Ch.17: Darkness
It was a beautiful day. Lionblaze and his mate Cedarheart, were sitting together sun bathing. Firestar was getting old. He was fourteen years old with three lives left. Sandstorm was old, too. She was eleven years old. Graystripe was twelve years old. Mousefur and Goldenflower were now the oldest elders. Longtail was younger. He had retired early due to failing sight, after a rabbit had scratched his eyes when he was hunting it. Mousefur had retired after starting to get cramped muscles and unable to do much, because of that when she was a senior warrior. Goldenflower had retired because of old age. The clan had lost track of how old these three elders were. They did know this, though. Goldenflower is the oldest cat in Thunderclan.
Rosepaw and Moonpaw were wrestling around by the Elder’s den. Moonpaw, a gray tom, bowled Rosepaw, a light tabby she-cat over, and they rolled in a playful ball into the elder’s den.
“Scat! Get out of here little rascals!” scolded Mousefur.
“Mousefur, they’re only apprentices. They’re still young,” Goldenflower said.
“You shouldn’t scold them,” Longtail said. “I remember a certain apprentice that was always in trouble. You were always rolling around in other cats’ dens with the others.”
The apprentices looked at the elders.
“We’re sorry,” Rosepaw apologized.
“Yes. We’re very sorry,” Moonpaw mewed.
They each shuffled a front paw in the dirt.
“It’s okay young’uns,” Longtail soothed. “You better go play somewhere else.”
They scampered off.
Jayfeather was sorting herbs when he suddenly started having a vision.
“Jayfeather,” a young, gray she-cat greeted.
“Who are you? I’ve never seen you before.”
“I’m Moonflower. I was Bluestar’s mother in the old forest.”
“How did you die, Moonflower?”
“Thunderclan raided an attack on the Windclan camp. Bluestar and her sister Snowfur were barely apprentices. Pinestar was the leader back then. He ordered me to destroy the Medicine cat’s supplies. It was Hawkheart back then. I started to destroy the supplies. Sunfall the deputy was helping. One of the Windclan cats alerted Hawkheart and he attacked us. He killed me before Sunfall could get to his paws. Hawkheart knew how because he had been a warrior before he was a Medicine cat. So that’s how I died. But I didn’t come to tell you that. I have a message, Jayfeather.”
“What’s the message?”
“Darkness will rise
Battle will come
Allies will be lost
The cry of the Crow
Will be lost
The Leaf will go down
The Fire that once blazed through the forest
Will no more blaze
The Lion will roar and rise
And the Claw of the Bramble will be defeated
By the Claw of the ancient Scourge,” she recited from memory and then faded away.
He was blind again.
When he was done sorting herbs, he went outside and sat.
“Darkness will rise
Battle will come
Allies will be lost,” he recited first, thinking of what it means.
“What kind of Darkness?” he asked himself.
He suddenly remembered Lionblaze's dreams. Just one surfaced now. Tigerstar fighting him. Then he remembered what had happened after Poppyfrost's kits had been born. He and Lionblaze had both seen Tigerstar, Hawkfrost, and Brokentail in a corner looking at the kits.
“The Darkness is the cats from the Dark Forest,” he answered himself. “Our allies won’t be our allies anymore. So there’s going to be a big battle, the cats from the Dark Forest will rise, and we’ll lose our allies.” He then recited the last part.
“The cry of the Crow will be lost
The Leaf will go down
The Fire that once blazed through the forest
Will no more blaze
The Lion will roar and rise
And the Claw of the Bramble will be defeated
By the Claw of the ancient Scourge.”
The first line he realized instantly.
“Crowfeather. It’s Crowfeather. Crowfeather's cry or yowl will be lost. Maybe lost in battle. The Leaf is Leafpool. She’ll either get hurt or go to Starclan. The Fire is Firestar. He’ll either die or get hurt and unable to do what he has always done. The Lion must be Lionblaze. He’ll rise and do something to roar. The Claw of the Bramble is Brambleclaw. The claw of the ancient Scourge must be Scourge’s spirit. It could also be some cat from the remaining Bloodclan. Oh Starclan! What do you want me to do?”
