Chapter thirty-four 

Ferns brushed against his sides, tracing lines in his short pelt. He resisted the urge to shake out his fur and even it out again. Froststar paused with one paw raised, ears flicking back and fourth as he listened, mouth parted as he breathed in scents. "Fresh SkyClan scent, we just missed a patrol. Berryleaf?" he addressed the former SkyClan she-cat.

"Barkstar only sends one patrol out at a time, unless it's leaf-bare. So the border patrol will just have reached camp about now and a hunting patrol will be formed. There could possibly be mentors training apprentices or cats taking a stroll. That's what my brother will be looking for," she finished, then twisted her body around to lick a splotch of white fur. Cedarfur had taken a small patrol of two other cats to see if there were any SkyClan cats in the forest. They couldn't allow any cats to warn RiverClan or get backup.

Froststar was immediately alert at the sound of rustling plants, but it was only the returning patrol with Cedarfur, Firelily, and Pigeonwing. "Two cats are out," Cedarfur reported. "Rainfrost and Whiskerpaw."

"Did they see you?" Froststar asked.

"No," Cedarfur replied.

"Good," Froststar rumbled. "Pigeonwing, take Pebbleleap back to that spot. Attack them when you hear the sound of battle, we can't let them escape." Both cats nodded curtly before dashing off.

"Does that mean we can attack now?" Russetstar asked eagerly. The ShadowClan leader and some of his warriors would attack alongside Froststar's, then they would run back to camp and swap out their warriors, then attack RiverClan.

"It does," Froststar growled, flexing his curved claws- freshly sharpened. Excitement pricked the air at his words. Bunching up his haunches, Froststar sprang forward. His warriors- and ShadowClan's- followed him. His paws landed lightly on a patch of moss. Froststar sprang forward again, clearing a raspberry bush, then sprinted forward again. He could just hear the other cats as they hurried to keep up as silently as they could. I've been to SkyClan camp twice in my life, I remember how to get there.

But don't you want to get there as quick as possible? Take a left at that birch tree, now go straight until you reach the hazel shrub. Good. Froststar listened to Sageweed's instructions in his head until he spotted the bramble barrier of SkyClan's camp. He stopped right outside the entrance and motioned with his tail for his warriors to slow down. Russetstar stepped up next to him, and they shared a small nod.

Froststar pushed is way through the bramble barrier, Russetstar on his heels. He entrance was met by dead silence, as every SkyClan warrior turned to face him in shock. Barkstar was standing on highrock. It looked like they Clan had just held a meeting. Barkstar's brown fur was bristling, his mouth dropped open. This is going to be fun.

"I'm sorry," Froststar purred, sitting down, licking a paw, and drawing it over his face. "I didn't realize I was interrupting a clan meeting. Please, continue," he sneered. Some of his warriors chuckled.

"F-Froststar? Why are you here?" Barkstar asked, but the ThunderClan leader could already hear the note of defeat in his voice. Froststar chuckled.

"I think you know." He examined his claws, letting the sun's rays glint off their thorn-sharp tips. "ThunderClan, attack!" His warriors exploded around him, yowling with glee as they leaped forward with claws unsheathed. Some had submit to the darkness inside them, the small seed in everyone's heart that Froststar helped to grow. Others convinced themselves attacking was the only way, that they had no other choice to survive. The rest of his Clan, and warriors in ShadowClan too, attacked because they were afraid.

And they should be. If they listen to me, I will reward them. If they don't, I will kill them.

SkyClan warriors yowled, scrambling to defend themselves, trying to form a defensive line. But his and ShadowClan's warriors were better, breaking every line they tried to form. Froststar looked up at highrock, but Barkstar was gone. He growled. I lost him, but not for long.

Froststar scanned the battle field, finally locating Barkstar. The SkyClan leader was fighting Sharpfrost, Russetstar's deputy. The ShadowClan she-cat hissed, her black pelt spiking. Froststar launched himself forward. He's mine! Before his back paws even left the ground, a bundle of brown fur slammed into him, and he felt a stinging pain in his side. The ThunderClan leader snapped his mouth shut before he could yowl in pain. Expertly, he twisted away and got to his paws to face his opponent.

