The final stretch here~

Here's the epilogue!

It was kind of rushed, but w/e.

Enjoy!

-Essence


Epilogue- It's Coming

The chilling wind swept through the snow-laden RainPack camp. It was a bitingly cold winter for the wolves, but their coats grew heavy with the season, enabling them to tough it out like true pack wolves.

A wolf padded through the camp's clearing, his thick brown coat flecked white with snow. His muzzle was low to the ground, sniffing for the prey that was sure to be buried underneath the snow. Another smaller wolf padded up to him, her black coat contrasting against the whiteness of the snow.

"We should have moved the prey into one of the dens," the brown wolf growled, using one of his big paws to scratch the powdery surface of the snow.

The black she-wolf nodded. "Now it's buried underneath the snow. If you want, Buckstar, I could get some wolves and we could hunt-"

"No, Hollythorn. It is too early for a hunt. If there were any prey, they would be sleeping until the sun has fully risen. Is the dawn patrol still out?" the Alpha wolf asked her.

Hollythorn nodded, her green eyes blinking tiredly. "Canyonheart, Eaglefeather, Redpaw and Stormpaw are in it. I'm sure they'll be back soon."

Buckstar blinked at the mention of RainPack's new Beta. At first, he was not sure if it was a good idea, but for some reason he knew the dark brown he-wolf would replace Larksong fitfully.

With a pang of sadness, he saw the former Beta face in his black daughter's face. They both had the same broad muzzle and curious eyes.

Buckstar gave Hollythorn an affectionate lick. "Thanks, Hollythorn. You were the best apprentice I could have ever asked for and I'm sure your father is proud of you."

Hollythorn flattened her ears, embarrassed. She then hurried towards the Pack Den, where Buckstar could hear the rustling of awakening wolves.

The Alpha then padded towards the Nursery, where he could hear the faint whining of pups. He then spotted the gray coat of Fernleaf as she slipped out of the den. The Healer's ears flicked forward when she spotted the Alpha.

"Buckstar," she greeted, bowing her head low. "Silentheart's pups just opened their eyes. I was just checking them to see if they were alright."

Buckstar smiled as she padded past him to her den behind the frozen waterfall. The camp seemed eerily silent without its constant crashing sound filling the air. The Alpha pushed his massive shoulders through the protective lichen and stepped his head into the Nursery.

Two little pups immediately began to swerve around his paws playfully. He chuckled as a golden she-wolf padded up to them and started to shoo them away with her paw.

"It's okay, Silentheart," Buckstar reassured her. "They are enjoying their newfound sight."

The golden she-wolf looked up to meet his strong hunter green gaze, her clear blue eyes full of sadness. Buckstar's heart sank to the ground for he knew Silentheart was the mate of Blackfrost, a traitor to RainPack. He ran away short after the battle with BloodPack and the Darkness.

Buckstar shuddered at the all-too-recent memory.

A gray she-wolf made her way to Buckstar's side, her black paws carefully dodging the rambunctious pups as they tumbled back and forth. She looked up at the Alpha, her yellow eyes filled with the same sadness as Silentheart's was a few moments before.

"Sparrowfeather," Buckstar murmured.

The pup-bringer bowed her head. She too lost her mate in the bloody battle. Her mate and the RainPack Beta, Larksong. Buckstar could not help but feel a stab of guilt. Unconsciously he killed him when the Darkness took over his body and he could not find a way to forgive himself for what he had done.

Buckstar then looked past Sparrowfeather's shoulder to see a huddled shape in the back of the den and his hunter green eyes narrowed with a sudden anger.

"How is she?" he asked her, his voice steely.

"She's having a bit of pains today," Sparrowfeather answered quietly. "Any day now she will have them."

Buckstar nodded. "Thank you, Sparrowfeather."

The she-wolf sighed. "It seems so different now that the pups are apprentices and…and that he's gone…" her voice lowered to a mere whisper.

Buckstar pushed his snout against her shoulder in comfort. "Shh, Sparrowfeather. He's with StarPack now and watching over us every day."

Sparrowfeather took a shaky breath and nodded. "I have to think positive…think positive…" Without another word, she left him to pad towards the back of the den.

For a few minutes, Buckstar stared at Silentheart as she nuzzled her pups and with a stab of pain he thought what his pups will be like.

They won't have a mother like Silentheart…or Sparrowfeather…he thought sadly. They have to have a monster like Dawntail. He looked again at the huddled shape at the back of the den. If only I had known she would turn out to be this way, I wouldn't have foolishly given my heart to her like I did.

He shook his head and stepped out of the Nursery, wanting to think about something other than his former mate. He shook his coat and stretched his sore muscles, feeling the snow crunch underneath his paws as he extended his limbs, shaking the stiffness out of them.

He then spotted the gleam of a pair of eyes out of the den behind the frozen waterfall. A pair of lilac-colored eyes.

He smiled as he quickly bounded towards the Healer's Den, his tail wagging in the air. His worries were quickly forgotten as he entered the den.

"Buckstar!" a silver she-wolf greeted him, her face breaking into a huge grin. She was sitting on a mossy nest, her hind leg bandaged and extended. "I thought you were never going to come!"

Buckstar affectionately nuzzled her, licking her between her ears. "You know that's impossible, Lilyfrost. I love you too much."

"I love you too!" Lilyfrost giggled and licked him back.

Then they heard a clearing throat sound and a small light brown she-wolf appeared from the depths of the den.

"I will leave now before this gets any mushier," she growled, brushing past Buckstar.

"Oh, Twilightpaw!" Lilyfrost teased the Healer apprentice.

Twilightpaw quickly looked over her shoulder, her midnight blue eyes shining before leaving the den.