He looked up at the sky, even though he was blind and couldn’t see it.
Just then, yowling pierced the air.
Jayfeather ran towards the yowls, Lionblaze and Dovepaw at his flanks.
They looked into the roaring river, Crowfeather splashing around in it.
Lionblaze jumped into the river.
“Be careful,” Jayfeather mewed.
“I will,” he answered his younger brother. Then he mewed to their father. “Hang on, Crowfeather. I’m coming.”
As his son started trying to reach him, the Wind clan warrior went under.
“Crowfeather!” Lionblaze yowled, and plunged as fast as he could to where he had gone under.
He dove under and blindly grasped him by the scruff.
He resurfaced and swam to the bank.
“Dovepaw, take him,” he told her, talking around his father’s scruff.
She grabbed his scruff and pulled him up, laying him on the ground.
Jayfeather padded over to his father and sniffed.
Lionblaze tensed to jump, but was suddenly taken off course by a huge wave.
“Lionblaze!” Dovepaw yowled and plunged into the river after him.
A few minutes later, she had gotten him back on the banks, as well as herself.
They shook themselves free of the ice-cold water.
“Thanks, Dovepaw,” Lionblaze said.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. I am. Thanks.”
Crowfeather got to his paws.
“Thanks, Lionblaze. Jayfeather.”
He dipped his head and then ran back to his territory.
The three Thunderclan cats headed back home.
Lionblaze woke up with a paw nudging him in the side.
“Jayfeather, what is it?” he whispered.
“Follow me.”
He got to his paws and followed him to the Medicine den. Dovepaw was waiting for them.
“We have to talk,” Jayfeather said, sitting down. “I had a vision today when I was sorting herbs.”
“Jayfeather, it’s the middle of the night,” his brother protested.
“Lionblaze, this is about the ones we love and care about,” he said.
“Fine. Carry on.”
He told them his vision and what it all meant.
“That’s what I saw. I have a feeling that I’m right about what it all means.”
“But if Firestar and Brambleclaw die, who will be the leader? The clan can’t survive without either one,” Lionblaze said.
“I know. I pray that we can’t or don’t stop either from going to Starclan, our ancestors will show me who’ll be next. Maybe you’ll be chosen, Lionblaze. Maybe that’s what it means by you rising and roaring. Maybe you’ll be the next leader. I think you would be great. You’re undefeatable in battle, you’re loyal, you make wise decisions, and you listen to what other have to say. If you ask me, you’re pretty close to being Firestar’s reflection of himself.”
Lionblaze looked at the black Medicine cat, suddenly seeing wisdom in his sightless eyes.
“Maybe you’re right,” he agreed, and then turned to the gray apprentice. “What about you? What do you think, Dovepaw?”
“I agree, Lionblaze. So how are we going to stop all of this?”
“Tell Graystripe and Sandstorm. They can protect Firestar. Tell Squirrelflight and she can protect Brambleclaw and Leafpool. Tell Ash foot and she can protect Crowfeather. We have to go on a journey,” Jayfeather announced.
“What journey?” Dovepaw mewed excitingly.
“We have to go find Barley. I know he’s a kittypet, but he used to be one of Scourge’s cats. He’ll know how to defeat any of the surviving Blood clan cats. I’ll leave Brightheart in my place. While we go on the journey, you can be Dove paw's mentor,” Jayfeather said.
“You’re right,” Lionblaze agreed.
“Let’s go to Windclan. It’s almost dawn. We could catch a patrol,” he told the apprentice and warrior.
The young apprentice silently prayed that the deputy would be leading the patrol, and that no cat on their own territory would catch them.
Lionblaze led Dovepaw and Jayfeather out of the den and silently out of the camp from the dirt place. The place where cats went to go make dirt.
