Brambledusk led Hawkfire and Redmoon over the sloping hills, their bodies pressed close to the ground as they started the sunhigh patrol. The chilly winds of leaf-bare brushed against their pelts, and it made Brambledusk shudder. Is leaf-bare going to be as hard as it was last year? he asked himself. Just as he was about to climb down the next hill, Hawkfire's ears pricked and she looked down.

"Brambledusk, look!" she breathed out, pointing with her paw. Brambledusk followed her paw to see Hawkfire pointing at a sizable patrol of cats with ragged fur and twitching ears walking through WindClan territory, bloodlust in their eyes and their shoulders tense, clearly itching for a fight. The head rogue sniffed and looked up, as if he had zeroed in on a target.

"They saw us!" Redmoon gasped. "What do we do?"

Brambledusk unsheathed his claws. He wished there was a way out without fighting, but Redmoon was right – the rogues had found them anyway. "Hawkfire, go get a backup patrol. Now."

Hawkfire nodded and shot off, her ginger-and-white fur a blur as she streaked over the moor. Brambledusk climbed back down the hill to conceal the two cats from the rogues, but he could scent the rogues' smell getting even thicker. Brambledusk winced as he crouched down in the grass. Damn, he thought.

"Stay still, Redmoon," Brambledusk ordered the dark red tom. Redmoon nodded and dropped to his haunches, his green eyes blazing. Brambledusk hoped he wouldn't go off on his own, but he didn't think he would. Brambledusk hitched a breath sharply as he dared to look over the hill. The rogues were clearly looking for them, but they looked lost as they tried to track the Clan cats' scent. Brambledusk knew that hiding was buying them time, but the fight was inevitable. The rogues wouldn't leave unless they had one. Who are these cats, anyway?

A strong WindClan scent buffeted from behind him, and Brambledusk turned his head to see Hawkfire, Scorchstar, Buzzardwing, and Wildheart. They had joined them, and their pelts were bristling. Scorchstar walked over to Brambledusk and leaned forward to spot the cats that were trekking through the moorland.

"Who are these cats?" Scorchstar asked, echoing Brambledusk's own thoughts.

"No idea," Brambledusk said. "But they're not going to leave here without a fight. That's what they want."

"Pfft." Hawkfire snorted. "If they want a fight, we can give them one!"

Buzzardwing nodded in agreement. "It should be easy," he declared. "They're just rogues, aren't they?"

"Know your enemy and you can win a hundred battles," Brambledusk told his brother. It was a saying that every mentor recited to their apprentice, and Brambledusk definitely recalled him saying the same thing to Buzzardwing, when he had been his mentor. "We don't know anything about these cats, so we can't tell how strong they are."

The new reinforcements must have made WindClan's scent even stronger, because the rogues were now traveling in the direction that the WindClan patrol was stationed in. Scorchstar let out a low growl as the moorland winds whipped against his flattened ears. "Gather into a line, now. These intruders need to be taught a lesson."

Hawkfire immediately jumped to her father's side, and Redmoon took his other side. Wildheart joined Hawkfire, while Buzzardwing stuck close to Brambledusk as the warriors spread out into a line. Just as the rogues crossed the horizon, Brambledusk couldn't recognize any of them. I've never seen any of them before in my life.

The leader of the patrol – a tom with pale brown fur, accompanied by a much larger tom with dark gray fur – took a look at the patrol and scoffed. "Remember, Peartuft says to get Scorchstar!" he yowled at the patrol. "Attack!" The tom lunged at the patrol, landing straight into Redmoon and bowling him on the ground.

Peartuft? Brambledusk thought. Wait, these are the cats Peartuft escaped ThunderClan with? Brambledusk had no time to ponder on the thought further, for a black cat landed squarely on top of him and rolled with him against the ground. Brambledusk could feel the tom's powerful strength underneath his taut shoulders, and each blow he landed was heavier than the last. Brambledusk scored his claws down the black cat's shoulder and leaped quickly to the side before the tom could lunge for his throat. Brambledusk jumped over the black cat and landed on his back, sinking his teeth into his neck. The black cat rose to his hind legs and fell to the ground, squashing Brambledusk with his greater weight.

