And this cliffy finally reaches conclusion...

You go Doveheart. You go.

Chapter 34

Doveheart

After the sharp-eyed jay and the roaring lion, peace will come on gentle dove's wings. ~The Fourth Apprentice

"Die, Doveheart."

As he raised his claws, there was a sudden cry of pain, and a streak of a familiar scent danced in front of Doveheart's nose. She opened her eyes suddenly to see the dark tabby tom take Redwillow down. Three strikes – one to Redwillow's head, another to Redwillow's stomach, and the third to Redwillow's throat. Vomit rose in Doveheart's throat at the sight. There was blood everywhere.

Then it was done.

"What in StarClan's name have you done?" spat Doveheart. Covered in blood, her savior and Redwillow's murderer turned back to her. His amber eyes so cold. His claws still unsheathed. Blood dripping from his jaws and his chest fur and his paws and…everywhere.

"I'm Tigerstar's apprentice," said Tigerheart as he took a few steps closer to her. "There's no one better at killing than me."

Doveheart scrambled to her paws and unsheathed her claws.

"What kind of monster are you?" she hissed. It took a moment, but the look in Tigerheart's eyes softened.

"I saved your life," he said.

"Tigerstar's apprentice?" hissed Doveheart. At once, Tigerheart flinched away.

"It's…" He sighed. "I'm…yes."

"And you expect me to believe you saved me?" she spat.

"Well, I did."

"Tigerstar's apprentice!"

"Doveheart, let me explain."

"What is there to explain?" She lunged at him, claws outstretched, and he slipped out of her way and bundled back. Doveheart lunged again, and Tigerheart feinted to the side and head-butted her back, so that she fell again.

"I'm not going to hurt you!" he yelled.

"So? You'll hurt the rest of the Clans?"

"I won't do that either!"

"Why should I believe you?" hissed Doveheart. She had known that there was something wrong about him. All along. Here was her proof. ShadowClan may have believed his lies, but she would not fall victim.

"Just hear me out," said Tigerheart. "If you don't believe my story, that's fine." He narrowed his eyes. "Besides. You can't fight me."

Doveheart glanced at Redwillow's bloody corpse, at the bright blotchy scarlet staining Tigerheart's chest fur. If he had wanted to kill her, wouldn't he have done it already?

"Explain," snapped Doveheart. Tigerheart sighed in relief.

"I began training with Tigerstar as an apprentice," he said. "They promised me that I would be a stronger warrior and be able to help ShadowClan."

"That's what everyone says," said Doveheart.

"I was wary at first, but Tawnypelt named me after him for a reason," said Tigerheart. "I ended up staying, and Tigerstar decided to teach me everything he knew. The stuff he said…StarClan, Doveheart, it was inspiring."

"It was disgusting," hissed Doveheart. "All of it."

"His vision for what the Clans could be, I mean," said Tigerheart. "This hierarchy of the strong helping the weak become stronger, of the strongest cats being on top, of the type of ruthlessness that would keep our borders intact forever, but the peace that would keep us in unity." His eyes glazed over at the thought. Then he shook his head as if discarding those dreams.

"But then he started talking about what it would take to get there," said Tigerheart. "He called everything and everyone an abomination that he would wipe clean. He threatened…you." He dropped his head. "I couldn't take that."

"So it was because of me that you became a spy?" said Doveheart incredulously.

"Well…" started Tigerheart. "One day, I was talking to Flametail in the medicine den, right when Littlecloud was coming down with his illness. And Littlecloud started raving about…about the stars falling down and the earth freezing over. Flametail claimed that it was just because Littlecloud was feverish, but even after his bout of green-cough, he didn't get better, not really. I mean, he did, but he would still sit on the edges of camp and not talk very much. So Flametail and I have been looking into it."

"So you decided to stay a spy to figure it out?" said Doveheart. She remembered finding Tigerheart in the woods searching for herbs with Flametail; the story did, in some ways, check out. She had also heard Jayfeather mumbling about Littlecloud skipping trips to the Moonpool and being rather skittish when he did come.

