The Last Hope (Revamped)

''This is my point of view on what should have happened in the battle in The Last Hope. Enjoy.''

''Also, please note that there are changes. One is that Flametail is alive. Another one is that there are more cats training in the Dark Forest, and there are more cats in each Clan. Don't complain about them.''

This is it.

The battle is here.

May the power of stars truly be in my paws.

Chapter One
Ivypool’s heart pounded as her paws hit the ground below her in a desperate attempt to find Birchfall, Blossomfall, Mousewhisker, and Foxleap. They can’t fight for the Dark Forest! She thought; her heart racing. The branches of the trees brushed against her white and silver coat and they rustled to let a dark brown tabby jump out, his ice blue eyes glittering.

Ivypool turned to meet him. “Hawkfrost,” she meowed, forcing her voice to sound even despite the fact she was shaking terribly.

Hawkfrost didn’t seem to notice her fear. “Where were you?” he demanded, his icy blue eyes scorching her.

The silver and white she-cat forced her neck fur to lie flat. “Looking for Birchfall and Blossomfall,” she answered. Hawkfrost gave her a curt nod. “Then continue to. And after that, meet me at the WindClan camp.” Ivypool nodded and watched Hawkfrost run off, crossing the border between ThunderClan and WindClan before he was completely out of sight. Breathing a sigh of relief, Ivypool continued onwards until she almost fell into a small hollow. Her paws skidded at the very edge of the hollow and scenting ThunderClan, Ivypool craned her neck forward to see Birchfall, Blossomfall, Mousewhisker, and Foxleap crouched in the clearing below. To her relief, they hadn’t noticed her, they were too wrapped up in their own conversation.

“We can’t fight Clan cats!” Foxleap breathed, panic blazing in his eyes.

“Do you think we don’t know that?” snapped Birchfall, turning to face his ginger Clanmate. Foxleap’s neck fur fluffed up and Blossomfall stepped in between them.

“I know we can’t fight Clan cats, but stirring up useless arguments isn’t the way to go!” hissed the she-cat, her fur fluffing up.

“Look at yourself,” Foxleap retorted. Ivypool cringed - she couldn’t stand to see her Clanmates arguing. She gracefully leaped down from the edge of the hollow into the hollow, staring at her Clanmates. “Of course you can’t fight Clan cats!” she hissed.

Birchfall turned his dark gaze on Ivypool.”You know what they were doing all along, haven’t you?” he questioned.

“I did,” Ivypool apologized, guilt and shame sweeping over her all at once. “I didn’t know who I could trust…so I had to let you figure it out on your own.”

Blossomfall got up and shook her pelt. “She’s right,” she meowed, giving her chest fur a couple of thoughtful licks before pressing on, “We should have known what they were up to long ago.”

“So what do we do now?” asked Foxleap, swinging his broad ginger head to face Ivypool, his dark green eyes smoldering with confusion.

“We join the battle,” Ivypool told him, stiffening as she tried to ignore the gasps of horror that came from the other cats, “but we fight on the Clans side. When we attack WindClan, we fight for the Clans, and not the Dark Forest.”

Birchfall nodded. “Sounds like a plan.” He turned his head to the other warriors. “Does any cat object?”

All the warriors shook their head and Birchfall got to his paws. “Then let’s get moving!” He nodded to Ivypool, who led the way into WindClan territory. She had been here once before, with Dovewing, when they were ‘paws. Dovewing wanted to check on Sedgewhisker, who had been wounded by a dog. She chuckled as she remembered the trouble they had gotten into that day, but continued onwards, refusing to be distracted by her memories.

Her thoughts faded into horror as she paused, testing each paw on the moor. It was peaty earth, and it felt slimy beneath her paws – and Ivypool’s blood ran cold as she realized that the moor was turning into the Dark Forest. ''No, it can’t…I won’t let it! ''Ivypool, trying to push out the thoughts of the moor turning into the Dark Forest, quickened her pace until she came across a dip in the hollow with gorse and thistle making a strong barrier.

