Chapter 27

What? Foxtail froze, as did Whitethroat, the black TigerClan warrior he was fighting.

"Traitor!" Whitethroat screeched, tearing himself free of Foxtail's claws. Cedarheart jerked his head up, as if he had forgotten there was even a battle going on. Foxtail tore his stunned gaze from Feathertail's bloody flanks, in time to see Whitethroat thrust Cedarheart aside. Without even a moment of hesitation, Foxtail threw himself on the black warrior. His unexpected weight held Whitethroat as Cedarheart started nudging Feathertail roughly to her paws.

"I'll kill her!" Whitethroat yowled, struggling with the strength of a tiger as Foxtail drug him to the ground. "And you, too, Cedarheart!"

"You'll never lay a claw on her," Foxtail snarled, forcing the warrior onto his back with a mighty shove and lunging for his neck. A gurgling cry left the warrior's white-accented throat as Foxtail bit down harshly, not even noticing as Whitethroat's claws scoured his shoulders and ears over and over again. His blows weakened until finally, Foxtail let go, stepping back and shaking the blood from his muzzle. He met Feathertail's horrified gaze evenly.

"He won't hurt you now," he murmured. "Hurry and go—you shouldn't be fighting!" With that, he whipped around and dove back into the battle. His blood was singing in his veins, as if the life he had taken had seeped into his own battered body. His paws trembled with the force of the power he felt. Not even Tigerstar could beat me now.

"No!"

The terrified wail echoed around the clearing, and every warrior stopped fighting. Foxtail kept his opponent pinned firmly beneath him, ready to continue at the flick of a tail. As he looked up, he saw a ring of TigerClan warriors forming a circle in the middle of the battle. Tigerstar was at the center, and as Foxtail watched, the limp body of a WindClan apprentice fell from his jaws.

"This is your warning!" The massive tabby let his amber gaze sweep around the wounded warriors. "Meet me at Fourtrees at sunhigh tomorrow—there, you will join me, or you will die."

He lashed his tail once, and TigerClan began fleeing, yowling as gleefully as if they had won the battle. Foxtail snarled as he let the warrior beneath him go. The WindClan camp was destroyed, and despite the number of lifeless bodies in the camp, Whitethroat seemed to be the only one that belonged to TigerClan. Firestar and Tallstar were talking in hushed voices near the apprentice's body.

"Foxtail," Stormfur stumbled to the red-furred warrior's side. "Have you… seen Feathertail?"

"Yes," Foxtail pressed close against his broad-shouldered denmate. "I sent her back to ThunderClan's territory, she was wounded, but she'll be okay."

Stormfur's eyes clouded relief as he sank to the ground. He had obviously lost a lot of blood. Concerned, Foxtail glanced around the clearing.

"Hailpaw?" He had seen his brother during the battle, helping Mudfur tend to the wounded and even fighting.

"I'm here," the pale silver tabby limped over, a bundle of herbs in his jaws. He waved his tail, and Thistlepaw joined them, another leaf-wrapped bundle in her jaws.

Foxtail pressed his muzzle against his brother's shoulder. "You fought like a warrior," he purred. His purr broke as the taste of blood washed over his tongue—as fresh as if he still had his sharp teeth imbedded in Whitethroat's throat. Guilt crashed over the red-furred warrior with a vengeance, hitting him with enough force to make him sway where he stood.

"Foxtail doesn't look so well," Thistlepaw observed with an alarmed glance in his direction. Foxtail hardly noticed. His midnight eyes were fixed on his paws. His enemies' blood was seeping through his red fur and chilling him to the core.

I killed a warrior.

He felt like he would be sick. Hailpaw pressed against his bloody flank. Foxtail shied away from the contact, as if Hailpaw would know what he had done just by their pelts touching.

"Let me tend to your wounds," the medicine cat apprentice insisted.

"It can wait," was all Foxtail said as he moved away on shaking legs. I killed a warrior. The thought repeated over and over in his head. He didn't hear any of what Firestar and Tallstar were saying. He padded blindly to Graystripe's side when the deputy called for him to join the patrol returning to camp to see Yellowfang right away. Hailpaw joined the patrol as well, and he shadowed Foxtail pawstep for pawstep.