"We found a lot," said Tigerheart. "I'm still not sure exactly what Littlecloud knows but…" He shook his head. "Tigerstar told me everything." His amber eyes glowed. "I know about the prophecy."

"Wh-what?" Doveheart took a step back, alarmed out of her tense fear.

"I daresay I know more than you do," said Tigerheart. He looked away for a moment. "I didn't know what to do. It's hard to get out at that point. So I played double agent for both sides. I was only ever loyal to ShadowClan."

"How can I believe that?" said Doveheart. "For all I know, this could be part of your double agent job."

"I just killed Redwillow to protect you," said Tigerheart. His eyes were just as intense as ever. They froze her where she stood, saw inside her, turned her inside out and upside down, and she didn't know what she could say. "Maybe I said a lot of things I didn't mean, but not to you. Never to you."

"I can't be with you," said Doveheart. "That's not what I'm here to do."

"Then what do you plan to do?" said Tigerheart, a touch aggressively. "Because right now, you're just staring at me like a startled mouse."

"Doveheart!" She and Tigerheart looked up in unison, and there, floating towards her with true starlight in their pelts, was a cat she had never seen before. But it didn't take her long to guess.

"You're Bluestar," she said. "The leader before Firestar."

"That's right," said Bluestar. She flicked her tail and held her head high. "Ivypool sends a message."

"Ivypool!" said Doveheart, wide-eyed.

"She says that you must take down the leaders of the Dark Forest," said Bluestar. "Frankly, I agree." Her eyes flickered. "Breezepelt, Mossytail, Thistleclaw, Hawkfrost, and Brokenstar are still alive. As is Tigerstar." She growled at this.

"I'll go after them," said Doveheart at once.

"You will need my help to take down a cat of the Dark Forest," said Bluestar. Her whiskers twitched. "We must hurry."

"Wait!" said Tigerheart. He scrambled after her. "I'm coming, too."

Doveheart didn't bother to correct him, instead closing her eyes and letting her senses drift out. She found Brambleclaw and Firestar locked in combat with Tigerstar, Ivypool fighting Hawkfrost, Lionblaze racing across the battlefield, Icecloud hurrying back to find the medicine den void of Jayfeather and Leafpool, Jayfeather with a StarClan cat in battle with Brokenstar and Breezepelt. That left…that left Mossytail, who Doveheart found creeping closer and closer to the lake with shadow cats swarming her.

"Mossytail is this way," she said, casting a glance at Bluestar and Tigerheart. Then she took off, ignoring the ache in her muscles, and they followed. Neither bothered to ask how she knew, and it unnerved her. Tigerheart really did know about the prophecy.

They found Mossytail and a group of four shadow cats at the edge of the lake facing Mistystar and Reedwhisker. The RiverClan leader was breathing heavily, while the deputy was lying on the ground, still struggling to get to his paws. There was blood coming from their wounds, making Doveheart wince.

"Mossytail, enough of this!" cried Tigerheart. All of the members of the battle looked over at her as they came rushing down the hill. "This battle is lost."

"It isn't lost until Tigerstar dies," said Mossytail. "What happened to your precious new vision, Tigerheart?"

"There is no vision," said Tigerheart. "Can't you accept that I was a spy?"

Hissing, he launched himself at Mossytail, but she laughed and danced out of the way, slicing her claws down his muzzle. Doveheart hesitated for a moment, but then she walked into the battle, too. The shadow cats rained down on her, surrounding her.

A pair of claws rushed into view, and Doveheart ducked, but the shadow cat disappeared into nothingness as Mistystar rushed in at the same time as Bluestar.

"Bluestar!" said Mistystar. Mother and daughter exchanged a glance, and then Doveheart fell back to join them. "Doveheart, what's going on?"

"We must get rid of Mossytail," said Doveheart. "And the other Dark Forest cats."

