A/N-Okay, so Bramblestar's out of character. Hate it? Love it? Review!

Lionblaze-ThunderClan

Spiderleg was dead.

"The blackcough weakened him," Jayfeather explained softly. "Then his daughter had her kits, and the excitement did something to his heart. I don't know if he could breathe, with the cough. He died."

"He had a warrior's heart." Bramblestar mewed quietly. "May StarClan light your path, Spiderleg."

Bramblestar blinked and headed towards Highledge. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here by the Highledge!"

Foxleap emerged from the medicine den, sitting close to the entrance where he could watch his mate. Jayfeather sat down nearby, and I realized Quietpaw was still at the Moonpool. Sandstorm came out of the warriors' den, looking tired. Toadstep's kits, which were born before Blossomfall's death, streamed out of the nursery, excited. They didn't realize that Spiderleg had just died.

"Spiderleg is dead," Bramblestar announced. Mousewhisker, Spiderleg's former apprentice, let out a cry of shock and outrage.

"We will hold a vigil later tonight." Bramblestar leapt down the Highledge, looking sad.

Sandstorm raised her tail. "I am old," she growled, as if it were a surprise. "I want to retire into the elders' den."

"Me, too," Graystripe put in. He was shivering in the cold. "Bramblestar, I will have a nest in that den tonight, ceremony or not."

Bramblestar blinked in surprise. "We will hold a ceremony tomorrow, my friends." He blinked at Toadstep. "May I speak with you? His gaze swiveled to Leafpool, then Foxleap, and finally me. "You three, also." We headed for Bramblestar's den.

"Toadstep, your kits are old enough to be apprenticed."

Toadstep blinked proudly. "Yes, they are."

"Do you care if these three mentor them? We need more apprentices and warriors, Toadstep."

"I don't care a bit," he answered. "Bramblestar, I do have one issue-my kits are only five moons old."

"Yes?" Bramblestar didn't even blink.

Toadstep looked uncomfortable. "It's against the Warrior Code, right? I mean, Brokenstar basically killed all those kit-warriors before they were even five moons old."

"WindClan has been apprenticing kits when they are four moons old. ShadowClan is the only Clan that is actually following the Warrior Code at times like this." His voice was icily unpleasant. "My mind is made up, Toadstep. It's safer for them in the apprentices' den than that nursery. It's got greencough all over it."

Toadstep looked like he wanted to protest, but he relented. "Fine," he snapped. "My father's dead. Have you thought of that? How many more cats will die before newleaf? Rosepetal's very weak," he added, mentioning his littermate's vulnerability. "And there are too many cats in the nursery and elders' den. We need to expand the dens."

I held my breath, staring into Bramblestar's eyes. He looked furious. "Your kits will be fine," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Or do you doubt your leader?"

Toadstep didn't flinch. "You have no kits of your own," he growled, making me cringe. "You have no idea what it's like to lose one, or your mate."

Bramblestar's gaze flashed to me, looking angry. His claws were unsheathed, digging into the frozen roots of a maple. "Toadstep, would you rather have your kits stay in the nursery their entire lives? Or thrown out into the snow?"

He can't be serious. Staring into the leader's eyes, I realized he was serious. Leafpool looked on uncertainly, while Foxleap looked shocked and uncomfortable, glancing back at the camp entrance every few heartbeats.

Toadstep held Bramblestar's gaze for another moment before muttering an apology. His claws unhooked from the bark and he glanced at Leafpool. "You will have Sootoaw." He turned around and glared at Foxleap. "You'll mentor Moonpaw." Then he glanced at me. "I was originally going to give Stonepaw to Sandstorm, since you, Lionblaze, have already had a failed apprentice." I flattened my ears and let out a hiss. Like other warriors hadn't mentored cats that eventually passed away. Look at Thornclaw.

Bramblestar rambled on. "I haven't decided if it was your fault or not, Lionblaze, but he was your apprentice. I don't care if you had a prophecy about you, or that you mentored Dovewing pretty well. You failed Thrushpaw, and he died. You're responsible."

