261Chester- Thank you for your review.

(Disclaimer- I don't own the title. I got it from a song, but it seemed fitting for this chapter, so yeah.)

Right is always right, right is always right, Thunder told himself.

Sure, it was an illogical saying, but he didn't have any other way of guessing where he was going.

What if I'm just heading away?

The longer he was gone his Clan could be slaughtered.

If only I had Wind Runner or Gorse Fur with me!

Gray Wing had taught him how to use tunnels in the middle of his apprenticeship, but through his anxiousness and everything else that had been going on, he forgot it all.

Suddenly, there was a growl and Thunder froze as a badger lumbered out of the darkness.

"Nice badger…?" He said uncertainly.

It roared and he bolted, fur bristling. Definitely not a nice badger!

Then he came upon another split and looked from one tunnel to the next. One had darker soil meaning it was damp while the other was dry.

He finally remembered something Gray Wing had taught him. The damp one could mean a cave-in.

But it looked like it was the right one. His instinct said so.

Sorry, Gray Wing.

Hopefully he got out of this alive.

He plunged into the damp tunnel and squelched his way through it. To his relief he could feel himself going up a slope and soon he burst out into the open air.

He did it! He stood right outside the camp.

Plumclaw and Larksplash were on guard. The smaller gray she-cat narrowed her eyes at him.

"What're you doing here?"

For a moment as he was triumphant upon finding the camp, he had forgotten the danger of his family and friends, but now it all came rushing back and he felt the familiar crushing and heart-stopping feeling that it was his fault they were at a war.

"He-help!" He yowled. "We need help!"

"What?" Larksplash leaped to her paws. "What's wrong?"

Thunder didn't have time to explain. He needed to ask Tallstar to spare some warriors for back up.

He rushed forward and the she-cats' eyes widened in alarm as he barged past. He burst into the camp. It was night, so of course the Clan was asleep. All of the other Clans were enjoying a peaceful, normal night of sleep while SkyClan and ThunderClan were fighting to the death with families waiting back at home anxiously for them to return.

"Hey!" Plumclaw raced in after him.

"HELP!"

At his panicked yowl cats burst out of their dens, looking around wildly.

"Ah! Whazz going on?" The apprentice, Gorsepaw, exclaimed, blue eyes wide.

"Who's attacking?" The warrior Mudclaw, yowled, unsheathing his claws.

"I smell blood!" That was Barkface barging through the crowd. He spotted Thunder's blood-streaked form, eyes widening in shock. "What happened to you?"

The rest of the Clan noticed and started looking worried and wary.

"ThunderClan!" Thunder yowled desperately. He could barely talk, trembling in fear and from his run.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tallstar finally appeared pushing through. He gasped at the sight of Thunder.

"ThunderClan!" The ginger tom repeated. "They ambushed us at Four Trees when all we wanted was a peaceful meeting!"

Some cats gasped and started whispering while others looked grim.

Tallstar's eyes darkened. "Thistlestar!" He hissed. "That dirty foxheart!"

"Please! You have to help my Clan! We were unprepared! Some of my clanmates are already dead!"

"Of course," Tallstar said sharply as if offended, Thunder thought he would refuse to help. He started picking warriors quickly much to Thunder's relief and started towards the entrance.

"Aw, I wanted to go," Gorsepaw whined. "It would've been my first fight." He was following his mother, Morningflower, who was on the patrol behind eager Mudclaw, who looked ready for a fight.

"No, this is serious, Gorsepaw. Cats are dying! Stay here and guard camp!" The tortoiseshell snapped, but her blue eyes showed fear as she stared at her kit. Clearly, she didn't want him to fight ThunderClan.

And who would? It's only because we're SkyClan. Thistlestar just lives to loathe us.

Thunder was anxious to get back, so he sped ahead, but as expected the WindClan warriors kept up.

But as they neared Four Trees, he realized how eerily quiet it was. Thunder's heart pounded and he even out passed some of the WindClan cats as he neared the rim.

What he saw when he peeked forward made him freeze in horror, his blood felt like it was literally turned to ice.

NO!

Jagged Peak paced back and forth across the clearing, his crippled leg not hurting at all. Raven Hope and Cinder Flower crouched nearby whispering, eyes bright with worry. Cloud Spots was in his den, preparing herbs and Jagged Peak was even more convinced there would be a battle. The apprentices also crouched outside their den, looking worried while the kits were asleep in the nursery.

