Blood trickled down Thistlestrike's cheek, and she felt a sharp heat radiating from behind her as the flames in the hallow grew. She glared at the tribe cat and shook her head slightly.
"Your gonna regret doing that." She hissed between her teeth.
The cats eyes widened in slight fear before Thistlestrike lunged at him with outstretched claws. She pinned him easily, and the cat struggled desperately to get free. The cat began to claw at her underbelly, and she shrieked in pain.
For a slight moment, her vision was lined with red, and all she felt was rage.
Before she knew what she was doing, she hooked her claws into the cats shoulders and slammed his head into the hard, forest floor. The cat was dead in an instant. Thistlestrike backed away quickly, stumbling over herself as she gazed at the body.
I lost control...I didn't mean to...
She coughed hard from the smoke when suddenly she felt a swoosh of wind and turned in surprise to see Breezerunner sprinting past her.
"Breezerunner!" She yowled, but it was as if he couldn't hear her.
The tom ran towards what looked like Fernwish cornered in a wall of fire. Autumnleaf stood over her, preparing to strike.
Great Starclan!
She yowled in shock as Breezerunner collided with Autumnleaf as she was leaping through the air. The two cats then plummeted into the flames, screeching in agony as the fire engulfed them.
"NO!" Fernwish's agonized yowl was heard throughout the entire hallow, and all heads turned to her in surprise.
Thistlestrike rushed towards the she-cats side, her eyes wide as she watched the flames dance in victory.
Fernwish shook her head.
"He can't be gone...he..."
Thistlestrike placed her tail on her shoulder gently.
"Fernwish..." She whispered quietly.
The she-cat continued to shake her head, her eyes welling with tears.
"NO!" She screeched again, falling to her paws. She laid her forehead to the ground, yowling in agony.
Thistlestrike tried to approach her, but the she-cat shouldered her away.
"Breezerunner..." A cat meowed weakly from behind her.
Thistlestrike turned to see Brackenheart laying on his side, watching the fire with tears in his eyes.
"Brackenheart!" Thistlestrike rushed towards the tom, examining his wounds.
"I...couldn't save him." The tom whispered. "My paw it..." He shook his head. "It's excuses. I could have saved him. I just...wasn't strong enough."
Thistlestrike touched her nose to his ear gently.
"It wasn't your fault." She mumbled. "He...saved us. He saved us all."
She turned suddenly as paw steps approached. Cats from both the clans, and the tribe began to circle around the scene, watching the fire that had engulfed the two cats.
Tribe cats whispered amongst each other in shock. Their leader was dead.
The rain poured harder on the large group of cats. Their blood from their wounds and the dead ran like a river through the hallow, washing it away. The flames began to diminish and the smoke started to fade. The silence was deafening, the only sound being the sobs of grief coming from Fernwish.
The cats leaned forward in anticipation, as if they all hoped to see the two cats emerge from the wreckage.
Instead, two bodies were seen laying side by side as the fire disappeared.
"Autumn!" A large black tom rushed towards the bodies. Thistlestrike assumed it was Shade.
Shade reached the corpses, gasping slightly as he came closer to the charred cats.
"Autumn..." He whispered. "Is dead."
He turned to the remaining tribe cats.
"This battle is over!" Shade yowled loudly.
Murmurs of surprise erupted from the clan cats. But the tribe cats simply dipped their heads in silence.
Shade gestured towards another large cat, who padded up to him quietly. The two toms then gently lifted Autumnleaf's body, and started toward the path out of four trees.
The rest of the tribe looked at each other before following them. Some glared and hissed at the clan cats, but none of them protested to stay and fight.
"Why...why are they leaving?" Brackenheart whispered in awe.
Realization dawned on Thistlestrike.
"Because Autumnleaf promised them land and refuge. With her gone, so is their hope. They rely on leadership."
She glanced at Brackenheart who struggled to sit up, whimpering slightly.
"Stay down." She ordered. "You'll need two cats to help you up. You probably broke your paw."
He sighed before laying back down slowly.
Thistlestrike gazed around the hallow as clan cats began to find their clan mates. Bodies were all across the hallow, blood staining the leaves.
So many dead...
Her eyes widened in fear.
"Rainpaw!" She yowled fearfully, looking around.
"Thistlestrike!"
She turned to see her sister sprinting towards her. The two she-cats met, laying each others heads on the others shoulder.
"Thank Starclan you're okay." Thistlestrike meowed quietly.
"You too." Rainpaw's voice cracked.
They pulled away and Thistlestrike's eyes landed on Fernwish, who was gazing at the Breezerunners body from where she lay.
"Go to her." Rainpaw whispered.
Thistlestrike nodded before padding over to the she-cat.
"Don't ask if I'm okay." Fernwish hissed under her breath.
"I wasn't going to." Thistlestrike meowed.
It was silent for a moment.
"I can't go over there..." Fernwish mumbled. "I can't see him...like that." She paused for a moment. "I loved him."
Thistlestrike sighed, looking around. The remaining clan cats huddled into their clans, unsure what to do.
She leaned her head close to Fernwish's ear.
