*Author's Note* Okay, if you were expecting something related to the movie or the book Angles and Demons, this is about warriors. I decided to call it this cause I just watched the movie and I was listening to the soundtrack (one of the most beautiful I've ever heard) when I wrote this. I thought that it would be a good title, cause it's basically a battle between good and evil, Brambleclaw being the 'good' and Hawkfrost being the 'evil'. But nothing's really as it seems, is it? Anyways, this is slightly different then how the Erins wrote it. It was for a school project where we had to rewrite the last chapter in a book that we didn't think had a good ending, and I chose Sunset. I looooved the ending for Sunset, but I thought it could use some improvements. In other words, there wasn't enough drama. I made it a little more angsty, and I added a big twist at the end. I hope you enjoy!
Hawkfrost bounded through the forest, being careful not to stray too far from the edge of the lake. His plan would work perfectly, then he would be one step closer to being in charge of the forest. Brambleclaw was just a tool, nothing more. He had played his part well so far, though, and that would make it much easier in the end.
He slowed down as he caught his half-brother's scent. He wrinkled his nose at the ThunderClan stench. How could they standto smell like that? He emerged from the undergrowth to find himself in a small clearing just a few pawsteps from the lake. He spotted Brambleclaw at the other side of the clearing. Upon seeing him, Brambleclaw bounded across the clearing toward his half-brother.
"I'm glad we finally have a chance to talk without Tigerstar ripping my fur off!" Brambleclaw sighed in relief.
"Yes, I have to admit that Tigerstar did overdo the training. But at least we know to be prepared at all times," Hawkfrost responded. He scented the air, making sure that nobody else was around. He froze, tensing his muscles. Something was wrong. There was another scent, one that shouldn't have been there.
"Show yourself!" he spat angrily. He saw a bush shift and he imagined his enemy hiding inside of it, shaking with fear. He flexed his claws, anticipating the feeling of flesh ripping beneath them.
"Wait, Hawkfrost. I can handle this," Brambleclaw cautioned.
"Fine, but make it quick," Hawkfrost growled. Brambleclaw padded forward a few steps, then stopped.
"I know you're in there," Brambleclaw growled. "It would be best if you came out, instead of making me go in there." The bush rustled again, and the ThunderClan medicine cat Leafpool stepped out, her tabby pelt shining in the sun.
"I see that I was right to mistrust you, Brambleclaw. I thought that since StarClan told me that you and Squirrelflight belonged together that you were a loyal ThunderClan warrior. I guess I was wrong," she spat resentfully.
"Oh, because no ThunderClan cat has everhad secret meetings with a cat from another Clan before," Hawkfrost sneered sarcastically. "Face it, ThunderClan is full of lies and secrets. They are so unhappy with life in their Clan that they turn to the others for comfort. You of all cats should know that." Leafpool recoiled, hurt by Hawkfrost's cruel words. The RiverClan warrior stepped forward, almost touching his nose to Leafpool's.
"Soon, all of the Clans will be united under Tigerstar's rule once more. And there's nothing you will ever be able to do about it," Hawkfrost growled. Leafpool's eyes widened in horror.
"You don't mean-" she was cut off by a loud wailing coming from deeper in the forest.
"What's that?" Brambleclaw asked, worried.
"It's probably just a piece of prey," Hawkfrost meowed, annoyed.
"No, that's the sound of a cat in pain!" Brambleclaw growled. He raced forward, crashing through the undergrowth.
He burst out of the undergrowth and into the open. The edge of the lake was only a few pawsteps away. Frantically, he looked around the clearing. To his horror, he spotted Firestar on the ground. At first, it looked like he was resting, but the Brambleclaw caught a glimpse of a shiny tendril wrapped around his neck.
"Firestar!" Brambleclaw yowled, racing forward. He crouched next to his leader, trying desperately to remember how Squirrelflight had freed Berrykit. Leafpool crouched beside him, her face masked in concentration. She was examining the deep wound in Firestar's neck. Scarlet blood was slowly oozing out of the deep cut that the tendril had caused. Brambleclaw heard pawsteps behind him and turned to see Hawkfrost padding calmly toward them.
"Are you mousebrained?! Come over here and help us get him out of this thing!" Brambleclaw yowled.
"Brother, don't you see? This is your chance. You have the deputy-ship that you've been waiting for for so long. If you'd just make the trap a little tighter, it would all be finished with," Hawkfrost mewed smoothly, his icy blue eyes glinting with deceit.
"You? You set this up, didn't you?" Brambleclaw growled.
"Of course I did, brother. But not for myself. I was only trying to help you; urge you forward. This is the chance you need, Brambleclaw. Don't ruin it with thoughts of 'justice' and 'righteousness'." Leafpool's eyes widened in horror.
"You monster!" she yowled, lunging at Hawkfrost. The RiverClan warrior dodged quickly, reaching out with his paw to trip her. She tumbled to the ground, winded. Hawkfrost placed his paw firmly on her throat, choking her.
