AN: More! Shorter chapter than most, just over 2000 words. Enjoy.

Chapter 30: A Gale Silenced

Five sunrises have come and gone. Storms filled with snow and ice have blasted the six Clans, coating the territories in a thick layer of white powder. It seemed that the snow had momentarily paused Crimson's attacks. That idea was crushed when PhoenixClan returned from a two day trip to their territory. It was a trip that PhoenixClan did each year, but usually only when both of their competitors had been killed. But with no sign of Berrypaw since she vanished into the mist with Screech and no sight of Wildstorm since he too wandered into the mist, Flamestar decided that the trip would come early this season.

When PhoenixClan returned they had lost cats, more than CedarClan had. Flamestar himself was only a shell of his past self and everyone could tell that something dreadful had happened. One cat was brave enough to whisper the story into the ear of a friend from a different Clan.

A pretty cream loner she-cat had been resting peacefully in the centre of PhoenixClan's cave when the Clan had entered. Flamestar, being the greedy tom he is, took a liking to the shy she-cat. That was until she attacked a helpless kit that had wandered too close. In a matter of heart beats the small kit was dead, his neck snapped. The Clan turned on the she-cat with murderous snarls and claws ready to tear through skin. But a single, high-pitched, yowl brought an army of brown pelted, pale yellow eyed rogues charging into the cave. And who else walked calmly into the cave behind her army? None other than Crimson with Tornheart walking silently behind her. For two days PhoenixClan and Crimson's army battled, losing all their elders, queens and kits. Finally Flamestar surrendered. He was not killed for Crimson saw a greater power within him. She did her magic and Flamestar was hers to control.

Three Clans had fallen. Three Clans were left. That was until Crimson and her army appeared on High Star Isle a day after the siege on PhoenixClan.

After the deaths of so many cats the remaining three Clans were terrified but could do nothing about it. SnowClan, RogueClan and WaveClan were separated from the other Clans, much to their horror and pitted against Crimson's growing army of rogues. All the other Clans could do was sit and watch from behind the invisible barrier stopping them from helping. All they could do was watch as their friends were slaughtered before their eyes.

Flurrystar fell to Jinx.

Silverstar succumbed to Tornheart.

Singe lost to Crimson.

And just like that all Clans fell under Crimson's rule. All Clans apart from RisingClan. Shatteredlight still remained in power over her Clan. She had yet to be transformed into a follower of Crimson.

Over the course of the four days three more contestants had died. A powerful storm had ripped through the arena, bringing with it a huge tornado that had ripped most of the arena to shreds. It was within the most violent part of this storm that the barely alive Badgerstrike stumbled across Burningmoon. After a heated battle both toms died from their wounds, Badgerstrike first making Burningmoon the winner of their fragile relationship. Nightfall had also died during the storm, killed when a falling tree pinned him to the ground, crushing his ribs which then pierced his lungs.

The Clans watched as Nightfall died; their sorrow loud in the silence, only to hear an amused cackle come from Jinx who sat at the back of the clearing. Tornheart sat beside her, watching with narrowed eyes. "Why are you still here!?" one brave cat called out.

"Because we can," Jinx purred. A rustling behind her sounded and then three soldiers stalked out, yellow eyes focused on the Clan cats. "Wait, never mind. Our shift's over!" Her brightness seemed so out of place amongst the devastated Clans and it wasn't liked. The cream rogue had been responsible for the deaths of all the kits and queens, apart from the ones in RisingClan. Jinx was deeply hated by all the Clans. Tornheart on the other paw was merely disliked for the part she'd played in all of Crimson's attacks, especially the one on CedarClan.

Shatteredlight watched Crimson's hench-cats pad off into the forest surrounding the island with a scowl. At least now she could leave without one of them following her. No cat questioned her when she slipped out of the crowed and into the undergrowth. She needed a break from the pressures of being leader. All anyone ever wanted her to do was tell them that she was going to make everything better. It annoyed her greatly. How was she supposed to make everything better when no one would let her kill the cat that had murdered Hiddenshade? The sooner Crimson and her cronies were dead the better.

