ShadedOak's Story

Chapter Eighteen

Shadedstar stood up tall beside her brother, whose amber eyes glowed in the pale light of twilight. He bounded up to face Falconstar, who was shocked beyond words.

"This is what all my planning came to! All my secret meetings, and hidden plans," He bared his teeth in a snarl, circling the brown tabby tom. The battle raged around them, but neither seemed aware.

Falconstar laughed harshly, eyes flashing, "As if you could defeat me! You were always weak."

The white tom's amber eyes narrowed, "Not anymore," He lunged at Falconstar, unsheathing his claws.

Shadedstar was cut off as several cats raced up to her, eyes bright, "Shadedstar!" A pale-brown tabby purred.

"Leaf! It's so good to see you!" She purred, flicking her ears, "Although not under these circumstances." She indicated the battle around them.

"Before we get attacked, I would like to introduce you to someone," Leaf began, "This is Granite, one of the rogues in the Thorn's rogue group. He's been spying for us. His mate is Creekheart," She was cut off as she spotted a flash of movement, and glinting pale-green eyes.

A flash of pale-brown fur made Shadedstar bristle, "I think you might want to watch your back." As Thorn approached, she stepped forward. "Hello, fox-heart." She greeted him coldly.

"Oh, it's the tiny mouse," He greeted her just as coldly, "I was wondering when I would see you again."

Granite and Leaf exchanged a confused look, what was with the hostility between the two cats? But then they were distracted as two cats from Thorn's rogue group approached, eyes cold.

"You're going to pay for taking Duskheart from me," She hissed softly, circling him.

"She was raised by me; did you know that?" The rogue tom flashed back at her, "she is stronger than if you had!"

"But you will never be a father like Stormrunner would have!" She snarled, a growl growing in her throat. Then she lunged, taking him by surprise.

He recovered himself, rising up to meet her. The two exchanged blows, some never connecting. Thorn had been practicing, so the two were equal in skill now. He shoved her, knocking her off-balance. His unsheathed claws were poised to kill her.

"Kill me if you want, it won't matter," She growled, eyes flashing. But before he could land a blow, a flash of white fur went across her vision.

Frostshadow leaped, knocking Thorn over with a powerful blow. He slashed his claws across the tom's belly, pinning him down. "Stay away from her!" He snarled.

Thorn gasped, surprised for a heartbeat. Then he composed himself, eyes narrowed. "Why are you stopping me from killing a traitor?"

The dappled tom curled his lip, "My mother is not a traitor, and you know that very well." He dug his claws deeper into the Thorn's flesh. "She would sacrifice herself for this clan!"

Before Thorn could protest, a new voice broke in, "The young one is right." A star-speckled she-cat stood looking at him, eyes flashing. The pale-brown tom gasped, eyes widening in shock. A dark-cream she-cat with hypnotizing purple eyes joined her.

"Dragonfly...? Dawn...? But you're dead!" Thorn exclaimed, pale-green eyes wide. Frostshadow let him up, knowing he was beaten.

A sleek pale-gray shape skidded to a surprised stop, staring at Dawn, "Mother?" Minnowflame stared in disbelief.

"It's me, my kit," Her mother murmured, stepped forward to greet Minnowflame, "I never really left you."

Stone froze, staring from where he had been fighting Bluespark, "Dawn? Ho-How are you alive?" His mate turned to look at him, eyes sorrowful.

"I'm not," Her voice was void of feeling. "I'm simply a spirit." She glanced over at Dragonfly, the dark-brown she-cat, "And so is Dragonfly."

Stone's eyes darkened, hiding any sadness if he felt any, "Then why bother coming here?"

"To give you a second chance," Dawn stepped forward, her gaze gentle and loving now, "No matter what you've done, I've always loved you. I love you enough to give you a second chance."

The dark-gray tom curled his lip, "I can never change. It's my nature to be heartless."

"But you were loving to me," Minnowflame stepped forward, "Even if you can't make up on lost time, on raising me from when I was young, you still cared for me."

Dragonfly purred softly, "Your daughter is wise beyond her years, Stone. She will always forgive you."

To his daughter's surprise, his eyes were dark pools of dismay and confusion, "But what can I do to change? What can I do to change other's opinions of me? The ones that have seen me kill their own campmates will never forgive me." His head hung, "And they shouldn't."

Minnowflame, and two others that Shadedstar hadn't seen before, stepped forward to comfort him, "All of your kits are right here, we all forgive you. Alder and Rose know how bad you feel about the things you've done."

His eyes were tearful, something no one would expect from him, "Thank you. But I am no longer this groups leader." He glanced over disdainfully at Thorn's limp shape, who had been killed by Frostshadow while he had been speaking to his mate and kits. "Ivy will lead this group from now on."

"Me?" A pale-brown she-cat stepped forward, shocked, "But how will they trust me? I look exactly like my father, what if they expect me to be the same as he was?"

"You'll do fine, I've seen what leadership skills you have," Stone touched his tail tip to the she-cat's shoulder, "Now I've got to stop this battle." He raced up to the Rock Pile, leaping up, "This battle is over!" He yowled, his voice echoing over the Gorge.

The yowls grew silent, and cats stared up at him, Falconstar shocked, "But we were going to win!" He hissed.

Stone's leaf-green eyes flashed, "No you weren't. Not without our help," He gestured to the rouges that were leaving the camp, Ivy leading them.

Darkstar stepped forward with a smirk, "He's right, and I'm right that you are finished," The white tom leaped forward, pinning down the distracted tom. He summoned his sister forward, "Would you like to finish him off?"

Shadedstar bared her teeth, eyes flashing, "It would be my pleasure." A light-ginger she-cat skulked behind her, ready to pounce. But as Honeythistle leapt forward, the dappled-tabby kicked her away. Then she turned to Falconstar, eyes flashing, "Enjoy your time in The Place of No Stars."

She snaked forward, grabbing his throat in her jaws. He fell limp, eyes still open, shock and anger in them. Her brother took his rightful place at the top of the Rock Pile, eyes triumphant.

"It's time for any of you who were loyal to him to leave, or you know what you will get from my clanmates," His amber gaze fell on Honeythistle. Stone, who had leapt down, glanced up at him.

"Actually, I have a better idea, the rogues in my group can take them with," He suggested, "That way they get into less trouble."

The SkyClan leader nodded, "Thank you." At that, the rest of the rogues filed out of the Gorge, leaving just the SkyClan cats. "It is with sadness I must appoint a new deputy, as I never got to after Blazetail was killed."

Creekheart leaned into Granite, who had stayed, closing her eyes against tears as her leader continued, "Minnowflame, do you accept the position of SkyClan deputy?"

Pride and shock glinted in her eyes, "Yes." She replied, "I will do my best to protect this clan, just as I have done through the dark times."