Edited ✔️

As soon as Icetail got back to camp from his patrol, he padded angrily over to Dewfang, his ears drawn back and his tail lashing.

"Oh, hi," purred his brother with a smirk on his face.

"Don't hi me," growled Icetail. "Do you mean to me that you're planning on taking Silverpaw as a mate?" Even though he was having an outburst, he kept his voice low enough so nobody could hear him.

"How'd you hear that?" Dewfang asked, not looking surprised.

"She told me what you were doing," Icetail responded. "She doesn't feel comfortable."

Dewfang lied down in his nest and shrugged. "Whatever," he said. "Anyways, move. You're in my sun." His white fur was as briliant as it was on their apprentice ceremony. His eyes glinted of something that Icetail couldn't understand.

Icetail's eyes narrowed. I can't believe StarClan chose Dewfang to lead. I would've made a better leader than this mouse-heart! Where is that innocent cat who saved Silverkit and Squirrelkit with me from DarkClan? Why is he like this?

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join beneath the Moonrock for a Clan meeting!" Brightstar called, dismissing Icetail's thoughts.

"Let's go. Brightstar's summoning us," Icetail muttered, stalking to the clearing. Dewfang shrugged and padded to the center of the camp. Icetail remained in the back, taking a spot besides Volefur and Dawnstripe.

When Brightstar saw that most of the cats of MoonClan gathered, she began. "Tonight, there will be a full moon, so there will be a gathering," she began. "I've thought about it all day . . . and I've decided the elders will remain in camp for Softpelt's burial. Her vigil was long and her soul will be blessed by the full moon tonight. She has found her place with StarClan." Brightstar stopped speaking and closed her eyes for a moment. The Clan remained in grim silence before she opened her eyes once more. Her expression was unreadable to Icetail. "Before everyone goes tonight, they must pay their respects to our fallen warrior."

Icetail glanced around. Petalwing, Softpelt's littermate, sat alone in the crowd, her eyes sadly watching her paws.

"Those who will come to tonight's gathering will be Sagepelt, Graywing, Silverpaw, Bluewing, Squirrelpaw, Dawnstripe, Voleheart, Rainwhisker, Icetail, Dewfang, Crowflight, Redsky, Hawktalon and Sweetheart. While I am gone, Sharpfang will be in charge. This concludes today's Clan meeting," Brightstar meowed, leaping off her den.

She padded over to Softpelt, ears drawn back and shoulders hunched low in grief and silent defeat.

* * *

Icetail kept to the front of the group as they traveled through the territories to the gathering place. Everybody remained silent, their thoughts likely on Softpelt and the murderer that was likely roaming the forest. When they arrived at the gathering place, the clearing was already filled with all the Clan cats, indicating that MoonClan was the last to arrive. Icetail took his spot besides Silverpaw, glaring at Dewfang, who didn't seem to notice.

"I suppose everyone is here now, so let the gathering begin!" Sandstar called.

All cats grew silent. Icetail took his gaze of his brother and stared up at the crazed DarkClan leader. Her fur was more shaggy than it was last moon, and she had more scars than ever before coating her pelt. She didn't look like she usually did. Something about her was off . . .

"I will start," Swiftstar meowed angrily. "I want to start off by mentioning something that everyone should be aware of."

Brightstar raised her brow. "And what is that?" she asked.

Swiftstar's eyes looked pained. "There's a murderer roaming our territory. Either a Clan cat or a rogue, we do not know. What we do know is, that cat is among us in our territories!"

Icetail's eyes widened. "There's a murderer in our territory, too!" he called.

So he hasn't been targeting just MoonClan? he thought with surprise. The thought of that wasn't comforting. After all, who knows what kind of cat this murderer could be?

"Us too," meowed Berryheart, MarshClan's deputy. "There have been several attempts on our cats, but thankfully he was never successful."

Brightstar clawed the rock she was on. "There was a failed attempt long ago . . . but a moon ago, Vinetail died. And today." The MoonClan leader stopped talking for a moment to contain the sadness, and began again. "Softpelt was victimized, too. We lost two of our dear Clanmates this last moon."

Swiftstar rested his tail on Brightstar's shoulder to comfort her. "It is upsetting that your medicine cat is gone. I heard from Echoleaf of what happened. And I am sorry about your warrior, Brightstar." She dipped her head to him, grateful for his respect. "As for my Clan, we have a new queen in the nursery—Heartsky. But sadly, we lost a very dear apprentice in death. Our dear Lightpaw was taken by that murderer."

Most of the CloudClan cats became silent. Brightstar hissed loud enough for those close enough to hear. "How can we just let this murderer get away with this? Why is it that we can't defend against one single cat?"

Her frustration wasn't lone. Nearly every cat in the gathering muttered their agreements, except for the cats of DarkClan. Icetail should have known that none of their cats were targeted. After all, they were a big suspect.

"We will catch that murderer at all costs," Swiftstar said in agreement. "We won't let him escape us!"

Brightstar nodded. "We must make sure of it. All of us."

After a few moments of silence, Lakestar stood up. "I'll speak next," he mewed. Everyone looked up to StreamClan's leader as he waited for the murmuring cats to silence down. Finally, he began. "We have been receiving well prey from the river and new kits in the nursery. Luckily, none of our cats have seen a rogue murderer in our territory. I am sorry for the losses of the other Clans."

