it's alright, though. Stormshade would've been too stupid to notice anything."

"Would you just shut up for once in your life?" Stormshade hissed, peering over his shoulder as he peeled into a tunnel.

"How'd Goldentooth settle on a daft furball like you to lead the charge, anyway?"

"Brambleblaze, shut it!" Swiftleap bared his teeth, though it was hardly visible in the darkness of the tunnel.

"Do you want me to take charge, apprentice?" Sunclaw's smug voice could be heard.

Stormshade suppressed a growl. "Shut up, everyone! I need to focus!" He closed his eyes, although he continued to trot ahead with little change in pace. He could hear Goldentooth's patrol overhead suddenly come to a halt. "Everyone hold up!" he snapped. "Quiet!"

"ThunderClan must be right outside camp!" Brambleblaze breathed.

A grey tom squeezed beside Stormshade. "Winnowfall's all alone up there," he hissed.

"Keep your fur on," Stormshade soothed. "Winnowfall'll be fine."

"If they lay a claw on her pelt, I'll kill every one of them."

"Easy, tiger!" Brambleblaze cracked.

Heavy pawsteps could be heard on the surface. "It's great to see that you left camp to speak with us," Brackenstar, ThunderClan's leader, growled. "Goldentooth, I have known you a long time, which is why I'm surprised that you'd follow through on such a stupid plan." There was a moment of silence. "As unstable as Cloudstar is." The chuckles and laughs of the ThunderClan warriors could be heard as clear as clean water, and Sunclaw growled. "What I'm not surprised by is that Cloudstar sent you out here to do the talking for her. Poor Goldentooth, right?" More pawsteps could be heard, and Stormshade knew that he was probably looking at his warriors. "Always doing the heavy lifting! StarClan, are you a warrior, or a puppet?"

"I am loyal to my leader," Goldentooth replied smoothly. "Whatever grievances you have with us, purported or not, we can settle with words. Otherwise--" there was a pause, "--There will be a lot of blood on your paws."

"Purported?" Brackenstar scoffed. "You and I both know what happened. ThunderClan has flooded thanks to your tunnel stunt. An apprentice nearly died."

Stormshade stiffened. Cloudstar's plan worked? Brambleblaze shivered. "The old coot did something right for once!"

"WindClan abandoned the tunnels when we left the forest," Goldentooth meowed, before his voice suddenly loosened. "My friends, we follow the same code! We descend from the same tribe! We're kin! Is it not the goal of every leader to bring about a period of peace and stability? To prevent these brotherly conflicts? Need I remind you of our ancient alliance?"

"Your Clan never held up their side of that alliance, Goldentooth. I will not stand here speaking to a mere deputy. Take me to Cloudstar."

"What if I refuse, for the safety of my ailing leader?"

"We will force our way inside."

Swiftleap brushed past Stormshade, growling in the darkness. "Let's get up there."

"They haven't started fighting yet," Stormshade snapped. "Stay where you are."

Stormshade heard Goldentooth sigh. "You'll force your way inside?" His light pawsteps could be heard until he was standing directly in front of Brackenstar. "You didn't earn your leader name," he growled. "When I look into your face, I see no leader. I see a tyrant. Your own warriors have tended to leave your Clan."

"Nightbreeze was a traitor!"

"Case in point. He never saw you as a leader -- just a bloodthirsty monster." He raised his voice. "What about the rest of your warriors? Do they fear you, or love you?"

He took another step towards his ThunderClan counterpart.

"Your cats follow you because they have no choice. Mine follow me because they feel an obligation. We both control a Clan, but make no mistake: We are different. I have something that you can never fathom. I have a family -- You have servants."

"I hate you." Brackenstar snarled. "You lie through your teeth. You talk your way out of every conflict. You're spineless, and you will never fight for your so-called family."

"Are you sure about that?" The sound of pawsteps overhead could be heard once again as Goldentooth's patrol fanned out behind him. "Because when we're done here, Brackenstar, there'll be a lot of ThunderClan blood on this moor. I'd hate to give Leafstorm all that trouble."

