The cats have no natural enemies in the forest, but the Clans occasionally fight with each other to occupy hunting grounds, to settle dissensions, or even to drive each other out from their territories. In an earlier battle to re-occupy a region known as sunning rocks, the ThunderClan deputy (second in command) Redtail loses his life. This happens shortly before Firepaw arrives. Firepaw later learns from Ravenpaw that the deputy was not killed by the enemy Clan but by Tigerclaw, an ambitious ThunderClan warrior. Expecting to be named deputy, he is disturbed when Lionheart is made the new deputy just after Firepaw arrives. Firepaw and Graypaw help Ravenpaw escape the forest to live on a farm as Tigerclaw plans to kill him for knowing about his secret...