I don't know if you can strip a warrior of their name, but you can change names like Firestar did for Brightheart, so I'm guessing this is okay too! :D R&R !

"Bramblestar!" Birchfall yowled as he ran in at dawn. He had switched positions with Toadstep.

"What is it?" The leader asked.

"I heard yowling last night, it sounded like fighting!" He told him. The cats gathered.

"Fighting?"

"Maybe one of the other clans is trying to invade," Dustpelt growled. He had navigated his way out of the elders den and to the front of the crowd, he was getting better.

"No, I smelled no Riverclan, Windclan or Shadowclan scent, but I smelled a lot of blood."

They gasped. Whitethunder growled and turned to Bramblestar. "We have to go down there."

"We can't go down there. Starclan and Skyclan said this was Jayfeather's battle alone. He has to get to the hole entrance, that is when we can intervene."

"My daughter is down there Bramblestar," the white tom growled. "I don't care what our ancestors say. She could be dying, or dead!"

"You doubt my son's abilities?" Bramblestar growls. "He was trained by this all powerful Silverclaw herself, he should be fine!" Both toms glared at each other, growling in their throats. Cherry and Squirrelflight pulled them away.

"Regardless, if we intervene what if it messes it up? We have to wait until they get to the entrance," Squirrelflight reasons.

Both toms look at her, though Whitethunder looks helpless. A stern look from his mate makes him sigh in frustration. "Fine, but I am going to stand watch." He turns and leaves the clan.

Cherry watches him with a sad expression. Leafpool lies a tail on her shoulder. "I will go get the den ready for them," she muttered and ran to the medicine den.

Luna, Ocean and Raven surround the red she cat. "Come on Cherry," Ocean whispers and leads her to the apprentice den.

~ooo~

The sunhigh switch up came, Whitewing went there, but no one came back. Birchfall was running back moments before the sunset with a high pitch in his voice.

"Jayfeather is back! He has Sakura!"

Cherry and Autumnspot were the first to leave the clan, leaving behind dust. Dustpelt, Cloudtail, Bumblestripe, Brightheart and Millie went after with Bramblestar in tow. When they arrived Whitethunder, Whitewing and Autumnspot were already lowering the vine. When they pulled up Jayfeather came first. Bramblestar nearly screeched.

"Jayfeather!"

He went over to the top and sniffed him over. Leafpool came running with herbs in her jaws. "Move!" She hisses and drops the herbs beside him, starting her work quickly.

Sakura was pulled up next. She was instantly smothered by her family. "Jayfeather!" She grunts under her brother Ocean's bulk. "Get off me you crazy idiot!"

Ocean purrs and nuzzles her hard. "We were so worried!" He whimpers.

Sakura soften and nuzzles him back. "I'm fine." She sits under her fretting family for a while, then breaks away and limps to Leafpool. "How is he?"

"You did a good job," Leafpool mutters as she redresses Jayfeather's wounds. The tom is breathing steadily and his eyes were open.

"This is way worse than the training I went under," he coughed. He was glad his wounds weren't infected.

"Alright let get them back to the clan." Bramblestar yowls. Sakura leans on Whitethunder as she walks and Jayfeather leans on Leafpool. When they enter the cats cheer. Leafpool quickly ushers them into the medicine den and keeps them from any other company.

Mousewhisker watches with a breath of relief, the two survived. Squirrelflight and Bramblestar fix him angry look from under the Highledge. Mousewhisker sees them and dread fills him as Bramblestar jumps onto it. "Clan, gather!" He spits, and the anger shocks them. Squirrelflight has Flamekit wrapped in her tail. The little kit glares angrily at Sunkit, who glares back. Mousewhisker makes his way to the front with his tail dragging.

"Clan, it is time to know the truth." Bramblestar declares. "Secrets have been kept in this clan for too long now!" A commotion happens in the back. Sakura limps out to sit next to Sandstorm against Leafpool's will and Jayfeather lies at the medicine den entrance.

Bramblestar continues after Squirrelflight climbs up and whispers something in his ear. The tom closes his eyes and calms down, but the fury is still present in his eyes when he opens them. "But first, Jayfeather, what happened?"

"The Dark Forest is rising again." He says bluntly. Shocking silence was his answer. "Ashfur, Berrynose and two other cats attacked us. There are more of them, but not a lot."

"Ashfur?" Squirrelflight gasped. Bramblestar bristles at the name.

"He helped recruit cats to go to the Dark Forest the first time so Hawkfrost could kill Hollyleaf." Leafpool and Lionblaze's growling could be heard by all, and Jayfeather himself couldn't hold back his own. "After that, Squirrelflight, he wanted to get back at you for choosing Bramblestar over him, so he tried to kill me."

"I never would've thought," Squirrelflight whispered. "He wouldn't stoop so low!"

"He's out to get Lionblaze, Flamekit, Sunkit and Gingerkit as well. He plans on killing us all." Jayfeather continues. "I also have a feeling that-" Jayfeather pauses and tilts his head. His eyes widen.

"Jayfeather? What's wrong?" Rosepetal asks.

