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Description

Thick, swirling clouds of pure black shrouded the night sky away, wind blowing through the island so strong it felt like it would crumble away into the sea at any moment. Above the pouring of the rain, the heavy thudding of pawsteps began to make the ground under Dawnstripe’s paws tremble. They were here.

Stepping forward with her head held high, she emerged from the undergrowth into the clearing by the edge of Sunclan territory, leading her fellow warriors into the storm. With ice cold water dripping down her whiskers, she steeled her nerves, taking a shaky breath as she assessed the forces they were facing.

Definitely not as many warriors as she was expecting. Was Robinhood right? Were Fireclan rebelling? From what she was seeing, those who had stayed loyal were definitely some of his best warriors….

Dawnstripe shook her head, those thoughts wouldn’t help anyone. She had to trust in her clan, and she had to trust in her skills.

The look of pure rage seemed to light a fire in Firestar’s eyes, and Dawnstripe felt Robinhood join her to challenge him. She watched every menacing step Firestar took forward, his needle-like teeth bared and his scars seeming to glow in the dark.

“What do we have here? Some more fools willing to protect thieving spies!” he mocked with a sweeping glare over the Sunclan warriors. “I expected more!” he jeered, almost knowingly. Russetfur’s betrayal of Sunstars orders had sent shockwaves through the clan, but how could Fireclan have found out so quickly?
Dawnstripe felt her eyes wandering to Robinhood questioningly, but the tom’s hackles were raised, his eyes zeroed in on his former leader. His quarrels would have to wait – she had a mission, and to avoid conflict was made clear to be her top priority.

“That’s what I should be saying to you, Firestar” Dawnstripe quipped, with a firm flick of her tail.

“This is your only warning: by order of Sunstar, leave this territory now”

Her words made Firestar raise a brow questioningly, “What Sunstar too scared to come and fight his own battles? Too ashamed to be hiding a traitor?”

Dawnstripe felt the tabby’s tone make her skin burn in indignation, “We are more than capable of defending our territory from rats like you” she spat, unsheathing her claws challengingly.

Robinhoods words rang clear beside her, “You are no longer fit to rule Fireclan! Look at your forces! You hold no power anymore!”

Firestar seemed to clench his jaw, his tail flicking from side to side, his eyes searching the warriors as if they were his prey. The cold numbness in her paws…. It was a feeling Dawnstripe hadn’t felt for weeks… it was…fear.

“You have no right to speak to me! You betrayed your clan and the code by entertaining that pathetic little mouse-heart you call a mate!”

Before the words had even left Firestars mouth, Robinhood had launched himself past Dawnstripe, his brown fur a blur and his claws glowing white in the dark, almost ghostly.

With a battle yowl, Dawnstripe launched herself after the tom, feeling the cats around her fly into a frenzy of claws and teeth, blood spraying into the mud. Springing into the air, she slammed her forepaws into Firestar’s muzzle, recoiling her muzzle as she felt his lightning-fast claws graze her fur.

She hesitated, eyes trained for openings while Robinhood and Firestar reared onto their hind legs, their eyes clouded with rage and bloodlust. Exchanging hard blow after blow, Dawnstripe darted forward, raking her claws down Firestars exposed belly with all her might. A howl of pain shuddered from the leader, and Dawnstripe had only a moment to look up before he struck a blow directly to her face. Staggering backwards, she saw stars, blood clouding her vision as she blinked blearily.

Shaking her head, she clawed her way back into the fight, nipping Firestars legs and tail to distract him while Robinhood took out all his fury in sky-shattering blows. Rain soaked into their pelts, waterlogging Dawnstripe as she continued to fight, blood trickling into her eyes and down her face, staining her white patches red.

When Robinhood lost his footing in the mud, slipping onto his side with a hard THUD, Firestar seemed to waste no time in pouncing forward, pinning his paws on the toms chest while he sunk his teeth into Robinhood’s neck. Leaping into the air, Dawnstripe sunk her claws into Firestar’s pelt, her paws on his shoulder as she ripped him off the tom, kicking him to the cliffs edge with all her might.

Panting, she stood, glaring at Firestar as Robinhood struggled to his feet. Firestar’s eyes darted between the two of them, and for a moment he reminded Dawnstripe of the fox she had fought with Deepripple so many moons ago. How ironic.

Feeling the mud seep into her paws, she stepped forward, lifting her chin defiantly, “Surrender now” she ordered.

Those very words made Firestar’s eyes slit, his tail whipping wildly from side to side as she crouched down in the hunters position.

“Never!” he screeched, launching himself forward, his claws and teeth bared, pure bloodlust swirling in his eyes. Almost immediately, Robinhood sprung forward with a yowl, the two colliding mid-air, a terrifying show of brute strength.

As if Starclan itself had open up to help them, a crackle of thunder shook the ground beneath Dawnstripe’s paws, so violent she felt the dirt under her shift. With a horrified look of realization, Dawnstripe reached forward, claws outstretched, as if she could somehow drag them both away from the cliffs edge.

