Windclan's Hope

Chapter 24

Stemstar leapt onto Hawkgrowl, hauling him down with a swift claw to the throat. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't end you now." He snarled. "Im your kin Stem-" Stemstar didn't let him finish, he tore his claws into his throat and let him fall. "Hawkgrowl!" Ravenstar yowled. "Drive them to Fourtrees!" Stemstar yowled. Shadowclan and Windclan cats began to move. Stemstar saw Whiteclaw's patrol move with them, they still surrounded the fighting cats. "Go with them. Some cats find a way out!" Ravenstar tore from Adderstar's claws and ran but was soon tackled and hauled to the hollow.
In the hollow, Ravenstar was pinned at the top of the great rock. Spitting, yowls and snarls sounded below him as Stemstar walked up the rock. Adderstar had claws in the tom's throat. "What life are you on?" The Shadowclan leader demanded. "Maybe Whistlefall will tell." Stemstar beckoned the medicine cat. "Life six." The tom replied and moved to safety. "You traitor!" Ravenstar wriggled. Stemstar spun to see Talonheart rushing up the rock. "Applepaw got away, Squirrelfoot and Volenose went to get Sproutpaw out. Lakespirit went after him… she is going to sacrifice herself." Tears filled the tom's eyes. "Win for her." Stemstar said sternly. "If you can't save her, show her what you are fighting for." Talonheart nodded, body tensing as Thunderclan leapt into the hollow. Stemstar's eyes widened as Lakespirit's body was tossed into the hollow by Splashstar.
Stemstar saw Talonheart and Seedstalk barge forward, throwing themselves into Splashstar and Acorntail. Applepaw was running with them but was taken down by Talonheart, killed almost immediately. Stemstar winced, turning away. "Life two gone. Stemstar, hurry and kill him. I'll get their attenti-" Bugface leapt onto Adderstar, peeling him off the jet black tom.
Stemstar kicked Bugface in the chin with his hind legs and continued around, splashing the tom's cheek and eye open. Bugface shrieked, leaving the hollow. Adderstar was wrestling with Ravenstar now. "Get them." Stemstar leapt onto Ravenstar, claws in his ear and throat. Ravenstar wriggled but finally, he kept still. "Riverclan and Thunderclan! This war is over!" Adderstar yowled. The clearing went eerily quiet as cats pulled apart. Stemstar pulled his claws across the leader's throat with a growl. He dragged him to the edge of the rock, dropping him. "No!" Webfur shouted. The clans went into mourning, yowling in grief. "Never, ever attack Windclan or Shadowclan again." Stemstar yowled, standing up straight.
At camp, they'd lost two cats in the battle. Rabbitstrike and Lakespirit. Talonheart and Seedstalk lay at Lakespirit's side with Squirrelfoot. The rest of the clan lay at Rabbitstrike's side, some didn't lay at a cats side at all, too grief striken or exhusted to hurt. Stemstar sighed, leaning out of his nest in the medicine den to see his grieving clan. His wounds stung as Turtleheart applied a paste to them. "I should be able to hold vigil." He growled. "You an in here. Ravenstar gave you some deep wounds." Turtleheart replied. He rolled his eyes and sighed, looking as Squirrelfoot leaned onto Talonheart. He heard a voice in the medicine den, the other two medicine cats heard it too, they stopped to listen. "The prophecy remains, the three still have not saved their clan. This time, the squirrel's flight is paused, the stems and ivy must protect the clan in her pause. Though the ivy may change, but change is good." The cat rasped before pausing. Stemstar looked at his medicine cats, they seemed to understand.