Duskrose gasped. "D-Darksight?" The black she-cat turned her sharp eyes towards her, her gaze softening.

"Duskrose," Darksight whispered. "I'm so sorry." Then, nodding as Rip flicked his tail, Darksight lunged forward and smashed Duskrose to the ground. Duskrose shrieked in pain as Darksight dug her claws into her shoulders.

Her eyes met Darksight's eyes, and she saw regret in Darksight's eyes. Every cat around screeched. Other rogues began flowing out like a river. "I told you that cat could not be trusted!" Specklestar hissed over the screams.

Duskrose took in one deep breath and shoved Darksight off her body, and summoned her power. She turned invisible and dashed towards Rip. 

Rip didn't see her. He was busy cackling away. Duskrose snarled and lunged at him, clawing his throat. Rip gasped as he was thrown off balance. A cat that was mottled black and white hissed at Duskrose. The deputy rogue. Duskrose thought.

Rip suddenly recovered. He leaped up and slammed a paw into Duskrose's chest, sending her flying into a tree trunk.

Her mind went dark, her head dizzy. She lay there, motionless, too stunned to move. Rip loomed over her, sneering as he was about to give the final blow.

"Get off her!" A loud hiss sounded, and purple energy surrounded Rip. Otterdawn appeared, slashing at her enemies, and at the same time, smashing Rip into the ground a lot of times. 

Duskrose scrambled up to her feet and saw lightning arc across the sky, zapping lots of rogues at once. "For the Clans!" Cricketpaw shrieked. Lots of rogues crumbled to ashes. Duskrose turned invisible and slashed her claws across the rogue deputy's neck, sending scarlet beads of blood flying everywhere. Then she smashed into a white rogue at full speed, sending him flying into the air.

But all of their efforts weren't enough. 

There were too many rogues. 

Many warriors were already lying on the ground, their eyes blank, their necks ripped open, spilling a puddle of red. 

Duskrose's heart clenched as she recognized a body on the ground.  Birchfur... Birchfur's brown fur stood up in tufts, several patches ripped out. Birchfur was one of her friends... And he...

She broke into sobs, crouching next to him.

A rogue lunged for her. Duskrose knew that she had given her location away by letting her tears drip onto the ground. 

The rogue suddenly was surrounded by a purple aura and was thrown into the air. Otterdawn called, "Duskrose! Get up!"

Duskrose grit her teeth and slashed away. Fur ripped, ears clawed. Duskrose knew that she had a wound on her shoulder and it was fresh. Red swirled down onto her forepaws, leading to the ground. But then the blood on the ground turned golden.

Duskrose looked at the golden patch for a second and continued fighting. She ducked and swiped, and she managed to think. Why did my blood turn golden? When my blood hit the ground the sun got brighter... She looked up to the sky. There was a big cloud, shaped like a giant star.

StarClan.

Realization hit her. Her blood was helping StarClan! But Duskrose knew that StarClan was losing control, its power fading. It was nearly over for the clans.

"It's over." She moaned. 

"Yes, it is!" Rip loomed over her, looking battered and hurt, but he still looked strong. "You see?" He pointed his muzzle towards the sky. "Your StarClan is fading. They will be turned into BloodClan. The clouds will turn red forever, and the whole world will be mine!" 

"No!" A blur of orange and rainbow smashed into him. 

Rip scrambled up, his claws sending fallen leaves flying. His gaze landed on Rainbowtail. "You traitor! Rainbow!" He raised his paw up to strike her, but Rainbowtail knocked him aside.

"Oh, Rip." She sighed, dodging all of his movements. "I am not Rainbow. I am Rainbowtail." She accented the last word and smashed him into the ground. 

Duskrose stood up, wanting to help Rainbowtail, but Rainbowtail waved her off, signaling,  I can finish him off on my own.

Rainbowtail pressed Rip's muzzle into the ground. Rip muffled something. Rainbowtail hissed, "you've held me captive for so long. Now I can have my revenge." She reached out and snagged her teeth around his throat.

There was a crack.

Rip's eyes flashed with anger, shock, and sadness before they went blank.

Rainbowtail looked up, her face wet with Rip's blood. Duskrose stepped back, horrified. "Let's go." Rainbowtail wiped her face, wiping the red off. Then she motioned Duskrose and together they plunged into the remaining remnants of battle.