a/n - For those of you wondering why I don't respond to reviews, it's because I don't really see the need to. It's fun seeing the response to events unfold and the various guesses you come up with. It means a lot to me, so thanks.
Also if FFN goes belly-up or freaks out again, my stories are on AO3 as well.
Mudfur opened his eyes to see the starry hunting grounds of his ancestors stretch out before him and he let out a soft purring sigh.
"Good to know you're still here," he murmured warmly, flexing his paws against the soft grass and dirt. "Even if you're not telling us vague prophecies and weird signs."
"Oh come now, you and I both know there's so much more to StarClan than that."
A delicate tortoiseshell molly with golden eyes padded into view, tail curled over her back. She tilted her head and let out a soft sneeze of amusement. "It's good to see you again."
Mudfur dipped his head politely. "I was expecting Brambleberry, to be honest."
The tortoiseshell rolled her eyes. "Oh of course you were. No one's ever happy to see Dappled Pelt, nooo."
"Can't imagine why," Mudfur mewed, ears flattening. Dappled Pelt scowled at him, before shaking her head with a smile.
"The clans are worried by the lack of your involvement lately," Mudfur meowed, sitting down. He curled his tail over his paws and Dappled Pelt shrugged.
"You don't always need us telling you what to do." Her eyes glowed warmly. "The clans need to learn that they're capable of so much more on their own – without having StarClan telling them what to do. Make your own judgement calls, make friends with those outside of your borders instead of always fighting anyone who comes near them." Dappled Pelt tilted her head. "Four clans united are stronger than four clans divided, after all."
"Something tells me those bonds are going to be sorely tested in the coming moons. Leaf-bare always puts everyone on edge once the prey stops running," Mudfur mewed grimly.
"And what do you plan to do about it?"
Mudfur blinked. "Tell my clanmates not to eat so much and only catch what is necessary."
Dappled Pelt's tail twitched. "And after that runs its course?"
"Ask the other clans for help if we need it and advise my clanmates to do the same?"
"If that's what works," Dappled Pelt mewed, fur rippling.
Mudfur scowled. "And there's the vagueness again. Surely you have something useful for me?"
Dappled Pelt gazed at him. "As trite as it sounds, you already have everything you need. I don't need to tell you anything more about what you need to do." She got to her paws and stretched. "Give my regards to Crookedstar."
Littlecloud and Pebble Heart gazed out over StarClan's hunting grounds, fur rippling in the breeze.
"It's good to see my clan flourishing again after all the trials it has gone through these past moons," Pebble Heart mewed. He glanced at Littlecloud. "You know it's not our fault any that happened to you, right?"
"I wish I could believe that, but it's really hard to," Littlecloud mewed bitterly. "A lot of good cats died and that's not an easy burden to bear."
"What, you think you could've saved them?"
Littlecloud glared at the dark grey tabby, then looked away with a growl. "Maybe," he mewed, dropping his head. "Anything could've happened." He shook his pelt and gave his chest fur a few licks. "But that's in the past, and I'm more interested in the future." He gazed up at the sky thoughtfully for a moment before looking at Pebble Heart. "I don't suppose StarClan has seen anything?"
"No, we haven't," Pebble Heart meowed. "Everything's fine, and I'm well aware that scares some cats."
"Were any of Brokenstar's allies still around, I'd imagine they'd be itching for a conflict of some kind."
Pebble Heart's whiskers twitched. "You and your clanmates were quite thorough in your routing of them. Those that weren't killed have fled far beyond the territories and our view."
"So they could come back if they found allies."
"Would you? After being trounced twice?"
"Depends on if their pride and nerve survived," Littlecloud murmured.
"Always the pessimist," Pebble Heart mewed, shaking his head. "Learn to live in the here and now like you say you do. What's done is done and what's to come will be whatever when it arrives. Until then, it's not your problem, and as such, not worth a first or second thought." He nudged the small tom. "Your mentor wouldn't want to see you like this."
"Where is he? I can't imagine there's much need for a medicine cat's skills in Starclan."
Pebble Heart chuckled. "You're right. He's busy soaking up all the stories and knowledge he can, from whomever he can corner and badger into telling him things."
"I imagine he's relieved to no longer have to worry about his nose," Littlecloud mewed in amusement.
"Yes, much to StarClan's chagrin," Pebble Heart mewed cheerfully. "We're considering having cats keep whatever debilitating infirmities they had in life, if only so they don't bother the rest of us." He saw Littlecloud's aghast expression and bopped him on the head. "I am of course kidding. We're dead, not evil."
Littlecloud rubbed his head ruefully. "Even now, there's gossip among the queens that evil cats' spirits still haunt StarClan."
"We destroy any that don't fade by themselves," Pebble Heart mewed coldly. "We learned our lesson the first time."
"First time?" Littlecloud mewed slowly, blinking in surprise.
"Ah, of course you wouldn't know," Pebble Heart mewed, blinking at him. "Long, long, long ago, so many moons that it's been lost to time, there lived groups of cats at some lake territories. And then there was a great battle where spirits of evil dead cats took over the bodies of the living and turned the clans against one another. The living cats survived, but at great cost. Many spirits were destroyed and lost forever, and what remained wasn't enough or worth it to stay there, so they left, eventually meeting up with tribe cats from the mountains and forming the clans we have now." He shrugged. "Or that's what's been passed down through the ages. Nobody's really sure what happened, because it sounds all rather fantastical."
"I mean, couldn't you see what happens if you possess the body of a living cat to see if it's true?" Littlecloud asked. He then grimaced. "Although it really doesn't sound…right, does it?"
"No, it doesn't, and imagine if some random kit walked up to you and said "Littlecloud, it's me, your father, who died. I love you."
Littlecloud stared at Pebble Heart, who raised a brow.
"Please don't ever say that arrangement of words again," Littlecloud mewed. I'll stick with the living, thanks."
"Spoilsport," Pebble Heart mewed, sticking out his tongue.
