Epilogue

?

"How is she doing, Cracklingstar?"

"What? Who?"

"You know who I'm talking about."

"Ah. That daft furball of a cat who decided to wiggle her way into my clan? I hope she's living in a nightmare."

The tail of the pale golden tabby she-cat across from Cracklingstar twitched in irritation. "Honestly, Cracklingstar, you'd think you would have more sympathy for such a young cat."

"Honestly, Lightstar, you'd think you would stop putting your nose in other clans' businesses for once," Cracklingstar retorted, narrowing his amber eyes. "Surely Ashstar taught you better than this."

"Dear StarClan, if I have to keep stopping you two from fighting, I swear I'll die all over again!" Ashstar, a speckled gray she-cat snapped. "Stop your quarrelling. What happens to the young cats is up to Rosestar and Dogstar, not us. Remember our agreement?"

Lightstar's ears flattened. "Right... no talking to or about either of them until the half-moon meeting after the next gathering. Sorry, Ashstar."

Cracklingstar snickered at her submissiveness and Ashstar whacked him over the head. "Shut up, you daft furball. This is important."

"Oh come on, Ashstar, seriously! Why did we have to pick them of all cats? You just couldn't resist when you realized their names were so perfect for this, could you?"

"This wasn't just her decision," came a new voice. The leaders all whipped around to see Pineface and Smallwhisker, the former ThunderClan medicine cats, approaching.

"That's right," Smallwhisker added. "This was a decision made with the consent of various leaders and medicine cats from both ThunderClan and RiverClan. Well, Ravenstar of WindClan, too, but that's just because he wouldn't shut up until we let him have a say in the matter."

"Focus, everyone!" Ashstar said, exasperated. "Need I remind you that dark times are upon us? All we can do is pray we made the right decision. All we can do now is wait."

"Just as they're waiting for each other," Lightstar agreed. "We must be prepared for anything."

"Then we wait, and we prepare," Pineface said. "And hope this doesn't go wrong."