"Mossytail is RiverClan's problem," said Mistystar angrily. "You and Tigerheart shouldn't get involved."

"If we can stop Mossytail, we can stop this war," said Doveheart earnestly. She sliced the final shadow warrior to dust. "I don't mean to intrude, Mistystar, but we need to end this. Once Mossytail is gone, her warriors – those of RiverClan – will lose faith."

"Those mouse-hearted traitors didn't have much to begin with," said Bluestar coldly. Doveheart shook her head.

"Please, Mistystar," she said. "They really did just want to help the Clans. If you agree to help them, I know they'll stop fighting."

Mistystar hesitated as if seriously considering this. Then she sighed heartily.

"Let's finish this first," she said. Doveheart nodded and turned to see Mossytail and Tigerheart squaring off and snarling at each other. Mossytail was defensively low-to-the-ground, while Tigerheart stood big and aggressive as always.

"You were always a traitor," said Mossytail. "I'm not surprised."

Before she could leap at Tigerheart, Mistystar flew in between them. Doveheart ran up beside Tigerheart, head-butting him fiercely so that he rose out of his aggressive position.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"Mistystar wants to handle Mossytail," said Doveheart. The tabby tom frowned. "I know. Just let her try again."

Mistystar leaped at Mossytail, taking the warrior head-on and wrestling her backwards. Mossytail slashed at her leader, making Mistystar recoil, and in the moment, Mossytail scored her claws down Mistystar's muzzle. The RiverClan leader shook her jaws with a yelp as blood splattered the beach. Doveheart flinched, but she made her way over to Reedwhisker, who had finally stood on shaking paws.

"Don't try and fight," said Doveheart, giving the RiverClan deputy someone to lean on. "We'll get you back to Willowshine."

"I can fight," said Reedwhisker, but his eyes were dazed and not focusing. Doveheart shook her head furiously, and he sat back. Both turned back to the battle at hand.

Tigerheart had stepped in again, but Mistystar didn't seem to mind. Mossytail was brilliant as a fighter, using her size to slip in between their strong attacks. Mistystar was fast, despite her being older than most of her warriors, and Tigerheart had all the strength and poise that made him absolutely breath-taking to watch in battle.

It was Tigerheart who landed a hit next, one that sent Mossytail stumbling into Mistystar's waiting paws. The RiverClan leader hissed, bowling her former warrior over without mercy. Mossytail cried out as she slammed into the ground, and Doveheart heard an ominous cracking sound.

"You betrayed RiverClan!" Mistystar cried, pinning Mossytail down and shoving her paws into Mossytail's shoulders. The young general cried out with pain, but Mistystar refused to relent. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

There was a long pause, and Tigerheart spun back from the battle, breathless. Bluestar, Doveheart, Tigerheart, and Reedwhisker watched in silence as Mossytail stared up at her leader with pain-filled eyes and spat. Mistystar flinched when the saliva hit her face, but the fur had risen on the back of her neck now.

"RiverClan is not a real Clan anymore," said Mossytail. "How could it be, when its leader is ThunderClan, and its warriors ally themselves with any other Clan it sees fit? How could it possibly still be a real Clan? My RiverClan would have been great."

Mistystar sighed and stepped back from her warrior – Mossytail stood there, stunned. Mistystar turned away from her, her head held high and her tail alert, every hair on her back smooth and in-place. She was a leader once more.

"I will not kill you," she said, her blue eyes the only part of her that wasn't entirely calm. "You are a cat that I saw raised from kithood, and you were trained RiverClan, whether or not you admit it." She sighed, looking out into the lake. "Mossytail, you are hereby exiled from RiverClan."

Then Mistystar turned to Tigerheart and Doveheart and gave a soft chuckle.

"No longer a RiverClan problem," she said. "Reedwhisker, come."

The deputy turned away with one last bitter look at Mossytail, and then the pair hurried away. Mossytail struggled to her feet and turned to face Doveheart and Tigerheart. She laughed.