Foxleap gaped at the leader, now fully aware what the dark tabby's anger was directed at. Leafpool's eyes widened, but she didn't interfere. I knew that when she had been a medicine cat, she would have Bramblestar eating deathberries if he had said that much.

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. "We lost a good cat because of you, Lionblaze. You…are a disgrace to ThunderClan."

Foxleap found his voice. "Bramblestar, Lionblaze tried his best. He fought like a StarClan cat in the Dark Forest battle. He-He didn't mean for Thrushpaw to die."

Toadstep scowled at his leader. I bet he would have jumped at Bramblestar for a couple of mousetails. Leafpool exhaled slowly. "Bramblestar…" Her voice was shaky.

"You listen here, you load of fox dung," Toadstep snarled. "Go to the Dark Forest, for all I care. I'm in charge of kits, you remember it, Bramblestar. They won't be apprenticed until they're six moons old. You gave Lionblaze another apprentice just to see if he'll mess up, to see if he's Prophecy material." He shot me an apologetic glance. "You want him out of the Clan. You want him gone."

The cat I had believed had been my father wanted me dead. Or gone. At least out of the way for some absurd reason. Leafpool suddenly looked threatening. "You dare touch a hair on his pelt, I swear by StarClan that I will send you straight back to the Dark Forest."

Bramblestar flattened his ears. Foxleap extended his claws. What did Leafpool mean, back to the Dark Forest?

If we attacked him here, so close to the camp, a cat would notice. We would be exiled as traitors. If we all fought together, we had a chance of killing him….But certainly a cat would be injured.

Toadstep lashed his tail. "If you don't want to follow the Warrior Code, I think I'll leave ThunderClan. ShadowClan will welcome me. They welcome cats with kits, or something to offer, like a new warrior. Good-bye, Bramblestar." He lingered for a heartbeat longer before coming out of the camp with a herd of kits. A dark gray tom mewled piteously. A silver tabby let out a protest, while a smoky black cat arched his back in anger. Bramblestar stopped their father.

"You mean to take your kits and yourself to ShadowClan? Blackstar is an old fool. Who's to say that when Rowanclaw takes over, he'll run you out?"

"It's a risk I'll have to take." Toadstep turned to me. "I pity you, Lionblaze. Tell Rosepetal….Tell her father watches the both of us."

Then he was gone.

Foxleap drew a shaky breath. Fear shone in his eyes. Leafpool looked like she wanted to rip out Bramblestar's throat. I watched as the black and white tail-tip of Toadstep disappeared in the undergrowth.

"Rosepetal will be heartbroken," Foxleap whispered to Leafpool. "First the kits, which took all her energy and we found out three were dead. Then Spiderleg's blackcough, and now this. She loved those kits like they were hers, even if Cinderheart looked after them for a while."

"Shut up, mouse-brain," I hissed under my breath.

"Go back to camp," Bramblestar ordered. "Don't breathe a word to any other cat." He leaned forward threateningly.

Foxleap nodded vigorously. Rosepetal and Beechkit and Milkkit were at stake. Leafpool looked angry and upset, but she turned around and stalked away. I forced my numb paws to move.

"Not you, Lionblaze."

Foxleap whirled around, eyes wide with fear. Leafpool dug her claws in the hard ground.

"Fine," I called. "Go ahead back, Leafpool, Foxleap. I'll meet up with you later." I waited until they were out of sight. "What do you want?" I snarled at Bramblestar.

"Why in StarClan did you let him die?" Bramblestar hissed. His eyes were full of pain and sorrow.

I froze. "Thrushpaw's death was not my fault, Bramblestar. He disobeyed orders and crossed into WindClan territory. I taught him not to, and where the borders were, but he's just an apprentice-"

"I don't mean him," Bramblestar growled. I blinked at him uncertainly as he went on. "I meant Firestar."

"I didn't kill him. You were there, Bramblestar! Tigerstar killed him." The cat I had so long believed was my father tensed as I continued. "The Dark Forest cats took his last lives."

