BATTERY

"Smashing through the boundaries,

Lunacy has found me,

Cannot stop the battery,

Pounding out aggression,

Turns into obsession,

Cannot kill the battery,"

It was silent. Tranquil, even. There was not a single unnatural sound mixing with what was supposed to be normal. A new-leaf breeze rolled throughout the moors and forests, rustling leaves and grass as it went. Woodland creatures skittered about, in search of food and other such things. The silver scales of fish glinted through the surface of the rivers, like living collections of stars. In the shaded pines, all was quiet. Not a single cat made a sound.

That was because there was only one living cat left, perched on the highrock that once belonged to ThunderClan and brooding. The cat was an old tom, but he was as fit and healthy as when he was young. His aged body still rippled with powerful muscle, with broad shoulders and strong paws. The tom's pelt was golden-brown with tabby stripes. His muzzle and chin were gray with age. His amber eyes were like smouldering fires, though they held a distant, glazed look.

His name was Lionblaze. Despite being the Clan leader, he had kept his warrrior name - for what use was being called Lionstar when there was nobody to recognise his rank?

There was no one left; no one left to commandeer, no one left to fight. Nothing left for him to do save for being alone with his thoughts. Save for him when he arrived at irregular periods of time. Lionblaze could sense him now.

Behind him, at the mouth of the den where the ThunderClan leader would have slept, a spectre materialised. At first, his ghostly image was barely visible before rapidly becoming more and more tangible. The poltergeist was a large, dark brown tabby tom with powerful paws and broad shoulders. His body was decorated in old scars.

The ghost of Tigerstar stood, looming in the shadows created by the old den. "Lionblaze." he greeted.

Lionblaze was brought back to reality, "Tigerstar." he greeted with a gruff tone. The old cat didn't turn to face his leader. Instead, he continued to overlook the remains of ThunderClan.

"You seem preoccupied." commented the poltergeist, his amber eyes boring a hole into the back of the living tom before him, "what is on your mind?"

Finally, Lionblaze turned towards Tigerstar. His eyes were no longer glazed over and unfocused - instead, they were the hardened eyes of a warrior who had fought countless battles and showed no mercy to even the most meek of cats. They were eyes of the merciless.

"Our victory." responded Lionblaze curtly, thinking back to that day.

...

As Heathertail padded through ThunderClan territory, accompanied by other warriors, she noted how oddly quiet everything was. There was no wind rustling through the leaves, there were no sounds of birds chirping. Nothing. It was dead silence throughout the forest.

It was like everything that called this place home abandoned it suddenly.

"Is it always this quiet on ThunderClan territory?" Crowfeather, another member of the WindClan patrol, grumbled.

"I doubt it." responded Harestripe, both the deputy of WindClan and the leader of this patrol, "let's just find out why ThunderClan never showed up to the gathering and leave. This is starting to rub me the wrong way."

Heathertail agreed. It had been a concerning turn of events when ThunderClan hadn't appeared for the gathering. To be late was a normal occurrence, after all, some things were out of the control of the cats attending. Perhaps the regular route for that Clan was impossible to navigate at that point in time, or they had to slow down for an older warrior. But to not show up at all? It was completely unheard of.

Something was wrong with ThunderClan. Surprisingly, Onestar was the only one who wanted to see what the situation was with ThunderClan while Leopardstar and Blackstar dismissed their lack of attendance as Firestar being a mousebrain. Truthfully, it seemed as if the WindClan leader wanted to know for certain to chew him out at the next gathering - with an audience as large as possible.

"See if Firestar actually forgot the gathering was happening, ThunderClan's going to be a complete laughingstock." sneered Ashfoot.

Crowfeather responded, "They were just recruiting all the kittypets is all." that got a few meows of humour out of the patrol.

The WindClan patrol were soon outside of the thorny barrier of ThunderClan. Then it hit them. That rancid, disgusting scent. The reek of decay and death violated their nostrils and was so potent they could practically taste it's squalidity. They each broke in fits of coughing and hacking, their eyes watering.

"Dear StarClan - that stench!" gagged Heathertail. Despite how repulsed she was, she needed to make sure he was okay; Lionblaze. Her good friend from ThunderClan - her best friend. Well, her former best friend.

When they were apprentices, they had met in the tunnels snaking underneath the earth of WindClan's territory. They used to play together, having make-belief adventures as the leaders of their own Clan. Despite her current disgust, she couldn't help but smile a little at the memories.

But it all came to an end when some kits ventured into the tunnels, once they were found they told the warriors who found them where they had been. As a result, WindClan began using those tunnels. Lionblaze, Lionpaw at the time, accused her of telling WindClan of the tunnels and began pushing her further and further away. He wouldn't believe that some kit just waltzed into the tunnels despite it being truth.