I killed a warrior, and I didn't even think about it.

No, a voice in his head taunted him. You killed a warrior and you enjoyed it.

As Foxtail lay numbly in the medicine den he realized that he couldn't argue with the gloating voice in the back of his mind.

You felt powerful—like not even StarClan could stop you, it leered on. If you could go back, you'd do it again.

Foxtail sat up suddenly. Yellowfang hissed irritably, but Foxtail ignored her. "I need to talk to Hailpaw," His meow was hoarse and broken. Yellowfang stared at him for a long moment, before calling her apprentice.

"Make it quick," she growled. "You're the last cat that needs treatment, as soon as you're patched up we're leaving for Highstones."

As the ferns stilled, Foxtail brought his distraught dark blue gaze up to meet his brother's concerned eyes. "I know what they mean now," he choked out. Hailpaw's eyes grew wide, and Foxtail continued bitterly, "Don't look so surprised, Hailpaw. You know, too, don't you?"

"I'm not sure what you're talking about…" Hailpaw mewed uncertainly.

"The dreams," Foxtail felt his blood chill as his brother averted his gaze. "You do know don't you?"

"It's impossible to know anything for sure," Hailpaw shifted his paws uncomfortably. "The dreams have never been very straightforward for either of us…"

"I killed a ShadowClan warrior today."

The confession nearly made Foxtail sick, and he pressed his belly to the ground and flattened his ears.

"It was a life or death battle," Hailpaw began gently.

Foxtail shook his head. "While we were fighting, Feathertail was fighting another ShadowClan warrior nearby. I don't think she realized how close we were, and she… She told the warrior she was expecting his kits."

"Did anyone else hear?" Hailpaw demanded suddenly, fear glittering in his ice blue eyes, but Foxtail shook his head again.

"No, just me. And the warrior I was fighting. He called the other ShadowClan warrior a traitor, then he threatened to kill Feathertail, and I just… I forced him to the ground while the other warrior—Cedarheart?—helped Feathertail escape. I could have let him go. But I didn't." As he finished, Foxtail began shaking again.

Hailpaw blinked sympathetically as his brother, but didn't meet his gaze as he pressed close against him. "He could have killed Feathertail," the medicine cat apprentice murmured softly. "But he didn't because you were there. Someone else could have found out, but her secret is safe because you were there. There's a huge difference between what you did and what Tigerstar did—you're no murderer, Foxtail."

"Who are you trying to convince, Hailpaw?" Foxtail's question was a pained whisper. "Me or yourself?"

"Let's get moving, Hailpaw!"

The medicine cat apprentice didn't answer—he didn't have to. He only touched his muzzle briefly to his brother's and slipped away through the fern tunnel. Foxtail didn't move. Exhaustion finally overcame fear, and he moved stiffly to Hailpaw's nest, where he curled up and let the welcome darkness of sleep consume him.

For the first time in a long time, Foxtail didn't dream. He woke stiff and tired, but knew today of all days his Clan needed him to be strong. The red-furred warrior padded out of the medicine den, surprised to see how high in the sky the sun already was.

"Good morning," Stormfur greeted him at the fresh-kill pile, where he was lying beside Sootfur and eating a sparrow.

"Morning," Foxtail yawned. In a flash, he remembered the circumstances of Whitethroat's death. "Where's Feathertail? Did you check on her when we returned?"

Sootfur flicked his ears towards the warrios' den. "Still asleep," he supplied while Stormfur struggled with the bite he had taken. "She was wounded pretty badly, I don't think Firestar intends to let her join the patrol today."

"Good," Foxtail sighed in relief as he pulled a magpie from the pile and settled next to Stormfur. He ate quickly, leaving little space between bites to talk. Just as he finished, the thorn tunnel rustled and Yellowfang padded slowly into camp. Hailpaw was just behind her, and his eyes blazed as he saw Foxtail.

