Chapter Twelve

This is it! The final chapter!

As always.. I dont own anything.

Jetspeed awoke from the warriors den the next morning, blinking as the bright sun filled his eyes. Something about the sun seemed... unreal. Something.. different.

His thoughts were interupted as Dreamcloud, Glisteningfur and Silverclaw made their way to the middle of camp, where Runningspirit and Dawningsun had made their vigil.

The Clan essembled aroun the elders, all dipping their heads as their leader was born past them. Sharp pains of grief stabbed at his heart as he thought Goldenstar's tail trailing in the dust.

And then he was gone.

Jetspeed made his way over to the fresh kill pile, grabbing a vole. HE carried it into the nursery, hoping to find Commettail awake. She was.

"Hey." she purred.

Jetspeed nodded, setting down the vole and taking a small bite from it.

"When are you leaving?" she asked, her voice taking a tragic turn.

"A few minutes I suppose." Jetspeed said quietly, pushing the rest of the vole to Commettail.

"Jetspeed.. you have to be careful." she told him.

Jetspeed smiled. "I always am."

Commettail still looked uncertain. Jetspeed thought, for a minute, what would happen if he didn't return from this battle. Commettail would be greifstricked. His mother would have a fit. And the kit would grow up without a father.

He shook his head. Hewould return from this battle. He would!

He heard, outside, Runningspirit yowl for the Cats that were going to battle to prepare to leave. He bent over and licked Commettail's muzzle, pusaing and just breathing in her sweet scent. He then bent down and licked each of their kits. Pausing at the entrance of the nursery, he gave Commettail one last, long look.

And then he was gone.

"""

Shadepaw watched as the battling cats esembled around the Highrock. Jetspeed was padding over to her.

"Can I ask you a favor?" her mentor asked. She nodded. "Guard the nursery for me."

Shadepaw smiled. "I'll get Littlepaw to help me."

Jetspeed bent over and licked her ear. "You know Shadepaw, you'll be a warrior before newleaf. And thats a promise."

Shadepaw stared at her mentor in deep admiration.

Runingspirit was back on the Highrock, his expression was blank and closed.

"Cats of ThunderClan," he began. "We now leave to join in battle with RiverClan and WindClan, to drive these rogues from our home!"

The Clan yowled its agreement.

"There will be no patrols, and no hunting until we return." He flicked at the mostly full fresh-kill pile. "I ask all remaining warriors, apprentices, and elders to STAY ALERT! We don't know if the rogues, or ShadowClan will attack us." He flicked his tail at where the elders had burried Goldenstar. "they've done it before."

A soft murmur of agreement came from the Clan.

And then, the patrol was gone.

"""

Icefang stodd beside Flickeringfire, her insides squirming. There were two patrols, one led my Runningspirirt, the other by Jetspeed. They were in Jetspeed's patorl, along with Graypaw an Shallopaw.

Flickeringfire glanced at Jetspeed before crossing the WindClan border. The deputy nodded, his face grim.

The five ThunderClan cats crossed the border, all of them aware that the battle of their lives was about to begin.

Sootstar and his patrol of RiverClan cats were waiting, dipping their heads to Runningspirirt as he approached. The two ThunderClan patrol combined, with Runningspirirt and Jetspeed at the front. Soon, Sorrelstar's patrol came into view, all staring at eh ThunderClan cats.

"Where is Goldenstar?" asked Sootstar.

Runningspirit bowed his head. "We were attacked by rogues two nights ago. Goldenstar now hunts with StarClan."

Gasps broke out from the WindClan and RiverClan cats.

"WindClan grieves for him." Sorrelstar said, declining her head.

"As does RiverClan." Sootstar replied solemnly.

"I will travel to Highstones when the battle has been won." Runningspirit said boldly. "And Jetspeed has been chosen as my deputy."

The two leaders muttered their congradulations to Jetspeed, who nodded, still with closed look on his face.

The ThunderClan cats took their position beside RiverClan, and Runningspirit and Jetspeed stood upfront with the other leaders and deputies.

"Let Jagged and his followers come forward!" Sorrelstar roared. "It is time for you to face justice!"

Slowly, several lithe, muscular shapes came onto the moor, seeming to appear out of nowhere.

Icefang took a sharp intake of breath. Flickeringfire pressed himself against her.

The battle had begun.