"I will not ask again."

"Good. In fact, Brackenstar --" Goldentooth paused. "I like it better this way."

Without having to even give an order, Goldentooth's patrol leaped into action. Stormshade flinched at the sound of the chaos above them.

"Right!" he yowled. "Pair up and attack on sight! No mercy!"

Swiftleap pressed against Stormshade. "I'm with you!" As one, the pair of toms shot through the winding tunnels as dirt and mud showered down on them.

Right as they came to an exit, a ginger tom's leg punched through the hole. Stormshade yanked Swiftleap back. Oh, how tempting that leg was. Stormshade couldn't attack it -- otherwise WindClan's use of the tunnels would be known.

With a growl, the ginger tom yanked his leg free, and Stormshade could hear him be promptly tackled by a moor runner.

The two tunnelers briefly glanced at one another. Stormshade winked, and Swiftleap scoffed and raced ahead.

The toms burst from the tunnel. Stormshade bowled over a screeching black tom before he could comprehend his sudden appearance.

Stormshade bit into the sleek tom's shoulder, wrestling him to the ground.

"Where'd you come from?" the tom snarled, wriggling free. He struck at Stormshade with his hind paws, before whipping around and tackling his opponent as he stumbled back.

Stormshade felt the moor floor strike his back as he fell. The black tom, a young warrior, seemed giddy at the idea of winning his first fight.

The muscles in Stormshade's shoulders rippled as he gripped the tom's flanks and sliced his claws downwards, leaving red trails along the ThunderClanner's ribs. As the tom screeched in sudden pain, Stormshade slammed his forepaws into his chest with as much force as he could muster, sending him tumbling away.

Stormshade leapt to his paws, just in time to see Foxrunner leading the reinforcements into the fray. He couldn't watch for long, though. His ThunderClan enemy was back on the offensive, aiming a blow at Stormshade's face.

Stormshade ducked away, countering with a strike to the tom's shoulder before sweeping his forelegs out from under him. With a grunt, he leapt forward and slammed his paws down onto the tom's bleeding ribs, causing him to yowl in pain. He hastily climbed to his paws and fled.

Stormshade paused for a moment to catch his breath. A white tom streaked past him, Stormshade lunged at him as he passed, slipping in the mud.

Claytail growled as he skirted Stormshade, chasing the ThunderClan warrior. "Watch where you're going!"

Goldentooth was visible again. "Back to camp!" He yowled.

Swiftleap was at Stormshade's side again, sporting a bent tail and a bitten paw. He flinched as Brambleblaze tumbled by, wrestling with a ThunderClan tom at least twice his size, and lifted Stormshade up by the scruff. "You're losing your edge, Stormshade!" He glared at Goldentooth. "StarClan, is he abandoning the plan already?"

"You always have a plan," Stormshade panted, "Until you don't." But by the time he had finished speaking, Swiftleap had disappeared, fleeing to the camp alongside his fellow warriors.

Stormshade followed them, paws scarcely touching the ground as he weaved between hostile ThunderClan warriors. As suddenly as Swiftleap had left, jaws sank into his scruff, and he was yanked back with a grunt. A pale golden paw rested on his throat, and his gaze was met with hostile green eyes. Brackenstar unsheathed his claws, rooting them harmlessly--but threateningly--in Stormshade's throat.

The battle grew silent. Goldentooth appeared at the entrance of camp, and Dapplefur, Deputy of ThunderClan, stalked around Stormshade. "We have a trophy," she boasted. Leaning in close to Stormshade, she added, "I bet it'd be easy to cut through that pretty-tom face, but--"

Brackenstar glared sharply at her, as if he was willing her to silence herself. Without another word, Dapplefur melted away into the mass of ThunderClan warriors, and Brackenstar opened his jaws to speak.

"I have one of your warriors, Goldentooth!" Brackenstar's face was marred by a horrific snarl. "Bring Cloudstar out here or I will kill him."

