Disclaimer: If it's published in one of the many books with cats on it - it's not mine!
"Leopardstar is dead! Leopardstar is dead!" A Shadowclan cat cried out. He stumbled away from the leader's body and waved his tail in victory. It was Brambleclaw was beat anyone to react back on the island. His dark claws flashed out and cut across the cats' throat.
"She was a noble leader, you should respect her death!" A Riverclan cat dipped her head to him before bounding back in to the fight. Brambleclaw looked at the leaders body and then to the lightening sky. Was this going to end with enough cats living to continue life?
Cats were stumbling in to Riverclan again. This time Cloudtail and Whitewing. Heathertail came carrying a kit in her jaws but she didn't stay she rushed back with Whitewing to get the other three. Jayfeather was confused by all the emotions he was getting from the others.
"I will guide your paws, do not worry." Spottedleaf's gentle meow calmed him. She stayed with him working on the cats that limped in. Sorreltail, Dustpelt, Millie, Rosepetal, Ashfoot, Furzepaw, Sunstrike and Whiskerpaw… the list went on and on. Jayfeather was dripping with exhaustion and Willowshine looked no better. Their paws ached and they were running low on herbs with no fit cats to go find any.
"Jayfeather!" Lionblaze said sliding in to the clearing. He had a kit in his jaws and was padding over with Heathertail and Whitewing. Jayfeather looked up at his bother and let out a relieved sigh. "What can we do to help?"
"I'm glad you're ok." Jayfeather touched his nose to his brother's and Lionblaze knew this time the concerned surpassed the prophecy. Jayfeather was simply worried about his brother. "We need herbs."
"I know where to find some in Windclan but not here." Heathertail said calmly, her gaze flicking to Willowshine who was making her way over. Quickly the medicine cat told them where herbs were and the three warriors trotted off to find some. Whitewing broke away from the two to go find cobwebs when she spotted more cats coming.
"Heathertail, do you see that?" Lionblaze asked the she-cat next to him. They had spoken brief apologies and made a truce. She turned her heather colored eyes to where Lionblaze was looking. A cat was stumbling towards them. She blinked in confusion not recognizing the cat. "Ravensong!"
Lionblaze bolted forward. His mind racing faster then his paws but he noted Heathertail running besides him. They stopped on either side of the black warrior and waited for him to speak. The words out of this mouth sent chills racing through his fur.
"Firestar was losing a life." He gasped and then continued forward. "Has anyone seen Graystripe or Sandstorm?"
It was Heathertail who was replying. Lionblaze was numb with fear. If Firestar died, what would they do? The she-cat led them both back to Riverclan and Jayfeather set to work on him. Willowshine gave a nasty paw full of herbs to Lionblaze. Strengthening herbs was all she had said. He ate them and then went back to find more.
"We are losing."
"No, Lionblaze, StarClan will not let us lose."
"They can't stop this Heathertail!" He growled, his long claws ripping at grass. "They never could. All the warnings were empty and confusing. We still don't know what we're meant to do!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Jayfeather learned of a prophecy. 'There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in your paws.' It was given to Firestar season's ago." Lionblaze shook his head. "It's about me, Jayfeather and Dovefur, but we don't understand."
"I am here. Your clan mates are here, your friends, StarClan… Regardless your task, there is no way you can fail."
"Lionblaze, you must finish this, you, your brother and cousin. Tigerstar must die!" A voice snuck in to his dream and wove pictures all around. They took the form of a starry blue she-cat.
"He's already dead Bluestar." Lionblaze crouched. "What do you expect us to do?"
"Oh, Lionblaze, the end is coming. Can't you feel the pull of it?"
The clans had all retreated. The camps had been won back but Windclan stayed empty, except for the badly injured. The cats were all separated between Thunderclan and Riverclan. They were guarding the borders to Shadowclan. Dovefur was a wreck after she learned of her sister's betrayal. Firestar had indeed lost a life but he was still with them, Onestar as well. Mistyfoot was standing in for Leopardstar, grief fresh in her mind.
"Stonefur, help me." She said.
"Are you with me?" Firestar said calmly and he glanced at the cats to his side. Sandstorm was pressed against him and Graystripe on the other. To the left of Graystripe stood Ravensong and on the right to Sandstorm was Dustpelt. Brambleclaw sat with Brackenfur, Cloudtail, Brightheart and Thornclaw. "You all know what it will be like, this is it, are you with me?"
"Until the end, Firestar." Brackenfur said his head held high.
"To StarClan itself." Ravensong purred softly.
"Do we tell them?" Brambleclaw said glancing behind them at the others. The only other cats that remembered the old forest had come after Blood Clan. Sorreltail, Squirrelflight, Leafpool, Spiderleg, Whitewing and Birchfall knew nothing of the horror's the told forest had seen. They had heard the stories though. "Do we let them go in to the battle and be overwhelmed or do we risk scaring them when they need all the courage they can gather?"
"I remember that battle well Brambleclaw." Onestar said walking over. "I was still Onewhisker then. You, Tawnypelt, Feathertail, Stormfur, and Ashfur killed Bone. Firestar saved my life that day from Scourge."
"Old friend, we all saved each other's lives that day. If we hadn't fought together we would've all been driven out." Firestar said blinking warmly at Onestar. Ashfoot sat next to him nodding in agreement.
