Fading Shadows and a Dying Flame

By McFuzzy

StarClan was calling his name. Firestar and could feel it.

The pain inside had been gnawing at him like a mouse gnaws on a blade of grass. He heaved another rasping breath.

"Hey. Firestar," a soft voice whispered next to him. The flame-pelted leader of ThunderClan turned his head and gazed at the gray form next to him. Graystripe lifted his head weakly. "You ready?"

Firestar couldn't help smiling at his old friend. It made him think of all the mouse-brained things they'd done over the moons. "Yes, I'm ready," he replied.

Firestar gazed around at all the cats surrounding them: Sandstorm, his beloved; Brambleclaw, the cat he'd once thought might be an enemy, but had turned out one of his most loyal in the end; Leafpool, his daughter and trusted medicine cat; and Millie, the cat Graystripe had found love in once more.

All of them were willing to be present for the two old friend's final moments. Firestar could feel his final life seeping from him with every breath he took.

But this is how he wanted it to be. Dying next to his best friend, surrounded by those who cared about them. This was how he wanted to go.

"Firestar..." Sandstorm meowed softly. She licked his ears softly a few times. "Don't leave me..."

Firestar couldn't help smiling. "Even I can't escape the flows of time, Sandstorm. If this is when StarClan destined me to pass on, then so be it."

"But still..." she meowed softly.

"The only consolation is you can't either," Firestar comforted her. "I know you'll be joining me sooner or later." She smiled, and Firestar felt he could've passed on then and there. But there were still a few things to do. He turned his head toward Brambleclaw.

"Brambleclaw," he breathed. "You know how traditions work. As Graystripe gave up his deputy position to you, you shall take my place. You will be Bramblestar, and despite what your father and half-brother have done, I know you will lead this Clan with a kind heart and a noble soul."

Brambleclaw bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, Firestar," he said. "I will."

Firestar nodded, then winced as another lancelet of pain shot through him. He heard Graystripe murmuring to Millie.

"I've lived a well enough life. It's like Firestar said to Sandstorm, it won't be long until we're together among Silverpelt."

"I know," she meowed softly. "But still..."

He laughed faintly under his breath. "Don't worry. Until you join me, know that I will watch over you."

Millie bowed her head and smiled slightly before giving Graystripe one final, loving lick on his head. Graystripe turned his head to Firestar. "See you soon in StarClan...old friend..."

He heaved one final rasping breath, and his eyes closed. A breeze wafted through the den, carrying the spirits of their warrior ancestors as they led Graystripe to join them.

Firestar sighed as he turned to the assembled cats. He nodded to each in turn, his voice rapidly fading. "Brambleclaw...Leafpool...Millie...Sandstorm...thank you..."

The last things Firestar heard was the quiet sound of Sandstorm and Millie's sobbing, Brambleclaw's sorrowful sigh, and Leafpool's quiet murmur of, "Farewell, father..."

The world gradually faded into blackness...

"Hey, Firestar. Firestar! Come on! Wake up, you lazy furball!"

Firestar's eyes snapped open at the sound of his name. He blinked a few times before realizing where he was.

The stars of Silverpelt shone bright above him. He was lying in the grass on the island where the Clans met every moon for a Gathering. And standing near him was Graystripe, his youthful figure restored and his dark gray pelt shining with the radiance that surrounded the cats of StarClan.

"I was starting to think you wouldn't wake up," he said with a mrrow of laughter.

"Oh, haha." Firestar rolled his eyes as he rose to his paws. He almost jumped. His paws shone with the radiance that he'd always dreamed of.

"I feel...good," he mused, bouncing on his paws slightly. Graystripe laughed again. "Come on, you great furball, let's go."

Graystripe pressed his pelt to Firestar's, and the two old friends walked toward the great tree that dominated the island. Above them, the stars of Silverpelt began to spiral downward, until the cats of StarClan walked out of their radiance and stood like sentries around the two warriors. His ears pricked up as the cats spoke, thought it sounded like one monotonic voice than many different ones.

"Welcome, warriors. This is your final step of your long journey. You have served your Clan dutifully, and so you have earned your place among those who went before you."

Then one voice sounded out among the others, and a familiar form padded proudly into the clearing. Graystripe gasped as he recognized the she-cat.

"Bluestar...?" he breathed.

The old ThunderClan leader smiled and nodded at him, then turned to Firestar. "Greetings Firestar. Many moons ago, you were given the nine lives to protect your Clan, and you used them well. Fighting Scourge, helping SkyClan, and other occasions you gave a life so that others could better theirs. Now, your ninth life has left your body. You have been a great leader, and you deserve your reward."

