Warriors #3 - Revenge of Darkhaven

Victory & Death

The Clone Wars had raged on for almost two years, yet neither the Republic nor the Separatists seemed to back down from the other.

The Knights of Dawnclan had faced many challenges before, and many had started to lose their identity, resulting in falling to the Dark side.

Skyfire dodged a badger's snapping jaws deftly, then leaped beside his former Master and friend, who was struggling with a Serennian warrior.

There had never been an attack like this; Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, Pebblepatch, was abducted in the heart of Separatist territory, Serenno.

This act seemed to drill a hole of fear in the cats' hearts. An attack, right in the heart of their territory?

To make matters worse, he was in the vicious talons of General Grievous.

Count Frostshard, leader of the Separatists, was one thing... meanwhile Grievous... well, he was a monster.

The reaper of lives, and huge as a boulder, the vicious bone-colored tarantula wore a necklace of Kyber Crystals- taken from the fallen Knights in the war.

"Skyfire, look out!" Hazeldusk yowled as a fox snapped its jaws right where his head was a second ago. Skyfire bared his fangs into a vicious snarl, and with one powerful blow, tore open the Mutt's throat.

"How much longer till we breach the entrance?" he asked, blood dripping from his ragged pelt.

"I don't know, Sky." Hazeldusk stared at the oncoming Mutts surge toward the Clones mercilessly. He looked up at him, hoping to catch a whisp of Skyfire's old humorous self, but all he could sense were raw, roughly healing scars.

They both pretended the war hadn't changed them both.

They both tried to hide their pain.

Skyfire gave Hazeldusk a grim smile, then lunged for a bunch of weasels, Kyberclaws flaring in the hot sunlight.

The war had taken so many lives, from both sides.

Skyfire wanted to believe he was used to all the bloodshed happening around him, that there was still hope in the Republic, that there was still hope left to fight for... yet after Tawnyrain left Dawnclan, his faith had begun to crumble.

She had served as a loyal warrior for many moons, but the way the Council turned their backs on her, not giving her a proper trial... she must have felt betrayed.

She had been his apprentice and like a sister to him.

Skyfire had been scarred and battered since the beginning of the war, yet this was one wound that refused to heal.

At least he still had a purpose.

At least he had something to fight for.

For his respectful Chancellor and his beloved mate, Heathersun.

Hazeldusk had not felt content for a long time since the war... well, since the Black Plague spread and took the majority of Dawnclan and other tribes.

Lotusbloom's ragged, dying breath still chilled his heart. She had worked day and night without sleep to save another life, and it had resulted in the Plague taking her own away.

He admitted it... he had loved her, and her death still haunted his dreams, no matter how hard he tried to let it go.

First Sagepelt, now Lotusbloom, his battalion... who else was he going to lose next?