El Bonus Chapter! :3

Silverstar's POV

As the StarClan cats returned to their eternal hunting ground, Silverstar halted at the end of the line, a sudden shiver running up his spine. Checking to make sure there were no unwanted observers, he turned, looking over his shoulder one last time before stalking along the edge of the Moonpool. He watched as Birchtail slowly came to his senses, and saw Sightstar only a few tail-lengths away.

He settled on top of a smooth stone bordering the pool, invisible to the living cats as he watched the exchange emotionlessly.

"You're really here." Birchtail stammered. "Invis- I mean, Sightstar, right? Cause you're not…"

"Not invisible anymore." Sightstar agreed with a smile. He slowly got to his paws, probably so he wouldn't spook Birchtail. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it.

"No idea what to say?" Birchtail guessed.

Sightstar nodded. "I'm not used to anyone being able to listen before. Even when Hawkscream was alive, it wasn't truly listening. She more or less guessed. Same as Hailwhisker."

"Great StarClan!" Birchtail exclaimed, making Sightstar jump. The young medicine cat suddenly looked like he had the energy of a thousand warriors. "That's right! You're real! The clan needs to know! StarClan almighty!"

"That would be wise." Sightstar agreed. "We didn't really leave them at the best…"

The two brothers made their way out of the stone clearing, the Moonpool glimmering behind them. Unbeknownst to them, Silverstar followed closely behind.

Birchtail turned to look at Sightstar. Silverstar guessed it was probably just to make sure he was still there. Sightstar smiled at him, and Birchtail grinned back. He gave a little leap of joy, then stumbled to halt, the fur along his spine rising.

Sightstar looked over at Birchtail and skidded to a halt. "What is it?"

"I don't know." Birchtail meowed, looking around. "Just this feeling-" His words died on his lips when he saw a silhouette in the darkness. The ghostly figure padded forward, prompting a gasp from Sightstar.

"It's you!" Sightstar exclaimed.

It appeared to be a gray and black she-cat, with a crescent-shaped scar on her cheek. She tilted her head to the side inquiringly. "I missed it, didn't it?" She meowed, a hollow sound to her voice. It sounded like she was speaking from far away. "The ceremony?"

"I'm sorry, Shrewstar." Sightstar replied sadly. Birchtail remained frozen in fear.

"It… it's Shrewbite. Not Shrewstar anymore." The she-cat sighed, her voice like the groaning of the wind in the trees. "I don't know what I expected. I'm happy for you. Maybe next time…" She trailed off, staring at something, or maybe it was nothing. "You're lucky to have a brother like him."

Sightstar smiled at that. "Yeah. I am." He leaned forward, maybe to touch noses with the ghostly she-cat, but then she was gone. As if she'd never been there in the first place.

Sightstar stood stock still, staring at the place where Shrewbite had been. Then, he turned back to Birchtail with a tired smile.

"Let's get back home."

Birchtail nodded gratefully, and began to walk side by side with Sightstar once more.

Silverstar let the two brothers disappear into the forest, starry paws frozen in the snow.

"Shrewstar" was what Sightstar had called her. He knew that name.

Before Nightstar, she had been WindClan's leader, sly and ruthless. It was why so many WindClan warriors remained hostile, and attacked Lilystorm that day she'd gone searching for him. What could she want with Sightstar and Birchtail?

Suddenly, Silverstar's mind was seized with vision. He crouched on the ground, groaning in agony. He was in StarClan now. How could this be happening now? Why-

Darkness.

Loneliness.

Hollow.

Forever lost, wandering the endless void with no destination, no place to call home…

Silverstar's eyes regained their focus, and he looked up with a start. The vision. The very same… the very same vision he'd received on the eve of his final life. His chest tightened with fear. Shrewstar- or Shrewbite, whatever she went by now- posed a danger to the clans. And that vision- Silverstar knew without a doubt that he had to stop her.

Silverstar knew immediately where he'd find her. Ironically, just like Glorymask and himself, Shrewstar had met her doom in the tunnels. But while Silverstar and Glorymask had escaped with their lives (however briefly), Shrewstar had not. Her damned was probably bound to the place, cursed to forever walk in stifling darkness for all eternity.