"You break our ancestors' code, Brackenstar." Goldentooth opened his jaws to begin another speech, but Brackenstar interjected.

"I am a Clan Leader," he snapped. "My word is the code."

"Kill me," Stormshade hissed to him. "Go ahead and try."

"Enough, Stormshade!" Goldentooth's eyes narrowed. He stepped out of camp fearlessly. "Look at yourself, Brackenstar. This is a pointless mission of what? Revenge?"

"You flooded our territory!"

"You have no proof of that," Goldentooth replied automatically. "You have spilt blood in the name of pride, Brackenstar. Pride. A disease that has corrupted you. And once this battle is won, you'll feel good for a little while, but someday that feeling will decay, and again you will have to hunt for another bloody victory." His tail flicked. "And your warriors and Clanmates will suffer for it." He continued to stroll forward.

"Not another step!" Brackenstar pushed his claws deeper into Stormshade's throat.

Stormshade met Goldentooth's gaze, mind racing. What was he going to do? He wriggled against Brackenstar's hold, and in response a russet ThunderClan tom pinned his lower body.

Goldentooth swept his tail. "I will give you a choice, Brackenstar. You can either leave this moor with your leaderlike dignity, or you can continue to fight. You can give in to your innermost desires and show us how much of an uncivilized, primal beast you really are." He drew a paw over his ear. "I'm sure an unwillingness to negotiate isn't a good look for a Clan's head."

Brackenstar bared his teeth, slowly turning his gaze towards Stormshade. Suddenly, he let him go, shoving him forward.

Stormshade stumbled forward, before stopping. He rounded on Brackenstar, but Goldentooth clamped his jaws down on his tail and pulled him back.

"You made the right choice--" Goldentooth began, before Tigerstorm yowled something from camp.

"They tricked us!" He cried. Stormshade whipped around and ducked back into camp as Goldentooth dove after him.

A column of ThunderClan warriors had breached the back of camp while Stormshade was being held prisoner.

"Nice going, rabbit-brain!" Brambleblaze snapped. "Hey, I would've liked some help while you and Swiftleap were confessing your love for one another."

"Goldentooth ordered a retreat!" Stormshade retorted. Goldentooth barged between them with an urgent haste.

"Shut up! Brambleblaze, defend Cloudstar and Mintfur. Stormshade, to the entrance!"

Brambleblaze shot a glare at Stormshade as he pelted towards Cloudstar's den. Goldentooth shouldered him aside and squeezed inside, Tigerstorm at his flank.

Stormshade tore his gaze away and made for the camp entrance. His fellow warriors had turned it into a chokepoint, and now ThunderClan warriors were streaming over the walls to bypass their defence.

Beestream limped away from the front line, blood streaming from her forehead and into her eyes.

Stormshade turned, racing towards her.

"Get to the fight!" Sunclaw snapped as he ran past his former apprentice. Stormshade ignored him and rushed to Beestream's side.

"Beestream!" Stormshade pressed against her flank urgently. "Are you okay? Is Hailpaw--"

"He's fine," she panted, lifting a bloody forepaw. The sound of enraged yowls and screeches of pain rose into the air, and she practically shouted to be heard over it. "The apprentices are in the training hollow."

"Are you okay? Who did this to you?"

Beestream stared at him with wide eyes. "Brackenstar. Stay away from him, he's--"

She had hardly begun to speak when Stormshade had turned away, sprinting towards the camp entrance. Four ThunderClan warriors burst through, descending on Galetrot, Claytail, and Rabbitspark and clearing the way for Brackenstar. Foxrunner laid in the middle of the clearing, a streak of blood running across her flank. A black ThunderClan she-cat stood over her, yowling triumphantly, but Stormshade ignored her.

Stormshade rushed towards the ThunderClan leader, slamming into his flank with a growl.

"You again--" Brackenstar fell to the ground, using Stormshade's own momentum to roll over when he landed. After a single moment, Stormshade was pinned down, his hind legs pummeling his opponent's stomach.