He could hardly catch a glimpse of the tawny tom before he attacked Froststar again. The SkyClan warrior flung himself on Froststar's back, but now Froststar was ready. He leaned to the side just enough to cause the tom to fall off, slamming down and ramming his shoulder into his stomach.

The tom gasped as a rush of air escaped him, and Froststar dug his claws into his shoulders, pinning him to the ground. Now he could finally get a good look at his opponent. It was a tawny brown tom with piercing blue eyes. It was the young warrior Hawkfang. The tom was panting. "Now, why did you attack me like that? You had to have known that was a bad idea," Froststar said. Hawkfang glared at him, his eyes brimming with fury.

"Because you threatened my Clan, you fox-hearted dung-face!" Then his face changed, his mouth curling into a sneer. "Also, to buy him a little time." Another force slammed into Froststar, sending him spiraling into the dirt. He banged his head, his vision swimming. He saw the cat come in for the kill, but seasons of dark forest training wasn't about to fail him now. He rolled to the side, taking the fangs to a spot below his shoulder. Froststar screeched, wiping around, digging his claws blindly into the enemy.

Barkstar yowled, twisting away, leaving Froststar with flesh and fur in his claws. The ThunderClan leader leaped to his paws, ignoring the pain. His nostrils flared, blood filling his scent glands. His sight clouded with red, the feeling to slaughter overwhelming him. How dare Barkstar get the upper paw! Froststar leaped forward, knocking Barkstar back, snarling with fury. He felt the snap of bones before he heard it, and the heartbeat he did so the red disappeared. No.... did I just snap his neck? That could ruin everything, a healthy new leader could rise up! Then he realized, in relief, he only snapped his shoulder bones. Barkstar yowled in agony, causing many cats to wince.

Froststar spat out a mouthful of blood, his head still ringing faintly. Every cat had stopped battling, and was just silently watching him and Barkstar. "We're done here," he growled, voice rough from yowling. "ThunderClan, lets go."

~~~~~~~~~

Cats screeched, and the scent of blood filled her ears. Lilacpaw shivered. Even being eleven moons and almost a warrior, battle still scared her. Especially this one. She prepared herself to fight, fluffing up her white fur. "Lilacpaw." She looked up to see Featherfern, the gray and white SkyClan deputy. Also, her mother. "Lilacpaw, you need to run," her mother said.

"What?" Lilacpaw asked, confused.

"We're being attacked- by Froststar. I need you to run and warn RiverClan." Lilacpaw gulped. She would have to run far. "I know you can do it, sweetie. Please." Lilacpaw tipped her head to one side, replaying her mother's words in her head.

"But Featherfern, you said warn RiverClan. Don't you want me to bring them to help?" Featherfern sighed.

"It will be too late by the time they come. Froststar will go for them next, so you need to go warn them. They may still stand a chance. Now go, please, I love you," Featherfern said, voice cracking. Lilacpaw nodded.

"Love you too, mom," she rasped. Feeling weak but forcing strength into her legs, Lilacpaw slipped through a secret entrance in camp, ignoring the sound of battling cats. She ran through her territory, gasping. I need to get to RiverClan. I need to get to RiverClan! She cut through ShadowClan territory, praying to StarClan she wouldn't get caught. She saw a ShadowClan patrol too late.

Lilacpaw swerved to avoid them, but they saw her anyway. "Get her!" one cried. Letting out a small screech of fear, the SkyClan apprentice willed herself to go faster. She heard the crash of undergrowth, felt them closing in. The border! I see it! And to her luck, there was a RiverClan patrol coming her way. They didn't seem to notice her until she got close. "RiverClan!" she screeched, just as claws dug into her pelt. She yowled, twisting out of their grip and running towards the three cats on patrol, who were now staring at her in shock. Lilacpaw threw herself at their paws, just as the three ShadowClan cats tackled her.

"RiverClan!" she yowled, screeching in pain as a ShadowClan cat ripped a chunk of fur out of her side. "You're going to be attacked!" she yowled, and a warrior slammed her head into the dirt. She twisted her head, gasping. Pain ran across her body, and blood dripped into her eyes. "Warn Wavestar!" The last thing she saw was the RiverClan warriors gazing at her in astonishment, then the ShadowClan warriors slit her throat.