NightClan's Threat

Chapter 9: Dawn

*WARNING: this chapter contains violence* 

  Nightstar opened her eyes, but screwed them shut as light blinded her vision. 

  "Where am I?" She asked groggily. 

  "Hello, Nightstar. Welcome back." Daisy's voice rang out. Nightstar opened her eyes again, this time without shutting them. 

  "I'm in StarClan? Am I dead?" Nightstar sat up, tired. 

  "You lost a life." Valerie explained gently. "Look." She looked in the direction of a very faint cat. It's sleek and black, and the green eyes were the sharpest feature on there. 

  "But... that's me!" Nightstar exclaimed. Is this what its like to lose a life?

  "Now look here." Valerie looked into a pool, and Nightstar could see her bloody body, Silverleaf crouching over it, eyes clouded with grief. She focused on the creamy she-cat lying next to her body. "Wait, is that...?" 

  "It is." Flowerstem appeared next to Nightstar. "No!" Nightstar cried. "Not you, Flowerstem! You should be fighting, right now!" 

  "I died defending my Clan. It's all I could ask for." Flowerstem meowed, sounding wise. "When you wake, StarClan will fight alongside you." 

  "I need to go back now! I must!" Nightstar spun around, distraught. "I have to help my Clan!" 

  "Nightstar." Her father's tail tip lightly resting on her shoulder. "You convinced the queens to help you. When you return all will be better." 

  "I know, Russell, but I have to return now! I can't just sit here and chill out while my warriors are fighting with their one life!" Nightstar regarded the cats around her with pleading eyes. 

  "Your body as several wounds. They need time to heal, my daughter. You'll be back soon..." Daisy's voice faded away, and all washed into darkness again. 

***

  "No!" Nightstar yelped. 

  "Nightstar!" A familiar voice gasped. "You're awake!" Silverleaf stared down at Nightstar. 

  Nightstar, remembering the battle, jumped up and stretched her sore body quickly. She touched Flowerstem's cold nose, and returned to the battle, just in time to find Rushtail's still body. 

  Fury surged through her, and she grabbed one of the matted toms who are attacking Tigerstripe. Russell's life of strength rushed through her, and she hurled him onto the hard tree roots, slicing his belly. 

  Nightstar helped Tigerstripe chase the other tom away, and asked urgently, "Why are there so little Clan cats?" 

  "A few are leading the queens and kits to the camp." Tigerstripe replied. Nightstar scanned the area for Casper and Claws. Terror swelled through her as she realized where they could be. "Camp!" She shouted. Tigerstripe's eyes grew wide as he raced after Nightstar. 

  They bursted into camp, and Nightstar was right. Casper and Claws were there. Foxclaw was fighting Casper, while Lilycloud was scratching at Claws. There were no other cats in sight. 

  Letting out a yowl, Nightstar joined the fight. Realizing there were other cats, Claws flung Lilycloud onto the forest floor and tore at her neck. A snap echoed through camp. 

  "No! Lilycloud!" Smokepelt dashed out from the warriors' den, where the queens must have been taken, and collided with the surprised Claws. "You killed my mother, you filthy, mangy maggot-brain!" They rolled around the clearing, and Tigerstripe stepped in to help, but Nightstar stopped him. 

  "This is his fight. Help Foxclaw!" Nightstar sped to the warriors' den, and was relieved to see Leopardheart and Mudfur helping the rogue queens and kits into the nests. There were prey, and the queens were feasting hungrily on it, feeding some to their kits.

  "And the toms?" Nightstar inquired. "Fighting for us." Leopardheart mewed firmly.

  "Thank you. I'm glad I believed you." Molly mewed hoarsely. She was bleeding in several places.

  "I'm glad you did too." Nightstar pushed a purr out. "I have to help."

  Smokepelt was standing triumphantly over Claws unmoving body. Nightstar's jaw dropped when she thought Smokepelt killed him, but let out a sigh of relief when the white tom breathed faintly. "You avenged her." Nightstar nodded, peering at Lilycloud's blood-soaked body with sorrow.

  Foxclaw and Tigerstripe had Casper pinned down. The leader of the rogues was spitting angrily under Foxclaw's powerful hold. "Well done." Nightstar praised. 

  Pacing nervously, she waited as the NightClan cats filed into camp. They had won, but Nightstar's heart seemed to stop when she didn't see Darkpelt. 

  Nightstar's let out a frightened purr when she saw Darkpelt propping one of the forced toms into camp, Silverleaf close behind. "Quick bring him into my den!" Nightstar heard her. Darkpelt gave Nightstar a look with bright eyes when he brushed past her. 

  NightClan had won, and they will survive. As the last cat, Russetfang, padded into the camp, the first light of dawn shone across the treetops, signalling a new day.