A sly smile spread across her muzzle as she crossed the stepping stones into RogueClan's territory. Last she had heard Crimson and her army had taken over PhoenixClan's territory and were bunked down in the cave. Odd place for Crimson to go, Shatteredlight thought to herself, surely she would have wanted to be closer to the Clans in order to keep an eye on them? No answer came to mind so Shatteredlight simply pushed the question to one corner of her mind.

The brisk trot through RogueClan's chilly, snow blanketed territory was pleasant. Everything looks so calm and perfect covered in snow. The white blanket also helped Shatteredlight. Her fur blended in perfectly. However, the cat that stepped out from behind a broad tree trunk did not blend in well. Black and white were known to clash. The sudden appearance brought Shatteredlight to a sudden stop. Her features changed. One moment she was calm and the next she was snarling ferociously. "Crimson."

"Shatteredlight," Crimson replied evenly before a crooked smile twisted her muzzle. "What a surprise seeing you here."

"Enough with the simple conversation, what do you want, Crimson?" Shatteredlight spat angrily, lashing her tail.

Crimson smirked slightly, her brow arching. "Can't two cats have a simple conversation?"

"No. Not with you anyway."

Shatteredlight's answer didn't amuse Crimson. Instead it angered the black she-cat. Her red eyes flashed and a low growl rolled out from her throat. "You want to know what I want? Fair enough. I'll tell you." Crimson bent to the side, picked something up and threw it to the ground. It mewled painfully and Shatteredlight gasped loudly. Before her sat her grandmother's kit, Singingriver, the kit that looked similar to Fallenshadow with her build and eyes.

"What? How? Where did you get her!?" Shatteredlight cried, shooting forwards in an effort to grab the kit.

Crimson was quicker, scooping Singingriver up and planting her further away from Shatteredlight. "She was easy to grab. Wandered too far away from the rest. All it took was a few murmurs and she came right over. Stupid kit."

"Give her back," Shatteredlight growled. "She's done nothing wrong!"

An evil cackle tore out from Crimson's throat as she glared down at Singingriver's cowering form. It wasn't a murderous glint that glanced over Crimson's eyes, more of a curious look. "I didn't take her because she'd done something wrong. I took her for blackmail. You've got to do something for me before you can get her back, alive."

Shatteredlight faltered. She had no clue as to what Crimson wanted her to do, but she figured it wasn't good. But one look at Singingriver forced her to make the choice a leader would. "What do you want me to do?"

"Ah, that's the spirit," Crimson replied. Her gaze became cold and hard. "I want you to run away. Run far away from your home and never come back, ever."

Run away? Run away from my home? My family? Shatteredlight felt her world crashing down around her. To save the innocent life of a kit she would have to give up her whole world. She looked down at the tiny kit only to see Fallenshadow's eyes staring back at her. And in that moment she made up her mind. Running away would ensure that Fallenshadow would live on in the Clan and it would save a kit's life. "I…I will," she murmured. "Just, please make sure Singingriver gets back to the Clan alive. It'd be just like you to kill her anyway."

Crimson narrowed her cold eyes, "I always keep my word, Shatteredlight. It's probably the only good thing in me. Good bye and good luck in your travels." Then she scooped Singingriver up and brushed past Shatteredlight.

"Bye-bye," Singingriver mewled. "I'll tell Mama everything!"

Shatteredlight's eyes softened as she watched the kit disappear with Crimson. She had done a good thing today. A kits life was always a precious thing, something that was to be cherished. A sudden sad feeling came over Shatteredlight as she began padding further away from her Clan. She was leaving her family behind, forever. It was scary but she had a plan. Head for the mountains and see what was beyond them.

With a long sigh, Shatteredlight set off, her head held high despite the situation she was in. Her Clan would live on without her, she was sure of it.

