Chapter 19

Everything was going according to plan. The moons that had followed would prove effortless for him. He'd spent seasons upon seasons planning this moment. No cat could mention his past if he kept their mouths shut. Only Rainstar knew, and she was a fool who followed his every orders. He was thankful for that, though she would be disposed of as well eventually. All of the leaders would have to be killed, and their deputies as well.

A grin spread across his face as his claws were buried into the mouse that he'd plucked from the fresh-kill pile. He knew exactly how his life would end. StarClan had warned him of his death many, many seasons ago. Those were the days when there had been three strong Clans. No kittypets had been allowed in the Clans at the time. When the first was accepted by PebbleClan, everything went wrong.

"When will it happen?" a cat was asking as it approached. He glared at the speaker. He knew full-well that no cat questioned his plans. This was just an apprentice – a mere threat that could easily be silenced. "I mean, you've been watching Thornstar all day."

"I'm waiting for the perfect opportunity," he replied. "You wouldn't want your own father to die so young anyways, wouldn't you?" He grinned as the apprentice's face fell at his words.

"Thornstar…isn't a good leader," the apprentice murmured. "He may be my father, but he's spending more time with Honeypool and her new kits."

The older cat felt a purr rising in his throat. He rarely purred – those days had ended in his past life. He knew that the Clan had already chosen him as their future leader. By now every cat was acting as though he was their savior. Thanks to Sparrowfur and her 'signs', Thornstar had managed to do his bidding. Willowcloud had been cast out – the one cat who had opposed him from the day he was a kit. Now no cat stood in his way as he rose to power.

"Sir, the patrols have been sent out like you asked." A golden brown tabby dipped her head respectfully as she watched him cautiously.

"Good." His tail-tip flicked in approval as he thought of the cats who were still uneasy with the way he'd taken over. "Make sure they don't come back."

"Are you sure it's a good idea?" the deputy asked. Her gaze was filled with worry as she looked at the empty clearing. "With so many cats on the patrol…we could be losing half of the Clan." The tom hissed irritably, and she flinched under his gaze. "W-what I mean to say is…we could have always manipulated them."

"Those fools were too smart for their own good," he replied with a smirk. "I wouldn't put it past them to know where they were headed."

The deputy seemed to relax under his calm gaze. He knew that they would all be dead by moonhigh. The Clan would search for them near the DuskClan border. Rainstar and her Clanmates would be blamed for the sudden deaths. Everything was going according to plan.

. . .

The following day had been filled with horror and grief. Whiskertail had returned with the most gruesome of news. Four bodies had been found near the edge of the DuskClan border. Cats had questioned why the slain warriors had been so close to the border. The deputy – Tawnywing – had told the Clan that she didn't know why they chose that spot. She simply stated that they must have done so without realizing where the border was.

While the Clan discussed what to do about the slain warriors, he kept to himself. His followers were part of the discussion. They kept a keen eye on those who wished to extract revenge on their fallen Clanmates. He knew they would pick out which cats needed to be dealt with. Those were the cats who would need influencing.

"Seems like everything is happening a bit too quickly, doesn't it?" The tom felt his hackles rise when a reddish-brown tabby spoke. Her swollen belly swayed as she approached him cautiously. "You sure everything will work out?" she asked after he looked at her belly in concern.

I've never felt concern for anyone but myself, he thought. These feelings are strange to me. It took him a few heartbeats to realize that she was waiting for him to reply.

"Of course my love," he replied. "Everything works in its own way. I've made certain that Thornstar knows I'm the future of this Clan." He knew that keeping her under protection was important….At least until her kits were born. Then he might find her useless.

"I think Thornstar is waiting for you to talk with him," his mate murmured after glancing at the gathered cats. They'd been situated in a semi-circle, hovering over the fallen bodies of their Clanmates. Ruststripe was working furiously to find out who'd killed them. Sparrowfur was glaring at her brother as he grinned back.

"Of course he is." The tom rose to his paws and gave her cheek a lick before sauntering off.

The queen watched him leave with a look of longing in her green eyes. He knew that she would be waiting for him…she was always waiting, just like the queen from his past life.

A feeling suddenly clenched at his belly as he approached Thornstar. He wasn't sure what the feeling was…regret? No. It had to be something else. He felt nothing towards the cat that had betrayed him by leaving with her kits. That queen deserved to perish the same way he had. Betrayal was something that he knew too well. Perhaps it was his own betrayal that had made him who he was today.

