Duskpaw and Riverpaw were fighting like lionesses.
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
They were mirroring each other's blows perfectly, slashing at the same time, never focusing on the same opponent for too long- clawing the muzzle of a tom attacking thier denmates, knocking the legs of a furious apprentice out from under him, ganging up on warriors twice thier size.
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
They tried to ignore the gnawing guilt at the backs of thier minds that they were attacking their best friend's clanmates. The two deliberately avoided attacking cats they recognised from when they visited their ex-denmate.
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
They spotted thier friend through the wrestling cats, and could only pray that he saw the apology in thier eyes. They toppled over a smaller gray tabby- Jayfall- and tried thier best not to wound him.
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
Hearing a pained shriek, they slashed the muzzle of a longhaired brown and white tabby as he avanced on Hazelpaw and Applepaw. The two barely ran off before facing another warrior.
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
They continued with the battle. They attacked blindly, and after a few minutes they found themselves sparring with none other than Swiftpaw. The white she-cat had a bleeding cut over her muzzle and a torn front leg. They wrestled into the center of the clearing. After a a few minutes, they noticed that the noises had died out- but it still rang in thier ears.
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
The two halted, Duskpaw and Riverpaw with Swiftpaw pinned, panting. "Go on!" A scratchy voice rang out from the side. Falconstar. "Kill her! Prove yourself!"
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
They halted. Fear danced in the white she-cat's eyes. They sat for what felt like moons. The cats of either clan formed a ring around them. StreamClan could scarcely move out of fear thier apprentice would die, even the youngest apprentices crouched back in horror. After another stretch of time, they realised they were shaking, even their fur trembling. "No." Riverpaw whispered, stepping off of her wounded opponent. "No!" Duskpaw shouted, she too stepping away as Swiftpaw twisted into a standing position, the fluffy white she-cat ignoring her wounds as she bolted to rejoin her clan.
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
The two spoke to each other in hushed voices, a brief converstation held under the penetrating gazes of the half-watchful, half-scornful clans. "We're leaving. We will not join the tyrant known as Falconstar. As he clearly does not understand, there is a difference between fear and respect, and we will not stand by a clan ruled by fear. We will not stand by a clan that accepts breaking the warrior code." Duskpaw announced, her voice ringing out clearly and strongly in the midst of the chaos as she regained control of their attention swiftly and efficiently.
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
The noises rose up and flooded the camp. The littermates twined thier tails and started for the entrance of camp, ignoring the jeers and scattered protests. "WAIT!" Shellstar yowled. They turned. Swiftpaw was standing by the leader, paw raised as if she had just whispered something to him.
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
"No leader has made this offer to an ex-member of a rival clan in seasons, but you two have earned it. You two were loyal to BirchClan when you lived there, and you were intelligent enough to regognise tyrany and act on your findings. Would you find yourselves able to be loyal to StreamClan?"
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
The two she-cats shared a meaningful gaze. They were barely considering it for a heartbeat before repyling. "Yes." They responded in perfect unison. Shellstar smiled warmly. "Then come join us."
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
As the two padded over, there was a break in the crowd. A gray-tabby shape hurtled towards them and bowled to two over, pinning his ex-clanmates to the ground between his massive paws.
Screeching. Yowling. Hissing.
He raised his enourmous paw, and with two strikes, the screeching, the yowling, and hissing grew so loud that Duskpaw and Riverpaw welcomed the wave of darkness that crashed over them.
And then, the sweet sound of silence.