Sage's tail twitched impatiently. It felt like she and Willow had been waiting outside the Ancestor Grove for ages. She could hear Cougarstrike's and Robinfrost's voices, along with another, unfamiliar voice. She wondered if they had found Thistletail. But if it was the medicine cat, what was taking them so long?

Willow was simply grooming herself, patient and poised as ever.

Sage sighed and got to her paws. "I'm going in there."

"We're not supposed to," Willow said, licking her chest fur.

"Says who? Cougarstrike?" Sage kicked at a tuft of grass growing near her paws. "I don't care what that mangy tom says. I'm going to see what's going on."

Willow sighed. "Fine. I'll come with you. You'll probably need my help again to keep it from turning into a fight."

"I'm not going to start a fight!"

Willow raised an eyebrow. "Sure you're not."

Sage turned around with a huff. "Whatever. Come on."

The two she-cats pushed their way into the clearing, then stopped dead. The sunlight in the clearing was a calm green, filtered through the leaves of the aspen trees that grew there. Sage marveled at the sensation of lush, cool grass beneath her paws- she had grown used to the scratchy, sun-dried grass of late greenleaf. The sound of birdsong mingled with a distant rumble of rushing water. Here and there, she noticed broken tree branches crisscrossed on the ground, half-hidden beneath the lush grass and plentiful wildflowers. It was one of the most peaceful, beautiful places that she had ever seen.

Willow pushed ahead of her, making her way to where Cougarstrike and Robinfrost were talking to a ragged-looking old cat. Sage had been too distracted by the Ancestor Grove itself to notice them. She followed her sister, distractedly following the flight of a small white butterfly.

As they approached, Sage forced herself to pay attention to the conversation.

"How many?" the old cat asked.

Cougarstrike hung his head. "Not many. I managed to lead a few of us out of camp before the fire caught us, but we lost so may cats. Too many." His voice sounded hollow and broken.

Willow padded up to the big tom and pressed her shoulder comfortingly against his. "You saved so many cats, Cougarstrike. Half the clan is alive because of you."

He shrugged her away and said nothing. Sage joined the group as Robinfrost introduced them to the new cat.

"Thistletail, these are our new friends. The fire destroyed their home, too, so they're staying with us for a little while."

The old cat nodded politely to Willow and Sage. "As Robinfrost said, I am Thistletail. I'm the medicine cat for JuniperClan... or I was, until the clan was destroyed."

Willow exchanged an alarmed look with Sage. Destroyed?

"It's... nice to meet you, Thistletail. I'm Willow." She gave the old cat a gentle smile. "My sister and I used to live in a barn on the other side of the river, but it burned down in the fire. We're thankful that your clan has been so welcoming to us."

Thistletail shook his head forlornly. "I'm afraid that the Clan is no more, little Willow. If only there was a way to restore it... but StarClan is as cryptic as they ever are. They only give me the same message again and again, but I cannot understand what it could mean. JuniperClan, I'm afraid, is gone forever."

Sage caught her sister's eye again. Alarm and confusion mingled on her face. Sage cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Um, Thistletail? I'm sure you will figure it out. There has to still be hope to restore the clan."

The old medicine cat sighed, clearly unconvinced. "I thank you for your optimism, young one. What is your name?"

"I'm Sage."

His icy blue eyes met hers, shining with a sudden intensity. "Sage? Your name is Sage?"

She blinked in alarm at the sudden change in the old cat's demeanor. "Yes... have we met?"

Thistletail began pacing, his tail whipping side to side with excitement. "Oh, no, child. But... of course. It makes sense, don't you see?" He stopped, his nose just inches from Cougarstrike's.

"See what?" Cougarstrike asked, taking a step back.

"Sage will save JuniperClan from the ghosts of its past," breathed Thistletail. He rounded on Sage now. "I thought that they meant the herb, of course, and how it repels wicked spirits... but this... you! You are the answer!"

Sage tried desperately to try to keep up with what the old cat was saying. "What? Me? What are you talking about?"

Thistletail took a steadying breath and sat down, but his tail belied his continued agitation.

"Before the fire," he explained, "I received a warning from StarClan. They said that JuniperClan had strayed too far from StarClan and from the Code. If the Clan did not right their path and return to the Code, the Clan would be destroyed, burned away."

Robinfrost looked confused. "A warning? From StarClan?"

"Yes, child. I tried to share my warning with Eaglestar, but he did not listen. He had no use for an old cat and his ramblings, he said."

"What does this have to do with her?" asked Cougarstrike, shooting a sharp look at Sage.

"I was getting to that!" exclaimed the old cat. "StarClan said that even if the Clan should be destroyed, there was still hope. The cycle could be broken. They told me to remember: Sage will save JuniperClan from the ghosts of its past."

Sage shook her head. "But... that can't mean me. I don't know anything about ghosts, or the Code, or saving anyone! You've made a mistake. It has to be something about the herb, like you said."

"No, no," insisted Thistletail. "You were sent here by StarClan to save us. I'm certain."

"Thistletail," Robinfrost began. "You need to rest. This is ridiculous."

"No!" Thistletail leapt to his feet. "I am certain! Come with me, all of you."

The old cat began marching away from them, into the darkening forest. Sage noticed with a start that the light in the clearing was now an intense orange. The sun was setting.

"Where are we going?" Willowsong asked, trotting to catch up with the medicine cat.

"We are going to the StarFalls," Thistletail responded. "StarClan will tell us if I am right."