactly, is our part?" Rippleshadow spoke, glaring at Darkfoot, his dark grey tail swishing.

"All you have to do is meet with the others outside of the camp when I tell you. After that, it should be easy. You come around the back, and I'll meet you around the side of the camp. Then all we have to do is get rid of little miss Warrior Code," Darkfoot replied, with a hint of a snarl in his voice. "I need to go. Border patrols will be out soon, and its more than my fur is worth to get caught."

Nightpaw crept slowly backwards. When he was sure that Darkfoot wouldn't hear him, he turned tail and fled back to camp, praying that Darkfoot was concentrating too much on being back in time to notice his scent. Nightpaw burst into the hollow, looking around desperately for Icestar. He had to tell her about this, before Darkfoot could put his plans into action.

He scrambled up to Highledge and meowed a greeting as he stepped nervously into the cave. Icestar was grooming herself on her bed of moss and ferns.

"Nightpaw," she greeted him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Nightpaw nodded anxiously, and then before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "Darkfoot's a traitor!" Icestar froze, in the middle of licking her paw. Slowly, she placed her paw on the ground, and stared straight into his eyes. Her cold blue gaze seemed to penetrate his thoughts, and delve down right into his mind.

"Go on," she hissed, softly. Nightpaw began his story rather hesistantly. He told her everything he had seen in the forest, as well as how he had found ShadowClan scent in the clearing a few days ago. When he had finished, Icestar seemed to be frozen. A few heartbeats passed before she replied. "You know this is a very serious accusation, Nightpaw?"

"Yes," he replied earnestly, "But I'm not lying, I promise." Icestar continued as if she hadn't heard him.

"I have no reason to believe that my own brother... no. Darkfoot has always shown nothing but dedication and loyalty to the Clan. He would never... No. No." She spoke in barely more than a whisper, her blue eyes fixed on something that seemed miles away. "I don't know what you saw Nightpaw, but I don't think you saw what you say you did. I don't want to hear another word about this."

"But Icestar –" he began.

"Not another word, Nightpaw. I mean it," she interrupted, in a tone that clearly meant that he was dismissed.

Nightpaw dipped his head, and clambered down from the Highledge, feeling defeated. If Icestar refused to belive him, what could he do? How could she ignore the danger that was right underneath her whiskers? Nightpaw would have to take matters into his own paws.