"""

Jetspeed's eyes narrowed as the rogues came into view. He felt the RiverClan cats gasp, this being their first glimpse of the murderous cats. Jagged was in front, a triumphant smile on his face.

"You come to fight." he sneered."But you will not win! My cats have no quarrel with you! We wish to live in your territory, and only seek revenge on one cat." He paused. "Jetspeed!"

Jetspeed felt all eyes on him, but he stepped forward, so he was face to face with Jagged, and now in lead of all the Clan cats. He glared at Jagged, trying to renonmce the temptaion to rip off his tail.

"These are StarClan's forests." he said calmy. "If you do not follow their code, leave. There is other land suitable for you."

Jagged let out a snarl. "I don't want other land! And I dont grovel to StarClan," he spat out the word venomously. "Like you, forest fool."

Jetspeed dipped his head, trying to keep his cool. "Then you leave us no choice." He turned back to the other leaders, who were all gaping at him. "Cats of StarClan, ATTACK!"

Jetspeed hurled himself at Jagged, but the tom easily dodged him, heading over to one of the other leaders. Jetspeed found himself in combat with a pair of rogue she-cats, their pelts a ginger color.

But the she-cats were no match for Jetspeed. Even together, they could not overtake him. Finally, when Jetspeed sank his teeth into one of their legs, the turned tail and fled, deepi into ShadowClan territory. He snarled at them until they left.

He spotted Sootstar, the brave RiverClan leader, in a circle of two strong toms. One was holding him down, while the other went for his throat. Jetspeed shivered. These cats were not here to fight. They were here to kill.

With a cry of rage, he threw himself on the cat at Sootstar's throat. Caught unawres, the rogue was knocked straight off his paws. Sootstar leapt to his feet, attacking the other tom. Jetspeed was statifsied that the RiverClan leader was safe, and focussed on driving out this tom the same way he had driven out the she-cats.

"Jetspeed, we need you over here!"

Jetspeed gave the rogue other bite to the shoulder, which sent him fleeing through the mob of cats. He turned to see Icefang, who was gesturing madly towards a group of rogues, maybe three, were maulding Flickeringfire.

Fear stabbed at him. Flickeringfire had been his apprentice, and was a noble ThunderClan warrior. He growled ferousiously and leapt at one of the toms, icefan at his side. He watched in dismay as Flickeringfire fought to get up, a deep wound in his shoulder slowing him down.

The cat at Flickeringfire's neck gave a sudden dry. Dustpaw, the young ThunderClan apprentice, had attatched himself onto his back and was not letting go. Together, Dustpaw and Jetspeed drove the tom away.

Jetspeed bent over to Flickeringfire, praying that StarClan had not taken him. The found to his shoulder looked deep, but not fatal. A blow to the head from one of the toms had knocked him silly, but he was able to struggle to his feet.

"I'll take him home." Icefang said, easing him to lean on her shoulder.

Jetspeed knew that on a regular day, Flickeringfire would have protested, but now, he was too gravely wounded to care.

He nodded. "And Icefang," he said, have regretting his descion. "When you get there, send Littlepaw and Shadepaw to battle. We need all the help we can get."

"""

Shadepaw sat at the entry to the nursery, her dark gray belt blending in with the rough floor. Littlepaw was at her side. Within the camp, there was no sign of conversation, or relaxsation. Everyone was only thinking that their Clanmates were fighting for their freedom now, and that some would probably die.

And the fact that they could be invaded at any moment.

As the thought crossed Shadepaw's mind, a rustle was heard from the gorse tunnel. The apprentice look up, her nexk fur rising. Were they getting attacked?

Rabbitears stepped forward, his fur fluffed up so he looked twice his size. Littlepaw and Shadepaw straightened up, preparing to defend the nursery from the unseen threat.

"We need help over here!"

The voice was not from an enemy rogue, or a ShadowClan cat. It was Icefang! The blue-gray she-cat sounded desperate, and as she entered the camp, Shadepaw knew why.

Flickeringfire, the brave, loyal, ThunderClan warrior, was leaning heavily on her shoulder, his eyes closed. A deep wound that stretched from his ear to have way down his forepaw made Shadepaw recoil.

"Da-Dawningsun!" she blurted. The ginger medicine stuck her head out, and her eyes widened in terror as she saw the gravely wounded tom. She hurried over and helped Icefang to move the tom into her den.

A few moments later, Icefang exited.

"Shadepaw, Littlepaw." she said, nodding at the two apprentices. "I'll guard the nursery. Jetspeed has summoned you to battle."

