Chapter Eleven, the fulfilling of a prophecy

Redleg came over and licked Mistpaw on the shoulder. She didn't seem to notice. Ivypaw realized that her sister liked him. A little tiny voice inside said, Is that any different from the way you feel about Dustfur? She looked instinctively at the dust colored tom behind her. Then her eyes fell to the dusty ground. Could he come back with them? She would have to go home, she couldn't stay here forever. But he would feel the same way about his time, surely? So how could they ever be happy together? His eyes searched her gaze. He knew something was wrong. She looked over to her sister and saw her looking at Redleg, obviously thinking the same thing.

"Come over here," she said, gesturing to a glade of trees away from the other cats.

"What is it?" he asked.

"When this is all over," she began painfully.

"You will have to go back." He finished for her. "I know your destiny, Ivypaw. I accept this. Your destiny is to become a great leader. You cannot be that in this time."

She wrinkled her nose. "How do you know?"

"It is inside you," Dustfur told her.

She gave him a little teary smile. Then, a voice that sounded like Leafstar's echoed in her mind. Tears are your lifeblood. Then it was gone. She realized she was still gazing into his eyes.

"Your sister needs you," he said. "She isn't as strong as you. Go now."

She looked at him one last time, then walked to Mistpaw, whose tears were dripping into a crevice in the rock.

"I-I told him we can't be happy together. I can't come to his time and he wouldn't want to come to mine. Now I don't know what to do!" Mistpaw confided in her.

Ivypaw realized that her tears were also dripping into the crevice in the rock. Then it struck her. Tears are your lifeblood. And then a line of the prophecy. The misty light's heart will be torn and the blood of ivy and mist will mingle and will herald a new power greater than even StarClan If tears were her life-blood, and Mistpaw's too... then they were mingling now. But the power greater than StarClan wasn't going to be made from the tears, it was the reason for the tears, she realized

LOVE.

They would defeat the smoke by the love that they shared. The love of friends, the love of sisters, the love of mothers, the love of fathers, the love of everything around them. There was no foe that could not defeat them!

Dawnheart looked at them, and one look into their eyes told her that the prophecy had been fulfilled, even if she didn't know how. Suddenly, Starpaw's eyes came open. She said, "You can't get rid of me that easily." She stood by them. "I guess the cobwebs worked... or StarClan needs us."

Mistpaw nodded. "StarClan does need us."

"Because today, we are going to drive back this smoke, with no cats dying in a needless battle." Ivypaw finished. The cats behind them had started to listen. They had started to come forward.

And perhaps it was just that the smoke was done there, or perhaps it was just a strong wind... but Ivypaw and Mistpaw believed that it was the power of the bond that they all shared. So it will never be known what happened, but there are no words to describe it. Ivypaw can only remember it as a vague memory. A wind whipping up around them, seeing the smoke clear from the stars and moon, and seeing the plants begin to flourish again.

"You have done well," Leafstar told all of them. "Icestar will come back to her rightful time and ThunderClan will flourish again. The prophecy has been fulfilled. Now go, and get the reward you deserve. Oh, one last thing."'

They looked at her in puzzlement. The reward they deserved? And what was the one last thing?

Hazefur walked out of the shadows. Dawnheart gasped.

"I think," Leafstar began, "that you lost something ThunderClan will need in future. I return Hazefur to you."

Dawnheart looked up at him, and smiled in true happiness. But how would ThunderClan need Hazefur? Was something else going to happen? Whatever it was, it didn't matter then.

They walked through a shiny gateway of stars - and found themselves back in ThunderClan camp, their ThunderClan camp, without smoke!

And best of all, for Mistpaw and Starpaw at least, there were two cats next to them that they hadn't realized were there.

It was Dustfur and Redleg. No words needed to be said. They had made the hardest decision of all, leaving their Clans and even their own time!

"Ivypaw! Mistpaw! Dawnheart! Snowpaw! Starpaw!" Hollyclaw gasped. Rainstar hurried over. "You're... you're here!" He said in amazement.

"We're here," Dawnheart said. "I'll tell you everything later."

"I've got some news for you too!" Rainstar said. "Sunflower is going to the elders den. I need a new deputy. But first there is something else I must do."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here underneath the highrock for a Clan meeting!" he yelled.

"Mistpaw!" Mistpaw realized what was happening and walked forward.

""I, Rainstar, Leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these four apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn.

"Mistpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Mistpaw said clearly, "I do."

"Mistpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Mistlight. StarClan honors your intelligence and patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Ivypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." There was no doubt in her mew.

"Ivypaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Ivyfrost. StarClan honors your strength and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Starpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Starpaw said with a smile of satisfaction.

"Then from this moment on you will be known as Starshadow. StarClan honors your logic and quick-thinking, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Snowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Snowpaw said in a small voice.

"Then by the power of StarClan from this moment on you will be known as Snowbird. StarClan honors your kindness and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Everyone cheered their names in a moment that was too long and too short.

"I have one other duty to perform. There are two strange warriors in our camp that Dawnheart tells me are friends. So I must welcome them into our Clan. Dustfur, Redleg, is it your wish to join ThunderClan?"

"It is," they both said.

"Then by the power of StarClan we accept you as full warriors of ThunderClan."

Then Sunflower leapt up onto the rock.

"Before I become an elder, Rainstar has asked me to perform a duty that he cannot. First, three kits must become apprentices."

Then Larchwing's and Lillypelt's kits became apprentices, Birchpaw, Nightpaw, and Lightpaw. Starshadow alone was not given an apprentice, but she hadn't minded too much. She was a warrior, and that was all that mattered. Nightpaw was given to Ivyfrost, Lightpaw was given to Snowbird, and Birchpaw was given to Mistpaw.

"Now," Sunflower said. "I must name a new deputy. The new deputy must have an apprentice, so I have given her one. The new deputy will be Ivyfrost!"

Everyone was shocked for a moment, including Ivyfrost. She had almost forgotten her ambition to become deputy! But she was only a young warrior.

"It would be an honor," she managed to say.

The four friends sat vigil together under a cold yet warm sky. It was the beginning of a new time, and they were glad. Redleg and Dustfur were sleeping in the warriors den now. ThunderClan was a changed Clan, and for the better. A potentially disastrous prophecy was averted. Dawnheart was loyal to ThunderClan. They were the heroes of the day. Everything was perfect.

It was then that a strange cat burst out of the bushes. "You will pay for this! You will all pay for what you have done!" It was a white she-cat.

"W-what?" Snowbird asked.

"You don't know it yet, but you have brought destruction upon yourselves! ThunderClan is no more than a mouse, something to be killed and devoured. ThunderClan had their chance, but they turned it away. You, however, can still save your Clan."

"How?" The new deputy inquired.

"Come with me. I will show you a sight you will not forget."

They looked at each other. They had to sit vigil.

"Not now, then. Come with me when there is no moon in the sky." Then the white she-cat was gone.

THE END

Ok! So this is my latest update. THERE WILL BE A THIRD ONE! It will be called 'Rose of Thorns'. I haven't even started so I'm not sure when it will be up but keep an eye out. And please review this story! The button is right down there...