The wind was howling like wolves, it's voice carrying through the vast forest. It was snowing heavily, and the starry night sky was barely visible above the white flakes swimming in the air. A cat as dark as midnight padded among the trees.
Darkstar. He was unaware of his stalker stealthily crouched in the undergrowth. Darkstar flicked his tail. Dozens of cats emerged out of the darkness of the shadows, their eyes shining like stars in the night.
A small red-furred apprentice waited among them. Redpaw was on her third patrol as an apprentice, but she was told that this was no ordinary patrol. Her mentor, Goldfur, had told her just to follow what everyone else was doing. So she did. Silent as mouses, they crept towards the Sunning Rocks. The stalker flicked his tail, and a battle broke out.
Dozens of hidden cats jumped and attacked. Redpaw starred in bewilderment as a thick-furred Riverclan apprentice jumped onto her back. Redpaw threw the cat off her and swiped at his muzzle. The Riverclan cat bounded away.
Redpaw looked across the clearing. Darkstar hissed and leaped onto Twostar's back, clawing and yowling like a rabid dog. Twostar screeched and hissed and flung the wiry black cat off his gray fur. Darkstar's deputy, Goldfur, scratched at Twostar in anger. Twostar flicked his tail in irritation and pinned Goldfur down. The large gray tabby hissed. "Why even try to take back the Sunning Rocks. Our borders are meant to keep you Thunderclans out!" He spat.
Redpaw bounded over and swiped at the large gray cat's weird double tail. Twostar whipped around and jumped onto Redpaw's back. She yowled in pain and wriggled out from underneath the giant cat. As she attempted to get away, Twostar bit into her leg and tore at it with his powerful jaws. Redpaw yowled her pain even louder.
Goldfur bounded over and struck Twostar's tail with his unsheathed claws. Twostar whipped around and pinned the golden cat down. Goldfur struggled against Twostar's firm grip. Twostar dug his claws into the golden cat. Goldfur meowed his pain. "Long live Thunderclan!" He croaked. Twostar bit into his neck. Goldfur yowled.
"Long live Riverclan." Twostar muttered.
Meanwhile, Twostar's deputy, Silverfang, was in a tight spot with Darkstar. She clawed and scratched like the fierce warrior she was, even in strength with the slim Thunderclan leader. She rolled him onto his back and pinned him down. With a fierce hiss, she swiped at his muzzle, and let him bound away.
The Thunderclan leader bounded past Redpaw, who struggled to get up. The battle was ending, the Riverclan warriors yowling in victory and the Thunderclans running away. Redpaw limped over to Goldfur, who lay on his back, hardly breathing. Redpaw attempted to carry him on her back. Her small body could hardly hold the weight of her mentor. She limped as far as she could get with a torn leg and a heavy cat in her aching back, and collapsed in the deep snow.