"You won't believe it!" The pale tabby exclaimed, rushing across the clearing to touch noses with his brother. "Yellowfang's given me my full name!"

A purr erupted from Foxtail's chest as he jumped to his paws and pressed his nose into his brother's thick fur. The battle seemed lifetimes away. "Well? Are you going to tell us?" He nudged his brother playfully.

"Hailfall," the newly named medicine cat announced proudly.

"That's great!" Stormfur pressed close to the medicine cat, and Foxtail realized—not for the first time—how broad Stormfur's shoulders had grown, and how small the big warrior made his brother seem.

"That's enough of that," Yellowfang called from the fern tunnel. "If there is a battle today, we must be prepared."

"Yes, Yellowfang!" Hailfall shared one last, breathless glance with Foxtail before hurrying to the medicine den.

"Do you think there will be a battle?" Stormfur's amber eyes were dark with concern as ThunderClan began slowly gathering towards the center of the camp.

Foxtail took a deep breath. "No," he finally meowed. He met Stormfur's surprised gaze evenly. "I'm not sure what, but I can't help but to feel that something much worse is going to happen today."

Firestar appeared soon. He spoke a few brief words of encouragement, before raising his voice and calling orders to the cat milling about him. "All queens will stay in the camp to protect the elders and kits," the flame-pelted leader began. "Runningwind and Silverstream will stay, as well."

Hailfall stepped forward. "Firestar," he called softly. Feathertail was padding slowly towards them, limping heavily. "Feathertail was badly wounded in the battle yesterday, I recommend that she stay, as well."

Feathertail froze, her eyes widening in dismay as Firestar nodded. Foxtail could have yowled his relief to StarClan. Feathertail was in no condition to go into battle again.

"So Runningwind, Silverstream, and Feathertail will stay behind to help the queens guard the camp. Every other warrior will come with me. Yellowfang will remain in the camp to treat the badly wounded, Hailfall will join the battle patrol. Are you all ready?"

A chorus of agreement rose from the gathered warriors. Firestar took a deep breath, then flicked his ears and led the way out of the camp. They travelled quickly but quietly, and reach Fourtrees just before the sun reached its peak. Tallstar and his warriors were already there.

Foxtail lashed his bushy tail. Tigerstar is in for a surprise if he thinks WindClan didn't have warriors to spare for this! Hailfall stayed close to his side, their pelts just brushing. Whatever had happened at the previous battle, and whatever would happen at sunhigh, they would face it together.

"Well? Have you given thought to my answer?"

Foxtail unsheathed his claws as Tigerstar melted out of the shadows that lined the hollow of Fourtrees. Firestar and Tallstar stepped forward together, and Foxtail lined up between Hailfall and Swiftstep as their ranks advanced. TigerClan slipped from the shadows behind their leader. Leopardstar and Blackfoot hovered at his shoulders like eager apprentices. He felt a fresh wave of guilt as he met the gaze of the ShadowClan warrior that had seen him kill Whitethroat. Dark blue met pale green for a long moment, before Cedarheart dipped his head minutely, as if forgiving him for the murder of his Clanmate and thanking him for protecting Feathertail. Foxtail blinked evenly back at him, silently accepting the gesture.

Firestar stepped forward and drew every cat's attention. "The answer is still no," he meowed firmly.

Tigerstar curled his lip in a snarl. "Then you will all die." But he did not attack. He flicked his tail, and from the top of the slope, cats began to appear. They were no forest cats—their pelts were dull and collars adorned most of their necks. Foxtail was about to scoff openly when he felt Hailfall stiffen beside him

"Teeth," the pale tabby hissed under his breath.

Bewildered, Foxtail followed his terrified gaze to the huge black and white cat that had stepped forward to stand beside Tigerstar. Hailfall was right; the collars were all decorated with dogs' teeth. He felt his paws turn to stone as he realized that some even sported cat teeth.

"This is BloodClan," Tigerstar crowed. "Still ready to stand and fight?"

Firestar squared his shoulders. "We will not join you."

