Cinderstar flicks her tail, her other warriors advancing in. "It's so nice to see you, Icestorm!" she says cheerily. "Don't you like what I've done with the place? Oh yes, I got you a little present! Bonemoon, if you please?"

    Bonemoon steps forwards, holding something large and limp. He places the broken body at my feet, the eyes open unnaturally large, the mouth curled up in a fake smile- Rabbitfoot.

"No!" I yowl, terror in my voice.

"It would be so nice if you would join him, Icy. We can all be friends together!"

"You killed him... Cinderstar, why did you..."

"You should've joined us when you had the chance-"

    "I would never."

"You could've been great, Icestorm..."

    "I'm better here."

"You wouldn't have had to suffer so... I've seen them all die too, Icestorm. You failed them all and somehow, you're still here. Why don't we end that-" She's cut off from her maniacal rant as Mothstar barrels into the clearing, snarling like a dog.

"Get away from my warrior, Cinderstar."

    A whole patrol launches from the trees, every crack between foliage now bursting with cats. They rush forwards as one, claws unsheathed. The dark cats launch into combat, ganging up on whoever they see as the weakest. The two armies clash in a furious swipe of claws, one cat here, another there, all of them yowling for each other's blood. The fear and hatred in their eyes is unmistakable. To them, we are the enemy, and in this moment every cat is prey.

Cinderstar yowls orders while she fights Mothstar, but Mothstar holds her down. I run to Firepool, who is fighting the largest of the dark cats. I recognize the phantom as none other than Darkstar herself. The dark cat, teeth rotted, eyes dark and empty, is bleeding in multiple places. Firepool sighs with relief as I join the fight, slashing at her side, but it really ends when Flamestar jumps on her and the pure force of his body drives her weak and crippled form into the ground.

    We dodge and weave together, the two of us running across the battlefield. Firepool and I fight as one. We fight for love, for pain, for everything that binds us together now. We fight for the spirit of Rabbitfoot, already on it's way to StarClan.

    A cry of panic rings through the clearing, and I look up to see Cinderstar standing over Mothstar, victorious. "Good bye, Mothstar. Now where's my friend?" She walks through the fallen, no care for her dead nor that of far more noble warriors, trodden on like crowfood beneath her paws.

    I run as fast as I can, dodging battling cats, only to find her right in front of me. I lock in combat, unable to find a decent escape route without risking bodily harm that I may not recover from. Trying to parry and dodge her claws, which are longer than any I've ever seen, I can tell she's dying. No matter which one of us wins... the other will not live long after. I, under the guilt of my secret, will probably never receive nine lives. She will die alone, festering like an old wound.

    While I contemplate this, pitying my old friend, she takes the opportunity and pins me into the ground. I choke on my own breath, terror beating through my heart. I try to run, but she holds me there, flashing a grin through broken teeth worn down by gnawing bones and carrion.

    "Any last words?"

    I see it on her face, the unspoken words she never got to say. Help me.

    "Yes," I tell her, instinct kicking in.

    Silentpelt, like a part of her, catches this slip before me, but he never gets to tell her.

    "Good bye, Cinderpaw. My best friend." My unsheathed back paws ram into her stomach, and she flies back like a silver bird, bordered by wings of blood.