A/N: Oh yes, I know what you guys'll say. 'Why the heck are the updates so SLOW?' My answer: I dunno. A -VERY- important chapter. I expect a lot of angry reviews.

Chapter 19 – Sacrifice

"What is the meaning of—" Dawnstar started to snarl, when Owlstar yowled, cutting her off.

"Attack!"

Duskshadow's first thought was of how stupid Owlstar must be to just charge straight in—but then again, it was courageous of him. While I hide in the bushes wondering whether to save the only friend I have, he jumps in up front. He didn't even stop to correct himself when he called Ravenwing friend.

"Thank StarClan—" Ravenwing gasped, tearing her gaze away from Tiger. It was a mistake to take her one eye off the enemy, though, and in a heartbeat Dawnstar leaped mightily onto the medicine cat's back. The two she-cats screeched and tried to get at each others' throats, but it was obvious that Ravenwing was having the harder time of it.

This time, Duskshadow didn't hesitate. Without signaling to his apprentices, he ran out of his hiding place so fast he must have been a golden blur—and the next thing he knew, he was on another cat's back, dirty and matted with dirt.

When he was leading ThunderClan to battle, it felt like running with four legs again. In a battlefield, where a throng of cats blocked him from a friend who might probably die, he was a raging demon, not stopping to see if the cat he ripped apart was friend or foe. He had never been so fast. Duskshadow didn't stop to ponder why the other cats seemed to be slower, or how the cats shrieked in pain and scrambled out of his way.

"Brother!"

The sharp yowl made everyone freeze in their tracks, all but Duskshadow. He was panting madly, bleeding from cuts but never feeling the pain. He winced inwardly as he tasted the disappointment and anger of despair again. First, it was when he had lost his leg. Now, it was the sight of his sister crouched above Ravenwing with her paw pressed onto the medicine cat's throat.

Dawnstar continued coldly, "You still have a way out, Duskshadow. Leave this place to me and my cats, and you and Ravenwing can just walk away. I know just how to rule the Clans, brother, but I have to show them my power first. You can walk away with that coward's heart of yours, you crowfood-eating—"

"Don't!" Ravenwing tried to turn her head, so her one eye could see Duskshadow, still surrounded by rogues. "Just kill her, Duskshadow—"

Dawnstar clouted her face with unsheathed claws, but Ravenwing didn't stop talking frantically. "Think about it, Duskshadow. Two cats or two score of them? You know the right thing to do!"

Duskshadow opened his mouth, but no words came out. Instead, he looked into Ravenwing's blue eyes, one blind and one clouded with innumerous emotions. I can't kill both of you, he despaired.

Almost as if she could read his mind, Ravenwing shot back a furious glance at him in return. I told you being a leader isn't easy, that gaze told him. You have to lead ThunderClan—and a leader must make sacrifices. "Eat crowfood, foxdung!" Ravenwing yowled, twisting out of Dawnstar's grip and fighting with renewed energy.

Stop, you half-mad fool! You're going to die… Duskshadow was hardly aware of him running, jumping, past the throng of rogues and landing on his sister's back. The distraction created by Ravenwing worked; Dawnstar gave a surprised shriek as her brother's claws sunk into her golden fur. "You're not the Dawnpaw I knew," he snarled as Dawnstar was unable to shake him off her back. "You aren't fit to rule ThunderClan."

Dawnstar was finally in the dirt, her muzzle smashed onto the ground. Power. It felt good to use those muscles to their full power; he finally had the strength that he thirsted for as an apprentice. Only this time, he truly understood why. I'm protecting my friend, and all of ThunderClan. StarClan's on my side.

Dawnstar was still underneath his paw, but Duskshadow knew better than to do nothing. Instead, as she lay there, losing a life, Duskshadow turned her over to reveal her throat. The sacrifices one must make for their Clan, he thought grimly, as he slashed his sister's throat with already-bloody claws.

In a few moments, Dawnstar was back, but this time, with the blood flowing from her throat, she couldn't speak. She struggled to her feet, blood spurting from her wound—and fell again. As she lost her second life, Duskshadow heard a thump. When he turned, he saw that it was Ravenwing.

"Hey, get up! You're not going to die of those little scratches, are you?" The rogues were frozen, watching in horror as their leader writhed on the floor as she lost life after life. Ravenwing whispered something, but it was too faint to hear. "What is it?" Duskshadow leaned closer.

"Thank you."

With a tired sigh, her body drew its last breath. "Ravenwing!"