Stormpaw purred, sun glimmering down on his dark gray fur. Sparkpaw was sitting off to the side, watching skeptically as the thick-furred tom told Berrypaw once again the story of Cherryflower.

      "She was the most beautiful she-cat I had ever seen-- dark fur with bright ginger tortoiseshell! Even over the next half-moon though, while she was sick, she was as vibrant as when I had first seen her!" Berrypaw sucked in every word like it was fresh water. Sparkpaw flicked an ear.

"Cherryflower died.. There's no need to dwell on the past."

Bitter winds buffeted Sparkfur's pelt, but she couldn't take her eyes off of the Lady. The golden warrior didn't know what to say.

Spruceclaw laughed lightly.

"I-I don't understand!" Sparkfur cried out finally. Waspclaw's eyes were dark with anger. "How could you have lived? You died!"

"Spruceclaw stop screwing around. I remember Cherryflower," he flicked his tail, "this is not her." Sparkfur stood up straighter, her pelt getting hot.

      "She's everything that Stormstrike described--" Sparkfur circled the top of the dip, tail flicking behind her.

      "Who is this Cherryflower you keep mentioning?" the Lady growled, standing up. She had short, strong legs and a compact body. Sparkfur sighed. Stormstrike had described a long legged thin she-cat.

      "She's looks so close to Cherryflower, though!" Spruceclaw reasoned. "Listen, Sparkfur, she's almost just like her! I've gotten you your mother!" The Lady narrowed her eyes.

      "But she's not my mother! What's wrong with you, Spruceclaw?!" Her wild fur was on end, feeling ready to cry, but not letting herself. I'm not a weak kit. I can handle myself.. Plus I don't want to give Waspclaw another reason to think I'm an abomination.

"Fine!" His eyes were narrowed now, fur on end. "You said it yourself, I'm not your dad. So I'm starting over-- a new DrizzleClan, a new Cherryflower, and new kits." Spruceclaw was circling, his pelt ruffling up with tension. The Lady's eyes were narrowed.

"Hey, I get a say in this!" The tortoiseshell snapped. Spruceclaw flicked his tail dismissively.

"You already did when you agreed to be my mate, Cherryflower." He hissed before turning his attention back to Sparkfur. "I have you another chance. Now you go run along and tell Mintstar what I've said. Tell him to leave our queens and kits that you stole, too. I'm not in the mood to get in a fight over that unless you refuse." Waspclaw took a paw step foreward, shoving Sparkfur behind him.

"No. As DrizzleClan deputy, I won't let you and your rogues take another paw step into our territory."

"Waspy, the border is all the way at the other end of the meadow. We're on my territory right now, so it's in my power to kill you."

"But that's against the warrior code!" Waspclaw growled, teeth baring.

Spruceclaw chuckled, his eyes looking the big deputy up and down.

"Oh, Waspclaw, you naïve little beech nut. I'm not a warrior.. I'm a rogue." Spruceclaw drew back into a fighting stance, a wicked smile on his square muzzle. The Lady was back to hiding in the small dip in the ground, and Sparkfur had drawn back to a low crouch just behind Waspclaw.

"Sparkfur, get out of here." Waspclaw murmured.

"I won't leave you. I don't leave clan mates behind."

"And I don't let clan mates die. Get out of here right now, that's an order!" Spruceclaw's green eyes were narrowed with interest. Sparkfur shook her head. "StarClan, stop being so stubborn and--"

"Spruceclawww..!!!" A cry sounded. Spruceclaw stood up straight. "Spruce.. Help me.!" The dark tabby took off running immediately, abandoning his mate for whatever was more important. Waspclaw glanced over to Sparkfur briefly, his copper eyes dark with annoying and something else. It didn't last very long, because he turned and bolted in the direction Spruceclaw went. Sparkfur looked back to the Lady, who was shaking as sobs wracked her body. The tabby sighed, turning and chasing after the others through the snow.

She stopped dead in her tracks, almost running into Waspclaw who had also stopped. Blood was streaked across the snow, and Spruceclaw was gently crouched over a dark pelt. Kole.

"It's just a scratch..." Spruceclaw was trying to say.

"I-I can't see from my right eye!" Kole cried out. The dark tabby tom have a slight nod, his mood shifting into something dark.

"Who did this to you?" He growled. Sparkfur grounded herself, setting her paws firmly in the numbing snow. Her hind leg was still complaining of pain, but she pushed through it.

"Spark.." Kole held his head up weakly. She held his gaze evenly.