Breezepelt’s eyes glimmered as he turned to Ivypool and the ThunderClan cats. “You’re here!” Ivypool let her gaze drift past the black tom. She saw Tigerheart, Icewing, Thistleclaw, Snowtuft, and Applefur. The ThunderClan she-cat turned to meet the eyes of her Clanmates, and they gave small nods. Ivypool’s claws worked at the peaty earth as she looked up at Thistleclaw. “When are we going to attack?” she demanded.

“When the first patrol has weakened them,” growled Thistleclaw. It seemed like moons – or perhaps it was only a few heartbeats until Thistleclaw gave the signal. “Attack!” he howled, the cats behind them. They charged at the WindClan camp, landing down in the clearing below. Ivypool turned to Applefur, who was panicking. “You can’t fight for these cats!” she exclaimed.

“I have to!” murmured Applefur, half to herself.

“Isn’t death better than having Brokenstar as your leader?” spat Ivypool. “You are a warrior. And warriors protect the lives of their Clanmates, no matter what cost!” Applefur studied Ivypool for a moment before nodding. “Then that is what I will give them!” she howled, charging into battle. Ivypool turned and saw Breezepelt, his claws sinking into a WindClan warrior.

“You can’t!” cried Ivypool, launching herself onto the black tom.

Breezepelt glared at her. “I’m-“ Ivypool screeched as claws sunk into her shoulder and threw her off of Breezepelt, letting her slide into a corner.

“Traitor!” hissed Thistleclaw, looming threateningly over Ivypool, his eyes dark with hatred. On his other side, Hawkfrost showed up, and Snowtuft covered the gap beside Thistleclaw.

“I’m no traitor!” hissed Ivypool. “I’ve been loyal to my Clan all along!”

“We won’t fight for you, either!” snarled Applefur, launching herself at a dark brown tom.

“I fight for the Clans!” shrieked Birchfall, his claws sinking deep into a white she-cat’s shoulder.

Thistleclaw’s words were meant for all of the Clan “traitors”, but his eyes were fixed on Ivypool as he spat, “Then we will kill all of you, one by one.”

Hawkfrost’s long, curled claws swiped at Ivypool. Ivypool leaped up in the air, twisting as she aimed for Hawkfrost. He jumped out of the way quickly, but Ivypool was close enough to sink her claws into his fur. He howled with pain and flipped her off, but Ivypool got up easily, her eyes darkening with hate. She leaped at Hawkfrost, bringing her powerful paws down on Hawkfrost’s head.

The dark tabby howled with pain and slashed Ivypool’s face before turning around and pinning her down. His eyes brimmed with a crazed expression, like a cat who had just found a juicy piece of fresh-kill. Seizing the change to attack Hawkfrost, Ivypool darted near his side and leaped onto his back, sinking her claws in until she could see no more of them. They were buried in his shoulders.

Hawkfrost screeched with pain and batted Ivypool off with well-aimed, strong blows. Ivypool fell, landing with a loud thump. Blood roared in her ears and fear pounded in her heart as she looked at Hawkfrost’s triumphant ice-blue gaze.

Snowtuft and Thistleclaw reappeared, their eyes gleaming for the hunger of battle. “Shall we make her death slow?” the dark brown tabby suggested, swinging his head to face his companions and digging his long claws into the earth beneath him.

“And painful,” Snowtuft added.

“No!” The voice was hauntingly familiar as a dark brown tabby with powerful shoulders leaped at Hawkfrost, bowling him to the ground. Tigerheart pushed Hawkfrost against the ground and turned on Thistleclaw and Snowtuft, baring his teeth.

“Traitor!” roared Thistleclaw, while Snowtuft hissed through clenched teeth, “You don’t scare us, puny excuse for a warrior!”

“Really?” Tigerheart’s eyes gleamed as Thistleclaw leaped for him. He sunk his claws in Thistleclaw’s chin and flipped him over, sinking his claws deep into his shoulder and rising up on two hind legs. Thistleclaw’s body shone in the moonlight and Tigerheart slammed him to the ground.

“Tigerheart!” Ivypool gasped. “I thought you were on the Dark Forest side!”

“I am a warrior,” spat Tigerheart, advancing on Thistleclaw, “and I fight for the Clans! Tigerstar destroyed ShadowClan once. I wasn’t going to let him do it again.”

Still shocked by her pain, Ivypool managed to blurt out, “So why were you in the Dark Forest?”

