Brambledusk sat next to Adderstripe as the ginger-and-white tabby lifted his head, ready to address the cats he had gathered in the clearing nestled deep within ThunderClan's territory. The leaves of the oak trees shadowed their pelts, but there were faint shafts of greenleaf sunlight that were able to penetrate through the deep leaves and dapple the fur of the other cats. Brambledusk's pelt itched as he studied the warrior cats Adderstripe had gathered.

Peartuft, Winterfall, Briskheart, and Blossomfawn from ThunderClan seemed much more comfortable in their element, and Brambledusk guessed it was because they were on their own territory. The ShadowClan cats who joined them, Redfeather, Copperlight, and Lightpebble inched the farthest away from ThunderClan as possible, and sparks flew in the air as Peartuft bared his teeth at Copperlight and Briskheart shot a burning glare at Lightpebble. The only cats from WindClan that stood with Adderstripe were Brambledusk and Rabbitfur. Brambledusk cast a glance at the white-and-gray tom who sat on Adderstripe's other side, who held narrowed blue eyes.

"I'm glad you all came," Adderstripe meowed, focusing his gaze on the group of ShadowClan and ThunderClan cats. "I understand this is not the ideal meeting place since you are arch enemies. But please, let us put that aside today and focus on the greater good. Tomorrow you can go back to being enemies, but I won't have anything to do with that, because I will be Adderstar, leader of WindClan, and I will make peace with ShadowClan and ThunderClan. You do not need to fear any interference from me."

"You better," Winterfall growled. "I don't like joining a rebellion in another Clan, not at all, but if that's what I have to do to get peace in my Clan, then I'll do it."

"I understand." Adderstripe acknowledged Winterfall's worries with a dip of his head. "Peartuft, did you do as I asked?"

Peartuft nodded, flexing his claws. "I've warned him off, but that doesn't mean he'll stay back forever."

"Fine." Adderstripe's amber eyes narrowed. "Then I will take care of him myself!"

"You're sure they won't mind you hurting your own brother?" Peartuft asked, and there was a trace of darkness in his eyes. Brambledusk frowned at Peartuft's sudden expression, but then his words sank into his mind. Hurt your own brother? Is Adderstripe going to hurt Scorchclaw?

"I will not hurt my brother," Adderstripe spat, the last word of his drawling with venom and hatred. "I will hurt Swiftstar's son. He is not my father! I'm sure Scorchclaw will try to take over WindClan if I don't stop him. I will root out this evil. When Scorchclaw is dead, and there no fears of rebellion, I will unite WindClan and create a strong, stable land!"

Brambledusk shifted his paws uneasily, not liking the bloodlust in Adderstripe's eyes. Hadn't there been too much death already? Did they have to kill Scorchclaw – or even Swiftstar? We can just exile them, can't we?

"Wait, Adderstripe," Briskheart interfered. "What is your plan?"

"I will attack Scorchclaw, and kill him," Adderstripe vowed. "Then, just as the Clan notices he's gone, I will leave for a night, set up our ambush patrol. Swiftstar will surely know that I am responsible for Scorchclaw's death, and there is no doubt that he will be glad to fight me. I will lead you into the WindClan camp, and we will attack Swiftstar. He is on his last life, so it should be easy to kill him."

"Patricide is a sin," Winterfall murmured. "Could you live the rest of your life knowing that you killed your own father?"

Adderstripe's face twisted. "He is not my father!" the tom growled. "But… whichever of you does it will be greatly rewarded."

"Leave that cursed cat to me," Peartuft growled, examining his thorn-sharp claws.

A shadow fell upon Adderstripe's face, and he opened his mouth to speak before Lightpebble cut him off.

"Do you not fear that your Clanmates will attack you?" Lightpebble asked. "Would they not fight for their Clan leader?"

"I am their Clan deputy," Adderstripe replied. "There has been a rift in the Clan for years now. Some cats don't support Swiftstar, some do. When they see that I am taking the honorable step to overthrow a tyrant, they will join me. They watched Reedstar be lured into a trap and slaughtered in cold blood. They watched Swiftstar throw my mother to the side like she was dirt to get a younger, prettier mate. They watched him imprison Thrushwing for a minor offense, they heard him kill Finchwing, and they know just how cruel he really is."

"Swiftstar was also behind the murder of our previous Clan leader, Cloudstar," Rabbitfur added, the first time he had spoken since Adderstripe had gathered the cats. "They all know this, yet they have never said a thing. I am – was – a senior warrior in WindClan, I know the strife and the doubt. There are definitely cats who will join Adderstripe in a minute if it means getting rid of the viper."

Adderstripe turned to face Rabbitfur, a longing for approval in his voice. "See, Rabbitfur? I've got an army under our command."

"Adderstripe," Rabbitfur meowed, his blue eyes narrowed, "are you really going to fight him?"

"We will be victorious!" Adderstripe declared. "You have nothing to worry about."

"How reassuring," Rabbitfur said, lifting his head to gaze at Adderstripe. "Use the territory as your own. Prove your loyalty."

