"Those kits were weak," Brokenstar hissed, bending his face towards Yellowfang's ear. "They would have been no use to ShadowClan. If I hadn't killed them, some other warrior would have."
A wail of grief went up from a black-and-white ShadowClan queen. Brokenstar ignored her. "I should have killed you when I had the chance," he spat at Yellowfang. "It seems I must have some of my father's softness. I was a fool to let you leave ShadowClan alive!" He lunged, teeth bared, ready to sink them into her neck.
Firepaw was quicker. He jumped onto Brokenstar's back before he could clamp his jaws shut. Firepaw dug his claws into the matted tabby fur and pulled him off the exhausted queen, flinging him to the edge of the clearing.
Brokenstar twisted around in midair to land on his feet and looked into Firepaw's eyes, spitting viscously "Don't waste your time apprentice! I've shared dreams with StarClan. You will have to kill me nine times over before I join them. Do you really think you are strong enough for that?" His eyes glowed with confidence and defiance.
Firepaw stared back at him and as he did anger over the fact he had been the cause of Spottedleaf's death just not her killer, swelled up in him. "If that is the case then I will just have to make you once, twice, nine times my queen! He hissed at him with fire in his eyes.
"If you think you can, try it you mousebrained furball!" Brokenstar spat back getting ready to leap at the young ginger cat.
"If you leap at me you had better lift your tail first and prepare to be mounted!" Hissed Firepaw. Brokenstar leaped at Firepaw in fury intent on killing the defiant apprentice. Firepaw crouched low and leaped up and caught Brokenstar by the throat ripping a peace of it out and landed on top of the now dead leader. Firepaw sat there on the ShadowClan leader's chest waiting for the first signs of life to return to him as he had seen with Bluestar.
Whitestorm broke from his opponent and ran to Firepaw and dragged him off Brokenstar. He could see a look of fierceness in the apprentices eyes that he had not seen even on Tigerclaw's face before and knew that if he didn't stop him now that he would lose himself to the bloodlust and ultimately fail as a warrior.
Gently tossing him aside "Firepaw!" he hissed at him. Firepaw shook his head and nodded seeming to snap out of it and they both continued with the battle.