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Graystripe was at the back of the group of charing cats and he saw the dogs ready for them. Sixteen!? We're outnumbered He told himself. He saw a border collie attack Frostpelt and another dog take down Cedarpaw and Rowantail. Graystripe charged at Frostpelt's attacked, jumping onto her back and biting down into the collies shoulder. He looked around at the battling cats. Boulderfur faught with two dogs across from him and Redclaw was hissing at Jake. We need more cats! Graystripe yowled in his mind.

Frostpelt clawed at her attacker's belly, trying to wiggle her way out from under the collie's massive paws. She saw Graystripe jump onto the attacker's back and she yowled, "Graystripe! I can take her myself!" She watched as the gray tom looked at her, heart broken, and dashed off to help Dawnfeather claw and hiss at a rather large dog.

Boulderfur hissed at the dog in front of him, lashing his tail. "you mutts! We'll get your forest one day!" He yowled and pounced at one of the dogs who was nearest to him. Yowling, he claws at the dog's ears.

Redclaw stood in front of Jake, hissing at the Dog Pack's leader. "you! We will get your forest! You don't need it!" He leapt at the dog, hissing in fury.

Spot saw the war break out and he charged after the dogs, "We have to help the cats!" He yowled to cream as he jumped onto a small dog's back. He raked his claws across the dog's muzzle, in attempt to injur him. Spot saw the other cats fighting for their lives. This is what they do? Some life. He said to himself.

Cream dashed towards Suki, yowling. "Leave the cats alone!" Not knowing why they where fighting. If she did know, she would have faught for the dogs.

Graystripe hissed at Dan, leaping and clawing at his ear. He it the ground and let Dawnfeather deal with Dan. He raced into the middle of the war and looked around. He saw Redclaw and Jake fighting and then he fell over, his shoulder bleeding badly. He couldn't get up and the cold of the snow made shiver.

Redclaw was hit on the side of his head. He toppled over and lay in the snow, stunned. Boulderfur ran over to him, yowling for his leader to get up. Redclaw have stumbled up half faught his way to stand up then toppled over again.

Boulderfur yowled to all the cats, "Flee! Flee!" As his yowl was heard, the cats who could fleed from their opponents and the ones who couldn't wiggled under their attacker's paws. Boulderfur turned and faced Jake, leaping at the big dogs neck.

Spot and Cream heard the yowl and obeyed, even if they weren't clan cats. They headed towards the fence, leaping up and turning around to see if the remaining cats would make it.

Graystripe passed out, the snow making him grow colder. Frostpelt fled from the attack, he was unnoticeable. Even as Boulderfur lead stunned Redclaw from the attack, he didn't stop to help the gray tom. The cat would either be killed or taken prisoner.

Graystripe stirred and looked up at the dog who had awoken him. His eyes got round with fear and he tried to call from help from his clan mates, but the deep wounds in his shoulder, neck, and back made him go limp again, though he stayed awake in case this dog tried to kill him. "Do...don't kill...kill me...please." He mewed as the pain in his side made him cough blood.

Boulderfur lead the injured Redclaw to the den. He lay his leader in his den in the crack of the wall. "Don't you dare die Redclaw" He hissed before turning away to go check on Sandears and fetch food from the prey pile. He didn't notice Graystripe was missing until Frostpelt ran into him. "Boulderfur! Its Graystripe! He's missing!" she sounded heart broken and terrified. Boulderfur growled deep in his throat. "He's probably dead now if he stayed with the dogs. Forget about him and think about others for once!" He hissed and took the prey to eat somewhere else.

Graystripe felt her pick him up and carry him across the border. He knew she was looking for cats, but they would all be in the alley. She and I are going to get in major trouble! He thought in his head. He opened his eyes and gazed down at the snow, turning red from blood. He kept his eyes open as they go nearer to the city. He wanted to stay awake but passed out before they reached the roads.

Graystripe lay on the pavement for a few minutes before he woke up. The sun shifted onto his eyelids and he blinked awake. Rising his head and looking around, he wondered where the dog had gone. Graystripe pulled himself up on all four paws and padded toward the alley. He heard no commotion that he was left behind. He sighed and walked through the entrance, surprised when Frostpelt dashed over to him and dug her muzzle into his fur. 'Graystripe!' She mewed, 'I thought you where dead!' She looked up at him and smiled. 'Well, I'm here now. Where is Redclaw?' Graystripe asked, looking around. 'Oh, he's in his den. Do you need him or something?' Frostpelt asked, Graystripe nodded and padded past her to the brick wall. No other cats where around him, they where all eating in the center of the alley, talking about the battle that had failed. He prodded his lead and mewed his approach.

Boulderfur saw his sister bolt past him and she went to greet Graystripe. He hissed to himself, Great. You came back. Boulderfur grabbed a mouse from the prey pile and walked into the nursery. He first greeted his mother, Ashtail. 'Hey, mom. How are you?' He meowed. 'Just fine.' Ashtail replied, shocked by her son's appearance. 'I heard about the battle. Hope you don't have any serious wounds.' She mewed, looking over him. He nodded and turned to Sandears, his mate. 'Hey, how is Leafkit and Stormkit?' He asked, dropping the mouse at her paws. 'Leafkit has a cold, but Stormkit is keeping her warm and safe. You know, he reminds me of you and takes my loneliness away when I look at him. She nuzzled her kits and Boulderfur nuzzled her. He smiled and walked away, leaving the queens in peace. When he walked outside of the nursery, he saw Graystripe pad past him and talk to Redclaw. He growled and walked towards his sister, sitting down beside her to eat.

