Chapter 4: The Last Hope
Darkness fell throughout the forest, the moon illuminating the night sky. The four Clans were now prepared for the battle against the treacherous Dark Forest cats. Over in ThunderClan, Firestar watched over his Clan as they prepared for battle. Over in the medicine cat's den, Jayfeather and Leafpool were working together sorting herbs when they suddenly heard Cloudtail yell as he ran into camp.
"Birchfall, Blossomfall, and Mousewhisker are gone! We couldn't find them anywhere!" They're in the Dark Forest. Dovewing! Jayfeather stormed out of the den and sniffed the air to find Dovewing. Found her! He rushed towards her, and she looked at him in surprise.
"Find them! Use your hearing to find where they are!"
"I know, I know." Dovewing closed her eyes and began to search for the three cats.
"Don't worry you three; Brokenstar will tell us when to attack." She heard Blossomfall's voice and broke away from her concentration.
"Where's Ivypool? She can bring them back. She needs to!"
"There's no time right now. They're on their own." Dovewing let out a small growl as Jayfeather walked back over to his den. Ivypool, where are you? Dovewing sniffed the air, and when she found her scent, she ran towards it. It led her to the apprentices' den, and she saw Ivypool in her nest while Lelouch watched over her.
"Ivypool's trying to go into the Dark Forest to find the three missing cats." He told her.
"They know she's a spy, they'll kill…" Dovewing flinched at the sounds of the Dark Forest.
"Are you alright?" He walked over to her side.
"Only the strong will remain…" She repeated the key focus that the Dark Forest cats were currently talking about. "Death to the Clans…" Lightning cracked in the night sky, Dovewing letting out a small gasp of fear. After the sudden sound of thunder, Dovewing heard a multitude of pawsteps coming closer. "Lelouch, they're coming!" Immediately, she tried to wake her sister up, Ivypool letting out a growl due to her disturbed slumber.
"Dovewing, I was just about to dream!"
"There's no time. The Dark Forest is approaching now! We have to tell Firestar!" Ivypool, Dovewing, and Lelouch made their way towards their Clan leader and saw that ShadowClan warriors had just entered the camp.
"There you three are." Lionblaze mewed as they joined him and Firestar.
"Oakfur, Smokefoot, Snowbird, it's good to see you." Firestar greeted them.
"They're coming, Firestar!" Dovewing quickly told him.
"The Dark Forest cats?" She nodded and continued to concentrate on her hearing.
"I can't tell where they're coming from!"
"Wait…do you all hear that?" Lelouch asked. They all stopped and heard the sound of paws getting closer and closer.
"There's no time to lose. Sorreltail, Thornclaw, Spiderleg, make your way to ShadowClan, now! Whitewing, Berrynose, Hazeltail, go to WindClan! Foxleap, Toadstep, Rosepetal, go to RiverClan!" Firestar watched as his warriors ran as fast as they could towards their assigned territory. He then saw Cherrypaw and Molepaw run up to him. "Cherrypaw, go to ShadowClan, and Molepaw, go to WindClan, then RiverClan. Make sure you both bring them as much news as you can. I have faith in you two warriors." The two apprentices gleamed at their leader's unofficial dubbing of their new roles and made their way to their mother, Poppyfrost, before heading out. "Brambleclaw, are the elders, queens, and kits safe?"
"Yes, Firestar."
"Good." He looked towards the thorn tunnel. "The enemy, we need to meet them outside. I need you to stay in the camp. Pick your patrol members." Brambleclaw nodded and looked over at Squirrelflight, who nodded her head, causing him to smile. He then picked Cinderheart, Leafpool, Bumblestripe, Dustpelt, and Graystripe.
"No, I need Graystripe to stay with me." Firestar looked at his oldest friend in the Clan. He wanted him to be there if he fell in battle or if it happened the other way around. "Lionblaze, Dovewing, Cloudtail, Snowbird, Lelouch, Ivypool, you all follow me."
"Firestar, I know we talked about this yesterday, but please…your Clan needs you, especially now." Sandstorm told him.
"I know they do, which is why I'm going out there. If I don't lead, how can I expect them to follow?" Firestar shot a small look back at Lelouch, causing the tom to smile.
"Okay…but be safe. I love you."
"I love you too." Firestar turned his gaze to Brambleclaw. "Make sure to keep Sandstorm, my daughters, and the rest of the Clan safe." Brambleclaw nodded. "Alright, let's get going." Firestar's patrol began to leave, and as they did, Dovewing saw that Lelouch didn't move, but instead began looking around. Why's he…Ivypool! Dovewing ran over to him and he looked at her.
"Where's Ivypool?"
"I don't know. I'm trying to look for her." Lelouch responded. "Tell Firestar that I'll stay here."
"But he ordered you to come follow us."
"I know, but I'm positive that you all are amazing fighters and will be able to manage without me." Dovewing looked into his eyes. She could sense the same glare of leadership and courage that Firestar had.
"Okay then." She made her way towards the exit of the camp.
"Dovewing, wait!" She turned around and walked back towards Lelouch. "Make sure you stay safe, okay?"
"I will." With that, she ran to keep up with Firestar's patrol.
"Alright everyone, make sure to fight with all your warrior spirit. I know this battle won't be our last, but make sure to fight as if it was!" Brambleclaw told the cats. He saw Lelouch's black pelt and walked over to him. "Lelouch, aren't you supposed to be with Firestar?"
"Sorry…but I have to look for Ivypool. She's not here." Brambleclaw looked around, and then sniffed the air.
"You're right, but I can't let you go out on your own. That's suicide!"
"I know, but I can at least try to use my Geass if I encounter any Dark Forest cats."
