Poppy froze.

She was utterly terrified.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion, she heard Skullstar's pawsteps inching closer, and her heart beating inside her chest.

"I know you're in there. You can't hide any more."

Poppy took a breath, and padded out of the den.

Skullstar wasn't alone. 

It looked like half the clan was standing outside, waiting for her.

Calm...... Be calm....

She couldn't help it though. She was petrified. 

"I see Cloudpaw did her job well." Skullstar mused.

What? Her job? What's this all about?

Cloudpaw came out of the den, head bowed in..... Embarrassment??

"I'm sorry. I had no choice." She said.

Blackpaw and Owlpaw came out too, curious about what was going on. When they were meet with half the clan however, the Tom's seemed to regret their choice.

"H-hello everyone..... Good to see you looking so.... Wide-awake." Owlpaw said weakly.

"Enough." Skullstar snarled.

"I do believe this is long overdue." He said, smiling insanely.

"I don't think so Skullstar." Said a voice Poppy recognized. It was Lilacwing!

There were several gasps, and the crowd of cats parted to let Lilacwing through.

"Your word may be law....... But you are a fool to think that you're above Starclan." She said, her face only inches from his.

"Is that what you've come to tell me? You pathetic excuse of a warrior....."

"I'm no warrior." She said, hissing.

"I know." And with that he sliced her throat, not deep, but it definitely drew blood.

"How dare you defy me. After your many seasons of obedience, I'm sad to say that-" Skullstar was interrupted by Lilacwing's rasping voice.

"Obedience? Hah! No cat here is Loyal to you! You've terrified them with the threat of  death, or that of their loved ones, you have angered Starclan, and more than half of Mapleclan." She shakily stood up. "And me."

"Your empty threats mean nothing to me, Lilacwing. You have your uses, but I think your usefulness has long since expired." 

He was about to leap on the defenseless Medicine Cat, when several cats surrounded her, protecting her from Skullstar.

"Lilacwing is right." Icewing said.

"You're no leader! You're a tyrant!" A pregnant queen said. Poppy gasped. It was Morningdawn! 

"You've terrorized all of us long enough." Poppy turned and saw the cat who said this, and it was the biggest shock of all. Cloudpaw, now stood near Skullstar.

Cloudpaw? Even you?

"I-I can't let you hurt anyone else." Cloudpaw said, standing her ground.

Owlpaw walked up to her. "Even me?"

Cloudpaw turned to him, sadness on her gaze. "I'm sorry for all those terrible things we did to you....... We all are." Blackpaw and a few other apprentices Poppy didn't know nodded somberly, all except one, who went to join Skullstar.

"Not me." He said.

"You deserve all of those things, and much worse, pathetic rogue." He young Tom hissed at Owlpaw.

Skullstar smiled, like this apprentice was himself, reincarnated.

"Leave him alone." Poppy hissed.

The apprentice chuckled. "Or what? You'll come and beg for me to stop mauling him? If like to see you try."

He took a few steps towards Owlpaw, but Poppy cut him off.

"You and Skullstar, aren't going to hurt any of my friends." She said, unsheathing her claws.

Cloudpaw, Owlpaw, Blackpaw, and a few more apprentices stood behind her.

Cloudpaw walked dup to her. "Poppy, you don't have to do this. You have the choice to just run and leave us all-" she was cut off as the apprentice and two full-grown warriors leaped at her.

"No!" Poppy gasped, leaping into the knot of cats.

She couldn't see much, just claws and teeth . She scratched wherever she could. And bit down hard once or twice.

Unfortunately one of the warriors dragged her away.

"This isn't your fight, stay out of it!" She hissed, letting her go.

"Yes, it, is!" She said, flinging herself at the warrior.

Now it seemed the whole clan was in an uproar, everyone was fighting each other.

But in the midst of her fighting she saw Skullstar, headed straight for Cloudpaw and Owlpaw, who were fighting back to back.

She tried to move out of the fray, but a silver Tom pinned her down.

"You're going to stay right here, and watch your friends die." He meowed, laughing.

No! I have to do something!

"Cloudpaw! Look out!" She yowled.

Cloudpaw turned, and was met with Skullstars claws in her face.

Skullstar stood poised over Cloudpaw, his claws covered in blood.

"I knew you were a trouble maker." He snarled.