A/N- So, here's the next chapter of Light & Dark? What will happen to Swiftwind? How cunning is Tigerpelt's plan? Is Froststar as smart?How long does Thunderclan have until the bif finale? Find out in this chapter!

Disclaimer- No, as i've told you before, i don't own warriors!

Chapter 12

Swiftwind raced through the undergrowth. He had to find the body of his beloved Ferneyes. He stopped to scent for her. Swiftwind opened his mouth and took a deep breath. He didn't smell Ferneyes but he did smell something much more sinister. Shadowclan. They must be coming to invade the camp!

Suddenly, almost all of Shadowclan burst through the bushes and into the clearing. Tigerpelt growled. One of the cats whispered something to him. Tigerpelt nodded and flicked his tail. A cat came forwards, carrying something.

"is this yours?" sneered Tigerpelt.

Swiftwind's mouth hung open. He cried out and darted forwards. Tigerpelt leapt in the way. The Shadowclan cats laughed.

"Did she die giving birth?" Tigerpelt asked, a smile flickering across his face.

"Yes." murmured Swiftwind.

"If the warrior code had allowed it, she would have lived. She would have had a medicine cat and not had to visit in secret."

"So what?!" shouted Swiftwind, fluffing up his fur and spitting.

"I want a forest without the warrior code. Join me and help to stop this sort of catastrophic event happening to your friends."

Swiftwind stopped. He didn't want this to happen to his friends. Was Tigerpelt actually doing this for a good reason? He sighed. Tigerpelt was right. Ferneyes would have lived without the warrior code!

"I'll join you." he meowed.

"Very good." said Tigerpelt, "Come on. We have a camp to raid."

Swiftwind slotted into the group and followed them down the slope and into the camp.

Silverpelt sprang to his paws at what seemed like the whole of Shadowclan poured in through the entrance. Tigerpelt was leading them. Whitestar leapt into the centre of the clearing and hissed. The enemy clan stopped. Greystripe came out of the nursery and gasped. Whitestar's gaze swept the Shadowclan group. It stopped on a cat towards the left.

"Swiftwind!?" he screeched, confusion not making him think.

"If it wasn't for your stupid warrior code, Ferneyes wouldn't have died!" spat Swiftwind, stepping to the front of the group.

"Don't fight us." meowed Whitestar, turning to look at Tigerpelt.

"Join me then."

"Never!" Whitestar spat.

"Then you leave me no choice." Tigerpelt meowed, shaking his head. He flicked his tail and the Shadowclan cats leapt upon the Thunderclan defenders with such speed that the Thunderclan cats barely had time to unsheathe their claws. The enemy cats smashed into them like a giant wave smashing into a sea wall. The Thunderclan cats were fighting for their lives and it seemed like they could not win.

Silverpelt was leapt upon by Leopardstorm.

"Why are you with him?!" he spat, facing her, ready to pounce.

"His traitors turned on the rest of us! When he captured Icestar, we had no hope." Her face looked glum. She leapt at him and he batted her off.

"Join us and fight him!" he meowed.

"He'll kill me!" she protested and sprang onto Silverpelt. She pinned him to the ground and raked his back with her back legs. He wailed and writhed as the pain increased. She jumped off his back and he jumped up. Silverpelt span around, ready to face her but she had disappeared.

He saw a cat charge towards him. It was Hawkpaw.

"You can't hope to beat me, Hawkpaw." he meowed.

"It's Hawktail, by the way." she said, "And I can beat you!"

She pounced and Silverpelt dodged to the left. She was quicker though and she turned and leapt onto his back. She dug her claws in hard and Silverpelt couldn't get free. She clamped her jaws around his neck and prepared to bite down. Silverpelt didn't know what to do. He thought back to his days as an apprentice, learning how to fight. There had been one trick hat Firestar had used to used. Would it work on this warrior. He relaxed his muscles and looked submissive.

"Hah! You've given up! That shows how weak you are!"

She sheathed her claws. Silverpelt sprung up and backwards, sending Hawktail flying. She landed on the ground winded. She twisted and tried to get up but Silverpelt was on her in a flash and pinned her to the ground. She writhed and kicked and scratched at Silverpelt's soft belly. He screeched and loosed his grip. Hawktail kicked out, sending Silverpelt smashing into the highrock. He fell to the ground and lay there, limp. He saw, with half closed eyes, Orangestripe leapt upon Hawktail, pinning her to the ground and giving her a nasty bite to the leg. Hawktail bit back and the two cats writhed in the centre of the clearing.

