The wildcats paced quietly through the forest. It was night in Mossflower. The young one looked up to the older one.
"How did momma die?"
"Just like the rest of us. "
"How was that?"
"She left when she completed her journey. "
"Journey?"
"Journey. "
"When will my journey be complete?"
"Depends. "
The young wildcat looked at the ground thoughtfully.
"...Okay. When are we gonna be at Redwall?"
"Soon enough. "
"Momma died at Redwall, didn't she?"
"Yes. "
"Are we gonna die too?"
"Eventually. "
"I don't wanna die. "
"No creature in their right mind does. Remember what I told you the other day?"
"Yeah...?"
"We are all stars. It doesn't matter who you are, you're alive for a reason. And when you've served your purpose, when you've lived out what you were born for, you die. Every creature has a purpose that they have to fulfill. "
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I am. "
A few years later, the younger wildcat once again approached his elder.
"Why is there heartbreak?" The younger one asked.
"Without heartbreak, there is no love. "
"But why?"
"You learn from heartbreak. "
"But why does it have to hurt so much?"
"Even I don't know that. But if there is no heartbreak, then you can't find who is right for you. No matter how much it hurts, you'll learn from it. And you'll find someone eventually, and when you do, it'll all be much better. "
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. "
Another few years later, the younger one once again approached the elder.
"Why is there pain?"
"Without pain, there is no joy. "
"But why?"
"You learn as you go. Pain makes you stronger, it teaches you things, it gives you experience. Everyone feels pain, some worse than others. However, though some creature may not seem to be in pain, they can sometimes be in deeper pain than you know. Pain is a part of life."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm absolutely sure."
Once again, as an adult, the younger wildcat came to the elder.
"Why is there loss?"
"Without loss, no one could be appreciated. "
"How so...?"
"Well, if you were to love and care about someone very much, what would happen if they disappeared?"
"I would be dead inside. "
"Exactly. But what if they couldn't be lost?"
"Then there would be no reason to worry. "
"Yes, but it would mean that you would care about them less. There really would be no reason to worry. "
"Oh. You sure?"
"Of course I am. "
A few years later, the young adult wildcat looked out over Redwall Abbey. Down below him was a grave where flowers had been recently placed.
The wildcat looked up at the stars.
"I guess you were right. Something that I shouldn't forget, something that I won't forget. We are all stars."
The wildcat walked down into the dormitories. The day faded out as the wildcat laid down and smiled peacefully.
