Firepaw's breath caught in his throat when they came to the thorn tunnel that led into ShadowClan's camp. Yellowfang stood for but a heartbeat, assessing the hollow that her former Clan's camp was in, and she quickly kinked her tail. Firepaw recognized the meaning of the signal immediately.

Attack.

He charged in alongside his Clanmates, unable to hold back a battle cry - and by the sounds of it, many others did the same. He leaped onto a small gray tabby tom, his claws unsheathed. Due to his superior size and strength, he easily made his hits. Of course, the cat got some blows in on him too, but he couldn't feel the sharp prickles of pain over the rush of adrenaline.

The cacophony of battle around him only helped to get him in a fighting headspace. The flame in his heart refused to be extinguished by his enemy's claws, no matter how many times he might get hit. In his mind he held the memories of Lionheart and Spottedleaf, which in turn put an extra spark behind his attacks.

The cat soon yowled, "Fine, I submit! I never wanted to fight for Brokenstar, anyway!"

Firepaw immediately stopped. "You… you didn't?" Suddenly, he felt very foolish. He'd been fighting a cat on his own side.

"I would've said something at the beginning if you didn't scare me so badly. Sorry." The tom's green eyes searched the crowd. "I heard from Dawncloud to help the ThunderClan cats."

Firepaw nodded. "Sorry as well. At least you aren't too injured. Let's go fight together."

The tom gave him a little smile, and the two toms rushed into the crowd. Firepaw saw Cherrysong being pinned and attacked by a brown tom with several scars crossing his face. Clawface! he assumed. He dashed over and clamped his teeth over the warrior's tail, then yanked it backward all in less than a few heartbeats.

Clawface yowled and staggered, nearly toppling over due to the disruption in his balance. Thanks to the intervention, Cherrysong kicked him off and twisted to land on all fours. The three cats attacked him together, and at the same time helped one other dodge blows.

Firepaw found himself grappling with the urge to leap onto Clawface and deliver a swift killing bite, but he held that urge down and did his best to silence it. He wouldn't murder another cat unless he had no other choice. Yet the memory of Spottedleaf came to him, and he landed a devastating blow on her killer's left eye.

Clawface screeched and bared his teeth. "Kittypet!" he spat as he lunged for Firepaw.

The gray tabby ShadowClan tom darted in and bit down on Clawface's throat while he was distracted with Firepaw. His green eyes blazed with fury as he tightened his grip, blood pooling out from around his teeth.

Cherrysong's eyes were wide. "Don't kill him! The warrior code says to only kill when necessary."

The tom let go of Clawface after a brief moment of hesitation. While Clawface took a few quick breaths, the tabby growled, "Get out of here, and don't come back."

Clawface bared his teeth. "I hope you'll die just like Brownpaw. You and Littlecloud stand no chance."

Clawface shook his head angrily and dashed out of ShadowClan's camp. The gray tabby wore an expression of hurt. Firepaw wanted to check in with him, especially since this seemed to be the rebellious Wetpaw that Littlepaw – or apparently Littlecloud now – had mentioned, but he didn't dare until after the battle.

"Let's go," Cherrysong meowed. "Their numbers are definitely thinning, but there are plenty of Brokenstar's followers left."

Firepaw nodded and quickly scanned the battlefield for a target. He spotted a red tabby he knew as Russetfur, having had seen her at the Gathering he'd attended. He flicked his tail in her direction, and his companions looked over. The trio darted over and began their assault.

Frostfur, whom Russetfur was fighting, seemed grateful for the help. Firepaw decided that Cherrysong would be enough, so he looked to Wetpaw and silently signaled with his muzzle for him to follow.

While they moved away, Firepaw meowed, "Let's attack Brokenstar." It was an ambitious move, but the adrenaline flowing through him told him it was a fine idea.

Wetpaw's eyes gleamed. "Let's."

The two toms made their way to where Whitestorm grappled with Brokenstar near the Clanrock. While the flat-faced leader was distracted, Wetpaw leaped onto his back and began striking his flanks. Firepaw tried to go for his kinked tail, but Brokenstar seemed to have learned from his mistake of not watching his surroundings since he whipped around to face him.