"Listen, all of you. Most of you have never seen the old forest and even fewer were around to see the battle against Bloodclan. We've all decided that while we can't tell you anything aside from the stories this will be a fight that will test every thing you've ever learned." Onestar meowed to all of the cats in Windclan camp. They had regrouped there to set up a plan.
"Apprentices, don't get caught alone. Warriors, now is not the time to show off, fight smart and be careful, if you are hurt retreat to one of the medicine cats. We are lucky to have all of them." He glanced at Jayfeather, Willowshine, Mothwing, Littlecloud, Flametail, Kestrelflight and even Leafpool. Skypaw was lying outside Kestrelflight's den ready to do all she could with her injuries.
"I travel to Moonpool now." Mistyfoot said. "It's dangerous I know but I will only be taking Littlecloud with me."
"Why Littlecloud?" Asked a Riverclan warrior.
"Because the other medicine cats have their paws full with their clan. He has offered to escort me." Her eyes glinted. "I know it is not the way of the code, but incase something is to happen, I am appointing Reedwhisker to deputy. If all goes well it will be made official as soon as I am back."
"The rest of us will mourn Leopardstar. She was a proud, strong, leader who gave her life in a battle she originally wasn't part of. She was the oldest of us leaders and lived through many hard times. It is not only Riverclan who grieve for her tonight."
Shadowclan was silent was three days. For those three days the clans trained together. Mistystar held obvious favoritism over Bearpaw and no one pointed it out. She was helping train her while Firestar gave pointers to Redpaw. Wolfpaw was wrestling with surprising strength against Brambleclaw and Cedarpaw was sparring with Tigerheart. All of the apprentices trained with a different warrior then they had in the last training session. The final day of relaxation and no one did anything but hunt and eat.
"Here." Ashwhisker looked up to see Moonshadow drop a rabbit at his paws. Her whisker's twitched at his expression. "Crowfeather showed me."
"Oh." He said as he crouched to share with her. Wingfrost walked over and they shuffled to make room for him to eat as well. "Are you both ready?"
"We're warriors, we were born ready!" Moonshadow purred teasingly. Her eyes will serious though. Cats around who heard her respond howled in agreement.
"Tawnypelt."
"Brambleclaw!" She purred rubbing against him. He flicked his ears to Rowanclaw, who in reply, dipped his head. "What can I do for you?"
"Come share a meal with old friends." He said and he turned to look where Crowfeather stood with a rabbit and Squirrelflight had a squirrel. Tawnypelt glanced back at her mate who shook his head and smiled.
"There is no cat here to doubt your loyalty Tawnypelt. We are fighting alongside StarClan; we are all friends in this battle. You've all seen so much… go. Enjoy this meal with you're friends. I will find mine. We never know what tomorrow will bring." She rubbed her head along his neck and trotted over to her friends. She looked up and could have sworn she smelt Feathertail.
"Firestar, wake up. Wake up now!"
The ginger tom sprang up from his makeshift nest with Sandstorm as Spottedleaf's urgent meow filled his head. His panic set the warriors around him off. Amber eyes were the first thing he saw and he flashed a paw out. The image disappeared and he was trembling with Sandstorm pressed against him.
"What's wrong?" She questioned.
"Onestar, Mistystar, we must go to them. We can not wait for them to come to us." He said. "The clans split evenly, at each border and we sneak in."
"You seem certain of this." Onestar said eyeing him curiously.
"Spottedleaf has never led me astray." He said his ears flicking anxious. Graystripe looked at Fireheart and nodded. He walked and started rousing the slumbering cats.
"Who will lead each patrol?" Mistystar asked. Jayfeather walked over.
"Lionblaze will lead one, Dovefur the other. It is time to end this."
Lionblaze glanced behind him. They were nearing the camp quickly. Tigerheart, Ashwhisker, Moonshadow, Firstar, Reedwhisker, Onestar, Brackenfur, Dustpelt, Squirrelflight, Crowfeather, Cloudtail, Redpaw, Dewpaw and Cedarpaw were all nearest to him. The others were spread out behind him. The rest of Thunderclan went with Dovefur and the others. He pranced in place until Heathertail squirmed up to his side. Jayfeather, who had insisted on coming, was on the other.
"We are with you."
The battle was hard and Lionblaze had his eyes locked on Hawkfrost. He was slowly making his way to the cursed cat that was fighting with Reedwhisker and Mistystar. Many cats lay around him and he tried not to look and see whom they were. All feeling left him when he realized what he had to do. He ran forward and blocked a slash meant for the Riverclan deputy. He hissed in pain as blood welled in his shoulder.
Jayfeather was locked in a rolling ball of fur with Tigerstar and Dovefur. They were snarling and clawing. Lionblaze hoped he had the courage to do what was to come next. He waited for the blood lust to come over him but it never did. He had to do this and be completely aware.
Tigerstar felt claws pierce his throat and felt a life drain from him. He stared at the cat he was about to attack and was shocked to see Dovefur. Crowfeather was clawing his back trying to save his kit and Ashwhisker was walking away from a dead Breezepelt. Tigerstar looked at everything with wide eyes. The cats of the Dark Forest were fading. Redtail raced forward as Tigerstar reared up trying to dislodge the black-gray cat and sank his teeth deep in to his throat. No blood poured, Tigerstar simply fell. Redtail stood his tail whipping behind him and gazed over at Bluestar. The starry warrior released the cat she fought and sighed. It was all over.
This isn't the end! There's still a chapter to go but all the sadness is out the way :)