"Pain is temporary. Victory is forever."

~•~•~•~•~

"Archangel is dead."

When those words slipped off the edge of Swiftspeck's mouth, Dimstar eyes widened in utter shock. His heart beat slowed and his mouth corners curled into a slight smile of hope and faith. His eyes watered at the sense of joy that now began to burn beneath him, his claws unsheathing for the first time in a long time.

The leader's form turned to follow the gaze of every cat towards Swiftspeck. The tom stood with his chin tilted towards the sky and his eyes burning with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction with the current situation. Dimstar gaze scanned the area around Swiftspeck, expecting Archangel's body to be by him.

But that was when Swiftspeck sidestepped to reveal a sight that made Dimstar's jaws gap in absolute horror and shock. His heart drummed against his chest and he took a shakey paw step forward. The scene felt as if a thorn was released from the agonizing spot of being trapped in his paw pad. Relieving. But it also would continue to bleed, leaving a stinging mixture of relief and pain. The blood would drip and leave Dimstar horrified no matter what.

What murder would never be found horrifying?

Archangel's body was sprawling out, his fur streaked with crimson and his eyes still wide with terror but foggy and distant. His flank no longer heaved with every breath that he took while torturing EchoClan and reigning over all. His claws were sheathed and his mouth were shut. For once the tyrant was no harm to EchoClan, but only because he could do no harm. Archangel would never take another breath and never lacerate another cat's skin ever again.

A silvery item was stabbed into the tyrant's chest, blood seeping rapidly from the wound. Dimstar's eyes narrowed at the terrifying, agonizing way that death was delivered to the white tom. That was when the russet leader's eyes skimmed up to eye the cat that stood proudly beside Archangel's limp form.

The cat's eyes were set ablaze with a prodigious amount of pride and satisfaction in the murder. Their head was tilted towards the sky with their eyelids squeezed together. Their flank expanded out and then in slowly as their gaze opened back up and their head fell to meet the gaze of Dimstar. Their black and white fur stood up towards the sky and they nodded slowly towards Dimstar.

Dimstar nodded slowly back towards the tom. The one who used to be just an innocent, cautious apprentice. The tom who used to work closely amongst his family and always fear the sight of blood which now stained his fur. The tom who used to have a significant amount of love in Dimstar's own son, Quailchaser.

"S-Splashsky?" Dimstar stuttered, a lump knotted in his throat. He swallowed it away and breathed in a sharp intake of breath. "You did this?"

The black and white tom's ears flattened against the back of his head. He nodded slowly, glancing back down at Archangel's limp body. "He was weak from the battle with you. I managed to see him escaping to the medicine cat den, but I knew I couldn't just pin him down and easily kill him so swiftly. I happened to find a piece of Twoleg scrap they happened to have by the dirt place," Splashsky explained, a growl rumbling in his throat. "He deserved all the agony and suffering he received. He took EchoClan, he killed Waspstar, and he killed the love of my life. Vengeance has been delivered, and this battle is over."

Dimstar's ears perked when the frozen cats began to scatter and move yet again. The remaining cats that hadn't fled from Archangel's side were beginning to scramble towards the exit of the camp, some limping and others barely being able to move at all. A growl began to erupt from the pits of Dimstar's throat and he went to turn around and launch himself after the cats until a tail landed on his shoulder.

The russet tabby turned to eye Birdcry, the battered and sorrowful she-cat shaking her head lightly. "It's okay, Dimstar. It is already over," She told him lightly and placidly.

Dimstar took a deep breath in, struggling to make his heart rate slow down. The russet tabbies gaze then turned to watch Birdcry pad towards her son, the two pressing their muzzle together and shutting their eyes as if they were in sync with their emotions. A frown sunk onto Dimstar's face when his gaze turned to eye where Minktalon lay limp in the center of camp.

But Minktalon's body wasn't the only one laying in the center of camp now.

Snowblaze, Flamepetal, and Slap were moving three other bodies into the center of camp. When setting the limp forms down beside Minktalon's, Slap collapsed to the ground and burried his muzzle into the limp cat's fur. Flamepetal and Snowblaze watched, their heads bowed.

No....No, Dimstar panicked, his breathing becoming heavy and swift yet again. His steps were slow towards the center of camp, the path before him blurry as blood dripped into his vision from his open wounds. His eyes squeezed shut when he arrived at the scene, struggling to hold back a brewing storm of melancholy that erupted inside of him for the loss of three other cats.

Twistedmoon. The she-cat who remained loyal to her Clan ever since birth and fought with honor and pride.

Redcloud. The tom who worked alongside Dimstar and Breezestorm faithfully and served his Clan greatly.

Snakeleap. The original deputy, helper and close friend to Dimstar, and Slap's mate.

