Chapter 8

To the real Lightwing the kind,caring, and out going real Lightwing, Jonah.

Fly high with your beautiful light wings Jonah.

A true warrior and a true friend

The night was warmer and the territory of SkyClan was blooming wonderfully. It had been a claw moon since the gathering at the Moon Pool. Just as Deepfrost had predicted RiverClan had been attacked and suffered severely. Deepfrost had decided it was time for Sparklebelly to meet this inside source from ShadowClan. They had made plans to meet on this night.

As the two cats walked through the night Sparklebelly could smell Deepfrost anxiety. Sparklebelly began to grow suspicious of the tom the closer they got to this 'meeting place'. However, it turned out she would be ready to fight though.

Sparklebelly skidded to a halt at the stench of ShadowClan. She wrinkled her nose.

"I forgot how nasty you guys smell. For StarClan sake do you guys ever wash yourselves?" Sparklebelly snorted with attitude

"Well this 'Nasty cat' Is going to blow you away so I suggest you keep your comments to yourself. If you don't have anything polite to say you might as well not even speak." The former deputy grunted.

The white Striped tom opened the bushes with his tail to reveal a tabby spotted cat. Sparklebelly instantly hissed and unsheathed her claws. She lunged for the tom rage clouding her vision.

"Sparklebelly no!" Deepfrost yowled from afar as the two cats tumbled.

The same tabby spotted tom that had lured her into Ashwhiskers death, the same cat responsible for Hollywhiskers death. Grimheart.

"I won't fight back Sparklebelly." Grimheart meowed as he parted from the she-cat his tone was soft. his claws were sheathed.

Then this fight will be over quickly you fox hearted traitor, I'll make sure you suffer!" She growled. She lunged for the tom again swiping at his muzzle and the side of his face drawing blood. The large tom tried to dodge her attacks but she was too quick for him.

"Stop!" Deepfrost hissed lunging for the she-cat "NO!" Grimheart hissed cutting the tom off and knocking him to the sandy ground. He looked Deepfrost in the eyes and a clear message passed through them. The she cat needed this before any talking could happen.

Sparklebelly proceeded to bite and claw at the tom. Frustration ebbed at her heart. She wanted so badly for him to fight back, for him to make some sort of snarky remark. Anger, hurt, and sadness filled her heart at each swipe she took at him.

"Why won't you fight back!" She demanded stopping for a moment and breathing heavily. The tom was bleeding on his muzzle left cheek, right shoulder, and a heavy wound a crossed his broad chest.

"You obviously haven't killed me yet for a reason and you could have. Are you ready to talk now or do you want to take another hit?" Grimheart purred smirking.

'How could act like everything is okay!?'

The she-cat lunged for him and latched onto his neck from the front pinning him to the dirt. Her teeth around his neck.

"I will kill you right now, why did you do it, why did you betray me and your clan-mates!" she demanded tears streaming down her fur. "Why did you kill cats that I loved in cold blood! I thought you were my friend! I thought you cared about me the same way I cared about you! Or are you too much of a scared mouse to even have feelings?" She demanded

She bit the tom harder around the neck blood now oozing from the wound. Silence only came from the tom and with all her might, she lifted the broad tom off the dirt and rammed him into the side of a tree as hard as she could.

"SPEAK!" she demanded. Fury clouded her vision and she staggered on her feet. The oak colored tabby tom got to his paws dipping his head to the she-cat.

"I am truly sorry for things I have done. Hollywhisker was going to die in that battle regardless of if I killed her or not. Cloudjump told Deepfrost and Deepfrost told me. I had to find a way to prove my loyalty officially to Darkstar, he was always planning to take out Hollywhisker, but I offered to do it. I'm truly sorry for your loss. This does not excuse my behavior. I'm not asking for your forgiveness in anyway nor do I deserve it. I am asking you to hear us out." Grimheart meowed bowing his head.

