So, this is what I thought might happen if Brambleclaw had killed Sharptooth instead of Feathertail. Please read, review and enjoy!

Squirrelpaw shrank against the cave wall, eyes wide with terror. Blood stained the cave floor scarlet, spattering the fur the Tribe cats lying ominously still.

Sharptooth's roar filled Squirrelpaw's ears, and she could see nothing but his huge tawny body, slavering jaws and black glittering eyes.

Beside her, Brambleclaw crouched, his tabby fur fluffed out so he looked twice his size. His amber eyes were blank with horror.

Squirrelpaw could see Tawnypelt opposite her, and Stormfur and Feathertail were with her. But where was Crowpaw?

Then she saw him.

Feathertail's blue eyes filled with dismay. Squirrelpaw gasped with shock.

Crowpaw was squeezed into a shallow crack. Sharptooth's great paw was reaching for him, ready to slice the WindClan apprentice with claws sharper than an eagle's talons.

He's the only WindClan cat here. The quest will fail... Fury crashed down over Squirrelpaw, fury at her own helplessness. One of her closest friends was about to be killed, and there was nothing that she could do, nothing.

The next heartbeats seemed to last a lifetime. Squirrelpaw heard a faint voice and realized Brambleclaw was talking to himself.

"We must not fail-the journey must go on" he whispered before turning to Squirrelpaw. "Goodbye."

"Brambleclaw?" Squirrelpaw meowed in alarm. "What are you doing?"

But Brambleclaw leaped, just as Sharptooth pulled Crowpaw from the crack and bent his huge jaws towards the WindClan apprentice's neck

The ThunderClan warrior had not jumped down, but up, digging his claws into a spur of rock that clung to the cave roof. There was a horrible grating, creaking sound before the rock broke with a huge crack and fell downward at Sharptooth. The lion-cat gave a huge scream that echoed around the cave as the rock plunged into him.

Brambleclaw had fallen beside Sharptooth, and lay still as the huge mountain cat gave one shudder and died.

Squirrelpaw stumble across the cave to his side. "Brambleclaw?"

Brambleclaw did not answer. Blood trickled from the side of his mouth, and eyes were blank.

He was dead.

Grief crashed over Squirrelpaw, threatening to draw her under. How could this happen? Why does StarClan allow this?

Then another thought made her blood run cold. Can StarClan even see us here?

Soft paw steps sounded behind her.

"Is he-" Tawnypelt broke off, staring at her brother. "StarClan no…"

"It's my fault" Squirrelpaw murmured, bowing her head. "I should have been able to stop him."

"It's not your fault" Tawnypelt meowed softly. "It was his choice."

Squirrelpaw shook her head and turned away. She could hear the soft meows of the other journeyers and the Tribe, but they belonged to another place, another world, somewhere that had nothing to do with her. Somewhere long ago, where there was no grief and pain. Somewhere Squirrelpaw felt she would never be again.

Stormfur stared in shock at Brambleclaw' body. A full moon shone through the waterfall, so bright it turned Brambleclaw's dark fur to silver. Back home, the Clans would be gathering at Fourtrees.

I wish we where there instead of here. Why did we come all this way if one of the prophecy cats would die? How will we fulfill the prophecy now?

Feathertail was meowing in distress with Crowpaw trying vainly to comfort her. Tawnypelt stared at her brother with misery in her eyes, while Squirrelpaw's head was bowed with grief.

And it was all his fault. All this pain, all this sorrow. If he hadn't insisted on coming back here, Brambleclaw would still be alive, and all six of them would be on their way home.

It didn't help seeing Feathertail and Crowpaw so close, their pelts touching and tails entwined. Why don't they realize what trouble this will cause?

Tawnypelt and Squirrelpaw gently lifted Brambleclaw's body and brought it to the center of the cave, settling down to keep vigil. Squirrelpaw crouched with her nose buried in the dark tabby fur, green eyes clouded with grief.

Resentment rose in Stormfur like a black cloud. The strength of his feeling surprised him. Why should he object to Squirrelpaw grieving for her Clanmate?

He padded over to sit vigil with them, settling down next to Squirrelpaw, his gray pelt brushing hers. There were so many questions he had right now, and none of them had answers.