Chapter 8

Hailfall watched with dismay as the Clan his brother had brought together fell to pieces on the ridge overlooking their new home. Rowanclaw would only bring prey to Feathertail and Whitetail, who had decided they preferred the canyon as their home. Similarly, Loudbelly only hunted for Sorreltail and Mosspelt, who wanted to live in the forest. Sootfur was reluctant to talk to Foxtail, and Foxtail refused to be swayed.

"If something doesn't happen soon, we're going to need cobwebs," Littlecloud fretted at Hailfall's side.

"We'll need more than cobwebs," the pale medicine cat sighed. "Something bigger than us is at work here—I just can't figure out what."

Littlecloud turned incredulous amber eyes to his mentor. "StarClan, of course," he insisted. "In time, they'll all see that StarClan meant for us to live in the forest, then everything will be okay."

Ice blue eyes widened minutely. "StarClan meant for us to live in the forest?" Hailfall echoed. "But Littlecloud, in my dreams Oakheart has shown me the waterfall… and then the canyon below."

"But…" Littlecloud's confidence faltered. "Raggedstar has always shown me the forest, shining in the sunlight… Have I misread the signs he's given me?"

"No," Hailfall hurried to assure the panicked tabby. "No, I don't think so. I think we just haven't read all of the signs… It has to be right in front of us."

A heavy silence fell between them, broken only by the sounds of frustrated hissing and growling from their Clan-mates as they argued. Darkness was pressing into Hailfall's mind, deep and suffocating. Have we been wrong all along? His chest ached as he struggled to find the breaths to fill his lungs. Did I bring them all this way to start a war?

"I have to go." His voice was a choked whisper. He didn't give Littlecloud time to protest. "Check the kits again. I'll… I'll be back."

The pale silver tabby stood on shaking legs and forced his paws to move. He wasn't sure where he had to go, but he couldn't be there. There was somewhere he needed to be—somewhere he could get answers. Oakheart's voice haunted him as he veered down the path that would lead him into the canyon. "Maybe it's meant to."

That can't be right! Hailfall relished the soft grass beneath his paws as he padded towards the pool the waterfall fell into. It was sparkling brilliantly in the sunlight, cascading down the cliffs and gathering in smaller pools along the way. We had to come together to survive. If we break apart now, how will we make it?

The medicine cat sat there for a long time—longer than he realized. When he focused on the world outside his thoughts again the moon was rising. Fox-dung! He rose stiffly, ready to surrender. Then he saw the starlight. It glimmered in the pool and up the sheets of water that poured into it. The spray glimmered like frost as it dusted the path before him. His paws moves unbidden, carrying him to the thin trail. Hailfall's heart was pounding in his ears as he climbed the nearly sheer path. It passed behind the waterfall as points, sometimes it widened into a ledge where the waterfall split and gathered in a pool of moonlight before continuing its descent. When he could hardly see the canyon below, Hailfall saw it. A large hollow in the cliffside. Like the other ledges a pool of water gathered. The space around the pool was much larger though—easily as large as Fourtrees. A large piece of rock from the cliff seemed to have fallen near the pool, standing as tall as the Great Rock.

Could this be…

Hailfall didn't have time to linger on the thought. His paws kept moving, treading carefull around the edge of the pool and behind the sheer curtain of water. The moonlight filtered straight through, shining on the water than ran down the walls and gathered in a smaller pool towards the back of the cavern.

Understand crested over Hailfall like the wave of blood in his dreams so many seasons ago. The Moonpool. His whole body quivered as he approached the shining pool. Share your wisdom with me… please… He lay carefully at the water's edge and lapped a few glimmering drops. Ice and starlight rushing through his veins as sleep overcame him.

Slowly, Hailfall blinked, surprised to find himself outside again, in the large hollow. Warriors of StarClan were gathered there, some familiar from Hailfall's trips to the Moonstone, other from seeing them in their final battle.

"Firestar," he breathed almost silently, spotting his father's flaming pelt. Steadfast at his side was his mother. "Mother…"

"You've done well," Firestar's purr rumbled from deep in his chest, thick with emotion.

"We're proud of you," Cindercloud added, her eyes bright with the wisdom of StarClan. "And Foxtail, too."

Oakheart stood on Cinderpelt's other side, and he stepped forward with an apologetic glance at Cindercloud. "Now is not the time," he reminded them gently. "We brought you here to share a message with you, Hailfall."