Until now.

With grim resolve, Silverstar leapt across the snow, lighter than a feather. The stars in his silver pelt caught the moonlight, flashing in his peripheral vision like fireflies during greenleaf.

Then before he knew it, he was at the entrance of the tunnels, staring into the deep catacombs where no cat in their right mind would enter. Yet he and Glorymask had foolishly done so, deluding themselves that not even leaders and deputies were invulnerable to the cruel claws of fate.

Silverstar took a deep breath. He didn't look forward to revisiting the day when everything went wrong. When his mind took a turn for the worse. Where he lost his long time deputy and friend. He reassured himself that Glorymask was safe in StarClan, while he was on this mousebrained errand. He'd be the one to suffer the consequences if something went wrong. If his soul ended up stuck here too. But it had to be done.

I will keep my clan safe.

"Shrewstar!" Silverstar yowled, gazing around a small cavern with a fierce gleam in his lumescent green eyes. His starry glow lit up the entire place, casting eerie silver shadows on the walls. The contrast with his light and the tunnels' gloom made Silverstar's tail twitch nervously. Taking a few more tentative steps forward, Silverstar was surprised to hear the sound of gently flowing water.

Could it be-

Yes! That was right. He and Glorymask had been trying to find this place. There were stories about an underground river that led straight into the lake, tucked away in the tunnels. A few more steps, and he came into an even larger cavern than before. Faint moonlight came from a small opening in the ceiling, reflecting on the surface of the dark river.

"Shrewstar-" Silverstar looked around in amazement at his surroundings once more. It couldn't be described as beautiful, but the atmosphere seemed almost peaceful. Mysterious. There was ancient power that dwelt here, Silverstar could feel it in every whisker of his being.

"You know, it's Shrewbite. Like I told the other one." A deep voice crooned. Silverstar jumped, looking around with a renewed sense of wariness. He bared his teeth, his voice falling into a rumbling growl.

"Show yourself! I know you're up to something." His gaze frantically darted around the cavern. Where was she, where was she-

"The only thing I'm 'up to' is wondering why you're here." Shrewbite was literally inches from his face when a few moments ago she hadn't. Silverstar leapt back, ears flattening to his head in shock. Shrewbite laughed, a scratchy, echoing sound that made Silverstar shiver.

"What are you planning? Tell me now!" Silverstar demanded after taking a few moments to regain his composure.

Shrewbite stared back at him coyly, and instead of answering, she sat down on the ledge a few tail-lengths away.

WindClan. Silverstar scoffed. Always running circles around you, claiming to be too fast and too quick-witted for the other clans…

"I will stop you, whatever you do to the clans, I will make sure you don't lay a claw on a single hair of their pelts." Silverstar snarled. Shrewbite's eyes widened. Then she burst into laughter again, but- thank StarClan- it had a slightly less eerie quality to it than before.

"Silverstar. You amuse me. What happened to the wise leader I knew? The one who listened patiently, instead of making empty threats?" Shrewbite tsked at him in disappointment. "Death has certainly done a number on you."

"You- you have no right to speak to me like that!" Silverstar exclaimed, but there was no passion behind his words. She was right. He'd thought StarClan would cure his insecurities, but they were still there, resting beneath his starry pelt.

"Maybe I don't." Shrewbite considered, treading lightly around Silverstar in a circle, much to his annoyance. She smiled at this, tilting her head to the side as she spoke. "But if we continue like this, nothing will get done." Finally, she sat down, waiting for him to speak.

Silverstar suddenly felt like he could tell her anything, and if he didn't know any better, he would think it was some sort of odd power she held over him.

"I had this vision." Silverstar meowed. He felt embarrassed about how easy it was to say it. He was reminded of all the mistakes in his leadership. Keeping Birchtail's omen from the clan, going to find those foxes in the middle of a snowstorm…

"Focus, Silverstar." Shrewbite interrupted, sensing his distraction. "This vision… it was something to do with me, bringing doom to the clans like you were carrying on about earlier?"

"In a way." Silverstar answered, shaking his head. "But more like… darkness. Loneliness. Being doomed to wander the same place for all eternity…" He trailed off, seeing the expression on Shrewbite's face.

