A/N: Did you cry last chapter?

Chapter Fifteen

The air was still heavy with grief and humidity the next morning, when Foxtail slowly emerged from the Leaders Den and leaped carefully onto the Tallstump. She sat there for a moment in silence, visibly taking in the change of perspective from her usual spot, green-gold eyes closing briefly before she lifted her head high.

"Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here before the Tallstump for a Clan Meeting," she called clearly, and the Clan obeyed, limping and shuffling over to sit quietly before their new Leader in silence, eyes dim with a mix of pain and grief as they stared up at her. Foxtail stared down at them solemnly. "MeadowClan has been dealt a deep, grave blow," she told them all quietly, firmly. "We have lost two of our Elders, one of our Warriors, and our Leader in a single attack that could not have been foretold. I sit here now before you, your Deputy, and soon to be your Leader." Watching them she breathed slowly.

"I leave here after this meeting for the Star Pool," she told them. "When I return, I will be FoxStar, new Leader of MeadowClan. And, when I return, I will name the new Deputy of MeadowClan, who will take my place when my Blessed Lives are gone, if StarClan is willing. We cannot let this defeat us, however. We are MeadowClan. We are strong, and fierce and smart. Our hearts are the hearts of Warriors and we will stand strong against any foe who would use this to seek us harm." Her green-gold eyes dragged along the Clan, meeting those of her Warriors as they raised their voices in agreement, heads lifting, shoulders straightening as they stared up at their new Leader.

"Windclaw, Palestripe," she called sternly; the two toms stepped forward. "You will be accompanying Rainstorm and I when I go. Rabbitfoot, I leave you in charge while we are gone," she added; the gray queen nodded quietly, blue eyes solemn.

"As my Leader commands," she agreed.

"May StarClan watch over and guide us," Foxtail intoned seriously, before she leaped down from the Tallstump amidst yowls and cries of agreement. Not long after, she and her two escorts left, and Rabbitfoot turned her attention onto the remaining Warriors and Paws, handing out orders and jobs as she went.

"Sparrowwing," she called; the pale brown tabby meowed in response, gray eyes focusing on the other queen. "You will be hunting between the Home and Secondary Camps. Keep an eye out for any more fox-scents. Tigerpaw and Whitepaw will be hunting together closer to Home Camp, and Blossomheart will be closer to the Secondary, should you need back-up."

"Yes, Rabbitfoot," she agreed immediately, limping away when the gray queen nodded at her. Sparrowwing was glad for the orders, for something to focus on, as she moved away from the Camp. Her head was still filled with the hollow sense of loss and shock, and she needed, more than anything, the stability that came with orders and duty.

The day went by slowly, Hunters and Patrols coming and going, the need to show a strong, united front taking precedence over simple training or relaxing. Sparrowwing spent most of the time before sun-high Hunting, bringing back thrush and jays and robins, and a pair of voles. After resting during sun-high, she went on Patrol with Blossomheart, Nightfur, and Flowerpaw along the WoodClan Border, marking and scenting the trail as they went, going all the way around until they patrolled the Junk Yard Border, where they met up with Robinheart, Grassrunner, Softtail and Tigerpaw.

"All's clear," Blossomheart reported; Robinheart nodded.

"Ours as well," she replied. "There were signs of the foxes leaving the Territory, near the Snake Pit. Bloody smudges and red fur. We think they might have decided that it's too dangerous here, but keep an eye and ear out, just in case," she ordered; Sparrowwing's group nodded, and then passed them by. They encircled the Territory until sun-down came and found them spending the night at the Secondary Camp, Sparrowwing and Flowerpaw sharing a den to keep the slight chill from the previous days rain away.

They woke when the sun rose, and quickly made their way back to the Home Camp along the center-paths, relived to find the stench of fox fading quickly. With the fading of that horrid scent, the low-level but constant anxiety of another attack began to slowly fade, in both them and the smaller creatures that lived within the meadow. As a result, they were able to catch plenty of prey between the two Camps, each of them bringing down at least two prey and Sparrowwing managing to catch a fledgling hawk that had been eating its own breakfast beside a small boulder to go along with a shrew.