Deepfrost padded forward to stand beside the deputy. Grimheart bowed his head to the tom in respect. Sparklebelly felt clouded with confusion. How could Deepfrost betray her? How could he betray SkyClan after everything they've done for him? Questioned filled her head.

"Sparklebelly I can imagine you're feeling very confused, but I promise you Grimheart is on our side he has told me everything happening in ShadowClan he is trust worthy I promise." Deepfrost pleaded with the she-cat."

"I'm listening you have five rabbit hops." She hissed.

"I admit I was selfish to betray you the way I did because I wanted to not take the consequences my leader was going to give me, there is no excuse for that. However, after I witnessed your mentor die I came up with a plan with Deepfrost and Cloudjump. They would both leave ShadowClan to join one of the four other clans." Grimheart meowed turning to Deepfrost.

"and from there we got lucky being accepted into SkyClan, so as we knew he would Darkstar made Grimheart deputy. Ever since then he has been working with a few cats in SkyClan and RiverClan. He even warned RiverClan before the attack happened to be more prepared." Deepfrost meowed.

"The goal is to gain enough support to over throw Darkstar, in ShadowClan, SkyClan and now even RiverClan So that Deepfrost may take his rightful place as leader. Darkstar was a cruel mentor and he's been a cruel leader having young kits train on elders before they're even apprentices. He must be stopped he's mad." Grimheart meowed.

"and what does this have to do with me?" Sparklebelly meowed. She narrowed her eyes as if she knew the answer.

"Cloudjump had an omen many moons ago about a cat who would come to the lake territories who could see the future, we just didn't know it would be you. We thought it might be a rogue or maybe even a Kittypet, Cloudjump and Nightwhisper had been talking about it for moons after you were born even during your apprenticeship. You're going to help us because you know even other cat's future, it wasn't very hard to figure out." Deepfrost meowed.

Something earie suddenly sunk into Sparklebelly. 'this is my destiny, isn't it? To take down Darkstar by using my ability?' She wondered her eyes were finally open for the first time. Yet she had felt betrayed at all angles, Nightwhisper was hiding so much from her. Sparklebelly's destiny had been played out this entire time. Like some sort of nursery game.

"I need some time to think about this." Sparklebelly meowed, her tail twitched irritably. "Ever since I was born my paws were never my own." She meowed turning her back to the toms.

"Sparklebelly.. Just for the record, I do care about you, and I was thrown into this just as much as you were, whether you like it or not anymore, our paws lay on the same path. StarClan's will is that our paths will always intertwine. You may believe no one understands your ability, but I have some abilities of my own." Grimheart meowed to the she-cat walking away.

Two sunrises had passed since Sparklebelly had met with the tom she so strongly disliked, Cloudjump, Deepfrost, Nightwhisper, and even Brightstone were all informed of what happened and now every cat was on the same page. Brightstone had tried many times to get Sparklebelly to join in on the conversations however nothing seemed to spark her interest other than her normal warrior duties.

"Let all cats old enough to walk amongst our trees join in the center of camp for a clan meeting." Crowstar called to his clan-mates. Though Sparklebelly knew the destiny she would have with him, he was still her clan leader and she still respected him greatly. The She cat got to her paws from where she was laying down and sat down near the edge of the crowding cats.

Sneakfoot decided to take his place next to her. He wrapped his black and white splotched tail neatly around his paws.

"As some of you may know, Neonpaw and Lightpaw have been apprentices for a while now, they have proven their loyalty to SkyClan, and they have shown their mentors they're worthy of taking their warrior names." Crowstar began. He looked to his paws for a moment "SkyClan, along with every other clan is not full of true blooded warriors, blood does not make a warrior heart does, and these two young cats have shown hearts just as strong and brave as any other SkyClan warrior. So Lightpaw come forward, you have worked long and hard to understand the ways of our noble code and ancient warrior ancestors, do you promise to fight loyally and honorably for your clan and to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?" Crowstar looked deep into the dark tabbies eyes.

