Jayfeather sat there by his den in disgust as Leafpool, Crowfeather and Raven left the camp. "She's going to run away with him," he remembered Thornclaw tell him, Blossomfall, Icecloud, Brackenfur, Cinderheart, Mousewhisker and Foxleap.

"That is the only reason why she decided to go and "fetch" the other cat, and to make it so bad she used Skyclan as an excuse! She doesn't believe in Starclan anymore! Leafpool is a traitor!"

Jayfeather's light blue eyes darkened like a storm as he let the lines repeat in his head. 'A traitor,' he growled with anger. 'And after all that time! After all that time she tried to persuade us, persuade me?! It was all for this moment! And poor Lionblaze. My brother won't be able to take it.' An idea sparked his mind, and quickly he ran over to the warriors den. He would persuade Lionblaze and tell him the truth!

He noticed that as he neared the den he heard breathing. 'He must be watching her depart,' he sneered, an image of Lionblaze poking his head out of the den clear in his mind. "Jayfeather," he heard Lionblaze mew with neither a greeting nor a threat. 'Must be still sulking over Cinderheart.'

"Lionblaze," he replied, walking into the den. He heard Lionblaze turn and follow him, and stopped to sit on what smelled like his brother's bedding.

"What do you want?" Lionblaze asked, this time impatiently.

"To tell you the truth," Jayfeather meowed calmly.

"Truth?"

"Yes."

"About what?"

"About Leafpool." He could practically feel the waves of hate and anger emitting from the powerful tom. "Hear me out," he added, tail twitching with slight nervousness. 'Leafpool still has him brainwashed. I have to be careful about this...' "Now you see, the clan already knows that Leafpool is sneaking around with Crowfe-"

"No she is not!" Lionblaze roared.

Jayfeather winced and growled angrily. "Yes she is and you know it! Why do you think she made this mission? Why do you think she chose this mission hmm? Why?!"

"Because Skyclan told her too!"

"And that's just it!" Jayfeather hissed, closing his eyes to slow down his rapid breathing. He wasn't supposed to get agitated like this, but his brother's naivety just does that to him. "Why do you think that she refers to Skyclan so much?"

"Because they are helping us in case you haven't noticed. A quarter moon ago we would have been doomed had even one of those cats died, especially Cherry!"

"Well she isn't dead, thank Starclan," the blind one replied dismissively. "Now listen! That isn't the only reason Leafpool listens to them. Leafpool know that Crowfeather is a Windclan cat, and that mating out of the clan is forbidden. When Starclan gave us the go ahead about breaking some of the warrior code rules she took advantage of that to get to Crowfeather!"

Lionblaze was going to say something, Jayfeather could tell, but he cut him off.

"Listen to me and just shut up! I am trying to save you from being hurt again! Leafpool knows that once this is over, Starclan will reinforce the rules again and she will be in trouble. That's why she turns to Skyclan. She is using this mission as an escape. When she does bring them back, she and Crowfeather are going to run away together. Don't you see?"

Jayfeather dared to take two steps closer to his brother. "Think Lionblaze. Why did she seem so eager to leave? Think!"

A pregnant silence fell over them, and Jayfeather waited with his baited breath. Had he convinced him?

"You know what Jayfeather?" Lionblaze started voice completely neutral. "I think you have gone completely nuts."

Jayfeather stared with wide eyes. "Are you that mouse brained to-?"

A paw met his head and Jayfeather was sent flying to the ground. It took him a while to sort out his dizzy mind, but when he did Lionblaze was over him, breathing heavily. "I can't believe that you let your grudge get to the point to where you believe these stupid lies. I've never felt so ashamed in my life, and that is placed on you, Jayfeather. I hate what you've become, and now I hate Thornclaw and Toadstep." Lionblaze leaned closer to him. "And you know what, I might just go Hollyleaf's route. I might just kill them all and leave them dead by the lake."

Jayfeather shot up, eyes wide. He wouldn't! "You can't! You wouldn't dare! Hollyleaf is already gone Lionblaze you can't leave me too!"

"I just might Jayfeather, unless you change. And you better do it soon because you are to the point where it will be almost impossible for you to turn back."

He heard Lionblaze's paws as they turned and walked away. Jayfeather swore in his mind.

'My last resort.'

"I see, you are so stupid and blinded, that is why Cinderheart has lost interest in you."

He heard the paw stop, and he almost purred with smugness as he walked towards his brother, then circled him.

"Why do you think she turned you away? You are so naive and so taken by this fantasy that Leafpool actually means her apology that you don't see what the clans see. You are so brainwashed by her words that you can't even think for yourself. I even see it Lionblaze, and I'm blind!" Jayfeather stopped behind him.

"You know, if I was Cinderheart I would turn you away too. I wouldn't want to bear the kits of someone who is close to a traitor," he hissed nastily, and smirked with satisfaction when he heard Lionblaze's paws shift ever so slightly as he flinched. "That why she left you, Lionblaze. And until you actually see the truth, she will never look your way again. Those were her words that she told me today. Until you erase that mouse dung that's clouding your mind, you will be nothing to her. She will never bear your kits."

Jayfeather could tell that Lionblaze was trembling now and he had to wince. He didn't want to hit his brother where it hurt, but it had to be done. His brother had to see, he had to. Jayfeather walked out of the den, leaving his frozen brother behind. He was instantly met up with Thornclaw and Toadstep.

"Well? How'd it go," the golden brown tom hissed.

"He will definitely join, now that he knows that it's because of Leafpool that Cinderheart left him." He heard Toadstep crackle and Thornclaw's approving purr.

"Excellent Jayfeather. You are doing your best to protect your brother from another betrayal after all. If not, then he will end up like Hollyleaf, dead. It will be Leafpool's fault, just like before."

Jayfeather was plunged with sorrow as he remembered Hollyleaf, then his heart rose in rage as he too remembered why she died. 'Had Leafpool not did what she did Hollyleaf would be alive. Had she not broken the rule then this situation wouldn't even be heard!' The medicine cat nodded his head. "I know Thornclaw."

"Good," Toadstep purred. "Now all that is left is convincing Bramblestar, and the trap will be set. Warriors will listen to their leader, and then we can finally rid us of this, this filth!" He spat.

Jayfeather nodded his head in a agreement, stopping when they neared his den. "Leave that to me," he answered calmly. Thornclaw rested his tail on the grey tom's back.

"Of course we will," he murmured. "Don't worry Jayfeather. Soon it will all be over, and justice will be served properly."

The two left him, leaving him to stew in his own thoughts. 'Justice will be served properly,' he told himself as he neared the moss bed. He was doing what was right for the clan and his family. 'I will protect them from her lies!' His mind declared sleepily as he curled up and closed his eyes for a small nap. He was doing this to protect his brother and his clan.

So why did it all seem so wrong?