Chapter 6: Fate's Obscurity
Lucina's deep blue eyes slowly opened to the view of a moonlit clearing, the edge of a forest in her sight. This is exactly like when I traveled through the Outrealm Gate. She realized. A sudden swarm of bright blue butterflies passed her, obstructing her vision. Once they disappeared, Lucina saw a tortoiseshell cat standing in front of her.
"Who…are you?" She asked.
"My name is Spottedleaf. I'm sure you remember me, Lucina."
"Oh! You're the voice who spoke to me when I first was here." She remembered. "Asuna talked about how she finally saw you a few weeks ago."
"Oh, yes. I haven't spoken with any of the others yet, but I needed to speak with you."
"Is it regarding the two cats?" She nodded. "Before that…may I ask you something?"
"What is it?" The she-cat's amber eyes were filled with curiosity.
"Why was I not shown Briarlight's death?"
"Lucina…I don't have the answer for that. When I finally decided to choose you as one of the cats who I would ask to help the Clans, all I was shown was the two cats." She replied. "I'm deeply sorry for not being able to tell you about Briarlight."
"It's okay. From what it sounds like, you didn't have control over it." Lucina meowed. "So…the two cats. One of them is Rowanclaw, correct?"
"Yes. He's one of the cats who is going to die. As for the other cat…I'm unsure about myself."
"I see. Do you know when it'll be possible for me to know?" She shook her head.
"Unfortunately…but Rowanstar's death will finally become clear to you." Lucina watched as the she-cat slowly began to fade. You may be able to change fate, Lucina, but sometimes fate is better left untouched. Spottedleaf's voice told her before Lucina's surroundings suddenly changed. She was no longer in a moonlit clearing anymore. Now, she seemed to be in a dark, rocky hollow, a small pool of water at the bottom of it. She was at the mouth of the cave. She could see some cats at the edge of the pool and slowly made her way towards them. She saw that it was Violetshine, Tawnypelt, and Macgyver. As she got closer, her eyes widened in horror at the sight of two dead cats at the edge of the pool. One she didn't know the identity of, but the other was clearly Rowanclaw. After getting a glimpse of the dead tom for a few seconds, her surroundings turned black.
Lucina gasped as she woke up from her sleep. Her sudden awakening caused some of the others in the warriors' den to look over at her.
"Lucina, are you alright?" Bumblestripe asked the she-cat.
"Was it a nightmare?" Whitewing wondered.
"Something like that." She responded. "I'm sorry, but I have to go." Lucina rose from her nest and left the warriors' den in a hurry. I have to tell Rowanclaw how he dies, and to avoid that hollow! The she-cat rushed past Squirrelflight and exited camp without a word, causing everyone who watched to look in her direction in confusion.
Lucina ran through the forests of ThunderClan and made her way to SkyClan. On her way there, she ran past a hunting patrol consisting of Nightheart, Asuna, Lionblaze, and Stormcloud. Stormcloud was creeping towards a mouse, but her rapid sudden pawsteps caused it to scurry away.
"Hey, what was that all about?" Stormcloud complained as he and the others watched Lucina sprint away.
"Something's wrong." Asuna meowed.
"Yeah…but no cat was with her." Lionblaze realized. Nightheart's violet eyes widened when she realized where Lucina was going.
"Can one of you bring this prey back for me? I need to follow her!"
"We'll go with you, too. If Lucina's running into trouble, she'll need cats to help her." Lionblaze stated. He looked over at Asuna. "Let's hope you haven't forgotten how to fight after being in the medicine cat's den for so long."
"I don't think you know who you're talking to." The cream she-cat retorted. After burying their prey to pick up later, the four cats followed in pursuit of Lucina as she ran towards SkyClan.
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When Lucina reached SkyClan's camp, she looked around quickly, but there was no sound. The camp was completely deserted.
"Rowanclaw! Rowanclaw are you here?" She called out, but there was no response.
"Lucina!" She turned around and saw Lionblaze, Asuna, Nightheart, and Stormcloud enter the camp. "Thank StarClan we caught up to you." The golden furred tom meowed.
"You know how Rowanclaw dies, don't you?" Nightheart asked as she stepped towards her.
"Yes, but there isn't any cat in camp."
"They're mostly out helping RiverClan rebuild." Asuna responded. She sniffed the air. "Rowanclaw was here along with some of the other cats. I can pick up Violetshine and Yarrowleaf, too."
