Thanks for the reviews, even though I bet a lot of you hate me for being the meanest author ever, and killing your love for this story. Well, this chapter should be interesting. And very fun to read! Because it was fun to write. I was on a roll! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.

Chapter Twenty-One

"I, Flickerstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon all of my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and though he is young, I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." The ginger tom turned to Lionpaw, his eyes gleaming with joy and excitement. "Lionpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Frozenpaw seethed in anger as her brother nodded vigorously. "I do!" he exclaimed, filling the camp with his yowl of happiness.

Flickerstar raised his head to the sky. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Lionpaw, from this moment on, you are Lionfire. StarClan honors you for your strength and nobility, and welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

He touched his muzzle to the light brown tom's forehead, and in return, the new warrior licked his shoulder. As they pulled apart, the Clan cheered.

"Lionfire! Lionfire! Lionfire!"

Everyone except Frozenpaw. She should have been up there with him, or better yet, she should've been up there alone. The battle was hers to win, and if she were a warrior, she would be up there, basking in the glory that was stolen from her by that light tabby tom she didn't even recognize anymore.

Lionfire jumped down from Highrock. Snowshine and Oakshade ran up to greet him. They licked his neck fur as if he were a kit, congratulating him for his amazing job. Stoneclaw was the next to praise him.

"Next time you're up there, you'll be deputy," he said.

The Clan all came up, murmuring their congrats to Lionfire. Frozenpaw felt like the only one saying absolutely nothing, the only one not happy to any degree about it, because she was. She deserved to be a warrior, and the only reason she wasn't was because Lionfire was bigger than her. It wasn't her fault that she was the smaller kit, but she sure felt like it was.

Slowly, warriors dispersed, returning to their regular duties. Oakshade and Snowshine stood beside Lionfire still, looking as if he had defeated ten badgers single-pawed.

"At last, my kit is a warrior," Snowshine purred. Frozenpaw didn't mind that she hadn't said, "one of my kits," or something like that. She was bothered with how big of a deal it seemed to have become overnight.

Oakshade looked more satisfied than pleased when he spoke. "You did amazing. This is how apprentices should become warriors, through proving their strength in battle. And you are the strongest of all of them."

Frozenpaw gawked. That's why they had the battle? All the blood spilled just so her brother could sleep in a different den? She dug her claws into the ground and snarled when one of her claws caught on a weed. She yanked it out with a burst of stinging pain in her paw, then she glared at Oakshade. Mousewhisper's dying because of you.

"Come on," Oakshade said. "Let's go out hunting, and tonight before your vigil, we feats in celebration of your warrior name."

All three cats went out. Snowshine didn't even look her way and Oakshade didn't gloat. They really were over her.

She padded into the medicine den, still hot with fury. Hailblaze looked up from where he sat and nodded. But the look in his eyes didn't match his greeting. He looked sympathetic, a sadness glimmering in his green gaze.

"Look, I know what you must be thinking, and I'm not upset with Lionfire. He's a good warrior and he deserved to earn his name." Frozenpaw's voice cracked on the last word.

"Quit lying to me," Hailblaze said softly. "You're upset."

Frozenpaw stared at the ground. "I know what you're going to say next. Don't give me that we-talked-about-this-earlier thing. Don't tell me you-just-need-to-clear-your-mind. I'll always feel this way. All I ever wanted was to be a warrior, but I couldn't. I couldn't because no thought I could, because I was left alone. She never showed it to me, but Snowshine couldn't have been more thrilled to get me away from her."

Hailblaze's voice was still gentle. "You don't need their support to be an amazing warrior. I saw you out in battle yesterday. You shined."

"I guess everyone is blind then, because no one else saw it. I sent a ShadowClan cat fleeing right before his eyes, and yet, Oakshade still told BMW to run back to my den like the weak cat I am."

"Frozenpaw, you don't know how strong you are," he replied. "You have had no training and you are already blessed with an amazing talent of fighting."

"You said being a warrior isn't about the fighting," she hissed.

"It isn't," Hailblaze admitted. "But you are still a strong cat who doesn't need anybody to be great. If you had decided to train as a warrior-"

"Oh, so this is my fault?" she demanded. "I was too naive and paranoid that I thought I could only be a warrior if cats wanted me to. That sounds fair. After all, I'm not even good enough as a medicine cat. Cats can't even remember my name."

Hailblaze made a face. "That isn't your responsibility that they are Mouse-brained enough to call you Frostpaw. They need to shape up and accept you." He lowered his voice. "And you need to go for it, no matter what anyone says."

