"Firestar!" Sandstorm's anguished cry rang through camp as she raced to the body of her mate. Dovewing watched as Sandstorm stopped by his body and let out a wail. Dovewing looked away, grief bubbling in her chest.

"He shouldn't have died." She whispered as Squirrelflight joined Sandstorm to crouch by Firestar's body. She looked at Lionblaze who stood beside her with his head bowed.

"It was his time." Lionblaze sighed and sat down. "He was a great leader, and he sacrificed his life for us. Brambleclaw will be a great leader."

"Yes he will." Speaking of Brambleclaw, where was he? Dovewing looked around camp and swallowed. She did not see the brown tabby. The gray molly turned to Lionblaze. "Where is he?"

"I don't know." Lionblaze looked like he was about to say something else before he was interrupted.

"No!" Hollyleaf's yowl startled Dovewing, and she spun around to see Hollyleaf standing over a familiar body. She ran over and pushed her way past Foxleap and Graystripe. Brambleclaw's throat had a gash in it, and the deputy was still. Hollyleaf crouched next to her foster father and pushed her face into his fur. Dovewing stepped back to let Squirrelflight past and stood next to Ivypool.

"What will we do?" Ivypool questioned. Dovewing looked at her sister and swallowed nervously.

"I don't know." Dovewing sat next to Ivypool and leaned on her sister. "Has this ever happened before? Has a clan been left completely leaderless?"

"Will StarClan give us a sign?" Brightheart asked Jayfeather, her tail twitching back and forth.

Jayfeather looked up from Brambleclaw's body. "I think they want us to decide."

"How?" Blossomfall asked as she walked over to her brother.

"A vote." Squirrelflight looked tired and sad, but her head was held high. "As a clan we will decide who our next leader will be."

"Is that even allowed?" Daisy meowed.

"We have no other choice." Dustpelt said. He stood next to Squirrelflight. "We can each vote for a cat, and whoever has the most votes becomes leader." Dovewing nodded at that, the idea seemed reasonable. "I vote for Squirrelflight."

…

"Squirrelstar! Squirelstar! Squirrelstar!" The clan chanted after they were finished voting. Most cats had voted for Squirrelflight, and the other popular choice was Linblaze.

Dovewing looked up and sighed. Two new stars were shining. Are Firestar and Brambleclaw up there already? Do they approve of our choice?

"I will do my best to honour Firestar and Brambleclaw. Firestar was a great leader, and I am sure that Brambleclaw would have been a great one too." Squirrelflight paused, "Now it is time for me to choose a deputy."

Dovewing waited with bated breath and glanced around at her clanmates. Surely Squirrelflight would choose Lionblaze? He was the only warrior who couldn't be beaten in battle. He'd make a powerful deputy and leader someday.

"Will you be my deputy Hollyleaf?"

The molly stared at her foster mother, her eyes wide and fur quivering. "Really?"

Squirrelflight nodded. "I trust you, and you have always tried to do what you thought was best for the clan. You were brave returning to the clan after what happened. I believe that you will be good for this clan."

Hollyleaf dipped her head. "I accept."

Leafpool burst through the crowd of cats. "My sister," She murmured as she pressed her head to Squirrelflight's. "You deserve this honour. Thank you for everything you have done for me."

"Squirrelflight licked Leafpool's ear. "I would do it again in a heartbeat." She vowed.

Leafpool walked over to Hollyleaf. "And my daughter." Her eyes shone with pride as she looked at the black molly. "I have put you through so much, and I am sorry for that. You will be a great deputy."

"I forgive you." Hollyleaf licked Leafpool's shoulder. "You did what you thought was best, even though it was hard for you."

Jayfeather padded forward to stand beside Dovewing. "An ending, and a beginning." He observed.