"Yeah. They were definitely here. We should be able to follow their scent." Stormcloud meowed.
"Please! We need to find him as soon as possible!" Lucina replied. Asuna took the lead, the other cats running behind her.
"How does Rowanclaw die?" Lionblaze asked the she-cat as they made their way through the forest.
"I'm not sure, but it looks like he dies in a cave area…and Tawnypelt, Macgyver, and Violetshine were with him as well. There was a pool at the bottom of it where he died, and another cat was near him." Lucina's body suddenly grew cold and she stopped.
"Everyone, wait!" Nightheart called out, causing the others to walk towards the blue-gray she-cat. "Lucina, what's wrong?"
"Asuna said she could pick up Violetshine's scent…and she was one of the cats that was with Rowanclaw when he died… I think I'm starting to pick up Macgyver's scent as well."
"You don't think that…Rowanclaw can die any minute now…" Nightheart stated, the others now realizing the she-cat's sudden feeling of dread.
"We have to keep going then! We can't let Rowanclaw die!" Asuna stated before breaking out into a run again. They found out that the trail was heading towards ShadowClan's old camp. The cream she-cat's nose scrunched at the new scent that she discovered.
"It smells like Sleekwhisker was here…and two other cats as well."
"I think it's Yarrowleaf's kits. I was in SkyClan when she had them." Lucina told her.
"But…what would she be doing with her kits?" Nightheart wondered.
"Wait…I think I sensed Yarrowleaf's scent with Rowanclaw and Violetshine." Asuna meowed. "The kits and Sleekwhisker's scent is faint. She must've stole them from Yarrowleaf!" The cream she-cat realized. "We have to help them!"
As the group continued their trek through SkyClan and now into ShadowClan's old territory, they found out that the trail veered away from ShadowClan's old camp and now headed towards the Twolegplace nearby. As they followed the new trail, Lionblaze's tasted the air.
"Wait…all the cats we've scented have been here…but I think I can also pick up Tawnypelt faintly, along with two kittypets." He told them.
"No! She's the last cat that needed to be accounted for in my vision!" Lucina exclaimed. "We have to go, now!"
"Right, but we have to be careful. Twoleg territory can be dangerous." Nightheart stated. The group continued following the scent trail, the smell of fresh blood soon intermingling with it. They all picked up speed, hoping that the Clans cats were not in any sort of danger yet. The intensity of the scent trail quickly began to grow as they traveled deeper into the Twolegplace. The trail led them to a bramble thicket that they traveled around before needing to swerve through banks of ferns. Through an opening in the ferns, they saw a Twoleg den with a stone wall surrounding it.
"We're almost there." Asuna meowed as she passed through the ferns. Instead of going towards the den, the scent trail led downwards until they reached a hollow surrounded by gorse bushes. Without a word, Lucina ran past Asuna and made her way inside. She saw that the cats inside were all fighting. She saw Violetshine being pinned by a huge tom and ran towards her. With a quick jump, she knocked the tom off.
"Who are you?" He asked, but she didn't respond, Lucina immediately going on the offensive. The tom's strikes were random and uncoordinated, giving Lucina an easier time to deal with him. However, this was her first time being in any real combat as a cat, so some of his strikes landed, but she was surprised when she didn't feel any sort of pain. She tried her best to swiftly dodge his attacks and strike whenever an opening appeared. As she was fighting, she noticed Tawnypelt leap into the fight, knocking the tom down and assaulting him with quick blows. She leaped away from his range and watched as he fled the battle.
"Lucina…what are you doing here?" She wondered. Tawnypelt looked around and saw the other ThunderClan cats who were here as well. The battle quickly went in the Clan cats' favor as the rest of the cats escaped the hollow.
"Lucina, thanks for dealing with that tom." Violetshine thanked her. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Where's Rowanclaw?" She wondered. Lucina then looked over at the small pool at the bottom of the hollow, her blue eyes filled with horror. "No…" She approached the pool and saw Rowanclaw, blood flowing from a gash in his throat. "Oh Rowanclaw…I'm so sorry I couldn't get here sooner! I saw how you died, and…" Lucina was at a loss for words. She was granted the vision of his death, but she was too late to stop it from happening.
"Rowanclaw!" Tawnypelt ran to her mate's side. "Stay with me! Please!" She pleaded.
