"It was you." Laurelleaf said in a low voice. He was frozen to the ground. "It was you who lured Midgepelt and Swiftrabbit to their deaths."
"Part of a bigger plan, I'm afraid," Manglethorn replied with a snort. His white fur pricked and the black stripes gleamed with deadly light. "Hey, weakling, ready to die?"
"It was you!" Laurelleaf screeched and leaped on Manglethorn. "You tried to kill me when I'm young! You killed my mother and injured my father! You brought Silverhawk to our camp and accused us! You took away Wingkit and Bearkit to kill Midgepelt and Swiftrabbit! And you tried to destroy me and my Clan!" Manglethorn hissed, but Laurelleaf was so swallowed with rage that he couldn't think of anything else but killing this sinister, sinister cat, who deserved everything but to live and live on with unknown plans and evil intentions and murder and death in his claws. This cat killed his family and tried to destroy his Clan. This cat ignored his Clan and broke the warrior code. This cat interacted with an unknown spirit and shared evil plans. This cat deserved to die, and Laurelleaf wouldn't give up until he killed him.
He lived to kill and deserved to die. Right after he went killing cats in WindClan, he was now out after me!
Brightspirit's prophecy rang in his ears. Before the mangled evil destroys the forest, the laurel and white feather will wrap peace among the Clans. He thought of the mangled evil, whom must be the cat he was facing right now, next to the Thunderpath, with glaring green eyes the shade of leaf blades. And I'm probably the laurel that would bring peace before Manglethorn destroys the forest.
However, Manglethorn was experienced in battle, and perhaps much more experienced than Laurelleaf. He let Laurelleaf land on his back, then lurched up with so much force Laurelleaf flew out into the air. Manglethorn then turned all the way around and kicked Laurelleaf mid-air, landing perfectly on the ash-covered ground as Laurelleaf crashed on the floor. A monster roared past the two cats as Laurelleaf ran at Manglethorn again, but Manglethorn lashed his tail and dodged a blow. Wind blew into Manglethorn, making his fur dance in the air. He bit at Laurelleaf's claws as he lashed at Manglethorn's face, and the brown warrior shrieked in pain. White fur flew next to Laurelleaf's paws. Laurelleaf gasped and panted, staring at his enemy.
How can I ever kill someone like him? He was older, stronger, bulkier, and much more well-trained compared to me.
"Afraid?" Manglethorn sneered, examining his claws. "Weak."
Laurelleaf screeched and landed on Manglethorn again, this time holding on his pelt hard. He bit Manglethorn's spine with all his force, and Manglethorn shrieked, lashing his tail on Laurelleaf's face and blinding him. Then Manglethorn rolled on the ground to shake Laurelleaf off, almost squashing Laurelleaf. Laurelleaf darted around Manglethorn at the last second, leaving Manglethorn still on the floor with the weak belly facing him. He slashed, relishing the softness of flesh on his paws, and fresh blood splattered the floor. Unfortunately Manglethorn shielded half the blow, but fortunately, Manglethorn choked and coughed out many, many blood.
The floor rumbled. Both cats flinched as a huge monster with a gleaming gray pelt screeched at them, then turned onto another way and zoomed away. Dust flew into the clearing, and Laurelleaf coughed. His paws felt wet with blood and his claws glittered red.
Laurelleaf prepared to slash again when the white deputy gripped his shoulders. Manglethorn dug in, and Laurelleaf was surprised by the force. Thorn-sharp claws sank twig-lengths into Laurelleaf's shoulders, and he nearly blacked out in agony. His vision darkened and red blotches danced in his eyes. Manglethorn lifted Laurelleaf and threw him on the ground far away. Laurelleaf screeched to a stop, gasping on the floor in a pool of blood. He panted, trying to stand up again, but the shoulder wounds nearly killed him as he shrieked in pain. My Clanmates! He thought. Brightspirit! Why aren't they here yet—
Manglethorn ran up and scored a claw mark across Laurelleaf's face. Blood splashed onto the Thunderpath behind them. Laurelleaf raised his back legs and kicked out with much force, buckling Manglethorn. Manglethorn coughed out a spurt of blood, which landed on the grass on Laurelleaf's side. He then stood up despite the pain in his front shoulders, shoving a cloud of dirt into Manglethorn's eyes.
Manglethorn yelped and tried to claw blindly, but Laurelleaf slashed at the fur on top of Manglethorn's head and dug his claws into his opponent's neck fur, hard. Manglethorn leapt up too quickly before his blow and slashed his face. Laurelleaf tried to recover, but a deep, dark pain appeared in the side of his belly as he stared at Manglethorn. His legs buckled and he fell, his eyes locked on Manglethorn's. Manglethorn stood on top of him, pinning him down with his claws. "Give up and die," he said. He was also huffing and panting, blood dripping down on the edge of his mouth and on his fangs. "That was an easy battle. You know you could never defeat me even in a state of pure rage. Give up, Laurelleaf."
Laurelleaf stared up, pain already engulfing him. So that's how it ends, is it? He thought, his eyes scrunched up in agony. I lost worse than I ever expected. Manglethorn defeated me in a battle and my whole family died. My Clanmates didn't know where I am and didn't know who killed me. I died near ShadowClan, under the paws of a ThunderClan murderer.
He thought of Grasswhisker, shaking her head in pain. Then Windyfrost, sighing about how her apprentice failed her completely.
Good-bye, WindClan, he thought. Good-bye, Brightspirit...