“I wanted to find out what they were doing, just like you,” Tigerheart answered. He turned on Snowtuft, who’s eyes were wide with fear. Ivypool scrambled to her paws and sunk her teeth in Snowtuft’s tail, yanking him from the behind. Snowtuft screeched and fled. Ivypool spat out a tuft of his white fur and looked up to meet Tigerheart’s soft gaze. “Thanks for saving my life,” the silver warrior croaked.

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” meowed Tigerheart.

“I’m going to go and defend my Clan,” Ivypool mewed, letting her gaze drift to the woodland. “Are you coming?”

“Of course I am!” Tigerheart got up to his paws and licked his bloody chest before nodding to Ivypool and quickening his pace so much he started to run. Ivypool kept beside him, though, and together, the two cats ran forward to save the Clans.

Chapter Two
Jayfeather’s heart thrummed as pawsteps thundered over the ground, entering the camp. He was in the shelter of his den with Briarlight, and the Dark Forest cats were attacking. He flinched as he heard the yowl of cats, the agony flooding from warrior to warrior as claws slashed with fur and teeth met throat.

The waves of pain, grief, and agony was too much, it almost send Jayfeather flying off his paws. He felt Briarlight’s fur brush his as she mewed, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,”Jayfeather meowed, but he found himself confessing, “I just can’t stand the howls of these warriors, knowing there’s nothing I can do to help and these warriors are so selfless they will fight until they die and they won’t even go to me because they need to defend the warriors…there’s nothing I can do to help.”

“Everything will be all right,” Briarlight mewed, pressing closer to him. Jayfeather nodded and he scented the tang of blood as the musky odor of RiverClan padded into the medicine den. Hollowflight.

“I’m bleeding deeply from my shoulder,” the RiverClan warrior announced.

“So you chose the Clans, hm?” Jayfeather asked, alarmed when he realized he had spoken out loud as he grabbed marigold.

“Yes.” The surprise flickered from Hollowflight’s pelt. Jayfeather fastened his jaws around some catchweed and applied the marigold, following it with catchweed.

“Now, go-“ Jayfeather sighed as he realized that Hollowflight had already left. He watched and turned to Briarlight. “You must be prepared in case these cats come here,” he warned.

“I am!” Briarlight exclaimed.

“Good.” Jayfeather turned his back to stack his herb piles neatly. Suddenly, claws slashed at him and Briarlight let out a screech as she dragged herself over to Jayfeather’s attacker and she sunk her claws into him. His attacker snorted disbelievingly and tried to push her off, but Briarlight had an iron grip. She placed her powerful front paw on his throat, sinking her claws in deeper. The Dark Forest warrior hissed, but his eyes widened as he struggled to breathe. “Let…go…” he rasped.

Briarlight, narrowing her eyes, let go and watched as he escaped. “Briarlight,” gasped Jayfeather. “You saved me.”

Dovewing lurched herself at a white she-cat, feeling her claws score Dovewing’s shoulder. Screeching, Dovewing churned at her belly with her hind claws, but the she-cat pinned her down, grinning. “You can watch your Clanmates die,” the she-cat spat.

The she-cat adjusted Dovewing’s face to watch the midst, and no matter how hard Dovewing tried to escape, the she-cat had an iron grip. Panic flared in Dovewing’s belly. Was this cat going to make her watch cats die, and then kill her?

Fear still gripping her heart, Dovewing’s eyes were glued on the battle. A dark brown tabby stalked over to the nursery, but Daisy appeared in front of him, hissing and scoring her claws across his muzzle. Unruffled, the dark brown tabby flipped Daisy over, and as she was in the air, he sunk his long claws in her spine and let go. As she fell towards the ground, the tabby ran and clamped his jaws around her neck and raised her high like a piece of prey until the snap of bones echoed across the stone hollow. Daisy fell to the ground with a thump, her head twisted strangely and her eyes dull.

Her breath caught in her throat, Dovewing winced as Spiderleg pranced forward, leaping on Daisy’s killer, howling. The dark brown tabby sunk his claws into Spiderleg’s throat and slammed him on the ground, his eyes sparkling as Spiderleg’s eyes rolled in his head and dulled.