She raised her voice and meowed to all the assembled cats. "Welcome, Firestar!"

The cats of StarClan echoed her words. "Welcome, Firestar!"

Bluestar looked to Graystripe. "Let us not forget Graystripe, loyal warrior to the end of his life. Welcome, Graystripe!"

StarClan again echoed her words.

Firestar and Graystripe bowed their heads and meowed a solemn, "Thank you." Bluestar looked at the two of them.

"Now before we take to the sky to watch over the Clans, there are a few who'd like to speak to you." Firestar and Graystripe's ears pricked up as a familiar meow sounded behind them.

"I knew I wouldn't have to wait much longer to see you two furballs!"

Firestar and Graystripe whirled around and saw a black tomcat bounding towards them. Their faces lit up simultaneously.

"Ravenpaw!" they both exclaimed.

Ravenpaw skidded to a stop in front of them, his eyes shining. "It's great to see you two!" he purred warmly.

Graystripe pressed his nose to Ravenpaw's. "What are you doing here?"

Ravenpaw shrugged. "The seasons caught up with me. I knew that if my time had come, you two wouldn't be far behind."

Firestar licked his friend's ear. "It's great to see you again."

Ravenpaw flicked them both with his tail. "Don't let me hog all the attention, though. There's others that want to talk to you." He pointed with his tail behind Firestar. The orange tom turned to find himself facing three cats; two she-cats and a tom. Firestar's green eyes widened at the sight of them.

"Yellowfang, Tallstar, Spottedleaf!"

Yellowfang stepped forward and dipped her head respectfully. "About time you got here, Firestar. I've been watching that daughter of yours. She's turned out to be a fine cat." She turned to the former WindClan leader. "Tallstar?"

Tallstar dipped his head in respect. "There is little to say, Firestar. You and your kin did more for the Clans than few other cats. You will be welcomed here along with the great Clan leaders of old."

Firestar nodded. "Thank you." He turned to Spottedleaf. "Spottedleaf...I..."

She put her tail over his mouth. "It's okay, Firestar. I know that I will never be what Sandstorm is to you."

"That's not true," Firestar mewed. He touched noses with the downcast-looking she-cat. "You guided me, and you've guided my daughters through their lives as well. I can never repay you for that."

Spottedleaf's eyes shone and she pressed herself against him. "Thank you, Firestar."

As the sweet scent he'd longed for drifted around him, Firestar realized that she would be content with just being friends. Spottedleaf understood that his heart belonged to Sandstorm, and she was content to let that be.

At that moment, Firestar realized that he'd lived a good nine lives. He'd left a legacy to be proud of, and now he was with some of the cats that he'd cared for forever.

For that moment, and for the rest of time, Firestar was content.

As Firestar turned around, Ravenpaw meowed in Graystripe's ear. "There are a few who would like to speak with you as well."

Perplexed, Graystripe looked around and saw a golden yellow tabby padding towards him. He immediately recognized his old mentor. "Lionheart!"

"Hello, Graystripe," Lionheart meowed. "I am very sorry that I had to leave the Clans before you could become a warrior. But you served the warrior code and your friends better than I thought you ever could. And you pressed on through much pain."

Graystripe looked at his paws. "I know."

Lionheart flicked him with his tail. "But let me ease some of that suffering." He turned his head. "Feathertail!"

Graystripe's head whipped up just fast enough to see a silver blur rocket out of the gathering of cats and bowl into him. He rolled over and over on the grass, laughing.

Graystripe got to his paws and moved over to his daughter, winding his lean body around hers. "Feathertail..." he murmured.

Feathertail licked his muzzle. "I'm sorry I never got to say goodbye to you."

Graystripe nuzzled her face. "It doesn't matter. I'm just so glad to see you again."

Then a scent he'd almost forgotten drifted over him. He turned his head and found the one face he'd been desperate to see for ages a whisker away from his own. His first love, Silverstream.

Graystripe's eyes clouded with pure joy. Silverstream licked his face. "Graystripe...I've waited many seasons for this moment..."

Graystripe wound his tail around hers. "I have too."

"I'm glad you found someone that you could be with," Silverstream mewed. "Millie loves you very much."

"I love you both just as much," Graystripe murmured. Silverstream pressed closer to him and purred.

And then, surrounded by friends and love that had been lost to him in life but returned to him in death, Graystripe finally knew peace.