Frozenpaw looked up. "You are the only one who actually supports me, Hailblaze. Thank you. Even my brother treats me like a rogue. Lately he's been acting like Oakshade. He thinks I'm weak. I remember how he used to be; my best friend. If only time could reverse itself."

Hailblaze smiled. "You've been like a daughter to me, Frozenpaw. Ironic considering I'm forbidden to have kits." His whiskers twitched. "As for Lionfire, I think he was just being influenced by Oakshade. It's so obvious he hunted in ShadowClan territory. That rotten tom is as manipulative as a predator. He could coax anyone to believe him. Luckily, us medicine cats are hard to convince."

Frozenpaw almost jumped. He knew?

"I think you should talk to Lionfire. Remember, you are a medicine cat, you deserve to be respected, just don't be rude. Maybe you two could go out on a walk and catch up, talk about how you're feeling with each other."

She shrugged. It couldn't hurt right? She dipped her head. "Okay. I'll wait until he gets back from hunting."

Hailblaze smiled. "Sounds good. Now could you help me out here already?"

Lionfire returned with a mouse and a starling hanging from his lips. Frozenpaw waited for him to place the prey on the fresh-kill pile and literally detach himself frommSnowshine and Oakshade, who were still exclaiming how proud they of him. Frozenpaw struggled not to let her jealously rise to far up inside her. She just needed to be friendly.

Her brother sat in the middle of the clearing and began grooming his thick tabby fur. Frozenpaw wondered how long it had been since they'd spoken last as she padded up, belly churning. When she was a few fox-lengths away, Lionfire looked up, glaring at her with his yellow eyes. He snarled.

She swallowed. "I have an idea. Let's stop pretending."

Lionfire's lips fell back over his teeth but he still maintained a guarded expression. "What do you mean?"

"Don't be like that," Frozenpaw murmured, padding a little closer. "Did Oakshade tell you us medicine are weak outcasts that are only useful for the cats that are sickly and hurt? Yes he did," she said before he could reply. "Let me tell you, getting hurt is part of life. You can't move through it unscathed."

"Typical medicine cat comment," he growled.

"Okay, let's take a different approach," she snarled. "What do you want?"

Lionfire hesitated. "I want...to be Clan leader. And I will be. Oakshade told me that things in Clanlife need to change, so that's what I'll have happen."

"What ideas did he have for the medicine cats?" she asked. "We're kinda sacred. Don't you believe in StarClan? Warriors won't be able to communicate with our ancestors just with a flick of the tail."

"Of course I believe in StarClan," Lionfire meowed. "I just..." He trailed off and Frozenpaw was surprised to see him smile. "Good point."

"Let's go for a walk. It's been a while."

"Sure."

They both left camp, and Frozenpaw was certain that Oakshade's eyes were on her each step of the way before disappearing through the bramble tunnel.

Lionfire turned to her. "Frozenpaw, I can't believe you decided not to be a warrior. I've only been one since sunhigh and it's already the greatest thing that has ever happened to me."

She tried not to unsheathe her claws. You have to let him love it. It's all he's ever wanted. You can live without it, just let him love it. There was a large part inside of her that would scream that she had to be part of it, but the other part forced the feeling down.

"Why did you decide to be a medicine cat? I thought you actually wanted to be Clan leader, just like me."

"Well," she hissed through gritted teeth, "fighting isn't for me. I can't really see myself up there on the Highrock. But you, belong there."

He smiled. "Thank you. Did I tell you that Stoneclaw will be my deputy? Maybe I did. Hey, and then you'll be my medicine cat. I'll lead, and you'll...pick leaves, I guess. Is that what you do?"

"Pretty much," she whispered. How blind is he? Can't he see that it hurts listening to him?

"Well, okay. While you're out picking leaves, this Clan will become the strongest in the forest," Lionfire beamed. "Oakshade suggested-"

"Oakshade, Oakshade, Oakshade. Can't you live your own life? Go ahead, you were a born legend from the beginning. Be the best cat this forest as ever seen while the rest of us have our hearts broken by your oblivion."

Lionfire blinked. "What?"

Frozenpaw halted when she realized what she had said. She looked up at Lionfire's face. His expression was hard will challenge. It was a what-did-you-just-say-to-me? look. Her heart dropped to her paws. He didn't see it, unless she threw it in his face.

Suddenly she burst out. "All I wanted was to be useful to the Clan!"

Lionfire looked taken aback. "You are. Medicine cats are very important."

"Oh really? So why have you been going on acting like we only exist for the weak cats? While you have been basking in the sunlight of your glory, and the rest of the Clan is bowing down before you, I have been forced into the sidelines, like I don't even matter."