Spiderleg and Daisy are dead…Dovewing gasped. The witness of the murders gave Dovewing energy, and with power surging through her muscles, she kicked off the tortoiseshell she-cat. The tortoiseshell eyed Dovewing with hatred, and leaped, but the ThunderClan warrior caught her in time. She sunk her claws into her chest and pinned her down. Blood gushed from the wound in her chest, turning Dovewing’s paws red. The she-cat writhed in agony, her eyes flashing with pain. “I give up!” she rasped. Dovewing paused for a second, and then sheathed her claws, getting off the tortoiseshell she-cat and watching her run into the forest.

She flung her head to see a dark tom wrestling with Graystripe. He sunk his teeth in the gray warrior’s neck. Surprise lit his gaze and he fell, his eyes dulling. Millie, turning her head from the edge of the stone hollow, yowled and leaped on her mate’s murderer, only to be brought down with the swipe of claws. Firestar appeared from the bushes, his eyes wide with horror as he saw the two bodies slumped. He turned to the Dark Forest tom, his eyes darkening and with the strength of LionClan, he leaped onto the tom and slashed his throat open with his thorn-sharp claws. The tom looked down at the wound and buckled down, his eyes wide in astonishment as his afterlife ebbed out on the ground below him. He stated to fade, and after he was gone, the blood started to fade. Firestar dug his nose into Graystripe’s fur, his voice hoarse. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you,” he sobbed. We’re losing!

Chapter Two
Lionblaze hit a Dark Forest she-cat in the face with a powerful paw that sent her reeling. A dark gray tom hissed at him and lunged forward, but Lionblaze stepped aside and sunk his claws into his fur as he lunged past the spot Lionblaze had been. Screeching with fear, the Dark Warrior turned, but Lionblaze had already fastened his jaws around his throat.

The Dark Warrior howled, but it was hoarse. The taste of blood and the soft flesh tearing made Lionblaze gag, but he held on until the Dark Warrior faded. Lionblaze stepped back. He eyed the battling cats in the clearing, seeing if there were any warriors that needed his help. There! Thornclaw was wrestling with a much larger, battered white tom. His eyes flashed viciously as his claws sunk deep into Thornclaw’s chest. “No!” howled Lionblaze, leaped on the tom, but his claws had already torn Thornclaw open.

Thornclaw collapsed on the ground, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps as he lifted his head. He tried to croak something out, but he failed, his head rolling on the ground with a thump and his eyes dulling.

“Too late, Lionblaze,” the white tom hissed, baring his teeth. As he was prepared to leap on the battered warrior, Mintfur and Troutstream had already done it, hissing as they rolled over.

Icecloud and Cinderheart were battling a large, hefty Dark Forest she-cat together. Icecloud’s blows were smooth as she batted the Dark Forest tom on his chest and swung another paw low. A Dark Warrior sunk his teeth in Cinderheart’s scruff and dragged her away and pinned her down, raising his claws so they glinted in the moonlight.

“No!” Lionblaze leaped forward and ripped open the Dark Warrior’s belly, hissing. “None of you are touching Cinderheart!”

Bumblestripe, Toadstep, Rosepetal, and Dovewing fought, side by side. Ivypool and Tigerheart exploded in the clearing, hissing as they leaped into the fray. Lionblaze paused, eyeing Ivypool and Tigerheart, relieved to see when they batted at Dark Forest toms. Suddenly, two small, scrawny shapes appeared at the top of the stone hollow. Brambleclaw, who had pinned down a writhing black tom, turned his head. “Stoatpaw! Mossypaw! How are both RiverClan and ShadowClan?” “Bad!” answered Mossypaw. “For both of us,” she glanced at Stoatpaw. “We need help.” Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes and nodded. “Lionblaze, Cinderheart, you go to ShadowClan. Dovewing, Hollyleaf, you go to RiverClan. I’m going to send some cats to WindClan, just in case.” He turned to Ivypool and Hollowflight, who watched the cats with round eyes. “You two, go to WindClan.”

