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| - Quailfeather had already assembled everyone by the time we reached the rest of the Clan. She was standing on a small peak of rock, giving final orders. "Cranelegs, Nighthawk, don't leave the elders or queens. Kits, please behave. There's a lot at stake here." The older kits were gathered around Petalkit and Poolkit in a defensive formation. "We won't let any stupid, mangy rogue past!" promised Brightkit, her face dead serious and her amber eyes bright with agitation. Eveningfall looked about to reprimand her daughter's language, but instead she gave Brightkit a tender lick on the forehead. "My little warriors," she murmured. I noticed a dark brown she-cat standing off to the side and padded towards her. "Oh, no. You're not fighting." "Don't bother. Quailfeather, Lionpatch, Blossompaw, and about half the Clan already tried to convince her. She keeps insisting that she's not sick, then coughing all over everyone," Bluebird said in an annoyed tone. Minkpaw shrugged. "What can I say. The medicine cat's den is boring. And if I'm still sick, go away, Bluebird. Wouldn't want to get you sick too," she said in the most insincere tone I'd ever heard. He made an ugly face at her. I sighed. "Be safe, then." "Be safe? What kind of an order is that?" she asked. "My farewell wish to you is to tell you to beat up all the rogues you can." "That works too," I said. Daisypaw ran up to us. "Be safe, you guys." Minkpaw let out a loud groan. "Unbelievable. Are we warriors or kittypets?" After Minkpaw and Bluebird had gone off to join their fighting group, Daisypaw turned to me and muttered bitterly, "I think I could pass as a kittypet." "You?" I said disbelievingly. "You could never be a kittypet." "Look at me. Fluffy fur, small paws-" "So you're beautiful," I scoffed. "That doesn't make you a kittypet." "Back when we were together, Specklepaw used to call me a dandelion puff." I nodded, waiting to see the point of this story and trying not to throw up at that sickeningly sweet nickname. "You know, 'cause I'm... I guess, I resemble a dandelion puff. I used to think it was cute. Now I'm not so sure. Is that all cats think of me? That I'm a giant ball of fluffy fur, harmless and only concerned with trivial things." I stared at her for a long moment. It was true that Daisypaw had been a bit shallow, more concerned with her pelt and her love life than training or hunting. But she'd changed. Just like the rest of us, she had matured and grown up. And she was always there, without a fail, whenever any of us needed a helping paw--whether it was physically or emotionally. "At the end of the day," Daisypaw continued sadly. "I'm not a hero. Not like you or Minkpaw or any of the others." "Shut up," I instructed. I wished I had a way of words like she did; she always knew what to say when I felt down, and I wished I could do the same. She deserved that. "I know none of those things are true, and so do you. You're stronger than any of us, because in the darkest times, you never lose sight of who you are. You keep us all together with your strength. Do you have any idea how lost I would be all my life if it weren't for you and your family taking me in? We're sisters." "Sisters," she affirmed, a purr building in her throat. "Great. Now, let's go kick some rogue butt and make Minkpaw proud." Most battle patrols were stationed at the base of High-Rock. Quailfeather's strategy was to fight fiercely and not allow a single rogue past our defenses. If we met the rogues too far away from our base, we would be stretched too thin, and it would be easy for rogues to slip past and make a run for High-Rock. I joined my Clanmates' ranks, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Dewfrost. "I've spent moons teaching you how to fight, Breezeflight. I know you'll make me proud," my former mentor said, brushing his nose to my ear. I gave him a steady nod. "Of course I will." Or I really hoped so, anyway. "Ready in the ranks!" Quailfeather said. I could feel the ground trembling as the rogues stampeded towards us. Claron was running towards the back, surrounded by a posse of three guards. Coward. Bracing my muscles, I prepared myself to fight. SpringClan cats rose up like a wave to meet the rogues as the enemy line descended upon us. I collided with a scrawny rogue I knew by the name of Whiskers. He clawed at my ear, but I ducked and swiped his front legs from under him. Nearby, Dewfrost called approvingly, "Nice! Perfectly executed that move!" He grinned at me as he punched a rogue in the face. "Thanks!" I panted, looking around for anywhere I was needed. Ryan was pinned underneath a rogue who was nearly twice his size. Looked like he'd bitten off a bit more than he could chew. With his face being pressed against the ground, he gasped, "Little... help... here?" "Good luck," snarled the big tom. "You heard of me? Name's Crusher. Know why? I crush-" "Never heard of you," Ryan interrupted, surprisingly cheeky for literally having his cheek smushed under the rogue's weight. I leaped onto Crusher's back. "Get off!" I sunk my claws into his shoulders. "Wow, little kitty. Very nice effort. But you can't distract me. I'll kill your friend, and then I'll focus on killing you." Crusher increased the pressure on Ryan's body. I could see the black tom beginning to lose consciousness. Desperate, I jumped straight into the