Chapter Thirty-Six

                                    

                                          
Darkstorm could see them now. All the StarClan and ancient cats who had visited her in her life, and GhostClan's cats, were watching her. They wanted her to win. This gave her strength, even as they disappeared a heartbeat later. She knew they were still there.
                          
She twisted around, arching her back to throw her father off. 
                          
"Starkit! Run! Don't trust my littermate!" she yowled, digging her teeth into Shadeflight's scruff and shaking him. He slammed the top of his head onto her muzzle, making her let go. She glanced back to rapidly check on Starkit; her light weight gave her an advantage, along with her seeing, but Shadeflight could smell where she stepped, and was coming closer and closer. She pinned her father down.
                          
"Shadeflight! You still have a chance to stop this, to make this right! Help me!" she pleaded, her father throwing her off again and slicing at her belly. She rolled away and slashed at his eyes- a cowardly move, but one that worked. She gasped; her brother Shadeflight was doing the same, swiping at Starkit's bright blue eyes. He hadn't gotten her... Not yet. 
                          
Darkstorm dashed away from her father, leaping over the floes towards the kit. She could feel Shadeflight's raspy breath on her neck, following her. She slashed her brother's side, reaching him.
                          
"If you're a traitor now, you'll die a traitor!" she snarled, spinning around to fend her first attacker off. Starkit, realizing what was happening, ran quicker towards the island. Darkstorm's father caught her scruff in his teeth, glaring at Darkstorm.
                          
"Attack me," he mewed in a honey-thick voice. "Then see what will happen."
                          
Darkstorm froze. Had she failed? She shook her head, leaping at him and grabbing Starkit back. The kit squirmed and she let her down, not able to defend themselves and carry her at the same time. Shadeflight flashed a grin, and then smacked his paws hard on the already-unstable ice.
                          
Darkstorm leaped away in time, same as the two Shadeflights.
                          
Starkit fell.
                          
"No!" Darkstorm screeched, about to dive in after her. Her father's teeth dug into her scruff, holding her back. She twisted, trying to pull away, but he held her firmly. "No! She's just- she's a kit!"
                          
Her brother leaped into the water, emerging with a bundle of silver in his jaws. He spluttered for air, trying to keep up with the current, and slowly got onto the ice, lowering Starkit.
                          
"Darkstorm," he gasped, stumbling to find his footing. "Darkstorm, I'm sorry." Darkstorm felt lighter than ever as the grip on her scruff left, and claws stabbed the air. She shook her head, dizziness gone, and watched in horror. 
                          
"No!" she barreled into her father, a heartbeat too late.
                          
Shadeflight's claws punctured his son's neck, a burst of red trickling down, the scent of death filling their noses.
                          
"No..." In one heartbeat, her memories flashed in her head.
                          
She and her brother, kits, playing a game with Orangetail and Thinfur.
                          
She and her brother, kits, discussing what they wanted to be- Shadeflight a medicine cat, her a warrior.
                          
Her and her brother, becoming warrior apprentices.
                          
Her watching her brother, who might have died after a battle.
                          
Her brother getting a chance to be a medicine cat, and her being happy for him.
                          
Her brother watching her, who might have died after a fight.
                          
Her brother becoming Shadeflight, and her becoming Darkstorm.
                          
Leaving the lake together.
                          
Fighting the fox together, Shadeflight being blinded.
                          
Rebelling together, leaving the clans together.
                          
Her not knowing how to comfort him after Amberflight's death.
                          
Her becoming a real leader, one that believed in herself and led the clans because she wanted to, not just them.
                          
Him leaving, her sadness.
                          
His saving Starkit.
                          
And now... His death.
                          
Darkstorm snarled, red clouds of hate filling her vision. Her father wouldn't kill anyone else. Not anyone. 
                          
She launched herself at him, claws out, slashing at his throat. She stopped using warrior tactics and fought like a rogue, lashing out with everything she had. Starkit's eyes widened as Shadeflight stumbled back, clearly surprised with her sudden burst of skill.
                          
"You killed him!" Darkstorm spat. "You killed my littermate and your kit! I had my doubts about whether or not to kill you, but now I know that you're just evil! I hope you go to the Dark Forest!"
                          
She let out a strangled yowl, of despair and hopelessness and rage and ferocity. 
                          
She made the killing blow, teeth embedded in his neck, and his eyes rolled up to the sky. Darkstorm's sides heaved.
                          
"I never want to hear your name again." With that, she grabbed Starkit by the scruff and headed to the island.
                          
...
                          
"He was a hero at the end," Arrowheart mewed. "Shadeflight saved Starkit. He'll be remembered by the clans." Darkstorm curled up into a ball.
                          
"But he's dead," she whispered, her heart breaking into a million pieces. "He did nothing wrong, not even by joining our f-father. He thought he was meant to." Arrowheart licked her head comfortingly.
                          
"He'll be remembered," he repeated softly. "Not just in the clans, but in StarClan, too."
                          
"I hope so. I wonder what happened to Rabbitear. She's probably dead- Shadeflight probably killed her." Arrowheart's eyes met hers.
                          
"Yes, he probably did," he admitted quietly. "But you avenged her, and everyone else's, deaths. You will also be remembered. And even more, once you find our new home." Darkstorm blinked. Arrowheart believed in her? But she was so mouse-brained all the time.
                          
"I... But I'm just a cat, like any other. I'm not special, I just made the journey with everyone else. Why do you..."
                          
"Think you're special?" Arrowheart guessed. "Because you are. The prophecy was about you. We found the moon- MoonClan. The lake was destroyed. You saved them; you're the shadows. Think about it. 'Beware the lake and beware the moon, for despair is coming. Only shadows can save you now. Destruction is coming. The lake will die.' and the clue, the apprentice. That was Shadeflight. It was true, he had the power to destroy the clans. He could have helped your father kill you, and then we would be doomed. But he saved Starkit and was killed, so he didn't."
                          
Darkstorm blinked.
                          
"So Shadeflight's the hero, you see? He was the special one." Arrowheart shook his head.
                          
"Your littermate was a key part to the prophecy, but he never saved the clans. Shadeflight, the evil one, would have picked us off one by one until the clans were gone if you hadn't killed him." He cocked his head. "You understand? You are special."
                          
"All I have to do is find our home," Darkstorm concluded. Arrowheart's eyes widened, as if remembering something.
                          
"Darkstorm, I think I know what to do now." She looked at him closely. What does he mean? "I think this island is supposed to be our home. I was walking around, and I found a pine area for ShadowClan, and a more barren area with hills for WindClan. And I thought I heard a river. What if this is the place we've been looking for all along?"
                          
WHOA what if it is? But I won't make any promises, it might be but it might not.