A/U: Terribly sorry for the shortness of this chapter. I hope no one can guess the character I've chosen. You'll find out more about them when you read the end of the chapter. If you can guess right away, than that means you have been paying attention to the series :D

I'd also like to point out that Across The Skies has been started. ATS is a short story about Rockfall and his journey to SkyClan. He gets to follow the ancestors of the Marked to their new territory, so don't forget to check it out.

Thanks to my only reviewer, Shmancy-Fancy-Kitteh

-Chapter 18-

Panic began to spread among the cats that coward in the clearing. The light had dimmed when the moon was covered by clouds. They knew that a threat was near. Their sharp senses could pick up traces of another presence. The cats shifted uneasily as they waited for the threat to emerge. The she-cat felt strangely uncomfortable as she waited for what fate had in store for her and her Clanmates. The cats of RockClan looked around as well, but they were not as afraid. She knew that they could defend themselves against an enemy. Unless it was one of their own kind.

Suddenly a shadow moved through the darkness. Her ears pricked forward in alarm when she saw the shadow moving swiftly towards an unsuspecting Sparrowstar. He was trying to keep the younger warriors under control. The old cat didn't notice the shadow as it flung itself at him. A yowl of shock answered her unfortunate question as she wondered what the shadow was doing. Her ears flattened when she heard a cry of pain slice through the wailing cats. A stunned silence quickly followed.

The SkyClan leader's wail was cut off by a gurgling shriek as fangs bore down on his throat. The she-cats eyes widened in pain when she realized what had happened. Sparrowstar barely put up a struggle because of his old age. Her heart twisted when the clouds drifted away. Moonlight revealed what had happened.

"Sparrowstar is dead!" One cat let out a horrified shriek when he saw the body of his leader. She recognized the voice as Flamespeckle's among the countless cries that followed. "Who could have done such a thing?"

Her heart felt heavy when she exchanged a glance with Umberfur, a black tom with amber eyes. He looked as though his own life had been taken away. The two siblings could only step forward as they searched for Sparrowstar's body among the jostling cats. Her eyes widened even further when she saw the wounds around his neck. Long gashes stretched on either side. Blood pooled from the open wound, and her nose wrinkled in disgust when she caught the scent of infection.

"Where's Bouncefire?" she asked after a shiver coursed down her spine.

Another yowl split through the silence that had followed. Her heartbeat quickened when she recognized the yowl as well. It was Bouncefire, and his voice was filled with terror as another attack was launched. His cry was cut off just like Sparrowstar's had been. The she-cat could only watch in horror as yet another cat fell at the claws of the shadow.

"Sableheart!" The she-cat recognized Snowfire's cry above the others. Her eyes narrowed when she recognized the ginger dapples that marked his pelt. "Why are you doing this?" Her voice was filled with anguish as she looked at the cat that had once been her brother.

"Mother abandoned us, and father never showed respect because we were different." Every word was spat from his mouth. Feathernose flinched, while Flamespeckle could only down at his paws in shame. "They deserve to suffer the way we suffered!"

"Please, don't do this." Stormstar stood on top of the rock and looked at Sableheart pleadingly. "We've done everything we could to make you feel accepted."

"I could never feel accepted in a Clan that I wasn't raised in," Sableheart hissed.

Stormstar suddenly lunged forward, but it was Snowfire who made the first move. The cats in the clearing jostled in shock from the sudden movement. The she-cat could only stare at the scene that took place. Sableheart spat furiously at his sister, who retaliated by leaping after him. He tried to dodge to one side, but got caught by her powerful strides. Snowfire could easily catch up with him, and was stronger than the she-cat remembered.

Sableheart managed to fling her across the clearing when he broke free from her grip. The she-cat watched in disbelief when he stalked forward, towards his unmoving sister. Something told the she-cat that she was only unconscious. Snowfire barely moved when Sableheart approached her. His lips were curled in a snarl when he looked down at her.