Brokenstar's wide-eyed amber gaze was easily one of the most haunting things Firepaw had ever seen. Even just being held in his sight felt like he was raking his claws down your soft, vulnerable belly. Firepaw quickly backed away a step as Brokestar lunged with unsheathed claws at him. Wetpaw continued to attack, which likely made the leader want to get him off by flipping onto his back, but the two enemy warriors beside him made that highly inadvisable.

Firepaw could practically see the anger brewing in his eyes.

Since his tail was now facing Whitestorm, the senior warrior took it upon himself to yank it just as Firepaw had done to Clawface. While Brokenstar stumbled, Firepaw attacked his front. In his mind he recalled memories of Yellowfang's tale of betrayal, of Littlecloud's fearful mewing, of WindClan's pitiful exile.

Firepaw let out a loud cry as he struck Brokenstar's throat. He didn't stop, even after the large tom stopped struggling against his attackers. I couldn't avenge Spottedleaf, but at least I can avenge everything else ShadowClan has done.

"Firepaw, stop!" Whitestorm ordered, pulling him out of his frenzy. "He's losing a life. Any honorable warrior would stop and let him recover."

Firepaw froze, realizing Brokenstar was now nothing more than a bloody corpse. For now, he reminded himself. He looked around the camp, seeing no more of Brokenstar's followers. Every cat stared at him, some grateful, some in awe. He was glad to see disappointment present in no gaze.

"Wetfoot, you're okay!" a high-pitched voice mewed.

Firepaw turned to see Littlepaw – Littlecloud – run up to them and nuzzle Wetfoot. "You're okay too," the tabby purred.

Firepaw looked across the hollow. Luckily, Brokenstar was the only dead cat he could see. Yellowfang led Frostfur's four kits out of the nursery, and the white she-cat let out a gasp as she ran to meet them.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're safe!" she meowed, wrapping them in a nuzzle.

A brown tabby she-cat came out of the nursery and remained by the entrance, a grin on her muzzle. "It was my honor to watch after them while they were here. I'm sorry they were ever taken."

"Thank you, Tallpoppy," Frostfur breathed. "And… I heard about your stillborns at the Gathering. I'm sorry for your loss."

Tallpoppy shook her head. "And I'm sorry for yours. Lionheart was a brave warrior. I'm sorry my Clan was the one to take him."

"Tallpoppy was nice!" Cinderkit piped up. "She let us try toad. It tastes gross!" She stuck out her tongue.

Frostfur smiled. "I'm glad to hear she was kind to you."

Tigerclaw huffed. "What do we do with him?" he asked, motioning with his muzzle to Brokenstar.

Firepaw looked back down at the recovering leader as Yellowfang replied with, "We make him confess to his crimes, and then we make him leave. If we see him after this, we kill him."

Brokenstar lifted his head up. He groaned as he got to his paws. His fur bristled as he realized he was all that remained of his once-powerful army.

"What are you going to do to me?" he growled, his amber eyes darting frightfully across camp. "Kill me?" He bared his teeth. "You wouldn't dare."

Yellowfang approached her former leader. "Brokenstar, you murdered Mintkit and Marigoldkit," she meowed. "Confess to our Clan. Set things right." Her tone had a warning concealed within.

Brokenstar lashed his tail. "Fine." He then raised his voice, "I killed those pathetic, weak kits! They died because they deserved to! There's no place for weakness in my Clan."

A ginger tabby she-cat near the elders' den gasped, "You lied to us! You told me that Yellowfang had killed my kits! You turned me against my own daughter!"

"And I would do it again!" Brokenstar spat at the old she-cat.

"They weren't your only victims, were they?" Yellowfang growled. "You murdered Cloudpelt!"

Gasps rang out from what ShadowClan cats remained, which was most of them. "You fox-heart!" a tom hissed.

"Of course I did!" Brokenstar yowled. "He deserved to die after being given my rightful position!"

"And you killed Raggedstar, your own father," Yellowfang finished.

Brokenstar curled his lip. "Yes, I did. He had it coming. He was going to replace me! All because of you."

More gasps rang out. "Brokenstar, you went against your Clan, your kin, and the warrior code," Yellowfang meowed. "Leave and never come back. If you do, we'll kill you."

