Chapter 13 A Fight to the Death

"No..." Lightpaw meowed horrified.

He looked at Darkpaw and he was just as terrified as Lightpaw. Dasiypetal stepped into the clearing and got into a hunting crouch. An evil gaze and smile could be seen throughout her face.

"With pleasure." Daisypetal meowed.

Moon nodded, but looked to see Lightpaw standing in the way.

"Step aside now apprentice. It's time for you to learn about the fate of rebellioning slave apprentices." she ordered.

Lightpaw glared at the Star Council leader, then looked at Darkpaw. Lightpaw knew he couldn't let his best friend die, but he also had to obey the Star Council. Suddenly, Lightpaw had this idea that could work, but it was a crazy plan. He leaned towards Darkpaw's ear and pretended to intimidate him.

"Okay Darkpaw, i'm going to do something so crazy that my dad will possibly kill me for this." Lightpaw whispered.

Darkpaw looked at him; scared and was praying to Starclan for help.

"What's your plan?" he asked.

"You'll see, just play along okay?" Lightpaw asked.

"Lightpaw I..I don't wanna die." Darkpaw meowed scared.

"Don't worry you won't I promise." Lightpaw assured.

Darkpaw nodded and Lightpaw backed a few feet away from him. Lightpaw glared at Moon, then at Daisypetal. Moon smirked and flicked her tail for Daisypetal to attack. She got into her hunting crouch, then pounced at Darkpaw. Suddenly, Daisypetal heard a yowl coming to her direction; it was Lightpaw. He pounced at her, bit the back of her neck, and clawed her side, back, and chest with his front and back claws. Daisypetal landed on her back with Lightpaw on top of her; snarling and baring his teeth at her.

"You little rat! How dare you disobey the Star Council!" Daisypetal hissed.

"I rather disobey them then let you kill my friend." Lightpaw snarled.

"Word to the wise cat. I'm a clan deputy and you're just an apprentice!" Daisypetal sneered.

She kicked Lightpaw off of her and tried to get up, but Lightpaw landed on his paws and pounced at Daisypetal; this time landing on her back, clawing her side, and bit her belly. Both cats rolled to the ground; fighting, clawing, and biting each other's fur off. Daisypetal kicked Lightpaw off again, only this time she laid down; gasping and catching her breath. Lightpaw landed on his paws and turned around; ready to attack if Daisypetal moved.

"Pull yourself together Daisypetal, you fight like a kittypet!" Moon yowled.

She was enraged, furious, and angry. How dare an apprentice disobey direct orders to stand back?! It just didn't make sense that a warrior apprentice would risk his own life to save a worthless slave apprentice... why? Why risk it?... Perhaps, not all light-pelt cats were as obedient, discriminating, or cold-hearted as she thought. Whitestar, Cloudberry and Darkpaw stared in horror at the sight, pro-slave and anti-slave cats yowled for the fighting to end, and the Star Council members pleaded Lightpaw and Daisypetal to stop fighting. Daisypetal got up; bleeding from the scratches and exhausted from the fighting, but was ready to fight again. However, Whitestar stepped forward.

"No Daisypetal, this fight is over. Moon we're leaving, I will not let you do this again! Lightpaw carry Darkpaw out of here. Lightclan we're leaving!" he yowled.

Daisypetal stiffened up and joined Whitestar and Cloudberry, but before anyone else could move, Moon leaped down and pounced at Lightpaw. He pounced and bit Moon's back. Lightpaw clawed her sides as both cats landed on the ground. Moon kicked him off and went straight towards Darkpaw. He stared at her terrified. Lightpaw got up and ran straight towards Moon. He leaped at her and did the unthinkable. Everyone gasped in horror; even Lightpaw was terrified at the sight. Moon stood there; her head was bleeding and blood was dripping from her ear to the ground. There was a small puddle for Moon to see and what she saw shook her to her core. Lightpaw had unintentionally (and didn't mean too) tore off her left ear and clawed her left eye. Moon was at her breaking point.

"I am going to KILL YOU APPRENTICE!" She screeched.

Moon leaped at Lightpaw and pinned him down. He kicked her off and tried to get back up, but Moon recovered quickly and leaped at Lightpaw again; this time grabbing him by the scruff. Moon shook him violently until throwing him into the clearing of cats. Lightpaw landed hard on the ground and was slowly trying to get up.

"L-Lightpaw?" Darkpaw stuttered.

Cats in the crowd stared in horror at the sight. They looked at Moon who only had a deep glare of rage and was catching her breath. Finally, she bared her teeth.

