The Winds of Winter [PLOT FINALE]

The fighting was harder now than it had been before; not only was one of Lightstep's forelegs useless, but it was also causing pain with every move that he made. He found his swipes growing weaker by the second, and just went he thought he found a reprieve his head exploded with pain and the world went black. The white RiverClan tom slumped to the ground, one final shock of pain sending him under as he fell on his dislocated shoulder. He stirred slightly when Spiderfur worked to drag him out of the battle, each bump sending sharp pains through his shoulder, but he didn't awaken even as she left him with the medicine cats.

Amberpaw rushed to greet Spiderfur with a short, grateful nod, watching the she-cat return to the fray. Amberpaw gasped slightly, her dark amber eyes widening with fear, as she saw the clearing more fully. Bodies - some living, some dead - scattered Fourtrees, a usually peaceful place, and more blood than Amberpaw could have ever imagined splattered the ground and foliage. Her tail tucked and she quickly ducked back into the bushes, trying to keep her stomach from knotting further.

The golden tabby she-cat padded back to the RiverClan tom and looked at him closely. Aside from several scratches and bites, Amberpaw noticed that one of his forelegs looked... wrong. The joint seemed extended, and the whole leg came at a weird angle. "F-Fallowpaw? Goldeneye?" SkyClan's medicine cat apprentice called hesitantly, her voice squeaking, "Anyone? What do I d-do?" There's something wrong with his leg - I think it's broken. Mintwhisker hasn't shown me anything about that yet! A form of broken, but not quite broken exactly - just dislocated. She didn't know, however.

While waiting for another medicine cat's arrival, Amberpaw set to work doing what she did know: cleaning the rest of Lightstep's obvious wounds and patching them up with cobwebs and poultices.

Whimpering and panting raspily, Snowdrop struggled to open her eyes at the sound of her mate's voice. She looked up at the blurry image of Beetlemask standing protectively over him, and her eyes began to well up with tears. She had lost the fight. She couldn't battle anymore, and now... "B-Beetlemask... I... I wish I had told you sooner... I'm..."

A harsh spastic tremor suddenly rippled through her entire body before she could finish her sentence, and she let out a low moan of agony. Her belly seized up, and despite her best efforts to control her disrupted labor due to the sheer duress and trauma her belly had endured, her two kits would not be deterred.

The forced labor had taken its toll on the dying molly, and she whimpered and rasped as she struggled to hold onto the final thread of her life. She didn't even have the strength to lift her head off the ground to see her now stillborn kits. She never would have known how much they looked just like herself and their father. The twin she-kits who both had the same black splotches on their thin white pelts.

With a final whimper of utter heartbreak, Snowdrop was only able to faintly breathe, "Goodbye, my love...", which was barely audible over the raging battle of cats and flames all around them. Her blue eyes slid closed, and she exhaled her final breath. She didn't want to leave Beetlemask all alone, but at least now she would be able to meet her kits for the first time in StarClan.

Fallowpaw's ears perked immediately, turned towards her fellow Medicine Cat Apprentice. Lightstep, one of her own Clanmates, was struggling... And she hadn't seen it! If he died now... It would be completely her own fault. She could have helped him! Her thoughts were thrown into disarray, and she struggled to concentrate. She was thankful that Amberpaw had been able to tend to him temporarily. "Amberpaw!" She did as her mentor had told her too many times before, and cleared her head of any thoughts other than the present. She had to concentrate- Lightstep's wellbeing might depend on it. She looked back very briefly as Goldeneye rushed past her, begging for something of Brindlestar... She didn't know what. Focus.

When she arrived at the two Clan cats' sides, she took a moment to assess the situation before saying anything to Amberpaw. This was not a clean break, no, she'd seen that before, with Viperstorm. This was a dislocation. "Lightstep will be okay, it's not broken." She frowned as she looked around at their small makeshift infirmary behind the bushes, realizing that they didn't have what she needed to properly treat him. "He's not conscious, so it won't be so bad on him if I try to push his shoulder back into place. It's better than leaving it dislocated..." She closed her eyes for just a moment, placing herself directly in front of the younger tom. Then, steadying her paws on his dislocated shoulder, she pushed. With a snap, everything was back in its proper place.