The medicine cat felt the fur on his spine tingling. "Is this where Littlecloud and I will come to speak with you?"

"Yes," the red-brown warrior purred. "Every half-moon you will come here to share tongues with us. And every full moon, this will be your Gathering place."

"Gathering place…?" Hailfall looked up at the large rock, where Bluestar and Leopardstar were sharing tongues like littermates.

"Yes," Oakheart's tone was calm and resolute. "It is a warrior's loyalty to his Clan that makes him strong," the great warrior continued. "It is time for LostClan to be found. Though their opinions are as different as the sun and the moon, there are two leaders that must come here tomorrow and accept their new names."

"Then we are to become two Clans," Hailfall murmured. Everything was beginning to make sense. "That's why Littlecloud has been dreaming of the forest—he's to be the medicine cat of their Clan."

Firestar bowed his head. "Yes. Now you must hurry, Hailfall. If the leaders haven't come to us by tomorrow night everything will fall to ruin."

"But…"

Hailfall was awake in an instant. He scrambled to his paws, desperately longing to have more time. But how will I know who to send to you?

Shaking his head in frustration, Hailfall turned and hurried from the cavern. His paws were light as feathers as he scrambled down the steep trail. His claws tore, but he hardly noticed. As the sun broke the horizon, the sounds reached him—the screeching of fighting cats.

For StarClan's sake! The medicine cat put on speed, erupting over the ridge with a caterwaul that would rival Graystripe's battle cry.

"Stop!"

Foxtail thrust himself between the cats that had been fighting. Tawnypelt spat one last curse at Cedarheart before stalking away, and Crowflight's arctic glare never left Loudbelly as the pair separated.

"I have spoken with StarClan," Hailfall rasped. "I found where they mean to share tongues with us—and where we are to gather."

"Gather?" Sagepaw blinked curiously. "Like a Gathering?"

Hailfall nodded at the black-furred apprentice. "Yes. We aren't meant to choose one home," he continued as they looked to him with bewildered eyes. "We are meant to find two."

Murmurs broke out as the cats of LostClan took in the information. Foxtail stepped forward. "So we are to become two Clans?"

"Yes," Hailfall met his brother's gaze evenly. "SunClan in the forests above the waterfall, and MoonClan in the canyon below."

"But how are we to decide who will be a part of which Clan?" Mosspelt mewed anxiously.

"Can't you see?" Littlecloud's eyes were bright. Hailfall felt a glimmer of pride for his apprentice. "We already have." He flicked his ears towards the open ground between them.

"We've been drifting apart through the journey here," Hailfall spoke again, meeting every cat's gaze in turn. "And growing closer to those we will accept as our Clan-mates. Now, all we must do is choose two leaders to go to the Moonpool and share tongue with StarClan tonight."

"At least our choice is an easy one," Smokepelt mewed brightly to Crowflight.

Feathertail nodded energetically. "Yes," she agreed. "Foxtail should remain our leader." Mews of approval and appreciation rippled through their ranks. Foxtail bowed his head.

"I would never betray your trust in me," he murmured. "Tonight I will meet with StarClan to accept my name and nine lives."

The cats who had chosen the forest as their home were knotted together in a tight group, whispering amongst themselves. Finally, Sorreltail raised her voice.

"I think Stormfur should be our leader."

Hailfall watched his littermate's eyes light up in a mixture of surprise and pleasure. Tanwypelt was nodding slowly, and Volewhisker was meowing excitedly to Sagepaw and Thistlepaw.

"Are you… sure?" Stormfur's amber eyes swept the cats that had chosen him.

"Yes," Sootfur purred. "You've proven yourself time and time again on this journey. We couldn't choose a better cat if we tried."

The gray warrior bowed his head. "Then I will go with Foxtail tonight."

Cedarheart stepped forward. "We should leave now," he suggested, his tone almost regretful.

"He's right," Hailfall looked between Foxtail and Stormfur. "You should return to your Clans as leaders—to your own territories, your own camps."

The two warriors looked at each other, too many emotions to name flashing in their eyes.

"You're going to be a great leader, Stormfur," Foxtail's voice was barely a whisper. "I know you will."

"So will you," Stormfur pressed his muzzle against Foxtail's. "I'll see you tonight, Foxtail."

