Chapter 35

Leopardstar opened her eyes and gasped, lifting up her head quickly. She glanced around and found herself in a sun filled clearing. She stood up slowly and looked around. She was quite shocked to see countless eyes peering back at her unblinkingly from the bushes.

A pair of amber eyes suddenly stepped out of the bushes, revealing the cream colored tom with ginger and brown patches that had been hiding in the bush.

"Spottedstar!" Leopardstar said cheerfully padding up to her old leader. She touched noses with him and purred happily when she saw her leader's amber eyes were no longer dull, but bright and full of life. Spottedstar narrowed his eyes and said, "Leopardstar, it is good to see you, but I wish we could have met in a better way"

In a rush, Leopardstar's memories came flooding back. She'd been hit on the Thunderpath! She must be losing a life! Suddenly, other cat began to emerge from the bushes. And Leopardstar was happy to say she recognized them all.

Hawkwing was there, and Leopardstar's heart clutched in longing as she saw Pebblekit and Vixenkit sitting at Hawkwing's paws. Greyspots was next to her, along with Stormeyes and Oakpaw. All the cats that had ever died in ThunderClan where seemingly here, and it warm her heart to see such familiar faces.

Spottedstar touched his nose to her forehead and said, "Leopardstar, you have lost a life. When you awaken you will still have a few injuries from your accident, but you fatal injuries will be gone"

Spottedstar stepped to the side to reveal the faint outline of a cat. Leopardstar gasped when she saw the golden pelt with brown spots and pale green eyes. She watched as the cat stood up and sat down by the other ThunderClan cats.

Spottedstar stepped back and said, "It is time for you to return to ThunderClan. Know that all of StarClan goes with you"

Suddenly the clearing began to spin, and in an instant, everything went black.

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Leopardstar awoke to see Nightstorm and Spottedpaw standing over her. Leopardstar smiled and said, "Did you miss me?"

Spottedpaw pushed her muzzle into her mother's fur and said, "We were afraid you wouldn't come back!"

Nightstorm licked his mate's check lovingly, "I'm glad you back"

Leopardstar purred happily. Suddenly Goldenstripe, who had been sitting behind Nightstorm and Spottedpaw said, "I missed you two, but we have bigger things to worry about right now"

Leopardstar sat up in surprise, "What's happening?"

Goldenstripe looked at her gravely, "One of the patrols scented Lionstar and her rogues in our territory. She's coming…and soon!"

Leopardstar quickly stood up and left the medicine cat den. She didn't even make it to the Highrock before announcing, "Everyone! Everyone, listen!"

The clan crowded around Leopardstar nervously talking to each other. Leopardstar said loudly, so that everyone could hear, "Lionstar is on her way here. We need to be ready, because she will most likely be here before the day is up"

"I need Silverheart to retrieve RiverClan, and I need Quickstep to retrieve ShadowClan", Leopardstar ordered, "Leafbreeze, I want you to go to The Owl Tree and check on the queens and elders. The rest of you, I want you to get out of camp. It will be too crowded to fight Lionstar with RiverClan and ShadowClan crammed in here with us. Plus, we want to keep the camp as safe as possible"

Blackstorm shouted out, "Should we practice our battle moves while we're out there?"

Leopardstar nodded in agreement. She glanced at the medicine cat den and said, "If you become to injured to continue fighting, come back to camp, Whitefur and Spottedpaw will be staying here to help with any injuries"

As the clan began to split up into their own little groups, and Sliverheart, Quickstep, and Leafbreeze went to check on things outside of camp; Leopardstar called out, "I'm so proud of every one of you, and I know we will be victorious in this battle!"

The clan cheered proudly and Leopardstar smiled at their determination. Goldenstripe stood next to her and asked, "What are we going to do if we lose?"

Leopardstar shrugged, "We shouldn't be thinking like that", Leopardstar glanced up at the cloudy sky, wondering in StarClan had sent the clouds to replicate the clouds building in Leopardstar's mind. "But if we are defeated, we will have to leave the territory. But I promise I will lead this clan until my dying breathe, even if it means leaving the clans"

The sun was high in the sky when Leopardstar heard the first yowls out in the distance. Leopardstar and Goldenstripe stood up quickly, and Leopardstar said grimily, "She's here"

Leopardstar and Goldenstripe raced out of the camp and out into the territory. When they found they fight, Leopardstar could see that RiverClan had already come to asset them.

Leopardstar nodded and Goldenstripe and the two raced into the battle. Leopardstar knocked into a ginger tabby tom that was fighting a RiverClan warrior named Lilypetal.