air and came down with all my weight on Crusher's neck. I forced him by his head off of Ryan, then punched him in both eyes. Yowling in pain, he gripped my hind leg and began dragging me along the ground. Unsteadily getting to his paws, Ryan bit down on Crusher's front legs till he released me. Gasping with pain, I stood and joined in the fight, switching off between pummeling Crusher with my paws and waiting for Ryan to bite down on his jaw or shoulder. When the burly rogue finally fell, Ryan turned to me, about to say something. I didn't have a chance to hear what it was before the world went rolling--or rather, I went rolling. A heavyweight she-cat had slammed into me. "Sorry!" Goldenburst said, grabbing the she-cat and resuming clawing at her. "Things got a bit out of paw! Are you okay?" I nodded, but it was a lie. My head roared with pain. As Ryan walked over, he said horrifiedly, "You're mouth is bleeding really badly, Breezeflight. Come on up to High-Rock with me." Too weak to protest, I let him lead me up to where Blossompaw was waiting. "Lionpatch is tending to major wounds right now," she explained as she wiped blood from my jaw and tried to staunch the bleeding. "Thankfully there haven't been too many serious injuries. Although knowing the warriors of this Clan, all that means is that many horribly wounded cats are still down there, too stubborn to get help." "That's probably true," sighed Ryan, shooting me a pointed look as he licked his own scratches. "One sec. Gotta get the herbs I'll need to fix you up." Blossompaw darted into a cave. Awkward, now it was just two of us. I didn't dare meet Ryan's eyes, instead speaking to the ground as I said, "Are you still angry with me?" "Viperstar escaped while we got the Life-Rock. Cammy and I could've gone after him, but we came back with Specklepaw. I was wrong to think that blind, mad revenge would satisfy me. When the time comes to face that cat, I will. But for now, I choose this battle, these cats to fight for." "Oh. So... are you still angry with me?" He gave a small laugh. "No." Relief flowed through me. "I really am sorry." "I know you are. But the more I've thought about it, the more I've realized that you have nothing to be sorry for. You did the right thing. We needed the Life-Rock, and now that we have it, Oakstar seems to have an idea of how to defeat Claron." No sooner had he mentioned Oakstar's name than Oakstar himself was standing directly behind us. "Very true, Ryan. And it's almost time to put that idea into action." "I don't suppose that entails telling anyone what it is?" I asked. Giving me a wry smile, Oakstar mewed, "Ah, that would simply be too easy, wouldn't it?" "I like easy. We've had enough difficulty," pointed out Ryan. Oakstar nodded. "I don't disagree. But this is for me to deal with." "Oakstar-" "Being the leader of this Clan means so much more than getting to boss you guys around, as fun as that is," he said gently. "It means that this Clan is where I begin and end. I'll do anything to make sure you get home safely." My gaze traveled to the purple stone that lay between his paws. "What are you going to use it for?" "I have a theory." "Only a theory? What if it doesn't work?" "It's a really, really good theory. I'll need all my strength for it, which is why I'm up here instead of fighting right now." I exchanged looks with Ryan helplessly. I knew there was no talking Oakstar out of it, but half of me wanted to tell him he was crazy and then lock him up somewhere so he couldn't get hurt. Slowly, reluctantly, I got to my paws. "We should get back to the fight." "What?" Blossompaw emerged, holding a cluster of dark green leaves. "But I'm not done treating you!" "Later," I promised. She rolled her eyes. "I hate warriors. How am I supposed to do my job if you won't let me?" "Relax, it's just a scratch." "Yeah, that's what Cherrynose said, and Lionpatch is still trying to keep her wound from bleeding," she muttered mutinously, but she added, "All right then, go, if you must." Ryan and I bid Oakstar farewell and trotted back down High-Rock, where the fight was still in full-swing. Claron had gotten into it now, and I must say, hatred for her aside, she was an incredible fighter. Her ghostly pelt was untouched, but those around her were covered in bruises and blood. My anger spiked red-hot. Guessing my thoughts, Ryan nudged me and said, "Let someone else take care of her." "Absolutely not. She's hurting too many SpringClan cats." I made a beeline for Claron, but another rogue got in my way, and I was forced to fight with her instead. I lost sight of Ryan as he disappeared into the frenzy. Daisypaw and Ivyrose were fighting side-by-side. Fire, Specklepaw, and Cammy had formed a loose circle against a couple of rogues and were finishing them off. Overall, it seemed like SpringClan was doing relatively well against the League. Obviously being back on Clan soil had revitalized my Clanmates as well, because every cat was fighting with the ferocity of five. But it wasn't enough. Claron remained our main threat, and she was cutting cats down left and right, leaving them howling with pain or streaming blood. It was probably good that I hadn't reached her in my attempt to attack, because I would be dead right now if I had. "She's too powerful," said Specklepaw, fighting his way to my side. Minkpaw was with him, both of them covered with so much blood