A/N: SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FOR A WEEK OR SO! I had complications arise.
I bet you're all screaming into your pillows at the wait for this story; well, here's another chapter! It should be around the last in the battle scenes, so it will probably be long. :D
Swirlspot: Maybe... maybe... maybe not... you'll have to wait and see! :D
Without further ado, ENJOY THE CHAPTER!
Dawnfeather watched as the last BloodClan invader scrambled over the wall, leaving bloody streaks where it had climbed. She was panting hard, blood staining her coat to a light pink. Ignoring her numerous wounds, she entered the nursery. Flamelight, Sandstorm, and Brightheart hissed threateningly at her for a moment, until they realised who it was.
"Everything okay?" Dawnfeather asked, looking at the kits huddled behind a pile that used to be the bedding. "Yes, we're fine. How is it out there?" Sandstorm asked, cleaning a wound along her side.
"I'm not sure. When I left... it didn't look very good for the Clans, I'm afraid. Have any of you seen Birdpaw? She's supposed to be here, helping the wounded." Dawnfeather said worriedly, glancing over her shoulder into the camp.
"I saw her enter the tunnel that exited the camp." Brightheart offered, cleaning the dirt off her one kit. "Thank you. Stay alert though, BloodClan may come back!" The queens nodded, and Dawnfeather slipped from the nursery to find her daughter. Which she did, along with Icestrike, digging Mudpelt free.
Tears welled her eyes, and Dawnfeather touched their backs with her tail gratefully as she joined them. Mudpelt lay on his side, eyes glazed, breathing heavily. Every now and then he would give a twitch, and from the claw marks evident, he had tried to pull himself free.
The tunnel roof rained dust down on them threateningly, and Dawnfeather picked up the pace, yowling when Mudpelt was free. She pulled her mate out from under the dirt, taking in the sight of thorn gashes and previous battle wounds caked with dust.
"Let's get him out of here. This tunnel could collapse at any moment." Icestrike said warningly, hastily shoving his sister and mother and stepfather out. Birdpaw immediately set to checking him, wiping the worst of the dust away before cleaning his wounds. "He's in shock." She announced, gently pushing him into the medecine cat den, where another cat lay on the nest, blood speckling the leaves by his mouth.
Too much dirt and blood covered his pelt for Dawnfeather to tell who it was, but she noticed his wounds were all clean and neatly covered in herbs. She's so good at this!
Birdpaw told Mudpelt to lay down on the empty nest nearby, then turned to Dawnfeather and Icestrike. "As much as I'd like you two to stay and be safe, they need you out there. Go save the Clans." Tears welled in the small black she-cat's eyes, and she nuzzled them both. "Mudpelt will be fine." Dawnfeather nodded, pacing quickly from the medecine den.
Clawing her way up the wall, she glanced behind her and saw Icestrike following, expertly placing his paws in small niches to aid his climb. It was almost as if... he could still see! Dawnfeather shook the thought away. Focus, you can think and wonder about that later. For now, fight!
Icestrike ducked under a low hanging branch, skidding to a stop near the clearing where the battle was taking place. "Mom." He stopped Dawnfeather's progress with his tail. "There's another group of cats, they're fighting with us, okay? So watch who you claw. And... the leader... I think she's-" "No time for talking, we have to help!" Dawnfeather interrupted his talk, bounding onto the battlefield.
Icestrike followed, a Dweller whispering soft words to him. Over near the large rock. Two BloodClanners have a Clan cat cornered. Got it! He bounded over, leaping and weaving his way through the tussling cats. He jumped, landing on the nearest BloodClanner, letting the Clan cat take the other.
He clawed at the cat below him, hissing and spitting insults as he went. A good hit smacked into his cheek, and blood sprayed, some getting in his eye. It stung, so he closed it, letting the Dwellers help him.
The BloodClanner gained a few more good hits before he slipped away to find a easier, sighted cat to fight. Several voices suddenly chorused; Look out! Icestrike whipped around too late. A small, slim black cat landed on him from above, claws ripping into his fur and skin.
He yowled in pain, rolling to try to crush the smaller cat beneath him. The cat slipped off easily, slicing his side wide open. "Join me, Ice, join the winning side!"
Icestrike recognized that voice instantly; "Scourge!" He hissed, and the Dwellers instantly converged on him, keeping an eye out for ambushers while he focused whole-heartedly on his evil father.