“Jayfeather! Lionblaze! Dovepaw! Greetings,” Ashfoot greeted, approaching the young cats. “What is it? Is something wrong? You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t need something,” said with concern, standing in front of them.
Jayfeather spoke.
“I had a vision yesterday at noon high. Moon flower came to me and gave me a warning. A few of our cats and your son are in danger.”
“Tell me what she said.”
“We should be alone,” he implied.
She flicked her tail for the patrol to leave them and they obeyed.
“Now then. What did she say?”
“I’ll tell you only about your son. At least for right now,” he said, and then recited it. “The cry of the Crow will be lost. That’s all she said about him.”
“But how will his cry be lost?”
“Maybe I should tell you the whole thing.”
He then recited it.
“Darkness will rise
Battle will come
Allies will be lost
The cry of the Crow will be lost
The Leaf will go down
The Fire that once blazed through the forest
Will no more blaze
The Lion will roar and rise
And the Claw of the Bramble will be defeated
By the Claw of the ancient Scourge.”
“Oh Starclan! That sounds horrible!” she exclaimed. “What does it mean?”
“It means something will happen and the cats from the Dark Forest will rise, there’ll be a battle, we’ll lose our allies, and Crowfeather, Leafpool, Firestar, and Brambleclaw will die or be killed. Lionblaze will somehow rise. We came to tell you about your son, so you can watch out for him and keep him safe. Don’t tell any cat. If Crowfeather asks, you can tell him. No other cat. We better go now,” he told her, and they turned to head back home.
Ash foot headed back to the camp with her Clan mates, as soon as the three cats had left.
As they raced through the undergrowth together, Jayfeather wondered if they’d succeed in stopping the deaths of their Clan mates and Ashfoot's son, even though they held ‘the powers of the stars in their paws.’
The next day, they told the cats they said they’d tell, Jayfeather left Brightheart in his place, they ate traveling herbs, and then set off to go find Barley.
They ran until the territories of the clans were behind them and then slowed to a walk.
“So who’s Barley exactly?” Dovepaw asked them.
“Barley is an old friend to Firestar and most other clan cats. In stories that we were told, we heard that he’s very friendly,” Lionblaze told her.
“Lionblaze! Jayfeather! Dovepaw! Wait up!” the old warrior said.
They stopped and let him catch up.
“What are you doing, Graystripe?” Lionblaze asked.
“Seeing where you’re heading first. It looks like you’re on a journey. Where to?”
“We need to find Barley. He’ll know how to stop any of Scourge’s cats.”
“I’m coming with you. I know where he is.”
They let him lead them onward, following him.
They stopped to rest several miles afterward, and then Lionblaze started mentoring Dovepaw.
“Try to knock me off my paws. Use your size to your advantage,” he suggested.
“Okay.”
She quickly processed how and then ran under his paws and he lost his balance. He fell and she pinned him down.
“How was that?” she asked.
“That was great. You’ll be a warrior in no time at this rate.”
“It’s fun having you as my mentor.”
“Thanks. Now let me up.”
She did as she was told.
“In battle, there’s one rule you have to remember, Dovepaw. Always be on the lookout. Don’t assume that your enemy is done until he or she flees,” he pointed out, sitting on his haunches.
She nodded, telling herself that she mustn’t forget anything that he taught and told her.
“We’ve had enough rest. Let’s move on,” Graystripe said, stretching.
They followed him even farther, trusting in the warrior, trusting in Starclan, and knowing that Graystripe knew where they were headed and wouldn’t get lost.
“Be careful,” Graystripe warned. “This is the two leg place. There’s several things that could happen here. There’s twolegs that could try and grab you, dogs that are sometimes loose, kitty pets that protect their territory and there’s rogues that come out and attack without a reason to.”
They ran quickly through the two leg place and then stopped when they got to the horseplace.
They found their way back to the old forest and went to the horse place where Barley and Ravenpaw lived.