Lilyfrost chuckled and buried her muzzle in Buckstar's broad chest.

"How's that leg today?" Buckstar asked her, starting to give the top of her head a thorough washing.

Lilyfrost smiled, appreciating his gesture. She shifted her bandaged leg, giving a little wince. "Not much better from yesterday, but better nonetheless."

The Alpha stopped licking and looked at her. "Will you be able to walk soon?"

"Fernleaf says if I start to exercise it a bit, I might be able to before the snow melts." Lilyfrost's eyes glittered with happiness. "Isn't that great news?"

Buckstar nodded and nuzzled her. "That is wonderful news. Soon you will be able to run free again."

The silver she-wolf kneaded her paws in excitement. "I can't wait!"

Her eyes then shadowed.

Buckstar noticed her sudden change in mood and he asked, "What's wrong, Lilyfrost?"

Lilyfrost looked up at him meeting his green gaze. "What about Dawntail?"

"She will be…gone by then."

Lilyfrost blinked in surprise. "Are you going to-"

Buckstar closed his eyes, shaking his head. "I'm still not sure what to do with her. Ever since she did this to you, I wanted to kill her with my own paws."

The she-wolf's brows rose.

"But then that seemed…too cold blooded for me."

"You killed Sagetail," said Lilyfrost. "What's stopping you from-"

Buckstar shook his head. "For some reason, I think she is different. I don't know…"

Lilyfrost frowned. "You still don't have feeling for her, do you?"

Buckstar shook his head again, this time more vigorously. "Of course not!"

"Then why the hesitation?" the silver wolf asked him. "If I could stand up, she would be already dead."

"I think my pups deserve better than to grow up without a mother."

Lilyfrost stared at him, her tail flicking back and forth.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

"You really are blind, aren't you?" Lilyfrost giggled.

Buckstar tipped his head in confusion. "I still don't understand you, Lilyfrost. What do you mean?"

Lilyfrost rolled her eyes. "I could be their surrogate mother, Buckstar."

The Alpha blinked in surprise. "Lilyfrost, I couldn't do that to you."

"Oh, c'mon. I want to." Lilyfrost licked his muzzle.

Buckstar closed his eyes. "But they're not yours…"

Lilyfrost shook her head. "It doesn't matter. All I care about is that they are yours. That's what counts."

The brown he-wolf gave her a small smile. "I suppose you're right."

Lilyfrost gave him a grin. "This is great! I can't wait until they are bo-"

Suddenly a howl erupted from inside the Nursery. Buckstar's ears flicked forward, already exactly who it was.

"Dawntail!" he growled, getting up on his four paws.

"Is it her time already?" Lilyfrost asked, panic in her voice.

"Sparrowfeather told me she was having pains, but she still needed a few more days-" Buckstar hurriedly explained. He did not give Lilyfrost a chance to reply before dashing out of the den.

He ran towards the Nursery, where he could hear Dawntail's panting. Silentheart was ushering her pups outside into the snow, their little eyes squinting from the harsh white snow.

"Slowly push now," he heard Fernleaf's voice from inside the den. "Push, Dawntail,"

"I can't!" came her pained response.

Buckstar could not stand to wait outside and he poked his head through the lichen. Fernleaf was covering his view of Dawntail. All he could see was her russet red tail lashing back and forth. Sparrowfeather was sitting by them, her yellow eyes indifferent to the ordeal.

"What's happening?" Buckstar dared to ask the she-wolf.

"Dawntail's giving birth a bit earlier than expected," Sparrowfeather growled.

"Are the pups going to be okay?" he asked her worriedly.

Sparrowfeather did not look too sure. "It…depends."

Buckstar was crazed by her vague answer. "I have to go see them-"

Sparrowfeather shook her head. "No, you have to stay here."

Dawntail's howl drowned out Buckstar's next words. She sounded like she was in pure agony. Twilightpaw's head emerged from the lichen. Buckstar barely noticed she was beside him.

"Cobwebs, Fernleaf?" the apprentice asked.

"Not yet," the Healer replied, not even turning to look back at Twilightpaw. "It's still dry. C'mon, Dawntail. Push!"

Buckstar kneaded his paws against the mossy ground impatiently as Twilightpaw brushed past him to sit at Fernleaf's side.

"That's it!"

Dawntail let out a moan and her tail stopped its thrashing as she pushed. Her panting was all Buckstar heard for a few heart-pounding moments.

"The first one's here! Here, Twilightpaw, lick her!"

A female! Buckstar watched as Fernleaf passed the small puppy to Twilightpaw for the apprentice to lick away the afterbirths. The pup's coat was a pure white as Twilightpaw's expert tongue washed the afterbirths away.

White? Buckstar wondered. How did she get a coat that white?

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Dawntail's sudden scream. There was another pup on the way. Buckstar could not stop himself as he padded past Sparrowfeather, despite her protests.

He looked upon the now bloody nest. Twilightpaw was still licking the puppy until she gave a harsh cry. Buckstar's heart burst with pride to see the little pink mouth open wide as the puppy cried out. Twilightpaw gently picked up the puppy and placed it at the crook of Dawntail's white belly, where she latched onto quickly for milk.

"One more, Dawntail," Fernleaf told her as Twilightpaw hurriedly left to fetch cobwebs. "You can do it."

Dawntail looked defeated, her eyes closed and tongue lolled out in exhaustion. "I…I can't…"

"You have to!" Fernleaf barked at her. "Now push!"

Buckstar was unnerved at Fernleaf's ferocity as Dawntail gave one last effort and pushed with all her might. She gave a piercing cry and went still as the puppy tumbled out from underneath her tail.

Buckstar's eyes opened in horror.

"No!"