~•~•~•~•~

The moon was centered in the dim, pure night sky. The stars were barely visible in the far distance, appearing as small specks of yellow. A strong breeze blew through the area, tearing through the land.

Yowls and cries of agony rang out from the camp. Blood streaked the battle ground as claws ripped through the pelts of the battling enemies. Limp bodies were spread out across the camp, cats sometimes pausing to mourn before leaping back into battles.

Their eyes flashed with pure rage and fury as they lunged at their enemies. Hisses and growls erupted from their throats as they threatened and spat insults at one another. The battle had lasted for what seemed like moons, and many were growing restless and exhausted.

One tom emerged from a den, spitting with fury after another tom. The russet tabby glanced back inside the den before leaping after the tom who was trying to flee. His claws sunk into the hindquarters of his enemy, who fell to the ground and kicked out furiously as he struggled to free himself.

"You aren't escaping my claws this time, Hollowstorm! First you murder your own kit and now Galestorm? What a pathetic scrap of fur you are!" The russet tom spat while raising a unsheathed paw.

When his paw came flying down, Hollowstorm suddenly rolled away just in the nick of time. Hollowstorm attempted to slash his claws across the russet tom's muzzle but his aim missed when the tom ducked away.

"EchoClan is no more, Dimflare! Face it!" Hollowstorm spat with narrowed eyes. A smirk emerged onto his visage. "EchoClan belongs to Archangel now!"

"Never!" Dimflare screeched.

He lunged at the tom with unsheathed paws. He landed before him and aimed a blow to rake his claws across Hollowstorm's shoulder, but suddenly froze in his tracks when something else caught his attention.

A yowl pierced through the air - a familiar yowl that made a shiver bolt down his spine. His ears perked and he turned towards the camp entrance, where he spotted Swiftspeck and others already racing out of camp.

Dimflare glared back at Hollowstorm before whirling around. He pelted off and leaped out of camp, his fur bristled with panic. He hastened his pace as the breeze tugged roughly at his pelt. Leaping over several roots and obstacles, his heart pounded faster and harder against his chest as he raced towards the source of the yowl.

"Dimflare!"

The russet tabby glanced over his shoulder to spot the brown she-cat pursuing him. Two bundles of fur hung from her mouth and he growled at the sight. "Cloverpool! You should be back at camp with our kits!" He snapped.

Cloverpool froze at his side and parted her jaws to reply but suddenly tensed up. Dimflare's eyes widened when he spotted tears emerge in her eyes as she glanced ahead. He followed her gaze and felt his whole world shatter to a million pieces when his gaze landed on the horrific scene.

Blood was painted across the forest ground and dripped off the edges of blades of grass. Multiple cats were gathered around, their eyes wet with tears and their expression shocked and filled with rage. Archangel, the ferocious rogue leader, was bowled over the body of a bulk tom. The tom' s fur was ripped and splashed with blood, his eyes blank and cloudy. His flank neither rose nor fell.

Dimflare's heart suddenly pumped louder and he could hear the cries of his clan mates. He exhaled loudly, his claws tearing at the grass beneath him. The Clan cats stepped forward to all gather around the tom's body, and Dimflare stared into the limp cat's gaze.

"Waspstar is dead you rats!" Archangel suddenly spat. "Your leader is no more! I am your new leader now!"

Dimflare felt Cloverpool's tail brush over his shoulder to try and comfort him. A new feeling of rage and anger swirled up inside of him and he clenched his teeth tightly together. Turning slowly, Dimflare faced Archangel with narrowed eyes, the rest of the Clan cats watching.

"No..You will never be our leader! You don't deserve the role that we all look up to for guidance! You should be the one limp in a pool of blood, not Waspstar!" Dimflare snapped coldly at Archangel, tears stinging the corners of his gaze.

Archangel sighed and a smirk slipped onto his face. "But Waspstar is the one dead isn't he?" He chuckled darkly. He flicked his tail to signal something from the darkness.

Dimflare's eyes scanned the area around them when the shadowy figures emerged from the darkness. Their claws were long like the talons of a predatory bird and growls rumbled in their throats like immense earthquakes. Their red eyes glowed as they stepped in beside Archangel and surrounded all who were gathered around Waspstar.

"EchoClan has fallen, and that is the clear truth you are all too blind to see. Waspstar is no more, and without him all of you are nothing but crowfood. This battle has been won, and if you fail to admit to that then you will just end up like Waspstar," The murderous tom flashed the limp leader and glance with a toothy grin. "I would hate to spill more blood. Why can't we all be friends?"

"We will never be friends nor followers!" Swiftspeck stepped up beside Dimflare, his lips curled back in a snarl.

Dimflare nodded and turned to face Archangel again. He loosened himself and stood up tall. Raising his head, the russet tom's eyes flashed as he glared over at the leader. Confidence emerged over the bulging sense of fear that moment inside of Dimflare, and he spoke loudly and articulated.

"We may have lost this battle, but we have not lost our hope. We have not lost our faith. We have not lost our courage and determination to take you all down! You can go on and pretend that you are our mighty leader Archangel, and why don't you go along and try to be what Waspstar was and forever will be. You will never be as great as a leader as him, and none of us will ever respect you. One day, this will all come back to you and SpiritClan will stand at our side as we take you down once and for all! You do not deserve to have the leadership role of such a great Clan that deserves great guidance and mobility. Respect and generosity. One day, we will emerge and avenge all of the cats whom you and your pathetic followed have murdered without hesitation. We will do it for EchoClan!"

"For EchoClan!" Swiftspeck spoke up after me, his fur bushed.

Cloverpool stepped forward to join in. "For EchoClan!"

"For EchoClan!" Every Clan member then repeated.

Archangel rolled his eyes, his tail lashing behind him. He snorted, amusement flashing through his gaze. "You are all pathetic! You are all hollow-headed! EchoClan will thrive under my leadership, and you can try all you want to take me down, but then you will just take your last breath! I am warning all of you mousebrains to bow down before me, before you shut your eyes and your blood painting my claws is the last thing you ever see."

He flicked his tail and eyed the Soul-Stealers. The shadowy cats growled and took steps forward. Dimflare backed away, his hind quarters pressing against the other's of his Clanmates. They all stood back-to-back as the Soul-Stealers drew closer to them, their fangs bared.

Archangel chuckled and leaped into a rock. He stood and glanced over them. He sighed and scored his claws across the rock, leaving barely visible white marks behind. He shook his head and scanned his gaze over the Clan cats.

"You all can mourn and whine like kits all you want, but there is no more you can do. The most you can do is try to take me down and fail miserably. Sparking some revolution is going to benefit you in no ways but instead put my claws to your throat. I advise you stop begging for mercy and bow down to my paws. This isn't Waspstar's EchoClan or any of your's EchoClan."

Shadows loomed over the group of Clan cats gathered around their former leaders dead body. The Soul-Stealers cackled and spat at them as they circled the Clan cats. They snapped at their tails and kept them bunched together.

Archangel's ears perked as he glanced down at Dimflare and the others. His mouth corners curled into an immense, devious smirk that sent a shiver down Dimflare's spine. The new leader breathed out a soft laugh as his eyes glowed deliriously.

"My EchoClan..."