"Weak," she spat. Bluestar growled from behind Doveheart. Hesitantly, Doveheart stepped forward and faced the she-cat straight on.

"Call of this attack," she said.

"Why should I?" sneered Mossytail. "Your StarClan warriors and Clan cats are no match for my warriors. We will eliminate you. There is no end to our forces."

"That's not true," said Tigerheart. "The shadow cats have stopped coming. Ivypool has broken free of Mapleshade's hold, so she cannot open the channel for the Dark Forest cats any longer."

"Ivypool?" Mossytail said, disgusted. "What channel?"

"She is the one who brought StarClan here," said Tigerheart. He glanced back at Doveheart. "If Ivypool can be good, why can't I?"

"It isn't that easy," said Doveheart, but she had to admit that she hadn't thought of him as an enemy in a while.

"Winning you has never been easy, I suppose," he said. With a rueful smile, he turned away from her, snapping his attention onto Mossytail again. Doveheart followed suit. Mossytail growled, her hackles rising.

In sync, Doveheart and Tigerheart leaped forward, trapping Mossytail in between them. The she-cat kicked Tigerheart away with her hindlegs, and Doveheart pounced, rolling down the hill and into the light waves with the RiverClan she-cat. Liberated by water, Mossytail twisted free of Doveheart's grip and kicked her back into the lake. Doveheart gasped out as a wave rolled over her head, but then a pair of fierce jaws fastened into the scruff of her neck and pulled her out.

"Thanks," she said as Tigerheart set her on her feet.

"That's twice I've saved your life," he said, and then the pair dove back at Mossytail. Doveheart got there first, her now-wet coat slippery under Mossytail's paws. The RiverClan she-cat hissed as Tigerheart's claws raked down her side, and Doveheart pounced on her and pressed her to the ground. She flattened Mossytail and pushed on the back of her neck.

"Doveheart," said Tigerheart. Doveheart stared at the squirming-in-vain she-cat underneath her. This cat needed to be stopped. "Doveheart, you don't have to kill her."

"Don't I?" said Doveheart.

"Killing isn't something to be proud of," said Tigerheart. "Let me do it."

"No!" screeched Mossytail, and she squirmed harder. "You'll die! All of you!" She was sobbing now as fear overcame her. "I won't…I won't…"

Something tugged on Doveheart's heartstrings, and she stared down, lifting her paw, but it was shaking. Everything was shaking.

"Doveheart," said Tigerheart. Doveheart willed her heart to turn to stone – she needed to get this done. She had the power of the stars in her paws, so why was it so hard to kill one cat that had caused so much suffering?

"Please, please…" Now Mossytail had gotten very still, except for the tremors of terror still vibrating up and down her body. "Please, no…have mercy…"

Mercy.

She remembered Lionblaze shaking, unresponsive to her pleas, after he had killed Russetfur. She remembered the way she had nearly thrown up seeing Tigerheart dripping in Redwillow's blood. She remembered the pain in Graystripe's eyes as he sat vigil for Crouchpaw, whose death he had been powerless to prevent. She remembered…death. So much death.

Gasping, Doveheart stepped back, finding that she was nearly in tears. She shook her head, and Mossytail stopped screaming. She raised her eyes at Tigerheart, who wasn't nearly as bloody anymore.

"I…" she whispered, but she didn't need to explain. She saw the calm in Tigerheart's eyes turn into blood-lusting steel, and then she turned towards the lake as she saw him pounce. Mossytail screamed, and Doveheart just stared at the lake to drown it all out.

Tigerheart appeared by her side a few seconds later, his pelt smelling strongly of blood and radiating heat.

"You shouldn't feel bad," said Tigerheart. Doveheart didn't reply. "Doveheart, I'm not proud of this. But you and I both know we had to kill her."

She nodded lightly, glad all the same that she hadn't been there to see the lights go out of Mossytail's horrified eyes.