"Keep an eye on him for me, if I have to leave again. Alright?" She peered down at the younger she-cat, who was kneeled at his side tending to his wounds. "You're doing great."

His eyes following the deaf she-cat as she leaped cleanly onto their opponent, Nightstorm let out a victorious yowl as Firflower tackled the exile, the fluffy white molly lying still, weakened and defeated.  Confident that their job was done, the ebony warrior was about to turn away and see if anyone else needed his help when something rushed past him, bumping his shoulder roughly and almost causing the older tom to lose his balance.  "What the-"  That though was when he realized that his clanmate was keening over the dying she-cat like a mourner, gently touching her belly in an odd sort of way...and the large tom-cat that had just rushed past him had been the she-cat's mate, and was now standing over her pain-wracked body with such heartbreaking determination it almost brought tears to Nightstorm's eyes.  What happened?

That was when he heard her cries.

"She's pregnant."  His paws frozen to the ground, the warrior's bright green eyes stretched wide in horror.  The molly had carried kits to a battle, and none of them would ever be able to leave.  Driven by adrenaline, the former Tribe cat dashed forward and sheltered Firflower as the other cat's attackers drew nearer, nudging the younger she-cat's side with a gentle but urgent paw.  He didn't speak, knowing in chaos like this she wouldn't be able to make out anything, but he let his eyes do the talking and gestured his head towards the bushes that lined the clearing.  They needed to get out of here, she was in shock...and as the terrible cries coming from the pregnant ThunderClan exile ceased, he knew that they would both need each other's comfort.

---

Fernpetal's white muzzle dropped open as she watched Lichenmask let go of Jaystar, his blueish-gray tabby form falling as if in slow motion from the Great Rock, down far into the flames below until he vanished from her sight.  No!  Her heart pounding rapidly in her throat, the young warrior's eyes dashed back and forth from Lichenmask to the blazing inferno that continued to engulf the ground below the stone, but the leader did not reappear.  In her moment of shock and distraction though, she left herself vulnerable to attack, and the sensation of razor-sharp claws slashing through her skin quickly brought her back to reality.  She let out a terrified scream as her paws slid back towards the dangerously slippery edge, her soft pink paw-pads burning against the heated rock.  She dug her claws as far as she could into the stone's surface and managed to stop herself, before looking back at Lichenmask, her wide murky-green eyes shining with the fire's ominous glow.  How...how is he so strong?!

When he finally spoke though, all of her fear was once more forgotten.  Every inch of fur on her body bristled, and the she-cat's eyes narrowed to venomous slits of utmost fury.  "Y-you call a cat...like Pansyface...marvelous?!"  Her words came out as a screech, as the molly's ears flattened against her skull and her tail lashed so furiously she could've dislocated it.  "She...was...a liar!  An idiotic, brainwashed, feckless excuse for a warrior...and you praise her! Well...I'm not surprised.  You two are from the same mold...the one that creates star-struck fools who think you can control me with mere words!  Well, you're WRONG!  YOU'RE BOTH WRONG!  I DON'T CARE HOW ALONE I AM, I WILL NEVER LOOK TO THE STARS FOR AS LONG AS I LIVE!"  With a wild battle cry, Fernpetal launched herself across the Great Rock, paws outstretched, and bowled Lichenmask over, clawing at any part of the despicable tom she could reach.

Fernpetal used Jumping Strike on Lichenmask, dealing 10 damage and costing 20 stamina

Fernpetal:
25/45 HP
145/160 SP

Lichenmask:
79/100 HP
245/280 SP

---

Aspenpaw barely flinched as the other ThunderClan she-cat's blows whacked against his head, drawing even more streams of blood to stain his grotesque face.  The pain was exhilarating instead of demeaning now...his mission was complete, and even though he knew that his body was quickly beginning to weaken and break down, it didn't matter.  He had gotten his revenge, and to him, that was all life had been worth living for.  "~Oh Leopardstar!~"  His mock sing-song voice rose above the crowd, and he cast his gaze towards the place where he could just make out the golden leader's pelt.  Once he had made eye contact though, Apsenpaw only grinned and let out another harsh laugh of pure bliss, before leaping for Dustcloud and pinning her to the ground.  "Have fun telling your amazing leader that you couldn't protect his precious little daughter...oh, what I would give to be able to see him embrace his true rogue nature and strike you down where you stand...but it seems I won't be around to wallow in my own glory."  With a horrible growl, Aspenpaw grabbed hold of the she-cat's left ear in his blood-stained jaws, and jerked back his head with so much power that the appendage was ripped from the she-cat's head, leaving a horribly torn and bloody injury that made joyful butterflies dance in the tom's stomach, the tang of warm blood pleasing his tongue like honey.  Spitting out that which he had taken, he stared down at the pain-wracked molly, his eyes gleaming.  "Now you and your friend will match, one eye and one ear, isn't that just heartwarming?  You're earned all this and more...now, I can die with a smile on my face."

