Warriors: Rise of the Shadows (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Yowls echoed into the night air, along with the sounds of battle. The stench of battle and blood filled Sweetscent's nose and she got dizzy but pushed through it.

Cedarcloud saw the look of determination on Sweetscent's face that he raced over. "I know some that can help you, Sweetscent." He gasped, his flanks heaving. "Watchertail and I will get you to the elders' den where those who don't agree with Rockstar are sheltering." He meowed quickly and dodged fighting cats and together they dove into the hollow of a dead tree.

"Who is it?" Demanded a ginger and white she-cat who had her tail fluffed out to twice its size. "Cedarcloud? Watchertail?" She meowed, shocked.

"And Sweetscent, FireClan's deputy," Watchertail added as he slid into the den from behind them, startling Sweetscent. "Sweetscent, meet Mapleflame, Ravengorse, Specklestorm, Blazewing, Heartfire, Starlingwing, Branchstep, and Cedarcloud." He meowed, nodding to the starved cats huddled in the cramped den.

Sweetscent stared at the cats before her, her heart breaking at their thin flanks and unkempt pelts. "We'll have to fight for Rockstar to be exiled from your Clan. Cats might die but it will be doing good for you." She pointed out, her tail flicking.

Mapleflame nodded rose to her paws, as did the other cats. "We will fight to rid DuskClan of the poison that is Rockstar and restore what he has left behind." She meowed strongly and charged out of the den and into the battle with a fierce yowl.

Sweetscent followed her lead with the other rebel cats behind her and crashed into Thistlehare, snarling. "You destroyed DuskClan from the inside out!" She spat, scratching his face.

Thistlehare roared in pain and slashed her cheek, making her stagger backward. "It was all part of Rockstar's plan to destroy the Clans!" He sneered and leaped onto the she-cat, pinning her to the ground.

Not wanting the tom to overpower her, Sweetscent brought up a paw of unsheathed claws and dragged them across his neck, spraying blood onto her white and red pelt.

The other deputy stumbled as blood gushed from his wound and eventually fell to the ground, dead. Sweetscent rose to her paws and spat out blood that gathered in her mouth.

A familiar gray pelt caught her attention and she saw Rockstar towering over Starlingpaw. "No!" Sweetscent wailed as his claws struck her daughter's neck, blood welling from the wound as Rockstar watched.

New energy pulsed through her paws and she charged at the murderous leader, knocking him off his paws. "Murderer!" She screeched, landing blow after blow on the tom. "Stay away from my kits!" With a final blow to his neck, Sweetscent glared at the leader as he cowered away from the fierce deputy.

"You are harder to get rid of than Owlstar and Webstripe!" Rockstar snarled, but blood began to pool beneath him and he looked weaker.

"Your Clan has turned against you, Rockfall." Sweetscent spat, not calling the tom by his leader name. "Your jealousy and ambition have led you to your downfall, Rockfall. Leave now and never return or die." She growled, lifting her head as Rockstar's followers cowered behind their leader or lay dead in the clearing. "This isn't the last you see of me, Sweetscent." Rockfall spat, beginning to limp away. "I'll destroy the Clans and rule the forest yet, and you better watch your back."