"I understand that, but…where would you even start looking for her?" Lelouch opened his mouth, but even he didn't know the answer to that question. "Just stay here with us for a while, and then we can try and look for her, okay? I can tell she means a lot to you." Lelouch nodded, and walked around the Clan, looking into each den to make sure everyone in them was safe, and to look for Ivypool. He saw no sign of her, so he stood near Brambleclaw, awaiting any further action.
After a while, Lelouch and Brambleclaw heard the first sounds of battle outside of the camp.
"We need help!" Squirrelflight called out. Brambleclaw pointed his tail at Leafpool, Cinderheart, and Dustpelt, and motioned them to go out to the ThunderClan entrance. Brambleclaw followed them, and so did Lelouch. Once they got there, Lelouch met his first glimpse of Dark Forest cats. Their fur was everywhere, and their menacing stature and gleaming eyes sent a bit of fear through him, but he knew he had to be strong. More Dark Forest cats began to appear, but suddenly, Firestar's patrol jumped out to join their other Clanmates. Once Firestar ran towards the Dark Forest warriors, all the others did as well. Lelouch jumped into the fray, biting down hard onto one of the Dark Forest cat's neck, and made sure to get off once some of the other cats noticed him. The taste of blood stained his tongue, but he knew he had to continue. He ran towards one of the cats, claws unsheathed, and clawed at his side. The other cat retaliated, landing a blow on Lelouch's face, a scratch now running down his cheek.
"Dark Forest cats made it into the camp!" Lionblaze yelled.
"Cinderheart! Dustpelt! Graystripe! Go follow Lionblaze and help the camp! We're fine here." Firestar commanded as he kicked a Dark Forest cat away. Lelouch's ears twitched when he heard pawsteps from the slope nearby and saw other cats.
"That's the WindClan and RiverClan reinforcements!" Dovewing stated, relief in her meow.
"Go into the camp!" Firestar told them. Outside of the camp, the Dark Forest group declined in size, some of the other cats enduring the battle inside of the camp. Lelouch continued his fight with one of the cats until a glimpse of orange crossed his gaze. He saw that Firestar had leaped onto the cat and clawed at his stomach. Lelouch then saw Dark Forest cats from inside the camp begin to run back into the forest, and so did the cats outside the camp. Once they did, Firestar looked over at Lelouch. "You okay?"
"Yeah, just a small scratch is all." He responded. They both walked back into the camp, and Lelouch saw how battle-scarred and bloodied some of the cats were.
"Cloudtail! Pebblefoot! Dustpelt! Go see Jayfeather!" He stated, the three cats looking the worse out of everyone else. Firestar scanned the camp, looking for any more severely injured cats. Pawsteps were heard from the slope of the camp and they saw Stoatpaw, ShadowClan's messenger.
"Blackstar's losing a life! We need help!"
"Lionblaze, Graystripe, go to ShadowClan!" He demanded. "Smokefoot, your patrol should go with them. Your Clans needs you more than we do." The group set off as quick as they could to aid the troubled Clan.
"Look at this place…it's ruined." Lelouch stated, the Clan destroyed after the skirmish.
"I know, but we can rebuild, that's not a problem." Firestar told him. "Aren't you supposed to be looking for Ivypool?" Lelouch looked at the leader.
"Sorry about breaking formation. As a leader before, I know something like that is irritating." Firestar shook his head.
"It's no trouble. I know that she's your friend and you care about her." He told him. "I'm here with the Clan now. You should go try and look for her." Firestar stuck his nose up into the air and turned around. "Her scent's faint, but she went that way." He pointed his tail east of the camp. "Stay safe, Lelouch."
"I will." Before Lelouch set out, he looked for Dovewing around the camp. Once he saw her, he called her name. She turned around and approached the tom.
"Lelouch, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm going out to find Ivypool now."
"Let me go with you! She's my sister!"
"Firestar needs you here with him. You're the only one here able to keep the Clan updated about the Dark Forest."
"And you're the only one here with Geass. Lelouch, we need you here too." He shook his head.
"You're more important than me. Just stay here and keep ThunderClan safe. I promise that I'll bring Ivypool back." Dovewing's eyes began to shine, and she pressed her cheek against his and intertwined their tails.
"Thank you, Lelouch…" Lelouch broke away from the sudden embrace and began running east, Dovewing watching him until he left her sight.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Lelouch ran through the forest, following the faint trail of Ivypool as best as he could. Thunder cracked in the air, and he could feel small droplets of rain now begin to coat his fur. Ivypool, where are you? He wondered, looking around.
"ThunderClan's this way. Let's finish off those Clan cats already." Lelouch came to a halt once he heard the voices of who he assumed to be Dark Forest cats. Luckily they were on the other side of the bracken next to him.
"Hold on…I smell ThunderClan cat." Another voice said. Oh no… Lelouch's heart began to race. "It's nearby too."
"I smell it too, but it might just be a scent marker. C'mon, let's keep moving." Lelouch heard their pawsteps walk away from him and he let out a sigh of relief. That was close. Maintaining eye contact while fighting multiple cats would be difficult. He told himself before resuming his chase for Ivypool. Every single twist and turn made him wonder where Ivypool was even trying to go. Along the way, Lelouch could smell the scent of various cats now that were unfamiliar to him, causing him to worry. He reached the end of the forest and looked at the huge moor that he now stood on.
The scent keeps going…but this land is so vast and open it'll be impossible for me to get through without getting caught. He could see a river nearby, and beyond that were hills. Despite being discouraged, Lelouch remembered the promise he made to Dovewing and made his way towards the hills. As he ran towards the river, he picked up speed and gracefully jumped from rock to rock until he reached the other side, something he wouldn't have ever imagined doing due to his weak physique. He was surprised that even after that he wasn't fatigued. It's probably just due to the form I'm in, plus the added motive I have. He reached the hills and when he tasted the air, the different scents he smelled before were even stronger.
