1For close to nine moons, Riversong and Sunpaw traveled back to Clan territory with the badger, Scars. Sunpaw had grown into a fine he-cat. His reddish-ginger fur was sleek and thick. He grew just as Riversong had predicted: strong and sturdy. Scars often joked that he could no longer call him 'Little Reddy.'

"You are large now," the badger would rumble, playfully swiping at Sunpaw with his blunt paw, "I cannot call you 'little.' Now you are Big Reddy!"

"You know, Sunpaw," Riversong meowed one afternoon while the trio was eating a quick lunch, "It's about time you took on your warrior name. If I had the kind of StarClan-granted power it required, I'd do it myself."

Sunpaw suddenly became very intrigued by his mouse. Scars started his thundery laugh at the embarrassment of the young tomcat. Riversong shook her head scoldingly. She got up to her paws. "I've been wondering when we'll see at least the outskirts of SwampClan's territory," she meowed, "I also wonder if we're even going the right way."

"We are," Sunpaw assured her. Riversong stared curiously at him. Sunpaw seemed to become a bit less sure of himself. "I...had this dream last night...Foxpelt told me we were on the right path."

Riversong was not about to doubt any message from the fallen warrior. So far, every one of Foxpelt's directions had led them forward and not back. "You know, Sunpaw, that prophecy Foxpelt gave me is starting to make sense."

"How's that?"

"You remember it? 'When the river rises to meet the sun, those called foes will be avenged from their falling at the paws of the celestial.' " Sunpaw nodded. "Well, I've been turning it over and over in my mind this whole time, and now I'm starting to see the light."

"I'm interested," Sunpaw meowed.

"Think about it. What's my name?"

"...Riversong?"

"And yours?"

"...Sunpaw?" Sunpaw was clearly confused.

Riversong nodded. "Good. Tell me a cat's enemies."

"...Well, there's enemy Clans...No offense to you, Scars, but...badgers."

"I am not offended, Big Reddy," Scars rumbled, toying with a stalk of grass, "I know there are some badgers who enjoy the eating of cats. I do not, though."

"Keep going, Sunpaw," Riversong encouraged.

"Foxes!" Now it was becoming clear to Sunpaw. He jumped to his paws. "Why didn't I see it before! When Riversong and Sunpaw rise up and unify..."

"Foxpelt will be avenged from Wingfoot!" Riversong finished, "When you think about it, Wingfoot could be called 'the celestial' owing to the fact he's got those tufts of fur that look just like a StarClan cat's wings."

Sunpaw did a quick frolic, his brown eyes blazing. "Let's get going!" he yowled, "I want to get home now! Let's get rid of Wing-head!"

Riversong purred. "Calm down, Sunpaw," she meowed, "We'll get going after sunset. There's less monsters on the Thunderpath after sundown."

The two cats curled up together, with Scars slumped beside them. The sun passed its height in the skies and finally dipped down into the horizon, staining the land red like blood. It was on sundowns like this that the Clan elders always said the warriors of PlagueClan ran rampant until StarClan descended from Silverpelt to stop them. And in a sense, it was true. A breeze blew from the Thunderpath, reeking of the monsters' vile tracks. It hissed through the tree branches, sounding like a voice long forgotten. Bone Marrow was shouting orders to her Alliance. The wind smelled like her foul breath. Riversong rolled over in her sleep.

Suddenly, another, more gentle wind arose from the other side of the trio's sleeping forms. It was blowing from an lake. It smelled of purity and peace. It too sibilated through the branches, sounding like the soft voice of Foxpelt giving his prophecy to Riversong. The two opposing winds met over the group of sleeping creatures. After what seemed to be a long tussle, Foxpelt's wind triumphed. Bone Marrow's stinking wind fled the scene, taking its stench with it. The calm scent of lake water prevailed. StarClan would always defeat PlagueClan.

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"Summer bears great promise," Healingtouch murmured, her green eyes glassy.

Radianteyes nudged Seedgrowth. "What's that mean?" she mewed.

"Shut up!" Seedgrowth hissed, his sandy brown fur bristling, "She's receiving a prophecy from StarClan, mouse-brain!"

Radianteyes licked her white fur smooth, paying close attention to her yellowish paws. She sighed. It had been almost twelve moons since she had seen her brother, Sunpaw. She wondered how he was doing. Sunpaw had left DuskClan with his mentor, Riversong, a long time ago. All the cats Sunpaw knew as apprentices were now warriors or even queens. The soft voice of a tom she knew well broke into her thoughts. "Don't worry too much, Radianteyes," it said.

Standing behind her was Quartzfur. The brindled tomcat was beaming affectionately at her. His apprentice, Blazepaw, sat behind him. Radianteyes purred at the sight of the big tom. "Worry too much about what?" she asked innocently.

"Sunpaw. He's fine. I can feel it. Don't worry about him. Riversong will take good care of him."

Radianteyes shrugged. She thought back to all the warrior ceremonies that had occurred over the past few moons. Creekpaw, Heavenpaw, Racepaw, Moonpaw, Timidpaw, Quartzpaw, Willowpaw, and herself, Radiantpaw, were all warriors now. Creekpaw had become Creekflow. Heavenpaw was now Heavenstep. Racepaw was Racefoot. Moonpaw, Moonstream. Timidpaw's name was Timidheart. Quartzpaw was Quartzfur. Willowpaw had been named Willowclaw. Radiantpaw had become Radianteyes. Even little Seedpaw had gained his warrior name: Seedgrowth. Replacing the old apprentices were Mousepaw, Birdpaw, Summerpaw, Fishpaw, Blazepaw, and Heathpaw. The cycle of Clan life was nearly unbroken.

Nearly.

For Creekflow, Heavenstep, Racefoot, Moonstream, Timidheart, Quartzfur, Willowclaw, and Radianteyes could not forget the one of their number without his warrior name. They could not forget the daring, little he-cat who had followed his heart and his mentor from his place in his Clan. They could not forget Sunpaw.

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Riversong looked around her. She felt one paw start to sink down into the wet ground and pulled it up quickly. "Yup," she muttered darkly, "We're in SwampClan territory now."

"Really? You know, I never would have guessed we were if you hadn't said that," Sunpaw meowed sarcastically, tugging his owns sinking paws free. Scars spread himself out and pulled his body along the ground.

"Do it this way," he grunted.

"Of course," Riversong murmured, spreading herself out across the ground, "Shadowheart said that's how SwampClan cats do it. When you spread your weight out, you don't sink."

Together the trio of cats and badger crept across SwampClan's infamous Sucking Marshes. Riversong had never been so wet in her life. The soggy peat soaked her belly fur. Riversong ignored it. Shaded Valley got a lot of rain, so all DuskClan cats had water-shedding pelts, even long-pelts like Sleetfur and Mousekit. Navigating Sucking Marshes took a good portion of the night, and Riversong and her friends almost ran into a SwampClan moonhigh patrol. Luckily, Scars was there to frighten the cats away by snarling and making badger noises.

Riversong sighed and gazed down at the green landscape below her. Trees shot upwards towards what sun they could get. A small river wound its way through one side of the large, deep gully. In the center of it all, she could see a tiny spot where the plant growth was of a different composition than the surrounding foliage. There were more brambles and bushes with a few scattered trees. Riversong stared down, feeling a pang of warmth and longing seep into her heart. She fantasized that she could see little cat-shapes stirring the branches and leaves.

Then, nodding to Sunpaw and Scars, Riversong led the way down to the DuskClan camp.