"Slow down!" Crane's Wing called as he chased after Lionblaze and Dovewing through the open field. Jayfeather was at his side moving with just as much excitement as his clanmates but needing the slower cat to guide him.

Lionblaze slowed his joyful gallop a bit to look back at the two grey toms. "This is so great! It's like a whole forest has been lifted from by back!"

How do they have so much energy? Crane's Wing sighed and looked at Jayfeather. "Is it really that liberating?"

Jayfeather nodded. "If I could race around like a kit without running into anything or tripping over something, I'd be doing the same."

"I've seen you move, you could probably do it," Crane's Wing said then regretted it. If Jayfeather starts running around…

"Calm down you two," Jayfeather called ahead. "We need to be getting back to camp. At the very least run in the direction of our territory."

"We are!" Dovewing said defensively.

"You're running around in circles in that general direction. Try to focus," Jayfeather told her. Dovewing flicked her tail at him but slowed down until she matched their pace. Lionblaze made one more lap around then joined them. "We're not far. I think we're just on the other side of the Moonpool."

"We're already that close?" Dovewing questioned. The surprise in her voice matched Crane's Wing's. He'd entered the clan's territory from this direction but it didn't look familiar in the slightest to him. After all this traveling, I really should've learned to recognize landmarks by now. He was suddenly very grateful that he had the three with him. Despite all of his experience, he doubted he would have been able to make this journey on his own.

"Then why are we slowing down?" Lionblaze asked. "I could run all the way back to camp from here!"

"Wait- don't-!" Crane's Wing's call fell on deaf ears as Lionblaze and Dovewing broke back into a run. He let out a long sigh and sped up a bit.

"Do you smell that?" Lionblaze asked Crane's Wing, his tail swishing excitedly behind him.

Crane's Wing sniffed. Should I?

"It's the border marker," Dovewing said. "We're almost home!"

"Just in time too," Jayfeather said. "If I'm calculating correctly, Cinderheart should be kitting in a few sunrises."

"I can't wait to see her again," Lionblaze said wholeheartedly.

"It's good that you two are going to be back in time," Dovewing commented. "This would be Leafpool's first kitting since returning to her duties, she shouldn't do it alone. And Cinderheart shouldn't have her first litter without the father around."

"I'm so excited!" Lionblaze said. "I can't wait to watch them grow up."

"Queens are always saying they grow up too fast," Jayfeather told his brother. "In a few moons, you'll be wishing they were still close-eyed newborns."

Crane's Wing felt a pang of sorrow in his chest. The three sounded so happy to return home, it only reminded him that he too had to return home soon and he didn't feel like he was ready for that journey. When he left his tribe all those seasons ago, he hadn't felt ready but over his journey, he felt that he had grown. Recently, however, he had begun to lose confidence in his skills. He wasn't particularly good at anything and when he had been responsible for watching over the fallen forms of the three, he was reminded that he wasn't the most capable cat.

Another thing that saddened him was hearing the three talk about Lionblaze's oncoming kits. Lionblaze had become a good friend to him. Crane's Wing regretted that he would never see him enjoy the wonders of fatherhood or watch his kits grow up or ever hear their warrior names.

"Lionblaze? Jayfeather?" a voice said. "Dovewing?"

"Rosepetal!" Dovewing yowled joyfully and rushed forward to the she-cat. She swiped her tongue over her ear in greeting. "It's so good to see you!"

"Everyone, Lionblaze, Dovewing, and Jayfeather are back!" Rosepetal called to her patrol. Stormcloud, Blossomfall, and Brackenfur emerged from the trees.

"Jayfeather!"

"Lionblaze!"

"Dovewing!"

Crane's Wing tried to ignore the pain he felt when he didn't hear the ThunderClan cats say his name. It was understandable, he wasn't one of their clanmates.

"Crane's Wing."

The sound of his name made his head snap to look at Brackenfur. He looked at the tom in surprise. He nodded to him.