Icetail could feel some cats tense. "Or someone in StreamClan is responsible for the murderer!" growled a CloudClan warrior. Icetail looked at the warrior, eyes wide. Are they so scared that they will start making up answers? he thought with disbelief. "Of course it makes sense that none of your warrior's were a victim!"

"How dare you put the blame on StreamClan!" snapped one of their warriors back. Back and forth, the two Clans began to argue.

"Nobody's going to be blamed!" Stonestar yowled through the outbreak of the CloudClan and StreamClan cats. "We don't know for sure of the facts."

"I agree," mewed his medicine cat.

Lakestar's eyes were angry. "As I was saying," he meowed, "I think this cat is white-furred." Some cats tensed. "My Clanmates have reported a white-furred MoonClan warrior washing mud off his pelt in puddles surrounding our rivers. I'm not sure if this helps, but . . ."

"Dewfang!" Icetail gasped, looking at his brother. He's the only cat who is not shocked from these deaths! he recalled. And one of the only white-furred warriors in MoonClan. Please, StarClan, don't let it be my brother.

Dewfang smirked and Icetail's heart stopped. "I can't believe you stupid cats are finally putting two and two together."

Icetail's fur bristled. "I knew you were up to something," he growled to his brother, slowly standing up. Everybody was silent, watching as the scene unfolded. He stood up taller, and he could see their father, Sparrowheart, frozen shocked by the base of the leader's rock.

"So it's true?" Brightstar growled, leaping down to the forest ground. She padded up slowly. "Dewfang, answer me now. Is it true?"

"You would have found out sooner or later." The fierce warrior stood, backing away from the crowd of MoonClan cats with a devious look in his eye. CloudClan warriors started to hiss, their fur bristling as they stared at Dewfang.

Brightstar puffed up her fur, unsheathing her claws. "I never thought that it would be you! You were always such a good warrior . . . but now I see. It was all an act!"

"Stupid MoonClan cats," laughed Dewfang, backing away. "You all were so obsessed with me. You would have never suspected!"

Swiftstar stood up. "Brightstar! It's against the warrior code to kill. You cannot do this, or else StarClan will disapprove!"

Brightstar froze in place, her paws stuck on the ground at Swiftstar's words. Lakestar nodded with agreement as the other two leaders sat watching in silence. Was she really going to kill him? thought Icetail with fear. He began to tremble, Silverpaw pressing closer to him with fear.

"You're banned from MoonClan!" Brightstar finally growled. "If you are ever seen on my territory again, all of my warriors have permission to kill you. You have no allies, Dewfang. Leave this place, or you won't live to see another day!"

"The same goes for me," hissed Lakestar. "I'm sure the other leaders will agree. You are no longer welcome here!"

Dewfang's tail lashed eagerly. "I wouldn't want to be welcomed by such weak Clans anyway. Good riddance to all of you!"

"I thought we were brothers!" shouted Icetail, his voice hoarse. "You betrayed me!"

Their eyes met for a brief second. He couldn't tell what his brother was thinking, but he could only feel the emotions swirling through his own head. His own littermate . . . his brother, gone . . .

Dewfang whirled around and stalked out of the gathering place, not bothering to glance back. Icetail could not believe this was happening. Sure, I suspected my brother . . . but I never wanted to believe it!

"Traitor!" some cats from MoonClan yowled.

"I never want to see you again!" growled cats from other Clans.

Icetail stared at the entrance as his brother dissapeared, basking in the comments of hate he was recieving until he was gone.

"I'll make sure he goes!" Rainwhisker meowed.

"I'll go too," said Crowflight.

The two cats went after Dewfang through the entrance.

Brightstar shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, in as much disbelief as everybody else. Then, she looked up to the leader's rock with fierce and angry eyes. "Sandstar, have you got anything to say?"

Sandstar's green eyes were dull, harboring no emotion. "No," she said simply before leaping of the large rock. She observed MoonClan once more, meeting Icetail's gaze. "DarkClan is dismissed."

* * *

"This is all too much to take in," murmured Nightrose, pacing back and forth. "What if Dewfang comes back? What if he takes one of my kits? And why did Sandstar leave just like that?"

Fireshade padded up to her and shook his head. "I will never let that happen," he growled. Nightrose nodded and licked one of her kits between the ears, while the other two played happily together. "And DarkClan has always had their mysterious ways."

Icetail kept his eyes on the entrance, wondering if Dewfang will ever walk through it again. He jumped when he saw a cat emerge, but then realized that it was only Crowflight and Rainwhisker.

"What has happened?" Brightstar immediately asked, padding up. Sparrowheart sadly walked over to Icetail and rest his tail on his son's back as their leader spoke. "Did Dewfang leave the territories?"

Rainwhisker nodded. "Yes. We saw him before he left," meowed the warrior, shaking his head. "Dewfang asked us if we wanted to . . . 'join' with him. I don't think he is planning to give up so easily."

"What do you mean by that?" Icetail growled. What could Dewfang possibly be planning?

Crowflight looked up, his eyes glimmering in the moonlight. "It means that Dewfang has reinforcements. He wants to strike back, Brightstar. That's what we think it means."