(And Dickpelt ;)) )

All three cat's bodies laid sprawled out beside Minktalon's, their eyes shut and no smiles no longer plastered over their visage. Slap pressed up against his mate's deceased body. His slim build shook with every sob that escaped him, his muzzle shuffling through Snakeleap's pelt. A sigh escaped Dimstar and he stepped forward, touching his tail to Slap's shoulder.

"Slap, I'm sorry this happened, we all are. Snakeleap died in honor of EchoClan though. He fought well to defend our Clan and rid of Archangel and his mindless rats," Dimstar reminded Slap in a low, soft tone. "We have to leave back to camp now. Get ready to carry the bodies-"

"No."

Dimstar's eyes widened at the very gruff, broken voice Slap gave when he spoke up. The small tom turned and his gaze met Dimstar's, the russet leader's teeth clenching when he stared into Slap's wet, foggy eyes. Slap shook his head lightly and began to protest against his leader serenely.

"We must stay here right now, even for just a few moments. This clanmates of ours deserve to be honored right now on the spot of where they sacrificed their lives for our victory and EchoClan's home and freedom back. The cats whom battled beside them, us all right here, we must take a brief moment to honor these Clanmates of ours before we head back to the rebel camp. Please Dimstar, just a little bit. They need to be honored for their sacrifice while the sun is beginning to set, because the sun isn't the light that carved this path for us, it was them."

Dimstar was frozen in his tracks for a second at Slap's words. All of the cats from EchoClan who engaged in the battle began to circle around the old family members of theirs' that lay in the center of camp. Every cat's gaze was focused on Dimstar though, awaiting their leader's decision.

After a few moments of overwhelming silence, Dimstar lifted his head to eye the setting sun in the distance and nodded curtly. "You are right Slap, thank you, but we can't be long. We have families back at our old camp as well who may be worried if we don't make it back soon enough. Every cat! May we take our time to honor those who we have lost in the blurr of battle today?"

The cats of the battle's heads fell into a dip of appreciation towards Dimstar. They all stepped closer, pressing in tight to where their pelt's brushed against one another's. Flamepetal sat on one side of Dimstar, her head laying against her father's shoulder with her ears drawn back. On the other side sat Splashsky, his head lowered and his eyes pressed shut.

They loss four cats important to their Clan. Three cats who sacrificed their lives to help let EchoClan win this war in the end. All of them would throw themselves in front of any of their Clanmates to save them from harm, showing how loyal and courageous they all were. All three cat's had kin within this Clan and played an important role in shaping EchoClan into such a profound, exsquisite family that would always defend and serve for one another. They all fought for not only the meaning of vengeance and pride, but for the meaning of freedom and calamity.

Dimstar's head lifted while every cat's head was bowed and their eyes were shut as they respectfully honored the loss of their Clanmates. The russet tabbies gaze first met the body of Redcloud. Of course the tom was a challenger to him for the leadership of the rebellion, but the two would always share a laugh here and there and future plans for the Clan alongside Breezestorm. Redcloud was always immensely protective and loyal of his Clan, one of the most noble warriors who ever lived.

His gaze then scanned over to Twistedmoon. Although Dimstar was never very close to the she-cat, she was always loyal to EchoClan and never afraid to put her life before other's. She was very close to Minktalon and Birdcry, always helping the two out emotionally and more. She was strong and dignified and nothing could stand in her way.

Dimstar held back a sigh when his gaze landed on Snakeleap. The tom was old, but he never deserved such a cruel death to happen in front of his mate and Clan. He worked to make EchoClan a kind home to all and a truly amazing place. Snakeleap was a loyal mate to Slap, the medicine cat who always stated he would've been nothing without him. His death was grave on Slap, but the fact that he died for the freedom of all was honorable.

His ears fell back when his gaze fell upon the last and final cat, the first death of the battle, Minktalon. The she-cat used to be a medicine cat, working hard to be just as brilliant and satisfactory as her former mentor, Lilybark, was at her role. Torn from her works on medicine cat, Dimstar never thought she would make a fine and strong warrior, but she served and fought extremely well in the end. She was intellegent and served as a fine mother as well to Birdcry's kits. Her death was sorrowful and agonizing, but her sacrifice was encouraging and meaningful.

Dimstar's gaze then lifted up towards the sky, focusing in on the ball of fire that began to sink behind the horizon. His eyes shut as the warm rays faded away from him, the sky beginning to become specked with stars, but four more now added to the glowing phenomenon. A strong breeze blew through the camp, Dimstar's fur being tugged. He didn't mind it at all though because the only overbearing sense that began to well inside of him now was freedom.

They were finally free.

But little did they know every second they spent saying their goodbyes at the camp, a devastating event was lurking closer to the others...