"So that's what happened in the training hollow?" Bramblepaw asked Adderpaw as the ginger-and-white tom pulled some flesh from the rabbit he was eating. The tom was eagerly recanting the gossip he had heard from the senior warriors, an animated light in his eye as he spoke about how his father had threatened Rabbitfur and had forced Wildpaw and Russetpaw against each other.

"Yeah," Adderpaw said, chewing the rabbit flesh and swallowing it. "I can't believe he did that. You'd think he'd care about his own daughter and not use him in one of his sick, twisted games. I always knew he'd use Russetpaw as a pawn."

"What do you mean?" Bramblepaw asked, pushing away the bones from the rabbit he had finished. The ominous tone in Adderpaw's voice sent a shudder running down Bramblepaw's spine. "He doesn't care about his own daughter?"

"Of course not," Adderpaw spat, as if what he said was obvious and that Bramblepaw should've known about it. "To him, she-cats are just a game he can play with, that he can order and move around at will. They're nothing to him. Now, toms? Yeah, those are warriors that'll serve him and do what they want, but he doesn't see she-cats like that."

"What about Sunleaf?" Bramblepaw inquired, having a hard time believing that the strong, powerful WindClan leader could disregard cats like that. After all, his deputy was a she-cat. "Or Petalspring? Or Berrysplash?"

"Sunleaf is just some pretty she-cat he picked off the sidelines of the Clan and thought he could have to himself," Adderpaw growled. "He dropped my mother the moment she couldn't give him another litter. And Berrysplash is the only she-cat with the courage to speak up against him when he does something wrong. She won't be leader, anyway. He knows that." The disdain that Adderpaw spoke about his father with turned Bramblepaw's stomach inside out. Does he really hate his father that much? Isn't he Swiftstar's heir?

"So… he doesn't care about she-cats?" Bramblepaw asked, a frown on his face. "But they're just as important as toms! They're warriors, too!"

"Doesn't matter to him," Adderpaw sniffed. "Didn't you think there was something wrong when I told you about the arranged mate for his children? He doesn't care, Bramblepaw. To him, she-cats are objects he can use. It's a pity."

Arranged mate… Bramblepaw shuddered when he remembered Adderpaw telling him that Swiftstar had arranged for Russetpaw to be his future mate. I've never figured out why. "So, why does he want arranged mates? Especially with me and Russetpaw?"

"So that said tom can control his she-cat," Adderpaw explained. "And he picks pairs who he thinks will have the best kits. He wants you to control Russetpaw, and he thinks that you and she will have perfect kits." A furrow appeared between Adderpaw's eye whiskers.

"Ugh…" Bramblepaw gagged. Me, mates with Russetpaw? Having kits with her? No way! I could never control her, never alone have perfect kits with her! "So that's just for his kits?"

"And deputies," Adderpaw explained. "Berrysplash has none, and if you ask me, I think it's because she wanted to avoid Swiftstar choosing a mate for her kits. But I don't know." The ginger-and-white tabby shrugged his shoulders. "Sometimes I think I know Swiftstar, and then the next day he pulls a move I would've never expected."

Distress and anger was beginning to build in Adderpaw's gaze, and Bramblepaw realized that now was the best time to stop talking about the subject matter. He dragged his gaze to examine the clearing, watching the daily life of WindClan. The apprentices had returned from training, with Scorchpaw at the head of them. Bramblepaw didn't miss Adderpaw's narrowed eyes as he glared at Scorchpaw, but Scorchpaw didn't seem to notice. Scorchpaw gestured to Russetpaw, and the two siblings padded away, towards the fresh-kill pile. Wildpaw and Blackpaw shot each other unfriendly glares before separating, and Gorsepaw watched the interaction, looking puzzled.

Hollypaw and Wasppaw met Gorsepaw, meowing something to him, and Gorsepaw nodded. On the other side of the clearing, Violetheart was sorting herbs outside of her den, the rough leaf-fall breeze lifting some of the leaves from the ground. Deerheart was sharing tongues with Larchcloud, Thrushwing was eying the fresh-kill pile, and Dovewillow was exiting the camp, her tail waving. Songpaw watched Dovewillow with narrowed eyes.

"They're coming to us," Adderpaw murmured as the shapes of Russetpaw and Scorchpaw became more prominent, knocking Bramblepaw from his examination of the camp.