"Get off of her!" Lelouch's ears poked up when he heard the voice. Hollyleaf? It came from the hills, and it was faint, but nonetheless, it still helped him figure out where some cats were. He was sure Ivypool was somewhere there, so he ran up the slope. From the hilltop, he could see what seemed to be a camp, and on the outer part of it he saw a group of cats fighting. He rushed towards them and once he was close he noticed a silver and white tabby she-cat fighting two other cats.
"Ivypool!" He yelled out her name, causing her to turn to see the large gray tom behind her. Before he could lay a paw on her, Lelouch jumped and tackled the cat to the ground, furiously clawing at his belly. Blood splattered his claws and his black coat, but he continued until he finally landed the killing blow on his neck. Lelouch watched as the Dark Forest cat now disappeared from under his paws, and he looked over at Ivypool. The cat she was fighting ended up escaping.
"Lelouch…" She was at a loss for words. Ivypool didn't expect the violet-eyed tom to appear at all, especially considering the severity of the Dark Forest invasion.
"I'm glad you're…" He let out a gasp of surprise when he felt Ivypool press her head into his fur.
"What are you doing out here? Don't you know how dangerous it is?" Lelouch could feel the she-cat's tears fall onto his coat. Despite her usual serious demeanor, she was worried that he could've been hurt in risking his life to find her. The tom pressed his muzzle to her head.
"Of course I do. You don't know how relieved I am to see that you're safe, Ivypool. I promised Dovewing I'd bring you back, but…I don't know what I'd do if I broke that promise."
"Lelouch…" The two broke away from each other and looked over at Hollyleaf in horror. Her fur was covered in her own blood, the crimson substance slowly dripping. "Thanks for…helping…Ivypool…" The black she-cat began to stagger before collapsing on the ground.
"Hollyleaf!" The two cats ran to her side and they saw the deep wound on her neck, blood continuously flowing from it. "Lelouch, she's dying! We have to get her back to ThunderClan!"
"We'll carry her together." Lelouch carefully pulled up half of her body on his back, and Ivypool took the other half. Once they had her, they began making their way towards ThunderClan. As they were walking, he looked over at te she-cat. "Why'd you leave the camp?"
"I went to find Birchfall, Blossomfall, and Mousewhisker. I needed to make sure they were safe." She replied. "You came to save me…I still can't believe it."
"I'm as surprised as you are. I'm not the most agile cat out there, but I'm glad I was tonight." Lelouch turned his gaze to the ground. "If only I got here sooner…You wouldn't have so much wounds…and Hollyleaf might even be okay. I'm sorry, Ivypool."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. The fact that you're here…you don't know how much that alone means to me… Both you and Hollyleaf saved my life tonight. I'll never be able to thank you both enough. I just hope I'll be able to tell Hollyleaf that."
"I hope so too." He looked around at his surroundings. "This is a different Clan's territory, isn't it?"
"It's WindClan's." She responded. "We should go a bit faster. We can't let Hollyleaf die, we just can't!" They quickened their pace towards ThunderClan until they saw a tabby pelt jump out of the gorse nearby and walk towards them.
"Ivypool, let me help!" They both saw that it was Tigerheart, and Ivypool could feel Lelouch's uneasiness, the tom letting out a snarl.
"Lelouch it's okay. He was training with the Dark Forest for the same reason I was." She explained.
"Oh…I apologize, Tigerheart." He told him as the tom got between them.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, but what matters is that we get Hollyleaf back to ThunderClan. It's the least I can do for Dovewing's sister and her friend." He told them with a grin.
"Right. Let's get going."
Ivypool, Lelouch, and Tigerheart made it to the ThunderClan border, the camp in sight. They pushed on until they saw the barrier of the camp. As they were walking, Dovewing jump out of a hole in the thorn wall surrounding the camp.
"Jayfeather, Leafpool, it's Hollyleaf! She's hurt!" She called out before making her way towards them. "Ivypool, thank StarClan you're alright!" She looked at all the cats and saw some wounds on Ivypool, but Hollyleaf was the only one critically injured.
"Please…get Jayfeather…" In a matter of seconds, Firestar ran out to the cats, Jayfeather behind him.
"I'll bring her inside. Tigerheart, do you mind helping?" The ShadowClan warrior shook his head, and the ThunderClan leader took Ivypool and Lelouch's spot and brought the critically injured warrior into the camp. Once they were gone, Dovewing looked over her sister and Lelouch, their fur mottled with blood.
"What happened to you both?"
"We were attacking the Dark Forest at WindClan. Lelouch and Hollyleaf came to save me, but Hollyleaf…I don't know if she's going to make it…" Ivypool's voice was filled with sorrow.
"It's my fault. If only I got there quicker…Hollyleaf would still be okay." Lelouch stated, averting his gaze away from the two.
"You did the best you could, Lelouch." Ivypool assured him, pressing her body closer to his.
"My best wasn't good enough then…" He broke away from Ivypool and Dovewing and entered the camp, leaving the two saddened by his tone.
Lelouch made his way into the medicine cat's den and saw Leafpool mourning over her daughter. Both Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw were there as well, along with Jayfeather, who was helping tend to her wounds.
"Hollyleaf please, everything's going to be alright!" Her mother told her, tears streaming down her eyes. Lelouch let out a small growl and looked at Hollyleaf.
"Hollyleaf, look at me, please." Her gaze turned to his and he activated his Geass. "Hollyleaf…you have to live…please…" He commanded her. A red ring formed around her eyes, but she was still too weak to do anything. Despair hit Lelouch, the state Hollyleaf was in reminiscent of how Shirley was when she died.
"How is she?" Ivypool asked, entering the medicine cat's den with Dovewing. Jayfeather simply shook his head. "She can't be! She's the reason I was able to live. She saved me from Hawkfrost." Hearing that name pricked Brambleclaw like thorns.
"Hawkfrost…did this?" Brambleclaw stated.