"I'm sorry…but this is how it must be…" He tried to catch his breath. "It's my fault that ShadowClan was destroyed…" He slowly reached a paw out towards Tawnypelt. "Don't worry…Tigerheart will return. I've…seen him in my dreams." The others now walked over to the pool, sorrow filling them at the sight of Rowanclaw.
"No…" Asuna wiped her eyes with a paw.
"Asuna…thank you for everything that you've done…for ShadowClan. I know that both you…and Lucina will help see to it that the Clans achieve the peace that we've…been looking for…" The tom's head slowly lowered, the blood from his wound stopping.
"Rowanclaw, please…you had nine lives." Tawnypelt cried. "You must come back…please!" The others all waited for a moment in hope that he would be revived, but he still laid lifeless in front of them.
"Tawnypelt…I'm so sorry. I just saw how he died while I was asleep. We tried to get here as fast as we could." Lucina apologized.
"It's not your fault, Lucina. It's no cat's fault other than Sleekwhisker and those rogues." She replied. "Without you and the other ThunderClan cats, our injuries might have been worse. You have our thanks."
"It's no trouble at all." Lionblaze meowed. "We can help bring him back to SkyClan for you all to sit vigil."
"We'd appreciate it." Violetshine said as she helped the golden tom carry Rowanclaw's fallen body. Once they left the hollow, Macgyver looking over at Tawnypelt.
"Tawnypelt…do you think you'll be able to lead ShadowClan now?" The she-cat shook her head.
"I can't…not after losing Rowanclaw. Without him…ShadowClan is dead."
When the cats arrived back in SkyClan's camp, they saw that the others still didn't return from RiverClan. Asuna walked over to Lucina and saw her injured ear.
"It doesn't sting, does it?" She asked the blue-gray she-cat.
"A little bit, but I'm sure I should've sustained more injuries." Lucina replied. "I guess I didn't realize my ear was cut after seeing Rowanclaw." She meowed.
"It's not your fault, Lucina. You just got the vision when you woke up. We had to walk so far just to reach the hollow." Asuna assured her. "Trust me…I know how blaming yourself for someone's death can feel…but Rowanstar's definitely wasn't your fault…unlike me with Briarlight…" Asuna swiped a paw down to retrieve some comfrey to make a poultice for her wound, but she saw that her interface from SAO didn't appear. "What?"
"Is something wrong?" Nightheart asked as she walked over to the two.
"I can't seem to open my inventory." She told her. "I'll treat it when…" Asuna stopped. "I mean…Alderheart can look over it when we get back to camp. I don't want to use Frecklewish's supplies without her permission." I guess my powers won't work anymore since I'm no longer a medicine cat. She realized. "Nightheart, you rarely got hurt while we were fighting, but you look like you did." The cream she-cat then looked over at Lucina. "Oh, that's why."
"Is something wrong?" Lucina wondered, the she-cat shaking her head.
"Remember those injuries you thought you should've had? Nightheart used her Geass to protect you, Lucina." She looked over at the violet-eyed she-cat and remembered one of the first things she told her when she arrived in the forest. Her blue gaze grew soft.
"Nightheart…you didn't need to do that."
"It's okay. I've been through worse. It doesn't hurt at all, really." She assured her. "I'm sorry that I didn't notice in time to protect your ear." Asuna let out a smile.
"She's sweet, isn't she?" A blush formed on the black she-cat's face. "At least you've been using it in a less life-threatening way than the first time. You have siblings to look after." The three heard Lionblaze suddenly call out to them.
"Hey, we gotta go!" Lionblaze told the she-cats. They walked over to where the other two toms were, Tawnypelt bowing her head in thanks.
"Thank you all for helping us. If possible…could you please not tell any cat about what happened? We'll share the news at the next Gathering."
"Sure."
"Thank you so much. May StarClan light your paths." The ThunderClan cats left SkyClan's camp, the five already prepared for any sort of questions they'd receive when they returned.
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When they returned back to camp, Squirrelflight quickly approached them. She let out a sigh of relief, but then noticed their injuries.
"What happened to you all? We were all worried about you."
"We were…practicing our fighting!" Stormcloud told her.
"Correct. Lionblaze may have gone a bit too far while we were, however." Lucina meowed.
"Hey!"
"We're sorry for causing any sort of distress." Nightheart apologized. Squirrelflight looked at them once more before shaking her head.