They entered the Camp in time to witness the greeting cries of the Clan as Foxtail-No, as FoxStar and her escorts tiredly reentered from the opposite end. And the older queen was the Leader, it was clear to see. The Blessed Nine Lives of StarClan made a cat seem bigger than they were, gave the very air they breathed a sort of power and presence that made it impossible for any cat to not recognize them. Slowly, the queen padded through her crowding Clanmates towards the Tallstump, leaping onto them and turning to eye the gathered Clan, Pinetail's three kits even scrambling along under Stonefang's careful steps to join the curious, relieved cats.

"Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here before the Tallstump for a Clan Meeting," FoxStar called, and Sparrowwing's Patrol quickly dropped their catches off at the Fresh Kill Stone so they could rejoin the Clan, the pale brown tabby queen settling between her once-Mentor and Softtail as she peered up at the older queen, her Leader.

"I have gone to the Star Pool, and was Blessed," the white-furred queen yowled, her namesake tail curling over her paws as her green-gold eyes swept over the Clan. "I sit before you now as your Leader, with the Blessing of our Ancestors within my heart. I sit here before you as FoxStar!"

"FoxStar!" The Clan yowled, screeched, clawing the name into their hearts as tensions lifted, Sparrowwing's own shoulders slumping with relief. They were no longer Leaderless, no longer Lost. StarClan had Blessed their Clanmate, gave her the Nine Lives and Title of Leader. MeadowClan was whole once again!

"And as I sit here," she meowed, the Clan falling silent at barely a twitch of her tail, "I bring with me the knowledge that MeadowClan will continue to thrive, to grow in both numbers and strength, and we will prosper!" She yowled; the Clan screeched back. "And now, before sun-high, I name your new Deputy." Cries of joy and celebration rang out before the Deputy was even named, and Sparrowwing glanced around, swept up in the relieved joy of her Clanmates, and spotted the straightening form of Rabbitfoot, who had done well in leading the Clan in the night that FoxStar had been gone.

"I say these words," FoxStar yowled; the Clan fell silent as the Ceremony began, "before StarClan, so that the Spirits of our Warrior Ancestors and late Leader WhisperStar may hear and approve of my choice. The new Deputy of MeadowClan is Windclaw!" She yowled; the named tom twitched sharply in surprise, mix-colored eyes widening, and ears perked straight up. Immediately, the Clan set off a might caterwaul, cheering his name as he slowly padded forward to take his place on the stump to FoxStar's immediate right.

Across the crowd, Sparrowwing noted that Rabbitfoot had gone stiff and still, blue eyes narrowing, but, after a moment, the other queen tilted her head back and joined their Clanmates in their yowls. Sparrowwing felt a small surge of pity for the disappointed she-cat, and a small surge of bitterness that Windclaw, who was now exempt from part of his Punishment from WhisperStar as Deputy's were required to join their Leaders at Gatherings unless severely injured or heavily pregnant, was Deputy. Rabbitfoot would have been better, she thought, faintly bitter even as she yowled his name, not in celebration, but at least acknowledging him, because their Leader had Spoken.

And, despite what issues she had with him and his current dereliction of duty, there was no denying the Windclaw had always been a loyal, hardworking Warrior of MeadowClan.

"May StarClan watch over and guide us," FoxStar yowled, before leaping gracefully from the Tallstump. Windclaw climbed down at a slower pace, obviously still surprised, and the Can surged forward to welcome their new leader and Deputy, sharing tongues and renewing bonds.

"Congratulations," Sparrowwing murmured as she rubbed cheeks with Windclaw.

"Thank you," he murmured back, and the two quickly separated, their duty done, even as Sparrowwing moved to do the same to FoxStar, earning only a nod from the taciturn she-cat as she moved away.

Time moved on, and a week passed under the new Leadership of FoxStar and Windclaw. And not very much actually changed. FoxStar wasn't as sociable as WhisperStar had been, she didn't explicitly offer an open ear to those who needed it. Instead, she went about her duties just as efficiently as she had when she was a Deputy. She still overlooked the Battle Practice, she still organized Patrols and decided Punishments. It was just that Windclaw helped her do so, now. He organized Hunting Posts, took Patrol Reports and interest Reports, made sure that there was plenty of food and bedding for the Dens and that Rainstorm and Pebblepaw didn't need an extra set of paws to gather more medicine.