"What's wrong with that?" Bramblepaw asked. "They're your family, Adderpaw."

Adderpaw bit his lip. "I guess," he grumbled, licking some of his ruffled fur. Scorchpaw and Russetpaw finally approached them, with Scorchpaw carrying a massive rabbit in his jaws. He sat down, dropping the rabbit on the ground and nodding to Russetpaw.

"Hi, Adderpaw and Bramblepaw!" Scorchpaw greeted the two apprentices warmly.

"I don't suppose you caught that yourself?" Adderpaw asked, nodding to the rabbit.

"No," Scorchpaw confessed, looking down at the rabbit. His amber eyes sparkled when he glanced up to meet Adderpaw's gaze. "But one day I'll catch an even bigger one!"

"How was your training?" Bramblepaw asked. When Russetpaw scowled, Bramblepaw winced, immediately remembering what Adderpaw had told him before.

Scorchpaw glanced at Russetpaw quickly. "It was okay," he told Bramblepaw. "We learned a few battle moves. Russetpaw did a great job."

"You don't need to stick up for me!" Russetpaw chided her brother. Scorchpaw chuckled, ruffling his sister's head with a white paw. She turned to look at Bramblepaw. "We did good!" she declared. "I beat Wildpaw, and Scorchpaw beat Gorsepaw!"

"Oh, did you now?" Adderpaw's whiskers twitched in irritation. "I heard something different."

"Adderpaw," Bramblepaw warned his friend. Even though Adderpaw, in many ways, outranked him despite still being an apprentice, being the Clan leader's son and undoubtedly the future leader, he couldn't sit and let him bully his two siblings. They were new apprentices, and they deserved guidance, not disparagement. Russetpaw glared at her half-brother, her ginger fur fluffed out.

Adderpaw rolled his shoulders, meeting Bramblepaw's gaze. "Yeah, I'm sure you two will make great warriors. You'll have to work twice as hard to make your dad proud, though, so remember that you're being held to higher expectations than any other apprentice."

"Is he hard on you, too?" Scorchpaw asked, taking a bite of the rabbit. "Since you're his son?"

"Of course he is," Adderpaw replied, his piercing amber stare taking stock of Scorchpaw. "He settles for nothing but the best from his… kin."

"I'll be the best!" Scorchpaw declared. "You will be too, right, Russetpaw?"

Russetpaw twitched her ears in faint irritation. "I can say that on my own, thank you very much!"

Scorchpaw opened his mouth to say something, but a loud yowl against the clearing stopped all four apprentices in their tracks. Bramblepaw looked to see where it was coming from, and he spotted Tinybird near the fresh-kill pile, raising her hackles and glaring at Thrushwing, who held a rabbit in his jaws.

"You took the last piece of prey from the fresh-kill pile!" Tinybird exclaimed. "Don't you know that elders are supposed to eat before warriors?"

"Did the apprentices not bring you anything?" Thrushwing snapped.

Scorchpaw and Russetpaw glanced at each other in guilt. Bramblepaw shifted his paws, but Adderpaw's gaze was focused on his mentor and the elder.

"I was sleeping when they did," Tinybird explained, stepping back as the black tom hovered over her.

A crowd of cats began to gather. Worried whispers rushed through the crowd, and when Hawkfeather tried to step in, Patchshine pushed him back, murmuring something in his ear. Berrysplash hovered at the edge of the clearing, seemingly wondering whether to interfere or not. Bramblepaw felt anger rush through his paws. How could Thrushwing treat an elder like that?

"Then that's your fault." Thrushwing bared his teeth at her. "I've been working all day, so I deserve this." With a final snarl at the fragile elder, Thrushwing tore his jaws into the rabbit and began to chew hungrily. Wide eyes focused on Thrushwing and Tinybird, but the black tom showed no regards for the elder, simply continuing to eat.

Uh oh, Bramblepaw thought, a knot in his stomach as he spotted the bright pelt of Swiftstar trekking over to the two cats. His worst fears were confirmed when Swiftstar's strident voice echoed through the clearing. "What in all of the hells do you think you're doing, Thrushwing?"