"Peace needs to come," she said, turning back towards the fighting. She saw less shadows – they no longer covered the sky like a blanket, instead being peppered throughout the pelts of real cats. Blood and inky dust sprinkled the moorland with color, and she saw the flashing colors of cats fighting on their last legs. She could smell it though, the conflicting scents as cat faced off with cat of their own Clan or of a neighboring Clan.

"No cat will accept back those that betrayed their Clan," said Tigerheart wearily.

"Not all of them wanted to betray their Clan," said Doveheart. "They feel they have to in order to keep Tigerstar from killing their families."

"Most of them are right about that," said Tigerheart. "He stole and murdered kits to show what happened when cats disobeyed him."

Doveheart was silent at that. Bluestar turned to them, having returned from an escapade Doveheart didn't know the details of.

"The generals are dead," she said. "And the only major Dark Forest cat still in this world is Tigerstar."

"Firestar and Brambleclaw will handle him, right?" said Doveheart. "Or Lionblaze? Or…do they need help from StarClan?"

Bluestar frowned, and Doveheart paused. She sniffed the air. Her ears flattened. Still, she listened as Bluestar delivered the news she had just discovered.

"Lionblaze and Brambleclaw are fighting now," said Bluestar. "There's been a distruption in StarClan…I…" She gulped. "I'm using up all of my own power to speak to you now. Since Ivypool beat Hawkfrost and fainted, we can't hold our corporal forms. We're shades again."

"What does that mean?" Doveheart asked, horrified. Bluestar sighed.

"I don't know if we can do anything to stop Tigerstar and confine him to the darkness," she said. "And if Ivypool is out of the game, there's no other way to drive him back."

"We have to do something," said Doveheart. "We must!"

Bluestar nodded grimly, but she didn't offer any ideas.

"If Tigerstar can't go back, then…" Tigerheart trailed off. "He's the most powerful cat in the entire Place of No Stars."

"We'll do something," said Doveheart. "I'm part of the prophecy. There must be something I can do."

She thought about her powers, about how she had been able to carry Lionblaze's power with her visualization. She couldn't do the same thing on such a large scale – it would knock out shadow cat and living cat alike. Maybe…maybe…

"I have an idea," said Doveheart. "It's a horrible idea, but I don't know another way. What if I tried to use my powers to project my voice, instead of my hearing or smell?"

"But you would reveal yourself," said Tigerheart.

"Hm," said Bluestar. "Do you think you could make it so only StarClan warriors could hear you? There are enough of us here. We may not be able to make contact anymore, but we can certainly still speak."

Doveheart beamed at the idea.

"I'll figure it out," she said. She thought for a few seconds, visualizing her power reaching out like a series of long-reaching, extending claws – or tree branches! Yes, tree branches. Each branch reached a StarClan cat, connecting to them. She could see it. She could see the web her power was spinning out.

"Please, StarClan warriors, if you can hear me, recite my message to those around you," said Doveheart, and she visualized her words scurrying along her tree branches like squirrels. "The Clans are winning! We have killed the generals of the Dark Forest, and it is pointless to continue fighting like this. No matter what Clan you are from, we must all work together to beat the Dark Forest!" She grinned as she heard her words echoing back from all directions. "I ask you now, those of you that are still standing, to attack the shadow cats around you. Team up and give it everything you have. We will win this war! Those of you who have turned away, we accept you. We forgive you for trying to become stronger, for protecting your families, for trying to make your Clans better. So, please, rejoin your Clan-mates. Forgive those who have turned astray. They are forgiven already."

"You cannot speak for StarClan," said Bluestar scathingly, but as Doveheart opened her eyes and let her ears stretch, she could hear it being recited – her entire message. Sniffing, Bluestar ran up the slope to meet her comrades.

"This is bizarre," said Tigerheart. "It sounds like they've all received a prophecy and have gone all medicine-cat mode. But you're the prophet."

"Ivypool's the dark prophet," said Doveheart. "We're sisters. It must run in the family."

He beamed at her. Doveheart stretched up with her senses and smelt warriors separating, heard them mutter jokes and laugh, and then she saw shadows pop into dust.

