Even after Pondpaw's death, the battles were no more challenging.
Vengeance, since they were trained to oppose Clan techniques, were doing well. Shadow's strategy with the three young cats, Fox, Crow, and Tansy seemed to be working. Clan cats were pathetic as always, not wanting to hurt apprentices.
He quickly scanned the camp, as to see the whereabouts of his target, Tawnystar, but was knocked off course by a weight crashing into his side.
He caught a flash of grey striped fur. It was Hawkpa- no Hawkbreeze now.
The older tom ducked low to the ground. "I want a rematch," he said, blue eyes determined.
Shadow surveyed the tom with a cold stare. Hawkbreeze had always been making light of situations, much too confident. "Challenge accepted," he hissed, green eyes narrowing before leaping at the tom.
The two exchanged blows, before Shadow became impatient, and snaked to the side, causing Hawkbreeze to lose balance and stagger, leaving Shadow to pin him.
He made sure to avoid Hawkbreeze's hind legs, knowing to strategy to kick them up. Shadow put his forepaw to Hawkbreeze's throat. "You were always too cocky," he snarled, letting his claws begin to sink into the tom's pelt, drawing blood. Hawkbreeze's eyes were wide, showing fear.
Shadow was about to end the fight before a "No!" rang out across the clearing. He pricked his ears. It was Meadowpaw's voice.
Moments later, Dawnflower, the older medicine cat slashed a claw in the air, causing Shadow to direct his focus to her, allowing Hawkbreeze to scramble to his feet and be lost to the battle once more.
Dawnflower's different colored eyes flashed. Dawnflower had never really liked the medicine job, as he could remember from his time here. The bright colored she-cat always longed to get out of the musty den and hunt and fight with the rest of the Clan.
Shadow regarded Dawnflower icily before instead attacking her. It was a relatively easy fight; Dawnflower had never been trained in much fighting in the first place, as no Clan cat dared attack a medicine cat.
It wasn't long before she was pinned as Hawkbreeze was before her. This time though, there would be no mercy. Before another moment passed he swiped his claws across her throat, a quick kill, and he saw the light fade from her eyes.
It was like there was a pause, before he stepped off, not bothering to clean his claws of the blood and walked away from the still medicine cat. He had a job to do.
He caught Tawnystar exchanging attacks with Valley. The she-cat was very skilled, but Shadow knew no fear.
She glanced up, seeing his fiery eyes and footsteps towards her. Birchfrost caught her gaze and muttered something quick to her, before she began to hurry to her den, possibly to retrieve something. Birchfrost looked like he was heading to guard her, but was intercepted by a smooth Elixir, the she-cat knowing his intention coming to assist.
He reached the path up to the leaders den. A few more steps and he'd be inside. But before he could move, a small she-cat darted out of the crowd and stopped in front of him.
He looked at her, and almost laughed. It was Fernpaw, the small striped she-cat who'd followed him all those moons ago. It seemed like forever ago that she had rushed back to camp, told Tawnystar of his actions, gotten him cast out. She'd started this mess. But she wouldn't be the one to end it.
"I won't let you hurt her!" she said defiantly.
He smiled frostily. "That's okay. You don't have to."
He leaped at her, dodging the attack she made and raking his claws down her side. She jumped to the side, lashing at the tom with her claws. He dodged, and began to circle her. Her eyes were determined and fiery, but he detected a hint of fear. She leaped at Shadow.
That was her final mistake.
With one step to the side and a set of outstretched claws, the she-cat fell to the ground, cut short. Blood began bubbling from a slash in her neck. She stared at Shadow, shock glistening in her face before she relaxed and fell limp, red liquid pooling on the ground. The defiant spark faded from her eyes as they went silent.
Shadow turned back to the den. Tawnystar stood in the entrance, her face a mix of shock and fury. With his cold glance in her direction she took a pace back, realizing she was trapped in the den.
Shadow walked in, posture stiff and uninviting. "Stop this, Shadowpaw," she demanded as he entered, calico fur bristling. "Stop this madness." Shadow smiled, an eerie, calm, icy smile. "Madness, Tawnystar? No, I don't think I will. Until you're dead," he hissed the last part under his breath, before she leaped forward to fight him.
The she-cat was strong, Shadow had to admit. His claws flashed in the moonlight, sparring with hers. Almost all of his slashes were, blocked, countered, and brought back. He let himself betray no fear, allow instincts take over.
Tawnystar had taken everything from him. Hope, his family, a chance for safety. She never understood his instinct, never bothered to look deeper to the root of his problems, the why he did things, she only cared for the safety of the Clan. She took his life from him. And he would take hers.
Eyes narrowing in hatred for the BrookClan leader, he struck again, infusing his fury into the blow.
She staggered back. This was Hawkbreeze's mistake too. Within moments he'd pinned her to the ground, claws beginning to sink into her throat. She stared at him in shock, and maybe slight fear. "Shadowpaw..." she choked.
"My name isn't Shadowpaw anymore."
"I warned you Tawnystar," he snarled, blood beginning to drip from the wound. "Promised I would make everyone in this pathetic Clan pay. You didn't believe me. You never did. That was your final mistake. Promises are deadly, Tawnystar. You can never. Take. Them. Back."
Shadow hissed the last three words before his claws swiped across her throat and she fell limp.
Blood dripped softly to the ground, steady, like a heartbeat.
The light died from her amber eyes and they grew dull, staring blankly through the bracken, etched towards the stars that she could no longer see.