Chapter 12, Win or lose
Rainfeather turned around to see Lupin, her eyes glimmering with hatred.
"Oh! It's the little kitty who likes Stone, the traitor!"
Her long legs whirring, Lupin launched herself across the ground and smacked into Rainfeather, her long blunt claws slicing her face.
"Rainfeather whipped around and clawed at Lupin's muzzle. She leapt on the wolf's haunches but Lupin shook her off and dashed away.
A little ways away, Treepaw clung to the chest of a large tan wolf. Rainfeather watched as the wolf snapped his jaws at Treepaw till the older apprentice let go. Blood was flowing out of his neck where the wolf had bit.
He was absolutely still. Rainfeather stared in shock at her dead half-brother.
Flowermask, a warrior of WindClan, was flung high above the heads of many wolves. She landed in a clump of nettles and did not get up.
Owlfur and Firestar attacked a wolf from the side. It snapped at Firestar and its claws slashed over the flank of Owlfur. The brown warrior fell to the ground. He did not move.
Firestar clung desperately to the enemy. He went whirling around as the wolf twisted, but still he clung on.
Rainfeather sprang. She sailed over the heads of many wolfs and landed next to Firestar, forgetting the fights they had.
She raked her claws down its back. Firestar fastened his teeth in its thick tail.
The wolf's teeth scraped hard over Rainfeather's cheek and along her flank. He grabbed Firestar by the scruff and spun him around. Firestar flew against the rocks surrounding the camp. Rainfeather leapt off the wolf, which had enough and rushed out of the camp bellowing.
Rainfeather rushed over to Firestar. There was a deep chink right above his eye were he had collided with the rocks.
"StarClan…" he moaned. "Goodbye Rainfeather. I am old, and it is time to die. I accept that."
"Goodbye," meowed Rainfeather quietly. Firestar's eyes closed for the last time.
Rainfeather looked around the clearing. So many cats had died. Rainwhisker, Treepaw, Flowermask, Owlfur, Firestar, and she could see Thornclaw lying motionless a little ways away. The only way to win was to kill Star and Lupin, the pack leaders.
Rainfeather scanned the clearing to see the familiar white shape of Lupin.
Lupin was fighting against Cloudtail and Weedpaw, who was a ThunderClan apprentice and was limping badly.
Rainfeather sprinted across the clearing to the big white wolf.
She leaped onto her back and raked her claws down the flank. Cloudtail dashed past, scratching Lupin's muzzle and sprinting away before the big wolf could scratch him.
Weedpaw sprang onto her underbelly. He fastened his teeth in her chest and scratched her neck.
"Weedpaw, you moron!" Rainfeather cried jumping off Lupin's back and dashing over to Weedpaw.
Weedpaw still clung on. Lupin bent her head and grabbed him by the throat. He struggled for a moment then went completely limp.
"No!" Cloudtail yowled, dashing up to save his apprentice. Weedpaw let out a terrified wail.
Cloudtail jumped at Lupin, but she raised her head so that Cloudtail couldn't reach Weedpaw.
Lupin tossed Weedpaw into the air. He flew in a long ark and landed in a clump of daisies.
Cloudtail dashed over and nudged Weedpaw's broken body.
Finally he admitted defeat. He walked away from the dead apprentice. Soon he leapt on a small black wolf.
Lupin gave a satisfied chuckle.
"You have no hope against me," She hissed at Rainfeather.
Rainfeather looked at her long, muscular, legs, her strong, lean body and muscular shoulders. Lupin was right; she would be very hard to fight.
Rainfeather sprang up, and fastened her teeth into Lupin's throat. Lupin shook her head back and forth, and Rainfeather flew off and crashed headlong into the rocks.
Searing pain cut into her shoulder. She glanced at Lupin through bleary eyes. Blood was gushing out of her torn throat.
Rainfeather tried to stand up. Couldn't. Lupin walked over to her.
Rainfeather jumped up and fastened her teeth into Lupin's throat. She hung on.
"Stop!" Lupin wailed, crashing to the ground. Blood gushed out of her throat. "Stop..." Rainfeather let go. "What were you…?" Lupin never finished her question. Her legs stopped thrashing and she lay still.
The fight wasn't over. Star still had to be killed.
Rainfeather looked around. Wolves were still killing the cats. Where was Star? She couldn't find him.
Rainfeather dashed across the clearing, near Firestar's den. She leaped at a grey wolf with Weaselfur on her other side.
Rainfeather fastened her teeth in the scruff of the wolf. Weaselfur scratched at his chest. The wolf swung a paw around and knocked off Rainfeather. She fell to the ground; the wolf's claws had made deep furrows on her chest.
The wolf snapped at Weaselfur but couldn't grab the grey warrior. Soon the wolf grew frustrated and sprinted out of the clearing.
Rainfeather still lay on the ground, incredibly weak. She staggered to her paws, and her yellow eyes fixed on Firestar's den. Cats crowded around it.
Brambleclaw rushed past, dragging Star's body out of the den.
Rainfeather sprinted over. She looked deep in the den.
Almost completely hidden by shadows, half lying on his side, half crouching, blood pouring out of his flank, forehead, muzzle and hind leg, still as a rock, eyes starring at nothing, was Stone.
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