An agonized scream tore through the air, punctuated by the flash of lightning and the roar of angry thunder. The cry dimmed into the dark.
"No! Raggedfur!" Rainstorm howled.
Shadestar hissed, his claws drawing blood. Raggedfur thrust his head back, gritting his teeth, and tried to twist around to fight off his enemy. Shadestar bared his teeth and bit down hard onto his forepaw.
Rainstorm stared in horror as his former mentor growled again and then his cry was cut off and he collapsed in the snow.
Shadestar whipped around, leaving Raggedfur motionless on the ground, the snow speckled with rich, red droplets. Rainstorm flexed his claws, ready to fight to the death to avenge his mentor.
"Shadestar, stop!" a voice rang out, clear and firm. "Stop this madness!
Shadestar didn't spare the cat a single glance. "Not now, Tawnystripe. This battle is almost won."
"No it isn't," Tawnystripe replied boldly, stepping forward. "This has gone far enough."
Then Shadestar's gaze flickered toward her and Rainstorm watched warily. He had known for some time that Shadestar fancied the she-cat.
"Tawnystripe, hold your tongue," Shadestar growled. "That is not your place."
"But it is, isn't it?" Tawnystripe stalked forward until she stood a mere tail-length away from the menacing ThunderClan leader.
"This is war, Tawnystripe," said Shadestar. "Get out of the way."
"No."
"Get out of the way," Shadestar hissed again.
Tawnystripe returned his hiss and lashed out, striking his face with her claws.
Shadestar's eyes glowed a fearsome threat. "You will regret that," he snarled and leaped at her, shoving her into the snow.
Rainstorm stumbled back, only for a white blur to bowl him over and force the air from his lungs.
Misty just barely managed to get out of the way in time before the tom's claws swiped through the air. Ears flat, Misty searched for an opening to attack. The rogue went for her again and she ducked, sliding under him and kicking at his exposed belly. The tom yowled and leaped away from her, vanishing into the midst of the battle.
Breathing hard, Misty spotted Dawnfrost near the nursery, fending off a couple of lithe rogues that looked so similar they could have been brothers. Stonepelt tried to reach them, but he was limping and then was intercepted by another fierce rogue.
Misty made her way through the snow, intending to come to Dawnfrost's aid. She didn't make it very far before a light tabby tom thrust his way toward her. Thistletooth snarled as he rushed forward, eyes gleaming.
Misty gasped and tried to dodge, but it was too late to avoid his first attack. He raked his claws along her shoulder and the pain made Misty grit her teeth. She rolled to the side and called upon everything Rainstorm had taught her. With a hiss, she came at him with a counterattack, her claws flying through the air. Thistletooth ducked and she lurched forward again, nicking his foreleg.
He spat and his next blow caught her in the side of the head. She reared back, shaking her head, disoriented. Thistletooth saw his chance and he attacked her again, jaws open. He went for her throat.
Misty gasped, feeling the deadly prick of thorn-sharp teeth at her throat. She froze in terror and allowed a pitiful whimper. It was the only noise she could make so close to death. She felt warm blood on her fur, tasted the salt of it in her mouth.
Then Thistletooth recoiled, let out an angry snarl. Misty fell back, coughing, and looked up.
Another cat scrabbled at Thistletooth's back, scoring his claws along his spine and trying for the back of the neck. It was Sootfur.
Thistletooth reared up in surprise and whipped around, attempting to throw the warrior off. The movement only served to loosen Sootfur's hold slightly.
That was all he needed. Thistletooth snapped at the WindClan deputy, flailing his paws, and his claws snagged in gray fur.
Sootfur jerked when the claws dug into his side. He tried to gasp, but had no breath left and the claws sank in deeper. Then he slipped, falling heavily into the snow.
"Sootfur?" Misty called in desperation. But the cat did not move. His eyes were closed.
Anger radiated from Thistletooth in waves as he stalked toward Misty and lashed out again. Misty leaped back and realized now just how much bigger Thistletooh was than her. He would rip her to shreds! He clawed the air again and Misty shrank away.
She was aware that the warriors' den stood just behind her. If she backed up even more, she would be trapped. Her gaze rested on the limp form of Sootfur, then settled back on Thistletooth who struck out again.
Misty dove to the side and returned the attack, leaping on top of Thistletooth and closing her jaws on his neck. She bit hard and heard a sickening crunch. The cat below her stopped struggling. He went limp. Misty stumbled to the ground and saw that his eyes had become dull and stared at nothing.
Misty looked away and then loped off to help Dawnfrost, trying her hardest not to think of what she had just done.
Rainstorm coughed, staggering to his feet, and faced his brother. Snowpelt's white fur was stained with blood and his eyes were so unrecognizable.
"Why are you doing this?" Rainstorm asked, dodging an attack. "You had a choice."
"Not from where I stand," Snowpelt replied. "If you'd just accepted Shadestar as leader, none of this would have happened. This war wouldn't have happened. Blackpaw wouldn't have died."
Anger surged through Rainstorm and he struck at his former friend. Snowpelt stepped to the side.
"You betrayed Shadestar," Snowpelt accused.
"And you betrayed your whole clan!" Rainstorm's tail lashed fiercely. "You betrayed your own brother!" Inside, he mourned for his brother, who was lost. "The path you have chosen can only lead to death."
Snowpelt seemed so calm. "So be it."
He pelted forward and Rainstorm met him in battle. They fell to the ground, wrestling and biting and clawing, rolling around in the snow. They were a flurry of fur and talons and flaming blue eyes.
Snowpelt bit down on his paw and Rainstorm jerked it away, ignoring the sting of sharp teeth. He kicked at Snowpelt's chest and the white warrior tumbled back. He swiped his paw through the air. Rainstorm slashed his paw at his brother's throat.
Blood splattered onto his fur and Snowpelt's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to speak, but only gurgled.
Rainstorm stared blindly, aware that the fighting could no longer be heard. Next to him, near Highrock, he heard the sound of Shadestar's hateful voice, tainted by the blood drawn by Tawnystripe's own claws.
Snowpelt looked up at his brother and his eyes no longer shone with anger or betrayal. He caught Rainstorm's gaze and Rainstorm would never forget that look, a look that would haunt him for seasons to come. Then he slumped into the snow. The white warrior's eyes went dull and he shuddered before lying still.
Rainstorm closed his eyes, grief welling up inside him. He quivered with sudden weakness and for a moment, he thought he just might join StarClan after all.
A tail lightly tapped his shoulder and he opened his eyes.
"It's over," Tawnystripe told him. "They're retreating."
He was hardly aware of the rogues that rushed past him and out of the camp. He saw Shadestar on the ground, dead. Shuddering, he couldn't believe it. They had won, but it didn't feel like a victory.
He looked away from the eerie sight as soft thunder rumbled overhead.