“Graystripe!” greeted a tabby tom and dark, old tabby tom.
They bounded over to him.
“It’s so good to see you,” the younger cat greeted. “I haven’t seen you since the last time you journeyed here with Windclan and Firestar. So who are these three?”
“Ravenpaw. Barley. Meet Dovepaw, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather.”
He pointed with his tail to each one as he introduced them.
“Lionblaze is a warrior, Jayfeather is a Medicine cat, and Dovepaw is training to be a warrior. You remember Sand paw, don’t you?”
“Yes, Graystripe. I do. Well, she has been a warrior since after you left. Her name is Sandstorm. She and Firestar are mates now. Their kits are Squirrelflight and Leafpool. They’re warriors now. But just like me, Leafpool mated with Crowfeather, a Windclan cat. She had three kits. Lionblaze and Jayfeather are two of them. Their sister Hollyleaf died. It’s been many moons since that happened. And do you remember Princess?”
“Yes. I do.”
“And do you remember Firestar saying she had kits?”
“Yes.”
“One of them is of Thunderclan. His name is Cloudtail. He’s a senior warrior now. He and Brightheart are mates. Dovepaw and Icepaw are their kits. These three young cats here are part of a prophecy. They have come for your help. It’s concerning a warning that Moonflower told Jayfeather.”
“Before we start, I’d like to tell them what our gifts are,” he told the deputy and then spoke to the farm cats. “I was born blind, but I can see when I dream and have visions. And every now and then, I can see memories and thoughts. Dovepaw can hear and see things happening farther than any cat can. Lionblaze is untouchable in battle. The prophecy that we’re apart of says we ‘hold the power of the stars’ in our ‘paws. There’s one more thing I can do. I can walk in other cat’s dreams and see what’s going on.”
“Wait. Did you say his name is Ravenpaw?” the apprentice asked.
“Yes. That’s my name. I never died. It was a plan to make every cat think that. You see, Tigerclaw, now known as Tigerstar, wanted to kill me because I knew too much. I told Firestar and Graystripe and they brought me here. Even though I’m a kittypet, I still keep the ways of the warrior code and haven’t forgotten Starclan. You must keep it a secret that I’m alive. No cat must know except you three, Firestar, and Graystripe. Maybe someday they should know, but not yet. It’s a secret you must keep.”
“Come. Let’s go to the barn where we can talk,” Barley said.
They followed the tabbies inside and then sat in the middle of the barn floor.
“What do you need me for?” Barley asked.
“There’s a warning of things that’ll happen,” Lionblaze answered.
He had heard it so many times that the tabby tom of Thunderclan was able to recite it without help. He then told them what Jayfeather thought it all meant and what they had done so far.
“That’s why we need you to come home with us and help,” Dovepaw said.
“Then I will. Where have you moved to?”
“The sun-drown place,” Jayfeather answered.
“I want to come, too,” Ravenpaw said.
“Me, too,” a white she-cat added, emerging from behind the hay.
“Greetings, Princess. It’s been a long time,” Graystripe said. “We can all go home. “Let’s rest here for the night and then we can journey back home. It has been a very long trip.”
They jumped onto the hay in the hay loft and fell asleep.
Before falling asleep, Jayfeather caught a memory or more.
A younger Sandstorm being mean to a younger Firestar. They appeared to all be apprentices. Graystripe as an apprentice and Ravenpaw sticking up for him.
Then another memory.
Tigerclaw tormenting Firepaw and being mean, cruel, and scaring Ravenpaw out of his fur.
Ravenpaw being led by Graypaw and Firepaw to Barley’s farm.
They started their journey back home at dawn.
At noon high, they were half way across the territories.
“Let me warn you, Ravenpaw. Some cats aren’t what they used to be. One-paw is now One-star. He’s not very welcoming. Most cats in Shadowclan aren’t, either,” Graystripe warned.
They ran through Windclan and then crossed the river to Thunderclan territory.
