For a brief moment Crowfrost tensed, ready for the surge of attackers to fall upon him and his Clanmates. A good amount of the waiting mix of WillowClan and the rogues did run forward, but they faltered only a few steps into their charge. Heads turned and ears twitched in surprise.
Cougarstar whipped around, a look of pure fury distorting her features.
Then Crowfrost heard it. The sounds of cats fighting just beyond the top of the slope.
"AlderClan!" Falconstorm roared. He charged up the hill right at Cougarstar.
The rest of CedarClan followed.
Crowfrost got a glimpse of his father and Whiteshade tackling Cougarstar to the ground before he crested the hill and met a WillowClan warrior with outstretched paws.
Teeth and claws flashed as the two allied Clans met the invaders from the east and west. From what Crowfrost could see almost the whole of AlderClan had arrived. Their numbers plus the CedarClan patrol took the advantage from one-sided to almost equal.
Crowfrost sank his claws into any enemy he could see. The sudden pincer attack had thrown them into chaos. By the look of it they had been completely unprepared for such a maneuver.
Cats were running every which way. Senior warriors were bellowing orders. Warriors were turning their claws on their own by accident. It was madness.
Crowfrost threw aside a weak attempt to bowl him over by a fearful looking WillowClan apprentice and ducked through the throng. He needed to find Cranewing.
He thought he glimpsed a flash of a familiar pelt but his vision was obscured by Dawnheart backing into his range of sight.
Annoyed, Crowfrost shouldered past his Clanmate. Dawnheart moved, blocking him again. With a hiss, Crowfrost ducked and turned away, only to find Dawnheart blocking him again.
Crowfrost looked up, not quite believing that Dawnheart was doing this on purpose.
Dawnheart met his gaze with sturdy defiance.
"We need more fighters further down the hill." Dawnheart said.
"Then go!" Crowfrost spat. He spotted a tumbling pair of fighting cats coming towards them. He waited for a heartbeat, then timed his leap past Dawnheart. Dawnheart tried to follow, but found himself blocked by the writhing cats. Crowfrost sped away like a fish through water. He had no time for petty delays. He needed to find-there!
Grappling with a burly AlderClan warrior was Cranewing. Crowfrost made to rush to his kin's side but hesitated. CedarClan was supposed to be on AlderClan's side. If he attacked Cranewing's opponent it would send the wrong message.
He was saved from making a decision when two large WillowClan warriors came at him from the sides. Unprepared, Crowfrost took the blows they threw at him and staggered. He didn't have time for this. He needed answers now!
He struggled and snapped at his attackers. They used their advantage to wrestle him into submission. Crowfrost spat with frustration and fury. Surely one of his Clanmates had noticed he was in a two-on-one fight.
One of the weights on his chest was lifted. A heartbeat later, so was the other. Crowfrost scrambled to his feet and watched as Heronfight and Hawkstrike flattened their opponents into the gravelly dirt.
Heronflight looked up and nodded at Crowfrost before springing up and away from the WillowClan warrior as the latter reared up and tried to throw him off. Hawkstrike was entangled in his foe.
For a moment Crowfrost didn't know what to do. No other cats had engaged him and his brothers were holding their own. Then he saw Cranewing throw off his attacker and dive into a crowd of AlderClan warriors. Crowfrost's paws moved.
. . .
Heronflight watched Crowfrost spring away over the shoulder of the WillowClan warrior he was dueling. He couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. There had been no tactical reason for Crowfrost to stay, and yet Heronflight felt oddly betrayed as his brother bounded away.
He refocused his attention as the cat he was fighting, a warrior he recognized as Frozenpelt, almost landed a clean bite on Heronflight's ear. He ducked just in time and came up and around with a blow of his own. Frozenpelt hissed and jumped back. The white warrior recovered deftly and lunged once more.
Heronflight rolled to the side. From his new vantage point he could just see Crowfrost dragging Nighthawk of AlderClan off of a struggling form. Cranewing emerged and gave Crowfrost a curt nod.
Shock and anger rippled through Heronflight. He had thought that when it came down to the spilling of blood, Crowfrost may have found it in himself to stay loyal to his Clan and their allies. His final hope was dashed as he watched Crowfrost and Cranewing fighting their way through more AlderClan warriors to the edge of the battle.
Heronflight rolled to his feet and aimed a savage slash at Frozenpelt's forelegs. Blood spattered the white warrior's fur and he screeched in pain. He backed away from Heronflight with hatred in his eyes.
Heronflight didn't have time for that. He dove into the wrestling, screeching crowd and tried to fight his way toward where his brother and uncle had disappeared.
Hawkstrike appeared beside him and together they shoved, slipped, and dashed through the melee.
. . .
Slatefang watched the brawl from afar atop a ledge of rock overlooking the battlefield. His eyes raked the crowd of spitting, frothing mouths and bloodshot eyes. His parallel trains of thought ran unrestrained through his crowded mind.