that I desperately hoped it was all from other cats. "She is not too powerful," scoffed Minkpaw. "Get Daisypaw. The four of us will take her on." "Minkpaw, no," I said sternly. "You look like you're about to keel over." She glared at me. "I'm fine." "There has to be another way," Specklepaw said frustratedly. There is. My eyes traveled to High-Rock. "I'll be right back." I found Oakstar where he'd been sitting before, on a small ledge outside where the medicine cats had set up camp. His eyes were closed, but he seemed to sense my presence. "The closer the moment gets, the more painful it gets." "What do you mean?" I asked quietly. "Nothing," he said, opening his eyes. "What happened?" "Oakstar, I hate to say this, but if you're going to do something, it needs to be soon. We're struggling out there. Claron is invincible." He nodded. "I understand. I- Mintwhisker!" He ran past me, to where the silver she-cat was being helped up High-Rock by Ivyrose. A long scratch ran from her jaw to her shoulder. "I'm fine, Oakstar," she said weakly. "I'm fine." Everything else about her though, from the red stains she was leaving on the rocks to the frailty of her trembling voice, pointed to the fact that she was most certainly not fine. "Everyone out of the way," Lionpatch ordered as he took Mintwhisker into him and Blossompaw's makeshift den. "I'm sorry Oakstar. I wish I could've gotten there sooner, maybe stopped it from happening," Ivyrose apologized sadly. I licked her on the cheek. "You did all you could." Oakstar nodded, though his eyes were tortured. "It's time," he whispered, and dashed off. "What is he talking about?" Ivyrose asked, looking at me in confusion. I took a deep breath. "Let's go and find out." When we got back to the ground, Oakstar was standing right in the middle of the fighting. No one was touching him; it was like all the cats, rogues and warriors alike, sensed something was about to happen. "Claron!" Oakstar yowled. "Face me!" "Just the two of us? You flatter yourself, Oakstar, thinking you could last a heartbeat against me." Claron walked towards the SpringClan leader, her gait regal and graceful. Her mouth was twisted in a cruel smirk. "But I suppose I can humor you. The only thing that's sort of disheartening is that once I've slaughtered you, your silly Clan will give up--and what's the fun in that?" "Not losing any more of us?" suggested a rogue. Claron shot him a fearsome glare, and he fell silent. "You're just a cat, at the end of the day," Claron told Oakstar. "Your warrior code is not powerful. It's a scanty covering that fools use to hide their true weakness." Raising his chin, Oakstar said, "That is where you're wrong, Claron, and you're about to pay for that mistake. The warrior code isn't meaningless. And I am never alone." He raised the Life-Rock. "Do you see this, Claron? This is what you were after." For the first time, a shadow of doubt crossed Claron's face. "How did you find that?" "But you cannot use it for your darkness. This is an instrument of light. It was a gift to SpringClan, from one of the Greats. And it's the symbol of everything you will never understand about the warrior code: we are never alone." He tipped his head towards the heavens. "LionClan, you gave us the Life-Rock countless moons ago. Now, I use it to call on the power of the Greats. Give me the strength of LionClan." Immediately, a bolt of glowing golden energy flowed through Oakstar's body. A translucent avatar formed around him, one that was massive, with a rippling golden mane. Oakstar opened his mouth, and so did the ghostly lion that encased his body. An earsplitting roar resounded through the air. Fear replaced the cruel gleam in Claron's eyes. She stumbled backwards, but it was too late. Oakstar leaped on top of her. When his claws landed, so did the massive claws that resembled LionClan's power. "Cats of the League!" Claron screamed. "Prove your loyalty! Save me!" A pile of rogues began trying to attack Oakstar. Some of them were deflected by the lion avatar, but others managed to get through. Oakstar ignored their onslaught, fully focused on Claron. Claron struggled out of the grip of the lion around Oakstar, scrambling up the side of High-Rock. Oakstar followed. I would've tried to do something, but it was all I could do to stand up straight on High-Rock; the very ground was rumbling under Oakstar's lion avatar's paws. Besides, I'd only get in the way if I tried to involve myself in this fight. Claron reached the summit of High-Rock. For a ridiculous moment, I thought she'd escaped. Then Oakstar leaped. For one split second, the shimmering form of the lion around him solidified into a muscular, glowing golden cat--so large that he blocked out the sun as he rose in a graceful arc. He crashed into Claron, and a horrible, piercing scream split the air. Claron's dying cry. Some SpringClan cats let out a ragged cheer, but most of us were too stunned to register what was going on. And before I could celebrate, something else happened. Oakstar's lion avatar shuddered, flickered, and then shattered. The image of the lion disappeared, and with it, all the power that had sustained Oakstar. Someone screamed--I don't know who, it might have been me--as Oakstar stumbled once, his stunned, bleeding face tipped towards the sky, staggered, and fell from the top of High-Rock.
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