Tigerstar shrieked in pain as sharp claws dug into into his thick fur. He reared up desperately as fangs sank into the back of his neck, trying to force the warrior off his back. Thinking fast, he whipped his head around and gripped a blue-grey leg, yanking it as hard as he could.
The RiverClan warrior let out a yowl of shock as he slid of the ThunderClan leader's back and thudded onto the floor. Tigerstar recognised the blue-grey pelt of Stonefur as he scrambled back to his paws.
As soon as Tigerstar regained his balance, Mistyfoot flew at him, snarling with hatred and caught him with a blow to the cheek. He spat at her, lashing out and tearing her ear, but Mistyfoot didn't even flinch.
Rearing up, she clawed at his face, her aim perfect each time as Tigerstar felt his cheek sting with each blow. He was forced onto all paws as he attempted to blink the blood trickling from his head out of his eyes.
Mistyfoot and Stonefur gave each other a glance which seemed so full of meaning, but he was too exhausted to care. Suddenly, the two blue-grey warriors split off and rammed into him from each side. Tigerstar felt the wind get knocked out of him as his legs buckled beneath him.
As soon as he hit the ground, the two warriors sprang as one. Mistyfoot clawed at his haunches while Stonefur battered his face, his eyes narrowed in anger. Panting for breath, Tigerstar fought vainly as he tried to get up, but Mistyfoot suddenly threw all of her weight onto his hind legs.
I can't move! Tigerstar began to panic as he spotted Stonefur stalking towards him, his claws glinting in the moonlight. He narrowed his eyes and raised his paw, prepearing to strike. Tigerstar closed his eyes, waiting for the death blow.
"Murderer!" A familiar shriek sounded from next to him.
Tigerstar opened his eyes to see a blur of grey leap at Stonefur's face. The warrior's eyes widened with horror as Ashpaw sunk his claws into the RiverClan cat's eyes. Crimson drops of blood splattered all over the floor as Stonefur leaped onto his hind legs, a blood-curdling screech escaping his jaws as he shook his head frantically to release the apprentice. Ashpaw held on, his icy blue eyes narrowed in fury as he sank his claws in deeper.
Feeling a new wave of strength surge through him, he flipped onto his back and flung his hind paws under Mistyfoot's chin, lashing out and throwing her to the other side of the clearing. Her blue eyes widened with shock as she thudded onto the floor, lying motionless for a heartbeat before staggering to her paws and leaping into the fray once more.
"I can't see!"
A wail interrupted the furious yowls and screeches and cats turned wide-eyed to see here it had come from.
Stonefur was writhing on the floor, blood leaking from two holes in his face. He let out wails of anguish while Ashpaw stood there watching, his paws covered in blood.
Tigerstar's stomach churned. Revenge for his mother had made the apprentice rip out Stonefur's eyes in the grief and rage he had felt in battle. Fernpaw crouched at the edge of the clearing, her green eyes wide with horror as she trembled beside Dustpelt. The brown tabby warrior bent down and gently murmured something in her ear.
"Stonefur!" A yowl distracted him and he turned to see Mistyfoot running towards her brother's broken body.
Tigerstar leaped forward, blocking her. "Stay back!" He spat. "That piece of crow-food deserves to die!"
"The cat who deserves to die is you!" Mistyfoot snarled. "Too many cats have died today!"
"Mistyfoot!" Leopardfur's sharp mew interrupted her. "Don't waste your time on this cat." She nodded to Stonefur whose breathing was slowing. "Go and see your brother."
The blue-grey she-cat's eyes widened with anguish as she approached Stonefur. "Oh, brother," she breathed softly. "Please don't leave me too.." She crouched down and gently licked his shoulder, a small whimper escaping her throat.
Cats watched silently as Mistyfoot gently cleaned the blood away around Stonefur's savaged eyes. The tom lay unconscious, his flanks rising and falling with each breath until they eventually growed still.