"Thornclaw..." He mutters. "I had a dream, it makes so much sense! I saw Thornclaw's pelt and Ashfur's blue eyes; I heard his voice and other voices..." Jayfeather paused again, then he went rigid. "Flameblood and Killerfang told me he is going to look for the foreign clans..."

"He's bringing them here?!" Bumblestripe gasps.

"They are coming here with or without help anyway. If Thornclaw leads him here cats will die. Mainly you," he nods to Bramblestar, "them," he nods to the kits, "and you," he flicks his tail to Leafpool. "We have to find and kill Thornclaw before that happens."

"We saw Thornclaw talking to Owlwhisker when I went looking for Cherry," Whitethunder mews. "We can find and kill him."

"Or bring him back and let you. Either way is fine." Cherry adds.

"There has to be another way to do this," Sandstorm whimpers.

Jayfeather shakes his head. "There is no other way."

"Whitethunder and Cherry can leave any time before the Gathering, but they have to be back by then." Bramblestar says. Both cats grin at each other. "Anything else Jayfeather?"

"Yes, Sakura told me some, shocking news..."

Mousewhisker started to tremble. Cinderheart chose now to poke her head out; she was asleep until the Birchfall came in yelling about Jayfeather's success. She froze when she figured out Sakura survived. 'No!' She whined. 'No no no!'

"What's going on?" She says as she waddles out. Sakura catches her eye and she smiles. "You're alive! Thank Starclan!"

Sakura snarls at her. "You!" She spat. "How could you?!"

Cinderheart looks confused. "How could I what?"

"Don't play coy! You did it!"

"She did what?" Brackenfur asks.

"She pushed Sakura down the hole." Jayfeather states.

"What?! No she didn't!" Icecloud yowls.

Jayfeather snaps at her. "Yes she did! Sakura told me so!"

"Sakura doesn't even like Cinderheart! She's friends with Squirrelflight!" Icecloud retorts.

"You have something against me?" Squirrelflight hisses.

"Silence!" Bramblestar growls. He turns to Jayfeather. "That's a very strong accusation," he tells the medicine cat.

Jayfeather licks his paw and carefully swipes his ear with it. "I know, because it's true."

"I would never! Why would you say that?" Cinderheart gasps. She turns to Sakura. "Why would you say that? I've been nothing but good to you!"

"A facade, you hate me and anyone who is friends with Leafpool. You still believe in Thornclaw's words."

"I do not! Mousewhisker!"

Mousewhisker flinched when she called her name and looked at her. Innocent looking blue eyes held a threat to him, a threat he was afraid of. He ran to her side. "How could you blame something like that on her?" He spat. Sakura's eyes widened at him in shock.

"You don't have to do this Mousewhisker," Sakura said calmly. "You don't have to take her side. I know what she is doing."

"I-I don't know what you are talking about," Mousewhisker stammers. Cinderheart presses close to his side. He tries to glare, but he only shows a look of plea and fear.

Sakura's eyes soften as she steps closer. "Mousewhisker," she whispers as she tilts her head. Her eyes show anger and pity.

Cinderheart snarls at her. "Stay away from him, he's mine!"

Everyone gasps at her sudden change. Bramblestar growls in frustration. "This is getting us nowhere!" The tabby tom turns to his kit. "Flamekit, you said you had something to tell us," Bramblestar says to the kit sternly.

Flamekit tosses her brother a glare before raising her head proudly. "I snuck out of the camp to spy on Cinderheart. She admitted that she pushed Sakura in the hole!"

The clan gasped. The kit turned to her tabby brother. "I told you I was going to help the clan and you didn't listen to me!" Gingerkit grinned and nudged his sister. She smiled at him.

Sunkit stomped his paw and scowled at her. Whatever he was going to say was cut off by Bramblestar's angry growl. "Cinderheart," he hisses, "is this true?"

"You would believe a kit over me?!" She yowled in disbelief. Bramblestar narrowed his eyes at her.

"Flameblood and Killerfang said they saw you do it, Sakura says you did it and Flamekit says she heard you admit it! What more proof do we need?!" The Thunderclan leader says in a dead whisper.

"Mousewhisker believes me! I'm still innocent!" She snaps. Sakura gave Mousewhisker a look that made the tom cringe. He knew he could end the torture with just admitting the truth, but he wanted kits! Luna was fixing him a look that was both pitiful and something else he couldn't read. Sakura blinked slowly and smiled lightly. She was giving him support. That made the grey and white tom warm inside.

Mousewhisker closed his eyes. "I-I lied." There was stark silence. When the tom opened his eyes he could feel the angry blue eyes of his mate seering his pelt. He took a step away from her, a step that was closer to Sakura. He could hear Sakura purring, so he pushed on.

"Cinderheart did push Sakura down the hole and she was the one who attacked Squirrelflight. Squirrelflight didn't do anything to her. Cinderheart hurt herself to frame her." He turned to look at Squirrelflight and Bramblestar and dipped his head. "I'm sorry..."

