AN: How many chapters has this battle gone on for? Three? Misgiving would be proud of me :') She always said my fight scenes needed to be longer. Enjoy.

Chapter 21: Shadari

Vultures circled around the battle field, their ferocious screeches sending shudders down the confused spines of every RisingClan cat. The vultures dove in and out of the thick black smoke, their wings slicing through the darkness live claws. Their eyes blinked back the harsh smoke in order to search out any corpses but all they found was roaring flames and slashing claws.

Chaos had broken out amongst the cats of RisingClan when they had found themselves cut off from their leader by a wall of crackling red hot flames. Shrieks of fear rang out above the sound of roaring flames as Crimson's army turned on the bewildered RisingClan cats with bloodstained claws and vicious fangs. War soon broke out again with each side battling for one goal. Their lives. No longer was this war about protecting honour, instead it had become a war about survival. Each living cat wanted to erase this plague of a cat from the folds of their memories whilst each dead cat simply wanted to please its leader. It was no shame that their leader happened to be a tyrannical she-cat that was right now possibly tearing the RisingClan leader to shreds.

Tornheart pushed the distracting thoughts from her mind as she swiped at the familiar looking face of a red she-cat. The she-cat fought back with equal anger, her swipes loose and misaimed but still full of enough power to knock Tornheart back a few paw-steps. Tornheart snarled and ducked under the belly of the red she-cat. She gouged her claws through the red fur lining the she-cats belly and relished in the pain filled screech her attacker let out. But Tornheart was not expecting the belly she had just tore into to suddenly come crashing down on her, crushing her into the ground. Paws pushed down firmly on her head as the red she-cat held Tornheart to the ground with her heavier build. Light brown paws appeared before Tornheart's eyes, padding closer with every passing beat of her heart.

The voice that spoke made Tornheart's heart drop. "Wow, so this is what rejection feels like," Leapingspider growled, a slither of disappointment snaking into his tone. Claws pressed against the tips of her eyes as Tornheart writhed under the she-cats heavy paws. She curled her lip back in an angry snarl, attempting to frighten Leapingspider away, but it only served to make the large faded tabby laugh. He bent down so that his eyes met Tornheart's and she could see the desire mixed with hatred buried deep within them. He pressed his claws against the top of Tornheart's head and pushed down hard enough until blood began to ooze out. A sinister look passed over his face as he looked up at the she-cat pinning Tornheart down. "Let her up, Dashingfox. I've got it from here."

Tornheart hissed at the mention of Dashingfox's name. "That's right," she snarled. "Run off to your pathetic Clan mates like the coward you are!" Dashingfox's fur bristled and she lashed out at Tornheart, tearing fur and skin off her shoulder before dashing off into the heaving mass of cats that writhed around them. Leapingspider's jaws closed around Tornheart's scruff and the big tom began to haul the rogue she-cats body through the vicious fighting. Cats leapt over them, blood splashed against their pelts and angry cries echoed all around them. The sound and smell of roaring flames only added to the hysteria of the battle. Melted snow mixed with blood and created vile pools of reddish brown water.

Leapingspider succeeded in dagging Tornheart to the edge of the meadow where the soft green fir trees welcome them with soft fronds that carrassed their fur and brushed away the mud and blood from the battle. "What do you want with me!?" Tornheart screeched as she tried to tear her scruff free from Leapingspider's jaws.

The tom dropped her with a soft thud and pressed an unsheathed paw to her throat. "I want you. We were supposed to be mates once you became a warrior. But you had to go and side with that…she-cat!"

Tornheart shuddered at the thought of being Leapingspider's mate. "I would never have agreed to become your mate! It's a hideous idea!"

"No wonder your Clan didn't want you," Leapingspider spat. His comment made rage boil up in Tornheart's chest. A low growl rumbled in her chest and her claws slipped out of their sheaths. With a screech she rocketed out from under Leapingspider's grasp and turned on him with slashing claws. Her swipes hit with deadly accuracy, tearing into the tabby tom's skin. Leapingspider didn't even have a moment to register what was happening before Tornheart had knocked his paws out from under him and pressed him against the ground.

