"Firestar!" Sandstorm yowled over the thundering rain. She raced to the place her mate had fallen. His body laid on the ground, Dovewing frowned. Tigerstar had disappeared, did he really kill Firestar?
"No!" A white-and-brown tabby gasped at the huddled shapes of Firestar and Sandstorm.
Squirrelflight and Leafpool pelted after Sandstorm, "He can't be dead!" Squirrelflight yowled.
They skidded to a halt and stared in horror of Firestar's body.
Sandstorm pressed her nose into her mate's sodden fur, "I told you not to waste your final life…" She whispered.
Brambleclaw crossed the clearing, the rain streaming from his whiskers. "He didn't waste it." He licked the top of the grieving queen's head.
"Fire alone will save our clan…" Leafpool muttered.
Graystripe pushed past Tigerheart and the spirit of Whitestorm, crouching beside his old friend. "I will be glad to take your place…" His voice was hoarse with grieve.
"Firestar," Dustpelt called softly, "When you see Ferncloud… tell her I love her."
Purdy nosed past him, "Is he dead…?"
"Yes…" Bumblestripe wrapped his tail over the small elder's back.
"It was his last life?" Tigerheart's ear twitched.
Dovewing nodded, "Yes." She looked at the warriors from other clans, who watched uncertainly at the entrance in their patrols. She took in a shaky breath, "It's time for you to go home. The battle is won, I think we need to stay with our clanmates…" And yet it feels like everything has been lost… She drew in another breath, and slid in beside Bumblestripe.
Rain and tears dripped in her eyes, she blinked it away. Bumblestripe shifted so his pelt brushed warmly against her, Dovewing felt his breath on her ear.
"You're safe now…" he murdered.
She leaned her head on his shoulder, "I know." She didn't look back as she heard Tigerheart pad away.
Graystripe lifted his muzzle, "The battle is over… our victory belongs to Firestar!"
The rain eased as he spoke, and a shaft of moonlight sliced through the clouds and lit up the unmoving orange tabby. There was a faint noise in the camp entrance and Dovewing looked up to see a Starclan warrior glimmering beneath the ragged thorns, her blue eyes glowing like circles in the sky.
"Bluestar?" Graystripe beckoned to her with his tail. With a nod, she stepped out from the shadows and walked across the clearing. A russet tom followed, his pelt glittering with stars. A silver she-cat padded after; a mottled tabby by her side. A small black-and-white tom padded at the back, and a gray she-cat with thick fur tagged on behind.
As the clan parted to let the cats pass, a pale brown tabby, and thick-furred golden tom slipped out to join their starry clanmates. Dovewing blinked up at the walls of the hollow. They rippled with light from the Starclan pelts. The scent of wet stone, sharp and cold bathed her tongue.
Is this what starlight tastes like?
Jayfeather stepped forward as they circled Firestar's body, and his grieving family. "These cats gave Firestar his nine lives." He explained. He nodded to the russet warrior, "Redtail gave a life for courage. Silverstream gave a life for loyalty."
Graystripe got to his paws and stared at the beautiful she-cat, "Silverstream…"
She pressed her nose to his, "I'll be waiting…"
"Brindleface," Jayfeather went on, dipping his head to the mottled gray tabby, "The life you gave was for protection." His blind blue gaze drifted to the small black-and-white tom, "And Swiftpaw… yours was for mentoring."
Brambleclaw nodded, "Firestar was the best mentor I could have had," he whispered.
Jayfeather nodded, "Yellowfang gave compassion, Lionheart gave courage, and Runningwind gave tireless energy, which he used to serve his clan through his lives."
As Jayfeather paused, Bluestar stepped forward her starry paws touched Firestar's pelt, "Spottedleaf isn't in Starclan anymore," her voice was thick with grief, "But she gave Firestar a life for love…"
Sandstorm's shoulders shook in a sob.
Bluestar went on. "I gave him a life for nobility, though he was born with more nobility than any warrior I ever knew." Her blue eyes glazed with sorrow. "I knew that Firestar would save our Clan many moons ago. As fire in the oldest prophecy, he succeeded. He leaves Thunderclan in the paws of a new leader." She looked at Graystripe. "If you have half the courage and loyalty of Firestar, you will be a fine leader for Thunderclan."
As she spoke the Starclan cats drew closer around Firestar's body. Touching pelts, they gazed down. A shadow stirred over the orange shape. Dovewing gasped. Pale as moonlight and as graceful as the wind, Firestar stood up.
"His spirit is leaving," Jayfeather murmured.
Firestar's gaze swept slowly over his clan. Dovewing swallowed as it reached her, then relaxed. It felt warm like sunshine.
"It's time to go," Bluestar breathed.
Firestar dipped his head to Graystripe, then leaned down and touched his muzzle to Sandstorm's. She stared up at him. Her eyes glistening with grief as he turned and followed the Starclan cats out of the hollow. Dovewing jerked her head around as a black pelt moved at the edge of her vision. Hollyleaf's spirit was padding after them.
"Look!" Sorreltail gasped.
Mousefur's spirit leaped up from her body and bounded like a kit across the clearing. Purdy whisked his tail. "She'll get all the hunting she wants now."
"Ferncloud's awake!" Amberkit squeaked from the nursery.
Ferncloud's spirit rose and padded after Mousefur. She paused at the thorn barrier and turned, dipping her head to Dustpelt, then disappeared after the others. Dovewing stared at the gap in the brambles, her chest aching.
Sandstorm stood up "Graystar!"
"Graystar!" Lionblaze lifted his muzzle to the clearing sky.
The clan joined in. "Graystar! Graystar!"
excuse my bad rewritenotrewrite. of course, this is part of a chapter from 'the last hope' where frstr died. best chapter in the entire series, i was so happy when i read it.