"Nice work on getting these three back home," he told him.

"T-thanks," Crane's Wing said. "But it was really these three who did everything. I just kinda tagged along."

"Nonsense, I've seen you on patrols. You're a remarkable cat," Brackenfur said. Crane's Wing was too shocked to response but Brackenfur didn't seem to notice. He looked to his clanmates. "Shall we get you back to camp? Your kin have been missing you."

"Of course," Lionblaze said. He went to Jayfeather's side, letting their pelts faintly touch so he could guide him. He two patrols began moving deeper into the territory.

Crane's Wing hung back, watching them walk away. He had fulfilled his duty assigned to him by his tribe's shama despite the odds against him. Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Dovewing- or rather Lion's Roar, Jay's Wing, and Dove's Wing- had been completed once more, regaining their powers in the process. And now they were heading home to live out the rest of their lives.

Crane's Wing felt heavy all of a sudden. A wave of sadness washed over him. His paws were drawing him forward but he also felt a tug in his pelt in the opposite direction.

"Crane's Wing."

Crane's Wing looked up to see that Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Dovewing had stopped. Amber, green, and blue eyes stared at him.

"Aren't you coming?" Dovewing asked.

"Y-yeah," Crane's Wing and bounded towards the ThunderClan camp.

Author's Note: And we're done! The three's ancient spirits have returned and the three have returned home.

Final Story stats:

Word count- 68,092 without author's notes or reviews

Page Count- 136 pages on Google Docs with default settings without author's notes or reviews

Time to write it- Around four to six months. I can't really remember when I started or finished it.

Errors: Or at least the ones I'm aware of. Everyone makes mistakes.

1) It is impossible for Crane's Wing to be a descendant of Jay's Wing. This is a major error that I only realized after finishing the story. I explained it in a note at the end of Chapter 24 when I realized it. Also his tribe sounds like a cult. It's not. Or it could be, I don't know.

2) I messed up on the allegiances a few times. On Chapter 5, I wrote Fallen Leaves twice and left out Fish Leap (fixed). On Chapter 36 I wrote Bird that Rides the Wing instead of Wind (fixed) because writing Crane's Wing, Dove's Wing, and Jay's Wing so much has messed me up.

3) On Chapter 45, the three and Crane's Wing play on the Great Rock. Chances are that's not there anymore but we don't really know.

4) Sometimes reviewer's names got cut out. Sorry .05 for the chapter sometimes saying .05 only when I respond to your reviews. I usually fix it a couple times but it still ends up cut out anyway. Again, very sorry but fanfic keeps deleting your name and I can't really do anything about it.

5) I said this was the first time the three met Rock in Chapter 31. It wasn't.

6) The things announced at the Gathering in Chapter 27 hadn't happened at that point in the story chronologically. Specifically, the ShadowClan apprentices aren't born for another year and I don't think most of the other new warriors and apprentices are born yet or are the level they're at.

7) Jayfeather shouldn't know about all the "sacred places" that he talks about in Chapter 20

8) Chapter 12 I screwed up the POV.

Continuation:

I've decided to write a sequel to this story. It may not come out for awhile but keep an eye out for it. It will go more into the lore about the tribes. I don't know what it's going to be called yet so suggestions are welcome.

If you want to know when the story is up, either follow my account or ask me to PM you when it's out. Or you can do it the old fashion way and just check everyday but that may be a waste of time. Chances are I it won't be out for awhile.

Edit: 3/21/2019 the sequel is up. It's called the Ancient Tribes

Thank you:

Thank you to everyone who has read and enjoyed this story, especially those of you who've reviewed.

Also just realized that The Ancient Spirits is a a part of the Flight of the Stories community. Thanks to those people for noticing this story.

Special thanks to Darth Jay, Wormy, Wolfjem, and WyldClaw for sticking with this story for as long as they did and being supportive of it.