1Sunface had been given custody of Fishpaw by Moonstream before he had left. Moonstream had not been exaggerating about her apprentice. Fishpaw was constantly leaping off the surface of Mothermouth's cave.

"Stop that!" Sunface hissed, "It's disrespectful! Do you know what happens in this very cave?"

Fishpaw stopped bouncing and shook his white head. "Tell me! Tell me!" he mewed excitedly.

"Deep inside the cave of Mothermouth lies a dazzling, white rock. It's many tail-lengths high," Sunface meowed softly. Fishpaw leaned closer. "When the moon comes out, it comes through a hole in the top of the cave and lights up the Moonstone. Clan leaders and medicine cats go there to share tongues with StarClan themselves."

"You're lying," Fishpaw scoffed, "I bet it's not a glowing and bright like you say it is."

"I can vouch for him, Fishpaw," Creekflow murmured, "When an apprentice is made a warrior, they go to the Moonstone and are presented to StarClan as a fully-trained warrior."

"But how do Clan leaders g–" Fishpaw broke off. His ears pricked. Riversong stepped out of the cave, flanked by two strange cats and Seedgrowth. Her blue eyes were bright.

"That was amazing," she mewed breathlessly, turning to the golden she-cat beside her. It was Leopardfur. "I mean, I got to see–"

"Remember, you can't tell any cat about what you saw," Leopardfur reminded her, "What happened is between you and StarClan."

Riversong nodded. She pushed her muzzle affectionately into Leopardfur's side. The RiverClan warrior returned the gesture. "I hope I'll see you again, Leopardstar," Riversong mewed softly.

"And I, you, Riverstar," Leopardstar replied, "May StarClan protect you and your new Clan."

"And may they watch over you and yours."

Leopardstar turned and nodded to Mudfur. The two RiverClan cats padded away into the darkness. Riverstar bounded over to her Clanmates. Sunface rubbed his head against her shoulder. "Come on," Riverstar meowed, "Let's get back to the others."

They went back the way they came. A few days later, they saw the dilapidated Twoleg nest. Riverstar sighed. Receiving her nine lives had been painful, but she felt filled with new energy. She purred. Foxpelt had told her that she was right. DuskClan was not her place to be. She was right to start a new Clan. StarClan would protect her.

"Riverstar! Riverstar!" A yowl rose up over the hill. Riverstar turned. It was Mousepaw. Her brown fur was gleaming in the morning light. The cats of Riverstar's new Clan followed her, chanting their new leader's name.

"Rivershtar, we need your help," Longfang meowed, "We need a name for our new Clan. We can't think of anything good."

"Well, let's see..." Riverstar mused, "We're going to allow cats who have left their Clan just as we did to join us. We'll shelter them, since we know what leaving a Clan feels like."

"We should be called SanctuaryClan!" Birdpaw mewed. Racefoot shrugged at his new apprentice.

"That rolls right off the tongue," he muttered.

"Eventually we'll be great and strong, just like the other Clans..."

"GreatClan!" Mousepaw cried, "We should be called GreatClan!"

"StarClan would think us proud," Sunface murmured.

"We're offering a new hope and a new future for the scared, outcasts of other Clans," Riverstar meowed, "Maybe..."

"PromiseClan," Radianteyes declared. All eyes turned to her. "We offer them the promise of a new future of safety."

"PromiseClan," Riverstar murmured, "PromiseClan ...That has a nice sound to it. I like it. All right, those in favor of being called PromiseClan..."

There was a chorus of yowls. All the cats gathered agreed. Warriors called to others to organize hunting patrols to have a feast. Sleetfur's kits mewled excitedly amongst themselves. Blazepaw turned to Mousepaw and muttered, "Personally, I think GreatClan would be better, but PromiseClan sounds good too."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Weaver?" Sunface mewed in disbelief. The gray and brown tom beneath him stopped writhing. His eyes widened.

"Sunpaw?" he gasped. It was Weaver. Sunface leapt off of his friend. Weaver got up, shaking dust from his pelt, "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm Sunface now," Sunface meowed proudly, "I'm deputy of PromiseClan. Listen, I need you to tell me something. Have you seen any trace at all of the AoDs?"

