Sunrise

It was dark in the clearing. A few stunted trees and tree trunks surrounded it, the singed grass and leaves all that was left of the forest. The fire had destroyed everything, but that was not what the air of defeat was about. RisingClan had just defeated FallenClan, but at a terrible cost. Evemies and allies alike lay strewn across the clearing, mourning together for what had been lost. A golden tom heaved himself up to his paws and gazed around the camp. It was once filled with undergrowth, and surrounded by a thick barrier of brambles and ferns. But now it looked like a simple shallow dip in the ground, muddied and covered in blood. He summonded all his strength and padded to where his mate lay.

Blood was welled up around her leg, and one eye was closed. "Mistfur?" he nudged her gently. Was she alive? Hope flared in his chest as she stirred, but didn't open her eyes. "Mistfur, its me, Cometflight! Wake up, you must..."

"Cometflight?" she whispered. "It is too late. SkyClan is calling me. But don't forget, we are all fallen if there is not peace." Cometflight flinched. She had said that before, believing only peace could solve their conflict. But they had not listened, and now Oakstar, and many others, were dead.

"Mistfur, no, wake up! Wake up! I'm only half a cat without you-"

"Quit wasting your breath," Whitepaw, the FallenClan deputy hissed, heaving himself to his paws. He had never officially earned a warrior name, being exiled when he was an apprentice, and then joining FallenClan again as their deputy when Scarstar became leader. "She's gone. So are all the others,"

Cometflight didn't move, but Amberleaf, the medicine cat apprentice hissed savagely, "If you ever had a heart you'd feel some sympathy for him. I'm sure your not even upset about what happened!" Whitepaw looked taken aback, being repremanded by the usually gentle she-cat.

"Oh, and this is my fault, is it?" Whitepaw snarled, revealing sharp teeth. He took a threatening pace forward, his ears flattened.

Suddenly a furious snarled sounded. "Shut up all of you! Hasn't this battle proven something to any of you mousebrains?" Thunderstorm, Cometflight's brother snarled, stepping toward the golden tabby. He laid his tail on his shoulder. "We've suffered so much." his voice quieted.

Cometflight rose to his paws again and looked over the cats. "Those who are alive and able to walk," he called, "go to the left side of camp. Those who are terribly injured, and unable to walk, help them over. We need to get the cats treated. Are any more medicine cats alive?"

Amberleaf raised her head to scan the clearing, but her mentor didn't get up. She let out a wail of grief and rushed over to Gingerfoot. "Oh Gingerfoot, Gingerfoot!" she shook her head despairingly, then rose to her paws and padded unsteadily to her den to get her supplies. The cats in the camp began to slowly rise. Cometflight watched with a sinking heart. Besided the others already up, Lizardpaw, Jinkpaw, Rushwing, Sunnysky, Swallowtail, Blueclaw. That was it from his Clan. Kinktail, Snakefang, Rushtail, Robinpaw, and Graypaw from FallenClan. Most of the clearing was littered with bodies. Combining both cats, they were now only a quarter as big as before.

"Cats of the Clans, this is what is left of two great Clans!" Cometflight yowled. "This is what fighting has gotton us!" the cats exchanged bewildered glances. "But I believe that if we form one Clan- LightClan, we will thrive."

"No way, no how-" Whitepaw spat, advancing.

"Shut up mousebrain," Snakefang's voice was scathing. "What will happen if we don't join together? We'll be rogues!"

Rushwing bowed her head. "All is lost!"

Cometflight let out another yowl. "All is not lost. We must join together as one Clan if we are to survive." he looked around. "Who agrees?"

Rushwing stepped forward, along with Jinkpaw, Sunnysky, Rushtail, Robinpaw and Graypaw. Blueclaw and Swallowtail nodded approvingly. "We will join LightClan." Rushwing spoke. "But we'll need a strong leader. Cometflight, will you do it?"

"Yes," Thunderstorm added. "We'll need you."

Cometflight was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. Whitepaw, I would like you as my deputy, if you'll allow it."

For a moment the massive black tom was silent, then he nodded very slowly. "Very well. I will support you as deputy of LightClan."

A thin wailing broke out, but not of greif. It rose into a unified yowl, above the gnarled and burned trees. "LightClan! LightClan!" Cometflight raised his head and yowled his truimph. Above him the sky broke out into a light red, the first rays of a glorious sunrise.