"Never! I will stay loyal to my family and Clan!"
"But how useful is a BLIND cat?"
"Useful enough to fight you!"
Scourge hissed spitefully, leaping at his son. "Join me, and I'll let your sister join me as well!"
"Never!" Icestrike grunted as Scourge nearly clawed his throat. "Then you've sealed your whole family's fate!" Scourge proclaimed, crouching low and digging his claws into the soft turf.
Scourge leaped at the white tom, spinning at the last moment to the side and slashing his leg. Icestrike nearly collapsed, but he stiffened his leg, getting a hit of his own in, marring Scourge's near-perfect side.
"For a blind cat, you are a good fighter." Scourge hissed, "But not good enough!"A Dweller alerted Icestrike to Scourge's shift in stance just before he leaped, something Icestrike wouldn't have caught with his current vision. He ducked, twisting as he did and kicking Scourge with his hind leg, knocking him aside. Instantly, Icestrike leaped onto BloodClan's leader, holding the smaller (But not by much) cat down.
"Ice, Ice, Ice... fighting against your father, what would StarClan say?" Scourge took on a pitying look. "Besides, aren't all StarClan cats perfect? A BLIND cat wouldn't be allowed in, would it?"
Icestrike faltered, his paw raised to give the killing blow. Don't listen to him. Lies pour forth from his mouth, and he is nothing but a no-good mousedung. The Dwellers' words comforted him, but only a little.
Scourge took that moment to wriggle free, slashing Icestrike's stomach as he went. Icestrike doubled over in agony, blood flowing from the large gash.
"Your downfall shall be like that of Tigerstar's!" Scourge hissed. "Thinking you can attack and kill ME, leader of BloodClan!"
Icestrike ignored him, dragging himself to a bush to hide under. Where are the medecine cats?!
I shall try to fetch one. A Star Dweller chirped, floating away through the battlefield.
The other two hovered near, comforting as best they could. Help shall arrive soon...
Dawnfeather raced toward Scourge, fear gnawing at her insides. The white, bloodied lump at the BloodClan leader's feet was none other than her son, Icestrike. My son.
She saw for a brief moment three small, glowing cats hovering about him, then she blinked, and they were gone. StarClan?! If it's StarClan, does that mean he's dead or dying?!
The brief comfort she had gotten plummeted, and she ran harder, faster, leaping at her ex-mate.
She slammed into his side, knocking the breath out of him. Dawnfeather landed hard, breath leaving her as well. She didn't risk a glance at her son as she staggered to her feet, wheezing as she drew in what little air she could.
Scourge was dealing with the same problem, but recovered quicker. He advanced, grinning evilly. "Dawn... my little nightmare... It's been such a long time!"
"Not long... enough!" Dawnfeather spat, sucking in a huge gulp of air all at once. She began coughing. "If you join me, I'll let your daughter live."
"Never! You've already killed my other daughter, and probably my son again!"
"No more ties to ThunderClan. Your son wouldn't join me, so I will just take your daughter by force. It will be useful, having a mede-OOF!" Dawnfeather effectively cut his words off by slamming into him once more. They tangled together in a roiling pile of claws and fangs.
Blood flew, and the two cats seperated for a moment, panting heavily. We're too equal! Dawnfeather thought. We'll never get anywhere!
Scourge was the first to move, and he ran at her, teeth bared. He jumped over her last minute, slashing her hind leg. It collapsed, useless. Dawnfeather yowled, hunching over.
The BloodClan leader grinned and ran at her again, bringing his enforced claws down over her head. Blood flowed from the large gash, and blinded her vision. How does Icestrike do this? She couldn't help but wonder, turning her blind head frantically. Pawsteps sounded in front of her, and she reeled back, not fast enough, however, for teeth clamped shut on her throat.
Dawnfeather had, however, heard his pawsteps and when she leaned back, it prevented Scourge from completely ripping her throat out. But he was slowly biting closer and closer to her jugular. (1)
The she-cat's tail brushed against her mate's, alerting her to his presence behind her. She dodged a paw, ducking sideways rather then back, then leaped over her mate's back, giving his opponent a slash as her mate turned to her opponent.
