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"Stonefur, I will give you a chance to show your loyalty to TigerClan.  Kill these two half-Clan apprentices."
Silence followed Tigerstar's words.  Even I couldn't believe them.  I had hoped he would send us into exile.  At least then I could flee with my sister and mentor to ThunderClan where my father waited.  But not this.  Now…I wasn't sure I was going to get out of his alive with Featherpaw.
Things had only gotten worse for us since Tigerstar started coming to our camp.  I never imagined it would amount to my sister and I being killed by my mentor, Stonefur.  Could this really be StarClan's way of punishing us for being half-breeds?  Did StarClan not care for all the cats in the Clans?  Did they really see us – Stonefur, Mistyfoot, Featherpaw, and me, Stormpaw – as imperfections, something that was just tainting the warrior blood of the forest?
I watched as Stonefur turned to our leader – well, I hoped she was still our leader…  I wasn't entirely sure at this point.  Leopardstar held his gaze as he said, "I take orders from you.  You must know this is wrong.  What do you want me to do?"
All I could do was take in a breath and slowly put myself between my sister and Stonefur.  The only thing I could think about was: What if she gave him the order to kill us?
"These are difficult times," she finally mewed.  "As we fight for survival we must be able to count on every one of our Clan mates.  There is no room for divided loyalties.  Do as Tigerstar tells you."
I only had a moment to think as Stonefur locked his gaze with Leopardstar's.  There wasn't any choice for me, was there?  I had to protect Feather paw for as long as I could.
Stonefur slowly turned and faced us.  I couldn't help but shrink away, feeling my sister do the same.  But my strength returned and I gave her ear a comforting lick.  "We'll fight him," I promised.  "I won't let him kill us."
As I turned to face him – my strong, experienced, seasoned mentor – our eyes locked.  I tried my best not to look away, keeping a determined look on my face.  I searched his expression.  There was no way in StarClan that he believed this load of fox-dung!  That's when he gave me a slight nod of approval.  His eyes shone with pride before they hardened and he turned to Tigerstar once more.
"You'll have to kill me first, Tigerstar!" he spat.
I could see Tigerstar didn't really care.  "Very well.  Kill him," he ordered.
I watched as my mentor faced Darkstripe.  He started to win against him, and I thought for sure he could beat him and then prove to Tigerstar that we're strong enough to live!  I had misjudged that.  The moment Tigerstar saw Darkstripe failing, he ordered Blackfoot to finish it.  And I knew it was over….
I'll never forget seeing Stonefur's last breath leave his body.  Though I could feel an ache in my heart for losing him…I felt even more determined to help stop Tigerstar.  And I was losing my loyalty toward Leopardstar….
She was as much to blame for Stonefur's death as Darkstripe and Blackfoot and Tigerstar were.  As Blackfoot killed Stonefur, the clearing erupted in yowls of triumph.  And the moment I heard Leopardstar join in…I wasn't sure if I'd ever stop hating her.  But my hatred, I knew, had to be directed toward Tigerstar.  I had to have faith that Leopardstar would see the injustice he was doing…eventually.
But my blood ran cold as I realized Darkstripe turned to Tigerstar and asked, "Let me kill them!"  He pointed his tail at me and my sister.
I could feel Featherpaw shaking uncontrollably next to me as she gazed at Stonefur and I couldn't keep my fear back any longer.  Were we just going to die anyway, even after Stonefur had fought so hard to keep us safe?
But Tigerstar was shaking his head.  "Really, Darkstripe?  A prisoner can defeat you, but you think you can take on two apprentices?"  As Darkstripe bowed his head in shame, Tigerstar went on, "No, I will let them live for now.  They may be useful to me alive."
I nudged my sister to her paws carefully as Jaggedtooth was ordered to take us back to our prison.  After everything that had happened to us, I told myself I would never look to StarClan again.  I figured that by letting Stonefur die, it was their way of showing that we, too, were going to die – all of the half-breed Clan cats.
But I wanted to offer them…one last prayer, if only for my sister.  Please let us see our father one last time….  Let us know that you truly are watching out for us.  And, if Stonefur is with you tonight, tell him I'll make him proud.  Even if I have to fight Jaggedtooth to get out of here to do it!
If Firestar, Ravenpaw, and our father had not come that night to save us, I am sure that I would have done something – anything – to get Mistyfoot, Featherpaw, and I out of there.  But, thank StarClan, I had my father to thank for our lives.