"Hawkfrost…" The name escaped Lelouch's mouth coldly. He didn't even know that cat, but he knew that he was going to be the next one to die at his paws.
"The Dark Forest has reached the woods." Dovewing told them.
"Right. Everyone, prepare for attack!" Firestar demanded.
"Hollyleaf, Hollyleaf!" Leafpool shook her daughter, but there was no response. Her head fell onto the moss she was on and her eyes closed.
"She lost too much blood from her wound. We couldn't do anything." Jayfeather's paws shook at the thought of his dead sister on the floor in front of him.
"Hollyleaf's…dead…" Lelouch muttered. Ivypool could feel the hurt in his meow. "I'm…sorry…" The tom's ears fell flat before he turned and walked out of the medicine cat's den.
"Lelouch, wait!" Ivypool followed him outside of the den. Once she caught up to him, she could see the dirt below him absorb the tears falling out of his eyes. "Lelouch…"
"The prophecy…it wasn't talking about me…I know it…"
"What are you talking about? You're the one who can help bring peace to the Clans."
"How, Ivypool?!" He spat, causing her to flinch. "I wasn't able to get there in time to save Hollyleaf! How many more cats are going to die because I couldn't arrive in time to save them?! In my world…I was a savior…but here…I'm nothing."
"Lelouch, that's not true at all! Over the past few days you've learned how to train to fight like a warrior, and you also have your Geass as well. Think about the lives that you've saved already…like mine." The tom looked into her blue eyes. "You saved my life tonight…and I'll forever be grateful for that. By killing Thistleclaw, you've saved other lives from being lost as well. I believe, no, I know that you're the savior that the Clans have been blessed with. Firestar knows it, Dovewing knows it, Lionblaze knows it…and Hollyleaf believed in you, too. So please…don't let the lives lost be for nothing!" Lelouch gazed into her crystal blue eyes. There's been a handful of times where I've needed someone to talk some sense into me…and I'm glad that Ivypool was here to do so for me. The tom rested his head on her shoulder.
"Ivypool…thank you." The she-cat pressed her head onto his shoulder as well.
"It's nothing. I…care about you so much, Lelouch. I couldn't let you carry your sadness during all of this." She brought her head away from him and once their eyes connected, Lelouch could feel his face begin to grow hot. I hope I didn't freak her out or anything… "W-We should get going now. The Dark Forest cats will be here any minute."
"Right." The two headed over to where Firestar and the rest of the cats were, awaiting the incoming threat. They watched as the Dark Forest cats began pouring into the Clan.
"Lelouch, you guard the nursery!" Firestar told him.
"He's just one cat. Someone should help him!" Bumblestripe stated before getting tackled to the ground.
"Don't worry, I'm on it!" Lelouch glanced over at Ivypool one last time before he ran over to the nursery.
"Lelouch, if you need help, just remember we're warriors too." Brightheart told him, the tom letting out a smile.
"I'll make sure no Dark Forest cat comes near any of you or your kits." Lelouch watched as a group of four Dark Forest cats walked up to him.
"Move out of the way if you know what's good for you." A brown and black tabby warned him.
"No, you'll all leave this Clan right now!" He stared into their eyes and once they fell into his Geass, he knew that he already defeated them. They turned around and immediately left ThunderClan, leaving some of their Dark Forest allies confused. They're lucky I spared their lives. He told himself. He watched as the other cats were fighting and saw that no other cat was approaching the den.
"I'll make sure to keep my eyes open towards here. If you need any help, don't hesitate to yell." Lelouch told the queens. He ran towards Cinderheart, Ivypool, and Dovewing, who were being pushed towards the medicine cat's den by Dark Forest cats. He tackled one of the many onto the ground which helped prompt the three she-cats to fight as well. As Lelouch pinned one of the cats to the ground, he knew that at least one or two more would try to help, so he immediately jumped off and turned around to see two other cats approach him. He ran towards one of the two and quickly swiped at his face, cutting the cat's nose. Lelouch was about to look at the other one, but he already tackled him and pinned him to the ground.
"The Dark Forest cats will rule the forest!" He told him, applying greater pressure on Lelouch's shoulders.
"Never! I was told I needed to protect the Clans, and I'll make sure I live up to it!" Lelouch placed his hindpaws on the cat's stomach and kicked him off. Once he did, he looked at the cat whose nose he just injured. "I'll let you go now, or else I'll make sure you're lying on the floor, waiting to fade away."
"You think your taunts scare me? You're easily outnumbered!" Lelouch felt claws dig deep into his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. He slowly looked back to see that it was the first cat he tackled. He kicked him back with his hind legs and watched as the crimson substance now seeped onto his coat. "I'll be the one to make you fade away, right now!" He leaped towards Lelouch, but he quickly ducked down to dodge it. He then turned around and slashed the cat's hind legs, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground. Lelouch then pounced onto the cat and sunk his teeth deep into his throat. Once he heard the sound of bone snap, he watched as the cat faded away.
"Lelouch!" Dovewing called his name, causing him to turn and see the cat that injured his shoulder standing right behind him. Dovewing ran towards the cat and leaped straight for his throat, digging her claws into it as she sent him down to the ground. Lelouch looked around for the other cat he was fighting, but saw that Lionblaze was fighting him. "The cats from ShadowClan are back!" Dovewing said with joy. Lelouch was glad to see that Lionblaze and Graystripe were okay. There were other cats Lelouch saw as well, but he was confused due to the fact that they were transparent.
"Dovewing, who are those other cats?"
"I'm not sure." She then looked over at his injured right shoulder. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?" Dovewing placed a paw on his injury, causing him to flinch a bit.
"I'm fine, Dovewing, it's nothing major." He assured her. Ivypool ran over to join them.
"Lelouch…your shoulder. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. It could be worse."
"He flinched when I touched it." Dovewing meowed.