Brambledusk clawed the tom's back and felt an opening. He used it to squirm out of the tom's grip, and then he leaped at him again, his claws outstretched, but the only thing his claws scratched was wind. The black cat had jumped away in a millisecond, and Brambledusk met his pure blue gaze. Who are these cats? And why are they better fighters than any other opponent I've ever taken on? I can't even meet his battle moves! Brambledusk felt his breath quicken. But there's no way I'm going to let him win! The pale tabby threw himself at the black tom again, and the black tom slipped underneath his stomach and raked his claws on his underbelly. The agonizing pain made Brambledusk trip on his paws and land face-first into the dirt. He rolled on his back, trying to get up, but the black tom pinned him before he could get up and pressed his paw on his windpipe.

The pressure from the tom's paw on his throat started to cut off Brambledusk's breath. The tight sensation against his throat restricted his breathing, and suffocation started to take over. Every time he fought to take a breath, it was stopped by the tom's paw. Brambledusk felt his eyes water as he thrashed against the tom, panic taking over every instinct his body. Suddenly, the tight pressure was gone as Hawkfire threw herself onto the black cat and landed with him on the ground. The black cat got up quickly and slashed his claws across Hawkfire's face. Hawkfire gasped with pain as the tom kicked her in her stomach and sent her to the ground. The black cat's paw was mouse lengths away from Hawkfire's throat, but before he could land the deadly blow, Brambledusk threw himself on his back and forced him down.

This is too much! Brambledusk thought as the tom rolled with him and sent him to the ground again. We need to retreat. I've got to find Scorchstar. The pale tabby ran away from the black tom and raced over to Scorchstar, who was grappling with a brown-and-white tabby she-cat. Scorchstar threw away the she-cat with a powerful blow before scrambling to his paws. Buzzardwing had raced towards his side as he helped Scorchstar stand steady. Blood was pouring from multiple wounds on Scorchstar's pelt.

"Scorchstar." Buzzardwing's green eyes were intense. "Run."

"What…?" Scorchstar stared at Buzzardwing.

"You are not meant to die here, Scorchstar," Buzzardwing told the ginger-and-white tabby tom. Brambledusk gasped at the uncharacteristic hardness in his brother's voice.

"Why…" Scorchstar's eyes were wide with horror as his gaze never wavered from Buzzardwing.

"Leave everything here to me." Buzzardwing lifted his head, and something struck Brambledusk as oddly ghastly about Buzzardwing's features, as if the spirit of Death herself had come to possess him. "There is no time to argue. Go." Without waiting for Scorchstar to answer, Buzzardwing spun over to Redmoon and flicked his tail towards his father. Redmoon stared at Buzzardwing, but seemed to understand his meaning – how, Brambledusk did not know why. The big red tom grabbed his father's scruff, and even though Scorchstar yowled in protest, Redmoon ran off.

"Wait, Buzzardwing!" Scorchstar was shouting. Buzzardwing smiled gently at his leader.

"Thank you, Scorchstar," Buzzardwing was murmuring.

Brambledusk stared at his brother. "Just what in the hells do you think you're doing?"

"You too, Brother." Buzzardwing faced Brambledusk, and a sad, accepting smile fell over his face. "Thank you." Then, just as Buzzardwing turned to face the battling cats, he yowled, "I am Scorchstar!"

With that, the battling cats broke away from Hawkfire and Wildheart and lunged themselves onto Buzzardwing. Brambledusk was too slow to do anything as the pale brown tom, the leader of the patrol, flipped Buzzardwing over on his back and slashed his claws across his stomach, ripping it open with one blow.

No! Brambledusk gasped in horror as the brown tom grabbed Buzzardwing's body and draped it over his shoulders, ignoring the remainder of the battling cats and started to race away. The other cats followed him on the patrol, disappearing down the moorland with blood trickling from their wounds, just as fast as they had appeared. Brambledusk stared after them, his jaw dropping as he tried to process what had just happened.

There was one thing that was clear, though.

Buzzardwing was dead.

"Buzzardwing…" Brambledusk gasped out. His heart clenched in his chest until it finally shattered into a million pieces. His throat tightened and the strength left his knees as he collapsed onto the ground. "Buzzardwing…!" They took his body, too! Oh, gods… and he did it for Scorchstar…! Buzzardwing had known that the only intent of the patrol was to kill Scorchstar – and he had charged in, saying his name was Scorchstar to protect his leader. He knew what he was doing the entire time. Nausea climbed up Brambledusk's throat and he felt as if he was about to throw up.