"Tonight."

Hailfall felt his heart breaking as Stormfur stepped away. "You'll always be our brother," he offered quietly. "We'll hunt side by side again, amongst the stars."

"Not for a long while," Stormfur purred, rasping his tongue over Hailfall's ear. He turned to Cedarheart. "And you." He squared his shoulders and stepped forward. Cedarheart narrowed his eyes as the warrior whispered, "Take care of my sister. She loves you and those kits more than anything."

Cedarheart's pale eyes registered surprise, then understanding. "You will never understand how much she means to me," he growled back softly. "She'll always be safe and happy at my side—her and our kits."

Hailfall could hardly bear to watch as LostClan said its goodbyes. Tawnypelt brushed pelts with Rowanclaw and Crowflight, Loudbelly touched noses with Whitetail. The kits cried as they were separated, and slowly but surely, one lost Clan was found as two.

"Come now, MoonClan," Foxtail called. "We've got a lot to do before I travel to the Moonpool."

Hailfall travelled at Foxtail's side as they searched for a place to make camp.

"Look there!" Springpaw's excited squeal turned every cat's head. She was beckoning wildly towards a huge overhang that jutted out of the canyon wall. Beneath it was a flat space between two hills, decorated with clumps of sorrel and gorse.

"It'll be dry when it rains," Cedarheart meowed appreciatively.

"And the hills will block the wind," Whitetail purred.

Rowanclaw nudged his apprentice affectionately. "Well done, Springpaw. You've just found MoonClan's camp."

Hailfall's paws tingled with excitement as they padded down the slope and into the space they would come to call home. A tall cottonwood grew towards the edge of the clearing. Foxtail approached it immediately, jumping onto a large root and turning to look down at the potential camp.

"It's perfect," he purred.

Hailfall's eyes found a split in the wall. Reminded of Yellowfang's den in ThunderClan's camp, the medicine cat padded towards it. Sticking his head inside, he was relieved to see that it was spacious—plenty of room for herbs, his nest, and any sick cats. Backing out again, he announced warmly, "This will be the medicine den."

"The nursery can go here," Feathertail stuck her head out of a clump of heather.

Cedarheart nodded, "We can pull some of those stray brambles over to reinforce it."

"And weave in gorse branches," Crowflight suggested.

"The rest of the brambles can make an entrance," Foxtail called from his perch. He jumped down to join his warriors.

"What about an apprentice den?" Springpaw wondered aloud.

"Yeah," Adderkit stepped forward. "We're nearly six moons—can't we stay in the apprentices' den?"

Foxtail blinked at the tabby kit. "You are six moons are you? How about this—tomorrow, when I've returned from the Moonpool, I'll give you your apprentice name. Then you can sleep in the apprentices' den."

"What about us?" Mintkit looked appalled. "Aren't we six moons yet?"

Cedarheart cuffed the kit gently over the ear. "Not even close."

Before long, a low hanging hazel bush between Foxtail's tree and the entrance was chosen for the warriors den, and a clump of gorse across the camp was chosen for the apprentices. As the sun started sinking, Hailfall motioned to his brother that it was time to go.

"Right. Cedarheart, organize a hunting patrol for the evening and tomorrow dawn patrol. We'll be back before you can say 'mouse.'" With that, Foxtail waved his tail to the newly formed Clan and padded alongside Hailfall towards the waterfall.

"Are you ready?" Hailfall murmured.

"No," Foxtail admitted softly, pressing close against his brother's side. Their contrasting fur clashed and mingled. "What if StarClan rejects me?"

"They won't." Hailfall didn't say anymore—he knew he didn't have to.

The brothers met Stormfur and Littlecloud at the gathering place.

"You may not speak once you pass behind the water," Hailfall explained. "And that silence must continue until you come back out. When you go in, lie beside the pool and drink from it. StarClan will bring you sleep."

When both warriors had nodded, Hailfall led the way into the cavern. As they entered, the moonlight shone through and set everything glittering. Foxtail's eyes were as dark as ever as he lay at the water's edge, his fur bleach white by the shining water. Hailfall lay beside him, their pelts just brushing as Foxtail lapped at the water and was pulled quickly into his dream.

Receive every life knowing that I'm beside you, Foxtail. Whether you are a fearsome hunter or a light of guidance, you will never be alone.