"I do Crowstar." Lightpaw meowed bravely with his tail held high. The black tabbies pelt glowed in the sun high lighting. He had become stronger, larger, braver and fierce in the moons he had spent with SkyClan. Sparklebelly had never been keen on the two Kittypets but she had to admit that they earned their ranks just as any other SkyClan warrior.

"Then as StarClan as my witness I give you your warrior name. Lightpaw from this moment on you shall be called Lightwing, SkyClan welcomes you as a full warrior in its ranks. Fight for your clan honorably and nobly." Crowstar meowed to the tabby resting his muzzle on his head. Lightwing returned his gesture with a lick to his shoulder.

"Neonpaw from the moment you entered my camp I knew you would make a great warrior, challenging me to keep your own name. You resemble a lion itself and you carry yourself just as if you were one. Much like your companion you have grown much in your time in SkyClan." Crowstar began.

"Neonpaw, you have worked long and hard just as your companion to understand the ways of our noble warrior code and the way our ancient warrior ancestors guide us. Do you promise t fight loyally and honorably for your clan, and to uphold our noble code even at the cost of your life?" Crowstar meowed gazing deep into the large golden tom eyes.

"I promise Crowstar, I will fight for my Clan to my very last breath." The tom meowed his meow seemed deeper and older. Sparklebelly hadn't realized how far and how much these two toms had grown in the moons they had been with their adopted clan. Sparklebelly felt a flicker of pride in her two friends who were once an annoyance to her.

"Then as StarClan as my witness I give you your warrior name, Neonpaw from this moment forward you will be called Neonclaw, SkyClan welcomes you has a full warrior of its ranks. Serve your clan long and nobly. Welcome! Neonclaw and Lightwing!" Crowstar yowled

"Neonclaw! Lightwing! Neonclaw! Lightwing!" The clan cheered for their new clan mates.

"tonight you will stand watch over your clan mates on the branch of the hallow tree in a silent vigil. At sunrise your vigil will be over and you may rest until your warrior duties call." Crowstar meowed bowing his head to the two cats

Sparklebelly trotted over to her two newly made warrior friends. "Congratulations kittypets." She purred teasing the two toms. Neonclaw had grown more muscular and bigger in the passing moons. Large muscles rippled in his shoulder and his long neck fur made him look all that much more like a lion. Sparklebelly had been so caught up in her own world she hadn't made hardly any time for her friends.

"Thanks toad brain." Neonclaw purred knocking Sparklebelly on the shoulder.

"Well, now we can sleep in the warriors den with you Sparklebelly!" Lightwing meowed excited. His brown eyes glowing with happiness. "It's not all it's cracked up to be." She purred lightly to her friend.

"So what's the deal, you've been so distant lately it seems like you're a stranger to us now days, hanging around ShadowClan cats and Medicine cats, thinking about being an herb chaser?" Neonclaw teased.

"No! Some cats just don't need to get caught up in clan drama, unlike you who constantly is in other cats business. 'Oh gosh did you see Sharpeye miss that squirrel.'" Sparklebelly meowed mocking the golden tom. Neonclaw grunted in amusement.

"Seriously I would like to see more of you, we miss you, some hunts, something." Neonclaw purred nuzzling her cheek affectionately. "It would be nice to do something with our friend once and a while." Lightwing chimed in politely.

"I'll have to take you up on that offer in the next few sunrises." Sparklebelly meowed dashing off to go onto a patrol with Cedarhallow, squirrelpelt and Milkpaw. The prey had been thriving in their territory since new leaf showed its wonderful colors and hunting patrols had been nothing but success for the clan. Things were looking up for SkyClan but Sparklebelly would always be haunted by her silent destiny with Grimheart.

The night was warm, the camp was as quiet as a mouse, and all of the warriors except for the two newest were sound asleep in their moss beds. Neonclaw and Lightwing stood proud and tall watching over their clan on this night. The night of their vigil. Silently they both stood side by side ready to pounce at any threat.