As Silverpelt's pain began to subside, he got up onto his paws and stared around at the camp. Suddenly, he heard a wail come from the nursery and turned to see a Shadowclan cat reaching inside. He raced across and leapt upon the enemy cat's back. He recognised the cat as Firestorm. He hissed and Firestorm swiped a paw at him. It missed and Tawnypelt lunged forwards, out of the nursery, biting deep into Firestorm's shoulder. He howled with pain and staggered backwards. Silverpelt bit into his other shoulder, then sprang off him. The Shadowclan cat screeched and raced at Silverpelt. The silver cat braced himself, but the attack never came. Firestorm had been bowled over by Icepelt, who had him pinned to the ground. She raked her claws down his back and he wailed with agony. He wriggled free and fled behind Tigerpelt, who was stood by the entrance, watching the battle.

Silverpelt growled. How dare he declare war on Thunderclan and then not fight in the battle! Silverpelt raced forwards and lunged at the huge ginger cat. He slammed into his side and Tigerpelt span around, hissing at the silver cat who had attacked him. Silverpelt growled, then sprung forwards, aiming to attack his face. Tigerpelt leapt backwards, letting Silverpelt slam into the ground. Silverpelt struggled to his paws, determined to go on, but Tigerpelt knocked him backwards, into the centre of the camp.

All the Thunderclan cats had been forced into the middle, even Tawnypelt and the kits. The clan was surrounded and would probably be finished off.

Tigerpelt stepped forwards and said,

"Come here, Swiftwind."

The white warrior stepped forwards and stood by Tigerpelt's side. The dark ginger cat turned to Hawktail and said,

"Bring me that kit."

Silverpelt gasped. Tigerpelt had pointed to Fernkit, one of the last two traces of Ferneyes left in the forest.

Hawktail picked up the kit and brought it across. She dropped it at Tigerpelt's paws. He stepped back and said to Swiftwind,

"If you are truly part of my clan you must leave your past behind. Kill the kit."

Swiftwind stepped back, shocked. This tiny kit looked just like Ferneyes. How could he kill it?

Silverpelt watched in horror as he saw Swiftwind raise his paw and unsheathe his claws. He looked so sad. He saw Swiftwind turn his head towards Tigerpelt, eyes wide with fear. He looked back at the kit. It mewed pitifully. Swiftwind's expression softened and he put down his paw. He sheathed his claws and turned towards Tigerpelt.

"I can't do it." he said, "This kit and it's sister are all I have left of Ferneyes. I couldn't completely wipe her out." He looked at his paws.

Tigerpelt growled.

"There is only one punishment for a spineless cat like you who disobeys a direct order."

Swiftwind looked up, shocked to the core.

"You wouldn't!" he cried.

"If you love her so much, go and join her!" snarled Tigerpelt, unsheathing his claws.

"No!" screeched Swiftwind. He turned and tried to flee but Hawktail leapt upon him and pinned him to the ground. Tigerpelt walked up to the white cat. He flipped him over onto his belly and leaned in close.

"Goodbye, traitor."

He slashed him deep across his belly and Swiftwind stiffened. His eyes glazed and he collapsed limp, his blood staining the soil.

Silverpelt looked on in dismay. Swiftwind had joined Tigerpelt! He shouldn't have died. Tawnypelt scrabbled forwards and grabbed the kit. The Shadowclan cats sprang forwards but Tigerpelt stopped them.

"I'll let it live. For now."

He hissed and turned to Whitestar.

"Surrender your clan to me!"

"Not ever, even if Starclan ordered me!"

"Then I'll take you down!" hissed Tigerpelt.

Suddenly, they heard howls approaching the camp. Riverclan rushed in and stopped at the entrance.

"Look what the warrior dragged in!" sneered Froststar.

"We meet again." he replied.

"What are you up to?" she meowed.

"Conquest."

"Riverclan will never be taken over, if you're wondering."

"If I hadn't killed Frostear, Mousestar wouldn't have died and you would still be a deputy. You owe it to me to join me."

"Never!" Froststar spat.

