AN: Hello all! This is a challenge for RadianceClan, a forum I've just joined and you should join too!

I'm pretty proud of this- I generally can't write battle scenes too well, but I think this one came out nicely! Plus it measured a fine amount of words- over 1,000, a number I normally don't reach.

Enjoy, and remember to review!

"StreamClan, attack!"

Rosepaw yowled the battle cry as he charged down the slope, claws out. His brother, Sandpaw, was a blur of pale ginger fur beside him, streaking towards the enemy warriors, his one white paw moving just as fast as the ginger ones.

Rosepaw snarled as he leaped towards a huge gray tabby. The tabby roared, leaping at him, swatting at him midair and landing safely where Rosepaw had stood a moment ago.

Stumbling, the tom raised his head, whipping around and darting to the side as the tabby sprung again. Bounding towards the tabby, Rosepaw scrabbled at his flank, digging his claws into the gray pelt and scrambling onto his back. Digging his claws in, the apprentice scratched and sliced ferociously.

"Get off me, apprentice!" snarled the tabby, rolling to the side and squishing him into the grass. Hardly able to breathe, Rosepaw clawed weakly at the warrior's back, but could feel life slipping away from him.

I'm sorry, Sandpaw….

Rosepaw let in a huge gasp of air as the tom flew off of him. Rising quickly to his paws, the ginger tom saw Sandpaw fighting bravely with the tabby, who was obviously winning. Yowling loudly, Rosepaw sprang for the warrior, who was thrashing wildly, laying on his side on the grass as Sandpaw clawed at his back. Rosepaw began to tear into his belly; the grass turned red with a puddle of the warrior's blood that slowly expanded.

Screaming, the tom continued thrashing and flailing, kicking the apprentices off. The two shared a quick glance of Let's find someone else to bother and ran off.

In the mêlée of the battle, Rosepaw lost track of Sandpaw, but was too harried to look for him, as a golden she-cat was sprinting towards him. Starting to stumble away, Rosepaw breathed a sigh of relief when a black-and-white she-cat of his Clan threw herself at the enemy, the two vanishing in a writhing ball of fur. Turning and spinning a few times, Rosepaw scanned the battle for his brother. The fight was beginning to break up as StreamClan cats pushed their MeadowClan enemies back towards their own territory. Rosepaw spotted a flash of ginger fur and a white paw in a huddle of cats.

Immediately running to his brother, Rosepaw leaped onto a silver she-cat and clawed at her neck, drawing blood from the gashes he left as the she-cat screamed and raced away, yowling in pain.

"Sandpaw!" Rosepaw called, struggling past a heap of cats, trying to reach his brother. Pushing past the pile, which soon broke up, Rosepaw ran to his brother's side.

Sandpaw was breathing rapidly, lying on the grass, his belly showing a deep, red wound that continued to gush blood onto the field.

"S-Sandpaw!"

Rosepaw could hardly think straight as the last MeadowClan cats fled and the StreamClan cats yowled in victory. Stupid cats, can't they see something's wrong with Sandpaw? Rosepaw thought desperately.

Um, maybe if I push him so he's on his back?

Rosepaw heaved and struggled, managing to shove Sandpaw on his back. The blood was still flowing from his wound, but less now. Sandpaw's fur was growing sticky with the puddle on the grass.

N-no, Sandpaw! Sandpaw!

He let out a long, plaintive yowl; StreamClan cats were soon at his side. The medicine cat, Stoneberry, rushed over, examining Sandpaw thoroughly as the tom's breath began to slow.

"Come on, heal him! You're supposed to heal everyone, since you're a medicine cat!" Rosepaw mewed desperately.

Stoneberry shook his head. "I'm sorry, Rosepaw. The wound is too deep. I can't save him."

Rosepaw yowled his grief to the now-starry sky. Silverpelt twinkled coldly above him as his brother's breathing continued to slow.

Rosepaw didn't talk as Sandpaw slowly opened his eyes, coughing a little blood.

"R-Rosepaw?"

"Sandpaw?"

Rosepaw lowered his head, looking into his brother's eyes. "Yeah?"

"I…I want you to know-"

He was briefly cut off by a long, hacking cough, and continued.

"You're…gonna be a great warrior, R-Rosepaw. I know you will."

"Sandpaw…."

The rest of the Clan was watching from a short distance. Rosepaw didn't care about them anymore, though.

"Rosepaw, go on. Make me proud. I-I'll always be there for you, brother."

"Sandpaw…why can't you be a warrior with me?"

"I-I guess StarClan decided that can't happen…."

Rosepaw smiled a little, a sad smile.

"You always did believe more than everyone else, didn't you?"

"Y-yes…I did. But…my time is coming. I can feel it. Goodbye, Rosepaw."

"G-goodbye, brother…."

Sandpaw closed his eyes as the last light in their emerald depths dimmed. With a slow cry, Rosepaw sank onto the grass, shoving his head in his brother's fur and filling the field with muffled wailing.

It took a lot of time before Rosepaw could even be moved from Sandpaw's body.

"They're beautiful."

"I know…one tortoiseshell like me, one ginger like you. And look, his little white paw!"

Roseclaw smiled at the two kits, his kits. One tortoiseshell like his mate, Emberflower, and one an exact replica of Sandpaw.

Roseclaw had become friends with Emberflower just after his brother's death, finding comfort in the she-cat, who was also an apprentice at that time. Slowly, their relationship had grown into something more, leading to the two tiny kits before him.

"What will we name them?" Roseclaw whispered.

"Let's call our daughter Sorrelkit," Emberflower murmured. Roseclaw nodded.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful she-kit. And I know just what to name the tom."

"What will you call him?" the she-cat asked, although she already knew the answer.

"He looks just like my brother. He'll be Sandkit."

Emberflower nodded. "Perfect. Just like your brother."

"Yes…just like him," Roseclaw purred as he peered up at the stars visible through the roof of the nursery.

For a moment, Roseclaw's amber eyes seemed to glow emerald, and a star seemed to blink down on the new family.

"Just like him."