Spruceclaw turned, green eyes suddenly seeming even more menacing.

"You should learn to fight better then, Kole. She's nothing."

Sparkfur looked down at her paws.

"B-but Spruceclaw! I'm basically your son!" Kole wailed. Spruceclaw looked down distastefully at the young, bloody tom.

"I have a son already, Berryfoot. Unless you kill him, I refuse to accept you. I have other matters to attend to, like killing a deputy." Spruceclaw turned and instantly sprung at Waspclaw, tumbling them back into the snow.

Kole struggled to his paws, a renewed strength in his muscles. Sparkfur started toward him. I should finish him and protect Berryfoot. He killed Ryeheart, he's capable of killing my brother.. But Waspclaw can't do this alone, no matter how much he wants to. Kole was already starting off away. No. By stopping Spruceclaw, I'll be stopping the rogues, and that's what Ryeheart would really want. Not Kole dead, but instead the rogues to leave our territory. He would want DrizzleClan safe. And that's what I'm going to do.

Sparkfur pounced on Spruceclaw just before he could land a blow on Waspclaw. The dark tom hissed as she dug her claws into his back, and she let out a yelp as he dropped to the ground to roll over on her. Waspclaw grabbed her scruff right before the rogue's weight toppled her, pulling her across the snow so quick she felt him accidentally draw blood. Waspclaw gave her a small nod.

"For DrizzleClan!" He hissed, lunging into Spruceclaw, who was waiting with open paws.

For Ryeheart.

She winced as she watched the dark tom's claws slash into Waspclaw's shoulder, just missing his chest fur. Waspclaw let out a hiss in pain, and the golden warrior leaped in, clawing Spruceclaw's ear roughly. Blood poured out, staining her paw and running down his face. He swung his broad head to look at her. She didn't give him a chance to stair her down, as she turned and kicked him in the shoulder with as much force as she could muster.

He stumbled backward into to Waspclaw, who rippled their claws down Spruceclaw's flank. The tom let out a grunt of pain, and Sparkfur took his moment of weakness to pounce at him. Unfortunately, he was ready, whipping a heavy paw at to the side of her face.

She was smacked right into the unforgiving icy snow, a high pitched deafness in her ear and eyesight edging with strangely colored blackness. She tried to get to her paws, but found herself incapable as she fell right back down. She slowly blinked her eyes, trying to get a grip on the slow reality, her gaze sweeping over the situation. Waspclaw abandoned his fight to rush over to her, his mouth moving as he spoke something, Spruceclaw turning quickly to fetch the Lady and run. Sparkfur blinked again, sound returning to her ear. Her head pounded, and she looked up at Waspclaw, but not quite catching what he was saying.

"..whah...?" She blinked again, slowly.

"Are you okay?!" Reality rushed in, and she breathed sharply.

"I--yeah-- Spruceclaw's getting away!" She staggered to her paws, needing Waspclaw's support not to fall back into the snow. Waspclaw looked at her briefly, his face unreadable, before he turned, dashing after the leader. Sparkfur let herself fall back down, relishing in the rest. I'm doing it Ryeheart. I'm getting revenge-- your way. She closed her eyes, only for a moment, sunlight's rays almost at the bare tree-top.

"Sparkfur!" She lifted her head blearily. Waspclaw was covered in wounds, but was pulling an even more battered Spruceclaw at his side. The Lady was close behind. Sparkfur looked up into the sky, the sun now high in the sky.

"What happened..?" She whispered, standing up shakily. Waspclaw glanced proudly over to the Lady, who wasn't looking near as proud.

"Spruceclaw agreed to stop the battle."

AN

HOW WAS IT? I thought the whole "and then she blacked out" was a bit cliché for a cutoff so I was like "screw it sparky is a strong independent she-cat," and gave you guys a proper ending ^^ I've already started chapter 30 and I've realize WE'VE COME SO FAR!! I'm already thinking about the epilogue and idk guys I'm kinda excited for the end but then at the same time I don't want it to be over hah.

ALSO I need your opinion on Waspclaw. And is anybody wondering what the frick went down while Sparkfur was asleep? Bc I am lol jk I already know what happened. Any thoughts on anything? I loVe seeing your comments!!!

Extra notes: I didn't proof read this *peace sign* also the art piece is by me and is a sketch so it should be noted that Kole is a charcoal tabby, not light gray tabby. That was just how I colored it.

TALK TO YOU SOON!

-Tea