"Hey you three." Lionblaze greeted as he approached the two resting warriors. "Don't worry, they're Ancient cats from before StarClan." He explained.
"Badger!" Blossomfall yelled, alarming the three.
"Midnight!" Firestar greeted her. "Don't worry, she's on our side." He assured the other cats.
"Well, that's a relief. We already have these Dark Forest cats to deal with." He then saw Lelouch's injury. "Lelouch, are you alright?"
"I'm fine. It hurts, but I can manage. I don't want to use up Jayfeather's resources." Lionblaze shook his head.
"Don't hesitate to do so. You're part of ThunderClan now, remember that. You should go in case…" Lionblaze was stopped when a cat tackled him to the ground.
"Breezepelt, no! Why are you following the Dark Forest?" Ivypool called out to the black cat now on top of Lionblaze.
"Who said this had anything to do with them?" He told her before looking back at Lionblaze. "You should never had been born. You may think we're kin, but in my eyes we're not. You see your dead sister over there? You're about to join her!"
"No!" The others watched as a black pelt ran towards the two and tackled Breezepelt off of Lionblaze. "Don't you dare harm him!"
"That's Crowfeather, Lionblaze, Jayfeather, Hollyleaf, and Breezepelt's father." Dovewing told Lelouch.
"So Leafpool had another kit?" Dovewing shook her head.
"He has another mate in WindClan, I think her name's Nightcloud." The two watched as father and son were now in conflict with each other.
"Why do you care about him so much? I knew you hated me!"
"That's not true! Nightcloud's the one who made you think that. I should have done something about you sooner, but it seems like you've chosen the Dark Forest." He unsheathed his claws and raised one paw up, ready to strike Breezepelt. "I wouldn't sink as low as to kill my own kin." He got off of Breezepelt. "Get up, and get out of my sight."
"Crowfeather, I'm so sorry!" Leafpool ran over to him and her former mate shared her embrace.
"He's old enough to make his own choices."
"Do you think it would be different if we stayed together?" He shook his head.
"It was never meant to happen." He saw her saddened expression. "But my ThunderClan warriors…" He looked over at Lionblaze with a smile. "I know for a fact they were." He looked over at Hollyleaf's body, and his sudden smile faded.
"Would you like to go see her?" Leafpool asked, and he nodded, the two walking over to Hollyleaf's lifeless body.
"Thank StarClan Crowfeather was here to stop him." Ivypool meowed.
"It's funny you should say that." Dovewing told her, bringing her sister's attention towards the StarClan cats now joining them in their battle with the Dark Forest. "I'm going to go help the elders. Lelouch, please get that shoulder checked by Jayfeather." With that final remark, Dovewing left the two.
"You really need to go see Jayfeather, Lelouch. Don't be ashamed of it. It's a sign of your hard work showing that you're fighting to protect ThunderClan." Lelouch let out a smirk.
"You know how to persuade me, don't you?" He slowly stood up, Ivypool helping him. "You'll be okay, right?"
"Yeah. Can you walk over to Jayfeather yourself?"
"I can manage."
"Okay." Unexpectedly, Ivypool gave Lelouch a lick to his injured left ear, his face growing hot. "Be safe." Ivypool ran off, now joining the rest of her Clanmates in fighting off the impending threat. Lelouch slowly limped over to the medicine cat's den and saw that Jayfeather was with a she-cat, one of the ones from the Ancient tribes.
"Lelouch, is everything okay?" Jayfeather asked him.
"I injured my shoulder. I mean, it doesn't hurt badly, but Dovewing and Lionblaze insisted that I come and get it checked out." He walked over to the medicine cat and Jayfeather placed a paw on his wound, causing him to flinch. He then looked around and saw no sign of Briarlight. "Where's Briarlight. She's okay, right?"
"She's fine. I told her to hide in the storage." He replied. "There's no reason for you to play off an injury like this, Lelouch. I may be blind, but I can tell the severity of it." His blind gaze turned towards the she-cat. "Half Moon, do you know what Goldenrod looks like?" The she-cat nodded and grabbed the herb for him. He gave it a sniff to make sure she was right, and once he confirmed it, he placed it in his mouth a chewed it for a bit. He then spat it out onto one of his paws. "Sorry if this is a bit weird. I'm positive they don't do this where you're from." He told Lelouch before placing the poultice on his wound. "Alright, now I need cobwebs."
"Right here. I can do it." Half Moon insisted, carefully placing the cobwebs on top of Lelouch's injured shoulder.
"Thanks you two." Lelouch watched as the two moved around the medicine cat's den. "Jayfeather, how do you know Half Moon?"
"It's a long story." He responded. Lelouch watched as Half-Moon put a pile of herbs down.
"Jayfeather, I'm going to go back to fight with the cats, okay?"
"Yeah. Be safe." The black tom waved a paw at the she-cat before she left to fight with her comrades. "Lelouch, just rest here for a bit. Your injury isn't that major, but it's isn't just some small scratch, either." He informed him. The two heard pawsteps, and Lelouch saw that they weren't from any ally cat. Jayfeather realized this as well, causing him to let out a snarl.
"If we kill this medicine cat, the others will die from injuries."
"Don't underestimate me, I may be blind, but I…"
"Leave this den right now." Jayfeather heard Lelouch's voice command and he heard the enemy cat's pawsteps walk away from the den.
"I guess that's another way to do it." Jayfeather said with a small chuckle.
"Hey, I have to find some way to help. I can't just lie down here and do nothing." He responded.
The two stayed inside the medicine cat's den together, Lelouch easily fending off any foes using his Geass. As Jayfeather was sorting herbs and Lelouch was resting, they heard a sudden scream from the forest.
"No!" They heard the voice yell out.
"That was Firestar." Jayfeather stated.
"Do you think that he's okay?"