"Yes!" Adderstripe bowed his head. "Thank you for your kindness. I will defend you with my life."

There was silence upon the clearing, and each of the cats exchanged thoughtful glances. Brambledusk hitched a breath in his throat as Peartuft nodded to Adderstripe, and the rest of the cats began to lower their heads to acknowledge Adderstripe as their leader in this plan. Adderstripe flicked his tail. "Good. You all understand. Meet me near the boulder in my camp tomorrow at dawn. That is when the attack will start. Rabbitfur will lead you there. Brambledusk, with me."

Brambledusk nodded blankly as Adderstripe bounded away from the clearing, heading straight towards the stream. Brambledusk was on his heels, his heart pounding. He was beginning to have second thoughts about the entire operation. Did they really have to kill Scorchclaw? Was there any other way?

His father's words on his deathbed, so many moons ago, echoed through Brambledusk's mind.

"Defend your Clan. Do the right thing. Fight for justice and truth."

The solemnity of his father's passing words made a shiver pass through Brambledusk. Am I really doing the right thing? he asked himself, looking at Adderstripe. The tabby tom's jaw was set tightly, and he didn't bother looking at Brambledusk. This would be the time where he would say something, maybe to win me over, Brambledusk thought. But he isn't even acknowledging me.

Brambledusk's thoughts were turned null when Adderstripe looked over to face his friend. The tabby's nostrils flared as he said, "I will defend Rabbitfur. I will fight my father. I'm rising up, and so many cats have joined me. Let's do it together. We must defeat my father, together."

Brambledusk nodded.

Adderstripe trekked through the moorland, his senses on full alert, and Brambledusk walked next to him, his heart flipping in his chest. Think about Oakcloud, Brambledusk thought. He died because he was filling a preposterous demand Swiftstar gave to him. He basically sentenced him to his own death, all because he didn't want to attack a young cat in ThunderClan. Think about Spottedwing, and her grieving that never really ended… and mine. And I've got to think of my younger brothers. Do I want them to grow up in a world where all they do is kill and die?

Brambledusk was knocked from his thoughts when Adderstripe hissed through his clenched teeth, the hatred so potent from his voice that it made Brambledusk fear for his own safety, "I see Scorchclaw."

The pale tabby followed his friend's gaze to see his half-brother, streaking through the moorland with a vengeful taste in his stride, his paws tearing up the grassland. Then the tom skidded to a halt, swinging his head around. His nostrils flared, and Brambledusk knew that Scorchclaw had scented them.

"Get down!" Adderstripe hissed, and Brambledusk crouched down to hide in the thick grass of the moorland. Adderstripe bunched his hips as Scorchclaw came closer to them, clearly following their scent. But his back was towards them, and Brambledusk realized that Adderstripe had the perfect opportunity. Adderstripe wiggled his haunches, and then, faster than Brambledusk could comprehend, Adderstripe was on top of Scorchclaw. Brambledusk joined him, loyalty to Adderstripe and anger at Swiftstar making his head cloud.

For a moment, it was not Scorchclaw underneath him. It was not the lithe deputy with yellow eyes and sleek ginger-and-white fur. It was the Clan leader, with his calculating, ruthless amber gaze, his battle-scarred pelt, his stocky body sculpted from years of fighting. You caused the death of my father. Brambledusk's claws raked across Scorchclaw's back, over and over until the red haze gradually slipped away and he stepped back.

The severity of the wounds Brambledusk had inflicted shocked him. He had torn deeply through skin and there was a waterfall of blood falling from Scorchclaw's wounds, and when Brambledusk looked over his shoulder, he could see Adderstripe, tearing and tearing at Scorchclaw's skin with rage burning in his orange eyes.

"That's enough, Adderstripe!" Brambledusk yelped as he noticed Scorchclaw barely moving underneath Adderstripe's unleash of hell.

Adderstripe swung his head to glare at Brambledusk, a wild look in his sun-colored eyes. "We have to kill him, Brambledusk!" he snarled.

"He'll bleed out on his own!" Brambledusk exclaimed, staring at the limp ginger-and-white tom beneath Adderstripe's paws. The lake of blood around him was crimson and sickening, and the metallic scent of it brought an awful taste to Brambledusk's mouth. "Let him go, Adderstripe. Don't you have something to do?"

Adderstripe's ears flattened, and grudgingly he got off Scorchclaw, watching his brother bleed with his lip curled and callous eyes. He turned his heel on the limp and dying Scorchclaw, having mauled – killed – his brother without batting an eyelid. Brambledusk took in a shaky breath and glanced over at Scorchclaw.

"Come with me," Adderstripe ordered Brambledusk. "We need to prepare for war. Swiftstar will not live another day." The tabby lashed his tail and walked away from his brother. Brambledusk looked over his shoulder to stare at the barely-breathing tom, and his paws itched. Did he follow Adderstripe, or did he stay to help Scorchclaw?