Aspenpaw used Run-and-Tackle on Dustcloud, dealing 13 damage and costing 10 stamina

Aspenpaw:
16/100 HP
187/250 HP

Dustcloud:
87/100 HP
250/280 SP

Scorchfang snarled at Brushgaze. It wouldn't be long now before she would be unable to continue battling. Hopefully she wouldn't die out here, though. He didn't know if Crowfur would be able to handle being at least partially responsible for the death of his kit. Hoping to make his next move as swift as possible, he reared up on his hind paws and slammed his clawed forepaws down hard on Brushgaze's head, slamming her down into the ground.

Scorchfang used Upright Lock on Brushgaze, dealing 20 damage and costing 25 stamina.

Scorchfang
120/120 HP
260/300 SP

Brushgaze
28/100 HP
250/280 SP

Perhaps a true Leader would have tasted grief, fear, or regret at the senseless slaughter of their Clanmates. They would've been guided to the realization of the err of their ways, they would've been crushed beneath the bone-splintering weight of dismay, or mayhaps a true Leader would have at least been lucid enough to know fear, regardless of their morality.

But Lichenmask was no Leader- he was a God.

These cats had been gifted to him for the true purpose of martyrdom, it made no difference whether or not they survived this battle or the great one to come. They were not the heart of this war, he was; so long as he lived on in spirit, blood, stories or teachings, it made no difference. He had already won, without ever truly lifting a claw in this war. The Clans had been brought to their knees under his guidance, under the guidance of his Ancestors. They had refused him, and by doing so, refused StarClan- they had become the impure themselves, soon to be destroyed by what was to come next. He had done what he needed to do, he had broken the barrier for the darkness. It was time, finally time! Realization brought forth a terrifying newfound strength radiating from Lichenmask, one that equaled the ferocious storming sky above him. Forcefully ripping Fernpetal's limbs out from below her, so that she went topping into the harsh surface of the Great Rock, her skull cracked harshly against the stone as he slammed her down into a position of unwelcome submission. Claws embedding themselves deeply into the flesh of the white-splashed molly's face, the noise that escaped Lichenmask's throat was chilling. It was finally time, finally time. Time to walk free of these earthly chains.

Head rolling back slowly so that his features were upturned to the storming sky, the tom's movements were drunken and lacking coordination. Heated gales, strengthened by the roaring storm and flames that surrounded him, stirred the thick fur that cradled his narrow features. The liberation that came from these moments were utterly intoxicating- just in these few moments of battle, it had been more freedom that he had ever known throughout his life. For once, in such a finite existence, life was no longer a burden. It was a blessing. It was a blessing to witness their blood, their hypocrisy, to smell the very disgusting blood that pumped within their veins spill freely within the night air. Shifting his weight painfully atop Fernpetal's skull, and likely pressing her further into the stone, Lichenmask's jaws dropped agape in an expression of ecstasy. "Mother!" He roared, wild eyes staining to pick out a trace of Sparrowleaf's familiar features in the frothing storm above, "I'm ready..." Rearing up onto his hindlegs so that he towered above the flames, Lichenmask's forelimbs extended upwards towards the sky in a strange, welcoming embrace as he awaited the inevitable.

Death was inevitable, it did not matter. They would kill him, grow drunk with the pleasure of a meaningless accomplishment, all the while being none the wiser to the truth. It was then that the real work would begin.
Finally time, finally time.

Lichenmask used Rear-Up to Slash, Dealing -17 in Damage & Costing -15 in Stamina.