"You're brilliant," said Tigerheart. He turned to her and, before Doveheart could react, he pressed his nose to her neck. "That's why I love you."

"Tigerheart!" said Doveheart. For a second, he realized that he had overstepped his boundary. "How many times do I have to tell you no?"

"This battle is over," said Tigerheart. "We'll have a future. Don't you want that?"

She stared at him, remembering each moment that they had spent laughing together on the trip to get the water back, and each starlit night together running down hills or just watching the stars together, and each tiny moment they had spent exchanging glances and words at Gatherings or on border patrols. She remembered each time he had asked for her love, and each time she had refused. Why couldn't he just accept what she was saying?

"Tigerheart…" she said. She didn't feel up to another rejection. "I do love you. Okay? Are you happy?" He purred. It made her words harder. "But I love ThunderClan more. I love myself more. With you…I've been happy, but I've also been afraid. I've never felt comfortable being myself and being part of ThunderClan knowing that you're another part of my life."

"It's been done before," said Tigerheart. "Countless times."

"I won't add another count to that score," said Doveheart.

"I'll never find another mate," said Tigerheart desperately. "Only you. I only want you."

"I can't," said Doveheart. "And I won't. I have…I have a prophecy, and I have powers, and I have my duties as a warrior, and I have a sister who just decided to be on my side. I want to live my life, and I don't…I don't need a mate. I need to be ThunderClan."

Tigerheart watched her for a few more wistful seconds.

"Okay," he said. "If that's the choice you want to make…if that's what will make you happiest, then okay."

"That's what I want," said Doveheart, and as she said it, she became more sure. Yes, she loved Tigerheart with the pieces of her heart that had felt romantic love. She could see them walking together and having kits together and living their lives side by side. But for one happy moment with Tigerstar, there were thousands with ThunderClan. Those she could imagine in her future and those that had already happened. ThunderClan was where she belonged, what she loved more than anything in the world. If he was in her Clan, things would have worked out. But he wasn't. And Doveheart wasn't going to balance with a paw in two worlds. She would rather be herself alone than be a cat that didn't know where she belonged.

Then Blackstar, Onestar, and Mistystar came hurtling down the slope towards them.

"Mousedung," said Doveheart. "I don't need this…"

"What did you do?" said Blackstar, glaring between them. "The StarClan warriors said that this message came from you."

Doveheart's ears flattened in fear, but she cleared her throat cautiously.

"I was doing my best to bring peace," said Doveheart. "We all must."

"What you've done is create chaos!" said Onestar. "How could I possibly forgive those of my Clan-mates that destroyed WindClan? Our cats will attack each other harder and turn away from StarClan because of it!"

"Onestar," said Mistystar lightly. "Blackstar." The two male leaders turned around, and Doveheart followed where they were looking.

"The shadows…" said Doveheart. "They've vanished."

"They've been defeated," said Tigerheart. He grinned. "It worked." His whiskers twitched, and he glanced at Doveheart. "Light Prophet."

She knew the title was a joke, but it made her smile. Doveheart, the Light Prophet, who held the power of the stars in her paws and loved ThunderClan unconditionally. She could live and be happy on those terms.

Up above, one battle still raged. They could see every moment from where they were standing. Doveheart's heart-rate sped up as she could pick out the details.

Please, Lionblaze, win!

Just a little bit irritated with the ending there, because it's supposed to be Doveheart's big moment and...okay. I think Doveheart is incredibly important in this story, even if she doesn't get to be Lionblaze or Ivypool and take out the big bads. She is the peace-keeper, after all.

I have a poll up on my profile asking about Tigerheart, because if you plan to read on in the Elemental-verse, he does return. He WILL make minor appearances in Books 1 and 3, and he WILL be a more major character in Book 4. But I don't quite have his part of Book 4 plotted out yet, so I wanted to see what the general public thinks of him.

Lionblaze chapter will finish out this story once and for all. Stay tuned!

~Elsi