“Ravenpaw?” a familiar cat mewed.
A light tabby she-cat approached.
“Sandstorm. Greetings.”
He dipped his head to her.
“I thought you died several moons ago,” she said, looking puzzled.
“I never died. Graystripe and Firestar brought me to the Barley farm to escape from Tigerclaw. Thunderclan can know, but no other Clan should unless they’re good at keeping secrets. I’m only here because we’re needed. There’s a warning from Moonflower to Jayfeather. Could you take us to camp?”
“Yes.”
They took the tabbies back to the camp to the Medicine den.
“Ravenpaw? Barley?” Brightheart questioned.
Ravenpaw told her everything and then Jayfeather relieved her from Medicine cat duties.
“Oh, Starclan!” Dovepaw exclaimed, eyes widened as if in terror.
“What is it? What can you see?” the young warrior asked.
“Leafpool and Squirrelflight! They’re being ambushed by some of Shadowclan!” she exclaimed.
“Come on,” Lionblaze said and then they ran through the Gorse tunnel.
“Do you remember your training?” Graystripe asked his longtime friend.
He nodded.
“Good.”
They yowled and then plunged in to help the sisters.
Ravenpaw slashed Rowanclaw on the side and clawed his face, barely missing his eyes. The senior warrior fled, yowling.
Barley bit Oakfur's tail and he fled, too.
Olivenose bit down on Leafpool's neck and Ravenpaw bit his hind leg. He yowled, dropping her, and turned on Ravenpaw, but Ravenpaw clawed the warrior’s underbelly. Olivenose then fled, yowling.
Ravenpaw went after Crowfrost who was pinning Squirrelflight down, ready to kill her. Ravenpaw, at that moment, was attacked from behind by Ratscar. He took him in his jaws. Ravenpaw was defenseless, unable to get loose from his jaws.
“Ravenpaw! No!” yowled a familiar cat who had joined the fight.
He saw a flash of flame-colored tabby and knew it was the leader.
Firestar bit Ratscar's tail, making him drop his old friend, and then scratched and tore at Ratscar, stopping only when he fled.
Ravenpaw got to his paws, blocked out the pain, and made Crowfrost flee.
Lionblaze slashed, clawed, bit, and tore at every Shadowclan cat that was by them, making them flee.
“And don’t come back!” he yowled.
When it was over, Barley had a gash in both shoulders and a bite to an ear, as well as a few claw marks. Firestar had a few bites and claw marks. Leafpool had a gash in her neck. Squirrelflight had a gash in her side and on a shoulder. Ravenpaw had a gash in his neck, claw marks, and a wounded forepaws.
Every cat went back to camp and Jayfeather healed them with herbs. He then made moss nests for them and settled down in his own nest. It had been exhausting from him, even though he hadn’t been able to fight because of his blindness.
Every cat was fully healed the very next day.
It was a beautiful day, as Firestar and Ravenpaw sat on the High ledge. Graystripe sat by it. The Clan looked up at them. Firestar had called a meeting.
He explained everything from moons ago and apologized for lying to them so many moons ago.
“Ravenpaw, you’ve worked hard to obey and learn the ways of the warrior code. I pray that Starclan looks down on this apprentice. I pray that Starclan approves as I make Ravenpaw a warrior. Ravenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect the Clan even at the cast of your life?”
“I do.”
“Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your new name. From this day forward, you will be known as Ravenclaw.”
They touched noses.
“Ravenclaw! Ravenclaw! The clan greeted his new name in unison.
They jumped off and the clan congratulated Ravenclaw.
That night, Ravenclaw got to sleep in the warrior’s den for the very first time.
Ravenclaw felt like he actually and truly belonged to his Clan again. He was glad the Clan had forgiven them for lying and had trusted him again without any problems.
A moon later, they ran straight into Bone. Barley was with the patrol and together killed him. He didn’t like killing him, but he was part of Scourge’s cats, and would stop at nothing to protect his friends and Thunderclan.
