Making quick eye-contact with Smokestripe and Thornstrike, Scorchwhisker added his voice to the yowl. He smoothly unsheathed his claws, charging at the first cat he spotted. Ravenstar was the main goal, but he wouldn't mind injuring a few foxbrains in the process.

Finally, the anger that had been building up since the day he was born could be released. He heard the shrieks of SkyClan around him as they realized what was happening. As they realized their fate.

They're going to die, Scorchwhisker thought firmly. I am going to kill them.

With a mighty roar, the tom tore his claws across the muzzle of the cat before him. It was Tawnythroat. The she-cat was much larger than him, but she was caught off guard. Scorchwhisker lunged for her throat, but Bristlehaze threw his weight into the new warrior before he could deal a killing blow to the she-cat.

"She mentored you," Bristlehaze snarled, pinning Scorchwhisker to the ground with one heavy paw.

"Well," Scorchwhisker added, twisting out from beneath Bristlehaze. He was a moment to slow, the older warrior managing to unsheathe his claws and tear at Scorchwhisker's flank before he was out. "She mentored me well," the new warrior repeated. "But that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve to be killed. Only that she helped me to learn how to kill her."

Bristlehaze bared his teeth, lunging towards Scorchwhisker. The dark ginger tom side-stepped, raking his claws along the older cat's flank before tackling Aspenfrost. The tom already sported a large gash on his shoulder. Aspenfrost had been too busy glaring after Thornstrike, who was being attacked by Jayspots and Lionpaw, to notice Scorchwhisker heading towards him.

Scorchwhisker latched easily on to the large white tom, splashing blood onto his two black spots. The tom let out a loud yowl as claws pierced his flesh. But his gash made him weak. Without hesitation, Scorchwhisker sunk his teeth into the back of Aspenfrost's neck. He bit down harder and harder until he felt the warrior go limp beneath him. He leapt away before the tom collapsed.

The first of many, Scorchwhisker reminded himself.

He paused for a moment to catch his breath. He looked around, a twinge of respect sparking in his chest. The Clan had arranged them selves beautifully, warriors encircling the weak. Any spares were fearlessly tearing at the attackers. It was too bad that some would die.

Smokestripe had made it to Ravenstar. The two large toms were battling fiercely. Thornstrike was locked in combat with Willowmist. Many cats had their hackles raised as they stood guard, but they weren't fighting. Scorchwhisker blinked, settling his gaze on Spiderpaw.

With a burst of speed, he pelted towards the apprentice. The black tom turned, mismatched eyes wide as he saw the fierce dark ginger tom heading towards him. With a shriek of terror mixed with rage, Spiderpaw raced towards Scorchwhisker head-on.

Scorchwhisker swerved to the left, circling around the black tom as he dove for the spot where Scorchwhisker had been. Spiderpaw spun around too slowly, giving the warrior enough time to land squarely on the apprentice's shoulders. The tom was much strong than Scorchwhisker had anticipated, and he nearly lost his balance when the younger cat didn't collapse beneath him.

Suddenly his breath was gone. The black apprentice had rolled over and was now snapping his teeth at Scorchwhisker's neck. The dark ginger tom pushed the smaller cat off of him. Before he could scratch Spiderpaw and find another cat to hurt, the black cat was attached by his teeth to Scorchwhisker's shoulder. Stifling a yowl of pain, Scorchwhisker tore the apprentice from his shoulder by the scruff, tossing the cat as far away from him as he could.

Thornstrike appeared at his side. "Fawnstep is dead," he breathed.

Offering no more than a shrug, Scorchwhisker turned his attention to Ravenstar. The leader was lying on his side. He didn't stir. He must be losing a life, Scorchwhisker noted. Or more.

He looked around for Smokestripe, who had been battling the large black tom. He saw him a fox-length away from Ravenstar, as still as the night air around the father and son. Blood pooled beneath Smokestripe. Scorchwhisker had no doubt that he was dead.

"What now?" Scorchwhisker hissed to his father. The cats of SkyClan were watching the pair with hostile eyes. Haykit and Birchkit were attempting to sneak a look at the blood, but Sagepatch wouldn't have it. A few cats were sobbing quietly, breaking rank to lie beside Aspenfrost and Fawnstep.

"We run," Thornstrike asserted, turning to head back to the twolegplace.

"Not yet," a voice wheezed behind them. Scorchwhisker whirled around, unsheathing his claws. Ravenstar stood before the two, trembling slightly with the effort of standing.

"Fighting will do you no good now," the leader warned.

"I could finish you off," Scorchwhisker hissed.

"I'm sure these cats would no longer sit around guarding their Clanmates while you took away my remaining eight lives," Ravenstar responded calmly.

Scorchwhisker sat back, irked by the tom's patience. "Well, then, what are you going to do now?" the dark ginger tom challenged, narrowing his smoldering amber eyes.

Ravenstar smirked. Scorchwhisker could see him growing stronger and stronger as the effect of losing a life wore off. "That," the large tom meowed in a matter-of-fact manner. "Is easy."

A.N. Sorry that it's so short and that it's mostly just fighting. I'd really appreciate some feedback on this chapter.