AN. You know, I really am running out of things to say for these pre-story author's notes! You know what from now on every chapter I'm going to just say Enjoy:D for the Author's notes just to be annoying and to have something for them. So...Enjoy:D

Chapter Thirteen

Shadestar and Dawnstar's patrol were close to the mountains. They began to move slowly, ears perked, alert, claws unsheathed. But they heard nothing. No yowling of cats or signs of battle.

"My warriors are not to be seen! Where are they?" Demanded Shadestar.

"I know you are worried Shadestar but we must keep our heads straight!" Said Dawnstar.

"Maybe those rouges already took them?" Suggested Nightcave.

Dawnstar sniffed the air, "There's a faint scent of blood, but only faint, not strong enough for a battle's worth. Did Shadowsoul make a slight mistake?"

Shadestar scowled, "Slight mistake? How can you make a mistake on whether there was a battle or not?!"

"Well maybe we should follow the faint blood scent?" Thought Moonsong.

Dawnstar nodded, "Yes, we should. Let's go, but tread carefully!"

They proceeded, following the scent of the blood. Something eventually came into view. A golden corpse of a cat with crows pecking and tearing at it.

"NO!" Screeched the dark ginger queen Dawnfire who rushed to her dead mate's side, weeping quietly.

The WhisperClan warriors began to get angered and sorrowful. Nettlesting was well respected and looked up to warrior.

"How dare those rouges do such thing!"

"They just left his body to the crows!"

Ivyclaw paced back and forth, "Those fox dung rouges also have Bloodstripe! Who know what'll happen to them!"

The clan began to get angered more among themselves. "Please calm yourselves!" Called Dawnstar, trying to keep her grip on the Clan.

The Clan gazed at her, "Obviously the spying patrol was taken as well as Shadowsoul's patrol. We have no choice but to seek out the Clan ourselves. We'll have to try to scent them out; after this is settled we can come back and bury Nettlesting properly,"

"I would rethink that," Dawnstar turned around to see Mud and Vixen in their path towards the mountain. Shadestar scowled, "You rouges! You took my Clan! You fox dung you!" Shadestar looked as though he was ready to attack.

Mud grinned, "I wouldn't be saying such fowl language if I were in your position Shadestar,"

Shadestar looked around him, in the shadows of Cloudtrees shined eyes, ready to leap in an instant. Mud grinned, "Face it Clan cats, we've outsmarted you. Maybe if you come quietly we'll spare you all,"

"Wait a second! Spare ALL of them?" Said a demanding voice from the trees. Out of the trees leaped down Cliffshadow.

Shadestar gaped at his brother, "Cliffshadow! What are you doing?"

Cliffshadow ignored the HiddenClan leader and faced Mud, "I though I was going to be able to sink my teeth into him!"

"Only if he wished to fight," responded Mud.

Shadestar broke away from the group, approaching Cliffshadow but still keeping his distance, "You'd betray your own brothers and birth Clan?"

Suddenly a flash of light grey crossed Dovepaw's path of vision and landed on Shadestar, bulldozing him down to the ground. Windstorm whispered into his brother's ear, "We'd betray our own brother. No brothers. Did you really think we'd come back to help you?"

Shadestar didn't say anything, laying under Windstorm in shock of his and Cliffshadow's betrayal.

Dovepaw felt a sudden urge to charge and tackle Windstorm for doing this to her leader, and she could feel Stormpaw bristle next to her. He too wanted to do something, but they both knew that jumping out would do nothing to help. It would only get them killed.

Windstorm grinned, "Will you join brother and submit to myself and Cliffshadow?"

Shadestar growled, "You traitors! I don't submit to traitors!"

Using his hind legs Shadestar clawed Windstorm's underbelly. Windstorm yowled and released Shadestar. After a quick recovery Windstorm charged and Shadestar and the two brothers engaged in a vicious fight.

Dovepaw watched in horror at the brawl; silently rooting for her leader. Dawnstar gazed distantly at the battle, shocked at the sudden betrayal. Dovepaw could tell that she too was silently encouraging Shadestar to win. Nobody interfered, it was their battle.

Windstorm leaped for Shadestar's back, Shadestar just barley dodged it with a quick back step and Windstorm landed in the dust that covered their battlefield like mist. While he was down, Shadestar made his attack on Windstorm, aiming for his neck, however Windstorm attempted to avoid it, but failed as Shadestar was able to get a tight grip on one of his shoulder blades. Windstorm yowled and fell to the ground.

Dovepaw let out a sigh of relief; it looked like Shadestar was going to win! However Shadestar hesitated before making the final blow. Dovepaw could tell in Shadestar's eyes that he didn't have the heart to kill his own brother who was already badly wounded as it was.

Windstorm snarled, "What's wrong Shadestar, not a warrior enough to finish what you started?"

Shadestar released Windstorm, even though Windstorm had trouble moving anyway. "No, Windstorm. Unlike you, I actually care for my family and Clan,"

Cliffshadow snarled, "Well I defiantly don't care for you!" He ran and leaped on a surprised Shadestar and began to claw his back, yowling, Shadestar was about to shake the weaker tom off. Windstorm, however, used the last of his energy and made a small jump for Shadestar's neck. He hit his target. With two cats on him, on neck and back and with his already existing wounds, Shadestar collapsed as his brothers squeezed the last ounce of life left in the leader.

Dovepaw watched the horror of her dying leader. He paws felt shaky, never had she thought Shadestar would ever be killed. He's always been strong-willed, always defending his Clan. The two parties of cats gazed in terror at the scene. Stormpaw called out angrily, "That was an unfair fight! Shadestar won fairly, even sparing your life and you both turned against him!"

Cliffshadow turned towards the apprentice, "Anything's fair when it comes to war! Now, come quietly all of you! Or suffer watching others die!"

Dawnstar hesitated, then she spoke, "You battle unfairly and even kill your own brother for power," then she glanced back to her clan and what was left of HiddenClan. "But I cannot bear to watch my Clan die the same way you killed Shadestar. So, I join, but I have to loyalty to Bone!"

Mud grinned, "Welcome to our ranks! And you all? Care to follow your leader?"

Glancing at one another, they reluctantly stalked over to their leader, not sure of whom would pay the price if they disagreed. Dovepaw, Stormpaw, and Silverstripe joined them despite it not being their Clan.

Vixen smiled, "Good!" then frowned, "Although I wouldn't have minded if one or two of you were willing to have a little quarrel with me, claws unsheathed,"

Mud scowled, "Never mind that Vixen! Let's show these Clan cats to their new home, they'll be stayin' with us for quite some time!"

Dovepaw and the rest followed the rouges that surrounded them, heads down, towards the mountains with the rouges chatting on what they were going to do with all the forest territory they have now claimed.

AN. There I go, killing of another character two times in a row. So.............................Review.