Brokenstar hissed and made his way to the entrance, the crowd parting to give him a path. Before he left, he turned his head and meowed, "I'll be back. No worthwhile leader gives up after one defeat."

"If you do, every Clan will be there to fight you and whatever foolish cats you may have at your side," Tigerclaw growled. "Now get out!"

Brokenstar gave one last lash of his tail before going through the entrance and disappearing. Triumphant cries spread through the crowd, mostly by ShadowClan cats. Firepaw saw Littlecloud break down in tears, trembling close to the ground while Wetfoot comforted him.

He made his way over. "Is he okay?" he asked Wetfoot.

Littlecloud looked up. "He's finally gone!" he cried. "We'll never have to be hurt by him again!"

Firepaw realized many other ShadowClan cats were crying too. Runningnose, the ShadowClan medicine cat, was nuzzling Yellowfang while tears of joy broke from his eyes. Even the grumpy she-cat's orange eyes glistened, her muzzle curved into a grin as she reunited with her former apprentice.

Firepaw ran over to them. "It's nice to meet you, Runningnose," he greeted the tom politely.

Runningnose pulled away from Yellowfang to look at Firepaw. "Hey there. You're the former kittypet, right?"

"That he is," Yellowfang mewed. "But he's got one heck of a battle trick! He really likes to use false expectations of him."

"Smart," Runningnose meowed approvingly, and he looked back to her. "Oh, Yellowfang, I knew you were innocent! No one else believed me."

"Thank you for believing me, but it didn't help," Yellowfang mewed sadly. "Oh, well. It doesn't matter now."

Runningnose frowned. "Yellowfang, as ShadowClan's only leader right now, I invite you to rejoin us. This is your home, and you should've never been forced from it."

Yellowfang looked at Firepaw for a few moments, then back to Runningnose. "Your offer means a lot, but I'm afraid I've made too much of an impact on ThunderClan to leave. Besides, with Spottedleaf's murder, they're in need of a medicine cat."

Runningnose nodded. "I understand. May you serve them well."

"Who will lead ShadowClan now?" Firepaw spoke up curiously.

"Good question," Runningnose meowed. "We will all unanimously decide. This is a rare occurrence in which everyone decides who leads us."

Tigerclaw let out a wordless yowl, and the camp went silent as everyone turned to look at him. "ThunderClan shall take its leave now," he announced. "May StarClan light your paths."

"All of yours as well," Runningnose meowed. "ShadowClan appreciates and is grateful for your assistance in removing our… parasite. We are in your debt."

Tigerclaw dipped his head in acknowledgment. He turned and kinked his tail, and the ThunderClan warriors that had come went to him. Firepaw walked beside Stormpaw and Ravencloud, who both wore wounds as proof of their effort. For once, Ravencloud's eyes shone bright with happiness.

"This is a good thing we've done," he murmured. "I just can't believe we actually did it."

Stormpaw shook his head. "Me neither! Man, am I tired. All I want now is a nice piece of prey and a good rest."

Graypaw slowed his walk to pad beside them. "I bet I'm gonna be made a warrior after all my hard work!" he meowed proudly.

"If you're made a warrior, I think Stormpaw and I would be too," Firepaw mewed.

Graypaw shook his head. "Nah, I'm more important than some kittypets."

Firepaw frowned. "Why are you like this? Stormpaw and I just fought to help rid the forest of an evil tyrant, and you can't acknowledge that?"

"You hardly did anything, I bet," Graypaw told him. "I did more in that single battle than you two have ever done in your entire lives."

"Graypaw, shut up," Stormpaw growled. "Stop making a happy event like this so upsetting. We're supposed to celebrate, not fight each other."

"You two are the ones getting worked up. I'm just stating facts!"

"Graypaw, hush!" Whitestorm ordered from up ahead.

At the senior warrior's input, Graypaw grumpily obeyed. Firepaw gaze turned his gaze ahead as the patrol made it to the Thunderpath. Time to go back home.

and that concludes into the wild. the rest of this fic will be dedicated to fire and ice. thank you all for reading, and i'm sorry this took so long to get out.