^NOT EDITED^

When I first made this chapter, I wrote chapter 30 cause I thought chapter 25 said chapter 29. Hahaha. One, two, skip a few, am I right? 

We're going to be in so much trouble, what if  we're caught?

"This is crazy," Stormpaw muttered. She was walking through the woods with her brothers and Violetpaw. "I still feel bad for leaving Edgepaw behind." Sunpaw meowed, watching his paws as he trodded over a large stick. 

 "Why? He's safer where he is now, snoring gently about Stormpaw." Oakpaw joked, nudging her. Stormpaw stopped. "Oh, will you shut it already? I've heard enough. We all know that-" But it wasn't her that said it. It was Violetpaw.

Stormpaw gaped, as well as her brothers. "We all know what?!" Stormpaw's eyes flared, gaze shifting from Oakpaw to Violetpaw. "You've come to train, I see?" A shiver-sending voice cascaded into their ears.

"Hawkfrost." All the apprentices stayed still as Violetpaw whispered ever-so-lightly. "What are you four doing up so late, surely going to practice battle moves?" The chilly voice asked out of nowhere, hit that was answered as of where he was.

He thinks I want to join the Dark Forest, doesn't he? She assumed he did since he never mentioned her presence. 

"Whose this?" A figure appeared in front of the group. She noticed he looked a lot like Brambleclaw, except with a white belly and icy blue eyes that made her more scared. How could someone we hate look so much like someone we trust with our lives?

Hawkfrost's whiskers twitched towards Sunpaw. "You- You know who he is." Oakpaw meowed defensively. Then, remembering why Sunpaw was even in all of this. Hawkfrost wants to kill my brother!

Stormpaw glanced at the brown tabby. He was on Stormpaw's left, standing alone except for her. Violetpaw and Sunpaw were on her right, Sunpaw on the far end, probably terrified. But when she looked at the golden tom, he wasn't cowering away. He was, in fact, standing in front of Violetpaw, who had her ears flattened. They weren't afraid, none of them were. They were next to their biggest enemy, and yet they didn't run or hide. It was true friendship.

If Edgepaw was here, he'd be right next to me, telling me how brave I am. Just remember: he's peacefully asleep, he can't be hurt. He's back at camp, sleeping soundly.

"You're right, Oakpaw. I do know who this is. So I see you both have completed your task and more?" Finally, Hawkfrost's gaze settled on Stormpaw.

"You're not supposed to be here!  Birchfall and Mousewhisker and Thornclaw chased you out of the territory! Why are you back? How?" Violetpaw stepped forward, confronting the massive tabby. Stormpaw gasped, thinking about how that had all played out. So does that mean Thornclaw, Birchfall and Mousewhisker are all in the Dark Forest too? How much of ThunderClan is apart of this? Are the other clans spying, too?

"Never!" Oakpaw leaped forward onto the huge tabby, who was about twice his size. Without another breath, Stormpaw jumped and fastened her teeth on the crook of his neck. Before she knew it, Sunpaw was clawing the tom's ears, and Violetpaw was biting his tail. Oakpaw battered his hind paws on Hawkfrost's back. 

"Fools!" Hawkfrost yowled. Stormpaw scratched the tom again. And again, again, again, and again. But she wasn't able to do it once more. Hawkfrost threw off Sunpaw, who hit a tree so hard it knocked him unconscious. And then he threw off Violetpaw, sending her not as far, but still causing a small thud.

"Violetpaw! Sunpaw!" Oakpaw and her both yelled, but it was no use. "Cowards," Hawkfrost hissed, smacking Oakpaw's head, but not doing much damage because Stormpaw leaped and pushed the paw off little ways, so it only hit a small part of Oakpaw's head. Stormpaw raked her claws across his white belly.

Ouch! But it wasn't it Stormpaw had felt for Hawkfrost. It was the pure satisfaction that it hurt him in which she was feeling. He was trying to hurt her family, who had done nothing wrong. 

Hawkfrost staggered a little. We're winning.

Sunpaw had gotten up, his spirit not yet broken. He nodded at her, and she dived for his forepaws, while her golden colored brother leaped onto the tabby warrior. 

Hawkfrost collapsed onto the ground. Stormpaw hadn't seen why, but the look in Oakpaw's eyes showed everything. It was of satisfaction, like what she had felt.

