As Frozenleaf started up another argument with Dawnpaw, Falconflight got lost in his own thoughts. Their mother had always favored Brokenshadow over him, probably because he was the youngest sibling. If Brokenshadow and Falconflight had had siblings in the same litter, maybe they would have been treated equally...but instead, their mother had only had the two of them with their father. Having two kits to a litter was uncommon. Sure, they had older half-siblings, but no one knew or even cared where they were now.

"Falconflight?"

The light brown tabby tom looked up to see Tanglepaw, her ears flattened against her head.

"Yes?"

Her voice was higher and softer than usual. "What will happen to us if Fallenstar decides one of us murdered Brokenshadow?"

"I...I don't know." Falconflight had never considered what their punishment would be. Cats had never been murdered by their Clanmates - at least, not that he was aware of.

"Any of us could be convicted."

He slowly shook his head. "I know, Tanglepaw."

"Or all of us." The little she-cat fidgeted.

Suddenly, Falconflight felt himself grow hot with fury. "You think I don't know that? What happened to that confident, never-let-anyone-see-the-real-me apprentice? I know she's there. And if there were ever, ever a time to let her out, now's your chance."

Tanglepaw's features softened. Falconflight knew he had hurt her feelings, but he couldn't help it. He was under a lot of pressure. "You know what? I don't know what's happened to that cat anymore."

Seeing her look more kit-like and immature - as an apprentice should be - than she normally let on, brought back memories...

"I'm the leader!" Brokenshadow - at that time, Brokenkit - shouted from his position on top of a large boulder.

Falconflight could remember his emotions immediately spiraling out of control. "Why do you always get to be the leader?"

Brokenkit had laughed. "Because I will be leader someday, silly."

"How do you know?" he snapped.

"Because...because mommy said so."

That was the claw in the chest for Falconflight. He could remember jumping up onto Brokenkit and shoving him to the ground.

"Falconkit!" he cried, squealing in pain. "Don't hurt me! It's just a game! It's just a game!"

But even back then Falconflight knew that, to Brokenshadow, everything was a game. That was exactly why he wasn't going to play fair.

Falconflight didn't hurt Brokenshadow that day.

But who would've known that, in time, Falconflight would have hurt him in the worst way imaginable?