Here's the next installment of TLaTL ^^ Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 10 - It's Never Pretty

Ivyfrost led ThunderClan into battle with her leader by her side. Since the time she became deputy she never participated in battles caused by another Clan entering their territory. Of course, she had been a part of many border skirmishes, some that she had 'accidentally' started, but going up against most, if not all, of the opposing Clan was a new experience. ThunderClan's deputy knew that some of her fellow warriors, and friends, will become wounded or even die in this battle. The thought made her growl, baring her teeth. She wouldn't let her friends fall at the paws of ShadowClan.

"Ivyfrost, take half the Clan and attack from the left and back. I'll take the rest and attack from the front and right," Oakstar ordered, signaling with his tail for the half nearest him to follow. Ivyfrost nodded and led her half into the forest. With her tail, she signaled for some cats to enter the trees and prepare to attack from the air. The rest she set into position to prepare for the attack.

I hope StarClan is watching over us.

"Attack!" she shouted running through the bushes. Her fellow warriors followed behind her and charged right into the ShadowClan warriors. Screeches and howls filled the air as claws met fur and flesh. Blood splattered into air. Ivyfrost pinpointed the ShadowClan deputy, Bramblefoot, and jumped onto him. They rolled into a tree with hisses and growls clawing each other. The deputy broke from her grasp and raked his claws down her side. She made a low sound and hissed, "You filthy, mousebrained fox dung eater!"

She hooked her claws into his fur and slammed him into the tree behind her dazing him. His eyes blinked slowly and she slashed at his throat with her claws. A long gash appeared spilling blood. ShadowClan's deputy came back to his senses and shakily got back onto his paws before falling back down to the ground, dead.

Ivyfrost spat on the body. "No one messes with ThunderClan!"

Lionpaw heard the sounds of battle before he skidded into the clearing where ThunderClan and ShadowClan clashed. He caught the sight of Ivyfrost taking down ShadowClan's deputy and then turning on the next opposing warrior. His mentor and leader, Oakstar, fought at the edge of the clearing against three warriors and an apprentice. He recognized the tom warrior fighting by his side as his father, Blackblaze. The black calico with orange and white spots had been wounded in his fighting: several cuts and scratches bled along his torso and flank and the tip of his ear was ragged. He turned his gaze away from his father at a screech to his left. Berrypaw was cornered and trying in vain to fight back against three ShadowClan warriors. A fast scan of the clearing showed her mentor was busy fighting by Stormpelt, Leafpaw's mentor.

Without thought, he ran up behind the three ShadowClan warriors and landed on the closest cat's back. He bit savagely into the tom's neck ripping open a major vein and felt him fall to the ground limp. One of the other warriors fell on top of him, clawing his ear and the side of his face. Blood dripped into Lionpaw's right eye and mouth. He spat it out and rolled over pinning the warrior under him.

"Don't you ever dare to mess with my beloved's sister! Ever!" he growled ripping open his throat with his claws. The cat shuddered then fell limp as well. Lionpaw slowly rose to his paws and turned on the last warrior. She glanced around quickly with fear in her eyes. By the look of the she-cat, he reckoned her to be a new warrior who was also new to battle and death. He hissed at her and she fled into the forest in the direction of ShadowClan's territory.

"Humph." Lionpaw watched her flee before turning to Berrypaw. She was pressed up against the tree trunk shivering some. Blood had dried on her muzzle and chest fur. He stepped forward and asked, "You okay?"

Berrypaw nodded. "Thank you for saving me, Lionpaw. I really thought I was going to be killed by them."

"It was nothing."

"ShadowClan! Retreat!" The ShadowClan leader's voice echoed through the clearing. All the warriors and apprentices broke from the fighting and ran back into the forest, some with their tails between their legs. Some ThunderClan warriors followed to make sure they crossed the border leaving the tired and wounded behind.

Oakstar padded into the middle of the clearing. "Any wounded should go back to camp. Any remainder warriors not wounded or helping the wounded should remain."

Slowly cats started to leave the clearing leaving Oakstar, Ivyfrost, Berrypaw, Lionpaw, and some warriors and apprentices. Dead ThunderClan and ShadowClan cats littered the clearing and the smell of death filled the air. Lionpaw stared at them deep in thought wondering how Leafpaw was doing at the makeshift camp when one of the bodies twitched and started to move. Berrypaw also noticed and shouted, "Oakstar, look!"

All the cats in the clearing turned to see Blackblaze rise unsteadily to his paws before slumping back onto the ground with his paws under him. Compared to earlier when Lionpaw saw him, he was much bloodier and was missing an ear along with his tail. One of the eyes were closed and glued shut by dried blood. Oakstar went immediately to his side and started to talk to him in soft tones. He looked at Lionpaw after a moment and said, "Blackblaze wants to talk to you."

His ears twitched and muttered, "Whatever." Lionpaw padded to the pair and sat in front of his father.

"Lionpaw," He tried reaching out a paw but couldn't and restarted what he was saying. "Lionpaw, I'm dying."

Lionpaw's ears flicked again. "Yeah. But can't you fix yourself? You're a medicine-"

"Yes, I'm a medicine cat," Blackblaze chucked a little. "But my knowledge will not heal these wounds. It's time I joined StarClan."

His fur bristled. "What do you mean?"

"Since your mother died, I knew my time would come soon. She took a part of me with her to StarClan. It's time I regained my second half."

Speechless, Lionpaw watched as Blackblaze's head fell to the ground, his one unwounded eye closing. His chest stopped moving and the apprentice could have sworn on StarClan that he was a ghost of his father leave the body. He bowed his head and lifted it as the sound of kicked up leaves met his ears. Leafpaw bounded into the clearing stumbling slightly because of her wounded paw and stopped by Lionpaw and Oakstar. Her breath came in pants and she said, "Silverwing wants to know if any other warriors are injured here."

All the cats that had remained behind stayed silent and glanced at Lionpaw. She followed their gaze. The apprentice raised his head and muttered, "No. There's no more wounded."

In Leafpaw's ear, Berrypaw whispered, "He just watched his father die."

"Oh."

Silence filled the clearing and Oakstar said, "All the apprentices should return to camp. Any able warriors will help take the dead back to be readied for burial."

Leafpaw and Berrypaw started to head back, but the light gray apprentice stopped at the edge of the clearing before entering the forest. She turned to look back at Lionpaw. "You heard him, Lionpaw. We need to go back."

He flicked his tail and nodded. "Sure." Lionpaw got to his paws and followed the two she-cats.

Oakstar watched the apprentices leave before turning back to the dead of not only his Clan, but ShadowClan too.

"Death is never pretty," he muttered before gesturing for a warrior to help him carry the body off to the side.