"You are a traitor like them," he snarled venomously. "I should have never followed you."

The ginger and white she-cat looked up at him through pleading eyes. Sableheart seemed unnerved by her gaze. He opened his jaws for a death blow, but was suddenly rammed into the side by a brown tabby with spots around his back. The gray and ginger dappled warrior snarled in retaliation when he saw what had happened. The tabby's head was lowered like a snake waiting to strike its prey.

The she-cat watched curiously from the crowd as the battle raged on. Stormstar tried to cut in between them, but managed only to get himself hurt. Sableheart moved like lightning as he dodged the tabby's attacks. Snowfire struggled to her paws when she saw that her Clanmate was struggling to keep Sableheart at bay.

Time seemed to move slowly for the cats who sat in the clearing. It was a constant fight between Sableheart and the two cats as they fought against him. The she-cat tried to close her eyes at the terrible sight of Sableheart's claws scraping the ground. She knew that this was a battle, and that she was trained for battles. But she preferred staying in the nursery, and tending to kits that needed a mother.

Suddenly the sounds of battle ended. The she-cat opened her eyes to see that Snowfire's paw was pressed against her brother's neck. Her tail lashed uncomfortable as Sableheart spat at the young warrior. The she-cat was surprised that Snowfire wasn't using her powers to stop him.

"Enough, brother," she spat. "I don't want to fight you."

Sableheart glared at her until her claws unsheathed. He settled down, but only a little.

"This battle has gone too far," Stormstar meowed when he joined them. "Sparrowstar and Bouncefire are dead because of your treachery. You should suffer the same fate they have suffered, but I am against killing."

"He should die," snarled Blackstripe.

"So many others could have been killed," Cherrytail muttered with a sad shake of her head. "I always thought I would die before my brother."

It always surprised the she-cat that they were related. Cherrytail was also the grandmother of Sableheart and Snowfire. She wondered if the ginger she-cat felt anything towards the cat that had killed her brother. Yet Cherrytail could also look at Snowfire, who became a loyal warrior to RockClan.

The she-cat shook her head as they began to argue amongst themselves. She felt nothing but sorrow for losing a leader and a deputy. No Clan should suffer from such a terrible loss. When she managed to look at their bodies, she realized that something was wrong. She saw that Bouncefire's sides were heaving. He was alive!

More cats began to realize that he was alive as well. Flowertail, the medicine cat, stepped forward until her muzzle touched his flank. A few warriors bore their fangs at her when she pressed his fur with her muzzle. The SkyClan cats watched in shock as the wounds around his neck began to gleam. A bright light illuminated, until suddenly, the light faded into darkness. The she-cat's jaw gaped in disbelief when she saw that the wounds were gone.

"He will live," Flowertail murmured after she lifted her muzzle. "But he must rest before he is moved from this spot."

After realizing that their deputy was alive, the cats of SkyClan began to gather around him. His fur rose and fell heavily when he regained his composure. A sense of relief flowed through the she-cat as she watched him recover.

"Are you okay, Shadepool?" The dark gray she-cat suddenly whirled around to face Umberfur, her brother. His gaze was filled with both concern and sorrow when he met her stare.

"I'll be fine," she murmured.

Shadepool tried to swallow the grief she felt as she looked away. Umberfur had cared for as as best as he could. Mintleaf, their mother, had been severely injured just when their eyes had opened. When Mintleaf had spent four moons in the medicine cat's den, it was Umberfur who made sure they got what they needed.

It took her a few heartbeats to realize that something was wrong. Shadepool looked around as she heard more murmurs of surprise.

Sableheart was gone; freed from Snowfire's grip. Her heart felt heavy once more when she looked at the tracks that were swallowed by darkness. No cat was safe as long as he was around.

A/U: Big surprise right? Shadepool was actually fun to write about. I like her character, despite the fact that she's only minor. She receives a gold star for at least having some personality, unlike some characters I can unfortunately point out. Anyways, please remember to review, and don't forget to check out Across The Skies!