Squirrelflight calmly walked over to Mousewhisker and silenced Cinderheart with a cold glare. She tapped his shoulder. "Come with me," she murmured.

As the queen led him away all eyes turned to Cinderheart. "How could you?!" Bumblestripe yowled.

"You lied to us!"

"You tried to kill Sakura!"

Bramblestar jumped from the Highledge and stalked towards her. "You put the clan lives in jeopardy when you attempted to murder Sakura; you lie and attack my mate, putting your kits and my kits in danger. You have utterly failed your clan and dishonored your ancestors and the warrior code." As he listed off all the things she did Cinderheart felt something cold seize her body. Her eyes widened in fear.

"I will not exile you because you are a queen, but I will exile Mousewhisker."

"Don't!" Sakura yowled. "Mousewhisker only lied and went along with her because if he didn't she would take away his kits!" She confessed. Bramblestar growled and turned back to the pregnant queen.

"Listen!" He yowled to them all. "Cinderheart will be stripped of her warrior name, yet her kits will be treated as we treat all of our kits and will grow up as such."

"No! Please!" Cinderheart begged.

Bramblestar snapped his teeth at her. "Starclan, hear me!" The wind started to howl. The waning moon in the sky was surrounded by clouds but the clouds didn't look to move any further. They didn't even budge. The sudden change in weather made allof the other cats look up n shock, some wailing out in fright.

"Starclan hear me and approve of my choice! This she cat has broken the warrior code, threatened the safety of a clan mate, the clans and used her kits as blackmailing material for evil deeds multiple times! Do you deny these accusations Cinderheart?"

Cinderheart shook her head and growled, "Yes I deny them!" The wind howled dangerously, pushing the she cat back.

Bramblestar's amber eyes glowed. "Starclan knows you lied, and so do we. By the power invested in me I strip you of your warrior name! From this night forward you will be known as Foxe, for your evil and conniving ways. Anything pertaining to you being a warrior is gone forever. You will remain in the clan, and as soon as your kits are old enough you will stay either in the elders den or the nursery, or if anything further has happened you will be exiled, or killed."

The wind hissed as it whipped at Cinderheart's fur. The grey she cat watched in horror as the clouds parted from the moon. Bramblestar turned and walked away. Cinderheart's ears dropped as the cats walked away from her.

Sakura, Sandstorm and Lionblaze glared at her. "See what your evil has brought you? Let's see how you survive in the clan now, Foxe," Sandstorm hissed. The trio walked away. The grey tabby dipped her head. How could she have messed up so badly?

~ooo~

Squirrelflight walked along to stream with Mousewhisker in silence. Mousewhisker trailed slightly behind her with his head down. He was anxious and felt terrible, what was she going to do?

"How you are mated to her is completely lost to me." Squirrelflight growled. Her tail was lashing angrily as she walked, the green grass crunching pitifully under her paws.

Mousewhisker sneered at her with narrowed blue eyes. "We are mated because we love each other and are very faithful."

"You came to be mates because she couldn't tell my son the truth." She hissed.

Mousewhisker stopped and stared her square in the eyes. "So? At least I don't have to worry about her lying about my kits." He shot back. He knew it was a low blow, but his anger towards her had always been there since his growing hate towards Leafpool. It wasn't her fault that her sister was a traitor after all.

'Maybe I deserve this,' he thought suddenly. 'If I was strong enough to resist her then...' Mousewhisker shook his head violently. 'No, my kits were at stake.'

He pulled away from his inner turmoil and watched Squirrelflight freeze and look fearful with deep satisfaction, though it was quickly covered with anger. Not good.

"At least I didn't use my kits against him or put my clan into danger by trying to killing one of the cats saving us," she whispered menacingly, eyes glittering. "At least I didn't plot a clan mate's death; at least I didn't listen to some power hungry mange that was bent on taking over the clan. At least I didn't follow another Tigerstar!" With that she turned and left.

"If anything I bet the foreigner Sakura could do better than that traitor." She called back.

Mousewhisker watched her go with dread. He actually believed her, because she proved a point; Sakura could do better than Cinderheart. Sakura wouldn't set him up or making him do anything like Cinderheart had him do, she wouldn't pick unnecessary fights either, or make the clan trusting him even harder.

'Sakura,' his mind purred. 'Sakura would make a better mate. My kits would be stronger.'

His fur danced in excitement. "She's been showing interest too." He said to himself as he set out eagerly towards the camp. 'I will still care for Cinderheart and my kits, just that I can't care for Cinderheart. She will understand,' was what he thought as he walked into the camp. On his way he caught a mouse and took it with him.

His eyes instantly sought out light red fur. Chest puffed out with pride he trotted over to her. Raven was beside her, but he wasn't deterred. He was stopped by the tom, but that didn't stop him from placing the mouse he caught by her paws. Sakura smiled at him and his heart swelled.

"Sakura, again thank you," he mewed and dipped his head, "without your support I wouldn't have confessed."

"You're welcome Mousewhisker," she purred and picked up the mouse. Many pairs of eyes were on him. While they all stared in glee, one pair stared in betrayed hate. Betrayed and deadly hate.