Chapter Sixteen

In a flash Shadowheart shoved Ravenpaw back towards camp. Heart thudding heavily in his chest he yowled for her to go and tell Foxstar, before turning to see Amberfur boulder into Hawk to free Larkpaw. The apprentice scrambled out from under the huge rogues claws, and raced back towards camp after his sister. Amberfur was knocked back with a snarl, however, the line of cats didn't move.

"Bold moves for cats so clearly out-numbered," Hawk sneered, his yellow gaze locked on Shadowheart and Blackflame. "And I see my useless son is as weak and unprepared as ever."

Shadowheart snarled. "I'm not your son! You kidnapped me from my real parents!"

A wry smirk crossed Hawk's muzzle. "And you proved as useless as your mother," he growled, switching his attention to Blackflame. "You, however, have potential. So tell me, why don't you join us? It will be much more worth your while."

Blackflame stiffened, his eyes wide with shock at the sudden praise. Shadowheart looked from his brother to Hawk. The black tabby was quiet, his eyes narrowed into an expression Shadowheart couldn't make out. After a few moments, Blackflame stepped to stand right before Hawk, his head raised high.

"You ask me to join you?" his voice was a dangerous quiet. "After you killed my mother and separated me from my home? After you killed so many innocent cats, and after all the work Mole did to save me from your claws?"

"Mole!" Hawk snorted contemptuously. "He was always a coward. It's only by some chance that you turned out with something worth keeping around."

Blackflame unsheathed his claws, silver eyes flashing. "Mole was not a coward! He was a good cat, better than you could ever hope to be!" He thrust his muzzle into Hawk's with a challenge. "No. I won't be joining you. My heart belongs to the Clans; my home. I will never betray them like you have, no matter what promises you make me."

Snarling with fury, Hawk shoved Blackflame backwards. "Then die!"

As if on que, the rogues broke their line and charged straight into the small patrol. Shadowheart was bouldered over by a scraggly gray tom, and let out a yowl of fury as they scored their claws across his side. Amberfur was nearby, fighting off two large rogue toms while Brownclaw and Snowfoot fought side by side. Blackflame writhed under Hawk's claws, before raking his hind paws across the huge tom's belly to break free from his grip. Shadowheart did the same with the tom he was facing, rushing to Amberfur's aid against the two rogues. More cats seemed to swarm the clearing, before they broke the line and headed straight for the camp. To Shadowheart's horror, Cinder was among them, leading the way; Leaf at her side.

Caterwauls could be heard in the distance, obvious that the patrol Ravenpaw had been sent to gather had met the rogues halfway. Desperately out-numbered, Shadowheart fought with every inch of his being as he slashed at rogue after rogue. Doubling back to help his Clanmates, Shadowheart raced through the throng of battling cats in hopes that he could find both Pinefrost and Firelight. To his relief, Pinefrost was off to the side with bundles of herbs, while Firelight fought off any rogue that dared approach. Screeches from camp caught his attention and he bolted through the entrance. Jayeyes, the LeafClan elder, was being dragged across the camp by Dune while Nettleleaf and Frosttail fought hard against the other rogues that had them cornered.

Throwing himself at Dune, Shadowheart sunk his claws into the large tom's neck. Dune let go of Jayeyes, who crumpled into a heap on the ground, and swung to shake Shadowheart off. The two toms rolled across the ground, before breaking apart. Shadowheart faced Dune, his hackles raised in defiance.

"So the little warrior has come out to play," Dune sneered, his one eye shining with malice.

Shadowheart met his gaze just as angrily. "Just in time to take your other eye you stinking badger!" he taunted, before leaping at Dune again.

As they fought, Shadowheart heard the tunnel crack as the rogues stormed the camp. We're being overrun! Panic seared through his pelt as he struggled to fight Dune off. We have to protect the kits and elders! His instincts strongly pushed him to protect his Clan, but Dune had made it nearly impossible to break free from his grip. Pinned down under the one eyed tom, Shadowheart spat angrily at him. Before he could sink his teeth into Shadowheart's neck, a flash of silver sent the huge tom spiraling to the ground.

"Sagepelt!" Shadowheart gasped, getting to his paws quickly.

Sagepelt sent strong blows to Dune's flanks before turning to look at him. "Quickly! Go help Longwhisker's patrol! I'll take care of things here!"

Reluctant to leave his former mentor, Shadowheart dipped his head and quickly dashed off to find Longwhisker. The LeafClan deputy was fighting a white-and-black tom Shadowheart knew as Spike, while Lionclaw and Foxstar fought nearby side to side. Hawk shoved cats out of his way as he went for Foxstar, and Shadowheart rushed to block him off. Hawk snarled and grabbed Shadowheart's throat in his jaws, throwing him aside. Rolling across the ground, stunned, Shadowheart struggled to get back to his paws. Foxstar turned just in time to see Hawk coming and the two leaders locked into battle. Bruised, bleeding, and battered, Shadowheart shakily got back up and rushed over towards them desperate to save his leader.

A loud yowl sounded then from across the river. In a complete turn around, a large patrol of ReedClan warriors were headed across the river to LeafClan's aid! Shadowheart stared in disbelief as the sleek river warriors swarmed the masses of rogues that had overrun the LeafClan cats. The battle was even now, every cat fighting hard to drive out the other. Stonetail rushed over to Blackflame, who was busily fighting beside Sandpool. Once he was assured one of his kits were okay, he ran over towards Shadowheart, who was still half-stunned.

"Are you okay?" he demanded instantly. "Where are you hurt?"

Shadowheart shook his head wearily. "I'm okay! What about you? Where did you guys come from?"

Stonetail nudged Shadowheart forward. "We could hear the battle from our camp. So Icestar ordered us to come and help. No matter what rivalries we have, Hawk will always be the number one enemy to us all."

After that, his father took off to fight a nearby rogue. Shadowheart shook off the last of his weariness to find Cinder. If his sister was here, was she truly here to drive out LeafClan? Would she really fight against her own kin? He had to know once and for all just what side his sister was willing to take.

Cinder wasn't hard to find. The dark gray she-cat was wrestling with Mudspeck—a ReedClan warrior—and had managed to send the she-cat howling away from scratches to her flanks. Shadowheart quickly cornered his littermate, his eyes burning with questions.

"Cinder!"

Turning to face him with blazing blue eyes, Cinder hissed. "What are you doing? Get out of my way, Shadowheart!"

Shadowheart didn't budge, lashing his tail. "No! Cinder how can you do this? How can you attack your own kin? Hawk isn't our father! Why won't you accept that?"

"Accept what?" Cinder snarled, her ears flat. "I know the truth you idiot! What do I care? You chose your path and I have chosen mine! And it's to fight alongside the rogues! Now get out of my way or I'll have to fight you too!"

Heart breaking, Shadowheart steadied himself as he blocked her path. "Then you leave me no choice! I'll fight you and knock some sense into your head once and for all!"