The Sacrifice(Home)

Season 2 finale of Home. Enjoy and please tell me what you think :)

This page contains a fanfiction written by Roboflight. This page contains the opinions of the original author(s), and is not patrolled for factual accuracy. Remember that this story is non-canon. It may contain false characters, plots, or locations. Responses, comments & other feedback should be made on the comments section below.

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The Sacrifice

“Nice one, Aquapaw!” I heard Rainpaw calling as I scratched a FireClan tom in the muzzle, trying to unleash all of my anger onto him.

“Thanks!” I responded, calling across the camp, as I dodged a deadly blow to the neck, fighting furiously, trying to allow all of my anger flow through my claws as I attacked.

The battle had been going on for a dangerously long time now, as the sun was soon to set; while we continued to put every scrap of energy we had into taking down our opponents.

StarClan and FireClan appeared to be doing the same.

I knew that Razorclaw was outside of camp healing any WaterClan cats that needed immediate attention, but the several scratches and nicks located round my face, paws and coat were nothing compared to those of most other warriors.

This battle was just one to great for either side to back down.

And the longer the fighting went on, the less likely it seemed it would ever end.

But it would have to end eventually; if nothing else both sides would collapse from exhaustion.

We have to win!

As much as I wanted to assure myself that would be the case I couldn't be to sure. Even within our own camp fighting off StarClan and FireClan combined wasn't easy.

“Aquapaw, watch out!” I heard Scarpaw call, quickly bowling over a StarClan tom that had been jumping onto me at that moment.

“Thanks,” I breathed, quickly whirling around to make sure their weren't any cats attempting to jump on us.

He quickly nodded his head, “No problem,” he claimed before dashing off, and leaving me to whirl back around, scanning the clearing for any cats to fight.

What my eyes caught, instead, was Mistypaw laying wounded in the center of camp while the battle continued to revolve around her. Blood was rushing out of her body, and she was coughing gently, as I realized she was barely clinging to life.

Fighting down the urge to tear everything that got in my way; which was what I had been doing since the battle began (for the most part), I rushed up to Mistypaw and gently grasped her scruff.

“Are you okay?” I asked her cautiously.

She didn’t reply, only further worrying me; leaving me to wonder why the gray apprentice always got stranded with the bad luck.

First being kidnapped by Hawkstar and now this.

I realized, with a sharp flash of rage, that both of them had been the fault of FireClan and would never have happened if not for them.

Gently tugging on her scruff, I dragged her out of camp, weaving around the StarClan, FireClan and WaterClan cats whom were all caught up in the largest battle I had ever been a witness to.

This is really serious.

I figured that I probably should have realized that before but the severity of it was just managing to strike me.

This could be the end.

I sighed, as I continued to pull Mistypaw along, trying not to pant under the weight of her blood-soaked fur and my own scratches.

Once I finally reached the edge of camp, Razorclaw was rushing towards me, and I helped him hoisting Mistypaw onto his back.

I followed him as he carried her somewhere a little further off in the forest where there were a several cats resting and a couple keeping check over them.

“I need to go out there and fight!” One of the warriors was protesting as Hopeflare stood over them; possessing an imminent authority.

“No,” She replied, “You will not be going out there and fighting. You need to rest, you will only be a bother for the Clan if you try to battle.”

The warrior sighed, and I turned away from the two and directed my attention back towards Mistypaw.

“Will she be okay?” I asked Razorclaw who nodded gently.

“She won’t be able to participate in most of the battle; assuming that it ends by midnight; which I am sure hoping it will, and may have some permanent scars, but this will not take her life.”

“Good,” I sighed.

“It’s a good thing you saw her though,” Razorclaw commented, “Or what I previously stated might not have been true.”

“I was lucky,” I claimed.

“Let’s hope your luck is contagious to the whole Clan, so that this battle can finally be over already. I’m running out of herbs.”

“I can go get some for you!” The words have escaped my mouth before I can grasp them.

While I am desperately yearning to fight, a part of me wishes to calm down and I am aware that one more cat won’t make the difference in the battle. But some herbs to heal several cats might.

“That would be wonderful!” Razorclaw claimed, “I need some cobwebs, tansy and marigold if you can find them.”

“Alright,” I responded, nodding my head calmly, before turning around, “I’ll try to hurry.”

“Thank you, Aquapaw!” Razorclaw called after me, probably the first time he had ever said anything positive to me.

“No problem!” I replied, letting my paws lead me away from Razorclaw and towards the border where most of the herbs were located.

I was eager to return to the battle, but reminded myself to take as much time as I needed gathering herbs which could possibly save lives.

In a battle all I could possibly do would be to take them.

>>>>

“Thank you!” Razorclaw exclaimed, quickly rushing to sort the herbs I had brought while I rushed over to Mistypaw.

“She looks better,” I observed, “But she still seems really tired.”

“She’ll be fine,” Mintpaw was placing cobwebs on one of the wounded warriors that were lying right next to Mistypaw and gave me a reassuring nod, “Trust me.”

“I do,” I replied with a smile.

Mintpaw gave me a quick lick before Razorclaw gave me a harsh glare, “Aquapaw, if you aren't doing anything here but socializing then you might as well go.”

“I am,” I replied, sharply, “I just wanted to make sure Mistypaw would be fine!”

“She will be fine,” Razorclaw snapped, “Now go and fight like you warriors absolutely love to do.”

“I’m going!” I claimed, giving Mintpaw a quick smile before turning and rushing back into camp, bracing myself for a grand battle.