Sparklebelly was neatly curled up in her nest not far from Sneakfoot. The tom had grown just a little closer to his daughter since Hollywhiskers passing. Sparklebelly had not been visited by Nightcloud in a few nights and she was content with just her normal every night dreams.

Sparklebelly jerked awake at the sound of a yowl coming from outside the warriors den, she was clearly not the only cat to hear, Sneakfoot, squirrelpelt, and Sharpeye shot up just as quickly as the she-cat had.

"SKYCLAN IS UNDER ATTACK." The Yowl came from Lightwing who was sprinting into battle claws out stretched with the dark warrior from ShadowClan named Blackstorm, Grimheart's littermate.

The SkyClan warriors quickly roused from their sleep as if they hadn't been just moments prior. Sparklebelly clashed with a ShadowClan she cat called Honeybee. The two cats rolled on the ground of the camp for many moments before the she-cat realized a oak colored tabby tom was headed for the nursery. 'GRIMHEART NO YOU DON'T! If you touch Dappleflower I'll rip your fur off!' the she-cat vowed silently releasing her lock with the cream she-cat to tackle the tom.

The two tumbled into the nursery and featherface and Dappleflower hissed trying to protect Darkkit and Jaggedkit.

In an instant another tom called Duskclaw lunged for the two queens. Grimheart and Sparklebelly tumbled out of the nursery and she hissed.

"Trust me." The tom whispered to the she-cat quietly "just make it look real." He continued a soft look in his eyes. Sparklebelly instantly had an understanding pass through her. He wanted to lose so Darkstar would retreat!

Sparklebelly gaged the clearly and realized Lightwing was badLet injured and pinned down by the tom Blackstorm. She shot her glance from Grimheart to Blackstorm. 'No I won't let it happen again!' Sparklebelly hissed lunging for Blackstorm.

"Leave him! Have you forgotten your honor! A warrior does not need to kill to win his battles!" Sparklebelly hissed at the dark tom. Even though the dark tom was off Lightwing the tom still did not move from his place.

Grimheart cornered her away from the tom. A scowl on his face. He curled his lip felt weak on her paws for a moment. Her ears suddenly felt deafened and in the vast background she heard the horrifying screeches and battle cries of her clan mates. The she-cat realized what she needed to do to save her clan.

"Have you forgotten your opponent so soon kitty" the large tom growled as Blackstorm then clashed with Deepfrost. Grimheart lunged for Sparklebelly his claws were not out stretched but he rolled with the she-cat pinning her to the dirt floor. Sparklebelly swiped at the toms muzzle. It was hard for her to build fury with a cat she wasn't actually at war with right now. She wanted so desperately to spring on a cat who was endangering her clan. She needed to beat the deputy in order for Darkstar to realize he couldn't win this.

Dappleflower came rushing out of the nursery "BRIGHTSTONE HELP PLEASE! It's jaggedkit!" The three medicine cats were sprawled out all through the camp trying to help their injured clan mates. The tom named Duskclaw was at the entrance of the nursery with Jaggedkit pinned down by his neck in his teeth. The fighting in the clearly stopped almost instantly.

" Darkstar! Call off your warrior now!" Crowstar threatened. Lunging for the black leader. "If you kill this kit I will take all nine of your lives right here right now." Crowstar growled a fierce anger Sparklebelly had never seen before.

Darkstar narrowed his eyes a malicious look plastered on his face. " the only way to ensure the survival of another clan is to strike at the heart of another….Their kits." He meowed looking back at his warrior.

"Darkstar! You're a cat who preaches code purity but this goes against the code completely this is more than just breaking the code! This is tyranny!" Crowstar meowed pleading for the little kits life.

The small kit looked horrified his jagged pelt even more ragged, he looked as if he had fought the warrior himself!

