Alternate Ending: Where Starclan rejects the leaders

I decided to go ahead and write out one of the alternate endings that I said I might write long ago. This can be read after Firestar tells Sandstorm and before anything from Vision of Shadows happens.

It's basically a Neutral Ending to a Bad Ending.

Review?

"We're sorry."

The words played on repeat through Firestar's head, and he couldn't do anything but stare ahead blankly. The other leaders were in the same state of shock, not believing what they just heard. For that moment, he didn't think he trusted his ears. Maybe he heard wrong?

But no, here they were once again called to Starclan's territory. It was a long awaited meeting, one where the clan leaders would finally hear Starclan's verdict on their mercat problem. His biggest hope that whatever supporters they had in Starclan had fought for them and managed to convince everyone to let them into Starclan. Maybe tell them that they had a way to remove their tails- which would have been a hard blow since they learned to like being mercats- but at least they wouldn't be shunned and he could go back to normalcy.

Instead, his worst fears came to be. They weren't going to Starclan when they died. As if waiting for the chance, the voice suddenly boomed inside his head and he flinched from its intensity. The other leaders did the same, though the Starclan cats mistook it as the leaders finally processing what was said.

Bluestar looked apologetic as she stood in front of them. He couldn't help but think about how fake it looked. Did she really fight for him- fight for all of them? Or did she secretly hate him too?

"Where- where will we go when we die?" Blackstar choked out.

Bluestar gave a defeated sigh. "That has also been discussed. Starclan has decided that you all don't deserve to be sent to the Dark Forest. You will most likely be cast out into the Inbetween, or some kind of Limbo. The higher echelons of Starclan will not say and if they have, they have not disclosed it to any of us."

Onestar gave a bitter laugh. "So what? Too good for the Dark Forest, but not good enough for Starclan? Even after everything we've done for our clans?"

"We truly are sorry for this. You've all done so well leading the clans, and we hope that you will continue to do so, even if the situation isn't exactly...favorable." Bluestar sounded like she was having trouble trying to come up with the words to convince them to stay.

"You want us to stay and lead the clans, even though there is no reward for doing so? What, is our reward the continued happiness of the clans? That's reward enough?" Mistystar dryly voiced her thoughts. Firestar couldn't blame her for thinking like that. He loved Thunderclan, and their happiness was his happiness, but what was the point in continuing to lead if they couldn't go to Starclan and watch the fruits of their efforts?

Even worse, his clanmates would go to Starclan eventually and question why their former leader wasn't there. His daughters, his grandkits, his friends, all wondering why he wasn't there with them.

He gave a quick glance to the others, silently communicating with them. They needed to talk about where they would go from here.

The Starclan cats gave one last apology, before the starry land disappeared from their sight forever.

.

.

.

.

.

.

He had gotten up mechanically that morning, eyes blank. He carried on with the day like he would any other. But he couldn't deny that he was broken. Utterly broken and the broken pieces had been smashed into tinier pieces. He hid his weakness from the clan, as usual. He hid everything from Brambleclaw and Sandstorm, who gave him the most concerned looks they had ever given him.

He assured the two that everything was alright. It wasn't.

He felt light-headed as he swam to the bottom of the lake that night, meeting up with the other leaders. The water was trying to comfort him, in its own strange way, but it wasn't working. It was like all the happiness had been systematically sucked out of him over the past few moons.

They all laid there in the sand, looking lost. No one felt like speaking up. "Now what do we do?" Blackstar muttered.

Onestar lashed his tail. "Let's just go. It's not like Starclan has any power over us anymore. We can live out our lives in the ocean. They clearly think we belong there." The other three looked at him, acceptance in their eyes. They knew, if it had come to Starclan rejecting them, that this was their best option. If they stayed, they would be miserable. Death wouldn't do them any favors- they would just be taken away from all their clanmates anyway.

But that didn't mean Firestar liked it. Doing this meant leaving without saying goodbye to the clans. There was also another issue...

'Take them,' the voice suddenly said.

"I...may have told Brambleclaw and Sandstorm that this was a possible path we would take. They said if...this...came to pass, then they wanted me to take them with us." The other leaders gave contemplating frowns.

"You know if they leave with us, we would have to live by the shore. They're not mercats like us Firestar, and the Breath of the Ocean only lasts so long," Mistystar meowed, a serious look in her eyes. It wouldn't be total freedom; he would still be bound by the land in a way.

He gave a shaky smile. "No, only I would have to live by the shore. You three can go ahead and truly be free." They gave him startled looks. "I'd do anything to stay with them," he gave a hoarse whisper.

They were silent for a few heartbeats, before Onestar's expression hardened. "No, we're staying together. The ocean is a big place you know and I..." he took a deep breath, bubbles escaping his mouth, "...I'd rather not be by myself in such a big place."

"We leave tomorrow then," Blackstar said with finality. There was nothing else to be said.

Firestar swam up to the surface, looking for a place to dry off without anyone noticing. Instead he noticed Sandstorm and Brambleclaw waiting for him by the shoreline. He silently swam up to them, dragging his tail away from the water and began to dry it off.

"Firestar, are you okay? You've been totally distant today," Brambleclaw asked, worried for his leader.

He gave a shaky sigh. Time to tell them. "Starclan has made their decision known," he stated. The two cats ears flipped down, understanding what he meant.

"They- they wouldn't dare!" Brambleclaw meowed in alarm. Firestar only looked down, not meeting their eyes. Sandstorm started giving him licks, tears running down her eyes, and Brambleclaw eventually joined in,trying to not look angry. "What are you going to do now?" she asked.

"We're leaving," he said bluntly. "If you still want... you can join us. I'll try to stick close to the shore to be with you both, I swear!" His voice took on a pleading tone, scared that the two would change their minds and stay with the clan. It was an undeniable fact that he needed them at this point, their love and understanding the only things keeping him from completely shattering.

