Kestrel Call had spoken to her leader as well. Both fire and lightning elemental tribes felt entitled to the kits. At the next Summoning the two leaders, Raven Feather and Dawn Whisper, would argue. Raven Feather demanded that the kits stay in the Tribe of Sparks or there would be war. Dawn Whisper fought back with threats and the two tribes started a fight right there at the Great Blossom. The other tribes had broke up the fight, many getting injured in the skirmish. It was that day that the Tribe of Sparks and Tribe of Fire would become enemies and only more war would follow. Border skirmishes between the two became a common occurrence.
It was Dawn Whisper to be the first to attack the Tribe of Sparks' camp directly. Caught off guard by the direct attack at their camp Aspen Thistle managed to steal the kits. Kestrel Call gave chase, her tribe-mates following close behind as the cats of the Tribe of Fire retreated back to their forest. It was here where the clans would collide into battle once more. Thistle and Dapple were caught in the fray of it all. The distraught mother tried to get to her children, but in the process was mauled to death by a Tribe of Fire's guardian. The battle between the tribes lasted for days with only brief breaks in between at night to tend to their wounded cats. As days passed their numbers began to dwindle. The Tribe of Sparks had begun to make progress, pushing the fire elemental cats back. Trying to protect his kits Aspen Thistle let his powers loose. In the process his own kits too had perished. Their tiny charred bodies huddled together in fright even in death. Aspen Thistle's outburst had not only killed the very thing he sought to protect, but also caused a forest fire. It raged through the thick forest, the charred trees that had been struck by lightning attacks caught fire easily. The whole forest was ablaze and what cats remained of the Tribes of Fire and Sparks died in the flames. |