Thrushwing looked up, a frantic expression covering his face. "Swiftstar!" He leaped to his paws. "I—"

"I was taught that elders and queens always eat before warriors do," Swiftstar snarled at him, the knives in his voice affecting even Bramblepaw. "Did you somehow skip that day when you were training? Do you not have the warrior code memorized?"

"No, I clearly—" Thrushwing was trying to speak, but Swiftstar was cutting him off at every turn.

"So, you know." Swiftstar unsheathed his claws, taking a step closer to Thrushwing. "You know that's part of the warrior code."

"I do, but—"

The crowd had grown larger. Swiftstar's yelling had gathered nearly the entire Clan around Thrushwing and Tinybird. Smokebelly, the other Clan elder, lingered near the entrance of the elders' den, but from the hardness in his eyes it was clear that he would do anything to defend Tinybird. Sandfall and Aspenstep lashed their tails, whether their anger was towards Thrushwing or Tinybird, Bramblepaw couldn't figure out. Grayflight led his apprentice, Lilypaw, away from the commotion, surely wanting to avoid the trouble that was going to come.

"There is no mercy for cats who break the warrior code!" Swiftstar's fur bristled with fury as he snapped at Thrushwing, cutting off his words. "No exceptions! We are taught this the moment we are kits! Thrushwing, I am imprisoning you in one of the abandoned rabbit burrows for three days. In those three days, you will not leave that den for anything! You will not eat, you will not drink, you will have no visitors."

"What?" Thrushwing's amber eyes widened in shock. "You can't do that!"

"Yes, I can!" Swiftstar snarled at him. "Disrespecting your elders… what a heinous crime. Now go!" The ginger-and-white tabby shoved Thrushwing into the direction of the hole, and then swung his head towards Hollypaw and Wasppaw. "You two, build a barricade in front of the nursery of thorns and brambles so that he can't get out."

Hollypaw and Wasppaw exchanged nervous glances.

"Now!" At the sound of Swiftstar's thunder, the two she-cats darted off to find the supplies they would need. Bramblepaw watched the entire event unfold, his jaw gaping. Thrushwing was one of the Clan's most respected warriors! Sure, he was feisty and hot-headed and sometimes that made him lose sight of the rules, but to be imprisoned for three days? How does Adderpaw feel about this? Thrushwing is his mentor.

When Bramblepaw turned his head to look at his friend, the ginger-and-white tabby had already leaped up, the fur on his shoulders bristling, his tail lashing back and forth. "Adderpaw!" Bramblepaw called out desperately as the apprentice strode across the clearing. Scorchpaw and Russetpaw crouched down, fear in their eyes as they watched their half-brother approach his father.

"You can't imprison Thrushwing!" Adderpaw protested. Swiftstar swung his head around and loomed over Adderpaw.

"Why not?" Swiftstar sniffed. "He broke the warrior code. I don't tolerate that lightly in my Clan."

"The warrior code?" Adderpaw blurted out, anger blazing in his amber eyes as he drew himself up to his full height, squaring his shoulders. "What do you know of the warrior code? You were born a rogue!"

"Adderpaw!" Bramblepaw exclaimed as the entire clearing went silent at the brazen tom's outspoken words. Scorchpaw and Russetpaw were frozen, as if one wrong movement would enact the rage of Swiftstar on them, as well. Berrysplash was staring at Adderpaw, her blue eyes wide with shock, and Hawkfeather gaped at him, clearly more horrified with what he had said rather than Swiftstar's punishment for Thrushwing. Through it all, only Rabbitfur stood with narrowed blue eyes, unmoving as he focused his gaze on Adderpaw.

"Be careful, boy." Swiftstar's words were laced with venom and knives as he faced his son. "I have learned the warrior code through thick and thin, and I would never violate it like Thrushwing did. I can't say the same for you, though."

Adderpaw gritted his teeth, ignoring his father's pointed jab. "Thrushwing is my mentor. What am I going to do without a mentor for three days?"

"I will train you in his stead," Swiftstar growled.

"Oh, great." Adderpaw's tail twitched in irritation. "And what if he starves in there?"

"No cat will starve in three days," Swiftstar countered.

"You won't provide him with any water!" Adderpaw snarled.

"That won't kill him," Swiftstar hissed, baring his teeth in Adderpaw's face. "Enough! I am the Clan leader, and the decisions I make are final! Tinybird!" Swiftstar grabbed the rabbit Thrushwing had been eating and tossed it over to her. "This is for you."