Violetpaw padded over to Oakpaw's side to stare at the fallen warrior.

"If we're not made warriors after this, then we won't be made warriors at all."

Liontail's P.O.V. 

Liontail yawned, looking over at the nest beside her. It was empty, nothing but moss and sticks in it. 

The golden warrior exited the den, careful not to wake her former mentor, Millie, or Brightheart, who had left her shift. 

"Good morning, Liontail." She turned to see Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight sitting together, her sister smiling politely. "Do you know where Stormheart is?"  She asked, padding over to them while they sat in the shade. She had her ears perked, listening for him.
"He went out on patrol, just a few seconds ago. You can probably still catch him." Brambleclaw answered, pointing his ears at the camp entrance. The young deputy nodded and jogged out of camp, not bothering to tell anyone where she was going, despite her sister and Brambleclaw knew well enough. Liontail had a dream last night. She had spoken to her father, and she had asked for someone else to assess the apprentices. That's how she got her next idea. 

"Stormheart!" Liontail called, seeing his gray pelt through the undergrowth, along with a few others. She caught up after her mate had stopped to wait for her. She saw the patrol consisted of Spiderleg in the lead and Poppyfrost and Lionblaze straying  little ways to the side.  

"Hmm?" He stopped and turned around, flicking his ears. "Oh, hey Liontail." He meowed warmly. "I'll catch up!" The gray tom mewed to Spiderleg, and she thought she heard him grunt something.

Quickly, the golden she cat explained her dream and plan. "But they're our kits- are we allowed to do that?" Her mate questioned.

"Well, yes and no. I can, since I'm-"

"Deputy? I figured. Well, I can still assess Edgepaw and Violetpaw though," Liontail nodded, agreeing.

"Let's go tell Firestar, but you might want to tell Spiderleg you're leaving first." She smiled and flicked her tail towards where the patrol had disappeared.

Stormheart looked baffled. Liontail was sure her reaction was no different. "I'm sorry, I have to go help him," She began.
Her mate shook his head. "I understand, go!" The battle had started. Cats were closing in on the camp, Dark Forest cats. Stormheart would be tracking down their kits by now. I hope they make it out okay. Firestar had explained everything that had been happening in the past moons, and she hadn't known any of it. What kind of deputy was she? 

Panic was filling the air. Firestar had already sent two messengers to each clan, and he was already organizing a patrol. 
"Cloudtail, Dovewing," Firestar was naming cats everywhere.

"Brambleclaw, you go over-" 
"I'm already on it!" The tabby called after his shoulder, gathering with Squirrelflight and Lionblaze. She padded over and looked at her kin. "We need to go," The deputy meowed to Cloudtail, who had just padded over to her and the three cats. The white tom nodded, instead of his usual eye roll that was given before taking the order. 

"Quietly, now..." Liontail murmured to the younger warriors. They were stalking some cats in the forest, and she recognized one of them as Darkstripe, a tabby she knew from tales when she was a kit. He seemed like he was leading the patrol, but at the same time, several others were in the lead at once. 
Firestar flicked his tail forward, and for an instant, time froze. Graystripe was on Firestar's right, Liontail on his left, and Lionblaze on her own left, Dovewing and Cloudtail not far behind them. We're going to win. We have to. The Clans depend on it. Claws became unsheathed. Cats started to yowl as they charged forward. 

In the matter of heartbeats, blood was on the ground. Firestar had started to attack some cat she didn't recognize. Cloudtail was beating on Darkstripe, both of them hissing insults as if they knew each other. Liontail, with her larger build than most she-cats, tackled a huge tom. He clung his claws into her shoulders, but not soon after she swiped his nose and he released as blood spattered his whiskers.
As the cat stumbled backward into the undergrowth, Liontail leaped for the chance and pinned him. The tom flung his paws to skim her belly, but she collapsed her weight onto his legs and pushed them back into what looked like an extremely uncomfortable position. He yowled a bit, but fury lit his eyes and he lunged his jaws forward for her neck. She growled as his teeth clamped down, but she immediately, knowing she wouldn't die yet, clawed at his throat that was sloppily in her reach. 