Weaver shook his head. "No, not a sniff of their stench ever since Riversong killed Bone Marrow. They fled for good."

Sunface purred. "This is my apprentice, Fishpaw. Fishpaw, this is a good friend of mine. His name is Weaver."

"Hi," Fishpaw told his paws. Weaver purred.

"How are you and the rest of your family doing?" Sunface asked.

"Great. Things could only get better after living in the Twoleg dump. I think Hex and our parents are around here somewhere. Oh, never mind."

As Weaver had been speaking, Riverstar had appeared with a sleek black she-cat at her side. It was Hex. "Good news, Weaver," Hex meowed, "I've decided to join PromiseClan. Me, Mother, and Father. I'm called Hexmind now."

"What about Mother and Father?" Weaver asked.

Hexmind's green eyes glittered. "Mother has become Sparkfur and Father is Pyrefoot. You're the odd cat out. You're the only one who hasn't joined PromiseClan."

"I want to join with you!" Weaver protested. He turned to Riverstar. "Please?"

"Sure," Riverstar meowed, "Weaver, from this moment on, you will be known as Wovenpelt. StarClan honors your quick mind and your strength, and we welcome you as a full member of PromiseClan." She rested her muzzle on his head. Wovenpelt licked her shoulder just as Sunface motioned for him to do and stepped back.

"Wovenpelt! Wovenpelt!" Sunface chanted. The whole of PromiseClan joined in. "Wovenpelt! Wovenpelt!"

Sunface admired PromiseClan's four newest warriors. He knew that his Clan was well on its way to doing just as Riverstar had said its purpose was. It was welcoming outcast cats. He purred and rubbed against his old friend. "You're one of us now," he murmured into Wovenpelt's brindled fur. Wovenpelt nodded.

Radianteyes had her kits that night. Two moons had passed since she had left DuskClan, and greenleaf was in full burst. She lay in the new nursery with Riverstar, Firebelly, Seedgrowth, and her mate, Quartzfur. The tabby tom sniffed his four new kits. "What will their names be?" he asked softly.

Radianteyes gazed at Seedgrowth for a long time. The sandy-colored tom knew what she was going to say before she said it. Radianteyes tapped the firstborn kit, a golden tabby she-kit. "This kit shall be called Summerkit." She nosed the next kit, a dark brown tomkit. "This kit shall be called Bearkit." The white warrior nudged the third, a large she-kit that looked like Quartzfur in miniature. "This kit shall be called Greatkit." She nuzzled the fourth kit, a pure white she-kit with a ginger back and three yellow paws. "This kit shall be called Promisekit."

"Spirits of StarClan, you know the destiny of every cat under your care," Riverstar meowed calmly, "I ask you now to grant these kits the names their mother has bestowed upon them. Summerkit." She gave Summerkit a gentle nose-tap. "Bearkit." She did the same to Bearkit. "Greatkit." She tapped Greatkit as well. "And Promisekit." The leader of PromiseClan touched the final kit. She sighed softly. "Welcome to PromiseClan, young warriors."

Seedgrowth left the nursery. He was trembling all over. He recalled the day so many moons ago. Healingtouch's prophecy rang in his ears: Summer bears great Promise. "Great Promise," he mewed, "PromiseClan. StarClan knew we were going to form. We're safe..."

Outside the PromiseClan camp, Hexmind sat vigil with Pyrefoot, Sparkfur, and Wovenpelt. The gentle greenleaf breeze blew through her ears, stirring the soft fur on them. She turned her head slowly to see Foxpelt's spirit.

(Greetings,) she meowed in spirit tongue.

(You must keep silent vigil, Hexmind, silent!) Foxpelt reminded her, (Thank you for joining PromiseClan. Serve it well. PromiseClan shall flourish, but only if its warriors are strong, loyal, and true.)

Hexmind nodded silently. Foxpelt disappeared, leaving the calm air of greenleaf all around. She sighed and gazed up at the swath of stars above her head. Riverstar had told her when she had been younger that those stars were the warriors of StarClan. It was perfect. The stars were right overhead. StarClan were watching over PromiseClan, just as Foxpelt said they would.

end