The golden tabby stretched his forearms, letting out a great yawn.
"Wake up!" someone prodded him at his side. Mumbling, Lionblaze stood up and stretched. "What do you want Dustpelt?" Dustpelt rolled his eyes and crept out of the den, "Firestar wants in his den!" The gray warrior called over his shoulders. Signing, Lionblaze crept out after him and walked to his leader's den. The golden tabby climbed the rocks to the highledge, and the ferns opened up and revealed his leader. Turning out of his nest, Firestar raised his flamen golden head and rested his green eyes on his beloved warrior. "Have you organized the war patrols?" Lionblaze awkwardly sat down near the entrance, tail over paws. "Y…Yes. Uh, Flameflight, Frostpelt, Cherrytail, Brackenfur and Seedfrost watch the Windclan border. Nightmist, Moleflight, Graystripe, Sandstorm, Dovewing, and Ivypool stalk the heart of the territory while Dustpelt, Cinderheart and I, Bumblestripe, Lilyheart, Toadstep, Twigpaw, Hollowpaw, and Blossomfall watch the Shadowclan border. Rosepetal, Foxleap, Owlpaw, Flightpaw, Crystalpaw, Mousewhisker, Berrynose, Poppyfrost and Hollyleaf watch the lake for any strangers. The rest will guard the camp…." Lionblaze trailed off in case he chose the wrong for a patrol. Firestar nodded and stretched hindquarters in the air. "The time of darkness is sweeping threw the forest, brisling cats fur!" Jayfeather's words ruffled Lionblaze's fur. Firestar sprang, startled.
"Good thing we're ready. Dovewing was right; the Dark Forest is ready for war. Tell the clan to get positioned and be ready to fight."
The breeze ruffled Lionblaze's fur as he ran threw the trees, his patrol crashing threw the trees after him. Cinderheart severed a tree to run side by him. "Do you think Maplekit and Oakkit will be okay with Daisy and Ferncloud?" Cinderheart looked back over her shoulders. They had left their young litter back at camp, hopefully away from the fighting. "They'll be fine. Come on," Cinderheart gaze drew back in front of them, "Come on; let's concentrate on protecting the clan."
Shadows streamed around them and screech awoke around the patrol.
Toadstep stumbled and a small pale tabby pinned him down, its fangs moving toward the young warrior's throat. The forest hooted with screeches and yowls, and Lionblaze's patrol fought all around with the Dark Forests warriors. The forest darkened and weight brought Lionblaze down. "Say good bye!" Someone breathed on his neck, and Lionblaze rolled over.
A scared tabby with amber eyes stared down at him, a smile forming.
Tigerstar! Lionblaze threw his legs underneath the tabby's belly and Tigerstar lay winded for a moment. While his opponent lay winded he took a glance at his beloved mate, Cinderheart. His gray mate was wrestling with a
snowy tom with a long scar from neck to beneath his belly. Seeing that, Tigerstar let out a yowl, "Snowtuft! Kill that ball of fur!"
Snowtuft nodded and ran his dirty claws along Cinderheart's spine.
"NO!" Lionblaze ran, as Cinderheart let out a wail. Tigerstar dragged Lionblaze down by his flank, his claws digging in to warm flesh. Lionblaze screeched and fell to the ground, blood welling around his scratches.
"The prophecy said you can't be hurt by mere mortal, but I'm not mortal."
Lionblaze whimpered. Tigerstar flew off his back and Cinderheart drew her fangs into his neck. Behind her Snowtuft laid motionless, blood dripped from his neck and the snowy warrior grew paler and paler, he finally vanished, leaving a trail of blood. Tigerstar screeched and threw Cinderheart off, her fangs dipped with pale blood. Seeing his mate hurt, Lionblaze summoned all his strength and leapt at the great tabby. Tigerstar stumbled but still kept his paw on Cinderheart's throat. Lionblaze fell to the ground and Tigerstar rolled him over, and planted his claws into the golden tabbies
flank. A blur of gray knocked the former Shadowclan leader over.
"Get away from my son!" Drawing his teeth into Tigerstar's throat, Crowfeather growled. "This isn't over!" Tigerstar yowled as he vanished from death. "You saved me!" Lionblaze gaped in shock and Cinderheart ran to lick Lionblaze's wounded flank. Crowfeather ran and swiftly licked his golden son's bloody shoulder. The trees ruffled and Leafpool entered, "What are you doing here?!" The light brown tabby ran and purred to Crowfeather. "Well, Windclan joined the fight against the Dark Forest. What do they want anyway?!" The dark Windclan warrior awkwardly shrank down away from Lionblaze. Cinderheart, Lionblaze, and Leafpool all shrugged unhappily.
Crowfeather sacredly looked all around, as shadows walked around.
Lionblaze jumped as brambles opened up to show a bloody gray she-cat.
"Help!" Dovewing screeched, "Bumblestripe is badly wounded!" Her blue eyes showed only fear for her tabby gray mate. "The Dark Forest entered the camp!" Lionblaze shared a fearful glance with Cinderheart; Dovewing turned and ran to the camp. Lionblaze and Cinderheart followed with Crowfeather and Leafpool following, their pelts brushing. As they ran Lionblaze spotted dead Dark Forest warriors and Clan warriors tossed about.
He spotted the Windclan warriors Nightcloud and Weasalfur bleeding to death. Whiskernose was also dead between them, the young warrior's hind legs broken. Lionblaze shuddered and whimpered when he found Dovewing's sisters, Ivypool, kit; Flightpaw; dead, the apprentice's claws was curved into the ground. I guess a Dark Forest warrior was beneath him when he died. Foxleap was fighting a mottled tom. The ginger warrior had him pinned and drew his fangs into the other tom's throat; the molted tom vanished beneath Foxleap's claws. Foxleap nodded with satisfaction and looked for more Dark warriors to destroy.
As the five cats ran deeper and deeper into the Thunderclan territory, Lionblaze's heart saddened more. The more dead Clan warriors he spotted the more he wanted revenge on the Dark Forest. The golden tabby spotted Dustpelt, Seedfrost, Flightpaw's brother Hollowpaw, Millie and Ferncloud were covered in mud.
Lionblaze and the others entered the camp. He looked around and spotted a camp drenched in blood. Screeching, Cinderheart ran to the nursery to help Berrynose and Mousewhisker. Lionblaze's mate pressed her spine up a against the woven den and spat, claws unsheathed. Lionblaze looked around, in case a warrior needed help. Every Thunderclan cat had a Dark Forest partner -all except Dovewing. The gray she-cat was crouching underneath a bramble thicket; her ears angled left and right. Her special powers to hear anywhere would gravely help to locate her injured mate. Gasping, Dovewing sprang up and ran into the warriors den, her gray tail lashing in fury. Lionblaze carefully followed in and spotted three injured cats all huddled up. Bumblestripe; Dovewing's mate and the father of Twigstorm and Lilacheart, Firestar; the father of Leafpool and Squirrelflight and the leader of Thunderclan. Lionblaze's oldest daughter; Frostpelt; lay with them, curled around two tiny kits.