I wished I'd gone with them. Will my brothers be okay? Fire Heart? Rainswept Flower?

If the meeting went well he would see all his friends again, no big deal. Even Jackdaw's Cry would be sent home to them from ThunderClan.

We just have to wait… he thought, looking up as the moon went down and the sun rose.

Thistlestar walked beside a crying Frostfur as Brackenfur dragged his dead brother's body along. Graystripe was behind them.

"Can you give him a warrior name, please?" Brackenfur suddenly asked. He had stopped setting Thornpaw's body down. "He worked so hard."

"He's already dead," Thistlestar snorted, but he was mildly impressed he was the only casualty on ThunderClan's side. He smirked. I can't speak for SkyClan though.

But Brackenfur didn't back down, staring at him with pleading eyes. Brightpaw, who was pressed against her mother's side, looked up with wide eyes as well.

"Fine," he muttered. He looked down at the golden tabby and murmured, "I name you Thornclaw." He pressed his nose to the young tom's head and stalked ahead.

Spottedleaf rushed out to greet them along with the queens and elders. He noticed the tortoiseshell's dismayed look at the sight of Thornclaw's body, but quickly shook it off and started rushing around to assess the wounds.

Thistlestar looked around, noticing Graystripe and Willowpelt hadn't arrived yet. Runningwind was looking subdued for some reason and kept brushing off his sister, who kept whispering to him.

Thistlestar took a deep breath, finally feeling satisfied that their~his revenge plan had carried through until the end. He remembered Gray Wing sending Thunder off to get help.

What he would give to see the ginger tom's face when he returned to Four Trees.

I hope your satisfied, he said to the faded spirit next to him. The spirit smirked with some emotion in its eyes that he couldn't understand.

Oh, I am, it answered back.

Thunder barely heard the horrified gasps behind him. After a moment of being frozen in which Barkface, who had come along for any injuries, had rushed forward, Thunder managed to slide down into the hollow, but his paws didn't feel like his own.

His clanmates lay in pools of blood as if dead, but as he looked closer he saw some sides rising and falling. Soon Fire Heart staggered to his paws and Thunder felt hope as more followed suit.

But then his heart dropped again. He knew Fircone, Frost and Falling Feather had died, but Rainswept Flower lay dead too. And…

"Hawk Swoop!" He cried and rushed over to the orange tabby, who lay still, green eyes staring at nothing.

Morningflower padded up to his side and pressed her cheek against Hawk Swoop before saying softly, "she's with StarClan now."

Thunder shook and tears fell down his face. He barely felt Morningflower give him comforting licks.

"I'll always be here if you need me," Hawk Swoop purred, green eyes gentle as she brushed her tail over Thunder's back.

After Thunder had told his story of his time in ThunderClan, he hadn't been able to fall asleep.

What if Thistlestar comes after me?

Hawk Swoop had come in and told him story after story about her tribe ancestors. They were nice and peaceful. He soon felt his eyelids droop and then she moved away, saying these words.

"You said you'd always be here," Thunder whispered, pressing his nose to her flank. "And now you're gone…"

He curled up beside her, his vision blurry with tears. Her blood soaked his orange fur more than his own.

He closed his eyes to blink the tears away.

After a while, he got up and looked around more. His heart jolted when he realized Lightning Tail and Acorn Fur were missing.

Just as he thought this, they burst into Four Trees with Cloud Spots at their tails. The white-patched black tom stared around in horror before he raced around to help Yellowfang, Barkface, and Dappled Pelt.

A small body crashed through the bushes after them and Thunder blinked as Pebble Heart appeared.

"Pebble Heart? What're you doing here?" Gray Wing called.

"Yeah, get outta here, kit," Barkface, who was nearest, shooed him away. He watched the apprentice as if expecting him to run out of the hollow, screaming as Pebble Heart hesitated, eyes wide.

Instead, the gray tabby shook himself and raced to Cloud Spots asking where he could help. By the surprise on the black tom's face it was obvious he hadn't ordered Pebble Heart to come at all.

Thunder then noticed Barkface standing over Leaf, who's eyes were half closed and he raced over, heart pounding. "Leaf!" He yowled.

His amber eyes shot open and he sighed in relief. "I'm…okay…" he managed to rasp.

"Someone got his throat but not deep enough to kill," Barkface explained as he wrapped the wound. "And he needs to rest his throat or it'll definitely harm him."

Thunder crouched by their side, not taking his eyes off his mentor.