"Brambledusk," Wildheart murmured. "Come with me."

"I'm fine." Brambledusk turned sharply on his heel as he limped away. The only image that he could see was Buzzardwing's belly being ripped open by the leader of the patrol, viciously and in one blow, with no regard for life. Blood spilled from Brambledusk's wounds, but none of them hurt. He was numb to the core, his entire world flipped upside down. He…

Brambledusk walked aimlessly until he found out that his heavy paws had taken him to the camp. He forced himself to look over his shoulder and he saw that Hawkfire and Wildheart were following him. Brambledusk swung his heavy head back, his eyes stinging as he forced himself down the clearing. When he landed in camp, he saw Scorchstar pacing the camp, with Redmoon sitting, watching his father nervously and with gritted teeth.

Scorchstar turned his head to stare at Brambledusk. "Buzzardwing!" he growled. "Where is he?! I heard him shout my name, and then…"

Brambledusk shook his head. That was all Scorchstar needed to know, and the ginger-and-white tabby tom faltered. "No… Buzzardwing…" he whispered.

Cinderfall raced over to Brambledusk, Lightningtalon on his heels as they stared at him with open jaws and wide eyes. "What happened?" Cinderfall demanded. "What happened with Buzzardwing?"

Brambledusk stared at his brothers. Finally, he choked the words out. "He's dead."

"What?!" Lightningtalon gasped. "How is he dead? What happened? What did he—"

"He was killed," Brambledusk replied, "by rogues."

"Protecting me," Scorchstar whispered. "It's my fault he's dead. The leader of the cats said the only purpose was to kill me, and then… when he declared he was me… that was it." The WindClan leader trembled as he staggered and collapsed to the ground. "I killed Buzzardwing."

Brambledusk stared at his leader, saying nothing. Wildheart bounded over to her mate and licked him fiercely. "Don't say that!" she chided him. "You didn't kill Buzzardwing. What he did… he chose to do."

"Did he?" Lightningtalon whirled on Wildheart. "Did he really choose it?"

"He was protecting his Clan leader," Wildheart hissed at Lightningtalon. "As the warrior code says."

"He didn't deserve to die!" Cinderfall yowled.

"It was his choice!" Wildheart hissed.

"Who were those cats?" Redmoon asked, interrupting the argument. "They said they were with Peartuft, but…"

"That must mean Peartuft has gathered more rogues to live with him," Brambledusk finally spoke. He had to figure out how Buzzardwing died. Why he died. Why were a group of cats out for Scorchstar specifically? Why was their only goal Scorchstar? And Buzzardwing had taken the blow meant for Scorchstar. I need to figure this out. I've got to. I have no choice. Just thinking about Buzzardwing's final moments made Brambledusk's blood chill to the bones. No… I can't…

"But he wants to attack ThunderClan," Harewhisker remarked, joining the group of cats with shadows in his eyes. "Why would he try to attack us?"

"Because we're in the way," Brambledusk replied. "He lives in the hills, right? Well, we're blocking his way to ThunderClan. He wants to get rid of us so it's easier for him to get to ThunderClan."

"By all the gods…" Scorchstar whispered. "Even though Peartuft's main target is ThunderClan, we're still an enemy to him, in his eyes. I… I see it, now." He dropped his head. "I should've done something."

"Like what?" Wildheart demanded. "What could you have done? You couldn't see this coming!"

"Buzzardwing is dead!" Scorchstar yowled. "Because he was protecting me! I have to do everything in my power to make Buzzardwing's sacrifice worth it. I… I can't just sit here and let Peartuft continue to attack us!" He rose to his paws. "We need Russetstripe and Sedgefall back. They've been in ThunderClan for over a moon. Rootstar must be back by now." He swung his head towards Harewhisker. "Retrieve them, even if you need to drag them by their scruffs. I don't care if Rootstar isn't back yet, you bring them here in one piece."

"Got it." Harewhisker nodded. "I'll go alone."

"But—"

"They've already attacked," Harewhisker meowed. "That means they'll probably be laying low for a bit. And I'll travel across the lake, not the moor. Having more cats would just make me a bigger target."

"Harewhisker…" Scorchstar's voice trailed off. "I can't lose you, too."

"You won't." Harewhisker butted Scorchstar's head affectionately. "I'll bring them back, I promise." And, with that, Harewhisker bounded out of camp. Brambledusk could only watch him numbly as he thought about how Buzzardwing had left camp and had never returned.