LICHENMASK
79/100 [HP]
230/280 [SP]

FERNPETAL
8/45 [HP]
145/160 [SP]

JAYSTAR
60/120 [HP]
270/300 [SP]

---

Impassively gazing down upon Fallowpaw as flesh was promptly torn into uneven ribbons, as freely-spilled blood was left to pool atop the dry, unyielding earth, Brindlestar's vacant expression held no faint spark of mercy. Everything these cats stood for was utterly depraved- and if their ancestors stood for such actions as well, then they were truly just as nefarious. How could they turn young cats into such creatures? Lifting the young molly's chin with a surprisingly gentle forepaw, the pale-furred Leader's gaze was unreadable as she gazed into the bloodied, hardly recognizable features of the young Exile. To reduce promising youth into nothing more than witless soldiers who couldn't even understand what they fought for? There was an unexpected pinprick of grief resonating through her frigid heart, the intensity of such forlorn emotions startling her. She could never forgive them for this night, for what they turned Thornleap into. "Am I?" She inquired back, smoke-strained voice holding a cold note of ambivalence, "I see no mistakes upon my behalf- only the faults of the one you so blindly worship. Look around you, young one, you will only find your own sins." The stench of blood, smoke, death, and fear was culminating into a nauseating pool of decay, effectively suffocating the forest of the much needed air.

Peering down into the very fibers of Fallowpaw's being, Brindlestar's next words were so hushed that they were nearly lost in the surrounding chaos of the night. "After this night, there will be no cat to mourn you. This darkness you've welcomed onto these lands will fade, alongside your memory." Grasp suddenly tightening around Fallowpaw's chin, strained foreclaws suddenly embedding themselves deeply into the tender flesh, "They might remember Lichenmask, but never you." Violently snatching the young molly's scruff and heaving her upwards with a forced exhale, the WindClanner shouldered an uneven path in the sea of cats who still lingered within the war-ravaged clearing. Over-exerted muscles shrieking in protest at the unnecessary weight of dragging a nearly-full grown cat, it was a rather arduous process. Nostrils flaring at the strain that was burdened upon her taxed systems, the pale molly stumbled here and there as they drew closer and closer to the roaring fires that licked at the smooth stone of the Great Rock. "I should thank you," Brindlestar heaved out through an unpleasant mouthful of sweat-acrid flesh, "You and Lichenmask have taught me a valuable lesson, one that I shall always carry within my heart." The flames drew closer and closer with each uneven step, the dry dust that was forced into the scorching air from their awkward movements lingering heavily in the heat-sour haze. The terrible heat that arose from the immediate proximity of the flames made her previously inflicted burns weep, her grievously burned flesh wailing at the prospect of venturing into the same wildness that robbed her of her first life. Yet, Brindlestar continued to stagger forward, unwilling to relent. Dewpool my love, the quiet prayer that resonated through her exhausted being gave her the strength necessary to continue moving forward, wherever you might roam, hear my prayers and forgive me for what I must do. Only when Fallowpaw was thrust up against the thickest bed of flames offered up by the wild fires did she halt to grace the defeated young cat with a final parting sentiment, "But the time for such harsh lessons have come and gone. Now I only wish to hear your screams."

Teeth rattling under the force of tossing Fallowpaw into the fire, Brindlestar did not flinch upon being greeted with the terrible sight nor the explosion of heat that rushed to meet her bloodied face. The molly remained silent at Goldeneye's approach and plea, features reflecting nothing but the luminous flames that roared before her.

Sparkpaw grinned. Another win! This was great! Wait- She thought, Where's Orchidpaw? Is he okay? What if he's hurt, or worse, dead!? ...Or sleeping? She ran through the battlefield, becoming increasingly worried with every battle she found that he wasn't in. So many bodies... What if he was one of them!? She finally found him fighting an apprentice. Pumapaw. She sighed. "Orchidpaw! There you are! You nearly gave me a heart attack! Warn me next time you dissapear like that!" She attacked the apprentice before giving him a loving lick on the cheek.

Sparkpaw used Front Paw Strike on Pumapaw, using 10 stamina and dealing 6 damage!

