Battle for Dominance

Nightfrost waited calmly, watching forest that once protected him now hiding his enemies. The breeze coming from the forest did not help. Bone stepped beside him.

Soon, Willie and his group padded from the shadows of the forest. The current leader of Bloodclan glanced at them, and in a icy tone, "So you're here for your death, traitor?"

Nightfrost's blue eyes narrowed icily. "No, I'm here to reclaim what I should not have given away."

Willie curled his lip. "We'll see."

Willie stared at his friend, memories filling his mind. The dark tabby remembered the times they had spend together. The first time they meet each other was on a fence. Willie talked to the white tom, not knowing he was deaf to begin with. He spoke of the time when he was a kit during Scourge's time. His father had been grateful, being one of the weaker cats in the alleys. Willie, like the other kits in Bloodclan, was raised by his mother. His mother had always spoken highly of Scourge, filing the kit with admiration.

As soon as he grew old enough, he started hunting for himself, sometimes defending himself if he had to at first. He soon found joy in dominating others. At first, he was attacking an older tom, who thought his experience could overcome his strength. At first, he didn't understand why he found joy in dominating. But eventually, he would forget about the nagging feeling, telling him that something was wrong as cats continue to challenge him.

Many of his friends left him. Only a few of them decided to stay with him: Minty, his mate; his three friends, Tess, Snapper and Pounce. After those times, he would sometimes wander for a while, never at the same place except to Scourge's alley. He had greatly admired Scourge, so it came as a shock to him the day Scourge made that announcement. With Bloodclan gone, the city turned upside down. Without Scourge's guards watching the alleys, cats started to join in separate groups, killing each other for food or for territory. A few of them wanted to be leader, trying to bring Bloodclan back, and Willie was one of them. It was around that time did he meet Blizzard. It won't be until much later that Willie would learn from Minty that Blizzard was deaf.

The leader turned to the trees at the different scent the breeze was bringing, away from his memories.

"I know you're there!" the Bloodclan leader called. "Come and give me your answer."

Firestar stepped out of the safety of the bushes.

"Greetings," he purred. "Have you decided to leave? Or do you presume you can fight against Bloodclan like them?" He raised a paw to Nightfrost and his group.

"We don't have to fight," Firestar replied steadily."We will let you go back to Twolegplace in peace. With my brother."

Willie curled his lip. "Go back? With that traitor? No, this is our home now."

"The forest is ours," Firestar told the black cat. "We rule here by the will of Starclan."

"Starclan? So that is your belief? Bloodclan, attack!" Willie yowled, racing forward.

"Lionclan, attack!" Firestar yowled. Both sides surged towards each other, with Nightfrost's group in the middle. The black tom dodged Willie's frontal attack before gaving one final yowl to the battle. "Attack!"

Bone and the others raced forward. Nightfrost dodged another swipe from the enraged tom. Willie was wearing the toothed collar and dog teeth on his claws, adding power to the swipes. Nightfrost dodged another swipe. The black tom pushed Willie as the bigger tom rushed pass, using the dark tabby's momentum to force him to the ground. As Willie rolled, Nightfrost jumped after him with claws unsheathed. He landed on Willie's side. Nightfrost clawed as much as he could before Willie pushed him.

Blood dripped from Willie's wounds, making the tom stagger. The tom snarled, his eyes glinting darkly in the sunlight. Nightfrost dodged again. The black tom almost sign in disappointment. This battle is almost too easy. Perhaps it was Willie's rage, blinding him. Nightfrost whipped out another blow, clawing the muzzle. Willie only growled. Nightfrost was about to let out the final blow to the head when another collared cat tackled him.

A bi-colored cat, Snipe, growled, snapping his jaws near his neck. Nightfrost hit one of his forepaws, putting Snipe off balance. The small tom slipped away from the other tom's hold. Snipe fell on his side. Nightfrost gave him a hard hit to the head, killing him. Willie growled as he saw his second-in-command fall.

"What? He was too weak in be in Bloodclan. Isn't that what Bloodclanners normally think?" Nightfrost taunted, watching Willie bristle with rage.

"You brought us up like this!" Willie snarled, blood dripping from his chin.

Nightfrost nodded, somewhat regretfully. "That's true. I'll admit that what I did was something should not have been done. I'm changing so I won't make the same mistake. I'm remembering so I won't end up doing the same thing. And I'm making a point of it, since you're clinging to the past while I have moved on."

Willie growled and tackled him. Nightfrost meet him midair, rearing on his hindpaws. The black tom was pushed to his back, by using his paws and Willie's momentum to push him away from his belly. Willie landed on the grass. Nightfrost took the chance to jump on his back. He dug his claws into the pelt, ripping away at the dark fur. Willie screeched and rolled to his back.

Nightfrost jumped away. Willie rolled back to his paws and leap at him. This time, Nightfrost stayed there, waiting for the right moment to strike. He let his white paw out, slash at his stomach. Willie dropped to the ground, not rising. For a second, Nightfrost thought Willie was dead, until he notice the chest was still rising and falling. Willie cough, spattering blood on the grass.

"Please leave my kits alone..." Willie pleaded. Nightfrost widen his eyes. "Minty...is bearing my kits..." The former leader continued, blood dripping from his mouth.

Nightfrost nodded. "I will treat just like any other kit."

Willie smiled before letting out one last cough. His body stilled. Nightfrost turned to the battle. Darkstripe's body lay on the ground, dead for good riddance. Violet and Barley fought against Ice and Snake. White was with the apprentices, fighting next to her sister, Nightpaw. It wasn't till a little while one of the Bloodclan cats glanced his way, eyes wide of horror.

"Willie!" the cat gasped. "No-no...Willie! Willie is dead!"

As the cry rose above the screeches of battling cats, Nightfrost saw the rogues of Bloodclan falter and stop fighting. As they realized that they had lost their leader, they turned and fled. They were no longer fearsome fighters, but ordinary cats who had no place in the forest. All their menace was gone, and with a cry of triumph the forest cats surged after them and chased them out of the hollow. The forest belonged to Starclan and the four clans once again.

Readers sure can be quiet these days. Not really that surprising though.