"This will teach you to stay in your place," he growled darkly. He wasn't going to kill her, though. That would only cause a disturbance within ThunderClan. He was only going to make her unconscious. He waited until her struggles faded, then lifted his paw off of her throat. He turned back to Brambleclaw and Firestar.
Brambleclaw was now standing, staring down at his leader, questioning whether he should kill him or not.
"Six lives..." Brambleclaw murmured. Six lives stood between him and the leadership of his Clan.
"Yes, only six lives stand in your way. Soon, ThunderClan will be yours, brother, provided you don't mess this up," Hawkfrost hissed.
Brambleclaw looked down at Firestar, staring into the depths of his leader's green eyes. There was no pleading in his leader's gaze, only a fierce, proud question. What will you do, Brambleclaw? This was the very cat who had mentored him, shown him the ways of ThunderClan.
He closed his eyes, remembering a place far, far away. He was crouching on a tree branch, high above the forest floor. The sky was black and the air was hot. Bright red flames leaped from the ground, jumping at his paws like a hungry dog. He could hear the frightened mew of a kit, and he realized that it was coming from him. Suddenly, he saw a flame leap up and land on the tree branch, but then he realized that it wasn't a flame at all. It was Firestar, but then he was called Fireheart. He was the savior of ThunderClan. Of all the Clans. But more importantly, he was his mentor. His leader. And now Brambleclaw was going to kill him.
Taking a deep breath, Brambleclaw placed his paw on the part of the tendril that was attached to the wooden stick. He closed his eyes. He couldn't bear the sight of Firestar, struggling against death's grip. But it was his time to join StarClan. He heard a horrible choking noise. Before he could stop himself, his eyes flew open.
Firestar was struggling with all his might against the tendril, only causing it to cut deeper into his flesh. The grass around him was sticky with blood, and Brambleclaw looked down to see his own paw covered in it.
A few moments later, Firestar lay still. They would have to wait until this happened five more times, to ensure that Firestar was completely dead. Only then could he return to ThunderClan, with the terrible news of Firestar's bloody death. He would tell them that he had tried to save him, but it had been no use. Firestar was gone forever. But he would have to threaten Leafpool in order to keep her mouth shut, which he knew he wouldn't enjoy. Nobodycould ever know the secret of Firestar's death. Except for Hawkfrost, of course.
He watched as Firestar struggled, gasping for breath, his lifeblood spilling onto the forest floor turning it red. Somehow, this all felt so right. No longer was he weighted down with thoughts of loyalty and justice. Those only made him weaker. Now, he was the one who decided what the true meanings of loyalty and justice were.
Leafpool struggled to her paws, shaking off her dizziness. She could hear a terrible choking sound coming from somewhere. But that somewhere seemed to be a world away. She could smell the acrid stench of blood. It filled her nostrils and washed over her tongue, almost making her gag in disgust.
She stumbled forward, forcing her eyes to become clear once more. She could see two dark tabby cats standing over one with a pelt that shone like fire, but was stained crimson. The flame-colored cat was struggling, and she noticed that the choking sounds were coming from him. Why weren't the others helping? She stepped forward, forcing her paws to cooperate.
"Why aren't you helping him?" she hissed.
"Leafpool, would you just stay out of this?" one of them growled, his amber eyes flashing. They seemed familiar, but she couldn't remember anything through the haze that clouded her mind. She shoved him aside. She had to help this cat, she could feel it.
Leafpool let out a yowl of pain as she felt claws rake across her pelt. The cat with blue eyes had attacked her, and now he stood in a hunting crouch, his cold eyes boring into her soul. Before she knew what was going on, he lunged at her, pinning her to the ground.
"Hurry up and finish him, Brambleclaw. Rip his stomach open; he needs to die already and we can't stay here all day." Brambleclaw nodded, rolling Firestar onto his side so he could see his stomach. Brambleclaw unsheathed his long, deadly claws. They looked so much like his father's.
"Don't do it Brambleclaw," Firestar managed to choke out the words. "I know you better than that. It's not too late. I believed in you when everyone said that you couldn't be trusted. And this is how you repay me? I'm disappointed in you." Firestar's head slumped against the ground once more. He looked weak and frail.
Brambleclaw felt a tear slide down his cheek. He sheathed his claws and crouched down next to his dying leader. Suddenly, he realized something. This wasn't how he wanted to be remembered. This wasn't the legacy that he wanted to be passed down to his kits. He didn't want them to suffer what he had.
He remembered the hatred that he had felt, the resentment that he had experienced when the whole of ThunderClan hadn't trusted him just because of who his father was. He was going to prove them wrong.
Brambleclaw unsheathed his claws once more. He turned around to face the wooden stick that was driven into the ground. He knew that it was what held the tendril in place. He dug his claws into the earth, tearing at the stick.