Heathertail, Heatherpaw at the time, hated him for him. Her best friend refused to believe her and began treating her like an enemy. The she-cat, understandably, became spiteful towards him and his Clan. But as she matured her feelings mellowed and Heathertail's agenda now was to mend their relationship. She wanted her friend back.

But the twisting feeling of anxiety told her that she was too little too late.

The WindClan patrol crawled underneath the thorn barrier. Grumbling as it pricked at their pelt uncomfortably. On the other side, they were shocked and horrified by the gruesome scene before them.

It was a bloodbath. Corpses of ThunderClan cats were mangled and strewn about, their scents mingling with the rancid stink of decay. Grooves in the ground were made by claws and dried blood stained the earth. Some cats she could recognise, others were beyond recognition. Heathertail gasped, raked with fear. What could have done this? What could have decimated an entire Clan?

"Dear StarClan..." sobbed Crowfeather, his eyes wide. Despite his attempts to hide it, the she-cat could see him shaking. Whether that was from primal fear, rage, or something else entirely, was beyond her knowledge.

"We need to-" Ashfoot gagged as she let out a petrified weep, "-we have to tell Onestar."

"You can tell him my message." A voice responded. Heathertail recognised it immediately, her eyes widening. 'No, he didn't. He couldn't have - this was his Clan!' she lamented. "Tell him he's got one day to resign from his position as leader."

All of the WindClan cats looked up towards where the voice was coming from, the high rock. There stood Lionblaze, his eyes scrutinising them all. Those eyes shook Heathertail to her core.

One would think that his eyes would be glinting with some kind of horrific glee as his handiwork had been found. But they were devoid of such disturbing pleasure. It was like someone had found a mouse he just killed. Lionblaze was completely devoid of any guilt, or pleasure, or pride. It was as if he had just hunted and ThunderClan's remains were only a large haul of prey. That's all they were to him.

"You did this?!" Crowfeather shouted in outrage, glaring with the most spiteful gaze Heathertail had ever seen. But there was still fear behind the hate. Nobody could blame him for being afraid, but Crowfeather had pride. Pride that would prevent him from keeping his head low and listening to the monster looking down on them.

Lionblaze glanced downwards, "I did." again, there was no pride or malice. It was as if there were not standing amongst a mass grave.

"Why?!" demanded Ashfoot, her fear and rage mingling together in her voice.

"For a long time I've been meeting with Tigerstar in the Dark Forest, he wanted to make me a better warrior and I accepted. He gave me some valuable life lessons too, which I tried to pass on to my Clan. They didn't understand what Tigerstar had taught me. He taught me mercy is weakness; each Clan has had chance after chance to put each other down but we never take the chance to - and what happens? Cats like Brokenstar happen. Cats like Tigerstar happen. Cats like Sol happen." Heathertail swore she saw something vaguely in the shape of a cat leaning over the tom's shoulder, "all the problems we've ever had we could have been avoided if we weren't merciful,"

"So you massacred your own Clan to prove that?" glowered Crowfeather.

"Are they a threat to you anymore?" inquired Lionblaze, "I don't think so. Now listen up; tell Onestar WindClan is ours and he better recognise it." he meowed, jumping down from the high rock and landing before the smokey grey cat, looming over him. Subsequently, something was leaning over Lionblaze's shoulder. "Or you'll all be joining ThunderClan." he threatened "If nobody can run a Clan right, then there won't be any Clans. Tigerstar tried to make peace by ruling all four, now we're getting rid of them altogether,"

The she-cat looked towards Ashfoot for guidance, to see what she thought was necessary to do. But she was just as terrified Crowfeather was. Crowfeather hissed, "you're dead, you hear?" he spat, "I'll-"

The smokey grey cat was cut off. Lionblaze's paw had smacked him on the side of the head, sounding off with a sickening crack. Heathertail watched in horror and disgust as Crowfeather's head violently spasmed from the force as his body fell.

"This was your message." Lionblaze meowed, suggesting towards the remains of ThunderClan. "He's WindClan's. You've got one day."

...

Heathertail stood in the line of WindClan warriors facing the border of ThunderClan. Onestar had refused to abdicate from his position, opting to clash with the cat who had so mercilessly slaughtered his own Clan head on. His call to battle had been met with yowls of approval, though some were reluctant and rightfully so. After all, a whole Clan and one of their own had perished.

Despite the rivalry between ThunderClan and WindClan, many cats wanted justice and to feel the blood of a monster seep through their claws. It seemed like victory was guaranteed. After all, it was one cat against the might of a Clan. However, this cat had already faced such opposition before.

But ThunderClan had been unprepared and taken by surprise, argued Onestar and other WindClan warriors. Their Clan would not share ThunderClan's dreaded fate. It reassured many, but Heathertail still felt that Onestar should have stepped down and saved WindClan.