"He should be fine." Suddenly, Lelouch's eyes widened and he got up and ran out of the den. "Lelouch, where are you going? Be careful with your shoulder!"
I took my eyes off of the queen's den! He told himself, worry filling his mind. Lelouch watched in horror as a Dark Forest tom dragged Ferncloud out of the den by her neck. He stood there, frozen as he dug his fangs into Ferncloud's neck, taking her life away instantly. No…not another cat… Lelouch looked over at the cat, anger flaring in his eyes. Without any hesitation, Lelouch leaped towards the black tom, landing on his back and clawing at the back of his neck.
"You killed her! I'll make sure you never set a paw down in this world ever again!" The cat easily shook Lelouch off, knocking him to the ground near Dovewing's paws.
"Lelouch, are you okay?"
"I'm…fine." Once he got back to his paws, Lelouch lunged towards the cat again, only to be knocked back before he could do anything. Ivypool watched him struggle to get back to his paws.
"Lelouch…just stay down…please…" Ivypool begged.
I…can't. Ferncloud…it's my fault that she's dead." Lelouch got back to his paws, his legs shaky. He felt his wound slowly begin to open. He's going to die…I'll make sure of it! His violet eyes became encompassed with Geass, ready to give him the dying command.
"Lelouch, stop!" Firestar called out. "Brokenstar, I'll be the one to take your life."
"Please, when I'm done with you, nothing will be left to go to StarClan!" Firestar ran towards him, but even the ThunderClan leader was tossed to the ground much like Lelouch. "Give it up, none of you will be able to defeat me!"
"That's enough!" From behind Brokenstar, Yellowfang ran towards him and grabbed his throat in between her teeth. Once she heard the crack of bone, she simply dropped his body down and the others watched as it faded away.
"Brokenstar's…dead? Retreat!" Darkstripe, a former ThunderClan cat who now lived within the Dark Forest, yelled. They watched as all of the Dark Forest cats fled from the camp. Moonlight now penetrated through the dark clouds above. Lelouch looked over at Ferncloud's motionless body and his paws began to shake. He walked over to the body near the nursery and saw Amberkit and Dewkit, Brightheart's kits, walk up right next to him.
"Why is Ferncloud asleep?" Amberkit asked, causing Lelouch to let out a small gasp.
"She's just tired, silly." Dewkit responded. "Dustpelt will wake her up." The innocence of the kits caused Lelouch's body to shake as his eyes began to glisten.
"Um…Lelouch? Could you wake Ferncloud up?" Amberkit asked, Lelouch's body shaking as his tears fell onto the ground. "Are you cold?" Lelouch heard pawsteps and saw Dustpelt walk over to Ferncloud.
"Ferncloud? Ferncloud!?" Birchfall and Icecloud stood next to him, looking at their mother's dead body. "Get Jayfeather! Someone! Anyone!"
"There's nothing we can do." Firestar walked over to join the cats. "She died protecting the kits from Brokenstar."
"Maybe she'd still be alive if someone was here when we needed him most!" He shot a glare at Firestar.
"It's…my fault…" Dustpelt turned his furious gaze towards the violet-eyed tom. "I told the queens that I'd keep an eye on them…and I…I'm sorry, Dustpelt…"
"Sorry? Is that going to bring Ferncloud back? Last thing I remember hearing about you Lelouch is that you're supposed to be a savior to the Clans, but you couldn't even save one cat?! How can you save us all? Some savior you are…"
"That's enough, Dustpelt!" Firestar told him, but Lelouch wished he hadn't. He deserved every piece of ridicule and hatred that lingered within Dustpelt's heart. Hollyleaf…and Ferncloud… I could've saved them…
"No, Firestar, he has every right to be mad at me. He lost Ferncloud, and my negligence towards the nursery was the cause of it." Lelouch stared directly at Dustpelt. "I know my apology will never be enough, but I promise that I'll avenge Ferncloud and the others I failed to protect." Firestar placed his tail on the tom's shoulder.
"Lelouch, there's no need. The battle's over." Firestar told him.
"Not quite." They saw Brambleclaw walk into the Clan with another dark brown tabby tom who looked a bit like him. "I found him trying to run back to the Dark Forest warriors." Out of the crowd, Ivypool leaped towards the cat.
"You killed Hollyleaf! I'll never forgive you! I'll kill you, you murderer!" Lelouch looked over at the cat. He's the one… He then watched as Hawkfrost knocked Ivypool away, but she got back up and charged towards him again.
"He's going to kill her!" Dovewing said, fear in her voice.
"This is her fight. She'll know herself when she's truly defeated." Firestar told her. Lelouch watched as Ivypool jumped towards him and planted both forepaws into his shoulders while he scratched his belly with her hind claws.
"Get off of me!" Hawkfrost tossed her to the ground and kept her there by firmly placing a paw on her spine. "We trusted you…and this is what you end up doing? Fighting for the Clan that didn't appreciate you?" He moved his paw onto her head and pressed it onto the ground. "Now they'll all watch you die, Ivypool!"
"No!" Hawkfrost was blindsided and knocked to the ground, Lelouch now holding a firm grip on him. "I won't let you kill her! I won't allow another life to be taken by you!" Hawkfrost kicked the tom off, knocking him into the air. He landed back on his paws, his angered violet gaze now locked onto the enemy.
"Lelouch, don't do it! I can't see you die!" Ivypool cried out.
"You should listen to her! You're not a Clan cat at all!" Hawkfrost spat.
"The only thing that matters is that you killed Hollyleaf! I'll fight to avenge all the lives that were lost, and if that means risking my life, so be it!"