"His body…" Scorchstar murmured when Harewhisker had gone. "Buzzardwing's body."

"They took it," Brambledusk muttered. Cinderfall let out a choked sob in his throat, and Lightningtalon hung his head in sorrow.

"Then…" Scorchstar rose to his full height, his amber eyes blazing. "If Peartuft sees us as a threat to be extinguished, then he's the same thing to us. Peartuft is as much as a problem to us as he is to ThunderClan." The tom slammed his paw against the ground. "And we'll get rid of him. He's already taken one of my warriors. I will not allow one more warrior to die by his claws!"

"How are we going to defeat him?" Hawkfire asked.

Brambledusk nodded. "We don't know much of him."

"Peartuft rebelled while in ThunderClan, didn't he?" Scorchstar asked, and when Wildheart gave him a nod, he went on. "That means Sedgefall or Russetstripe should know something. We'll ask them when they get home."

"If they get home," Wildheart muttered.

Brambledusk narrowed his eyes at Wildheart. "Excuse me?"

"We saw just how comfortable Russetstripe was in ThunderClan," Wildheart said. "Maybe she's decided to stay."

"Wildheart!" Scorchstar exclaimed. "Listen, Russetstripe would never. We've been over this. I get that you don't like her, but please, she's my sister, and your family now. You've got to stop this nonsense."

Wildheart sighed and the tension sparked between the Clan cats. Brambledusk clenched his jaw – Buzzardwing had just died, and now they were squabbling about Russetstripe's loyalties? By the gods, these cats don't know their priorities, do they. Brambledusk cleared his throat, the weight of grief draping on his shoulders. "We need a vigil for Buzzardwing. Even without a body."

"Of course," Scorchstar said. Brambledusk forced himself to look at his leader for the first time, and he was taken aback by the agony and pain that tore through his eyes. "He'll be sent to StarClan as a hero."

"As he should be," Lightningtalon said, clawing the ground with his sharp talons. "Scorchstar, I swear, what he did for you… you must avenge his death!"

"I will, Lightningtalon," Scorchstar promised the black tom. "I promise you."

Brambledusk nodded and looked up at Scorchstar. "My brother gave his life for you," he said carefully. "I don't think he regretted that decision, not for a second. But now, Scorchstar, I agree with Lightningtalon. We must honor Buzzardwing's sacrifice – you are alive now because of him, and now you must lead us to victory against Peartuft."

"I am alive and he is not…" Scorchstar repeated. "The gods seemed to have spared me." A pained, pressed smile spread on his lips, one with so much agony Brambledusk had no idea what to say. "I promise you all that Buzzardwing will not go unavenged. I will make Peartuft regret every single second of Buzzardwing's death."

Brambledusk forced himself to dip his head. Am I mad at Scorchstar? he wondered. He didn't kill Buzzardwing, but Buzzardwing did die to protect him. Why should Scorchstar live and Buzzardwing die? A shudder ran through Brambledusk's spine. No, I can't think that way. It's like… me thinking why Scorchstar lived and Adderstripe died. But that's different. Buzzardwing chose to sacrifice himself for Scorchstar, and all I can do is respect and honor that decision. Brambledusk blinked tears back. Oh, Buzzardwing. I'll miss you.

A low wail echoed from behind Brambledusk, and he turned to see Lilystream racing towards them. Lilystream's blue eyes were stretched with fear and grief, and Brambledusk remembered how Buzzardwing had once told him of his feelings for the soft gray she-cat. "Is it true?" the she-cat demanded. "Is Buzzardwing dead?"

Brambledusk got to his paws. Every time he said it, it plunged the knife in his heart deeper, twisting it every step of the way. He nodded to Lilystream. "It's true. But he died a hero." Brambledusk's tongue was dry as he said those words, and Cinderfall let out a painful whine while Lightningtalon looked up at the sky, as if he was imagining Buzzardwing walking with his ancestors.

"I…" Lilystream fell to the ground. Brambledusk bounded over to her and helped her up. "I wanted to have his kits. I fell in love with him. And now I'm never going to see him again." A sob escaped her mouth. "I hadn't realized I'd loved him until I found out I would never see him again. But by then, it was too late, and I kept my love under lock and key, too afraid of what might happen if I set it free. Now, I won't be able to tell him how much I love him. That I wanted to start a family with him. I won't ever see him again!" The she-cat was breathing heavily, and Brambledusk allowed the she-cat to lay against his shoulder.

