Cheers erupted everywhere, and I saw Ripplepaw jumping up and down, telling Lilypaw, who was awake, everything that had happened. Silverrose and Fogstar were sitting together, looking extremely battle-worn but happy. Tawnydapple, Arrowhead, Kestrelpaw, Leafsong, and just about everyone else was cheering as loud as they could.

But I had eyes for only one cat… my son. As if in a trance, I walked over to him, and he clambered down from the tree he had been holding on to, Echopaw at his side.

"Well," I said, not quite knowing what to say.

"Well," he agreed, and I licked him on top of the head.

"Heartscorn!" Lilypaw came running up to her brother. She was almost as big as him now. Hesitantly, she touched her tail to his shoulder, and Heartscorn smiled at her.

"Lilypaw! I'm back!" he cried, putting his own tail around Echopaw's shoulders. She was smiling hugely.

"So… you two are…" I said, glancing back and forth between Echopaw and Heartscorn uncertainly, and Heartscorn nodded proudly.

"I love her," he said simply. "She helped me fight my dark side." Ripplepaw then came bounding over, and there was yet another heartwarming reunion.

"Heartscorn?" Fogstar asked, coming over to us. He looked uncertain, and his tone was cold.

"What are you doing here? Why haven't you followed your clan to wherever they went off to?" He demanded. I winced, but Heartscorn didn't flinch at all.

"I am no longer a Darkclan cat," he insisted. I knew that that wasn't entirely true, that he would still have the Darkclan part of him within him always, but at least he had fought it back for the time being.

"Really?" Fogstar was in shock. The rest of the clan seemed to be listening by now.

"Truly," He replied solemnly.

"Well, then, Heartscorn doesn't fit you very well anymore, does it?" Fogstar mused. "You need a new name. Something bold…"

Pause. Now, remember when my kits were playing at Mountainclan, and I told you it was a prophetic game in some ways? Well, here we go:

"Heartscorn, from here on forth you shall be called Heartblaze. Use this name well, and fight for Leafclan now!" There was much celebration, and Heartblaze- the name suited him much better- went over to sit next to Echopaw. The two looked about to leave, when Fogstar called for silence.

"And Echopaw! Come forth, please." She stepped forward nervously, and Fogstar smiled warmly down at her. "You have proved yourself many times to Leafclan, and now we see that your heart has saved one of our number from a fate with Darkclan. You have earned your warrior name. Echopaw, from this day forth, you shall be known as Echofall." His eyes sparkled and he glanced at Heartblaze before continuing.

"Starclan honors you for your loyalty and passion." He smiled down at her, touching his nose to her head, and she licked his shoulder, completing a ceremony as old as time. Even it could not be disrupted by the arrival and departure of Darkclan.

"Darkclan is gone!" Fogstar cried, and everyone cheered wildly. Echofall and Heartblaze were off somewhere, talking quietly and smiling.

But there was one off note… Gingerspice and that other cat. They were standing on the edge of the trees, looking uncertain, and I padded over to them.

"So what happened back there?" I asked her, and she took a deep breath.

"Shiningmoon, you're not going to like this, but promise me you'll still be my friend." I promised her, confused, and then she told me everything.

"Lilacmist, here, and I, are the reincarnated daughters of Darkstar," she said, getting straight to the point. "We were destined to bring her down. But prophecies can lie… because that portal wasn't our doing. Anyway, she brought us to her during the battle. She expected us to join her, because we were her daughters. But don't you see, Shiningmoon? That's why they found me in a tree, alone, and that's why I don't remember my parents. I wonder if my father is Deadheart…"

I was speechless.

"What? You're… you're the daughter of Darkclan?" She nodded anxiously, as if she thought I would hate her just for who her parents were. I, of all people, understood that sort of thing, when it came to my kits.

"Gingerspice, I'm shocked, but you're still my best friend," I assured her, and she smiled.

"I should be getting back to Waterclan now," Lilacmist said, shifting uncomfortably. I nodded, startled. I had almost forgotten about her. She lifted her tail in farewell, and bounded out of the woods and out of sight. I smiled at Gingerspice, absolutely overwhelmed with everything, and we padded back into camp together.

For once, we could relax.