I know I ended the last chapter on a cliffhanger then proceeded to not post the next chapter for several days. Sorry about that, but I'll most likely do it again this chapter. :P Oh well.

Hollyleaf 1234: I'd probably be flustered in Rainpaw's position, too, and get all tongue-tied. Then someone would call out, "What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" XD And I'm sorry, but you basically have no choice in the matter of who's going to die. Although I'll let you know one thing - a cat has already died. Guess who it is?

Nightfeather: You're the only one who thinks Silverdapple is going to die, did you know that? Well, I guess you'll find out the answer next chapter. Sorry I didn't put it in this chapter, it was getting a little long. :P

WarriorsFan12: Lightwing will be coming back in future books, as well as Hyperion. If you want to know their relationship, just check out the 100 Review Special. It centers on Lightwing back in the forest. :) As for Hyperion's name, Hyperion was (I think) the Greek Titan for light and the morning sun? Something like that, , and he's a good guy. ;)

FallenAssassin: Because cliffhangers keep readers on the edges of their seats and dying for more! Only don't die, because I don't want you to die! You're a wonderful person really! I'm sure of it! And yeah, since Dewflight isn't a main character, I'll just tell you now. He did die. (Amberwing and Snowclaw'll be devastated :( )

Cinderpaw's POV

Yowls erupted from the clearing – loud and eager. I'd spent enough time practicing my own that I recognized the yowling at once. These were battle cries.

I shot to my paws and rocketed out of the apprentices' den. The clearing was swarming with cats of all colors, all of them with their claws unsheathed and the glint of adrenaline in their eyes. Shrieks of pain filled the air as the remaining LeopardClan cats rose up to meet the oncoming tide of attackers.

Blood pounded through my ears. I knew what I had to do. I had to fight – to defend this Clan. Even if they were led by a monster of a leader, these cats didn't deserve to die. They had a noble goal. So, unsheathing my claws, I let out a yowl of fury and dove into the fray.

There was a sea of cats heaving around me, their bodies pushing me to and fro. The scents of blood and sweat overwhelmed my sense of smell. This would not be a skirmish based on stealth and right timing. This was a war – every cat battling for their lives using strength and skill alone. Not exactly my specialty, but I could still hold my own against an attacker. I glanced around quickly for my first target.

There. A reddish pelt swam in front of my view. She seemed to be leaping to join a broad-shouldered, light gray tom in the process of battling Crouchfoot. I sprang onto the pelt and clung on, sinking my claws in deep. She yowled – I'd realized the cat was a she-cat – and dropped into a roll to crush me underneath her.

I was expecting her to use that particular counter-move, but not prepared when she used it almost as soon as my claws touched her fur. I just managed to leap clear before she was on her back and I was twisting through the air, then she was on her paws again and I'd landed with perfect balance.

I eyed her with a new respect. Yes, I respected her. Though she was one of the enemy, she was a formidable enemy and had trained hard to become so. I would have to be careful around her.

The she-cat narrowed her eyes. I made sure to never glance away from her eyes, for that was where I would see her bluffs and counter-moves and where I would get the first warning of attack. I'd only had to use this tactic a couple times before in my life – when I'd tried taking on a fox as a kit and nearly been killed and when I'd fought with Birdclaw in the NightClan camp.

Her gaze flicked to my paws and back up again. I knew what she was doing – she only thought I was an inexperienced apprentice, while she was a well-trained warrior. She thought herself quite capable of taking me on, and so was trying to get me to think she was aiming for my paws. But I knew she was a clever fighter like myself and wouldn't ever make such an elementary mistake. She was going to attack and when she did, she would leap.

I saw the shift in her eyes. There was a reserved, calculating sort of gleam in the depths of her amber eyes, until suddenly there was the fire of adrenaline surging forward to power her leap. I ducked and, digging in my hind claws, pushed myself forward under her belly. She soared over me, her claws extended as if she expected to meet me in midair. What she felt under her paws instead of fur and flesh was thin air. I knew she must have realized that I, too, was an excellent fighter. I had to make my move now, before she changed her fighting style completely. Who knew what she would do next?

Twisting as soon as I was clear of her hind legs, I leaped after her and sank my claws into her tail. It wasn't the best of my attacks, but I could make it work. She was just too fast for me to snag her hindquarters.

The she-cat whipped around at the pain in her tail, staggering slightly as she hit the ground without a certain dark gray apprentice under her paws. That instability was exactly what I needed. Pulling my claws free from her tail, I swiped them sideways as she turned. I was right on target. My claws slashed across her forehead, even catching the base of her ear, before I dropped my paws to the ground.

Blood spurted from the wound, trickling down into the she-cat's eyes and darkening the white markings above her eyes to deep, crimson red. She backed up a pawstep, shaking her head to clear the blood from her eyes, and I leaped for her.

My forepaws slammed into her neck and I landed on top of her, pushing her muzzle into the ground as she had so badly wanted to do to me. I grinned viciously as I recognized the irony of the situation.