"I…" The color had left Tinybird's face, and she looked down at the rabbit, with a chunk of flesh taken out of it, still bearing Thrushwing's teeth marks. "T-thank you, Swiftstar."

Swiftstar stalked away, his tail lashing back and forth as Hawkfeather and Oakcloud escorted Thrushwing in one of the abandoned rabbit burrows in WindClan's camp. Hawkfeather shoved Thrushwing in the burrow, forcing him to crawl deeper and deeper into it. When Hollypaw and Wasppaw arrived at the burrow, holding thorns and gorse branches in their mouths, Hawkfeather and Oakcloud began to build the barrier, draping it across the entrance to the rabbit den.

Adderpaw marched past Bramblepaw, and when Bramblepaw turned his head to follow him, he realized that he was heading towards Rabbitfur. Rabbitfur waited for him, and then the two toms slunk off into the moorland. Suspicion made Bramblepaw's claws unsheathe, and just as the WindClan warriors began to split up, sharing gossip between themselves, and Russetpaw and Scorchpaw headed back to their den, Bramblepaw followed the scent trail of his friend.

It deviated away from WindClan's camp and down the moorland, towards where the sun was beginning to set. Rabbitfur's gray-and-white figure was stark against the grass, while Adderpaw's ginger-and-white fur was more striking. Bramblepaw's pale tabby fur blended in more with the grass, and the wind was blowing in his direction, which meant that they wouldn't catch wind of his scent. The scent of heather and rabbit was much more fragrant than Bramblepaw's scent, which made it perfect for blending in.

"Your father is not fit to run the Clan any longer," Rabbitfur spoke to Adderpaw, his voice soft. "Thrushwing is a strong, loyal warrior, and yet Swiftstar threw him in a prison for not sharing prey? What kind of leader does that?"

Adderpaw's ginger-and-white shoulders were tense. "I don't know," he said, his tail lashing. "I'm angrier than you are! Thrushwing's my mentor!"

"Thrushwing and I have fought many battles together in our life," Rabbitfur said, his voice smooth. "Of course this affects me just as much as it affects you." The gray-and-white tom shook his head sorrowfully. "Swiftstar is going to ruin the Clan if he keeps this up. We need him to name you his heir."

"And how are we going to do that?" Adderpaw asked, clawing up clumps of grass in frustration. "I'm still an apprentice, and Berrysplash is still deputy."

"Your assessment is soon, isn't it?" Rabbitfur asked. "After that, you will become a warrior. All you need is an apprentice to become deputy, and there is no doubt you'll be the heir of WindClan. As for Berrysplash… you know that she'll never be the leader of WindClan. She's no threat to you. But… there may be another threat."

Adderpaw skidded to a halt. His back was to Bramblepaw, but the pale tabby could only imagine a frown coming across his friend's face. "Do you mean Scorchpaw?" he asked.

"It's possible Swiftstar may consider appointing him deputy when he becomes a warrior," Rabbitfur explained. "Which is why we need to make sure you get there first. And.." The gray-and-white tom leaned into Adderpaw. "…it's also why we need to kill your father."

"He is not my father!" Adderpaw hissed, his fur fluffing up. "Don't call him that!"

Rabbitfur's torn ears twitched in faint surprise. "So, you finally agree with me."

"I always have," Adderpaw rasped. "I know the truth. No cat can hide it from me anymore."

There was silence between the two cats. Adderpaw finally broke it. "We need to wait. I need to become a warrior first, and then I need my name. After that, I'll need an apprentice. Even if Swiftstar isn't my father, we need to keep that persona up, so it looks like I'm the rightful heir. Which I am."

"What about Scorchpaw?" Rabbitfur asked.

"He's no problem," Adderpaw growled. "He's barely more than a kit, while I'll be a warrior in leaf-bare. By the time he has his warrior name, I'll already have my first apprentice. I don't need to worry about him."

"I hope you're right," Rabbitfur said, blinking up and staring at the sky. "Swiftstar isn't even good to his children. You should've seen how he treated Russetpaw in the training clearing."

"I'll change that," Adderpaw vowed. "Swiftstar's time is coming to an end. When it's my turn to become leader, I'll never treat any of my Clanmates as viciously as he treats his. When I have kits, they'll be the most respected warriors in the Clan because I'll have encouraged them and helped them, not belittled or screamed at."