Leopardstar bit at the tom's ear and felt her mouth fill with her opponent's blood as he pulled away. Leopardstar hissed in pain as he slashed his claws across her cheek. Leopardstar raked her claws across the tom's shoulder and quickly knocked the tom away.

Leopardstar scanned the crowd, looking for Lionstar. She quickly found the large cat pinning Eagleheart to the ground. Leopardstar pushed through the crowd and rammed into Lionstar, taking her by surprise, causing her to let go of Eagleheart.

As Lionstar shook her head in a daze, Leopardstar saw Leafbreeze burst into the battle with the ShadowClan cats, and she was surprised to see Cloverstar at the head of the ShadowClan cats; with Stripedfur right behind her.

Lionstar snarled menacingly and leapt at Leopardstar. Leopardstar managed to mostly dodge the attack, but Lionstar manage to clamp down her tail. Leopardstar screeched in pain as Lionstar put all her force into her jaws biting down on Leopardstar tail. Leopardstar felt a rush of pain as she heard the crunch of bones. Lionstar smiled evilly and let go of Leopardstar's tail.

Leopardstar could tell part of her tail was broken, but she couldn't worry about it now. Leopardstar jumped at Lionstar and bit into her shoulder. Lionstar yowled and tried to shake Leopardstar off, but she just dug her fangs in harder.

As Leopardstar bit deeper into Lionstar's shoulder, Lionstar unsheathed her claws and raised her paw. She strongly brought down her paw on Leopardstar's head, sending a course of pain through her head, releasing her grip on Lionstar.

As Leopardstar shook her head to clear away her new found dizziness, she realized Lionstar had disappeared into the crowd. Leopardstar was now face to face with a brown tabby tom with scarred ears. He yellow eyes glimmered in hate as he lunged for Leopardstar's throat. Leopardstar easily dodged the attack and pushed the tom aside, looking once more for Lionstar.

But Leopardstar couldn't seem to find her. As Leopardstar tried to stealthily make her way through the fighting cats, a black tom with a white underbelly leaped onto her, taking her by surprise. Leopardstar whipped her head to see the tom. It was Darkstream, one of the RiverClan cats that had left with Lionstar. His mate, Flowerheart was fighting in this battle, and his kits probably would be too.

But that didn't make Leopardstar hold back. She swiped at Darkstream, but he deflected it and pushed her back. He sliced his claws over the bridge of her nose, causing scarlet blood to cover her muzzle.

As Leopardstar shook away the blood, Darkstream slashed his claws down one of Leopardstar's ears, Leopardstar howled in pain and backed away. She saw Darkstream bunch up his hindquarters, ready to spring. She closed her eyes and turned her head away, waiting for the painful impact that was to come.

But it never did. Leopardstar opened her eyes and slowly turn her head to where Darkstream had been ready to strike moments before. She saw Echomist standing over an unconscious Darkstream. Leopardstar's heart filled with joy when she saw Shock standing next to Echomist.

As Leopardstar got up Shock smiled at her and said, "Spotty, it's been to long"

"It's Leopardstar now", Leopardstar said purring at the sight of her old friend. She lowered her gaze sadly and said, "Soundripple has died I'm afraid"

Shock nodded, "I know". Shock helped Leopardstar to her paws and said, "Go, we'll finish this traitor off"

Leopardstar nodded and searched desperately for Lionstar's golden tabby pelt. She was surprised to find Lionstar not in the fight, but instead slipping through the bushes outside the clearing.

Leopardstar slinked through the fighting cats once again, quietly snuck up on Lionstar. Instead of leaping onto Lionstar's back, she sunk her fangs into Lionstar's leg. Lionstar let out a screech of pain and flipped around.

But Leopardstar keep her jaws clamped firmly around Lionstar's leg. Leopardstar knew she couldn't lose this fight, if she did, then they would lose and ultimately be destroyed.

Lionstar raked her claws down Leopardstar's sides, and Leopardstar winced as she felt her blood begin to soak her pelt. Leopardstar released her grip on Lionstar's leg, and as Lionstar momentarily glanced down at her new leg wound, Leopardstar leaped at her.

Leopardstar winced in disgust as she felt her claws make contact with Lionstar's throat. Lionstar's green eyes widened in surprise and she gasped as she realized what was happening. Leopardstar looked away as she raked her claws across Lionstar's throat.

Lionstar's body felt to the ground in a crumpled heap. As Leopardstar stared panting down at her enemy, a cat appeared out of thin air.