"Ghostwind, I have been waiting for you," Thornstar meowed when he noticed he was not alone. "I know you are aware of who killed these cats…would you mind sharing the news with me?"

He raised his tail as he waited for Ghostwind to reply. The pale gray tom glanced over his shoulder and saw that Tawnywing was watching them carefully. The LeafClan deputy would ensure that no cat was listening. In turn he would name her as his deputy when this was all over.

"I cannot say who killed them," he replied grimly. "Cats from DuskClan must have ambushed them."

"This news is troubling to me," Thornstar murmured with a shake of his head. "First Boulderstar was killed by cats from DuskClan….Now all of our Clanmates have perished as well."

"You could care less that your own brother was killed," Ghostwind spat. His hackles were bristling as he glared at the LeafClan leader.

"My life is not of your concern." Thornstar seemed oblivious to the threat lingering in Ghostwind's voice. "I'm more concerned for the future of LeafClan…for the future of all the Clans."

"Thornstar, I think it's time we had a chat outside camp," Ghostwind whispered after realizing that it was now or never. The LeafClan leader was getting weaker and weaker by the day. He knew that sooner or later Thornstar would die. It was better he died sooner than later.

Eventually Thornstar nodded in agreement after struggling to compose himself. Ghostwind rose to his paws and met Tawnywing's gaze. She knew what would happen next. By now most of the Clan was aware of what would happen. Several cats took steps back as Ghostwind led the way through the camp's entrance. He could see Mistybird standing in the back of the warriors' den. The cat that he had once considered his mother looked up, surprise in her eyes as she saw them leave.

I can use you for more reasons than one, he decided after thinking of Willowcloud. His so called sister would easily melt under her mother's watchful gaze if she knew that Mistybird was still alive. Willowcloud had been told that Mistybird had changed since his sister disappeared from the Clan and the forest. If she believed that Mistybird was dead, that was perfectly fine for Ghostwind. All of his plans were swinging into action as he led Thornstar as far away from camp as he could.

"Thornstar, have you ever considered how you would die?" Ghostwind asked as he watched the leader relax under an oak tree.

Thornstar blinked in surprise at the sudden question. "Why ask such a question?" he demanded. When Ghostwind didn't reply, Thornstar simply sighed. "I always thought I would die an elder…I never expected to lead LeafClan…I suppose Boulderstar never expected to lead LeafClan either."

"Boulderstar was a good leader. He was a better leader than you could ever compare to." Ghostwind's blue eyes blazed like fire as he watched Thornstar crouch under his gaze. "And as for your death…." Ghostwind took a threatening step forward. Fear flickered within Thornstar's eyes when he realized where Ghostwind was going with his plans.

It happened so quickly. Thornstar felt a paw against his throat as Ghostwind reared on his hind-legs. Thornstar was bigger and a bit more experienced, but Ghostwind had speed and agility on his side. Ghostwind bared his fangs as he lunged forward; a feral snarl erupted from his throat. All of the moons of anger and frustration swelled in his belly as Ghostwind continued striking Thornstar against the shoulders.

Blood splattered against the leaves as Thornstar tried feebly to dodge from side to side. He managed to dodge a few blows, but that was about it. Ghostwind felt satisfied with himself when he saw Thornstar collapse in front of him. The loss of blood was staining the ground – Ghostwind knew that the wounds would not heal. Thornstar had lost too many lives, and this was his last.

A grin spread across Ghostwind's face as Thornstar's eyes flickered open for a split-second. "Why?" he breathed.

"You should have listened to Willowcloud…my sister was the savior of LeafClan, but she is gone. You have ruined your Clan." Ghostwind stepped forward and drew a claw against Thornstar's throat. A single cry of pain managed to escape from his lungs before the life in his eyes faded.

A deathly silence quickly followed Thornstar's death. It was as if the forest itself was in a state of shock by what had happened. Ghostwind released his grip on Thornstar when he knew the battle was over. I am now leader of LeafClan…and soon I shall lead all three Clans.

A/N: So this was a surprise chapter, since I'm now getting more reviewers :)

To xXAquamentiXx - I like the names ideas, but I've already chosen all of the names for the future characters, including Willowcloud's kits. Sorry :( I may use them in future stories though.

Anyways, next chapter will be coming out soon. I'm really happy where this story is leading...there will likely be forty-fifty chapters.