"What, what is it?"

Shrewbite remained silent, staring at her paws. She gritted her teeth, with pain or frustration, or perhaps both. Then she abruptly looked up, scanning her surroundings with desperate eyes.

Silverstar followed her gaze, unsure of what he should be looking for. The moonlit walls, the dark river, shadows…

The gaping openings leading to different parts of the tunnels. Where one got instantly lost…

His vision had been about Shrewbite. But not in the way he'd thought.

"You. You're the lost one. Trapped in these tunnels…" Silverstar met Shrewbite's solemn gaze. Then his brow furrowed. "But then how did you…"

"How did I come out?" Shrewbite finished. "I can come out briefly. I guided Lilystorm to find you on the island that day. I helped Nightstar and Gingerwing find you and your deputy. But here I must always return, never able to ascend to StarClan. Sightstar's ceremony was my chance to rejoin my ancestors, since that's when they are closest to the clans. During a leader's ceremony."

"Shrewbite…" Silverstar murmured. He didn't know what to say. He didn't think she wanted to be pitied. "What about the next leader ceremony? I know it may be a long time, but…" It's a chance.

"Invisiblepelt was no ordinary deputy." Shrewbite responded, crossing her tail over her paws in frustration. "His ceremony was extra special."

"But what caused you to miss Nightstar's ceremony? What made you miss your chance then?"

"I… I hadn't found my way out yet." Shrewbite said slowly. She met Silverstar's eyes. "Do you really think-"

"It won't do any harm to try." Silverstar told her. Shrewbite brightened at this, then her shoulders sank. Her voice was harsher, as if she regretted letting Silverstar see her so vulnerable.

"But that might not be for a long time." Shrewbite muttered. "I'll be stuck down here, fading away, while you spend your time in StarClan, probably forgetting about me as you chase endless prey and sun yourself in eternal greenleaf sunshine. Unless…" Her eyes grew round.

Silverstar bristled. Wait. Was she really asking him to-

Seeing his reaction, Shrewbite turned away with a hiss. "Never mind. Foolish Shrewbite. I should have said nothing. Stayed the mysterious ghost who shows up to occasionally aid the living."

"Just- just give me a moment. To think it over." Silverstar protested. Shrewbite answered with a grunt. Silverstar squinted at her, and realized with a jolt he could easily see the other side of the cave through her. He glanced down at his own pelt, seeing it held the same quality, despite its extra starry appearance. How mousebrained of him.

If he stayed, he'd be forced to wander the tunnels as a ghost alongside Shrewbite. Dark and lonely. But then again, now they would have each other. And they'd hold onto the hope that they'd rejoin StarClan at the next leadership ceremony.

But if she'd waited this long for the opportunity, alone, why couldn't she wait a little bit longer? Silverstar had to watch over his clan from StarClan. That's how it went. It was where all his loved ones were, and where the loved ones that were still alive were going to be. His parents. Glorymask. Flakewhisker. It was his duty.

But isn't this what you wanted? A small voice asked. To stay yourself?

But that had just been the paranoid thoughts of a leader in his last life, right? That wasn't what he actually wanted. Cloudedheart gave him a life of selflessness. To put his clanmates lives above his own.

But you're not their leader anymore. Sightstar is.

No. Silverstar wasn't going to deal with these bird-brained any longer. He would return to StarClan. Like he was supposed to. Shrewbite would have to manage. He turned to Shrewbite, resolve coursing through him. She must have seen his decision in his expression, because immediately her face hardened.

"I'm-" Silverstar's voice broke. Oh, what the foxdung.

"I am going to stay with you." Silverstar meowed, legs trembling a little. Had he really just said that?

Shrewbite didn't seem to believe it herself. "What did you say?"

"In the tunnels. I'll wait with you until we can both return to StarClan together." Silverstar repeated. "You won't have to be alone anymore."

"I-" Shrewbite remained poised, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings. "I don't know what to say." She gave SIlverstar a little half-smile. "I certainly have a lot to tell you about, Silverstar. Invisiblepelt and I have encountered one another many times-"

"Why don't you call me Silverstripe from now on." Silverstripe interrupted. "Two former leaders, wandering the tunnels. Together."