No words were passed between the two cats as Tornheart leant down and sunk her fangs into Leapingspider's neck. A low growl passed through her throat as she applied pressure and sunk her teeth further into his neck until she felt his windpipe rubbing against her throat.

As a clap of thunder rocketed across the mountain side, accompanied by a bright strike of lightning, another life was lose to the war Crimson had started.

-000-

Crimson ducked under Fallenshadow's wild swipe and dashed under the tom's belly, slashing at the exposed fur with sharp claws. Blood spattered against her pelt, staining it scarlet. The ferocious sound of roaring flames overpowered the senses of both cats, sending their instincts into overdrive. Each wanted to flay the other and use their pelt as lining for their nest. Fallenshadow curled his lip and bit back the pain before he launched himself at Crimson once more. Yet again Crimson ducked his leap and swiped at his rump, leaving an angry looking claw mark on it.

"I was expecting more of a challenge from the great leader of RisingClan," Crimson drawled dryly. Hardly any wounds marked her pelt, save for the still oozing wound gouged into her shoulder by a lucky swipe from Fallenshadow.

The tom simply snarled and slashed at Crimson's nose, catching a nearly healed scab. From somewhere outside the ring of blazing red flames a cat howled in pain as Crimson blinked back the sudden bolt of pain that caused her fur to stand on end. A low hiss crawled up her throat as she realised what it was. Fallenshadow had torn into the connection between her and Tornheart, presuming that the cat that had screeched was indeed the ex-RisingClan apprentice. In retaliation to the surprisingly painful scratch, Crimson leaped forwards, pulled Fallenshadow's paws out from under him and sent him tumbling away with a vicious mark gouged into his flank.

Blood streamed from it and pooled onto the ground, dying the soft white snow an ugly shade of red. It mixed with patches of mud and became a puddle of sticky, red, lumpy snow. The smell assaulted Crimson's nose and she bit back a sneeze as she ducked under yet another one of Fallenshadow's blow. She wasn't quick enough to dodge the second blow and it caught her above the eye, temporarily blinding her as a waterfall of blood cascaded over her eye and obscured her vision.

The moment of weakness was enough long enough for Fallenshadow to sink his teeth into Crimson's scruff and hurl her over his back. She landed with a loud thud, the breath knocked out of her lungs. The smell of burning fur reached her nose and she realised that she had ended up on the edge of the small ring, her tail tip touching the red hot flames. With a screech Crimson launched herself to her paws and bounded away from the scorching flames, hurling vicious insults at it like the flames were a living creature.

"Who knew the seemingly invincible she-cat could be burned by a little fire!" Fallenshadow snarled, spitting blood from his mouth.

Crimson narrowed her eyes, a glint of orange biting into them. As if summoned, a tiny ember fell to the ground before Fallenshadow's paws and burst into a towering inferno. Fallenshadow's anguished screams could be heard of the roaring flames as they proclaimed their victory to the thundering sky. Crimson cackled loudly and took a strong step forward, confident that Fallenshadow had succumbed to the flames greedy lips. A dark silhouette suddenly appeared from the flames and the leader of RisingClan burst through them, tips of his fur still alight with fire. His eyes held a wild look to them as if he had finally realised how much he needed to kill the sadistic she-cat that stood before him, shock and surprise etched into her face. "You steal an apprentice from my Clan, corrupt her mind, kill my deputy and then proclaim war on us? And you still think you'll win!" Fallenshadow laughed hoarsely. "My cats are probably clawing yours to pieces right now."

This time it was Crimson that laughed. "I do not care if my army looses members. All I need to do is brainwash a few more unlucky outsiders. Maybe I'll use some of your Clan this time! A dead body can be resurrected you know." She smiled slyly at Fallenshadow. "You have no idea who you are dealing with."

"I know exactly who I am dealing with," Fallenshadow snarled coldly back. "An insane, psychopathic, lonely, stupid loner that wants nothing more than to create pain for everyone else around her!" He drew himself up to full height, fur bristling angrily. "And I will crush you."

