Chapter Twenty Four: Brambleclaw

We pace. What's taking them so long? Lionblaze is leading the patrol next to us. He's grown up so much. I wish I could fix… No, I need to stay focused. They are coming, soon. I can feel it. Lionblaze will make a great deputy someday. Firestar and I had talked trough this matter. He's our number one choice, even Graystripe agrees.

Suddenly yowls erupt in the forest around us. The Dark Forest has descended.

The fighting starts in a whirl of claws and teeth.

I notice that the Dark Forest cats are not giving the fight their all. Just as Jayfeather warned us, they are going easy on us, toying with us as if we are prey far too easy to catch.

Then I see Lionblaze through the mess of cats. He is giving it his all. Cats flee from his claws and I feel such a wave of sadness. I feel so much a father to this cat. To all of them, but I'm not. I'm nothing to them. Thanks to Squirrelflight.

I jump into action rolling over cats and fighting. I'm distracted only once, when I hear Lionblaze's furious yowl,

"Come back here you coward! Fight like a warrior! Wait you can't cause you aren't one!" I watch as he pulls the Dark Forest cat off of Whitewing, he slashes at it and Whitewing jumps up shredding the cat's back.

I stop, staring at the teamwork, at the brilliance of this cat. Was I the one who inspired him to be great? I should have tried harder to stay close to them.

I don't see Hawkfrost until he blindsides me. I jump from his claws easily and face the cat who betrayed me. My brother, my brother who I killed.

He pounces and we grapple like we used to under Tigerstar's gaze. But we are not under his gaze, and Hawkfrost is fighting to kill.

We roll and slash. Kick and jump. I'm not ThunderClan deputy for nothing and we cut a bloody path through the mass of cats.

Every once in a while a Dark Forest cat will try to help Hawkfrost, but he'll screech, "No! No! He is mine! He is mine! Fight the others! Make yourself useful! He is mine!"

One of my Clanmates will shoot me a "do you want help?" look, asking if they can aid me. I shake my head every time, Hawkfrost is too blood thirsty, he'll kill any cat that comes near us, friend or foe.

The fight goes on. Blood and fur fly. He keeps it up, tiring me out until my strength is sapped.

I don't want to give in this easily. Many seasons of having nothing to do but fight has strengthened his endurance, and he wants my blood on his claws. I realize with dread that it is only a matter of time before he kills me.

He catches me off balance suddenly. He throws me to the ground and pins me down. I am exhausted and he is ready to end it. There is no way out, I am going to die.

"Not practicing anymore little brother, are we?" he hisses. Revenge glitters in his ice blue eyes. He goes for my throat and I try vainly to fight back but I feel my life slip through his claws, the last thing I know is a horrified yowl and Hawkfrost's weight flung from me.

I am floating, up above the battle ground, the sound strangely muted. I look down at the blood stained undergrowth and am nauseated. We'd been making plenty of sound, why has no other Clan come to help? Have we really drifted that far apart, are we really ready to let each other die?

My beautiful mother, Golden flower sits next to Feathertail, up in the starry sky near me.

"Mother!" I whisper, glad I can talk.

"I thought you'd want to see an old friend." Feathertail mews walking up and touching muzzles with me.

"It's so good to see you." I mew; Feathertail nods in agreement and points her tail down below us, where Lionblaze is standing over Hawkfrost's fading form.

"Did he…"I trail off not wanting to finish my thought.

"No, Hawkfrost chose to leave when he realized it was a fight he could not win." Goldenflower mews bitterly.

I stare down at Lionblaze who looks so broken.

"Go to him," Feathertail whispers. I float down and stand next to him.

"I will always be with you, my son. If you ever need me I am only a thought away. You will always be my son. Be strong, and have faith, you will become a warrior of legends, I am sure of it. Your heart is pure and I have always been so proud of you." Lionblaze stiffens with surprise and looks at me, seeing me for a moment before I have to fade away.

Up in the sky again I see Firestar floating near me, "No!" He yowls in agony, "No! Oh this is all my fault! Oh Brambleclaw!"

"It's not your fault!" I promise my leader. "Are you..?"

"No I have only lost a life, oh the Clan. What are we to do?"

"Stay strong, I'll be watching over you now and you can bet I won't let anything hurt you. And Firestar, he is ready." Firestar looks down at Lionblaze still standing over my lifeless body.

"Are you sure?" he asks shrewdly.

"Positive." I reply.

"He will be strong enough?"

"Yes, and if he needs help I will be watching over him." I intone.

"If you're sure, then of course I will do as you wish." He looks down again and I can see Squirrelflight standing over me obviously howling in anguish. The rest of the Dark Forest cats have vanished as well.

"I must go now. The Clan needs me." My leader whispers softly, green eyes glittering in pain.

"Good-bye Firestar and may StarClan light your path always." I whisper to my old friend.

He turns to me and smiles, "And yours." Then he floats back down to the Clan that's in agony.

"Now about Squirrelflight," Feathertail mews as she approaches me and I groan, rolling my eyes as I follow her and my mother up the starry trail to my new Clan. Just before we reach it I turn around for one last look.

"Good luck." I whisper down, "And be strong, all of you."