They stopped in the middle of the forest.
“What was that?” Thornclaw asked.
They scanned the trees for movement and there he was.
“It’s happening,” Rosepetal said, as they looked at Brokentail and Darkstripe.
Just as suddenly as they appeared, they disappeared into thin air.
The patrol ran back to camp and told Firestar. Firestar then called a meeting and told them everything.
“How can they even rise? They’re dead,” Sorreltail said.
“I don’t know,” Rosepetal said. “but they were hardly transparent. I got a good look at them. They were almost solid like living cats.”
Ravenclaw shivered in fright, knowing all Dark Forest cats were evil. He knew that if they all came back to life, then Firestar would be in grave danger from Tigerstar.
“We can’t let that happen. We have to stop them from coming back to life. We’ll all be in danger if they come back,” Ravenclaw said.
“I agree,” the sightless elder said.
“I agree with you all, but we have to wait for Starclan to tell us how to stop this from happening,” Firestar announced. “Until then we have to live our daily lives and keep our eyes and ears open. Our lives depend on it,” he finished and then jumped down and let his Clan talk amongst themselves.
Firestar sat down by a tree in a shade from the scorching sun. His mate sat beside him.
“I’m worried for your safety, Firestar. I haven’t forgotten how Hawkfrost almost killed you with a fox trap. Or when Brokentail fought against us or Darkstripe going along and following Tigerstar. They were all evil.”
“I know, Sandstorm. But we can’t do much.”
“Firestar, I’m scared. What if Scourge comes back? What then?”
“Sandstorm, you worry too much.”
“I have the right to. You have only three lives left to spare. And what about the prophecy? What if Scourge comes back, and he’s the one that kills Brambleclaw?”
“Sandstorm, do you think you could stop talking about that?”
“Okay,” she replied.
It was a beautiful day, but when Dustpelt, Ferncloud, and Briarlight looked up at the sky, dark angry clouds covered the sky. It didn’t rain though, which meant Starclan was angry with something.
“It’s happening,” Jayfeather announced.
“I know. I can feel it,” implied Lionblaze.
Familiar yowling was heard and the clan left the camp in a stampede to fight them. All except for the queens, kits, and Jayfeather.
They meant in the heart of the forest. It was all four Clans against the Dark Forest cats.
Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw stood side by side, facing Scourge.
Scourge raised his paw of five claws to slash. The two tabbies were quick, though. They moved out of range. Brambleclaw jumped on him, digging his claws deep into his fur and flesh on his back. Squirrelflight bit Scourge’s tail and hind leg, and then slashed his side and clawed his face. He yowled in pain and range, knocked Brambleclaw onto his side and swiped at Squirrelflight. She fell on her side, bleeding from a gash in her exposed side.
“NOO!” Brambleclaw yowled.
He got to his paws and ran towards her, but Scourge slashed him in the neck.
He fell to the ground dead.
Tawnypelt, seeing that, was filled with terror and rage. She fought and killed Scourge.
The tortoiseshell she-cat ran to Squirrelflight, knowing her brother was in Starclan now.
“Squirrelflight?” she called.
“Tawnypelt,” she said weakly.
Just then, a gray she-cat with herbs came up to them.
Tawnypelt looked up and instantly brightened.
“Yellowfang!” she mewed happily.
“Let me take it from here, Tawnypelt,” the Starclan Medicine cat told her.
“Yes, Yellowfang.”
She dipped her head and then dashed off to fight the evil cats.
Firestar, Graystripe, and Sandstorm stood side by side facing that most feared of all the Dark Forest cats. Tigerstar.
“We meet again, kittypet,” the dark, massive, tabby tom mocked.
Firestar growled and swished his tail.
“I’m not a kittypet anymore. You know that as well as any cat.”
“We’ll see about that,” he said, and launched himself at the former kittypet.