"No cats have ever gone out to practice their fighting moves for that long." She stated. "It has something to do with Rowanclaw, doesn't it?" The five looked at her in surprise, causing her to let out a small laugh. "You know how easily Lelouch can piece things together, Nightheart."
"Why does my father have to be the smartest Clan cat? I'm guessing the fact that I was gone motivated him a bit more to figure something out?" The deputy nodded. "Of course…"
"So…what happened? Was he over at RiverClan helping?" The cats each looked at each other, wondering what to say.
"We…can't say anything, Squirrelflight." Asuna told her.
"You'll have to." They heard Bramblestar meow as he approached. "I'll take it from here, Squirrelflight." The deputy nodded and left the leader alone with the five cats. "Those are definitely combat-related injuries, and I know you all weren't training." He stated. "What happened?" Lucina stepped forward, looking back at the others before facing Bramblestar.
"When I was sleeping…I spoke with Spottedleaf. She showed me where Rowanclaw would die. I tried to get to him in time to tell him…but I was too late. Today was the day of his death. I'm sorry, Bramblestar."
"Please just keep this between us. Tawnypelt told us not to tell any cat." Asuna told the leader.
"You have my word. Go get your injuries treated." As the group headed towards the medicine cat's den, Bramblestar stopped Lucina with his tail. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, Bramblestar."
"Are you sure? I can imagine that you're feeling exactly the same way Asuna was with Briarlight. You both believe you could've saved them…but sadly fate decided otherwise." Lucina blinked at the leader's words. Fate…Spottedleaf told me that sometimes fate is better left untouched. Could that mean that Rowanclaw's death was something not even I could have prevented? "Lucina?"
"Oh, I apologize. Your mention of fate reminded me of something Spottedleaf told me." She stated. "She said that sometimes fate is better left untouched. Maybe…Rowanclaw was meant to die…but I'm not sure why."
"I see. Let's hope that what you believe is right." The leader replied. "Do you have any idea about the other cat?" Lucina shook her head.
"Nothing yet…but I'm sure Spottedleaf will tell me soon." The leader nodded before looking over at the medicine cat's den.
"I should let you get going now before your ear gets infected." Lucina let out a small smile before walking over to the medicine cat's den. She saw that the others were busy getting their wounds tended to.
"Lucina, come over here." Jayfeather called the she-cat, her scent touching his nose once she entered the den. She walked over and stood in front of the blind tom. She stared at him for a while until he let out a growl. "I can't sniff out your injuries, you know."
"Oh, right! Sorry, Jayfeather!" She quickly apologized. "It's my left ear, that's all."
"Go easy on her. It's her first time in here." Lionblaze told his brother with a small laugh. Jayfeather scoffed and began to chew on a piece of comfrey.
"So…you ran into the rogues and some kittypets? Didn't think you'd actually be able to meet them." He meowed in between chews. He took the poultice in one paw and gently applied it to her injured ear.
"This is…definitely strange."
"Well you better get used to it if you get caught in another skirmish." Jayfeather walked away from the she-cat and returned with some cobwebs. He placed them around her wound. "Done. Anything else?"
"No. Thank you, Jayfeather." Lucina walked over to where Nightheart was, the she-cat being taken care of by Alderheart. "How is she?"
"She's okay. Just a few deep scratches, but nothing should be infected." He told her.
"You don't have to worry about me, Lucina."
"That still doesn't change the fact that those injuries should belong to me." Alderheart looked over at Nightheart.
"You used your Geass on her?" The black she-cat nodded. "Nightheart, just please try to not use it recklessly."
"I've barely used it after our incident with the rogues moons ago. I promise I won't put my life in danger from now on."
"Good. The fact that the rogues are still nearby might spell trouble eventually." He told her after applying one final cobweb to her cheek. "There. You might want to go see Lelouch and Ivypool."
"Were they worried about me?"
"I'm sure you know the answer to that." Alderheart said with a small laugh.
"Right. Did you want to come, Lucina?" The she-cat nodded and the two left the medicine cat's den. Once the other three cats left, Alderheart helped Jayfeather look through their herb storage.
"How was Asuna?" He heard the blind tom softly ask.
"She was okay. Only a few minor scratches. Leafpool easily took care of her." Alderheart replied.
"Good to know." Once he finished, Jayfeather walked over to his nest and rested down. "I bet she didn't even look at me while she was in here. She said it wasn't my fault that she stopped being a medicine cat, but I know she's just saying that."