She looked up as she slashed his tail and he yowled and went to go compete with another cat. Cloudtail was no longer with Darkstripe; Dovewing was, and Sparrowfeather was trying to defeat the white tom now.
For a few moments, Liontail could not find her father. But then his flame-colored pelt streaked over a low hill and struck Sparrowfeather off his kin. "Let's go!" The tom screeched, the one that she had beaten. "Let's head to camp, they're all done with!" 

A few seconds later, the patrol was back together. "They're already at other camps," Firestar flicked his ears at Dovewing quickly, "Liontail, take Lionblaze with you to ShadowClan, Cloudtail, Dovewing, go to RiverClan. Graystripe and I can help with the camp." The orders were said so fast Liontail wasn't sure she heard them right.

As her and her nephew raced as fast as they could, she noticed the warrior wasn't injured in the slightest. His pelt was covered in blood, but it didn't seem to be his own, and no claw marks were visible. She reached the camp first where a tom called out, "Shredtail! Newcomers!" And hissed and lunged at them. Liontail began to fight with the tom called Redwillow. 
She saw Blackstar laying limp on the ground, and for a second she thought he was dead, but his flank heaved with life and the proud tom tried to stand up.
Soon the battle had commenced. 

Death came over Liontail and she felt oddly happy. These cats were trying to kill her clanmates. Shredtail and Redwillow were both dead. Dead. 

"Stay here, I'm going to help with the camp. Do as Blackstar and Rowanclaw say." She ordered, looking at her kin with a bit of fear, but Lionblaze nodded and turned away.

"Sandstorm!" Firestar called out. The area was filled with cats. A cat with gleaming amber eyes and a ragged tortoiseshell pelt was pinning her mother and threatening to kill. Liontail noticed many cats with a starry gleam in their fur were about, watching or pushing off stragglers. Suddenly, as Liontail went to lunge forward, Squirrelflight pushed her down. 
She glared at her and gaped. "Are you-?" She began, but Squirrelflight was already staring at a beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat lunging at the cat known as Mapleshade.

Firestar screeched and went to run forward, but Spottedleaf faded away and Mapleshade was collapsed on the ground before he did anything. Squirrelflight and Liontail rushed to their mother, while their father stared with grief at the disappearing shadow of Spottedleaf. 
"No..." He whispered, and a gray flat-faced she-cat came padding out of the throng of cats.

"It was her destiny," She whispered. 

Sandstorm grunted but stood up and stared at her own mate. She padded over to her mate without the help of her daughters and nuzzled a stiff ThunderClan leader. Liontail snarled as Mapleshade stood up and leaped for her mother, but Liontail's legs sprung her up faster. The golden front paws met tortoiseshell ones. Mapleshade snarled and went to unsheathe her claws but she was slammed to the ground, and Liontail noticed Sandstorm bearing her fangs at the she-cat.

"Leave my family alone!" She hissed and chased away her enemy. 

Everyone stared as they left, all of them. Every StarClan cat as well, but despite everyone leaving, some went to WindClan, others to ShadowClan, and some to RIverClan. The ThunderClan group; although not very small, consisted of different cats from everywhere. We're united as one.

A large tabby tom with amber eyes stalked out into the battle. Every cat froze. Hawkfrost, Tigerstar's heir to the evilness within every cat and Brambleclaw's half brother. 
"Hawkfrost," Brambleclaw stared at his brother and soon Ivypool was nose to nose with the huge tabby. Most cats were still fighting, but some close enough stood and watched, hackles raised. 

Liontail had always admired the young warrior greatly as if it was her own daughter. The golden she-cat heard Stormpaw gasp as her friend went to the front of the battle. All of the apprentices had been found by Ivypool earlier on, and for some odd reason, all the apprentices were mingling with Mousewhisker, Birchfall and Blossomfall, whispering quietly. 

"It's my fight." Ivypool hissed.

Liontail reacted too slow for her own good. Three Dark Forest warriors were on Ivypool in seconds. And Stormpaw had hissed and began to cling onto one of them before she got batted off by a large paw. 

Everything happened so fast. Liontail was the new leader of ThunderClan, and she felt like she would drop on the spot. Stormheart had raced forward for his daughter and pushed her away from the fray and Edgepaw and Oakpaw had leaped forward as well to help her up. Hawkfrost looked away from Ivypool and lunged at the new threat. "RiverClan traitor! How do you think your father would think of you getting beat by Tigerstar's kin? Filthy half-clanners don't deserve to live!" Stormheart's fury had boiled to a new point. 

