Hey, all. THE EPILOGUE IS HERE! Believe it or not, I'm still trying to think of a title for the next book. I guess I should've started planning that sooner…

Gingerkit: Thank you! c:

I'm so excited to write this epilogue. It has nothing to do with the Clans, so it's kind of nice to have a change. Hope you enjoy!

xxx

EPILOGUE

A tiny brown field mouse skittered past him. Reaching out with a powerful paw, Claw killed it and held it up, dangling it in front of his face. "Now, how did you get down here, you puny thing?" He devoured it in one bite, tossing the bones into the large pile that nearly reached the ceiling.

"Claw?" came a voice outside the lichen-covered entrance.

Claw rose to his paws, tasting the air and identifying who it was. There were two cats, one with an unfamiliar scent. And also, the smell of kits? "Come in, Talon."

A large black-and-white tom stepped into the hollow cave. "I found a queen at Station 6. She has two young kits, and appears to be pretty feisty." He grinned.

Claw nodded, pleased to have company. "All right, bring them in."

"Dawn!" Talon called. A slender tortoiseshell she-cat and two kits slipped into the hollow, gazing around in awe. "This place is amazing. You created all this?"

"Our ancestors did," Claw responded. "My name is Claw. It's nice to meet you, Dawn." He crouched down to her kits' level. "Hello, there."

"Back off!" the little black tom hissed, stepping in front of his sister.

"Crow, that's no way to treat a stranger," Dawn scolded.

Time for the test, Claw thought, grinning. He hissed at the two kits, baring his teeth and bristling. The little tortoiseshell she-cat squealed and darted behind her mother, while the Crow stood firmly. Dawn leapt in front of her son, growling, and swiped at Claw's face. He dodged her blow easily.

Claw laughed and glanced at Talon. "She is a feisty one, isn't she? Willing to protect her kits at any cost. How nice." He sat back on his haunches and glanced back at Dawn, who had ushered her kits towards the wall. "Don't worry, sweets, I was only testing you. We don't let just any cat join the Hidden Claws, and you seem like a good candidate. Now let me ask you…are you willing to fight?"

"What will happen to my kits?" Dawn asked, bristling.

Claw shrugged. "Depends. How old are they?"

"Three moons."

"Ahh, the perfect age to begin training."

"Training?" Dawn pricked her ears. "Why, they're far too young to learn how to fight!"

Talon stepped in. "Our ancestors have developed a training program suitable for kits. At three moons, the training is more mental rather than physical. They'll learn a couple of basic battle techniques and a little bit of hunting, but the real fighting comes around four moons."

"That's right." Claw nodded.

Dawn still looked a bit wary. "What will happen to me?"

"Well, we would have to fully assess you," he explained. "If you pass, you'll move onto the intensive training level, where grown cats learn to fight. Of course, it's much more ideal to start as a kit and move upwards, but since you weren't given that option…the intensive training level will have to do."

"And all this learning how to fight…in exchange for what?"

"A constant supply of fresh-kill, water, shelter, and protection." Claw grinned. "Being part of a large group such as the Hidden Claws is the best way to go in terms of safety. It's sort of like a little…clan, if you will. We all work toward the general well-being of the group."

Dawn looked deep in thought. "That does sound nice…all right. I think I'll try it out."

"Oh, there are no trial runs," Claw chuckled. "Either you're in it wholeheartedly, or you're not. There's no going back, so if this isn't the sort of lifestyle for you and your kits, you'd best make your way to the exit."

Dawn widened her eyes and nodded. "I think I would like to be a member."

"Perfect." Claw smiled. "Now, if you'd head right through this entryway, someone in the clearing will be able to help you. Thank you."

Talon ushered Dawn and her two kits out of the hollow and turned to Claw. "Well! I'd say we did an excellent job this time, what do you think?"

Claw didn't respond; he sighed and sat down in his nest, deep in thought.

Talon knew what was on his leader's mind. "Claw, you can't continue to beat yourself up for what happened at the island. We did extremely well, actually."

"I didn't find any of them," Claw muttered, shaking his head. "I know they were there, Talon. Target Three told me that he, along with his sisters, would be attending. But I couldn't find any of them. I searched all over the island!"

Talon frowned and sat down, curling his tail over his massive paws. "I hate to say this, but…I think you're going to have to decide what your top priority is: getting rid of the Clans, or getting rid of these three cats."

Claw snarled at his second-in-command, thrusting his muzzle in front of his. "How dare you speak to me in such a manor?"

Talon didn't flinch, clearly used to his outbursts. "If we get rid of the Clans, it's going to be much easier to get rid of the Targets. The Clans are a strong force. We suffered quite a few injuries from the invasion, and that wasn't even the whole of each Clan! If we destroy the Clans first, getting to the Targets will be so much easier."

"But…" Claw backed up, thinking. "I think you're right, Talon. I think I need to get my priorities straight and figure out which route I'm going to take first. Clearly, there's no killing two birds with one stone in this situation. I've got to bring them down one by one, starting with those who completely destroyed our lives in the very beginning of it all—the Clans."

xxx

That was so much fun to write! I know it was short, but I couldn't make it too long because it's kind of equivalent of the prologue. :D Okay guys, that wraps up Book One: Ignorance is Bliss! It's a little sad, but I'm super excited for the next book. That's where things really start to get interesting. Do you guys understand the title, by the way? 'Ignorance is bliss' is kind of a well-known saying, and I liked it because Nightpaw and Streampaw are blissfully unaware of who they are and where they come from. I hope you guys understood it. And the 'living a lie' part is pretty obvious as well.

Thank you to all my kind, amazing reviewers, followers, and favorite-ers! I wouldn't have been able to complete this book without you. I hope I made it interesting and I constantly had you guys in mind, wondering what would my readers like to see? I hope you enjoyed, and have an awesome day. See you in Living a Lie Book Two: A Quest for Answers! c:

-The Unheard Song