"I know you're in a lot of pain. But for your sake, you have to be strong and pull yourself together. Even though you are a chosen one, the warrior code still applies. Nobody can know about you and Breezerunner's...relationship."
Fernwish's eyes narrowed to slits before taking a deep breath.
"Your right." Her face hardened and she stood up shakily. "I'm fine." With that, she shouldered past her, towards the group of Riverclan cats.
She took that...unexpectedly.
She turned to see two Thunderclan cats helping Brackenheart up, carrying him to the Thunderclan group.
Her gaze flicked to the group of Shadowclan, before hesitantly padding towards them.
She spotted Rainpaw and Riverpebble and purred gratefully at the sight of her mother. The she-cat had a deep gash on her side, but other then that she looked okay.
"Thistlestrike." Riverpebble meowed, laying her head on her shoulder. "You did good." She whispered before pulling away.
The clan cats murmurs suddenly died as four cats who were huddled together a few paw steps away, padded toward the four trees. They each jumped on their clan branches, gazing down at the hushed crowd.
Thistlestrike could identify the four leaders easily. Former deputies Gingerpelt and Ivyclaw stood for Crowstar and Falconstar. Breezerunner had told her how Shade killed his leader in cold blood.
"They must be telling us what happens now." Rainpaw whispered.
Bearstar was the first to speak
"The battle is over." He yowled so every cat could hear him. "The clans have won back their territories!
Yowls of victory sounded from the crowd.
"But this nightmare isn't over." Ivyclaw growled. "For those of you who don't know, Falconstar is with Starclan now. Murdered when the tribe attacked our camp. I am now taking his responsibilities." She gazed around the hallow sadly.
"But he isn't the only one we have lost."
Amberstar nodded solemnly. "The other leaders and I have talked. Are next steps forward will be cautious. For now, we are not four clans. But a colony thriving to heal itself. We must heal, and most of all, mourn those we have lost."
Whispers from the crowd began to rise.
"What Amberstar is saying is that we must all support each other now more than ever." Gingerpelt, or Gingerstar, meowed.
"And for those who are confused, before the battle, Crowstar stepped down from his position as Riverclan leader. I am now Gingerstar."
Bearstar dipped his head before speaking.
"Our next steps are to return to our camps. Begin to treat the wounded, and slowly start to rebuild. Any of you who aren't in need of serious treatment, come speak to your leader before you leave. We have a task for you. But the rest can now return to your camps. But remain cautious. We don't know for sure if the tribe cats are really gone."
Cats began to pad towards the path out of four trees in their clans, as the crowd dispersed.
"You should take mother back to camp to get treated." Thistlestrike meowed to Rainpaw.
The she-cat nodded before letting Riverpebble lean on her shoulder and follow the others.
Thistlestrikes gaze flicked to Brackenheart who was being helped up by the Thunderclan warriors. She then spotted Fernwish follow Riverclan out of the hallow, her gaze hard as stone, staring straight ahead.
I hope she's okay...
She then spotted a few cats speaking with the leaders. She padded over to Bearstar who had just finished talking with an apprentice.
"Thistlestrike." He purred gently. "Are you here to identify the fallen?"
She glanced around in surprise as a few cats were padding around the hallow, gazing at the bodies strewn across the ground.
"Thats what they're doing?" She whispered, glancing at Breezerunner's form a few cat lengths away.
The leader nodded.
"Their also going to bury them. And when the clans have treated the wounded, and the camps are taken care of, we will all meet here again to give a proper ritual. We thought it would be wise to do it together as all four clans, to unite in these terrible times."
Thistlestrike nodded.
"That is very wise of you."
It was quiet for a moment, and Bearstar gazed at her in confusion before realization flooded his features.
"Theres something else you want to say, isn't there?" The tom meowed thoughtfully.
She sighed, taking a deep breath.
"I don't think I should stay with Shadowclan. With any clan for that matter."
The leader blinked in surprise.
"But Shadowclan just got you back."
"I know...I just...I thought I could control my abilities. But out on the battle field-
She paused.
"I just can't risk doing what I did last time...with Checkeredpaw."
"Thistlestrike. You underestimate yourself." Bearstar meowed sternly. "What happened with Checkeredpaw was a terrible accident. And I do believe with training, you can learn control."
"But what if there's a battle and-
"We finished the battle. You're thinking too far ahead. The clans will not fight for a long time, Thistlestrike. We have just endured an awful tragedy that involved much loss. Every cat knows that."
Thistlestrike nodded slowly before gazing into the leaders eyes.
"Bearstar...I'm scared."
The leader purred.
"And it's okay to be afraid. It's what you do with that fear that defines you. You could run away, and not face your problems. Or stay, and face them head on. I don't take you for a coward."
Thistlestrike nodded, swallowing hard.
"And your family needs you." The leader whispered lightly. "Just as much as you need them."
The she-cat blinked gratefully at the tom.
"Thank you, Bearstar. I'll keep your words in mind."
The leader dipped his head.
"Are you going to help?" He gestured towards a small group of cats, who were beginning to dig holes around four trees roots.
Thistlestrike nodded before padding towards the group. She stopped midway, glancing at where Breezerunner lay.
Fernwish would want to know exactly where he is buried.
With a deep breath, she padded towards tom.