-000-

Soft hues of sunlight pierced through the thick expanse of gray clouds, illuminating certain patches of the rolling green hills that seemed to go on forever. Clumps of trees were scattered to and fro and occasionally there was just a single lone tree peering out from over the rolling hills. It all looked very serene and peaceful until your eyes came across the gray mass protruding from the greenery like a monster. To Wildstorm it was more than a monster. It was the place he had been looking for since he had come across Death. Crimson's lair.

He grinned. When he won the Games he'd make sure that the first thing he would do was kill Flamestar and take over PhoenixClan. He'd be their leader and they'd have to listen to everything he said. Let's deal with Crimson first. Then we can start thinking about winning.

His paws carried him quietly across the hills of soft grass that were dotted with bright flowers. Bees buzzed lazily from each flower, butterflies flitted quickly around and the occasional bird cry pierced the silence. It would have been a happier scene if the sky above had been blue and not a mass of bubbling, boiling clouds.

Wildstorm shuddered. He had watched from a cave buried deep within a cliff face as the tornado ripped through the arena, leaving a trail of devastation behind. He had hoped that it had caused the deaths of many of the contestants, but some niggling thought in the back of his brain told him that most of them were still alive. "Stupid High Stars can't even kill off a few mortal cats and they say they're more powerful than us! Ha!"

"You should be careful what you say around here," a soft voice whispered, pain buried deep within the tone. Wildstorm crouched low to the ground, tail bristling. "Don't bother. I couldn't hurt you." He still didn't believe it but decided that the voice was worth searching for. He rose back to his paws and looked around, ears pricked for any whispers of sound. "Turn around," the voice said again, "I'm in the longer grass."

Wildstorm twisted his head and peered into the long grass. Sure enough there was the shape of a cat laying there, blood staining the grass around it. He was certain he recognised the soft silver tabby, but it was too covered in blood for him to be certain. "Who are you? What are you doing out here?"

There was a groan of pain before the cat answered, "Galesong."

"Oh," Wildstorm grunted. He knew he had recognised the pelt. Just another contestant on their way to the Dark Forest. "How'd you get all the way out here?"

Galesong turned her eyes onto Wildstorm. "I was running from someone, I can't remember who. All I remember was the claws eventually biting into my pelt, throat and face. Next thing I remember I wake up here with you creeping across the grass." The she-cat flinched as a cold breeze made the grass rustle around her and it was clear to Wildstorm that she was slowly dying. One less contestant to deal will I suppose. "You're going to kill me," Galesong whispered, "aren't you?"

For the first time in a little while, Wildstorm didn't know how to answer. He wanted to kill her to put her out of her misery but he had yet to murder an actual living cat. No time like the present…

"Do you want me to?"

"I don't want to die but I know I'm going to die soon. I've lost too much blood to even move anymore. If you kill me now then you'd be doing me a favour," Galesong replied. "It all depends on whether you can do it or not." And then she passed out with a groan of pain leaving Wildstorm with his choice. Kill her or let her die slowly and painfully. It's only fair that she dies quickly..right? His mind was made up. A medicine cat would do that same, they wouldn't let a cat suffer and neither would he.

He took a small step towards Galesong and then another until he was right beside her, claws pricking the skin around her neck. A deep, shaky breath rattled out from Galesong's throat and Wildstorm pushed harder and harder and harder until his claws were buried deep into the she-cats throat. "I hope I have done the right thing by you," Wildstorm whispered. And then he sliced his claws down. Galesong jerked once and fell still.

She looked happy instead of pained. Peaceful instead of fighting. Beautiful instead of agonised.

Wildstorm gave a small smile and then left Galesong's body in the grass. He still had a mission to do and no death would stop him from reaching Crimson.

AN: Updates might be a little slower. I'm starting a TLK fanfic and I've got a collab to write chapters for as well. Competition is still open, details are on my profile. Any thoughts on what might/should happen next chapter?

-Hunter