The fight had felt so long, yet it happened so quick. Stormheart and Hawkfrost had matched blow for blow. Until Hawkfrost had gotten her mate to trip on another Dark Forest warrior. In a matter of half a heartbeat, Stormheart was on the ground and Hawkfrost had left to get Ivypool once more.

Hollyleaf joined Ivypool to help. Liontail and Graystripe had both rushed forward together in a single heartbeat. "No!" She screeched so loudly she thought she saw Brambleclaw flinch. She lay down beside her mate.
His fur was sticking out in its usual sloppy pattern, and his eyes were faint. His flank was slowly coming to a stop. "You were supposed to be my deputy," She whispered while Graystripe stared at his son with disbelief. "No... this hasn't happened... First Feathertail...Rippleclaw... No, not him, no..." The look on her former mentor's face made her feel sick.
"I... still... am... here... for you." The warrior heaved through his last breathes. How had this happened? Seconds ago he was alive and at her side, helping her fight and helping her live without worries. And now...

"Move him, let's go!" Sunpaw and Oakpaw had left their sister and started to drag their father away from Hollyleaf who Liontail hadn't noticed the rest of her family had crowded around. "Hollyleaf..." She whispered as she saw her kin's body on the ground. Crowfeather was there, his nose stuffed into his daughter's fur. 
"There's no time to grieve," Brambleclaw announced. 

Liontail nodded. The rest of her warriors had driven out the Dark Forest, from the camp, at least. 
"You five," She flicked her tail to her own kits and the rogues who had joined the forest so long ago. "There's no time to make you warriors. So," She meowed louder for everyone to hear, "You have all shown great bravery today. And I hope with no official ceremony you'll still be able to continue fighting like warriors and help us defeat the Dark Forest. Sunpaw, Stormpaw, Oakpaw, Violetpaw, Edgepaw, I give you your new names." 

Liontail didn't have to think about it, she had already guessed some names she had liked over the past moons. "Sunclaw, Stormriver, Oakleap, Violetlily, and Edgeheart!" She called, and every cat in the hollow repeated it. "Now, let's go revenge the ones we've lost and show them not to mess with the Clans!" She yowled, and she, along with Thornclaw, Squirrelflight, and Brambleclaw, lead the path to defeat the Dark Forest. 

Hawkfrost leaped back at her only to be flung aside by Thornclaw. Brambleclaw then appeared out of nowhere and pinned his half brother. "He's mine to finish," Thornclaw helped her up and they padded back over to Jayfeather, who had immediately started shouting orders for herbs and cobwebs. Liontail felt weak as Sunclaw leaned over her.

"I hate to say this, but, you haven't chosen a deputy," Sunclaw glanced at Brambleclaw for confirmation, but the golden she-cat shook her head. It was too hard to speak. He neck was bleeding, and she felt pain in so many places. Brambleclaw has too many troubles... What if he comes to StarClan? His wounds are too deep... Although Jayfeather...

"Then who?" He asked as Jayfeather darted over to her and began applying sticky things to her fur. The gray tom  seemed to realize the importance of the conversation before he stopped with the herbs and murmured something in Sunclaw's ear. The green gaze faltered. 
Liontail nodded at her son. It was her only choice. She couldn't speak. She couldn't move anything other than a slight nod of her head. 

"Me?" He gasped, and she felt pain stab her as she meowed, "Tell Thornclaw... Not to worry." 

And then she saw a faint ghost padding towards her. "Come, he'll be fine. Thornclaw can take care of them," She saw her mate with a silvery glow on his pelt and stars dancing in his eyes. "Stormheart!" She purred and stood up easily only to see her own battered body. Sunclaw was staring at her with grief.

Thornclaw was seen from across the clearing, and the victory for a moment had lit his face until his eyes rested on her spirit, and that was when Stormheart smiled at her warmly. "Don't worry, Liontail, or should I say Lionstar? Blossomfall will keep him company." Liontail nodded, her eyes still on her friend, and followed Stormheart to StarClan.

So, happy ending? HAHAHAAAA *tries to hide the sobs* 

And that is my story for why Thornclaw never had a mate. LOL No. I'm going to start writing the Epilogue now! (Oh yeah, I guess a good portion of you didn't know... This is the last chapter.)