The Last Hope

“I don’t need them.” Tigerstar glanced at the cats bristling at the edge of the clearing. “I only have to beat you. Then I can pick off your Clanmates one by one, moon after moon, till there’s no one left.”

Firestar’s gaze flitted from Ferncloud’s body to Hollyleaf’s. “I’m not going to let you harm another of my cats, not ever.” His tail swished low over the ground.

“Then you’re going to have to kill me.”

Firestar narrowed his eyes. “Has it been worth it, Tigerstar? All the hate? All the death?”

Tigerstar flattened his ears. “Every moment.” Eyes slitted, he attacked. Hooking his claws deep into Firestar’s shoulder, he raked his spine with churning paws. “The moment Bluestar found you, I became nothing! I have waited all this time to have my revenge!”

Firestar twisted free and slashed at him. The dark warrior ducked back, head low, and grabbed Firestar’s hind paw in his teeth. Biting hard, he dragged Firestar onto his belly, then reared up and slammed his forepaws onto Firestar’s spine. “When you’re dead, I can rule the Clans or kill them.”

Graystripe darted forward, teeth bared. “Never.”

Whitestorm blocked him. “No, Graystripe. This is Firestar’s battle.”

Firestar heaved himself to his paws and turned to face Tigerstar. “I will not die until the forest is safe from you.” He leaped for the dark warrior. Swerving in midair, he landed a whisker away from Tigerstar’s flank. As Tigerstar spun to defend himself, Firestar smashed his paws into the dark warrior’s side. Unbalanced, Tigerstar staggered and fell. Firestar rained slashing blows onto Tigerstar’s head.

Writhing away, Tigerstar struggled to his paws. He blinked blood from his eyes and lunged at Firestar’s throat. The ThunderClan leader lurched backward. Tigerstar clung on, his claws spiking Firestar’s neck.

Sandstorm leaped forward, hissing with rage, but Sorreltail reached out and heaved her back by her scruff. “You can’t change his destiny, Sandstorm.”

Firestar dug his hind claws into Tigerstar’s belly and thrust him off. Fur ripped at the ThunderClan leader’s throat.

No! Dovewing held her breath, waiting for blood to pulse from the wound. But only pale skin showed through. Tigerstar’s clumsy grip had torn nothing but fur.

Firestar jumped to his paws. “You lived like a rogue. You can die like a rogue.” Flashing like lightning across the clearing, he flew at Tigerstar, aiming for the dark warrior’s throat. With a vicious snarl, he sank his teeth deep into Tigerstar’s neck. He held on while Tigerstar thrashed and staggered and finally collapsed to the ground.

Firestar kept hold of the dark warrior as blood flowed over his paws. When Tigerstar finally stopped twitching, Firestar let go of his throat. He straightened up and watched Tigerstar fade away, his gaze blank.

Dovewing turned to Ivypool, shaking. “Tigerstar has gone!”

As she spoke, thunder cracked the sky. She looked up as a bolt of lightning struck the fallen beech beside Firestar. The tree exploded into flame. Smoke rolled over Firestar. Eyes streaming, chest burning, Dovewing struggled to see her Clan leader. As she peered through the smoke, the clouds opened. Rain pounded the hollow. The burning beech hissed and crackled as the fire faded and died.

Dovewing lifted her tail, relief flooding through her. “It’s really over!” she gasped to Ivypool.

“Firestar!” Sandstorm’s yowl sounded above the thrumming of the rain. She raced toward the place where Tigerstar had fallen. A body was lying on the ground. Dovewing frowned. Tigerstar had disappeared, right? Why was there still a huddled shape on the bloodstained grass?

No!

She pelted after Sandstorm. He can’t be dead! She skidded to a halt and stared in horror at Firestar’s body.

Sandstorm buried her nose deep into her mate’s sodden fur. “I told you not to waste your final life,” she whispered.

Brambleclaw crossed the clearing, rain streaming from his whiskers, and stood beside her. “He didn’t waste it.”

“Fire will save the Clan,” Leafpool whispered.

Graystripe pushed past Tigerheart and Whitestorm and crouched beside his old friend. “I would have taken your place, if you had let me.” His voice was hoarse with grief.

“Firestar!” Dustpelt called softly. “When you see her, tell Ferncloud I love her.”

Purdy nosed past him. “Is he dead?”

“Yes.” Bumblestripe wrapped his tail gently over the elder’s back.

Tigerheart’s ear twitched. “It was his last life?”

“Yes.” Dovewing nodded toward Boulderfur and Troutstream, who lingered uncertainly near the entrance with their patrols. “It’s time for you to go home. The battle is won and I need to be with my Clanmates.” And yet it feels as if everything has been lost. She drew in a breath, then slid quietly in beside Bumblestripe. Rain dripped into her eyes and she blinked it away. Bumblestripe shifted so that his pelt rested warmly against her. Dovewing felt his breath against her ear.

“You’re safe now,” he murmured.