Tigerstar unsheathed his claws. "BloodClan, attack!" His screeched echoed around the clearing. No cat moved. Foxtail held his breath as a small black cat stepped forward. In his eyes, the red-furred warrior could see all of the feelings that had nearly swept him off of his paws when he had claimed Whitethroat's life. This cat is more dangerous than anything we've ever seen…

"I am Scourge," the black cat's voice was like breaking ice. "The leader of BloodClan."

Firestar stepped closer, introducing himself. He began telling the tale of Tigerstar's treachery. Foxtail couldn't hear his leader speaking over the pounding of his own heart in his ears. Panic was jolting through his veins. Would his eyes one day grow to be so cold?

"BloodClan will not fight today."

He's just playing with us!

"Traitor!" Tigerstar lunged for the smaller cat. As fast as lightning, Scourge slipped to the side. He shot up between Tigerstar's outstretched paws and dug his claws into the great tabby's throat. In one quick motion, he raked his claws from Tigerstar's throat to his tail, cutting him open as easily as if he were a piece of fresh-kill.

A terrible, gurgling cry escaped the TigerClan leader's torn throat as he fell into spasms on the ground. Scourge watched with blatant disgust as the large tabby squalled and writhed.

Cat of TigerClan began breaking rank, screaming in terror as the cat they thought to be invincible died over and over again before their eyes. Tallstar urged his warriors to keep their lines. Foxtail knew his father wouldn't have to ask the same of his warriors.

Finally, Tigerstar's body lay still.

Scourge shook the blood from his paw scornfully. He cut Firestar off as he began to speak, "The forest belongs to BloodClan now. You have three days. You may leave, or you may meet BloodClan here and die battling us." With that, he turned and was swallowed by the ranks of his warriors. They followed him up into ShadowClan's territory. Leopardstar didn't move, and neither did RiverClan's warriors. A few ShadowClan warriors lingered uncertainly. Foxtail realized that Cedarheart was one of them.

"We cannot let him take the forest," Tallstar finally rasped. His tail was fluffed out in terror, but the resolve in his eyes was as bright as the leaf-fall sun above them.

"No," Firestar agreed. "We must prepare to meet BloodClan in battle in three days' time."

Leopardstar lashed her tail. "You saw he's capable of!" Her claws tore at the ground. "We can't possibly hope to fight that!"

"Perhaps not alone," replied Firestar. His green eyes staring imploringly into hers. "Will RiverClan stand beside us?" He swept his gaze across the remaining ShadowClan warriors. "Will ShadowClan?"

A fierce wind whipped through the four Clans as they stood together. Leoparstar closed her eyes as it buffeted her fur.

"RiverClan will stand beside WindClan and ThunderClan," the pride was beginning to return to her eyes. Foxtail felt his paws prickling with hope as he waited for Blackfoot to step forward and speak for ShadowClan. But the big white warrior was gone. After a long quiet, a dark ginger she-cat Foxtail recognized as Russetfur stepped forward.

"ShadowClan will fight as well," she growled. "But we have no camp to return to—BloodClan is sure to be taking it over as we speak." Her gaze fell to Leopardstar, but the dappled golden she-cat was speaking with her warriors.

Tallstar glanced at Firestar, and he dipped his head. "You may shelter with ThunderClan until the battle." He turned to Tallstar and Leopardstar.

"I'll see you both here in three days," he vowed. "Prepare well, and may StarClan be with you."


Thanks for reading guys! We're almost there!

Currently, I am looking for kit ideas for Brambleclaw and Sorreltail (who will have a tom and a she-cat), as well as ideas for Feathertail and Cedarheart's kits (I have yet to decide how many/what genders, so include whatever you'd like!)

Also, I wanted to let you know that there will be another installment in what I will be referring to as the Light Series. As it stands now, it will consist of only 3: The Brightest Fire, Light in the Darkness, and one more (name to be determined). There was a guest reviewing for the longest time who requested I use one of their OCs, and while I'm not sure if they're still reading, I did want to say that she WILL be in the next installment.

Thanks again guys, hope to hear back from you all soon!