Sparkpaw
i hafta go aaaa

Stonepaw almost snorted as the deputy fell, but this was no time for laughter. In the corner of his eye he saw Jaysong laying motionless, and the pained yowls of Beetlemask told him Snowdrop was dead. But another, far fainter voice made his head turn ever so slowly. The menacing snarl fell off his face quicker than a raindrop on a leaf. Was that... "Fallowpaw!" Was she dead? WindClan's ruthless beast for a leader loomed over her, and in that moment, the young tom realized two things about Fallowpaw. One, he really, really liked her, far more than a friend. And two, she was going to die. As he expected, though not exactly, he watched with horror as the rat-hearted leader threw Fallowpaw into the roaring flames, letting out a wordless yowl of emotional agony as the fire made quick work of the young she-cat. With his heart clenched he whipped back around to face his opponents. Now that Brindlestar had taken Fallowpaw away, then he'd do what he could relay that straight back to her. With his face twisted in something between fury and grief, he reared and slashed at the warrior before him with bloody claws.

Stonepaw used Upright Front Paws on Barleytuft, dealing 16 damage and using 20 stamina.

Stonepaw
HP: 30/100
SP: 210/280

Barleytuft
HP: 21/45
SP: 110/160

Elmpaw
HP: 15/15
SP: 30/50

Lionpaw
HP: 20/20
SP: 55/80

Darkpaw snarled and hissed as he struggled when he felt Gladepaw bite down on his neck. His blue eyes widened in fright. He had never experienced this emotion before. His eyes closed and his body fell limp when the last of his life was drained. Darkpaw was no more.
-------------------------------------------------------
Crowfur had felt tears fall down from his eyes as the Shadowclan deputy and his brother attacked Brushgaze. The tom could not bring himself to attack his precious daughter. "Sweetheart...why did you follow such an evil cat as Lichenmask? Why didn't you turn away and come back home? Your mother and I-I weren't going to judge you. W-We could've been a happy family. One that I've always wanted. I wanted m-my kits to live on and become great warriors! You and your siblings didn't deserve this! You deserved better than lies and hurt. Always remember, I will always love you no m-matter what..."  The warrior then ran away into the Shadows. He wasn't going to head back to the clan. He was going to hide and not watch what would become of his kits.
--------------------------------------------------------
Birdflight cried out in pain and horror when her eye was blinded by the exile. In a fit of panic and pain, the warrior scrambled up and sprinted away in search of a medicine cat. She couldn't see in her right eye. She imagined that her eye no longer existed. This was scarier beyond belief!
"Goldeneye! Somebody please help me!" called the struggling Thunderclan warrior.
--------------------------------------------------------
Swiftstep was now trying to help bring unconscious ally cats to safety. He placed them where the medicine cats could patch them up. The medicine cats could not do this on their own.

Duskpanther hissed and harshly pushed Beetlemask's weakened body onto the ground. She then raked her needle-sharp claws on his belly, ultimately finishing the job. Despite disliking the exiles, she couldn't bring herself to kill them. The she-cat walked back and looked around, seeing who else she could help.
--------------------------------------------------
Duskpanther used belly rake, dealing 9 damage and using 10 stamina.

Duskpanther:
32/40
85/120

Beetlemask:
K.O.

In a flash, Mottledpaw was sprawled out on the ground, and Pumapaw was standing over him. As she gazed down upon the vulnerable apprentice, the Exile's amber eyes glimmered with a dangerous light. Oh, this looks bad. Hailpaw thought, wincing as she watched. Claws unsheathed, Pumapaw began to tear viciously into Mottledpaw's exposed back. Hailpaw caught the silent plea for help the RiverClan tom sent her way, but she chose to remain unmoving. Merely twitching a ear, she watched as his struggling steadily grew weaker. Psychotic laughter leaked from the Exile's jaws. When Pumapaw looked up again, Mottledpaw had ceased all thrashing altogether. Hailpaw met the brown she-cat's glare with her own steady gaze. "Wow, I'm so frightened~" She cried in a monotone. Lashing her tail, her features then contorted into a snarl. "Just try it, Purist." Two other apprentices had arrived by now, and they joined the battle without a second of hesitation.

Hailpaw charged the former ShadowClanner. Tackling Pumapaw to the ground, she raked her claws across the Exile's underside. "What's wrong?" She breathed mockingly, "Are you going to lose to impure trash like me?"

Hailpaw used Belly Rake, dealing 7 damage and costing 10 stamina.

