Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. Drink coffee! Do stupid things faster with more energy!

Well, TreeClan Book 1 is officially coming to an end. This chapter does not offer closure, but instead an opening.

Yes, this chapter is quite long, over a thousand words. (Compared to some of my itty-bitty chapters) It is, if you may, an uber-chapter.

Chapter 22: The End and a New Beginning

Stripedtail stuck her head out of the den and looked up. Snow was falling from the sky in a calming, slow swirling pattern. She thought the gray sky, white snowflakes, and cold, brisk air was comforting and sort of lonely at the same time. She was considering going back inside and curling up for a little more sleep before the other cats woke up (it was still very early in the morning). Before she could turn around, Spikefur walked up beside her and entwined his tail around hers.

"What are you looking at?" he asked.

"The snow," she said, even though she was now looking at him.

"It's pretty…" he said pensively. After a little pause of silence, he spoke up again. "Are you scared?"

"Of what?"

"More attacks," Spikefur shuffled his front paws and looked down at them.

She sighed. "I think there's a distinct possibility that we will be attacked again. In fact, I highly doubt we've been through our last battle. We're in the peak of conflict."

"You're not scared, are you?"

"Maybe…"

"Well, I'm here to protect you!" Spikefur licked her shoulder quickly before running off. "I'm going to catch some breakfast before the elders make a fuss about no prey and being cold!" he called over his shoulder.

Smiling, Stripedtail thought that for the most part, she could take of herself just fine. But she realized that considering all that was going on; she shouldn't mind a little extra security.

Stripedtail heard a few other cats stir, and walked back into the den. She couldn't figure out why, but she felt even a little colder than before.

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Yellowpelt walked towards the queens hollow. She only visited this place from time to time, to see her mother Sunnywing. Sunnywing was the oldest nursery queen, and she said after her next litter, she was not going to give birth to any more kits. But now her pregnant belly was swelled, her kits almost ready to come out.

"Hello, Sunnywing," Yellowpelt mewed happily.

"Hello, Yellowpelt. As you can see, I'm near birth." Sunnywing looked outside and gave a huff. "Honestly, I had to have kits in bareleaf! It's too cold for my liking! You should have heard Spottedback's kits when it was just starting to get colder outside." Sunnywing glanced over at Spottedback, who was watching her kits play outside, trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues and squealing with delight when they actually would. Yellowpelt giggled when the tabby tom kit and tortoiseshell she-cat kit collided with each other trying to catch snowflakes. The third kit, Stonekit, laughed loudly. Yellowpelt couldn't help chuckling at the kits' antics.

Spottedback stood up. "Claykit, Dappledkit! Please watch out for each other a bit!" When the kits stood back up, unharmed, Spottedback settled back down to her spot under the slight overhang of the entrance to the tree-den for the queens.

"Tell me, Yellowpelt," Sunnywing turned back to Yellowpelt. "How is my little Spikekit?"

"Please!" Spikefur came into the den. "Don't call me that! It's my kit name! I'm a warrior now!" Spikefur was trying to look serious, but Yellowpelt noticed a playful flicker in his eyes.

Sunnywing smiled warmly, stood up, and nuzzled the top of her son's head. "You'll always be Spikekit to me," she turned to Yellowpelt. "And you'll always be my little Yellowkit." She took a step back and sighed. "Trust me, you two were the cutest kits in the nursery. You were always competitive, fighting for milk when you nursed even though there were only two of you!" She looked at her offspring. "Then Stripedtail had to be nursed by me a couple of days after your births. How sad, her losing both her parents right after her birth…" Sunnywing snapped her head back up at Yellowpelt and Spikefur. "Now look at you two! You're warriors!" She gave both their ears a lick. "I'm so proud. You've both grown so much. But you can't stay any longer! I have to rest and you have to go be the best warriors you can be!" she nudged them towards the exit.

"Bye!" Yellowpelt sprinted away and into the forest.

"Tell your next litter that they're no match for me!" Spikefur called out playfully.

Sunnywing watched her kits run off. "Be all you can be, you two."

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"Midnightpaw, pay attention!" Darkbranch brought Midnightpaw out of her thoughts. "I'm trying to teach you something, here!" He batted her black-blue ear playfully. But then he straightened up and looked at her. "Come to think of it, I've been trying to teach you this all afternoon. Tell me please, what's troubling you?"

She looked at him with her mint green eyes. "Darkbranch, it's nothing really. I'll pay attention better. Now what was it you were saying about traveling from tree branch to tree branch?"

He didn't move his eyes. "Don't plug up your emotions, Midnightpaw,"

She knew he would keep prying until he got an answer. "Darkbranch, I…" she looked up into his eyes. "I feel like I don't belong! You're the only one who understands me!"

"Midnightpaw-"

"Don't try to tell me otherwise! I'm different and you know it!" she said, her voice rising.

"Midnightpaw, you are not a TreeClan cat. That doesn't mean you don't belong!" he laughed at the notion. "Your warrior training is going fine, and you're a good fighter and talented hunter. Your skills don't differ that much from any other apprentice's."

She didn't look satisfied. "But I don't even know where I really come from! I…" she paused. "…need to be alone." She ran off back towards camp.

Darkbranch didn't bother calling after her. He looked on in sorrow. He felt bad that Midnightpaw felt so out of place, and wished she was more comfortable. He sighed before heading back the same way she did, slowly.

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Crazyeyes bolted across TreeClan camp towards the leader's den. He burst through the entrance.

"Crazyeyes! What brings you here so late?" Thinstar raised her pale tan-blond head up in surprise.

"There's a new prophecy from StarClan."

She leaned forward. "What is it?" her pale blue eyes locked on Crazyeyes light gray ones.

"A cat of your own will be leave at midnight, and a flash of silver will cross the field."

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Oh, a prophecy! I haven't had one of those yet! I bet you can't figure out what it means! And, no I will not give you any hints!

Well, Book 1 was great while it lasted! Don't worry, a sequel will soon be in the making! Yes, yes, oh yay.

Thanks to all my reviewers: Rosepelt, Halfpelt, Duskspirit, gatorfang, Jaypaw22, Gaze of Sea, Twitcherz, and anyone yet to review!

Byebye.