It was Spottedstar. He frowned at his former mate's body and said, "She is losing a life. While StarClan is being forced to heal her fatal wound, you must inflict six more to truly kill her"

"You mean Lionstar has already lost two lives?" Leopardstar asked in disbelief. Spottedstar nodded, "Before she had the former RiverClan medicine cat to heal her, she died from the wound I inflicted on her when she was banished; it had become infected. And her second life was lost when a pack of dogs attack her group while they were in the twolegplace"

Leopardstar glanced down at Lionstar and saw the wound inflicted on the she-cat's throat was healed. Spottedstar said quickly, "You must hurry; hurt her again. It is the only way you will win"

As Spottedstar faded away, Leopardstar placed Lionstar's neck between her teeth, and bit down until she heard the crunch of bone. Leopardstar released Lionstar and felt her stomach churn as Lionstar's head fell awkwardly to the side.

Four lives down, five to go, Leopardstar thought tiredly. As Lionstar's new wound healed, Leopardstar looked at the battle in front of her. Many of her own warriors had seemingly disappeared, and she was unsure how many had simply limped back to camp because their wounds where too deep to continue fighting or had been slay by Lionstar's followers.

She was happy to see that many of RiverClan and ShadowClan still stood. Leopardstar could even see Snowstar and Stripedfur fighting side-by-side.

Leopardstar heard a groan behind her and whipped her head around to see Lionstar's beginning to stand up. Leopardstar quickly got to work on killing her again. Leopardstar was just going to slit Lionstar's throat again, but Lionstar seemed to regain her strength too quickly. Lionstar sprang at Leopardstar, paws outstretched and claws unsheathed.

Leopardstar quickly unsheathed her claws and ran past Lionstar, swiping her claws across Lionstar body as she ran past. Leopardstar glanced back at Lionstar and saw her lying unmoving in the dirt, blood pooling heavily around her body.

Leopardstar waited patiently for the blood to stop and for the wound to heal. But the blood didn't stop flowing, and suddenly Lionstar began to convulse in the dirt. Leopardstar's eyes widened in horror and she stumbled backwards in shock.

After a while, Lionstar's body stopped moving. Leopardstar hesitantly approach Lionstar and prodded her body with her paw. Lionstar didn't move. Leopardstar exaimined Lionstar's body further and was surprised when she saw that she wasn't breathing. Which meant Leopardstar's last attack had managed to take away the last of Lionstar's lives.

Leopardstar stumbled into the battle, seeing that no one knew of Lionstar's death yet, and shouted, "Lionstar is dead!"

And with those three words, the battle froze. One of Lionstar's followers; a light ginger and white tabby she-cat screeched with her blue eyes stretched wide, "Retreat! Retreat!"

In a rush of paws, Lionstar's fled out of the clearing; being followed by Brackenfoot, Fadingfur, Mintfall of RiverClan, and Ashface of ShadowClan.

As the last of the rogues fled the clearing, Leopardstar could see how much damage had been done. Leopardstar could see the bodies of Ashshard and Blackstorm lying unmoving in the clearing, as well as the bodies of Silverheart and Greyfoot.

A yowl of sadness broke Leopardstar away from her own grieving over her clanmates. Leopardstar turned around and saw Stripedfur standing over the body of an elderly ginger and grey she-cat. As Leopardstar approached Stripedfur, she could hear her muttering, "I told her not to fight. I told her to stay in camp"

Leopardstar pushed her nose into Cloverstar's fur in respect and said quietly, "She was very brave. StarClan will welcome her gladly"

Stripedfur nodded. A white tom with grey ears approached Stripedfur slowly and said, "You're our leader now, Stripedstar"

Slowly, all the ShadowClan cats began to chant, "Stripedstar", with grief from their old leader still lacing their voices.

Leopardstar glanced down at her tail, with was bent at an awkward angle, and began to feel all the pain from her wounds. She dipped her head in thank to both Stripedfur and Snowstar-who had come to honor Cloverstar- and said, "Thank you so much for your help, I could not have managed it without you"

As the two leaders dipped their heads in acknowledgement to their sister, their clans began to collect their dead and injured. Stripedfur picked up Cloverstar's body and said, "ShadowClan…let's go home"

As ShadowClan filed out of the clearing, Snowstar said to his clan, "It is time for us to return to our camp too. It was an honor to fight with you"

"And with you", Leopardstar said dipping her head in thanks.

After RiverClan had left, Leopardstar stood up quietly and said, "Let's go home"

So guys, that's it, that's the end. I have had a blast writing this story. And there will be an epilogue soon, but there will not be a sequel to this story. I feel that Leopardstar's story is told, and I have no reason to right about her again (Even though I loved it). Thanks so much to all my supporters and everyone who reviewed, or followed and favorite this story. And if you liked this Warrior Story check out my other stories; Fallen Grey Cinders and The Journey.