"You'll make a good leader," Rabbitfur meowed. "And a good father."

"Thanks, Rabbitfur." Adderpaw beamed at the gray-and-white tom, and Rabbitfur cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I'd better get back to camp, so Swiftstar isn't suspicious," Rabbitfur explained. "We shouldn't head back together, though. It'd definitely set him off."

"You're right," Adderpaw agreed. "I'll be back at sunset. I'll go hunting for a bit."

Rabbitfur gave the apprentice a nod before darting away through the moorland, with the speed – and the run – of the animal he was named for. Just as Rabbitfur's pelt disappeared from Bramblepaw's vision, a voice made Bramblepaw halt in his tracks.

"You can come out, Bramblepaw. I know you're there. I knew the entire time." Adderpaw's voice was calm and steady as he signaled out Bramblepaw. Bramblepaw winced, knowing that, even though Adderpaw sounded calm, it was a very large possibility that he was fuming and would eventually snap. Bramblepaw rose to his paws and walked over to Adderpaw, who sat with his back towards the other apprentice and his eyes trained on the sunset. Bramblepaw sat next to him.

There was silence between the two apprentices, with Bramblepaw memorizing Adderpaw's exchange with Rabbitfur. There was no doubt about it now – Adderpaw and Rabbitfur were planning a rebellion. He didn't know when or where it would happen, but the end goal was clear – to get rid of Swiftstar. Both Adderpaw and Rabbitfur saw him as a bad leader. Was it possible that sentiment was shared throughout the rest of WindClan? It was true that, to Bramblepaw, Swiftstar was hard, mean, and hostile to his Clanmates, but he had kept WindClan together and defeated their enemies. He had policies that made WindClan strong and saw them through many troubles, like bitter leaf-bares and attacks from not only just the other Clans, but other animals and rogues.

So, was the treatment of Thrushwing the drive they needed to get rid of him? Or was it the straw that broke the rabbit's back? There's so much to Adderpaw I don't know, Bramblepaw suddenly realized. He had been best friends with Adderpaw since they had been kits, and Bramblepaw thought he had a pretty good idea of how he worked. He knew his personality, his traits, his history, his mannerisms – everything. They were perfectly in sync, they could tell what the other was feeling, but when Adderpaw sat, a desolate, sorrowful look in his eyes, yet his shoulders full of tense anger, Bramblepaw wasn't sure just how much about him that he knew.

"You hate me, don't you?" Adderpaw finally asked, without turning to look at him. His voice cracked. "Because you know I want to get rid of my father."

"I could never hate you," Bramblepaw said honestly.

"Then let me explain. I don't want to get rid of my father because I hate him. No cat really likes how he's governing. Being victorious in battle is not enough to run a Clan." The fur on the back of Adderpaw's spine pricked. "Many cats are squabbling. If you want to run a Clan, the support of your warriors is essential. My father makes them bow to his power. But, in times of need, they won't support him. My father has no future. Don't you think so?"

"I… I never thought I would hear you say that," Bramblepaw confessed.

"You're the only one I can talk to," Adderpaw said, turning his gaze to stare at Bramblepaw. "Please, don't hold it against me. My first loyalty is to my Clanmates. I can't stand to see them falling apart because of my father's poor ruling. Say you understand. Tell me that you won't hate me because of this. You don't even have to agree with me. I just want you to see things from my point of view."

Bramblepaw felt the tip of his tongue turn dry. He wasn't sure how much he enjoyed the idea of turning on his own Clan leader, but he could only imagine the pain it took for Adderpaw, Swiftstar's own son, to come to this decision. Finally, Bramblepaw forced his head to nod. "I'll try, Adderpaw. I really will."

"Thank you, Bramblepaw." Adderpaw drooped his head, and for a moment he looked ages older than Bramblepaw had ever seen him. "I've got to figure out what to do, to save my Clan before it falls apart."

Bramblepaw stared at his friend, not knowing what to say. If Adderpaw wanted him to help, how should he? Should he contribute to overthrowing his Clan leader? He hadn't seen what Adderpaw was saying. Maybe I need to wait to see what I think. Oh, Adderpaw, I hope you know what you're doing.