Shadepaw felt a flicker of anticipation, which was covered by fear. What kind of battle was it, that could send back cats as gravely wounded as Flickeringfire.

Littlepaw stuck his gaze on her. "Our Clanmates need us!" he yowled. Shadepaw nodded, and the two apprentices sprinted to the gorse tunnel.

"""

Icefang sat in the medicine cat's den, her eyes deep with worry. Dawningsun had given her some marigold for a wound on her flank, but that was not bothering her.

Flickeringfire was in a mossy bed, his injured side facing upward so that it was pratically staring at Icefang. The tom had gone unconsious almost as soon as he was laid down.

Dawningsun was bent infront of him, pressing cobwebs and marigold onto his wounds.

"Fetch me some moss, with water on it." the medicine cat said sharply. Icefang scampered away to the ravine, and came back with the water.

"Start trickling it down his throat- thats it. We need to get him reydrayted."

Icefang did as the medicine cat instructed, hoping to get a response from Flickeringfire.

A pair of green eyes met hers, and she gasped as Flickeringfire feebly opened his eyes.

"""

Darkness.

Thats what surprised Jetspeed. One moment he had been sweating from his dark pelt in the sunshine, the next he was shivering in the dark. What had happened? It was not nearly sundown? Where was the sunshine.

Cats were screaming. The rogue Jetspeed had been battling had disappeared. He could not recognize friend from foe in the darkness.

"It is the Dark side of Sunshine!" called a cat.

"Our plans are ruined- flee!" called another.

And as suddently as the darkness came, it left. Jetspeed could see that most of the rogues were fleeing, though a few still remained. The deputy looked around, trying to locate Runningspirit.

A jult to his stomach told him to run. Jagged was bent over a lump of ginger fur, his teeth stuck deep in the cat's throat. Jetspeed hurled himself at the rogue leader, and knew that this time, he would not let go.

Jagged fought back harshly, and Jetspeed knew that the tom was strong enough to kill him. Jetspeed had gone weak from wound and from seeing his friend so gravely injured.

Jagged pinned him down, and Jetspeed braced himself for the deathly blow. But instead, Jagged cursed in pain. Jetspeed took this to his advantage and pushed the leader off him, only to come face to face with Littlepaw and Shadepaw.

He didn't take a moment to give them more then a feeble nod. He was back at Jagged, sinking his teeth into the cat's throat.

And for the first time in his life, Jetspeed felt a cat go limp in his paws.

Jagged was dead!

Jetspeed took no time for celebration. In a moment he was at Runningspirirt's side, his heart thudding to a stop as he saw how deep the neck wound was. His friend was dying, before he even recieved his nine lives from StarClan.

"Jetspeed.." Runningspirirt said faintly.

"Shh." Jetspeed said, blinking back tears.

"There is nothing you can do Jetspeed." The leader's voice was calm. "i am going to StarClan."

"No!" yowled Jetspeed. "You can't give up!" He reached for a leaf, and pressed it agaisnt the great wound that had not stopped bleeding.

"Dont you see Jetspeed?" Runningspirtit said, a small smile creeping upon his lips. "You were the right cat all along. Seeing the way you spoke to Jagged- before the battle- we all knew."

"K-knew what?" Jetspeed swallowed.

Another smile came to Runningspirirt's lips, and it did not go away. "That you are the rightful leader of ThunderClan."

Jetspeed felt himself grow weak.

"You will a brilliant leader," Runningspirit went on, his voice growing feeble. "A better leader then I would have ever been."

"Runningspirit.." Jetspeed choked.

"Please, Jetspeed." his friend's voice was pleading. "Remember me as I was before I became deputy."

"I will." Jetspeed vowed. "I'll never forget you."

A final smile crept on the ginger cat's face, and for a moment Jetspeed thought that his friend would get up.

"Goodbye, Jetstar." he said, his voice coming in painful rasps. And then his body jerked once, before going very still.

Jetspeed sunk his nose into the dead cat's muzzle, feeling the last warmth of life leave him.

"Goodbye Runningspirit." he said softly. "I will do my best to lead the Clan you loved so much."

"It'll be okay." Shadepaw said from behind him.

Jetspeed flashed her a smile.

"This time, I know it will."

The end...

I might to a sequel, entilted 'The Dark Side of the Moon.'

if you want it, tell me in your review!