Redclaw opened his eyes and looked at Graystripe. 'Oh, hello there Graystripe.' He managed to say. The blood on the side of his head still bled but it wasn't a killing blow. 'Redclaw. One of the dogs brought me here from the battle. I don't know why, but-' Graystripe stopped as Redclaw lunged for his neck. 'Wha-what are you doing Redclaw?!' Graystripe dodged his attack, stepping backwards in shock. 'I'll kill you Jake!' Redclaw inched forward and leapt at Graystripe. 'Redclaw! It's me! Graystripe!' He yowled and tried to defend himself without hurting his leader. Whiteclaw and Rowantail rushed over, yowling. 'Graystripe! Why did you attack him?' Whiteclaw hissed. 'I didn't! He attacked me!' Graystripe protested. Redclaw clawed at Rowantail, clearly imagining them as the dogs. Silverfoot rushed over and sat down beside Redclaw, licking his ears and head. Redclaw was her firstborn kit and she always knew how to calm him down. She looked back up at her fellow clanmates, 'I'm afraid Redclaw is suffering from confusion. Maybe that blow to the head did it.' She looked back at her kit, sorrow in her eyes.

Spot ran all the way back to cat territory, Cream following him. When they reached the border they stopped to pant. 'I'm never doing that again!' He meowed. 'Me either." Cream agreed.

Graystripe looked at his leader. He had judged the wound wrong and there was chance his leader would not make it to fall this year. He turned away and so did his subordinates. As he ate next to Frostfur, he saw Boulderfur talking with Silverfoot. Her eyes glazed with so much pain that Graystripe wondered what Boulderfur was telling her. He tilted his ears in that direction, catching the conversation clearly. "Silverfoot, Redclaw can't take the role as a leader anymore. These words don't come from me wanting to be leader, but from a deputy who cares about his clan and the sake of his family." Boulderfur whispered. Silverfoot murmured, almost so low Graystripe couldn't hear, 'You are right, Boulderfur. I will take care of him in the elder's den. Until his last moments.' Silverfoot turned to look at her kit. Graystripe walked up to the deputy and elder she-cat. 'I'm very sorry Silverfoot.' He said. Redclaw looked at all three of them, still laying on his side. 'Boulderfur, Silverfoot, Graystripe..." He managed to mew, 'I have served my clan well...I...I leave the duty of...of clan leader to you...Boulderfur." He lashed out a claw, 'And mother...please don't forget me...' Silverfoot looked confused. But then, the light vanished from Redclaw's eyes and he lay limp. The yowl of sorrow and anger that came from Silverfoot's mouth told him, he had just witnessed the death of his leader.

Boulderfur put his muzzle into his old leader's fur, 'I will carry out your duty Redclaw. As requested.' He looked away, tears in his eyes, and padded to the center of the alley. 'Cats of the clan! Redclaw is no longer our leader. For we must let him rest in peace.' He yowled. Cats murmured shocks comments to each other and stared at Boulderfur, then at Silverfoot. 'I have decided we will lead a patrol into dog territory, informing our leaders passing." Boulderfur called out the cats who would go with him. 'Graystripe, you witnessed his death and you will come with me. Along with Frostpelt, Birchfall, and Swiftpaw will accompany us.' Boulderfur lead the way out of the alley and towards dog territory.

Frostpelt realized he picked the cats who had witnessed her leader's death and the most uninjured cats to follow him. My brother will make a great leader. She thought proudly. She followed the patrol past the borders and heard her brother say, 'No signs of attack or hostility when we arrive. We are there as friendly cats.' She saw the patrol nod in agreement and they walked down the hill leading to the building they had been fighting at not long ago. Boulderfur called out, stopping a few pawsteps away from the entrance.

Boulderfur sat and waited for Jake to come out. When he did, he stood up and met eye to eye with the dog leader. "I'm sorry to report that Redclaw is dead. I have become the new clan leader and Rowantail is my deputy." He meowed. Behind him, Birchfall hissed, 'Jake should know, he's Redclaw's murderer.' Frostpelt gasped and swatted at Birchfall. 'Silence! It's not Jake's fault!' She felt her fur prickle and Rosepaw hissed at the dogs. Graystripe pushed him back and went to stand beside Boulderfur. 'I know this is a shock but the death of our leader has not given us a weakness.' He informed, clearly saying that they where not weak. 'You have your part of the forest and we are not here to fight,' Boulderfur said, telling Birchfall and Rosepaw to hush. Frostpelt reminded them that they where there as friendly cats.

Graystripe watched as the other cats turned and left, but he stood there for a moment. I still want to figure out why she helped me. Graystripe said to himself. He dashed towards the forest, telling the other cats he was going hunting. He decided to wait at the border and see if any chance the dog would appear on patrol or something. He sat down and panted, waiting.

Frostpelt watched Graystripe run off on his hunt and she sighed. I wonder if he even likes me... She said in her mind.