"I was an apprentice back then. I-"

"You were an apprentice this morning!" she snarled. "But you act like a kit. Once upon a time, I thought you were different, I thought that you were actually on my side until you did what everyone else did, ignored me! Don't you think I wanted to be something more than a medicine cat?"

"That's not my fault!" Lionfire hissed. "If you were immature enough to think you could only be a warrior when everyone thought you could, you're mouse-brained. You shouldn't have let anyone stop you!"

"I don't think I would cause my own pain," Frozenpaw argued, arching her back. "And why do you think cats would try to stop me? Because I'm smaller than you. You think that's my fault? You think I did anything to make cats think I was helpless? I remember when you were the only cat to keep me hopeful, curling up beside me every night, but you turned out just like everyone else. Blind!"

"What do you mean blind?"

"Did you not see me every day, longing after the patrols as they left, gazing at the ShadowClan battle? I wanted every part of the warrior life, so bad that it hurt, and all you and everyone else did was omit my agony and call me Frostpaw." Frozenpaw bristled. "That's not my name. I thought warriors were supposed to be their for Clanmates whenever they needed them, instead, I had to walk my path alone, dreaming of a life I could not live because cats like you treated me like an outcast."

Lionfire bared his teeth. "Why didn't you stand up for yourself then?"

"That was my life when I was a kit too. That helplessness you gave me at two moons old carried through with me to now. Stop making excuses! I need to know there's someone left who cares."

"Frozenpaw, not every dream can be lived. You're doing good as a medicine cat. That's what I cared about. Isn't it better this way?" Lionfire looked a little less hostile as he asked that question. "If we both wanted to be leader, it would injure us in the long-run. Besides, no one would trust you as a warrior. I know you did something to Nettlepaw."

"So you were the yellow-eyed cat that saw me with him," she whispered.

"Snowshine did. She just told me about it. You're lucky I kept my mouth shut, otherwise, you'd be hurting more than now."

"Nothing can hurt me more than now," Frozenpaw whispered. "I know that my brother really does hate me like everyone else."

"Grow up," he muttered. "Aren't you supposed to be the mature one? Go pick some leaves, or something."

Frozenpaw couldn't speak. Did he really just say that to her? Tears brimmed at her eyes.

Lionfire froze, realizing what he had said. "Oh StarClan, Frozenpaw, I didn't mean that. I'm sorry."

"No," she said, so softly it was barely audible in own ears. She rose her voice just a little. "No, it's too late for that. I gave you my whole life as a chance, and you failed to take it." Her claws flexed and her legs bent.

"Frozenpaw, don't," Lionfire said. "You'll regret it."

"I won't," she hissed. "I've been thinking about it since we became apprentices, I just never noticed until now." Her voice was beginning to harden now. "I always knew you would pay the price. I guess it's today."

Lionfire opened his mouth to speak, but he never got the chance. Frozenpaw barreled into him, slicing her claws across his soft belly. Lionfire screeched as he crashed to the ground and blood began pouring from the wound. Frozenpaw pinned him.

"See?" she snarled. "I was always meant to be a warrior."

Lionfire shook and thrashed, trying to get free of her grip, but it was too strong. Her hatred was too strong.

She drew her claws over his chest, and blood seeped from his cuts. "This is for the Clan hating me," she growled as she watched the blood drip to the ground. Her next blow was to the shoulder, powerful enough to bring out a piece of his flesh. Lionfire moaned at the pain. "That was for letting it happen." She stood over him, gaze fixed on his neck. In the quietest voice she had ever spoken in, she whispered, "And this is for taking everything I've ever wanted, and destroying it."

As swift as an adder, she lunged. The forest was drowned in a blood-curdling shriek that pieced Frozenpaw's ears to the ground. Blood filled her mouth as she crushed her brother's throat in her jaws. His legs twitched and splashed in the blood that was pooling below. And, in a single instant, he stopped moving.

Frozenpaw dropped him. Lionfire's neck was was bloody mess, with pieces of skin torn out. His head lolled, and she saw the look in his eyes. It was beyond any horror Frozenpaw could ever imagine, and that was when it hit her.

She looked down. Her paws were fully drowned in the life of her brother. Her legs were crimson, and the taste of blood was hot on her tongue.

Frozenpaw felt sadness and fury at her herself well up inside. She collapsed onto the ground, shaken by sobs.

What have I done?

O.O

...OH MY FREAKING STARCLAN! WHAT THE DARK FOREST DID I JUST WRITE!

Well, that was my longest chapter ever.

Review.

Meep.

~Destiny