"Russetfur took his second life," Bramblestar pointed out, almost offhandedly. "You were there, closer than any of us. You could've stopped her. You could have gotten her away quicker." His voice was harsh and it shook me to the bone, making me wonder if I ever really had known this cat.

"Ask any cat in our Clan," I retorted hotly, "if they blame me for Firestar's death."

I waited for Bramblestar to see the sense in my words, to reexamine his thoughts. He didn't. "I don't need their word, Lionblaze. I was there. I saw you kill him!"

"You listen here, you big pile of fox dung," I snarled, my claws unsheathed and clawing at the forest floor. The cold stung the tips of my claws. "I didn't lay a paw on Firestar, and you know it."

"You killed him. You did."

I ignored him and whipped around, my paws finding their way to camp. Amberbreeze glanced up, looking defeated. "Is it true he left?"

"Yes," I answered quietly, and she collapsed. Jayfeather scurried out of his den and sniffed her pelt.

"Get some coltsfoot." He sat down next to the pale ginger cat. Her mother, Brightheart, looked shocked as she entered through the thorn barrier. Jayfeather checked her breathing.

"What's wrong?" Brightheart demanded. Cloudtail was at her side, staring down in horror at their kit.

"She collapsed. I have no idea why…." Jayfeather glanced at me. "Why?"

"She learned that Toadstep was gone. He and the kits left for ShadowClan." I felt anger at Bramblestar, and I was about to take my rage out on something, someone.

Sprucefang burst through the camp. "WindClan is attacking!" He was missing fur around his haunches and one eye was swollen.

"What in the name of StarClan could happen next?" Dustpelt growled. "Jayfeather, is Quietpaw still at the Moonpool?"

"Yes, he should be back anytime."

Dustpelt turned to Sprucefang. "Where's Bramblestar? He ordered you to patrol the borders and hunt there. He needs to issue a patrol…" No one answered, and Foxleap and Leafpool shot me uneasy looks. Dustpelt went on. "Lionblaze, Mousewhisker, Foxleap, Dovewing, Ivypool, Berrynose, Heronpaw, and Thistlepaw, go! Thistlepaw will be a messenger. Hurry!" He turned to Sprucefang. "How many?"

"Too many," he snarled. "Only Birchfall, Whitewing, and I were there."

With that, we took off, Dustpelt hollering for us to fight like rogues. Jayfeather ordered Brightheart to make a pulp for injured cats.

Sprucefang weaved between trees, leading us to the spot where the cats were fighting. Whitewing was pinned to the ground by Gorsetail, while Nightcloud loomed over her, lips peeled back in a snarl as she raked her stomach with thorn-sharp claws. Leaftail and Birchfall were locked in combat as the other WindClan cats were placing scent markers in our territory. Heathertail let out a hiss of rage. I sprang at her, claws out, and she whirled around in shock. I was dimly aware of Mousewhisker rolling across the ground, blood spilling onto the ice over the stream. Nightcloud dealt several powerful blows to his head.

I pinned Heathertail down. "You killed Thrushpaw." I lifted one paw, ready to kill her. Whiskernose bowled me over. Easily I kicked him away and pinned Heathertail down. It was impossible to imagine that I had once loved this cat.

"You gave me up," she snarled. "I loved you, Lionblaze! You had kits with her." Her voice had dropped low. "Your little daughter will never become a warrior, if I can help it." She kicked out at me, but I nimbly dodged aside and clawed her ears.

Suddenly she kicked out, claws digging into my stomach. It came as a shock. My powers! I felt blood well up in my cuts and I bit into her throat, tossing her onto the ice. Her eyes widened with fear as the ice cracked underneath her paws. Suddenly she fell.

"Heathertail!" Emberfoot cried, shoving me out of the way. His claws skittered on the ice. "Heathertail!"

"She's gone," I growled. Good riddance.

The dark gray tom clawed frantically at the ice, and for a heartbeat I saw a face stare up in agony. Heathertail.

Then the face disappeared.

Emberfoot flung his head back in a wail of pain. He turned on me. "You killed her. She was expecting my kits. Our kits. You killed them!"