"Jayfeather, Asuna's still hurt over Briarlight's death. She'll be back in here with us soon, hopefully." Leafpool meowed.
"Or not…and it's all because of the things I said to her."
"Well…you could always just apologize to her." Alderheart suggested.
"You think I haven't thought about that? There's nothing I could say that warrants any sort of forgiveness for what I said to her." He rested his head down on his forepaws. "I'll just give it some time."
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A week had passed ever since Rowanclaw had died. The cold air of leaf-bare slowly made its way into the forest. Snow would soon follow in the coming weeks. The moon had risen in the sky, most of the cats in camp ready to sleep.
"So…their eyes should be opening any day now. What are you both expecting?" Asuna asked Ivypool and Lelouch as she, Kirito, Suguha, Nightheart, and Lucina sat down with the two in the nursery.
"I'm hoping for blue eyes. If one of them inherits my eyes, who knows if they could have Geass or not." Lelouch answered. "That's only if for our kin Geass correlates with violet eyes. It's not a requirement to have Geass, so even with blue eyes they could be just as likely to have it."
"I hope that there's isn't as dangerous to use as Nightheart's if they do get it." Ivypool added. "I think Swiftkit might have blue eyes...but maybe she'll have violet eyes like her sister."
"Oh, so it could be a girls' only thing? That would be a bit funny considering that their father's the one with violet eyes." Suguha meowed. "Or maybe they'd both have violet eyes."
"It'd definitely be a signature of Lelouch's kin, that's for sure." Kirito said with a small laugh. "Hey, why don't we guess the power they'd have if they do get Geass?"
"I think we'd be stressing out father a bit." Nightheart told the tom. "Lucina, what do you think?"
"Me? Hmm…I think they'd look adorable either way, but it isn't guaranteed that they have blue or violet eyes, right?"
"It's possible. I'd be fine with any eye color, to be honest." Ivypool stated before letting out a yawn.
"Oh, it looks like someone's a bit tired." Asuna said with a smile. "We'll let you get some sleep."
"Thank you. I'm sure Swiftkit and Foxkit can't wait to play with you all when the time comes."
"Then it's back to train duty for someone." Suguha looked over at her cousin with a grin.
"At least it's only two kits. Four kits is too much." He replied. "Maybe I'll get Noct to do it instead."
"Don't forget about their father, now." Lucina added. "I'm sure he's the most eager." The violet-eyed tom looked away from the others in embarrassment.
"Alright, let's go everyone." Asuna led the others outside, Nightheart saying goodnight to her parents before she joined them. As they headed towards the warriors' den, they saw Alderheart sharing a vole with Velvet. One of Fuzzball and Velvet's friends, Ajax, had come to camp to tell the two that their owners had returned and that their homes were finally repaired after the fire. When they entered the den and rested down on their nests, Kirito nudged his cousin with a paw.
"You're not…jealous, are you?"
"M-Me? About Alderheart and Velvet?" She stammered, a slight blush on her face. "Why would I be? They look cute together."
"I dunno, Sugu. Alderheart hasn't been spending much time with you ever since she came to ThunderClan. If anything…ow!" He stopped when Asuna gave him a slight scratch with a claw.
"Stop teasing her!" She whispered to not wake any of the cats in the den.
"Okay, okay, sorry!" He quickly apologized. He then saw his cousin shifting her paws, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Sugu, I didn't know, really."
"No, it's okay, Kazuto." She let out a sigh. "It's not that I'm jealous because he likes her. It's more like I rarely spend time with him. I don't know, it's just complicated."
"Maybe you can talk with him about it tomorrow. Alderheart's very understanding, after all." Lucina stated.
"Right. I'm sure he'd appreciate it, too." Nightheart added. "Do you think that…you might be starting to have feelings for him now?"
"N-No! I know we can't be together even if I did. I just miss being the cat he'd come to talk to from time to time."
"I guess it doesn't run in the family then? Liking Clan cats, that is." Nightheart meowed, Kirito's eyes looking around in embarrassment.
"Nightheart making a joke about her and Kirito without getting embarrassed? I never thought I'd see the day." Asuna said with a small laugh. "I guess she's finally moved on, Kirito, but it doesn't look like you have."
"W-What? Of course I have! It just took me by surprise to hear Nightheart being the one to say something like that."
"Hey…do you mind? Some cats are…trying to sleep." They heard Noctis meow, the tom muttering in his tired state.
"Sorry, Noctis." Nightheart apologized. "We should all get to sleep as well."