"The word of a leader is the warrior code." Darkstar spoke and the tom bit down hard into the small kits body killing him instantly. Sparklebelly, Sneakfoot, Turtletuft and Sharpeye lunged for the ShadowClan leader. All four cats latching onto the leader in one way or another. The SkyClan cats fought with more malice now than they had before. Darkstar was struggling to withstand the four cats weight and blows. ShadowClan was suffering much damage and at the rate Darkstar was leading them their warriors would be wiped out.

The dark tabby Duskclaw was being attacked by Flintheart,Featherface, Milkpaw and Dappleflower. The tom was greatly out numbered and so was the brunt of ShadowClan.

"ENOUGH!" Darkstar growled slamming Sneakfoot and Sparklebelly into the hard rock beneath them. Sneakfoot got to his paws to leap back up at the leader but Darkstar was too fast and scratched at Sneakfoot's eyes blood oozing out of them instantly. He then grabbed the black and white tom and slammed his head into the cold stone near by.

The ShadowClan leader was bloody and ragged his fur barely cling to his pelt. Blood dripped from his sides and muzzle. The tom had flown lost an ear and had major wounds that might even cause the tom to lose a life. However this tom would never let the life be lost in front of the cats before him.

"Darkstar! We must retreat Duskclaw is down, leopardpelt and many of our other warriors are gravely injured we are out numbered we must retreat! We have lost!" Grimheart yowled from a acrossed the clearing dodging blows from Daisypaw and Cedarhallow.

"Retreat ShadowClan Retreat!" Darkstar called to his warriors. SkyClan chased the warriors to the edge of the territory still attacking each warrior.

Sparklebelly gazed the clearing and her heart dropped as she saw Lightwing still in the middle of camp. Her belly churned because she knew exactly why Lightwing hadn't moved. Cats soon gathered around the young warrior.

His first night of being a warrior Lightwing had died defending his clan. Lightwing and small Jaggedkit's lives had been taken tonight, and out of pure vengeance and spite lay the body of Duskclaw in SkyClan camp. ShadowClan had no medicine cat and no cat to help them recover.

ShadowClan would suffer for moons. However SkyClan had suffered yet more losses to Darkstar's cruel rein. Crowstar approached the young warriors body. He knelt down and closed his eyes tightly. Sparklebelly could tell pain ebbed at her leader heart for the tom cat who had once been a kittypet but had spent moons of his life proving he was a clan cat at heart.

"StarClan Please grant this warrior safe passage into your ranks, forgive me for not being able to save my clan mates accept our youngest amongst your wisest and eldest" the tom meowed raising his head to the stars.

From across the clearing an injured companion stood still his muzzle gaped open. The tom frozen in time itself his eyes looked empty and still. Sparklebelly looked at the tom.

"Neonclaw…." She meowed her words caught in a croak. She felt her heart sink for the newly made warrior.

Neonclaw sprinted over to his friend disregarding his torn open splattered in his path. He yowled to the stars in agony for his friend, his Don mate, his clanmate , his kin… not by blood but by loyalty.

Sparklebelly then drew her attention back to her father who was gravely wounded both Brightstone and Cloudjump were working tirelessly to save the tom from his head injury. sparklbelly raced to her fathers side. His head oozed with blood and his eyes dripping with blood and were Swollen shut. Sneakfoot looked pitiful Sparklebelly hoped StarClan would not take another life tonight especially her fathers.

"Will he be okay?..." Sparklebelly asked horrified. Brightstone looked up saddened deeply "he will live but will suffer severe ailments, he may never be able to be a warrior again." He meowed. Sparklebelly's heart broke, but at the same time was filled with relief. Turtletuft and her were the only remaining warriors of the legacy of their parents. The gathering was in two sunrises and Sparklebelly along with the rest fit for battle would come with claws unsheathed.

This was no longer a pesky rat underneath their paws. This was something else, something else Sparklebelly was prepared to give her life for, this was no longer about vengeance but stopping a tyrant and from a crossed the clearing Sparklebelly locked eyes with Nightwhisper. He and her shared a mutual thought. This was now war.