"Come now, dear," a voice meowed kindly. "It'll be all right, just come with us…" Dark-kit was aware of many pelts pressing on hers, guiding her through absolute darkness.
Then she was in a mossy, moonlit clearing, very different from the camp where she had been just before. A tall maple stood alone in the center, its branches bare even though it was the height of Greenleaf.
All around her were cats, strange cats that she had never seen before. A golden she-cat was right next to her, watching Dark-kit with concern in her eyes.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"I am called Sunheart," the she-cat replied.
"W-where are we?" she asked in a shaky voice.
"You're in my Clan, now, dear," mewed Sunheart. "You're in StarClan."
"I'm not dead, am I?"
"No, little one, you are not." Sunheart's whiskers twitched in amusement. "But there is someone who would like to see you." The starry cats moved to the edges of the clearing, blending into the shadows and becoming nothing more than glowing pairs of eyes in the darkness of the trees. Through their midst, a pair of she-cats padded towards Dark-kit.
"Dark-kit!" the smaller cat cried joyfully, bounding forward to lick her cheek.
"Shellkit?" Dark-kit meowed in astonishment. The cat looked exactly like her sister, but it couldn't be – her sister was weak, and could never have moved that quickly. "Is that you?"
"Yes, it's me!" cried Shellkit. And it was. "Dark-kit," she mewed solemnly, "I'm sorry I wasn't much fun."
"Um, thanks," mumbled Dark-kit, "but it's really not your fault." And then she looked past her sister to the larger she-cat.
"Hello, dear," murmured Featherheart. "I want to apologize for leaving you so soon. There was so much I never did…"
"How did you die?" asked Dark-kit.
"Adderstrike, a BirchClan warrior, broke into the den. We couldn't get out in time." meowed Featherheart. "I'm so very sorry, Dark-kit. I never meant to abandon you like this." She paused, and then added, "But you have your father."
Dark-kit nodded, and looked around the clearing. "Can I see Thrushtail?"
"I don't think so, darling," Featherheart shook her head. "You have to go back now. But promise me that you'll live a full life. You have a Clan to serve."
Dark-kit had only time to nod, and then she was blinking open her eyes. In the medicine cats' den again, she realized. "I spend half of my time in here," she complained.
A gasp came from outside, and Horse-ear pushed his way in. "Dark-kit? You're all right," he sighed with relief. "I have something to tell you." Dark-kit waited for the inevitable. "Your mother and sister were killed by an invader. You won't see them again."
Dark-kit couldn't speak, but then she realized that her father was waiting for an answer. "It was their time to go," she mewed when she found her voice.
"You sound like an elder." Then his eyes widened and a horrified expression came over his face.
"Thrushtail," Dark-kit whispered. She struggled to her feet and padded unsteadily out of the den. The clearing was still bathed in moonlight, and the three bodies still lay in the center.
She lay down next to them and put her head on her paws. "I wish you were here," she whispered to the brown tabby pelt that was now limp forever. "Wait for me. I don't know when, but someday I'll follow you. I promise."