Fire Heart watched Yellowfang approach Frost. "May you rest in StarClan," she murmured, bowing her head to her closest friend after Fire Heart.

Fire Heart's heart ached at the sight of his usually tough friend, grieving.

He looked around. Skystar, who had lost a life, thanks to Tigerclaw, crouched down as Dappled Pelt checked him over. Gray Wing sat by him.

His eyes caught Rainswept Flower's body and he tensed, remembering Thistlestar attacking her before he had passed out.

Thistlestar stalked up to Rainswept Flower, who had just sent Longtail running. "Why don't you go back to your mountains, tribe kitty?"

"No!" She spat. "StarClan destined us to be the fifth Clan! You can't argue with them!"

Thistlestar had snorted at the mention of StarClan. "Last chance."

"No! You greedy fool! What's wrong with you? What did we ever do to you?"

Fire Heart tensed as Thistlestar lunged forward, jaws locking around the back of her neck. He tensed ready to spring, but Thistlestar had already twisted his head, making her neck snap.

"No!" He launched forward at the same time as Gray Wing, but it was already done.

Fire Heart shook his head as Tallstar and Deadfoot approached with some of his other warriors.

"Should we bury them on the moor?" He asked.

"Yes, I don't think we should bury them on a truce land," Skystar answered, limping forward.

Fire Heart's eye caught an orange tabby pelt and he choked. "Hawk Swoop?"

He stumbled forward when Lightning Tail, who had been bowed over his mother's body asked, "Where's Jackdaw's Cry?"

Fire Heart looked around wildly for his best friend, but couldn't see him.

"He-he's on the moor," Thunder meowed. "I don't know what happened to him. He saved me from Runningwind and Mousefur."

Fire Heart burst forward and raced out of Four Trees. He spotted a black shape on the ground and dashed over to it. He would mourn Hawk Swoop later, but if Jackdaw's Cry was still alive, he needed help right away.

He skidded to a halt by his friend's side and to his relief his blue eyes flickered open. He cracked a weak smile. "Fire…"

"Hey Jackdaw's Cry," Fire Heart meowed gently. "Let me get help." He turned to leave when Jackdaw's Cry called him back.

"Hey, listen to me because I don't have enough strength," the black tom said. "When I first saw you…I thought you looked like a cat on fire."

Fire Heart blinked. Was he seriously joking now when he was bleeding to death? He needed to get help right now as they spoke!

"I'm so glad you came to the Clan," Jackdaw's Cry continued on more seriously. "Falling Feather was kinda boring and me and Hawk Swoop needed another cat to complete our trio."

"Yeah, me too. Now le–"

"Stop." He halted. "I'm also glad I saved Thunder. I can tell that cat will go far one day."

What?

"He has so much faith in cats…even those who don't deserve it…or are just too scared to admit it…"

Who was he talking about? What was he talking about?

Fire Heart knew he needed help now because he was just rambling.

"Please, let me get a medicine cat," he said. Jackdaw's Cry hesitated and stared at the sky and Fire Heart felt a jolt. Was he dead? He breathed a sigh of relief when he focused on Fire Heart again, but he was trembling.

"No," he said, tears coming down slowly as he finally reached his breaking point. "You can't get help. I have to go."

"No!" Fire Heart cried. Not after Hawk Swoop!

"Yes. But I died a proud warrior. I saved a clanmate and I feel I did the right things…just take care of Hawk Swoop and the kits, will you?"

Fire Heart trembled, tears streaming down his face. He doesn't know she's dead… he just nodded. He didn't need to know that right now.

He had to accept it was the end for him.

"Ar-are you scared?" He asked, voice trembling.

At first Jackdaw's Cry shook his head 'no' but then he started crying more and saying, "yes. I'm really scared."

"I'm sorry…" Fire Heart whispered. "I wasn't there for you when you were imprisoned and I wasn't here for you now."

"Don't blame….yourself…I said I was happy by the choices I made…I did it for SkyClan." Jackdaw's Cry closed his eyes as his breathing started to get slower.

"StarClan will welcome you," Fire Heart said. "And you don't have to be scared. You're the best warrior there is…"

Jackdaw's Cry nodded slightly. "I-I love you, Fire Heart."

Fire Heart shook more and tears blurred his vision for a moment as he blinked them away. "I love you too."

He pressed his nose to his friend's black fur and stayed there as the sun went down, listening to his slow breaths.

And then he stopped breathing.