"Your pathetic bravado won't win you this fight!" Hawkfrost ran towards Lelouch and began to throw a flurry of blows. Lelouch tried his best to step away, but the wound on his shoulder began to open. As he backed up, pain seared though his body due to his wound, causing Lelouch to lose his footing and fall. Hawkfrost now took the opportunity to lunge towards the tom and landed a strong blow to the top of his head, causing him to gasp for breath as he rolled onto his back. Hawkfrost charged towards him, and right when he was about to land, Lelouch kicked him over his body with his hindlegs and got back to his paws. Although the pain was immense, he quickly moved before Hawkfrost could get to his paws, battering his face with heavy blows. He watched as Hawkfrost's face became bloodied by every single blow he landed on him. Hawkfrost did try to fight back, but Lelouch ignored any sense of pain caused by him.
"I could kill you right now, but you deserve all the suffering you Dark Forest cats gave the Clans!" Lelouch moved his claws down towards his belly and wasted no time in furiously clawing at it, causing the cat to let out a howl of pain.
"Enough! Stop, I give up, okay?" Hawkfrost begged for his life.
"No, you made the mistake of tossing your life away when you killed Hollyleaf. You don't deserve anything less!" His violet eyes became encompassed with Geass. "Hawkfrost…die!" He got off of the tom and watched as he unsheathed his claws, only to dig them into his own neck. The cats witnessed the scene in shock until the Dark Forest cat's body finally faded, Lelouch panting for his breath.
"Lelouch!" Ivypool ran over to the tom and pressed her head onto the tom's shoulder. When she realized what she did, Ivypool quickly stepped away, the fur on her face growing hot. "I-I'm glad you're okay."
"He didn't hurt you too badly, did he?"
"Hey, I'm a warrior, you know!" She retorted.
"R-Right, sorry. I just…I couldn't see him take another life…especially yours, Ivypool." She looked up at his face, scratched and battle-ridden. As her blue gaze touched his violet eyes, she glanced over at his shoulder.
"Oh StarClan! Did I lean onto your bad shoulder?"
"I'd probably be in a bit more pain right now if it was. You pressed your head pretty hard into my shoulder."
"W-Well…I was worried about you!" The tom let out a small chuckle. "It's not funny, Lelouch!"
"Sorry, Ivypool." The she-cat let out a small smile, causing him to do the same. "The battle's finally over now."
"Not yet." Lelouch gasped before turning his gaze towards the medicine cat's den. "Firestar, I'll make sure your Clan dies before I get to you."
"Tigerstar, the battle's over!"
"You think so, kittypet? The Dark Forest is endless, and I'll be the one to lead it all to the Clan's demise!" Firestar walked closer to his nemesis.
"You're far from being considered a leader, Tigerstar. You're a coward who lets his Clanmates fight while you watch."
"Warriors live to fight. I give them a reason to do so." He responded. "They all helped me get to this point. They helped me reach you so I could kill you, Firestar! It's all I've ever wanted to do!" He said manically. "After that, I'll send the rest of these 'warriors' to StarClan, and then kill them there!"
"I won't let you lay a single paw on any of my warriors. You'll have to get through me first if you want to do that."
"Just the words I wanted to hear." Tigerstar leaped towards the ThunderClan leader and penetrated his shoulder with his claws. "Ever since you came to ThunderClan I became nothing! Now I finally have the chance to gain the ultimate retribution!" Lelouch watched as Firestar began to get pinned to the ground, and he attempted to jump in and help, but was stopped by Whitestorm.
"I need to help him! I was told to be a savior to the Clans! I can't let him die!" He yelled at the white warrior.
"This is Firestar's battle. You've been a part of the fighting before this. That's more than enough to be called a savior." Lelouch looked at the warrior in anger, but then turned his gaze to the ground. Maybe…maybe this battle isn't where I become the savior. I've already let two cats die, and I'm being told to possibly watch a third one perish as well? He looked at the Clan leader and saw that he was fighting for more than just his Clan, but the whole forest. He shook Tigerstar off, and quickly turned around to land blow after blow onto his skull. Blood now fell into the Dark Forest cat's eyes, but he blinked it all away before successfully leaping and digging his claws into Firestar's neck, causing him to let out a yowl of pain.
"Whitestorm, let Lelouch go in to help him!" Sandstorm urged her, but Sorreltail placed her tail on her shoulder to stop her.
"Please let me go. Are you really going to risk the Clans by not letting me save him?" Lelouch asked the white warrior.
"I'm not risking the Clans. I know Firestar can beat him." He responded. They all watched as Firestar ripped into Tigerstar's belly and shook him off, his fur being ripped off as well. Firestar, his face and neck bloody, gazed at Tigerheart, who now struggled to get up.
"Your life ends here, Tigerstar!" Running as fast as lightning, Firestar fiercely leaped towards Tigerstar, aiming for his neck. In one final blow, Firestar sunk his teeth deep into his throat. The other cats watched him struggle before his body finally fell limp. His final drops of blood coated Firestar's paws before his body suffered the same fate as all his Dark Forest comrades. A bolt of lightning suddenly struck the tree beside Firestar as he panted for his breath.
"Firestar!" Lelouch yelled out. None of them could see him at all, smoke now blocking their view. Above them, dark clouds began to empty, rain falling down into the clearing and withering away the flames.
"It's…finally over…" Lionblaze stated.
"Firestar!" Sandstorm ran over to where the final battle took place and the others saw Firestar's body lying on the ground. "I told you to be careful. You could still be beside all of us." Her tears now aided the rain pouring down on his body. The other cats joined her and looked at the fallen ThunderClan leader.
"He's…really dead…" Dovewing said, her voice in disbelief.
"He didn't waste his life, though, we all know that for a fact." Brambleclaw stated.
"He's right. Fire will save the Clan. My father's done it so many times." Leafpool added.
"I can't believe this…I know he wasn't my leader, but I'm positive he was a great one." Tigerheart said.
"Tigerheart, you should go back to your Clan now. We won the battle, and we thank you for your help." Dovewing told him.