Hollowflight and Ivypool exchanged wary glances and they nodded, taking off. Lionblaze looked up at Stoatpaw, Cinderheart padding up behind him. “You lead the way,” he ordered. Stoatpaw’s eyes brightened at the fact of leading senior warriors around. He veered through trees and leaped over fallen branches and rocks until they came at the border. The ShadowClan stench hit Lionblaze’s nostrils as they crossed the border, and he could see Cinderheart tense. Lionblaze tried to make his voice causal as he quickened his pace to catch up with Stoatpaw. “How bad are things in ShadowClan?” Stoatpaw gulped. “Very. Blackstar’s losing a life and Littlecloud was murdered by Brokenstar. He said, “Medicine can’t do anything now’, and he shoved deathberries down Littlecloud’s throat. Then, Brokenstar left to go to RiverClan. Thank StarClan we have Flametail…or I don’t know what we would have done.” Lionblaze gulped. “We must quicken our pace. What if it’s Blackstar’s last life?” Stoatpaw looked at Lionblaze. “I don’t know if it is,” he whimpered. The young apprentice stopped at a barrier of brambles and thorns and squeezed through an entrance. Lionblaze and Cinderheart followed closely behind. The bodies of Smokefoot, Owlclaw, Oakfur, Whitewater, and Ferretclaw laid on the ground. A white and silver she-cat weaved through the battling cats to eye the ThunderClan cats. “Who are they?” “Icepaw, they’re ThunderClan warriors. They’re here to help,” Stoatpaw meowed. Icepaw glanced at the ThunderClan warriors and let them pass by, her eyes narrowing. Lionblaze turned to Cinderheart. “I’m going to check on Blackstar. You fight!” Cinderheart nodded at him while Lionblaze trekked to the leaders’ den. Flametail was tending carefully to Blackstar, but his shoulders rolled and he sighed. “There’s no use,” he sighed, looking at Lionblaze. “He’s losing a life.” “Is it his last one?” asked Lionblaze. Flametail gazed at him for a long time. “Yes.” “Oh…” sighed Lionblaze. “Rowanclaw will make a strong leader,” Flametail meowed before turning to Blackstar. The dying leader raised his head. “Flametail?” he croaked. “Don’t talk,” the ginger medicine cat coaxed. “Save your breath.” “No use,” rasped Blackstar. “Tell…my Clan that I could have never been more proud of it. I love this Clan, and Rowanclaw will make a fine leader.” He coughed out blood. “I will always be proud of ShadowClan.” Blackstar’s head thumped back and his eyes dulled. Flametail let out a mournful yowl as Lionblaze placed his tail-tip on his shoulder. Rowanclaw ducked his head under the bramble thickets as he entered the den. “What’s wrong?” Flametail turned to face his father, dismay in his emerald eyes. “Blackstar is dead.” Rowanclaw’s tail flicked. “He’s just losing a life.” “No, father, that was his last life.” Rowanclaw stared at Flametail, surprise lighting his eyes. Then he straightened. “Blackstar was a good leader,” he sighed, looking down. “I will do my best to follow in his pawprints. But for now, we have a battle to fight.” Flametail nodded at Lionblaze, who fled from the leaders’ den and into the midst of battle. Lionblaze pricked his ears as he heard a screech from the corner of the hollow. With power rippling through his muscles, he leaped over to find Shredtail pinning Ratscar down, a paw on his throat, anger glittering in the Dark Forest warrior’s eyes. “No, Shredtail, please!” Ratscar was begging. “No,” Shredtail growled, curling his lip to reveal blood-stained teeth. “Let him go.” Lionblaze stepped in the clearing, letting moonlight shine on his pelt. “Let him go?” Shredtail echoed, unsheathing his claws so they sunk in Ratscar’s throat. “But he betrayed his Dark Forest Clanmates!” “Clanmates?” Lionblaze looked at Ratscar. “They never told me they were training to destroy my kin and my Clan!” spat Ratscar. Though there was anger in his eyes, fear overshadowed it. Suddenly a shadow fell over all of them. Snowbird loomed over Shredtail, her pelt matted with blood, but Shredtail didn’t take notice. “He wasn’t the only cat training to kill you all,” Shredtail meowed, letting his gaze drift to a mottled ginger warrior who dragged Dawnpelt across the clearing by herself. “Redwillow?” asked Snowbird, following his gaze with disbelief. Shredtail nodded and called the ShadowClan warrior over. Hearing his name, Redwillow dropped Dawnpelt, whom scrambled to her paws and stared at Redwillow, fury lighting her eyes. “What do you think you’re doing, frog-brain?” she spat with vemon in her voice. “I’m not the enemy!” But Redwillow had left Dawnpelt and dashed over to Shredtail. “Yeah?” “How’s the battle going?” Shredtail queried, tilting his head to one side. “It’s great!” replied the cat, turning his head to enthusiastically look back at the battle. “You’re right about the Clan cats being weak and lazy. It’s so easy, and they’re so dedicated to being honorable and sticking to the warrior code, I can pick them off as easy as mice!” “You’re a traitor,” Snowbird breathed, crouching down. “I’m going to kill you.” “Stop.” Rowanclaw padded into the clearing, his ginger pelt glowing. “But he’s a traitor!” Snowbird wailed. Redwillow turned on Rowanclaw, lashing his tail. “You’re old and weak. Blackstar’s dead, now it’s your turn. You’re no excuse for a warrior, let alone a deputy, or a leader! Why don’t you let the Dark Forest cats rule, because it’s obvious you don’t do a good job yourself!” “I am the deputy of this Clan!” Rowanclaw retorted, lunging a paw at Redwillow, fast as a bird. His claws sunk in his chest and he tore a ragged wound. Rowanclaw yanked the paw out of his chest, stained with blood. Redwillow glanced down at his wound, eyes wide with astonishment, and he buckled down on his legs. “You killed my loyal warrior!” Shredtail spat, turning on Rowanclaw. “I killed one traitor, now I’m ready to kill another,” Rowanclaw growled. Shredtail leaped at him, and Rowanclaw raked his paw over his ear. Lionblaze decided that Rowanclaw didn’t need his help, so he went to assist Cinderheart. But just as he crossed the clearing, new cats burst into camp. They were fading, and they weren’t alive. Lionblaze shuddered as he saw the outline of trees where he should have seen the cats’ fur and bodies. Rowanclaw, who had his teeth sunk in Shredtail’s throat, raised his head. “Who are you?” he mumbled. “We come before StarClan, young one!” replied a smoky gray cat, batting a Dark Forest tom out of reach. The Ancient cats from the cave! Lionblaze felt a wave of relief as he lunged at a creamy tom who bared his teeth. As fast as the wind, he lunged a paw in his throat and watched as the tom collapsed, his afterlife ebbing away. “Lionblaze!” Cinderheart gasped. “Half Moon says we should go home.” Lionblaze nodded at her and felt her gray pelt brush against his flank as they raced through the forest.