"Snaketooth, knock him out now." Moon ordered.

He hesitated; fear was in his eyes. To tell you the truth, Snaketooth had never felt this afraid in all his life. True he never liked Lightpaw, but he would never anger Whitestar by hurting his son. Snaketooth looked Whitestar; his expression gave a warning look not to, then looked at Moon. Her expression showed seriousness and hesitation wasn't an option. Snaketooth looked back at Lightpaw and raised his paw; claws sheathed. He then whacked Lightpaw's head; not hard enough to kill him or hurt him and was knocked unconscious. Moon gave a satisfied look.

"Move." she ordered.

Cats got out of her way as Moon went and grabbed Lightpaw by the neck. She carried him from the crowd to under her seat. Moon pinned Lightpaw down with one paw on his neck (claws unsheathed) and another paw in the air with its claws unsheathed; ready to take the killing blow. Moon looked at Whitestar; his expression full of fear for the worst.

"Alright Whitestar, i'm going to give you a chance to redeem yourself. Either kill the slave apprentice or I kill your son. Your choice!" Moon meowed.

Whitestar stared in horror and disbelief. These two choices were nearly impossible to make. If Whitestar killed Darkpaw, there was no way his son would ever forgive him, but if he didn't kill Darkpaw and Lightpaw dies, Whitestar could never forgive himself. Plus, another reason he didn't want to kill Darkpaw, was because Whitestar would be like his father if he did. Pondstar was the leader of Lightclan before his mate Snowstar and his son Whitestar and lets just say he wasn't like his son. Pondstar supported the slave law and he would often beat or kill any slave that simply made him mad or just for fun. When he died of greencough, Whitestar vowed that he would never be like his father, but now...now he was given an impossible choice; kill Darkpaw and Lightpaw is saved or don't kill Darkpaw and Lightpaw dies. Cloudberry tried to sneak up on Moon, but was caught in a matter of minutes.

"Don't even think about it Cloudberry. Now Whitestar, make your choice, my patience is thinning." Moon hissed.

Cloudberry looked to see if anyone would help, but nobody moved. Everyone was too scared to move; they didn't want to loose a warrior apprentice. Despite most cats disliking Lightpaw, some didn't want to loose him to a mad cat. Whitestar felt, defeat, regret, and sorrow for what he was about to do. He walked up to Darkpaw; his expression full of fear. Whitestar raised his paw; claws unsheathed and tears forming in his eyes.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered.

And just like that, Whitestar slashed Darkpaw's throat; blood sprayed on Whitestar's face and chest. Darkpaw choked on his blood; gasping to breath. The more and more he tried to get up, Darkpaw couldn't breath. Whitestar looked away helplessly; not wanting to see or feel the pain Darkpaw was in. After a few moments, everything was silent. Whitestar looked at Darkpaw's body; blood was coming out of his throat and mouth, a pool of blood was underneath him, Darkpaw's eyes were open like staring into space and a tear had shed from his eye to his cheek. Whitestar started to cry; he wanted to plead for Starclan to heal Darkpaw's body and bring him back, he wanted to scream at Moon for making him do this and order her to let go of his son, but he knew those two things would never happen. Moon was in charge and as long as she was, Moon wasn't going to back down. Whitestar wiped away his tears and turned to retrieve his son. Moon gave a smirk.

"Good choice." she grunted.

Whitestar glared at her, but didn't say anything. He grabbed his son by scruff and left the cave. Icetuft grabbed Darkpaw's body, cats started leaving the cave, Cloudberry gave one last glare at Moon, then followed Whitestar out of the cave. Wolfpaw nudged Brightpaw to follow the others, but she just sat there; staring horrified at what she just saw. Brightpaw felt like a monster. The plan was to trick Snaketooth into thinking that Darkpaw took his rabbit and he would get in trouble and would be punished, but Brightpaw never wanted him dead. Brightpaw started crying as Wolfpaw guided her to the entrance. As Whitestar and Cloudberry walked down the hill back to camp, words of the prophecy repeated in Whitestar's mind.

"If white stone crushes the dark, then light will claw the white stone and chose a path of light or dark." it echoed.

Whitestar couldn't help but think that this would be Lightclan's demise; that Lightpaw might chose the path of darkness and cause death and destruction. If only that was the case. Whitestar continued heading back to camp without saying anything. Wind blew his fur as he looked up at the sky. A new shining star had joined Starclan. Whitestar looked down upset as wind blew his fur once more.

"Whitestar what have you done?" Riverstripe meowed.