Warriors: Rise of ThornClan

Chapter 10

The rain had turned into something resembling a hurricane when the ThornClan cats reached the hill overlooking WindClan's territory. Her eyes squinted shut, Leafstep stared down at the clearing, where about fifteen ThunderClan cats were battling WindClan warriors. From the looks of it, the entirety of WindClan was fighting- and at least three were attacking one WindClan warrior. Even with the advantage of numbers, the WindClan cats were so gaunt and thin they were still overpowered.

Leafstep took no time to hesitate. She turned around to face her nine cats, some not fully grown, and one of which was a medicine apprentice- without the advantage, like WindClan, but ThornClan was breeded out of the strongest and best warriors. Even though the amount of ThunderClan cats almost doubled their numbers, Leafstep could feel it in her bones, through the song of the howling rain, that they were going to victory.

"All right, ThornClan!" she yowled, screeching to be heard. "Jadepaw, find any shelter you can up on this hill. Lay down your herbs and stay there, help any WindClan or ThornClan cat that comes for help. Darkpaw, Swiftpaw, stay close to another warrior. Nightsong, Rowanstorm, take the left side of camp. Bristlefang, Spiderpelt, take the right side. Sootflight, follow me- we're going straight in and showing those mouse-hearts who's boss."

Another cheer went up from the ThornClan cats as they each raced away to their different sides, then waited for Leafstep to give to order to burst into WindClan's camp. As she lifted her head to give the battle cry, Sootflight nudged her sharply. Leafstep closed her muzzle and turned in question. "What is it?"

Sootflight's yellow eyes darted to the ground, and it took him a couple tries to begin speaking. Leafstep furrowed her brow. It wasn't like her loyal deputy at all to act so... intimidated. 

"Erm, Leafstep... there's something I should tell you." he began awkwardly, while out of Leafstep's peripheral vision the other cats were beginning to shift and mutter. "Well, make it quick." Leafstep snarled, causing him to flinch. She regretted the words immediately and opened her mouth to soften the blow, but again he cut her off. "You know that Grasswhisker was my mate, and she's gone. Jadepaw was my source of happiness, and she's growing up... to lead her own path. I feel that it's my time, Leafstep." He looked up at her with a flood of emotions in his eyes, and Leafstep choked. No, no... it couldn't be-

"This is my Death Battle."

And, before Leafstep could react, he flung open his jaws emitting a war cry- and charged down the hill towards the camp. 

All Leafstep could do was follow numbly. She stumbled on her way down, but recovered as she went, shaking her head. Snapping her gaze up to the battle, Leafstep shook her head again, sharply. She could grieve later. Now... now she was in a battle.

Diving into the midst of the attack, Leafstep whirled to see Lilyfur, a dark-tabby she-cat with white patches, and Molefoot, a brown-and-white tom. Both arrogant ThunderClan warriors- and senior at that. Almost smiling, Leafstep dove at both of them, her surprise advantage knocking the two to the ground. Lilyfur recovered first, springing up and baring her teeth. When she realized who her opponent was, her light blue eyes widened, and she took a step backwards. "Leafstep?" she breathed. "But- but we're fighting WindClan-"

"You're not fighting, you're stealing their prey- like the cowardly fox-hearts you are, Lilyfur." she snarled, and before Lilyfur had a chance to respond, Leafstep was already leaping for her, claws extended. Lilyfur dodged, but too slowly- when Lilyfur finished twirling around to face Leafstep, the ThornClan leader had already knocked her to the ground. Lilyfur's eyes were closed, the blow to her head knocking her unconscious. 

Leafstep snarled triumphantly and swiveled around to face Molefoot. He stood, shocked, his pelt bristling with fear. "You... how did you..." he gawked, and then turned on his heel to race away.

Leafstep hissed good riddance at his retreating form, and then immediately remembered Sootflight's promise. Whirling around, she searched for his form in the chaos of battle: and there. Leafstep's heart wrenched as she found him battling Redstripe, a ginger tabby tom, and Cherrynose- both senior warriors. Though he was putting up an impressive fight, it was obvious he would lose... though Sootflight wanted this to be his Death Battle, Leafstep just couldn't stand by and watch one of her oldest friends fall without doing anything. Bracing herself for battle, Leafstep raced toward the deputy, but instead slammed into a large white shape, and looked up to see the towering figure- Frostclaw, deputy of ThunderClan. Known widely for his brutality in combat.

Leafstep squared her shoulders and looked up at the tom, giving him her best seething glare. "Get out of my way," she snarled, throwing all of her wrath into her words and eyes, "Or you will regret it."

Frostclaw sneered, stepping close to her and looking down scornfully. "Puny ThornClan mouse-heart, why don't you run back to your fox-hole before I crush your reputation. We wouldn't want that getting hurt, now would we?"

Leafstep curled her lip, refusing to step back even though she was eye level with Frostclaw's massive shoulders. "Let's see what you've got under all that fluff."

With a growl of rage, the ThunderClan deputy launched himself at Leafstep, and she dodged nimbly before diving for his shoulder. Twisting around faster than the shecat had anticipated, he slammed a mighty paw into her shoulder, knocking her to the ground. When she finally regained her breath, Leafstep opened her eyes to see the white tom's face sneering above her. "I guess you are just skin and bones, after all." he smirked, then raised his claws to drive into her belly. As soon as he lifted up his front paws to act, Leafstep arched her back and kicked out her hind legs, sweeping them under Frostclaw's back legs and tumbling the deputy to the ground. Swiftly, she leapt on top of him, slashing her honed claws down his stomach and forehead. Yowling in pain, the tom writhed out from under her and raced away in the direction of ThornClan territory. 

Licking her muzzle to drink in the taste of coward's blood, Leafstep flicked her eyes to and fro, the sanguinary calm of battle washed up on her like a cool wave. Her eyes settled on a figure, and she blinked-

And blinked again.

No.

Time froze.

No.

Leafstep hurtled over, but the scene was the same.

The sounds around her faded away, but her eyes were sharper than ever as she stared down at the body of Sootflight, her loyal deputy, her beloved friend.

No.