"You need to see Mallowleaf," Brambledusk murmured to her as he helped her towards the rock that made Mallowleaf's den. "She'll help you calm down."

"It's not a matter of calming down!" Lilystream screamed the words that Brambledusk felt but wasn't brave enough to convey in the manner Lilystream was. "I'll never see him again. I didn't tell him I loved him before he left! Why can cats lose their lives so easily, huh? Why?"

"We never know when, by whom, or for what, our lives will be taken from us," Brambledusk meowed as he helped Lilystream into the medicine den. "That is the world we live in, now."

Lilystream shut her eyes as tears trickled from down them. She limped into the entrance of the den, her tail dragging behind her until her silver figure disappeared into the shadows. Brambledusk watched her go, feeling the same grief and pain that she did. Buzzardwing could've had his own family. But now he'll never get that. Brambledusk felt his throat tighten as he limped away to join the other Clan cats. He could finally feel the pain in his body, from the wounds the rogues had inflicted, sharp and searing now that he was finally coming to terms with all of his feelings. The numb waves had melted away, and he was forced to face his emotions.

Brambledusk walked over to Cinderfall and Lightningtalon and flopped next to them. Once they had been four. Now they were three. I'm so sorry, Mother, Father, Brambledusk thought. I let you down. I promised to protect my siblings with my life, but Buzzardwing is dead. I could've stopped him. I could've jumped in front of the way or threw him to the ground to stop him from screaming. Or I could've ran away and chosen not to fight in the first place. No, it's not Scorchstar's fault that Buzzardwing is dead. It's mine. And I'm so sorry.

A strong scent wafted into the clearing, and Brambledusk recognized the oaks and birch immediately. ThunderClan! Brambledusk snapped his head up to see Harewhisker leading Russetstripe and Sedgefall into camp. What? They smell exactly like ThunderClan cats. Don't tell me they've been gone long enough to retain their scent… As Harewhisker brought the two cats into the clearing, Brambledusk gasped as he saw a long scar down Sedgefall's cheek. That wasn't there when she left!

Mallowleaf burst from the medicine den and bounded over to Sedgefall before any other cat could greet her. She purred loudly as she nuzzled her mentor's brown tabby shoulder. Sedgefall returned the rumble in her throat.

"Mallowleaf," she meowed. "It is great to see you again. I trust you have been the best medicine cat you can be in my absence? Not that I have any doubts, of course."

"Oh I've certainly done my best!" Mallowleaf meowed. "I'm just happy that StarClan has answered all of my prayers and brought you back safely." Suddenly, the silver tabby's blue eyes widened as she examined the scar down her mentor's cheek. "Oh, Sedgefall, what happened?"

"Ah." Sedgefall pressed her paw to the scar on her cheek. "Do not fret, my dear. It is nothing to worry about."

"Whoever did it, I'll send Hawkfire and Redmoon to teach them a lesson!" Mallowleaf's green eyes twinkled with laughter, although she was still worried about her mentor. "Did they treat you well in ThunderClan?"

"They did." Sedgefall nodded, and Brambledusk stopped watching them to see Scorchstar get to his paws and walk over to Russetstripe, who was staring at the grassy ground with her paws. There was a new scar on her shoulder as well. The ginger-and-white tabby tom sat next to his sister, and there was silence between the two cats. Brambledusk walked over to Harewhisker, and the tom looked over at him.

"When I came to get her, Rootstar mentioned that he wanted her to stay," Harewhisker said quietly.

"Oh…" Brambledusk let out a small gasp, staring at Scorchstar who forced Russetstripe to look up at him with a big paw.

"I missed you, you know," Scorchstar murmured to her. Russetstripe gazed into his amber eyes. "And I'm sorry." The words were pulled out of him, it seemed, but there was no doubt that they were sincere. Russetstripe's only response was leaning into her brother, allowing their pelts to brush. Hm. All's well that ends well, I guess.

Even though Sedgefall and Russetstripe had come back to WindClan, with Sedgefall returning as their medicine cat and Russetstripe repairing her broken relationship with Scorchstar, Brambledusk couldn't help but think that their problems were far from over. Buzzardwing had been killed protecting Scorchstar, and Peartuft clearly saw them as an enemy.

What comes next?