Two WindClan warriors had been sent each to ShadowClan and RiverClan, so the plan was to distract Lionblaze (if they could not kill him) until the remaining two Clans arrived. Then, victory would surrender itself to them.

The tabby she-cat turned to Ashfoot who was, fortunately, at her side. "This was a mistake." she murmured in terror, "Onestar should have stepped down when he had the chance,"

The older grey she-cat gave her a lick on the cheek for comfort, "Onestar is right, though. ThunderClan had been taken by surprise. We're ready for him. StarClan is watching over us, all will be well." she assured.

The warrior's began to hiss, the last cat of ThunderClan approaching them with a dark expression. Heathertail quivered under his gaze. She wanted nothing more than to turn around and get as far away as her legs to carry her. She wanted to bellow out for the others to follow her example. But she was a warrior, so she planted her feet in the ground. The warrior would follow her Clanmates, even in to the maw of death.

"You had your chance." spoke Lionblaze.

WindClan charged towards him, howling in demand for blood. But they were completely decimated. The golden tabby had monstrous strength which he used to rip apart the warriors. Some were fortunate enough to have their necks broken or their skulls cracked. A quick death. Others were not, their lower jaws torn from their skulls from the sheer strength of Lionblaze's blows, gargling and screaming for the end to come soon.

"I was part of a prophecy - I have the power of the stars!" he cried, crushing a cat's skull into the ground. His paws were drenched in all sorts; blood, skull fragments, grey matter. It made Heathertail sick to her stomach. "I killed my own Clan - what makes you all think you'll be any different!?"

A WindClan warrior attempted to slit his throat, quickly swiping at the ThunderClan cat's throat. It was the perfect opportunity. The cat was too close for Lionblaze to dodge in time or react. It would all be over in a few seconds. But the tom retaliatated, raising his foreleg to block the paw. With his other paw, he slammed it into the foreleg that he the warrior attempted to kill him with.

There was the sickening cracks of bone, followed by the tearing of tendons, muscle, and flesh. The cat howled in agony, writhing in pain on the ground as blood spurted out of the wound.

Heathertail could only watch the carnage unfold, her eyes wide with primal fear and her ears flat against her head, hoping in vain to silence the tormented screams of her Clan. She had always thought Lionblaze was special in some way, but not in such a monstrous way.

"Enough!" Onestar yowled, approaching the bloodied cat. "This ends now!" he roared, leaping for the golden tom. Lionblaze moved out of the way, dodging a set of claws aimed for his neck.

In response, Lionblaze landed a blow on the back of his neck which resonated with a crunch. "One life." he meowed, Onestar landed in a crumpled heap. He approached the fallen leader and attempted to stand on his paws, now revived. He placed both of his paws on the side of the tabby's head. "Now let's make sure you don't come back."

Heathertail couldn't watch, only collapsing to admit defeat. She was almost driven mad by the sounds of a massacre surrounding her that followed soon thereafter. But what could she do? Lionblaze was untouchable, a merciless deity unleashing the full extent of his wrath. Sometimes, the screams were drowned out by the roars of Lionblaze which only served to remind her this was reality and not a nightmare she was going to wake up from.

After what felt like infinity, everything went silent. Shaking and trembling, she looked up and she wished she hadn't. In a field of body parts and corpses, there stood a mass murderer with his bloodied back to her. Heathertail opened her mouth to beg for death, to join her Clanmates and escape the crushing survivor guilt and maddening mental scarring. But all that escaped her mouth was inane, frightened gibberish and sobs.

Lionblaze's ears perked up and he turned to her. Just like in ThunderClan camp, his eyes were devoid of any glee or pride or anger. Just a cold glare. "How about you try to stop me, that would make things interesting." he smiled. While it was just a mundane smile, it was the most awful thing in the world. He walked off soon after, looking to continue his crusade of death.

Heathertail did not follow, dying in the marsh with the rest of her Clan. The mental scarring and guilt were too much for her psyche to handle. It petrified her in the most horrific way possible. For what remained of her life, she lay in a crumpled heap, making frenzied babbling and mumbles.


Finally we've got The Merciless done. I'm extremely sorry for how long this took, I've been busy with prelims coming up soon and work but that's not really an excuse now is it?

Anyways, this was really fun to write when actually listening to Battery. I have no actual clue what Lionblaze's powers are (is he invincible? Because he can't be beaten in a fight but I was told otherwise by a friend that it's super strength and extreme reflexes - which I honestly preferred).

Well, the next oneshot is The Assimilated: Ride The Lightning. I'd like to thank a good friend of mine, Kinkaju, for helping with the name. As usual, feel free to speculate about what it's about.