Once they were both dispatched, the she-cat glanced around. She spotted Scourge, holding down a kicking, struggling white she-cat. Dawn! The she-cat leaped forward, her mate, following close behind. Scourge's prey was getting weaker, evident in the flailing kicks.
"Stop!" The she-cat slammed into Scourge, knocking him off. Scourge rolled out of reach, leaping to his feet, spitting out tufts of bloody white fur. "You! You were killed by that dog!"
The she-cat flicked her tail angrily. "You should have checked!" Her mate hissed angrily, about to follow her into battle. "This is my fight." The she-cat stopped him, and he settled for growling threateningly.
"I survived against the Clans once, I'll do it again!" Scourge howled, hurling himself at the she-cat. She leaped straight up into the air, landing on his body. Claws pricked into his skin, and she slashed furiously at his back and sides, ribboning them into bloody stripes.
Scourge rolled, knocking her off. He managed to score two hits on her, before she leaped out of reach. Scourge was careful to stay facing the she-cat's mate and Dawnfeather. They could rise up unexpectedly, and attack him from behind if he wasn't careful.
"When I kill you," Scourge said, spitting blood out of his mouth. "I'll go after your mate, and Dawn, and Ice and Bird as well! I'll go after the whole Clans, until I die!"
"Then it looks like I'll have to kill you!" The she-cat ran at him, and Scourge readied himself for her dodge. It never came. Instead, she ran straight into him, managing to land on top of him. Her hind paws dug furiously into his stomach, ripping it open. Her front paws held his front paws down, and she hissed at him. "This is for my family, that you terrorized for so long!"
Scourge manged to choke out a sentence as her hind paws held him down and her front paws began slashing. "But... I-I am your... family!"
The she-cat stopped for a moment, ears pinned flat back against her head angrily. "No! You're not MY family. You're no ones." She raised her paw, giving the killing blow to the BloodClan leader.
Her mate grabbed the dead body by the scruff and helped her drag it atop the large rock. "Cats of all Clans!" She yowled. "Scourge is finally dead! He shall plague the Clans no more!"
Joyful yowls rang out, as BloodClan fled once more. Scourge's body was flung from the rock. It crumpled against the ground, looking no more dangerous than a kit.
The she-cat leaped off, and ran to Dawnfeather. She nuzzled the still body. "Dawn?...Mom?"
Dawnfeather heard a achingly familiar voice call her name. Then; "Mom?" Dawnfeather cracked a eye open, taking in the sight of the bloodied she-cat before her. "Am I in StarClan?" Dawnfeather asked quietly.
"No. You're alive!" The she-cat's scent washed over Dawnfeather, and instantly she recognized her. "STORM! My baby, Storm, is alive!" Dawnfeather struggled to her feet, showering Storm's head with frantic, loving licks.
"Mom! I'm fine, it's mostly Scourge's blood." Storm flattened her ears in embarassment. "What about Icestrike?" Storm reminded gently, wrapping her long tail around Dawnfeather's shoulders.
Storm helped her mother limp over to where her son lay, wounds swathed in cobweb and herbs. "Icestrike... your sister... she's alive!"
"Birdpaw?" Icestrike said, clouded eyes staring up blankly. "No. Storm!" Dawnfeather lay down beside her son, exhausted. "Storm! You're... you're alive!" Icestrike tried to sit, but his stomach wouldn't allow it, aand he crumpled down once more.
His eyes had taken on a clearer look, and he stared at Storm. "Look at my little sis... all grown up!"
"And I have a mate." Storm said, motioning the russet tom over with her tail. His yellow eyes shone warmly, though his face remained impassive. "His name is Falcon."
Icestrike nodded respectfully at the russet tom, before turning his attention back to Storm. "Why didn't you come back?" Grief shone through the clouded blue eyes, and Storm shifted uncomfortably. "I was terribly wounded, for one, and for another, I had my own Clan. But I missed my family."
Dawnfeather's eyes shone with unshed tears. "We can talk about this later. Right now, we have to check on Birdpaw, and go get the medecine cats to check us out."
Falcon helped Icestrike stand, while Storm helped Dawnfeather, and, together, they headed for the ThunderClan camp.
A/N: WHHOOO! So, this story will reach to 30, 31 chapters. There will be one after this! Have you enjoyed so far? Please tell me in the reviews!
Were you surprised by Storm's sudden appearance?
May StarClan light your path!