The few moments stretched for an eternity, the ground giving way in a flurry of grit and stone. Desperately, she clung to the collapsing cliffs edge, her eyes catching a glimpse of Frozenrain’s back to her, fighting like all of Lionclan.

Wishing for the seconds to stop, she opened her jaws in a terrified scream, “Frozenrain!”

Just like that, the dirt under her claws slipped away, and the ground rushed up beyond her reach.

She felt claws like fire sink into her neck fur, ripping open her pelt all the way down to her tail, the blood rushing up in thick droplets, caught on the winds of the storm. Stones battered her body, slashing at her pelt and tearing into her legs. It was a pain she had never felt before, the freezing winds and the burning pain tormenting her for the few moments she fell.

Her mind was a whirl of fear and grief. Grief for herself. Grief for her family. Grief for the one love she ever had.

A dazzling bolt of lightning shone through the sky in an instant, cutting through the haze and reflecting upon the swirling water rushing up to greet her.

She watched with a scream as the torrents swallowed Firestar and Robinhood as soon as they hit the water, her voice cut short as the crashing waves hit her body.

Cold.

Dark.

Her body was thrashed around in the swirling currents, the voices of spirits crowding her head and screaming at her to breath.

How can I breathe?! There’s no air! I’m going to die!

Her flailing paws began to slow, her vision fading to black as starry pelts clambered her vision, their voices clear like the silent night in her mind. It was Runningfire…

Teeth tugged at her scruff, and with what little energy she had left, she weakly kicked her hind paws out, trying to get to the surface. Runningfire! If you let me live, I’ll promise to give my all to these kits – like you always told me to!

Dawnstripe, you must live! It is up to you! Live!

Gulping for air, her muzzle barely broke the surface, letting her body get dragged like a log to shore. It felt like an eternity, waves washing over her face no matter how hard she tried to lift her head, but the feeling of gritty sand in her clawmarks reassured her, the weight of her body returning as she was dragged onto solid ground. She recognized Robinhood’s paws on the sandy shore, shaky as he collapsed in front of her. Were they in Seaclan territory?

But they had only just hit the water…

All the thoughts rushing her mind began to fade to quiet, her eyes closing sleepily as the howling wind finally began to die away.

Cats mentioned:
Robinhood dekiruu
Dawnstripe Griz-The-Ambear
Firestar PatchyFallenstar
Frozenrain Ziveti

Description

Thick, swirling clouds of pure black shrouded the night sky away, wind blowing through the island so strong it felt like it would crumble away into the sea at any moment. Above the pouring of the rain, the heavy thudding of pawsteps began to make the ground under Dawnstripe’s paws tremble. They were here.

Stepping forward with her head held high, she emerged from the undergrowth into the clearing by the edge of Sunclan territory, leading her fellow warriors into the storm. With ice cold water dripping down her whiskers, she steeled her nerves, taking a shaky breath as she assessed the forces they were facing.

Definitely not as many warriors as she was expecting. Was Robinhood right? Were Fireclan rebelling? From what she was seeing, those who had stayed loyal were definitely some of his best warriors….

Dawnstripe shook her head, those thoughts wouldn’t help anyone. She had to trust in her clan, and she had to trust in her skills.

The look of pure rage seemed to light a fire in Firestar’s eyes, and Dawnstripe felt Robinhood join her to challenge him. She watched every menacing step Firestar took forward, his needle-like teeth bared and his scars seeming to glow in the dark.

“What do we have here? Some more fools willing to protect thieving spies!” he mocked with a sweeping glare over the Sunclan warriors. “I expected more!” he jeered, almost knowingly. Russetfur’s betrayal of Sunstars orders had sent shockwaves through the clan, but how could Fireclan have found out so quickly?
Dawnstripe felt her eyes wandering to Robinhood questioningly, but the tom’s hackles were raised, his eyes zeroed in on his former leader. His quarrels would have to wait – she had a mission, and to avoid conflict was made clear to be her top priority.

“That’s what I should be saying to you, Firestar” Dawnstripe quipped, with a firm flick of her tail.

“This is your only warning: by order of Sunstar, leave this territory now”

Her words made Firestar raise a brow questioningly, “What Sunstar too scared to come and fight his own battles? Too ashamed to be hiding a traitor?”

Dawnstripe felt the tabby’s tone make her skin burn in indignation, “We are more than capable of defending our territory from rats like you” she spat, unsheathing her claws challengingly.

Robinhoods words rang clear beside her, “You are no longer fit to rule Fireclan! Look at your forces! You hold no power anymore!”

Firestar seemed to clench his jaw, his tail flicking from side to side, his eyes searching the warriors as if they were his prey. The cold numbness in her paws…. It was a feeling Dawnstripe hadn’t felt for weeks… it was…fear.

“You have no right to speak to me! You betrayed your clan and the code by entertaining that pathetic little mouse-heart you call a mate!”

