*WARNING* This chapter may include lots of blood spill, and it will be very long. But, it will also add a lot of inside information.


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The Clan had gathered around the Highledge, where Firestar stayed within his den. He could hear them muttering in confusion. He had told them about the white tom's threat, and that Elf had been taken by the rogues. They were concerned for their safety, and Firestar thought it was best that he didn't tell his Clanmates about her past. Elf had suffered enough.

He glanced out of the entrance of his den. Jayfeather was refreshing Briarpaw's neck wounds, while Leafpool, who reluctantly helped, worked with the rest of the injured cats. Brightheart, who had spent a lot of time with Cinderpelt before the former medicine cat died, was doing what she could. From soothing injured cats, or helping Jayfeather by collecting herbs for him. Firestar was grateful for her help.

But now he had to decide what to do about the rogues. If he chose to fight them, the battle could end very badly. But his fur prickled when he realized that if the leader of the rogues was killed, they would flee. It sounded exactly like the battle with BloodClan. If he chose to surrender the kits, he knew the Clan would never forgive him.

Firestar rose to his paws. His heart was filled with worry about Elf and the rest of his Clan. But what choice did he have? He would have to risk the lives of his Clanmates in order to help Elf and save the kits.

He padded out of his den. The Clan looked up at him both eagerly and warily, waiting to hear their fate.

"I have made my decision," he meowed as he met their gazes. "We will fight for our kits, even if it means loosing lives."

There were yowls of agreements. But others looked at him questioningly. Cloudtail lashed his long tail, while Lionblaze looked ready to fight off any rogue he met. Firestar knew he would be useful in the battle. There were a few though who looked reluctant to fight.

"Why should we risk our lives for the sake of a cat who threatened to take two of our apprentices?" Mousefur called out.

Brambleclaw looked conflicted. Firestar knew the deputy would gladly risk his life for his Clanmates. But Brambleclaw could easily be under the influence of Tigerstar. Firestar could only hope he was wrong.

"I believe we should give her a chance." Firestar's eyes widened when he saw that Sandstorm had spoken. She was usually the first to agree with Mousefur. But this time she looked ready to defend Elf.

"Thank you," he mouthed to her. "Cats of ThunderClan, we have a battle to fight! I know we are weak after the last fight, but we must pull through, for the sake of the kits and our friend."

By now the whole Clan agreed with him. Mousefur and Dustpelt were the only ones who seemed to think that this was a bad idea.

"Brambleclaw, I want you to organize the battle patrol," he ordered his deputy.

The dark tabby nodded and began to issue orders to the warriors in the Clan. Firestar knew he would choose cats who were healthy enough to battle. He noticed that Brambleclaw avoided Squirrelflight, whose eyes glittered with anger. But Squirrelflight had fought well in the last fight with the rogues. She could use the rest.

Soon the Clan was ready. Firestar looked up at the sky. It was sunhigh, the time when the leader of the rogues had told him to come. A shiver spread through Firestar. He knew this was a battle that had to happen, for the sake of Elf, and the kits.

He leaped down to join his Clanmates, and padded towards Sandstorm. Her green eyes were full of pain. Firestar understood why. Cats would die today. Perhaps half of the Clan would be wiped out. But not without a valiant fight.

The flame-colored leader began to lead the battle patrol through the thorn tunnel.

Everything was planned out. As soon as the first wave was tired out, a second wave would strike. By then, the rogues should be weaker. Of course, Firestar had no idea how many rogues were there.

A low rumbling snarl erupted from the trees ahead of the battle patrol. Firestar narrowed his eyes when the large white cat stepped out of the gloom.

"So, have you made up your mind?" he demanded.

"I have," Firestar replied. He glanced at his fellow warriors. Their fur was bristling, and their claws were unsheathed; ready to fight. "We choose to fight."

The tom's eyes glittered almost gleefully, and he flicked his tail. Several large rogues followed his signal, and were now glowering at the ThunderClan cats. They looked fierce and bloodthirsty.

With a challenging battle cry, Firestar led his Clan towards the rogues. They braced themselves as the Clan cats made contact. Firestar's first enemy was a tortoiseshell she-cat, with an ugly scar over her muzzle. She was proud of her strength, and continued taunting him as he missed each blow.

The she-cat cried in pain when Firestar's teeth met her fur. He made sure to bite down hard enough so that she would feel the pain. Blood seeped from the wound, and soon she was sent reeling through the forest.

He glanced around as the battle raged on.

Blood had already spilled on the ground as his Clanmates fought hard. Cloudtail held a firm grip on a dark brown-and-white tom, while Lionblaze fought like a TigerClan cat.

Where is their leader? Firestar thought as he picked out the different cats. Then he spotted the large white tom. He towered over Toadpaw, whose eyes were wide with fear.

Filled with rage and determination, Firestar lunged forward and barreled into the tom. The impact caused his teeth to clatter, and he was sent rolling to the ground.

"Silly Clan cat," the tom spat. "You don't think you can kill me, do you?"