"You fool! If you won't kill that stupid kittypet, Iwill!" Hawkfrost yowled. Brambleclaw dug his claws into the stick, yanking at it with all his might. With a final heave, the stick came free from the ground and the tendril became slack Firestar took in a huge breath, relieved to finally have an entire lungful of air.
Brambleclaw felt his half-brother's claws rake across his pelt, splattering the ground with crimson blood. Hawkfrost leaped at Brambleclaw, pinning the smaller tom down. Brambleclaw struggled against him, but Hawkfrost was too strong.
"You've ruined it all! What would Tigerstar think of your failure?" Hawkfrost hissed cruelly. "You won't have to wonder much longer, brother. You'll soon be joining him." Hawkfrost lunged at his half-brother's throat.
Brambleclaw reached out with his paw, desperate for something, anything. He felt his claws touch the wooden stick, and he remembered how sharp the point of it was. He latched onto the stick with his claws, dragging it toward him.
He grasped it in his teeth, and just as Hawkfrost lunged for his throat, Brambleclaw thrust the stick upward, driving it through his half-brother's neck. Hawkfrost tried to yowl, but his throat was clogged with the blood that was welling up from the wound in his neck.
"Y-you ki-killed me! My o-own broth-brother!" Hawkfrost stammered, choking on his own blood. Hawkfrost staggered backwards, slipping on the grass which was wet with blood, both Firestar's and his own.
Hawkfrost swiped halfheartedly at Brambleclaw, but his brother was too fast for him. He dodged Hawkfrost's attack easily.
Hawkfrost collapsed, gasping for breath. Brambleclaw knelt down beside his brother, his eye filled with sadness.
"I didn't want it to be this way, Hawkfrost. I thought we had somuch in common. You were my family. Even if you came from a different mother, I still loved you just as much as I love Tawnypelt," Brambleclaw meowed quietly, staring deep into his half-brother's icy blue eyes.
"I feel no remorse, Brambleclaw. I know that my legacy will continue. I know that I will never be forgotten. You may not have seen it, brother, but I see it. It was all so close. I felt like I could touch it."
"What? What is it Hawkfrost?"
"A better tomorrow, brother. One where there will be no fighting, no violence, no hatred. A place where all the Clans can live in peace, under one firm rule. We could've ruled over them together, Brambleclaw. It was all so perfect. But I guess it was never meant to be," Hawkfrost meowed, his eyes becoming distant. But there was no regret in the icy blue depths. Only sorrow and disappointment. Disappointment in himself for being so blind. He had acted violently when he knew that it could've been easier. "Someday, you'll see, Brambleclaw," he whispered. His head fell back, the blood from his wound turning the lake red. His eyes stared straight ahead, but that familiar spark of ambition was gone. Now, all they reflected was oblivion.
"I'll miss you, brother." Brambleclaw whispered. His amber eyes were filled with sorrow. Why had it come to this? It didn't matter, though. Hawkfrost had been blinded by visions of an impossible future. What separated the Clans only made them stronger. There was unity within them, but Hawkfrost was too busy seeking further unity to notice what had been right in front of him all along.
But he was right, he wouldn't be forgotten. Brambleclaw was sure that there was good in him. No one was completely evil. Not even Tigerstar. Hawkfrost and Tigerstar had chosen their own shadowy paths, though. There was no turning back, the past was the past, and no one could ever bring it back.
Brambleclaw closed his half-brother's eyes for the last time and stood up. The lake was stained red with Hawkfrost's blood. There was so much blood everywhere. He looked around, surveying the carnage. Firestar struggled to his paws and padded over to his deputy.
"I'm proud of you, Brambleclaw," Firestar mewed. Brambleclaw was taken aback by that.
"Proud? I tried to kill you. I'm just as evil as Hawkfrost and Tigerstar. I don't deserve to live," Bramleclaw growled.
"No, you may have tried, but you realized what you were doing was wrong. That's all that matters, Brambleclaw." Brambleclaw shook his head. Why couldn't Firestar understand?
Suddenly, Brambleclaw understood it all. Hawkfrost just wanted peace within the Clans. He wanted the death to end. But for that to happen, there would have to be one more death.
Bracing himself, Brambleclaw lifted his half-brother's body onto his back. He took a step forward, feeling the lake water welling up around his paws.
"What are you doing, Brambleclaw?" Firestar asked, concerned.
"I'm ending this, once and for all," Brambleclaw replied. The dark tabby warrior strode purposefully forward, going as far as he could without having to swim.
When the water was up to his chin, he took a deep breath and dived forward, still carrying Hawkfrost's body on his back. Hawkfrost was only a dead weight, and with every stroke, Brambleclaw felt his strength ebbing away until he couldn't go on anymore.
He took another deep breath and stopped struggling to stay above the water. Firestar's green eyes widened in horror as he watched Brambleclaw disappear under the water. He imagined the cat he had once mentored, the kit he had sacrificed so much to save, Tigerstar's son, disappearing forever in one final act of loyalty. Not to his Clan or his leader, but to his brother, his father, and to the better tomorrow that they had all imagined and fought for.