Twigfall and Sootheart raced into the ThunderClan camp to warn Bramblestar of Nighthawk's presence.

As they tore through the entrance, Jayfeather caught them.

"What are you two up to?"

"We have to warn Bramblestar!" Sootheart exclaimed as Twigfall ran ahead.

"Warn him of what?" Jayfeather looked utterly lost as to what was going on, though he also seemed sullen.

"Nighthawk's here… And we don't know why," Sootheart explained. "We came to warn Bramblestar of his presence.

"Nighthawk…? Why in StarClan's name would he be… Oh, never mind." Jayfeather shook his head. "Sootheart, Cloudtail had blackcough. He passed while you were away."

Sootheart's brain went numb. Blackcough? It couldn't be… The prophecy was fulfilling itself.

"Twigfall!" As Sootheart bounded to find her, she staggered out of the leader's den, eyes wide, mouth open, and sank to the ground. Nighthawk padded out behind her, grinning.

"Well hello, cats of ThunderClan," Nighthawk hissed. "How are you all?" The cats in the clearing looked at each other, wondering what was going on, while others were just entering the camp.

"ShadowClan intruder!" One cat from the crowd yowled.

"Now calm down. I'm not what you should be worried about right now. You're all without a deputy," he paused, glaring around, "and a leader." Nighthawk grinned, revealing the blood staining his teeth.

Gasps and yowls of mixed confusion, grief, and hatred erupted from every cat. Sootheart only stared on in disbelief as Twigfall tried helplessly to escape, but Nighthawk held her back.

"Oh, sweetheart, aren't you happy? Your beloved mate is going to lead this Clan and make it all better," he said malevolently.

"You! Evil cat! I should've never trusted you!" Twigfall hissed. She flattened her ears to her head and barred her teeth at him.

"Come on, doll, don't hiss." He batted her ear with his paw, grazing the top of her head. "Be happy. I'm not going to kill you like I originally intended. I'm just going to make you have my kits so they can carry on my legacy."

"No!" Molepelt yowled, leaping up to face Nighthawk. Catching the tom off-guard, he tackled him, rolling them both off the edge. Molepelt got the upper-hand, landing on top of Nighthawk when they hit the ground.

Unfortunately, Twigfall had taught Nighthawk to counter that move.

Molepelt was thrown from atop the husky tom like a piece of limp meat.

"How…?" Molepelt looked to Twigfall, realization sparking in his eyes. "You gave up our secrets! How could y-!" He was cut off as Nighthawk delivered a blow to the side of his head, knocking the poor tom to the ground.

"Foolish mange-pelt," Nighthawk grumbled.

"Never!" Molepelt leaped up, pinning Nighthawk to the ground. "Lionblaze, help!"

Without any more, Lionblaze was at the tom's side, throwing his weight onto the traitor.

Twigfall stepped forward, hissing into Nighthawk's ear, "You lied to me, used me, and betrayed me." She looked to Molepelt, who motioned for her to do the honors. "Good-bye, Nighthawk."

Twigfall tore her claws into his throat, Lionblaze and Molepelt's bodies shielding the sight from the rest of the Clan.

Later that evening, Bramblestar and Cloudtail's cleaned bodies were drug into the clearing to be mourned over.

Buzz was still in the air about who was going to lead the Clan now. Twigfall, remembering the prophecy, took charge and decided she'd travel to the Moonpool to receive her nine lives.

"Molepelt, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather, you will accompany me to the Moonpool." The cats nodded, heading off to prepare for the trip, for it needed to be made as soon as possible.

Once everyone was ready, the patrol headed off.

Lionblaze and Jayfeather took the lead in silence, and Twigfall and Molepelt fell behind.

"Thanks for saving me," Twigfall mewed quietly. Molepaw blushed and looked away.

"It was nothing."

"No, you saved me. I owe you my life." She nuzzled him affectionately and he purred.

"So, you know how Gingerfern is having my kits?" Twigfall scowled.

"I'm aware."

"Well, they aren't mine." Twigfall gasped and looked at Molepaw in disbelief. "She met with an old friend of hers from when she was a kittypet and got together with him. She only told me a couple of sunrises ago." He looked away, a stray tear hitting the soft earth.

"What did you do?" Twigfall whispered.

"I did the only thing I could do, I ended things with her." The she-cat rubbed her fur against her old friend's.

"Good for you." He looked up and smiled.

"So… Are things with us… Still open?" Twigfall smiled and licked his muzzle.

"Of course."