With a desperate yowl, I kicked the dark gray rogue off of me and scrambled back onto my paws. Looking wildly around, I watched as my Clanmates began fighting. The sounds of battle filled my ears, and for a second a memory flashed into my mind. It was back when I was a kit, when I hadn't been taken… there had been a fight… It was a foggy, broken up memory and as soon as it came it left but it left a feeling of déjà vu behind.

I let out a startled yelp when I, yet again, was tackled to the ground by the same cat from earlier. I glared up at him and bared my teeth, what a nuisance. "Spiritpaw, this is a battle field so pay attention!" someone scolded me coldly before the rogue was ripped off of me by Tigerblaze. The orange, black striped tom's eyes glowed with a wild abandon as he slashed mercilessly at the rogues face, leaving a bloody trail that traveled from one eye to the other. Fighters truly thrived best in battle… I watched in a horror filled silence as the rogue's pleas for mercy were silenced as Tigerblaze's fangs connected with his throat. Tigerblaze pulled away from the now limp body and focused back on me. "Swallow down your emotions Spiritpaw, this is a fight and only the ruthless will survive."

"Very well… Tigerblaze," I forced the words out, while what Tigerblaze said made since I just couldn't agree with it. I shook my head, fight now think about policies later. I whirled away from Tigerblaze and glanced around; despite my Clan being so heavily outnumbered the rogues were dropping like flies. Bodies littered the ground with guts, blood and fur scattered about. My throat tightened just from watching and my stomach churned, threatening to discard any food remains still inside it. I looked away in anguish, my Clan was nothing but a group of murdering thieves that were no better than these rogues.

"You have to fight Spiritpaw," I jerked and quickly glanced to my other side to look at Hollowclaw, his eyes reminded me of cold stones and blood stained his fur. "I don't like this massacre either but…" he looked over to where Nightfrost stood. The black tom, after killing yet another rogue, was looking straight at us with narrowed eyes. "You don't want to anger Nightfrost. If you don't fight, he'll doubt your loyalties."

I gulped, my thoughts returning to the last cat that Nightfrost doubted. Taking in a deep breath I nodded I didn't want to die and if it meant killing in order to survive, then so be it. Survival to the fittest… if only I could accept that, but I still couldn't bring myself to take another life. Hailfall's death still lay heavy inside of my heart and if I killed another cat, I meant sure if I'd be able to live with myself. "Spiritpaw we are the only ones who can change ShadeClan from the inside, the only ones who can change things for the Stolen, but if you're marked as a traitor they'll continue to be abused and nothing will change," Hollowclaw's sharp yellow gaze bore into mine and I froze. "I can't alter the Clan's ways by myself so swallow down your horror and fight."

Change the Clan… the thought sent shivers rippling down my spine, everyone would be treated as equals and no more pain would be felt. The idea was beautiful, but could we really do that? "I-I'll fight," Hollowclaw smiled encouragingly at my decision before turning and leaping back into the fray. "I hope I don't regret deciding this," I whispered to myself before turning to face the nearest foe.

He was a skinny rogue, one that should be more focused on getting food than raiding others, with badly groomed and tangled gray fur. "You shouldn't be here," I hissed at the cat my eyes narrowing. "You shouldn't be fighting."

The rogue growled and swiped at me in response, his thorn sharp claws raking my damaged ear. "This is your last chance, flee now," I didn't care how desperate I sounded, but I wanted as least one cat to survive this.

"Never!" the foolishly proud, skinny rogue hissed and launched himself at me. I side stepped him and, as he soared pass, I slammed my paw onto his back. With a loud oomph he crashed to the ground only to struggle back to his paws, shooting a vicious glare at me.

"I don't want to do this…" contradicting what I just said, I dashed forward and as the rogue thoughtlessly lashed out at me, I ducked and easily scooted underneath him. He reacted a heart-beat too slow for I burst upward, my claws digging into his underbelly as I catapulted him into the air.

Again he thudded against the ground and again he got back onto his legs. Wobbling as he stalked forward, he spat out weakly. "All of you… are… cold-blooded beasts."

"I'm sorry…" I rasped guilt making me shake as I stared into his burning amber eyes. "I have no choice so please… please forgive me," and I charged at him getting close enough so that my claws could pierced his soft throat. He let out a weak cough, blood dripping out of his mouth as I yanked me claws out of him and he collapsed to the ground. In a blink of an eye, a life had been extinguished.