All in all, by the time the next Gathering came about, MeadowClan had fully recovered. And, as Sparrowwing watched FoxStar Name her chosen group for the Gathering, leaving Blossomheart in charge of the Camp, she mused that life was, somehow, still good.

"And now, before we leave," FoxStar announced, green-gold eyes glancing over the cats below her. "There is one more duty to be upheld. And that is the Naming of a new Warrior." Immediately, the Clan yowled in joy, eyes bright and ears perked. And, across the gathering, Stormpaw, who had long settled into her fur and matured into a gorgeous, fierce young queen, lifted her head.

"Come forward. Stormpaw," FoxStar ordered; the gray tabby queen slunk forward gracefully, her thick black stripes clear in the dying sunlight, painting them like shadows on her silvery pelt. She leaped up onto the shortest stump, turning to face the Clan, whiskers and head held high and gold eyes shining with pride and joy.

"Stormpaw has been an Apprentice, under the tutelage of Rabbitfoot, for seven moons now," FoxStar called calmly. "During this time, we have seen her struggle to find herself, to learn to control her emotions and reactions. We saw it as she despaired and lashed out after the death of her sister, and we saw it as she matured fully into the young Warrior we see now. Her dedication, resilience, and confidence have only aided her in coming this far, and it is time for her to step forward as a true Warrior of MeadowClan!" The Clan yowled and screeched and cried, the cacophony of joy filling the air loud enough to drown out the distant sounds of insects and night creatures.

"Tonight," FoxStar interrupted, making the Clan quickly quiet, "our new Warrior will hold Vigil. She will guard our sleep, our kits, and the entirety of MeadowClan with only StarClan as company. Tonight, we honor her, and place our lives, and the lives of our future kits in her paws, for safe keeping." FoxStar turned her head, and bowed it to the younger queen beside her, face impassive yet sincere enough that no doubt about her pride in the tabby was had. "May StarClan guide you, and may your life be long and filled with many kits." The gray tabby bowed her head back respectively, and those sharp green-gold eyes swept away from her to look over the Clan.

"We welcome you, Stormheart!" And the Clan once more raised their voices, carving the new Name into their hearts and memory, as the newly Named Stormheart leaped down from her perch to begin Scent Sharing as FoxStar dismissed the meeting to prepare for the Gathering.

"Well done, Stormheart," Sparrowwing purred warmly as she and the younger cat rubbed their heads together affectionately.

"It's all thanks to you, you know," Stormheart mewed at her softly, making Sparrowwing blink at her in confusion. "When you oversaw my Punishment detail, after Specklepaw's death, and you snapped at me for being rude and a whiny little kit, and then told me that it was okay to be afraid, I realized that the cat I was being, wasn't the cat I wanted to be," she murmured, gold eyes warm as she leaned her head against Sparrowwing's shoulder for a long moment. "I realized that I wanted to be more like you." She added softly, offering a warm smile to the stunned Sparrowwing, before she turned and loped away, over to where Blossomheart and Stonefang waited to congratulate their only living kit themselves.

"Well, who would have thought," Nightfur's voice teased as the large black tom sauntered over to sit beside Sparrowwing. "Look at you, spreading inspiration wherever you go," he mewed, and Sparrowwing rolled her eyes, swatting him half-heartedly.

"Shut up, mouse-brain," she groused; her friend chuckled lowly, green eyes glittering with amusement.

"Yes, SparrowStar," he mocked playfully, and Sparrowwing scoffed, playfully leaping at him and tackling him to the ground, making him mrt in delighted amusement as the two of them tussled, joined swiftly after by a mischievous Grassrunner as they did, the three of them laughing happily as they went.

Yes, Sparrowwing mused as she curled up in the Warrior Den later that night, with Nightfur on one side and Softtail on the other. Life was still good.

A/N: Shorter than before but hey look, Windclaw got a promotion, Stormpaw got a promotion, Foxtail got a promotion, and Rabbitfoot… Didn't.

Well, at least no one died this chapter! 8D