Crimson stared at Fallenshadow, nothing but pure hatred boiling in her eyes. She snarled a ferocious snarl and pounced at the tom, claws raking through any part of his body she could reach. Her foolish fighting was all Fallenshadow needed to turn the tables on the demonic she-cat. He ducked under her pitiful swipes and brought his claws crashing down on her head before dancing away with glee shining in his eyes. He dashed in and out, peppering Crimson's fur with hundreds of tiny slices and cuts. Crimson slowly grew angrier and angrier as the burning pain only grew hotter with each tiny slice. She screeched in anger and lashed out at Fallenshadow, catching the tom on the ear and tearing part of it away.

Fallenshadow lunged forwards, paws wrapping around Crimson's head and pulling them both to the ground in a writhing heap of fur and blood. Shrieks and yowls echoed around the ring as the two cats sunk their teeth and claws into whatever part of the others body they could reach. Fur littered the snow and blood lay scattered across most of the battlefield. Flailing claws clashed with well aimed claws and fangs crushed bone as the two leaders fought for all they were.

It ended when Fallenshadow pinned a screeching Crimson to the ground, her red eyes flashing with rage and blood lust. He grinned down at her, droplets of blood falling from his bloody teeth. "I told you I would crush you," he snarled.

"Go on," Crimson spat back. "Kill me. End this war you are so afraid of!"

Fallenshadow needn't be told twice. He brought his muzzle inches from her ear and breathed into it, "It's a shame. You were rather beautiful. Your kits would have made wonderful RisingClan additions." He beamed brightly as an idea came to mind. "In fact, they will!"

Crimson's eyes went wide with shock and her body went rigid. "You wouldn't!" she hissed.

"Oh, I would," Fallenshadow snarled back. He winked at the struggling she-cat and sunk his incisors into her neck, crushing the fragile bones and wind pipe only enough to knock her out. He eased the pressure and withdrew his blood stained teeth once he felt Crimson's body go limp.

The flames slowly began to die down as their creator sunk into unconsciousness and Fallenshadow readied himself to announce to the fighting cats that Crimson was dead. He turned his back on Crimson's sleeping form and sealed his fate. As soon as his back was turned Crimson's eyes snapped open and her claws slid out from their sheaths. With a roar that could only come from the body of an unearthly creature. Fallenshadow didn't even have time to react before Crimson's claws sunk into his neck and ripped it to shreds. He fell to the ground with a startled cry, the light slowly beginning to die from his amber eyes. Crimson let out a shrill purr and brought her head down to stare into Fallenshadow's fading eyes. "Mask his face, mask his soul. Dye him black, twist his heart. Turn his mind to space and eyes to red, give his control to thee."

As her words floated up with the spiralling pillars of red flames, dark shadows uncurled themselves from the ground and floated over to where Fallenshadow's still form laid. They wrapped their inky black bodies around his and covered every inch of him from sight. The sound of snapping bones and tearing skin made Crimson grin and she waited to see her newest creation formed. Finally the shadows began to retreat, leaving Fallenshadow's body behind. But it was no longer him. His fur was midnight black. His eyes held only one colour, red. No pupils, no nothing. Just a red eye that glowed. And covering his face – from the bottom of his ears to the tip of his chin – was a white mask made of bone.

Crimson beamed down at her newest follower. "Welcome to my army, Shadari."

As the flames died down the sky turned an ugly shade of purple, streaks of orange and red splashed across it as dawn peered over the horizon. The clouds drifted away, taking the thunder and lightning with them and bright beams of sunlight streamed down on the battle that still raged, on the small dying spot fires left over from Crimson's raging wall of fire. The moon sunk beneath the tall mountains that ringed the valley of Clans and with it sunk the hopes of every cat.

AN: I hope the fight scene between Crimson and Fallenshadow was long enough, and entertaining enough. After a few chapters I have finally decided that I like the idea of Fallenshadow being a creepy guy. Be prepared for many more dark secrets of his to come to light eventually. More Screech next chapter! Finally. Maybe the return of one of the other contestants too, they seemed to have been forgotten with all the Crimson War..stuff.