"Spottedleaf!" I turned around to look at Bluestar. "Should you battle tonight?" I nodded. "It's just a wrenched claw. I must fight, Bluestar. I must." Bluestar looked like she wanted to protest, but she just nodded briskly and hurried away.
Yawning, I licked my claw, applied herbs and ate some poppy seeds. I needed a lot of rest for dawn.
A yowl woke me up. Yellowfang! I leapt up and shook my fur, ready for this. We StarClan cats had to win today. We had the backing of the Clan cats. Or so I thought. I knew some would not fight, or refuse, but I was not prepared later on. That story will come when it comes.
Still sleepy, I hurried out of the den and looked at the crowd. Some were furious, some scared, some anxious, and many other emotions. I whisked my tortoise-shell tail and got a good look. Some, I would never see again. I knew that even I might not have made it. What was death after death? Antpelt would know. I shuddered at the thought of him and pushed the thought away.
Bluestar looked around, saw that every cat was there, and thrust her chin in the air. "The Dark Forest will not win today!" Every cat yowled in agreement, and on those simple words, every cat was ready. Young and old, all would fight. They were risking everything. I didn't know why, but I felt it too. But yet there was a nagging feeling inside of me, like it knew we wouldn't. I ignored it. It would only throw me off, and then we really would lose. Not today.
Every cat practically flew out of camp, and I pushed myself to keep the formation, and to go fast, faster. But not so much that my energy would drain. That would be mouse-brained.
The battle place was growing nearer. I could see the glinting of eyes from the shadows. At the border, they leaped out and we all hit head on. I couldn't show weakness now. How ironic, isn't it? My job was to heal, and now, I had to kill. The future depended on my actions.
The first cat I had to attack was a sturdy, large built she-cat, ginger and white, amber eyes. Mapleshade.
Roaring, I threw myself at her. Crookedstar stared at a tom disappearing, and I howled his name. He should be the one to kill her. He realized this and while I pinned her down, slit her neck many, many times, until she was gone. Forever.
He grinned and leapt away, and I did the same. I saw a shadow. Perfect, Maggottail, one of the oldest and therefore, was going to be gone soon anyway. I slipped under him and cut straight through his stomach, like Scourge had done to Tigerstar. His blood poured onto me, and I pushed him off of me. Blood gorged everywhere and I watched it disappear in horror. I shook my head fiercely and told myself, Get used to it. You'll see it a lot.
Next, I jumped onto a black she-cat with blue-green eyes. She was petite, but looked strong. She flipped backwards and pinned me, flipped around and pinned down my back legs with her own, and the same with my front. Oh no, was this my end?
She leaned down towards my throat, but I through my head up full force and we klunked heads. Hard. She gasped in surprise and pain and fell back, and I, taking the oppurtunity, bit her neck and watched her start to fade. I leaped away before she was gone.
Then I realized Speckletail. Oh no! A big gray tom with orange eyes leaned down and bit her neck, and she began to fade as blood spurt everywhere. "No!" Eyes blurred in rage, I leapt on top of the tom and cut his back from his neck to tail, then bit his neck. He faded quickly, and I calmed. I leapt to a tortoise-shell tom with amber eyes. I finished him quickly, and noticed cats going into the world below. Tigerstar! I launched myself towards him, growling menacely, but he sidestepped and continued, bounding now. I prepared to jump towards him again, but I was knocked over by Darkstripe. I hissed in his face as he prepared to rip my belly open and I lashed out to his belly with my back claws. Blood poured out and he fought to keep going, so I looked around as he struggled. Bluestar was battling Hawkfrost, and I let out a screech when he cut her neck and she started to fade.
I slashed Darkstripe's belly again and he faded, but I leapt toward Bluestar. "No, Bluestar, no!" She gasped for air and her voice rasped. "You can win, Spottedleaf. You can. Do it for me." And then she was gone. Adrenaline coursed through me as I killed a few more cats, then slithered to the Clan cats world. I saw Firestar battling Tigerstar, and then he was gone. Firestar was defeated. And then, like magic, which it wasn't, he appeared next to me. "Welcome to StarClan, Firestar," I murmured, and he brushed his tail along my flank as he rushed away toward Tigerstar once more. Tigerstar was gone in a flash.
I whipped around and threw myself back into the battle. Growling, I leapt onto Breezepelt's back as he battled Hollyleaf. He was soon gone, then next to me and I defeated him again, but it was hard. He had regained his strength by dying.
I looked around and saw how many cats were against StarClan. But who was and who wasn't? Then, I saw Ivypool. She was on a tree branch, looking worried. I immediately understood. Lionblaze and Jayfeather had made her go, and now she had divided loyalties. I growled. I should have stopped it.
I tore my eyes away and realized it was almost over. Bodies littered the clearing, and ghosts disappeared. The remaining cats looked around and let out a cry of triumph. I could tell it was StarClan's side. I leapt into the air, going to Silverpelt. There, StarClan had finished as well. Together, as the Clan cats celebrated below, all of StarClan, including the recently dead, entered the Dark Forest. I could see blood, where they must have trained. Then, we all saw it. One gray and white body slumped beside a bush. A deathberry bush. I rushed forward, motioning for the others to stay. Firestar began to follow, but I shook my head. I had to do this alone.
I padded silently toward Ivypool. She looked up at me as I neared. "I'm sorry, Spottedleaf." I tilted my head but let her continue. "I didn't battle today. By making me come, I have divided loyalties. I want to commit suicide, but I can't. You see, if I stay, no one can forgive me. I can't live like that!" I smiled. "Try, Ivypool. Try it, see if they like you and forgive you. Wait six to twelve moons, and if noone can forgive and forget, StarClan will welcome you." Ivypool nodded and started to bound away, then paused and looked back at me. "Thanks, Spottedleaf." As soon as she was out, a miracle occured.
As I returned and we continued on, the Dark Forest lit up and appeared like StarClan's forest. Every dark spot lit up. I grinned and turned. "They will have to find a new forest, far, far away." Every cat cheered. All my close StarClan friends were gone, but my Clan cat friends had come. The forests, both, were at peace.