And I was not disappointed at all.

It was terrible loud, and I didn’t hesitate to jump onto one of the two cats whom Featherpaw was wrestling with, deciding that I she wouldn't worry about telling me not to intervene with her fights, something she was touchy about, while WaterClan’s fate was at stake.

I rolled over with the brown tabby she-cat, and was able to pick up a combined scent of both FireClan and StarClan on them, as I realized, sharply, that not all StarClan warriors were from the twolegplace.

Many of them were also a part of FireClan.

After a long battle of teeth and claws, I had the FireClan, or StarClan, she-cat running away, but not, as usually done, away from camp.

Instead she was heading somewhere else in camp.

Suddenly I began to understand why the battle was taking so long. They normally ended when a cat was left with no choice to retreat if they wished to live.

But in a battle so hectic, they could just sneak through camp, and either rest in the corner for a while; risking the possibility of being attacked, or, if they weren't too badly scratched, just pick up a new opponent.

WaterClan cats could just leave camp, get healed by Razorclaw and return to the battle.

And the cycle was likely to keep on going; which was the reason that the battle refused to end.

And I didn’t see any way that it ever could.

Unless...

Star was killed.

Star appeared to be the only one holding StarClan together; and even with Hawkstar’s authority, her absence would be enough to cause all of the loners to scatter.

But killing Star wasn't nearly as easy as it sounded.

Especially considering most of the loners were likely to defend her with their very lives.

“Aquapaw!” I whipped around to find Ivypaw standing behind me, an excited expression on her face as she flicked her tail, “Come on! Bramblestar wants you!”

“For what?” I asked, confused.

“I’ll explain later!” Ivypaw promised, quickly dashing away, leaving me with no choice but to dash after her, once releasing a sigh which was a combination of both confusion and frustration.

She soon led me out of camp, but in the opposite direction of Razorclaw and the wounded cats.

“Where are we going?” I called after her.

“We’re going to meet Bramblestar somewhere it will be more silent,” Ivypaw promised me.

I continued to follow her until she halted gently and I stopped as well, quick to follow.

“Welcome, Aquapaw,” I turned my head up to see Bramblestar smiling at me; a couple more warriors by her side. Ivypaw and I were the only apprentices though.

“Hello,” I smiled, “What did you call us for.”

“A plan to finally finish this battle,” Bramblestar claimed.”

“Really?” I gasped, “How are we going to do that without...”

“Killing Star?” Bramblestar smiled.

“Yes.”

“We won’t,” She claimed, “Because killing Star is exactly what we are going to do.”

>>>>

“Ivypaw,” I whispered, as we quickly paddled back to camp with soft footsteps, “Do you think this will work?”

“It may be our only hope.”

“Do you think our last hope will be a rightful one?”

“I hope so.”

I sighed, “I want to honestly know; do you actually think we will be able to kill Star?”

“No.”

“So I’m not the only one then?” I smiled gently.

“You’re not,” She replied, “I don’t think any of us are actually counting on it working. It’s just our last shot at winning this war.”

“I hope it works.”

“We all do.”

>>>>

“There she is,” I pointed with my tail gently towards the white she-cat who was gliding through the battle.

“She doesn't even have a scratch!” Ivypaw exclaimed, and I quickly swiped my tail over her muzzle.

“Shh,” I whispered, “We have to be silent.”

Ivypaw nodded, and was soon silently paddled towards Star, and I was following her silently, careful not to speak or make any noises as we sneaked towards the loner.

Once we had finally caught up to her, and were standing right beside her, Ivypaw gave me a tight nod and I jumped onto the tom who was standing right before me, bowling them over, and quickly starting a fight.

I didn’t pause to look at Ivypaw but prayed that she had managed to do what needed to be done so that Star could be brought under the claws of a WaterClan cat.

I continued to roll around, swatting at the same tom for quite a while, before I was thrown off, at the sound of a loud screech.

Star’s.

Yes!

I whirled around to find, with disappointment that Star was not yet dead; rather she was about to die.

For Hopeflare was standing over the rogue, claws unsheathed and ready to delve into her throat and end the struggle.

The battle seemed to pause, reaching a point as tense as the look on Hopeflare’s face.

And then she sighed.

“I can’t kill a cat,” She whispered, “Not after I was forced to torture so many before while in FireClan...”

“You have to!” One of the warriors urged, but I suddenly felt myself able to sympathies with Hopeflare.

It would take one of the strongest cats in the forest to kill a cat that was absolutely helpless against claws, even if they were a sly, witty strategist.

Hopeflare gently took a few steps back, and I winced, preparing for the battle zone to erupt again.

However, before it could, Forestheart had dashed to take her place, and was crouching over Star.

I wasn't sure though, if even Forestheart, as strong-willed as she was, would have the strength to save the forest by killing a cat.

As honorable as a thing as it might have been to rid the forest of Star it would be something that would permanently scar her.

It would be the largest sacrifice of her life if she could bring down the claws.

Everything seemed to pull into slow motion, as a confused look twisted across Forestheart’s face.

And then she raised her claws and lowered them, ultimately proving her worth to the Clan and the forest, making the greatest sacrifice of her life for the good of the world.

Star gasped as blood began to leak from her throat, and moments later she had ceased breathing and was lying nimbly on the floor to camp, while all of the FireClan and StarClan warriors were frantically scrambling, eager to leave while they still could.

The war of several moons was finally over.

We had won.

The end