Before the words had even left Firestars mouth, Robinhood had launched himself past Dawnstripe, his brown fur a blur and his claws glowing white in the dark, almost ghostly.

With a battle yowl, Dawnstripe launched herself after the tom, feeling the cats around her fly into a frenzy of claws and teeth, blood spraying into the mud. Springing into the air, she slammed her forepaws into Firestar’s muzzle, recoiling her muzzle as she felt his lightning-fast claws graze her fur.

She hesitated, eyes trained for openings while Robinhood and Firestar reared onto their hind legs, their eyes clouded with rage and bloodlust. Exchanging hard blow after blow, Dawnstripe darted forward, raking her claws down Firestars exposed belly with all her might. A howl of pain shuddered from the leader, and Dawnstripe had only a moment to look up before he struck a blow directly to her face. Staggering backwards, she saw stars, blood clouding her vision as she blinked blearily.

Shaking her head, she clawed her way back into the fight, nipping Firestars legs and tail to distract him while Robinhood took out all his fury in sky-shattering blows. Rain soaked into their pelts, waterlogging Dawnstripe as she continued to fight, blood trickling into her eyes and down her face, staining her white patches red.

When Robinhood lost his footing in the mud, slipping onto his side with a hard THUD, Firestar seemed to waste no time in pouncing forward, pinning his paws on the toms chest while he sunk his teeth into Robinhood’s neck. Leaping into the air, Dawnstripe sunk her claws into Firestar’s pelt, her paws on his shoulder as she ripped him off the tom, kicking him to the cliffs edge with all her might.

Panting, she stood, glaring at Firestar as Robinhood struggled to his feet. Firestar’s eyes darted between the two of them, and for a moment he reminded Dawnstripe of the fox she had fought with Deepripple so many moons ago. How ironic.

Feeling the mud seep into her paws, she stepped forward, lifting her chin defiantly, “Surrender now” she ordered.

Those very words made Firestar’s eyes slit, his tail whipping wildly from side to side as she crouched down in the hunters position.

“Never!” he screeched, launching himself forward, his claws and teeth bared, pure bloodlust swirling in his eyes. Almost immediately, Robinhood sprung forward with a yowl, the two colliding mid-air, a terrifying show of brute strength.

As if Starclan itself had open up to help them, a crackle of thunder shook the ground beneath Dawnstripe’s paws, so violent she felt the dirt under her shift. With a horrified look of realization, Dawnstripe reached forward, claws outstretched, as if she could somehow drag them both away from the cliffs edge.

The few moments stretched for an eternity, the ground giving way in a flurry of grit and stone. Desperately, she clung to the collapsing cliffs edge, her eyes catching a glimpse of Frozenrain’s back to her, fighting like all of Lionclan.

Wishing for the seconds to stop, she opened her jaws in a terrified scream, “Frozenrain!”

Just like that, the dirt under her claws slipped away, and the ground rushed up beyond her reach.

She felt claws like fire sink into her neck fur, ripping open her pelt all the way down to her tail, the blood rushing up in thick droplets, caught on the winds of the storm. Stones battered her body, slashing at her pelt and tearing into her legs. It was a pain she had never felt before, the freezing winds and the burning pain tormenting her for the few moments she fell.

Her mind was a whirl of fear and grief. Grief for herself. Grief for her family. Grief for the one love she ever had.

A dazzling bolt of lightning shone through the sky in an instant, cutting through the haze and reflecting upon the swirling water rushing up to greet her.

She watched with a scream as the torrents swallowed Firestar and Robinhood as soon as they hit the water, her voice cut short as the crashing waves hit her body.

Cold.

Dark.

Her body was thrashed around in the swirling currents, the voices of spirits crowding her head and screaming at her to breath.

How can I breathe?! There’s no air! I’m going to die!

Her flailing paws began to slow, her vision fading to black as starry pelts clambered her vision, their voices clear like the silent night in her mind. It was Runningfire…

Teeth tugged at her scruff, and with what little energy she had left, she weakly kicked her hind paws out, trying to get to the surface. Runningfire! If you let me live, I’ll promise to give my all to these kits – like you always told me to!

Dawnstripe, you must live! It is up to you! Live!

Gulping for air, her muzzle barely broke the surface, letting her body get dragged like a log to shore. It felt like an eternity, waves washing over her face no matter how hard she tried to lift her head, but the feeling of gritty sand in her clawmarks reassured her, the weight of her body returning as she was dragged onto solid ground. She recognized Robinhood’s paws on the sandy shore, shaky as he collapsed in front of her. Were they in Seaclan territory?

But they had only just hit the water…

All the thoughts rushing her mind began to fade to quiet, her eyes closing sleepily as the howling wind finally began to die away.

Cats mentioned:
Robinhood dekiruu
Dawnstripe Griz-The-Ambear
Firestar PatchyFallenstar
Frozenrain Ziveti