Chapter 37:
Lakestar wrapped her tail over her paws as she sat watching her clan.
Rabbitpaw and Dawnpaw were playfighting by the fresh-kill pile while Kestreltail showed his new apprentice Blackpaw how to properly treat a sprained paw.
"Good evening Lakestar." Her deputy Stormfeather jumped up to sit beside her.
"Hello." Lakestar meowed softly. Hazelmist, Bramblewing, Jaggedclaw, and all of the other senior warriors had passed away leaving Mothwhisker and Echostorm the oldest warriors as Grayleaf and Russetfall both retired.
"I miss them too." Stormfeather said as though he had readh her thoughts.
"It isn't the same without them." Lakestar sighed Especially Darkfang
"But life goes on and the clan gets stronger." Stormfeather pointed out. "Hareflight had a healthy litter and Owlfrost will join her soon."
"Yes, I suppose." Lakestar agreed reluctantly, reminding her of her own unborn litter from all those moons ago.
"And Breezeflight and Featherbreeze made great progress." Stormfeather continued.
"Yes." Lakestar said again.
"What's wrong?" Stormfeather frowned.
"I won't be here much longer. I'm on my last life." Lakestar confided.
Stormfeather's eyes widened. "Aren't you upset?"
"Well yes, in a way." She admitted. "I don't want to leave my clan but at the same time it will be nice to be with my family again."
Stormfeather nodded slowly. "I think I understand. But I wonder what happened to Darkfang?"
Lakestar shrugged. She had never heard from the silver and black she-cat after she left nor had she dreamt about her. "I wish I knew."
Stormfeather stood up. "Poppyfeather will be waiting for me. Good night." He licked her ear and headed off.
"Good bye." Lakestar whispered, padding into her den.
~*O*~
Sugar groaned as she rolled around trying to get comfortable. "Owww." She moaned.
"Are you okay?" Tuxedo twitched nervously beside her.
"No I'm not." Sugar gasped, closing her eyes.
She had gotten sick shortly after Rain died.
"Leave me along, Tuxedo." She swatted at her son halfheartedly.
"Please!" Sugar added when Tuxedo didn't move.
"Alright fine." Tuxedo slowly inched away to where Lily was waiting.
Sugar's housefolk had moved two weeks ago and left her behind. She understood very little of what he said but it appeared that he no longer had the resources to look after her. She had been staying with Lily and Tuxedo in the barn.
"I have no idea why she's so sick." Tuxedo murmured to his mate.
Lily only shook her head in response.
~*O*~
Darkfang was panting by the time she reached the dumpster. The one where Fang had murdered their mother.
She lay down beside it and rested her head on her paws.
Of course she felt guilty about leaving the clan and not even telling anyone but how would Lakestar understand that she couldn't be deputy?
No, Darkfang was certain the clan viewed her disappearance as the worst of betrayals but she wanted to return to where she had been born to die. If that made any sense.
Even if she had left a few moons in advance, it was a few moons that she didn't need to spend dealing with the cutting remarks about her origins. No one cared where she was from here. The battle between the rogues and Windclan was long forgotten here. Nobody knew who she was.
Darkfang wondered idly if she would go to Starclan. She wasn't sure she wanted to. She wanted to be with her mother again.
~*O*~
"Is it time?" Storm asked softly.
Snowfall nodded gravely. "Yes. She is dying."
"Then let us be there to greet her." Storm stood up.
"Yes." Night agreed. "Let us be there to welcome all of them."
(Sorry if anyone's upset about them dying but this is really leading up to Dark Nights so the allegiances needed to be edited to fit with the ones in that story)