All three cats moved out of the way and the tabby hit the ground, getting dirt in his mouth. He spat it out and then stood.
Sandstorm slashed the side of his neck and both leader and former deputy pinned him down.
A gray she-cat with sadness in her eyes appeared.
“You disappointed me the moment your heart became hard and cold. You attacked my sister. I wish you had turned out like Lion heart. Your brother. You didn’t have to become evil to get power. If only you had stayed good, you would’ve became leader over time. I’m ashamed. Very ashamed to call or even know you as my son.”
“Snowfur, you saw why I’ve become who I am. I’ll try to please you if I can. I never thought of how displeased you would be, seeing what I did. I always thought of power because of what my father taught me. From the time I was a kit, he taught me that power and trust is everything. That I should overcome my pain and do hard things.”
She spoke to the three cats.
“Let him up.”
They did as the Starclan cat told them to do.
“Tigerstar, if you want to be good, than you’ll please me.”
“I’ll do anything to please you. You’re my mother. I still love you. You were taken away from me too soon.”
“I know I was. There’s one thing I want you to do. Turn your back on all evil and help all four Clans fight against them. And stop insulting cats like Firestar.”
In that moment his heart, mind, and soul softened into love for his mother, and sadness for missing her for so many moons. He had been barely an apprentice when she had died. Snowfur had died from being run over by a monster on the Thunderpath. It had come out of nowhere without warning. She hadn’t been able to get away in time and had been crushed under the weight of the monster.
“Come son. I’ll be with you.”
The two cats walked away side by side, reunited as family.
Leafpool and Cloudtail stood side by side, facing Ashfur.
The gray tom lunged at them, but Leafpool pinned him down and killed him instantly.
Ashfoot and Crowfeather stood side by side, facing Halftail.
The ginger-colored tom lunged at them, but Crowfeather got out of the way. Ashfoot wasn’t quick enough. Halftail grabbed her and pinned her down. Crowfeather, protecting his mother and deputy, through him off her and killed him.
He helped her get slowly to her paws.
Tigerstar and Brackentail fought viciously. Tigerstar won, killing him.
He looked around and saw Tawnypelt defenseless against Hawkfrost. That made him angry.
He leapt over cats and bowled his son over.
“Don’t even,” he growled. “Don’t touch her. You don’t lay a claw on my kin; my daughter.”
They fought viciously, too.
“Tawnypelt, go! Go help some other cat!” he ordered, as they fought.
Lionblaze had heard that Tigerstar had gone good now, so when he saw him practically being torn to shreds by his son, the tabby flung himself on Sasha’s son, fought him, and killed him.
Tigerheart fought Darkstripe and won.
In the end, all evil cats were dead, Tigerstar was fixed up with herbs by Jayfeather, and every cat was healed that had been wounded in battle. But sadly, some had died. Brambleclaw, Honeyfern, and Millie were now dead.
Firestar had made Tigerstar a senior warrior, but with a new name. Tigerheart. Graystripe was the deputy again.
It was a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky.
“Come quick! It’s Firestar! Hurry, Jayfeather! Something is wrong!” yowled Sandstorm.
Jayfeather ran to the leader’s den as quick as he could and made it without slipping down the rock wall.
He went to the nest that was being occupied by the leader.
He checked him and then turned his sightless eyes on the ginger she-cat.
“I’m sorry, Sandstorm. There’s nothing any cat can do. Did he lose any lives in the fight?”
“Yes. Two. Why?”
“It’s his time. He’s on his way to Starclan now.”
“No!” she wailed in sadness.
He came back down to the clearing and told Graystripe.
Graystripe jumped onto the High ledge and called a meeting.
“Firestar has sadly lost his last life. Let us grieve for him and give him a ceremony.”
Graystripe jumped off.
After the ceremony, the elders took him away for burial.
A moon later, Graystripe was Gray star and Lionblaze was the deputy. Also, Cedarheart was a queen carrying kits. So every cat lived peacefully in the forest.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