Description
"Stonefur, I will give you a chance to show your loyalty to TigerClan.  Kill these two half-Clan apprentices."
Silence followed Tigerstar's words.  Even I couldn't believe them.  I had hoped he would send us into exile.  At least then I could flee with my sister and mentor to ThunderClan where my father waited.  But not this.  Now…I wasn't sure I was going to get out of his alive with Featherpaw.
Things had only gotten worse for us since Tigerstar started coming to our camp.  I never imagined it would amount to my sister and I being killed by my mentor, Stonefur.  Could this really be StarClan's way of punishing us for being half-breeds?  Did StarClan not care for all the cats in the Clans?  Did they really see us – Stonefur, Mistyfoot, Featherpaw, and me, Stormpaw – as imperfections, something that was just tainting the warrior blood of the forest?
I watched as Stonefur turned to our leader – well, I hoped she was still our leader…  I wasn't entirely sure at this point.  Leopardstar held his gaze as he said, "I take orders from you.  You must know this is wrong.  What do you want me to do?"
All I could do was take in a breath and slowly put myself between my sister and Stonefur.  The only thing I could think about was: What if she gave him the order to kill us?
"These are difficult times," she finally mewed.  "As we fight for survival we must be able to count on every one of our Clan mates.  There is no room for divided loyalties.  Do as Tigerstar tells you."
I only had a moment to think as Stonefur locked his gaze with Leopardstar's.  There wasn't any choice for me, was there?  I had to protect Feather paw for as long as I could.
Stonefur slowly turned and faced us.  I couldn't help but shrink away, feeling my sister do the same.  But my strength returned and I gave her ear a comforting lick.  "We'll fight him," I promised.  "I won't let him kill us."
As I turned to face him – my strong, experienced, seasoned mentor – our eyes locked.  I tried my best not to look away, keeping a determined look on my face.  I searched his expression.  There was no way in StarClan that he believed this load of fox-dung!  That's when he gave me a slight nod of approval.  His eyes shone with pride before they hardened and he turned to Tigerstar once more.
"You'll have to kill me first, Tigerstar!" he spat.
I could see Tigerstar didn't really care.  "Very well.  Kill him," he ordered.
I watched as my mentor faced Darkstripe.  He started to win against him, and I thought for sure he could beat him and then prove to Tigerstar that we're strong enough to live!  I had misjudged that.  The moment Tigerstar saw Darkstripe failing, he ordered Blackfoot to finish it.  And I knew it was over….
I'll never forget seeing Stonefur's last breath leave his body.  Though I could feel an ache in my heart for losing him…I felt even more determined to help stop Tigerstar.  And I was losing my loyalty toward Leopardstar….
She was as much to blame for Stonefur's death as Darkstripe and Blackfoot and Tigerstar were.  As Blackfoot killed Stonefur, the clearing erupted in yowls of triumph.  And the moment I heard Leopardstar join in…I wasn't sure if I'd ever stop hating her.  But my hatred, I knew, had to be directed toward Tigerstar.  I had to have faith that Leopardstar would see the injustice he was doing…eventually.
But my blood ran cold as I realized Darkstripe turned to Tigerstar and asked, "Let me kill them!"  He pointed his tail at me and my sister.
I could feel Featherpaw shaking uncontrollably next to me as she gazed at Stonefur and I couldn't keep my fear back any longer.  Were we just going to die anyway, even after Stonefur had fought so hard to keep us safe?
But Tigerstar was shaking his head.  "Really, Darkstripe?  A prisoner can defeat you, but you think you can take on two apprentices?"  As Darkstripe bowed his head in shame, Tigerstar went on, "No, I will let them live for now.  They may be useful to me alive."
I nudged my sister to her paws carefully as Jaggedtooth was ordered to take us back to our prison.  After everything that had happened to us, I told myself I would never look to StarClan again.  I figured that by letting Stonefur die, it was their way of showing that we, too, were going to die – all of the half-breed Clan cats.
But I wanted to offer them…one last prayer, if only for my sister.  Please let us see our father one last time….  Let us know that you truly are watching out for us.  And, if Stonefur is with you tonight, tell him I'll make him proud.  Even if I have to fight Jaggedtooth to get out of here to do it!
If Firestar, Ravenpaw, and our father had not come that night to save us, I am sure that I would have done something – anything – to get Mistyfoot, Featherpaw, and I out of there.  But, thank StarClan, I had my father to thank for our lives.