ThunderClan lines up in a defensive row, knowing that they must protect the nursery. With Fireheart as the only warrior in camp, everyone needs to pitch in if they are to survive -- but Dustpaw sends Cinderpaw away to the medicine cat den, knowing she will only be killed if she stays. Fireheart and Brokenstar exchanged words, and the battle is on. As Fireheart and Brokenstar fight, Clawface suddenly attacks Fireheart, and feeling StarClan's support, Fireheart is filled with rage for the cat who killed Spottedleaf. As it looks like Clawface will win, suddenly Graystripe appears and saves Fireheart, killing Clawface with a single bite. Unfortunately the rest of Bluestar's patrol has not arrived yet, and the fight is far from over. As Fireheart looks around, the invaders are being beaten back, but there is no sign of Brokenstar. Fireheart races to the medicine cat den, thinking of Cinderpaw, but finds Brokenstar withering, his eyes bleeding and scratched, as he looses a life. Yellowfang stands over his body. The battle outside has all but ended, and as they watch Brokenstar die, Yellowfang betrays her most closely guarded secret. Brokenstar, son of Raggedstar, is her son.

Bluestar arrives back at camp, closely followed by Tigerclaw's patrol. Clawface's body is being buried, but there is still the fate of Brokenstar to be decided. He his eyes are wounded beyond the help of StarClan, and Yellowfang and Bluestar agree that by leaving him blind in the forest or killing him in cold blood would be stooping to his level. Tigerclaw and Whitestorm are dissatisfied, but Bluestar agrees they will return to the issue in a moon, when Brokenstar's other wounds have healed. For now they will know him as Brokentail, as he no longer deserves the title of a leader.

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