"Then so be it." he hissed.

He leapt at the Riverclan leader. She sprang forwards too. They clashed in mid air and both fell to the ground.

Tigerpelt was first to get up. He jumped to his paws and towered over Froststar. As she began to get up, he placed and paw on her neck. She hissed. He pressed down.

"Let go of me!" she wheezed.

"No." he said.

He pressed down completely and the cats heard a snap. Froststar's body stopped moving. Her chest stopped rising and falling.

"No!" cried out Lionheart.

"Stay back!" hissed Tigerpelt.

"I'll kill you!" screeched Lionheart.

The two cats circled each other, the body of the dead leader the only thing stopping them charging head on. Tigerpelt darted forwards but Lionheart dodged, keeping the body in-between them. They kept circling for a while. Every time Tigerpelt attacked, Lionheart moved and kept circling.

"You can't dodge forever!" said Tigerpelt.

"I don't have to." retorted Lionheart.

Froststar opened her eyes slightly. She saw Lionheart and Tigerpelt circling around her body. She wondered what they were doing. Suddenly she realised. Lionheart was distracting Tigerpelt and trying to put him infront of her, ready for a surprise attack, without arousing his suspicion.

Froststar waited until Tigerpelt was directly ahead. Then she leapt.

"What!?" he cried out. She pushed him backwards, her claws raking down his chest. He cried out in pain and anger and lunged at her. She dodged to the left and circled behind him. At the same time, both her and Lionheart leapt. Tigerpelt had nowhere to dodge to. He was pinned to the ground and both cats gave him several severe bites. They sprang backwards and paused to see what he would do next. He glowered at them then surveyed the camp. His group was completely outnumbered. He stood up and cried,

"Shadowclan, retreat!"

The enemy clan turned and ran out of the entrance. Only Tigerpelt was left. He glared at them and said,

"I'll meet you in three days time. Send your leader and two other cats to fourrocks at midnight. That will be six cats altogether. I'll be waiting."

He backed up to the entrance, then turned and raced out of the camp.

The cats stared at each other. Then some Thunderclan cats crept towards the body of Swiftwind. Brokenmoon stared at it. He had now lost both his apprentice and nursery friends. He was alone. The three apprentices stared at the body silently, thinking about what would have happened if their mother had not saved them. They backed away and went into their den.

Frostfeather turned to her leader and said,

"How many lives have you lost now, Froststar?"

"I have seven lives left." she answered, "That case of greencough was truly awful."

Frostfeather nodded then turned towards Silverpelt. She walked to him and helped him up.

"How are you?" she asked.

"I'll live. I suppose I've got to be careful though. I only have one life and I can't lose it yet!"

She purred and meowed,

"The kits are fine. Goldenfur's have been made apprentices. Cinderpaw, Bramblepaw and Blackpaw."

"That's nice to hear." he replied.

Frostfeather heard a cry from her leader,

"Riverclan! We must depart!"

"I have to go." she said. "I'll see you at the next Gathering. Or perhaps sooner." She winked, then turned and followed her clan out of the camp.

The Thunderclan camp was in ruin. Silverpelt knew it would take a long time to rebuild. He saw Tawnypelt take the kits back to the nursery, one by one. Orangestripe was helping the elders back to their den, as they had been fighting too. Silverpelt walked over to his leader.

"Do you know who will be going?"

"Going where?" asked his leader, puzzled.

"In three days time."

"Oh." his leader looked down at the earth. "I was hoping to bring you and Orangestripe with me. Is that okay?"

Silverpelt nodded then asked,

"Why not Greystripe?"

"I need him back here in case Shadowclan launches and attack while I'm at fourrocks."

"I see. I'll go and tell Orangestripe now."

He spotted her checking the elders for injuries. He trotted over and said,

"It's you and me in three days."

She nodded and turned away, but Silverpelt noticed the fear in her eyes. He didn't blame her though. He was terrified himself. He turned and padded over to the nursery. He went inside and saw Tawnypelt checking over the kits. She treated Swiftwind's kits no different to her own kits. Silverpelt purred. Those kits would need all the help they get now that their father was dead. Silverpelt sighed. Too many cats were dying. He walked out of the nursery and stopped in the middle of the clearing. He looked up at the sky and said to Starclan,

"Why are you taking so many of us?"