Mistyfoot let out a moan and dug her nose into his blood-covered fur.
Tigerstar gave a nod as Ashpaw limped towards him, his eyes still ablaze with the fire of a fight. "Well done," he congratulated. "Your mother would have been proud."
"Proud?" Leopardfur echoed, her ears flattening. "If my kit did something like that, he wouldn't be my kit anymore! What that apprentice just did was a disgrace to the warrior code!"
"Stonefur killed his mother!" Tigerstar hissed, lashing his tail.
"You kept Silverstream's kits; Crookedstar's kin!"
Tigerstar let out a purr. "If they're his kin," he looked around, "why wasn't he here to fight this battle?"
Leopardfur narrowed her eyes. "Of course he was! He's-" She broke off, looking around the clearing. "Where is he?"
Now! Tigerstar took his chance, pouncing on the RiverClan deputy while she was distracted. He pinned her onto her back against the floor and sank his claws softly into her soft belly. He let out a sweet purr. "Let's make a deal," he softly ran a claw down her throat and she flinched. The RiverClan warriors bristled in the crowd. "We can continue this battle and your clan will be driven out or killed because of you or you can surrender the kits and we'll leave your Clan alone."
Leopardfur struggled in his grasp. "Or what?" She hissed, defiance in her amber eyes. "You'll kill me?"
Tigerstar studied his long striped claws which still had clumps of Crookedstar's fur in. "No. I'm not so cruel that I'd kill a Clan leader and deputy in the same day."
Leopardfur froze, her amber eyes filling with pain. "He's dead?" She croaked.
The ThunderClan leader released his grip, smirking. "Oh, Leopardfur, he was dead before the battle even started."
The dapped she-cat staggered to her paws, uneasiness in her gaze. She looked around at her battered Clanmates, flicking her tail undecisively. She let out a sigh before speaking in such a soft voice that Tigerstar had to lean forward to hear. "The war is over."
Blackclaw pricked his torn ears. "Who won?"
"ThunderClan," Tigerstar meowed, lashing his tail.
Leopardfur gave a reluctant nod. "ThunderClan will keep the cats and the raids on the camps will end."
Tigerstar gave a nod before letting out a jubilous yowl. His warriors glanced at eachother uncertainly before reluctantly joining in, their calls filling the night sky.
Darkstripe began to round up the warriors, gathering them into one group and herding them towards the entrance. Tigerstar stood at the lead, narrowing his eyes. "Where's Runningwind?"
Swiftshadow glanced behind him. "He's dead, Tigerstar," he meowed softly.
Tigerstar spotted a glimpse of crumpled brown tabby fur strewn on the floor. Mousefur was padding over to him, preparing to carry him back.
He padded over. "Do you need any help?"
Mousefur whipped around to face him, her amber eyes blazing. "Stay back!" She spat. "Only I will carry him! It's your fault he's dead!"
Tigerstar flicked his ears in shock as the wiry brown warrior grasped Runningwind's scruf and began dragging him out of camp. He was vaguely aware of Whitestorm approaching beside him.
"She's just grieving," he murmured. "She doesn't mean it."
Tigerstar sniffed. "I don't care if she means it or not. She can hate me all she likes, but she will always be loyal to her Clan."
He led the two patrols out of camp, narrowing his eyes as the rising sun turned the bloody cats yellow. Tigerstar nodded to Swiftshadow. "You did well," he commented.
Swiftshadow dipped his head, looking embarrassed. "Thank you, Tigerstar." The black-and-white warrior looked anxiously at Brightpaw who was lagging behind. "I need to make sure she's okay!"
Tigerstar hissed as the young warrior hurried off and pressed himself against the ginger-and-white cat. Swiftshadow would make an excellent leader as long as he didn't focus on a mate too much.
Ambition is more important than love! Tigerstar thought. Ambition led us to this victory; I wouldn't be here without ambition.