"Do you even have to ask?" Sandstorm rubbed her cheek against his. He gave a shaky purr when Brambleclaw gave him a determined nod. "It's not like I have anyone else in the clan," he murmured. They gave him questioningly looks, and he flushed. "Look, I can't bring myself to trust Squirrelflight anymore. The kits I thought were mine are always awkward around me and I... don't really have any friends. You're all I have," Brambleclaw muttered in a low tone.

Firestar gave him an understanding nod and gave him a lick between the ears. "We leave tomorrow night," he said sadly.

.

.

.

.

.

.

He didn't like the fact that he left Thunderclan without a leader and deputy. He hoped they would do fine and figure things out for themselves. If not, then hopefully Starclan would get off their tails and at least send a sign. They owed Thunderclan that much.

Leaving still hurt though. He had been struggling not to breakdown in front of everyone the day he left. There was no going back now- they would all know what he was and know that he, Sandstorm, and Brambleclaw left willingly; they were all going to hate him now.

The four former leaders wanted to reach the ocean as fast as possible, as the full moon was approaching and would shine down on them in only a few days. Luckily, it was like they instinctively knew which way to go, the ocean calling them to its depths.

The journey made Firestar realize how easy and convenient the humans have it. By car, it would have taken a few hours at most. For them, a few days.

They finally reached the sun-drown-place, the four of them overlooking the ocean and sunset with a glazed look. Brambleclaw and Sandstorm gave them all nudges and they all snapped out of their reverence.

The sand was warm under his paws. They gasped in surprise when the cool ocean water rose up to meet them halfway through their trek through the sand. The tide wasn't supposed to shift so rapidly, and certainly not this far upland. The moon hadn't even risen yet.

He felt his hind legs and tail meld together to form his tail, and he stood up on his front paws, wondering what was going on. The water coiled around his tail and paws, and it felt like the ocean was giving him a welcoming embrace.

Welcome back home, my protectors.

The leaders shared confused looks, wondering who the voice was. Was the ocean itself talking to them? Sandstorm and Brambleclaw gave jolts at the voice suddenly reverberating through their heads.

Firestar felt a familiar sensation, the same one he had when Mako called for them. He frowned, "Are you... Mako?"

I am indeed. I'm glad you've all come to your senses. You belong here, within the ocean, not amongst the denizens of the land who would so callously throw you away. They don't appreciate how special you've become.

Mako spoke its praises of the four, and they couldn't help but soak up its words. This being thought they were special and wanted. It made them feel warm inside.

I have a gift for you, my children.

Brambleclaw and Sandstorm watched as the four writhed in pleasure, more fins starting to protrude from their tails and more scales making their way up their faces. They shifted from one paw to the other, wanting to rush up to Firestar to make sure he was okay, but knew that the spirit of Mako wouldn't be happy with the intrusion. They felt completely left out and were worried that Mako was taking him away from them.

Come home my children. It's time you took your place as my protectors of the ocean. Be happy and free.

Blackstar, Mistystar, and Onestar nodded happily, letting the water guide them home. Firestar almost let himself be pulled in as well, and then he remembered the two cats standing behind him, the ones who stood by him and supported his strange new form.

He stopped himself from darting forward like the others. Instead he turned around and pulled himself over to Sandstorm and Brambleclaw, looking conflicted. "I'm not leaving you both," he whispered. They gave him loving nuzzles. "Go. It's okay-we want you to finally be happy and this is it," Brambleclaw gave a sad mew.

His tail twitched and he stood with them stubbornly. If he dove into the ocean now, he wouldn't want to come back. He would be swimming all over the world, and he didn't want Sandstorm and Brambleclaw to wait for him to return every... it could very well be moons before he returned. The full moon was rising and it was making his head hazy.

"Please... I don't want to leave them," he whispered to no one.

Do you wish for them to be by your side, my child?

"Yes." He could feel tears run down his face as his body shook, his body wanting to jump in with the others and his heart and mind wanting to stay with his family.

Be still my child. There is no need to cry. There will not be any separation tonight.

Brambleclaw and Sandstorm gave confused glances at each other, wondering what Mako meant. The moon shown even brighter, and the water around them started bubbling gently, water particles starting to rise into the air. Firestar gave a delighted gasp, knowing what was about to happen.

I give you a gift. If these two cats wish to join as protectors, then they shall have it.

Firestar's tail twitched excitedly as he watched Sandstorm's and Brambleclaw's hind legs meld together to form their own tails. They gave confused meows at the feeling of their legs being bound together, before looking behind them and letting out surprised gasps at seeing their new appendages. The ocean water rose up slightly to roll over their new tails, and the two new mercats gave pleasured gasps as the feeling of saltwater hitting their tails sent a pleasant feeling into their heads that spread throughout their bodies.

Firestar himself gave a pleased hiss- the lake had been nice, but it had nothing on the ocean.

"Thank you," he whispered to Mako. The water wrapped around him tighter, as if saying you're welcome. This being actually cared. It had already done more for him than Starclan ever had.

He gave the two nuzzles and gestured for them to follow him into their new home. They eagerly let the water guide them and they jumped into the water, the other three mercats waiting for them.

Firestar let the full moon engulf his mind and ease his worries away. He had his two precious treasures with him now. Everything would be fine.

All the clans noticed eventually. They panicked as usual. What else to do when your leader disappears a second time? As for Mako, it expended all its energy bringing itself to Firestar and co. as well as turning Brambo and Sandy into mercats themselves. The Moonpool won't be active again for a few moons.

Are they also immortal here? Maybe...maybe not... who knows?

Tell me how I did.