As he spoke, two cats replaced him. Firestar's eyes widened when he realized that he was surrounded. The white tom had melted into the battle, as if knowing that his death would end it. Firestar knew that in order to get to the leader, he would have to find Elf. But he didn't know whether or not she was there. He guessed that the leader would have kept her under guard while the battle took place.

*****

Stream was pacing around the abandoned badger's set as she contemplated what would happen after ThunderClan was defeated. She couldn't even bare to think what the other Clans would think. They would either be furious, or happy.

She glanced guiltily down at the entrance. She could hear Elf's shaky breath. She could almost feel the pain and sorrow emanating from the dappled she-cat.

But Stream cared more for the kits that would come soon. She glanced down at her swollen belly. Soon, the Band would actually have kits they could be proud of, rather then those mindless rogues who followed the order of the most powerful tom. She wondered if they would ever listen to a she-cat. Stream shook her head, knowing that the idea was impossible.

Suddenly a screech sounded not far off. Stream's eyes widened when she recognized Storm, who was fiercely battling scrawny looking WindClan cats.

They spotted us! she thought fearfully. She looked around, hoping that there would be a chance to escape. But the WindClan cats had already cornered Storm, and several were making their way towards Stream.

Fear overwhelmed her, and she began to panic. Her only thoughts were to protect her unborn kits. If the WindClan cats caught her, they would surely kill her for trespassing.

Stream made a run for it, painfully aware of how slow her pawsteps were. The WindClan warriors had stopped at the badger set. They were sniffing the entrance, surprised that the scent of a cat came from it.

Then they let out shocked yowls as Elf scrambled out of the burrow.

"What is that thing?" hissed a black tom with amber eyes.

"I don't want that rogue in our camp," added a ginger tom with white paws. "Probably full of flees and maggots."

Elf's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she looked at the warriors. They started to tremble. It was obvious that her ploy was beginning to work. The black tom let out a fearful yowl and began to make a run for it, while the rest of the Clan cats followed.

I must find them, she thought as she looked around. I must find ThunderClan.

*****

The battle had gotten worse by the time Firestar had accidentally killed a tabby she-cat with a gray muzzle. He had felt fury and sorrow for the needless lives that were lost. ThunderClan were winning, but at what cost?

The second wave had arrived shortly after Firestar finished off yet another opponent. Now fear scent filled the forest as the rogues were surrounded by several more warriors. They made a break for it, and soon, only a few rogues remained. And they were quickly finished off.

"Ice, we're loosing!" cried a silver tabby tom.

The large white cat looked up in surprise, and then rage clouded his eyes. Firestar had no time to react when he was suddenly knocked to the ground. The force of the impact caused the ground beneath him to shake.

"I have long awaited the day when I would finally kill a Clan leader!" he spat.

Then it was as though some dark entity had been lifted from the forest. Ice's eyes widened in shock when he saw a dappled ginger pelt flash through the crowd of cats. Dark, beautiful blue eyes pierced through his own amber eyes.

"This fighting must stop!" she cried as she skidded to a halt.

Ice narrowed his eyes and glared coldly at her. "And what are you going to do, curse me?" he replied in a snarl.

Elf lowered her head and looked at her paws. She hardly looked worried at all. "No," she mewed. "The forest will kill you."

As she spoke, something changed. The trees began to grow heavier, and Ice let go of Firestar. He made a rumbling sound, that felt like laughter to the flame-colored leader. Firestar realized what was happening before it struck. He quickly scrambled out of the way, and suddenly, the sound of branches and roots snapping echoed through the forest. A large, ancient tree groaned as it fell sideways.

Massive branches and dirt flew everywhere, forcing cats to dodge or leap to the side. Ice was still there. He realized that he couldn't move. It was as though his paws had been glued to the ground. He yowled in panic as the tree trunk drew closer, until it landed on the ground with a tremendous thud. The sickening sound of bones crunching rang in Elf's ears as she watched the terrifying scene.

She looked through the dried leaves, and saw that Ice's eyes had dulled. His pelt was as cold as his name stated. He was dead.

Suddenly she turned to Firestar, who had watched the scene with wide, strange looking eyes. He looked as though he had never seen such a thing happen.

"Please, you must kill me before something like this happens again," she whispered.

Firestar looked at her in shock. Kill her? How could he possibly...But then he saw that her eyes were clouded in permanent sorrow. She didn't want to live knowing she had killed so many kits, and was about to steal kits from a Clan. A family.

"Elf, thank you for stopping Ice," he meowed. "But...are you sure? We would let you stay, and..." He knew that his desperate pleas wouldn't work. But he felt as though he should at least try. He felt pity for the she-cat who had been captured, abused, and used as a tool to steal. Finally, he gave in.

"Very well," he murmured, shaking his head. "Your death will be quick, and painless."


Ugh, so sorry to end it right there, but you wouldn't want to witness Firestar's inner struggle to not kill her. Anyways, please read and review! Finale is up next :D