Hailpaw
20/20HP
50/80SP

Condorshade
45/45HP
130/160SP

Orchidpaw
20/20 HP
60/80 SP

Pumapaw
27/100 HP
255/280 SP

---

The battle was approaching its final stages. Upon the timely aid of a RiverClan warrior, Falcongaze was finally eliminated from the bloodbath. Muscles slackening in relief, Tigerleaf stumbled back. Her yellow gaze flew to her paws. As her shoulders rose and feel in ragged breath, her vision blurred in and out of focus. The battle wasn't over yet. Lightning crackled across the sky once more. For a brief moment, the silhouette of Lichenmask atop the Great Rock was illuminated in unearthly light. Heart catching in her throat, Tigerleaf was able to make out the shadowy form of a cat at the tom's feet. Before she knew it, her paws were carrying her across the clearing and she had broken into a run. The Great Rock loomed before her, a solid wall of rock. She had witnessed leader upon leader leap atop the Great Rock. How hard could it be? Tigerleaf, are you seriously about to-- Not giving the cynical voice a chance to finish speaking, she sprung. She landed neatly with a thud atop the smooth rock. At another time, she would have marveled at the view she could enjoy, one limited only to the leaders, but this was no time to be sightseeing. The chill in her chest only tightened when she recognized the prone warrior as Fernpetal, one of her clanmates. "Get off her!" In an uncharacteristic screech, she lashed out at mighty Lichenmask with her hind legs.

Tigerleaf used Back Kick, dealing 11 damage and costing 15 stamina.

Tigerleaf
45/45 HP
95/160 SP

Lichenmask
68/100 HP
230/280 SP

Fernpetal
8/45 HP
145/160 SP

Jaystar
60/120 HP
270/300 SP

Leopardstar had stayed on the sidelines, the chaos of the battle making it hard to see which cats were friends and which were foes, but as he tried to distinguish the different he heard a horrible, deranged voice rise about the rest of the noise, calling his name.  Turning, he caught sight of that one scarred exile that had always screamed about revenge against ThunderClan, but as soon as their eyes met the tabby broke away, leaping upon Dustcloud.  As much as he worried for the loyal warrior though, his worst nightmares had seemed to become reality yet again.

Birdflight lay in a crumpled heap on the ground, the right side of her face stained with pools of blood.

His heart breaking into a spasm of horrified terror, the golden spotted leader leaped through the crowd to reach her, pushing away anybody that came in his way.  His lungs heaved for breath, but he kept going, his hazel eyes wider than full moons. "Birdflight!  Birdflight, PLEASE ANSWER ME!"  He saw her dash away, calling out, and he raced after her, and managed to catch up.  Panting hard, he pressed his flank against her side to keep her standing and whimpered; "It's going to be alright sweetheart, daddy's here, daddy's got you..."  His head whipped around, searching for any sign of a medicine cat nearby, before meowing; "We'll have to go to the apprentices, come on, you can make it.  I believe in you."  He began to lead her over to where he knew Fallowpaw and Amberpaw were sheltered, trying to hold back his tears of pure fury.

Make him pay Dustcloud...send that bastard down into the deepest pits of the Dark Forest where he belongs...

Dustcloud struggled to pull in air as she was pushed back, pinned down by a mere apprentice. An insane one, at that. But despite all of this, an unnatural calm had overcome her. As she stared straight into the younger toms eyes, something inside her blocked any emotion that she wished to express. All words that parted the Exiles' lips were void to her, meaningless. She heard them, she just didn't absorb them. She didn't have time for that. A piercing yowl briefly escaped her maw as her ear was torn from her head, but she quickly snapped her mouth shut. She was nearly boiling over with pain, but the last thing she was going to do was let Aspenpaw see that. After a moment spent recovering, she tried to shake the ringing from her remaining ear, without much success. Nevermind it. She'd deal with it later.

She turned to face Aspenpaw directly, her expressionless features blank as she met eyes with him. Two steps forward, and the two were nearly touching noses. A slight grin mounted her lips before they parted, her next words clear to Aspenpaw and everyone around them. "You sh-should have aimed for the h-h-head." In that instant, she lunged for his neck, biting down as hard as she could. As blood poured into her mouth, she grimaced, dropping the tom to the bloodstained ground.

Dustcloud used Killing Bite, killing Aspenpaw Infinity-War style and using -10 SP.

Dustcloud:
87/100 HP
240/280 SP

Aspenpaw:
K.O.