Where is she?
Stay safe, Cherrynose.
We should be helping.
Where is she?
His eyes snapped onto a familiar black and gray striped pelt fighting its way through the crowd. Cranewing's yellow eyes were stretched wide with fury as he slashed his way past any cat that came his way, friend or foe. Crowfrost was at his side. The two warriors broke through the edge of the fight and slipped into the shadows unhindered. Slatefang hurried along his rock perch until he could see the two dark-pelted toms clearly again.
They stood just apart, tails lashing and neck fur spiked with anger. Slatefang narrowed his eyes. If only he could hear what they were saying. The Other urged them onward.
He trusts us, remember?
Without pausing to consider, Slatefang dropped down from his perch.
. . .
Crowfrost jumped as something heavy hit the ground in the shadows. He whirled, claws out, to face the intruder. His fur relaxed slightly as he saw who it was.
"Slatefang." he said with a nod.
Slatefang's eyes darted between Crowfrost and Cranewing. They narrowed. Cranewing raised his hackles warily.
"We can trust him." Crowfrost said, turning to Cranewing.
Cranewing hesitated for just a heartbeat before sniffing and eyeing Crowfrost again.
"What do you want?"
Crowfrost bristled. "Answers." he hissed. "What is going to happen? How is CedarClan going to be made stronger by this? Why-"
"What makes you think you deserve answers?" Cranewing interrupted with a dismissive lash of his tail.
Crowfrost showed a fang in frustration. "I have done nothing but obey StarClan's wishes! Haven't I proven my loyalty to the cause?"
Cranewing rolled his yellow eyes. So unlike Heronflight. "Stop whining like a spoiled kit." he said. "You'll get your answers when she decides to give them."
"Where is she?"
Cranewing and Crowfrost both turned to Slatefang who had spoken rather suddenly.
Slatefang looked like he was struggling with something unseen. His pupils wavered disconcertingly and his jaw was clenched.
Cranewing looked Slatefang up and down with a sneer. "Like I would tell you."
Slatefang blinked. His pupils were slits. He took an aggressive step towards Cranewing. Crowfrost put himself between them.
For a moment Crowfrost thought that Slatefang would force his way past him. He braced himself but no attack came.
"Look, all she needs from us right now is to fight." Cranewing growled. He glanced over his shoulder at the raging battle.
Crowfrost shoved down the surge of rage that sparked at Cranewing's words. He swallowed hard and nodded curtly.
"Fine." he snapped. "But who exactly am I supposed to be fighting?"
Cranewing let out a harsh noise of disbelief. "The enemy, you idiot." With that, he turned and dove past the trees and back into the fray.
Crowfrost resisted the urge to follow him. He gripped the cold ground with his claws in frustration. Slatefang stepped up beside him.
"Let's go." Crowfrost growled. Together they rejoined the fight.
. . .
Brown tabby fur clogged Heronflight's nose and mouth. He retched and squirmed, trying to shove his attacker off. He needed to see where Cranewing and Crowfrost had gone. With a final heave Heronflight managed to push the heavy WillowClan tom off of himself. He leapt to his paws and aimed a blow at the tabby warrior's nose before he could regain his balance.
The WillowClan tom screeched in pain and anger before whirling around and vanishing into the chaos. Heronflight looked around frantically. There was no sign of Crowfrost or Cranewing. He had lost them in the disarray.
Heronflight swore. Something big was going on and Crowfrost knew it. Frustrated, Heronflight looked around for Hawkstrike. He found his brother battling a black and white rogue she-cat. Heronflight ran to help and together they proved to be too much for the she-cat. She turned and fled within moments.
"Heronflight! Hawkstrike!"
They turned and saw Kestrelfeather waving at them from a little way downhill. Blood from a slash above his eye trickled into his face and his shoulder was soaked scarlet.
"We need help down here!" The auburn warrior managed to say before he was collapsed on by two WillowClan warriors.
Heronflight and Hawkstrike raced down the hill to find that the CedarClan patrol had been overrun by the larger WillowClan force. AlderClan was busy taking on the rogues further uphill. The battle was badly split.
Hawkstrike split off from Heronflight to assist Shadowgrove while Heronflight himself ran to pull Sparkwhisker of WillowClan off of his uncle.
Heronflight sent the pale tabby running with a blow to the flank that sent blood splattering onto the rocky ground. Kestrelfeather rolled out from the claws of his remaining opponent. Heronflight helped his former mentor chase the second cat away. With a nod of thanks, Kestrelfeather jumped away.
Heronflight looked around, ready to fight a new target.
His heart skipped a painful beat as he saw the large shape of Cougarstar silhouetted against the rising sun. She was fighting three CedarClan warriors at once. Morningsong, Shadowgrove, and Falconstorm were doing their best to overwhelm the WillowClan leader but she fought like her namesake. As Heronflight watched, stricken, one of Cougarstar's huge paws hit Shadowgrove across the head with a mighty blow that caused the senior warrior to collapse where he stood. Cougarstar lifted her paw again, her pale eyes blazing.