"No problem. It was great fighting alongside ThunderClan. I'll tell my Clan the news." As he walked away, Bumblestripe pressed his coat against hers, Dovewing's face growing hot.
"We're all okay now. It's good to see that you're safe." He told her. She looked over at him and then at the other cats. She hesitantly placed her head on his shoulder.
"Everyone! The battle's over, and our victory goes to Firestar! May StarClan keep him safe." Brambleclaw told his Clanmates.
"I assure you that we will." Bluestar padded beside the ThunderClan cats, and so did others as well. They all surrounded Firestar's body.
"All these cats gave Firestar his nine lives." Jayfeather explained. "Redtail gave Firestar the life of courage. Silverstream gave him a life of loyalty. Brindleface gave him the life of protection. Swiftpaw the life of mentoring. Yellowfang gave him compassion, Lionheart gave him courage, and Runningwind gave him tireless energy, which Firestar used to protect his Clan."
"Even though she isn't in StarClan anymore, Spottedleaf gave him a life of love. And I gave him a life of nobility." Bluestar announced.
"Wait, why isn't Spottedleaf with StarClan anymore?" Lelouch asked.
"She died protecting me." Sandstorm told him, sorrow now in the tom's gaze. Ivypool placed her tail on the tom's shoulder.
"You can't blame yourself for her death. Spottedleaf wanted to protect Sandstorm, and she was willing to give her life in StarClan away to do so."
"She's right. Don't feel like it was your fault that she died, Lelouch." Bluestar assured him, placing her silver tail softly on his injured shoulder.
"Wait…how do you know my name?"
"StarClan watches over all the Clans. You are a part of ThunderClan, after all." She stated. "I was the one who knew of your prophecy."
"You are?" She nodded. "So…was this fight where I was to become a savior to the Clans?" She shook her head.
"I can't say. Do you feel like you've been a savior to the Clans?" She asked.
"I don't."
"But Lelouch, you really have been." Dovewing told him, walking over to her side.
"You know you have, Lelouch. You didn't need to learn how to live in this world and fight for us, but you did anyway." Ivypool added.
"You've been a leader in your past life, so I'm sure you know some casualties are inevitable." Lelouch let out a gasp and turned around to see Firestar's spirit behind him. "Don't put the blame all on yourself, Lelouch. Look, none of the other cats are angry at you." He looked over and saw the spirits of Hollyleaf, Ferncloud, and Mousefur, who all smiled at him. He saw Mousefur, guilt flooding over him due to not knowing that the elder fell in battle. He then saw all their smiles, his regret suddenly leaving him. "If you ask any of us, we'll all give you the same answer in saying that you were a savior to the Clans." Lelouch's eyes began to glisten, the tom responding with a nod.
"Thank you, Firestar. I'll continue to help this Clan and the others for as long as I'm here." The ThunderClan leader nodded his head and let out a smile.
"Right."
"Come, we must leave now." Bluestar told him. They all walked towards the thorn barrier in the shadows, and the others all watched as they disappeared.
"It's all over…wait…that means…" Sandstorm looked over at Brambleclaw. "Bramblestar!" Brambleclaw looked at her, and then let out a small gasp when he realized the new name he called him by.
"Bramblestar! Bramblestar!" The whole Clan cheered for the new leader.
"I promise that I will continue Firestar's legacy and lead this Clan to its fullest potential. I know that StarClan, and my Clan itself will guide me through everything." He then looked over at Squirrelflight. "Will you be ThunderClan's new deputy?" Squirrelflight looked at him with a bit of shock. "I don't trust any cat more than I trust you."
"I accept. I'll make sure to do this Clan, and my father proud." She stated.
"I'm so proud of you, sis!" Leafpool pressed close to her sister's coat. "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me."
"If you could maybe let me do it all again?" She said with a small laugh, and she laughed as well. Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Cinderheart walked over to join Lelouch, Dovewing, and Ivypool.
"Well, we did it. We finally beat the Dark Forest, and we have a new leader and deputy." Cinderheart meowed.
"Yeah. When the moon falls, the sun always rises." Jayfeather told them. "Firestar may have died, but we all know he died for his Clan, and so did all the other cats." He placed his tail on Lelouch's shoulder, much like Bluestar did, as a way to assure him.
"You fought valiantly, Lelouch. Just like a true ThunderClan cat. You even have the wounds to prove it." Lionblaze said, letting out a small laugh.
"Yeah…I'm not the prettiest sight at the moment, but luckily I learned how to fight from the best."
"I don't mean to brag, but you're right on that one." Cinderheart gave Lionblaze a small shove. "Ow, what was that for?"
"For being so cocky!" She then gave his ear a lick. "But I wouldn't change it ever." A blush formed on the golden tom's face.
"Anyway…it looks like we all have a Clan to fix tonight." They all looked at the aftermath of the Clan.
"Right, and injured cats. Make sure you all come to me if you need anything." His blind gaze touched Lelouch's eyes. "Don't think you'll just stand here with the others. Your injuries are one of my primary concerns; especially that shoulder."
"You better go with him." Ivypool whispered with a giggle.
"Right." He looked over at the others. "I'll help you all later then." Lelouch followed the blind medicine cat over to his den, looking around at the state of the Clans and all the other warriors. The question's still lingering in my head: Was I really a savior to the Clans after all? I know it shouldn't, but it's not because I doubt it still, but because I let it get the best of me. All the cats who died fought for their Clan valiantly, so maybe that's why I felt the blame lie on my paws. I couldn't stand seeing their lives disappear in front of me. Any sort of war is like that. Lives were lost in my world, and lives were lost here. Risks need to be taken in order to stop evil. Change couldn't have been made without blood spilling, and it's what we do afterwards that shows if it was all worth it in the end. I don't know how long I'll be in this world, but for now I'll avenge Hollyleaf, Ferncloud, Mousefur, and Firestar by becoming the best warrior I can be.