The cats on the patrols left at dawn. Some trekked through swampy marshes to get to the heart of ShadowClan, others waded through the stream for RiverClan, others padded to SkyClan's territory. They had the most work to do. There wasn't even a camp. WindClan's rebuilders wandered through heather. The final patrol had the job of dismantling Claw's area. Blazeberry decided to go on that one. It was only fair; the other leaders had to do work on camps, so she should as well!
They walked for a while until they reached Claw's camp. The stench of rotting crow-food came from within, and the silence was eerie. Blazeberry got the job of checking the dens for stragglers and clawing out anything else that was in there before they started to bury the holes. The camp was circular. Holes made the dens up and a thick bramble wall surrounded it. The dirtplace was just off it; it was nearest to the prisoners' den. Blazeberry searched each one until she found a cat inside the prisoners' den, shaking.
"P-please don't hurt me! I didn't mean to fall in your den!"
"My den? This is an abandoned camp now. Come on, we're clearing it. We won't hurt you."
"In that case, have you seen my sister? Her name was Star."
Blazeberry remembered the chaos of the battle, the same where a cat named Star had fought with her… and died.
"There was a battle. A cat called Star fought alongside me to drive out Claw's rogues."
"A grey cat? Amber eyes?"
She hadn't really noticed the details, but now she thought back on it…
"That sounded like her."
"Where is she?" The dove-grey cat looked around as if expecting her sister to jump out from behind them.
"She- she died fighting. There were a group of rogues who left, and they decided Star's home was always by the lake, so we buried her facing the lake, in a clearing. They said that was her favorite place."
"T-that sounds like Star. Where is she buried?"
"We'll finish dismantling the camp, then take you. Do you want to help us? It might take your mind off the grief a bit."
Shaking, Star's sister helped to tear down the brambles that guarded such an evil camp, eyes unfocused. With a rustle, the last section of bramble walls fell to the earth and the cats rested. Then, they searched the last of the dens, finding nothing but some old moss and prey bones. They scraped earth into each hole, after putting some of the crow-food into each, to help stop any scavengers from scenting it. The dirtplace's foul stench was masked with snow-dampened leaves and earth. The camp which had held bloodthirsty ruthlessness and fear was gone, carefully picked apart until there was nothing left but a patch of earth and leaves. Blazeberry gave a satisfied purr, sinking onto the earth. Star's sister stopped, waiting. Then Blazeberry remembered.
"Come on, we'll take you to Star's grave site."
The cats trekked to the area, where the lake peeked out between the trees. The freshly-dug mound of earth had a small bone placed on it, which had been left by the rogues to mark the space. Immediately, Star's sister sank onto the dewy grass, and with her paw revealed a tuft of Star's fur, by digging at the mound. She gave a fresh noise of grief, reburying the fur. Blazeberry knew that she wouldn't move from that spot- it was what the rogues did, picking up on the Clan customs, until the dawn. She decided to hunt for her. A scrawny squirrel was deposited by her side- it was the end of leaf-bare now, after all. Star's sister munched it despondently; despite grieving, she was still hungry and Blazeberry came up to her.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Buttercup."
"Shall we leave you, Buttercup?"
"Please do."
The patrol trekked to camp. The sun was fast sinking beneath the bare trees, and they got back just as it dipped below the horizon.
Firestar looked at them from camp. "You're back?"
"Yes. We had help from another cat."
And they launched into the tale of how they found Buttercup.
In WindClan, Yewleaf was at the Moonpool. Ravenheart had gone with him. Runningfoot, taking his duties seriously, had ordered the cats to get a good night's rest after both the journey and then rebuilding the camp. Some dens were still misshapen, but they were working on digging out those holes.
In ShadowClan, Duskheart was alone. He knew that Mousenose slept next to him, but he couldn't help thinking about what the next days would bring. What would StarClan say? Would they give him his lives? Duskheart worried himself to sleep.
In SkyClan, Robinflight was sorting out a dispute. "Don't fight, please. We are all making the best of sharing one half-finished den. You can rotate nests. For now, please get some sleep or you'll… get the worst duties!"
That soon shut the cats up. And finally, Robinflight could get some sleep in her nest.
In RiverClan, Splashfur was wet. She had fallen in the river as she had been dragging a bramble into camp. Luckily for her, she remembered how to swim, and cut through the water to deliver the bramble. A younger warrior scooped a pawful of water from the river and poured it on her. "Now you're truly Splashfur!" She had found herself mrrowing with laughter alongside the others. She had stayed to warm in the sun, but her fur was still damp. She gave it a lick to get the last of the water out, then settled down.
In ThunderClan, Blazeberry was sleeping. She was near Barkclaw, breathing peacefully as she dreamed of hunting.
By Star's grave, Buttercup sat and reminisced. As the sun came up, she thought she felt something wrap around her, before the sensation was gone.
In the warming dawn air, she whispered, "Star?"