"No!"
Heronflight and Morningsong screeched at the same time. Heronflight watched, awed, as Morningsong stepped over her Clanmate's unmoving figure protectively and slashed Cougarstar's cheek with vicious precision.
Cougarstar stumbled. White spittle flew from her jaws as she screeched in fury. She lunged for Morningsong but she was too quick. The calico she-cat ducked and slashed like a dancing leaf in the wind. Her speed and grace matched Cougarstar's power and accuracy.
Mesmerized, Heronflight couldn't help but watch as the two she-cats battled. He was not the only one. Several other cats had paused to watch the fight. Even Falconstorm had fallen back to let the duel continue.
Morningsong bared her teeth in a terrible snarl as she landed another blow on Cougarstar, drawing blood.
"You won't hurt my Clan anymore!" she spat.
Cougarstar's eyes blazed with mockery. "You're hardly more than an apprentice!" she jeered as she swiped for Morningsong's exposed throat.
Heronflight tensed, but Morningsong jerked backwards just in time. A cloud of white fur caught in Cougarstar's claws.
"You won't hurt the forest anymore!" Morningsong ducked under Cougarstar's paws and headbutted the leader in the belly. Cougarstar's eyes bulged and she stumbled backwards. Her chest heaved as she glared at Morningsong.
Morningsong sank down into a crouch and readied herself for the attack. "You won't hurt my father anymore!"
She sprang.
Cougarstar scrambled to defend herself from Morningsong's blow. In a flash of calico fur Morningsong had struck. She jumped backward from Cougarstar. The WillowClan leader didn't move.
Heronflight tried to see what had happened. He stretched his neck out to see over the crowd of cats that had fallen still.
There was a collective moment of silence as every cat held their breath. Then Cougarstar's throat opened in a wide red sneer. Blood began to splash down her chest. Shock shone in her wide eyes.
"Cougarstar!" shrieked an unknown WillowClan voice.
A heartbeat later, Morningsong vanished under the claws of Cougarstar's avenging warriors.
Heronflight dove forward and clawed his way towards his denmate. He saw Hawkstrike reach her first. He ripped two warriors away with one wrenching motion. Panic lit his brother's face.
Suddenly, Heronflight found himself surrounded by his Clanmates. It seemed the entire patrol had come to Morningsong's aid.
Kestrelfeather and Brushfire stood side-by-side battering away enemy warriors as they tried to attack Morningsong. Falconstorm was locked in combat with two WillowClan warriors. Whiteshade and Dawnheartwere fighting alongside Hawkstrike to reach Morningsong.
Heronflight barely had time to bite more than two or three tails before the two fighting forces sprang apart.
The WillowClan warriors had wrested Cougarstar's limp form from where she had fallen. CedarClan stood protectively around Shadowgrove and Morningsong. Heronflight took his place beside Falconstorm and faced the enemy. The battle between the rogues and AlderClan still raged behind them. They barely took notice.
There was a moment of tense quiet. Then a gray tabby she-cat stumbled forward a pace from where she had been standing close to Cougarstar's head.
"Murderers!" She shrieked.
Kestrelfeather bore his teeth. "The fight was fair. Cougarstar lost."
"This fight has nothing to do with CedarClan." yowled a large tabby tom with a twisted tail. "Why are you even here?"
"We weren't going to stand by and let Cougarstar destroy the forest." Whiteshade shot back.
"Cougarstar was going to save the forest!" Sparkwhisker, a WillowClan warrior, cried.
The cats of CedarClan responded with derisive hisses and growls. Heronflight readied himself for the fight to break out again.
"Silence!" a voice croaked. A ripple went through the gathered WillowClan warriors. Triumph shone in their eyes and their tails began to lift in excitement. Heronflight's muscles tensed. Of course that hadn't been Cougarstar's last life.
The WillowClan warriors parted and Cougarstar staggered through them to the front. Her neck would had closed, but her fur was still stained with blood. Some of it still dribbled from her lips. She eyed the CedarClan patrol with undisguised hatred.
"I'll admit," she rasped, "that I was taken by surprise. Your kit was trained well, Blizzardstar." She swung her large head back and forth. "But where is the coward?" she licked her bloodied lips. "I want him to watch me rip his brat's throat out."
Immediately, CedarClan closed their ranks tighter around Morningsong. Heronflight didn't even know if she was still alive, but he slid his claws out all the same.
"I must warn you, Cougarstar." a familiar mew, deep and strong, rang out from behind Cougarstar. She whipped around. Heronflight's heart leapt with shock and relief.
Blizzardstar was standing, bloodstained but as imposing as ever, on a boulder that jutted out from the hillside. His blue eyes burned with anger.
"If you harm one hair on her pelt, you'll have to kill me. Again."