CHAPTER FOUR:

Dovewing panted as she attempted to keep up with Hollyleaf. The black she-cat was running at a fast pace, her long legs bounding over the ferns and fallen trees until they crossed the border with WindClan. She spotted Ivypool and Hollowflight with her senses, and pricked her ears to hear them. Their paws were pounding on the hills and they climbed up slopes and tumbled down the dip that made the WindClan camp. Breathing a sigh of relief and thanking StarClan that her sister was safe, she and Hollyleaf crossed the WindClan border and they raced through marshlands until they came across a triangular piece of land sheltered between two streams. Hollyleaf glanced at Dovewing and nodded to let her go first. Dovewing leaped over the stream and watched Hollyleaf do the same. As they turned to duck underneath the entrance tunnel, Dovewing spotted new cats – cats that had the scents of all four seasons in them and starlight in their fur and eyes. “StarClan!” gasped Hollyleaf. Although she had never met these cats in real life, she felt their names running through their heads as she reared up on her hind legs. Crookedstar, Willowbreeze, Silverstream, Oakheart, Leopardstar, Brightsky, Hailstar, Riverstar…A dark brown tabby shouldered his way into the clearing and leaped into the leaders’ den. Dovewing was pinned to the ground by a dark gray tom who bared his yellow teeth, eyes blazing with triumph. Remembering Ivypool’s training, she ducked her head and raised her hind legs to claw at the tom’s belly. He screeched with pain and Dovewing fastened her teeth around his neck. The tom screeched and let go, staring a Dovewing with fear before bolting out of camp.