What would a good warrior do? Adderstripe had mauled Scorchclaw with no regard for the fact that Scorchclaw simply may be an innocent bystander. He had never shown any indication of wanting to be deputy. How had Adderstripe thought that he had been a threat? Even when Swiftstar had said that he wanted to make Scorchclaw deputy, he had relented in the face of Petalspring's death and made Adderstripe deputy instead. Didn't that mean Adderstripe's position was secure?

"Brambledusk!" Adderstripe snarled. "Come! Now!"

"Y-yes." Brambledusk shook out his fur, snapping out of his daze and following Adderstripe as the ginger-and-white tom raced through the moor, skirting hillsides and sending grass in his wake as he ran. Are we on the run, now? Someone will find Scorchclaw, I'm sure about it. So where does that leave us?

Adderstripe came across the edges of territory where WindClan scent faded to be replaced with the unknown, the scent of danger and untamed wilderness. Brambledusk spotted Rabbitfur, sitting down and drawing his paw over his forehead. He looked up, his yellow eyes flat when Adderstripe and Brambledusk approached.

"Did you do it?" Rabbitfur asked Adderstripe.

"Like you said," Adderstripe replied.

Wait, Rabbitfur told him to do this? Brambledusk stopped the gasp that threatened to escape his mouth. Is Rabbitfur pulling the strings, and Adderstripe is really his puppet? But when Brambledusk looked at Adderstripe, the ruthlessness in his glare told him that, even if Rabbitfur hadn't told him to kill Scorchclaw, he probably would've done it anyway.

"Your absence is sure to have been noticed by now," Rabbitfur said.

"It's fine." Adderstripe flicked his tail, rolling his shoulders nonchalantly. "When I go back, I will defeat Swiftstar, and become Adderstar, leader of WindClan."

"I'm very proud of you, you know," Rabbitfur meowed. "It took a lot of guts for you to do what you did, but I'm glad you broke from the chains that Swiftstar was holding you down with. I can't believe he wanted to make Scorchclaw deputy."

"Good thing that didn't happen," Adderstripe growled, rolling his claws and sinking them into the dirt. "Something would've happened to that pretty she-cat of his if he tried to intervene."

"What do you mean?" Rabbitfur asked.

"Wildheart." Adderstripe's amber eyes blazed with fire. "He's in love with her. I saw them at the Great Oak, and Scorchclaw asked her to be his mate. Clearly he's unaware of how his future is written in stone for him. But that's something he doesn't have to worry about anymore."

Adderstripe was willing to hurt Wildheart, too? Brambledusk stared at the ginger-and-white tabby tom, unable to believe what he was thinking. How many cats is he going to crush in order to get what he wants? And it's not like he won't become leader, anyway! He's just quickening the process! Brambledusk's heart pounded in his chest. Wait… he's becoming just like Swiftstar. Does he not see that?

"It's a shame that assassin didn't work," Rabbitfur said, clicking his tongue.

"I knew you sent him," Adderstripe replied. "What happened to him?"

"He came begging for forgiveness. I sent him away." Rabbitfur twitched his bobtail. "I spoke to Swiftstar's father, you know."

"Swiftstar's… father?" Adderstripe echoed. A shadow fell across his eyes, and his face contorted for the slightest second.

"Yeah. He's a rogue. Looked just like him, that old thing. He didn't like my idea, and he was on his way to warn Swiftstar." Rabbitfur's yellow eyes narrowed. "I followed him the entire way. He was speaking to Scorchclaw and telling him about our plans when Peartuft rammed into him and pushed him into the stream. He drowned."

"Drowned?" Adderstripe asked. "How do you know?"

"Because I was the one who pulled his body out of the lake," Rabbitfur growled. "Everything I do, I do for you, Adderstripe. You're meant to be the leader of the Clan."

Adderstripe hesitated, wavering on his paws. Brambledusk swallowed the lump in his throat. Swiftstar had a father that was alive? And he was killed? Rabbitfur sent the assassin the other day, that had killed Driftberry? Oh, gods… Brambledusk wondered if Adderstripe would protest, but the ginger-and-white tabby tom growled, "I don't care about Swiftstar's father. It's a good thing he drowned. I don't want his kin around."

"That means Russetstripe, too," Rabbitfur said. "What are you going to do with her?"

"If she treats me like she treats Swiftstar, then I'll treat her the same way Swiftstar would," Adderstripe snarled. "That is the only method of his that I will use, if it silences she-cats like her."

"You'll kill her?" Rabbitfur asked, worry in his eyes.

"If I have to." Adderstripe shrugged, and Brambledusk could see the same apathetic, heartless glint in Adderstripe's eyes that Swiftstar had. Adderstripe had been willing to dirty his paws to get what he needed, just like Swiftstar. He didn't mind killing kin, hurting innocent cats, getting other warriors in his business. Brambledusk understood the greater goal – to stop Swiftstar. But when he dragged innocent cats into his mess, putting their lives on the line – and, in Driftberry and Swiftstar's apparent father's case – killing them, was it worth it?

Is Adderstripe worth dying for?