Gray awoke to Red's scream. He was holding a bloody ax in his hands, followed by a trail of blood running by his side. She quickly dashed out of her nest and reached for her sword.
"Red??" Her cry was a mix of shock and confusion, "What's going on?"
He opened his mouth and barely gasped the words out, "I live with The Heavens now."
"What in Arian are you saying?"
"Goodbye Graystar."
"No.. No!"
"No!" Gray opened her eyes and covered her hands with her mouth. Crystal, who was right next to her, pounced up and widened her eyes.
"What are you doing?!" Crystal snarled, clearly agitated by her yell.
Gray shook her head, and looked beside her. The sword on her desk stood right beside her half-eaten mouse from last night's dinner, just where she put it before she went to sleep. She glanced at the doorway that led to the deputy's den and took a sigh of relief when she saw Red's bushy tail flicking slightly under the sheets.
"Sorry," Gray muttered, "I just had a nightmare."
Crystal shook her head, then flopped back into bed. Deciding that she wasn't tired, Gray gradually lifted herself up and put on a rain-coat as well as loose jeans to keep her warm from the last chilly days of winter. Perfunctorily, she slipped her belt on as she would do any typical day, and buckled on her sword.
It was still dark out, but many were already awake, preparing for the war. The door to the medicine cat's den was open. Gray walked past, catching a glimpse of Hawkheart and Fawnwhisker organizing a variety of herbs into their leather pouches. Some warriors had already started to distribute breakfast around.
Gray looked around for Red, sighing in relief when she saw him. He was the same as ever, serious look. He was doing the same thing that he always did when he was focusing, carefully tracing the scars that ran down his neck. He was always working on many things, so she decided not to confront him.
"Graystar!" The sharp, familiar voice of Lilystar rung in her ears. Gray turned around and quickly widened her eyes at the sight of the Mountainclan's leader. She took a small bow in respect, as the kumas would traditionally greet leaders in the form of a bow.
"I think I found something for the phantoms! I may have a lead for how their weapons works and what they are made out of. They seem to be man made though... I think that the phantoms may have been humans originally whom were modified," Lilystar approached the Gray leader, while accidently bumping into Crystal, who was going through a book. She awkwardly turned around then raised her eyebrows at the Mountain Kingdom's leader.
"Oh... You're the girl who was with North, right? Little girls shouldn't be messing with wars. Are you a healer or something?" Lilystar recalled.
"Excuse me? First of all, I doubt that I am that much younger than you. I am only a year younger than Gray and North," Crystal met her gaze. She knew that being underestimated wasn't always bad, but she hated it when people thought of her as weak.
"I said not to get involved with matters of the kingdoms this isn't the sort of thing that people like you can understand," Lily interrupted her, immediately forgetting about Gray's presence. "Little girl, this war is much bigger than you. Nekos can give us information, but cats will never be able to defeat big animals like bears, or wolves. YOu don't have any strength other than your abilities. YOu wouldn't be able to win without dirty tricks!"
Crystal could see that the strength of her anger was directed at her. Not the nekos. They were just collateral damage.
"You are just jealous because the kumas don't have brains big enough to make plans," snarled Crystal, replying in the same manner.
"You aren't even dressed for war! You aren't taking this seriously!"
Crystal was dressed in a casual fashion while waiting for the war. No swords or knives on her, but just a crop top and shorts. Her hair was tied back with an old hair tie that was a gift from North and Sky.
"That's because I'm not fighting! I am going to the okami camp. Armor will reduce my mobility. Plus, if I have my best armor and sword, they will be taken away and if I don't have the best on, it will be suspicious! The best idea is to not have any at all!"
"Still, you shouldn't interfere. Who are you anyways?"
"My name is Crystalfur Storm. But you can call me Crystalfur Storm. I am ceremony holder and warrior of StormClan."
Lilystar narrowed her gaze, but said nothing more. Gray stood uncomfortably as the two glared at each other like hawks. She was surprised that they had already stirred up an argument in less than a minute.
"Lilystar, are your cats ready?" Gray remarked, trying to change the topic, "It's almost dawn."
She nodded, "Yes. Lined up, positioned, and ready to go at my signal. North is also there with his cats, he is helping with battle formations."
"How about Flightstar?"
"He and his clan are up in the clouds," Lilystar winked, "Ready to drop bombs made by Iceclan, powerful enough to blow up 100 feet of land."
Graystar nodded, then quickly frowned. "Wait.. how about the kits, elders, and all of the innocent people? You're not going to blow them up too, are you?"
"Of course we will," Lilystar quickly dismissed the thought, "Sorry, but if we want to get rid of Ashclan's tyranny, we have to get rid of everyone who has been under its influence." It grew quiet among the three Animas.
"But, this is not their fault! If a clan disappears, then the heavens will punish us!" Crystal suddenly spoke.
"I agree with my sister," Gray spoke firmly. She watched as Lilystar's reaction suddenly grow from excitement to anger.
"What about the phantoms? You cannot say a single one of them is innocent!" The kuma hissed.
Crystal thought about Lark and quickly replied, "How can you say that? Do you all of them personally? They aren't objects to just label! Sure, they did bad things in the past, but their past doesn't define their future!"
"Why are you suddenly defending our enemies?" Lilystar shot back, "Are you really on our side?"
"Don't question us or what side we are on. I promised myself. I said that I would never be someone like you.Someone who believes in herself so much that she is blind to anything else. To the fact that others have thoughts and emotion. DO not act like while here. Where people actually think that other people have emotions."
Red approached the trio, "Why so much commotion?"
"Your leader here believes that we shouldn't attack Ashclan or the phantoms." Lilystar crossed her arms.
"What??"
"She's not phrasing it right," Gray thundered, "Lilystar thinks we should drop bombs on Ashclan territory, as well as the phantoms. You know that innocent kits are going to be killed! If she is willing to kill all of these innocent Animas, what makes her different than Dawn.. or even Pluto?"
"Wait, you're planning to drop bombs? You know what, forget about it," Red exclaimed loudly, "Gray, we only have an hour before war starts. We have to hurry, now is not the time for arguing. If anything, the last thing we need is a fight amongst our own allies!"
Lilystar nodded in agreement, "I'm going outside to check on our army. We'll talk about the bombs once we reach that point in war."
She quickly walked away, the knife in her pouch jiggling as she exited the camp. Gray watched the kuma leave then quickly shook her head.
"Let's go. We have a war to fight," Gray muttered. They walked off, and joined their band of warriors, ready for whatever may come.
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"Greetings Graystar."
Gray approached the border of her camp with hundreds of Animas trailing behind her. Dawn showed no sign of intimidation as she witnessed the huge mass of warriors against her. Instead, she smiled then stepped forward to face the gray leader.
"Dawn," Gray nodded then shifted her gaze over to Pluto who wore a grim face, "Pluto... looks like we meet again. But this time, you're not standing next to me."
The phantom said nothing back, only stared with his inevitable, empty pupils.
"Before we start the war, I'd like to state the rules," Dawn loudly announced, "The first side to invade the other side's camp is the winner. There will be no more fighting beyond that point. The heavens will turn the sky red as a sign of victory for whichever clan invades first, since this war is guided by them."
Gray rolled her eyes at the hypocrisy of the orange leader.
"Are we all ready to fight?" Dawn shouted. Loud cries erupted from the armies, as each warrior got into their battle position.
"Hai ga hajimaru! BEGIN!"
"FOR STORMCLAN!" Gray yelled the signal, and all of the clans charged at each other. She slid out her sword, and threw herself into the horrendous bloodshed.