"Ready to give up yet?" I hissed, my foreclaws sinking into her shoulder and muzzle, my hind ones into her back legs.

She tried to spit in anger at me, but only succeeded in spitting at the ground. "Never!" she growled.

"Are you sure?" I whispered in a deadly voice, leaning closer so she could hear. "You're beaten. You can't get up. I have you pinned. Either you surrender and run back to your camp or I hold you here, to die of embarrassment when the battle is won by us."

The she-cat struggled for another couple of heartbeats. I hoped the threat of public embarrassment would be enough to make her surrender. There was always the chance that another NightClan warrior would knock me off of this she-cat.

Finally, she went limp again. "Fine," she hissed.

"Fine… what?" I prompted her, grinning maliciously. "I want to hear you say it all. Go on."

The she-cat glared at me in utter fury. "Fine," she growled, her tail lashing behind us. "I give up. I surrender."

I grinned even wider and stepped back. The she-cat glared at me, not troubling to conceal her hatred, before racing away in the direction of the entrance. I watched her go, then looked around for a new target.

Crouchfoot had beaten back his attacker and was now tussling with a scraggly-furred tortoiseshell. Over the heads of the cats, I spotted Sparrowtalon beating back a scarred, dark gray mackerel tabby and a light brown tabby. Larkwing was by the entrance, protecting Rustpaw against a muscular, brown mottled tom while he dealt a few last blows to a light gray mottled she-cat's hindquarters as she disappeared through the thorny barrier.

My gaze fixed on a familiar black-and-white pelt that was dashing for the nursery. With a start, I realized it was Birdclaw. My eyes narrowed and I bounded forward, curving my body around battling pairs. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Foxpaw trying to hold his own against a ginger and white spotted apprentice who, though younger than Foxpaw, was swiping ruthlessly at his face, aiming for his eyes. I stuck out my hind leg as I slipped past, catching the apprentice off-guard and letting Foxpaw get the upper hand. I smiled to myself before racing after Birdclaw again.

I leaped onto her back, flattening her with my momentum, just before she reached the nursery. Ahead, I glimpsed Rainpaw and Silverdapple fighting back-to-back, defending the entrance against an onslaught of warriors. I growled and grabbed her neck with my teeth.

Birdclaw shrieked and, curling her hind legs underneath her, flipped over, sending me flying through the air. I growled, using my tail to spin in midair, but not quite fast enough before I hit the ground. I stumbled as I landed, and Birdclaw was on top of me.

"Not so fast," she hissed in my ear, pressing my muzzle into the ground. I coughed, turning my head to the side so she wouldn't suffocate me. "My, my, you're not so scary now, are you?" she asked mockingly. "I wonder… how could I hurt you the most?" She grinned wickedly at my suddenly horrified expression. "Yes! I know! It won't hurt you that badly if I claw you and bite you, but what if I take the life of a special Clanmate?"

My mind flipped back and forth. Who was she going for? Who was she going to try to kill? Would it be Rainpaw? My heart stopped beating for a moment. No. Not Rainpaw. Not my little brother, so innocent, so caring. She wouldn't dare to go after him. She wouldn't dare.

"How about your little friend… what was his name? Foxpaw? Or maybe Sootpaw, your brother who saved your life? Dead before you could repay him – ooh, that would be lovely! Or perhaps that pretty little she-cat over there who seems to care so much about your little baby brother. They're both so brave, aren't they? Defending the nursery with their lives. Now, how could I do this?

My heart was beating so hard I thought it would leap out of my chest onto the ground. I had to stop her before she could go after Silverdapple. Sootpaw and Foxpaw, thank StarClan, were out of sight, but both Silverdapple and Rainpaw were close by, perfect to attack. I held my breath, waiting for the right moment to leap up and pin her down before she could hurt anyone. I couldn't let her do this.

"Ah, I have an idea! I'll go for… Rainpaw." She flashed me a grin of pure evil as the terror welled up inside me. Rainpaw wouldn't be able to defend himself. He was so small, so helpless. How could he survive?

I was frozen in horror, so much so that when Birdclaw leaped for the nursery, I couldn't move. I couldn't slam my paws onto her tail or sink my claws into her hindquarters. All I could do was lie there in horror as Birdclaw leaped once more, her front claws extended, aimed directly at Rainpaw's throat.

Another cliffhanger! I'm sorry for the cruelty of cliffhangers, but the chapter was getting a bit too long and I wanted to save the drama for the next chapter. It'll be from Rainpaw's POV as Birdclaw attacks him, so that should be pretty fun. :) Well, I say fun as in fun to write, but probably not fun for the characters or for the readers so much. Spoiler alert, a character's going to die next chapter.

AOTD: I think everyone's going to die! And then I'll be cruel and end the series just like that. XD Nah, I'm just joking. Everyone isn't going to die.

QOTD: Do you think the NightClan cats will be defeated? Will Nightstar die (yes, his ninth life and everything) at the end?