The Kill Of Dawn- Book 2

Chapter 15

Greystar stirred awake at the screech of a distant fox. He had almost lost a life fighting that hawk, it had put up much more of a fight than he had expected. As soon as Greystar was fit enough to stand, the sun had set. Now the sun had barley reached the horizon. Everyone slept close together as the cold was unbearable, the elders limbs as stiff as ever. 
But they had to push on. They were so close to restoring the clans. Greystar had spoke with Mistyfoot and they decided they would go to FourTrees, decide on deputies and leaders and then they would return to their own territories. 
Greystar stood up gingerly, fur clumpy and unkempt. His legs felt as if they were made of stone. 
"You're awake," Mistyfoot acknowledged. Almost everyone was just about on their paws. They had to get moving. 

By the time the sun had fully risen the clans were on their way to fourtrees, which took a lot longer than usual. Probably because there was snow two tail-lengths high to walk through. Ember had gotten help from Bandit and Cleo so she only had to carry one kit.
But after a while Greystar saw the slope and the towering oaks that welcomed the clans to the place they used to gather every moon oh so long ago. 
But it wasn't going to be that simple though. 
Greystar should have guessed that. 
Right in the centre of the hollow lay the remains of BloodClan, Russetfur standing on the leaders rock, bearing her sharp yellow gaze down on them. 
"Ambush!" a cat shrieked from below. The whole of BloodClan snapped their gazes at the DawnClan, DisperseClan and KillClan cats that were now streaming down the slope. 
"Stop!" Russetfur snapped as her cats started to advance. The dark ginger she-cat leaped down gracefully into the snow, strutting over to confront the newcomers. "What do you want?" she asked, tone blunt as an elders claws. 
"We've come to reclaim the forests. This hollow belongs to ThunderClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan and WindClan, not BloodClan Russetfur," Greystar explained. 
"Why stick by such strict rules? Scourge killed every one of our leaders. Things have changed, and maybe for the better. I want you to finally use that brain of yours and realise this is for the better," Russetfur replied, a gleam in her eyes. 
"Do you even know what you're doing? Your the leader of an army of murderers! Where is your loyalty? These cats are the very reason ShadowClan no longer exists!" Greystar growled at her, desperate to make her realise what she's doing is a terrible idea. 
"My loyalty is with them," she gestured to the cats behind her ,"ShadowClan is no more. It's time to move on." 
"Never! StarClan will live on!" Oakfur snarled. 
"Russetfur, I'm not telling you to rejoin the clans. You can be whatever you want. But you can't stay here, this is StarClans grounds, not a place for a bunch of rouges," Greystar explained, gaze hardening with impatience. 
"How dare you! We aren't just a bunch of rouges! We are BloodClan, and if you want this back, your going to have to kill me first!" Russetfur challenged. Greystar sighed. 
"I don't want-" 
"Not you Fox Brain!" Russetfur interrupted tartly ,"Oakfur is who will be 'ending me'. If I win you all have to leave, if I die, the forests are your." 
"Deal," Greystar agreed hesitantly. What more could he do? This was their only hope. 
Every single clan had formed a ring around the two cats, the different sides chanting and rooting for their clanmate. Oakfur's eyes were lit with unbelievable fury as the two cats circled each other, tails slicing through the cold, thin air. Then suddenly, Oakfur leaped to the side, crashing into Russetfur's flank, causing her to crash to the ground. Russetfur let out a screech, claws barely missing Oakfur's eyes as she staggered to her paws. Oakfur was quick to send another flurry of swipes her way but Russetfur dodged each and every one before tearing her claws through Oakfur's already severely notched left ear. The brown tom yowled in anguish, charging head first into the russet she-cats chest, scraping his claws along her shoulders. 
"You are a traitor and a fool! May the Dark Forests prepare for your arrival!" Oakfur cursed, aiming a death swipe at Russetfur's throat. Russetfur laughed. 
"You really think you can win this?" she asked, eyes mocking ,"You're just a weak old tom who has to rely on a bunch of dead cats in order to survive," she jeered, bucking her hind-legs, causing the breath to be knocked out of the tom. She was going to win! This couldn't happen! Greystar panicked. He suddenly leaped into the air, flipping round as he did so and crashing into the snow. It worked! He had distracted her, even if it mean't he had to look like a fish put of water. Oakfur got to his paws, casting a grateful glance at Greystar before pinning the unsuspecting she-cat to the ground. 
"That's not fair! You helped him!" Russetfur snarled as she desperately tried to struggle free. 
"I didn't help him. I just jumped into the air, you didn't have to be distracted by it. A true warrior would know to keep their focus on the fight their in," Greystar shook his head. 
Then something very strange happened. Lightning struck from the sky as suddenly both cats at the very same moment delivered the kill blow. Two blood curdling shrieks echoed through the suddenly very empty feeling hollow. The two cats fell to the ground with a loud thud, red against white. They were both dead, killed at the exact same time, and by each other too. 
"What just happened?" was all Greystar could think to say. 
"I- I'm not quite sure," Mistyfoot replied uncertainly. 
Was this what StarClan thought was the right thing to happen?