Brackenstar stepped back, using his forepaws to slam Stormshade's hind legs into the ground with the strength of a Clan Leader, before hooking his claws in the tunneler's shoulders and shaking him back and forth.

"I should've killed you," he spat, saliva drenching Stormshade's face. Then he looked up, in a sudden, jerky, eccentric movement. Paying Stormshade no more mind, he sprinted towards the leader's den, passing the brawling warriors, and disappeared inside.

Stormshade climbed to his paws with a grunt of pain. He could hear a much louder screech of pain, and in his peripheral vision he saw Galetrot grappling with a calico she-cat. With incredible speed, she had darted under him, taking his broken leg in her jaws and wrenching it to the side.

"Coming!" Stormshade climbed to his pauls and took off, but not before a streak of brown fur came into view, sliding beneath his stomach and using outstretched claws to rake through his belly fur. Simultaneously, the enemy kicked his hind legs out from under him. As Stormshade fell to the ground, the ThunderClan warrior hopped to her paws, raining blows down upon his forehead.

Stormshade rounded on her, swiping at her torso, but just in the nick of time she had slipped out of range. It was Dapplefur, ThunderClan's deputy.

Stormshade tried to remember the lessons he was previously teaching Hailpaw, and he allowed his legs to stiffen so she couldn't knock him over.

Dapplefur grinned deviously, before darting towards Stormshade again, but the grey warrior was ready.

He stepped back, dodging her first quick swipe, and feinted a blow at her head. As she ducked, Stormshade then swung his forepaw around and brought it colliding into her cheek, sending her stumbling back.

He was tempted to tackle her right then and there, but he had to restrain himself. His own momentum would be used against him. Instead, as quickly as he could, he lunged towards her hindquarters. Dapplefur dodged, but her tail streamed behind her, just as Stormshade had hoped for. He bit down on her tail, and the deputy screeched in pain as he yanked her backwards, pulling her to the ground. With a grunt, he raised a paw and snapped her tail. So much for her balance! Dapplefur writhed around on the camp floor in pain, before scrabbling to her paws and attempting to attack Stormshade once again.

With Dapplefur's tail bent, however, she simply wasn't as steady on her paws as she once was. Stormshade stood on his hind paws, bringing his entire weight down upon her back and pinning her. Only a few moments more passed before Brackenstar was driven from Cloudstar's den, with Tigerstorm and Goldentooth hissing and spitting at his heels.

"ThunderClan, retreat!"

Dapplefur spat on the ground as Stormshade released her. "You'll regret this," she growled.

"I'm sure I will," Stormshade replied icily. Dapplefur scowled and took off after her leader, bent tail streaming behind her, as Thornface tore the calico ThunderClan she-cat from Galetrot's mangled leg.

Goldentooth returned to the leader's den, only to reemerge with Cloudstar, weak and hunched over, leaning against his shoulder. Mintfur rushed to her side, guiding her to the elder's den.

"What happened to her?" Stormshade tilted his head, padding towards his deputy and wincing in pain at the wounds Dapplefur had inflicted.

Goldentooth stared back at Stormshade sadly. "She was blinded," he murmured. "Brackenstar came in, and in the chaos..." he trailed off, for once unable to speak. And then, he mewed, "Cloudstar is no longer able to lead us."

Mintfur returned from the elder's den, crossing camp towards his herb stash. "Goldentooth, I can't take you to the moonpool tonight." He shook out his pelt, stressed. "There're too many wounded, and Cloudstar needs immediate attention."

"Don't worry," Goldentooth mewed. "Take as much time as you need. Their safety is more important."

Stormshade turned his attention to Beestream, who leaned against the tallrock. Stormshade licked her ear comfortingly, as Beestream stared admiringly up at Goldentooth. Stormshade felt jealous for a moment, but as he followed her gaze he couldn't help but feel hopeful, too.

Cloudstar's cruel reign was over.