"Right. I don't want to still be sleeping and miss Twigpaw's warrior ceremony." Kirito stated.
"Of course you'd be the only one able to do that, Kazuto." Suguha teased.
"She has a point." Asuna added.
"Geez, when did this turn into 'attack Kirito' time?" He said with a sigh. "I'm gonna sleep before any of you say anything else." The others shared a quick laugh before curling into their bedding and drifting off to sleep.
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Lucina's eyes shot open as she awoke from her slumber. I must be dreaming again. She thought as she saw that she was no longer in the warriors' den. Instead, she was in the middle of a forest, the sky a dark void with a few speckles of stars above her. Her body shivered as a gust of wind passed by her. Frost formed on the grass and trees around her due to the cold climate. This doesn't look like the forested area where I spoke with Spottedleaf. She realized. But then…where am I? Lucina began to walk through the forest, keeping her senses keen in hope that they'd eventually lead her to somewhere, or someone.
As she traveled deeper through the unknown territory, a cry rang out. That sounded like…an owl. Perhaps it's found something. Curious, she turned towards the direction of the sound and began to walk.
"Hide!" She heard a voice call out. It was close. Picking up her stride, she passed an abundance of trees and shrubs until she reached what appeared to be a small camp. Right outside of it, she saw two cats who seemed to be fending off the attacking owl. One was a dark tabby tom, and the other was a pale-gray she-cat.
"Look out!" Lucina called out as she ran towards one of them. They avoided the owl's attack, but she noticed that the owl didn't aim for her, and the two cats didn't seem to notice her either. Right, this is just a dream…but I can't just spectate and do nothing. Suddenly, Lucina's heart stopped and she gazed at the tom. As she watched the two fight, she realized what was going on. The only time I've dreamed was to see the two cats who have died. He's…the second cat in my vision! She broke away from her thoughts as she watched the owl pick up the dark tabby cat, puncturing his flanks with its sharp talons. Along with the she-cat, Lucina watched in horror as the owl flew above the trees with the cat. The sudden cry of the other cats in the camp came out as they watched in fear at the unimaginable sight.
Lucina's blue eyes widened moments later as she watched the tom fall from the owl's talons, his body battered by the branches he collided with as he descended. She ran over to the tom's body along with the others and when she walked over to him, a sense of dread shook Lucina to her core. The first image she saw when Spottedleaf brought her to the Clans flashed before her eyes. This was the second cat, the one who laid lifeless right next to Rowanstar. She took another glimpse at the tom before her surroundings faded to black. Instead of falling asleep, she watched as the world shifted around her.
The sun shone above in the sky, the same frigid air still blowing past Lucina's fur as she looked around. In front of her were the group of unknown cats, the fallen tom being carried by them. She followed behind them as they approached an uphill slope. When they reached the top, Lucina could see the lake in the middle of the Clans. She looked down the slope and realized that she was in WindClan's moorland territory. To the right was the forests of ThunderClan and SkyClan.
"Tigerheart, look." The pale gray she-cat meowed. Lucina's eyes widened and she looked over at the fallen cat. This cat…is Tigerheart? Lucina watched as the world around her again faded away, the she-cat now realizing how dire her vision was.
Lucina's blue eyes opened as she woke up from her sleep. She saw the darkness of night outside of the warriors' den. Every cat in the Clan was still asleep. I have to leave right now! If that cat is Tigerheart, he needs to return alive or else there might not ever be five Clans again! Slowly, Lucina rose from her bedding and cautiously stepped over the other cats in the den. Once she was out and in the heart of camp, she raced towards the exit. Gods, please let me save his life. If I don't, I'll have failed my mission…and the Clans as well.
The sky above Lucina slowly began to illuminate as the sun began to rise. She had already leaped over the stream between WindClan and ThunderClan, the blue-gray she-cat now traveling across the moorland of WindClan. We were at the top of the hills in my dream, so they must be just behind WindClan's territory. Lucina told herself as she ran towards the eastern part of the territory. Dawn had only just arrived, so there were no WindClan patrols out yet, which eased her trespassing.
Once Lucina trailed up the hill, she turned back and looked towards the lake and the Clan territories around it. Yes, this is the exact spot where I saw them. Now I just head backwards and hope for the best. The she-cat had no idea where the other cats and Tigerheart were. There was no telling which route they took to reach this point. The cold air reminiscent of the one in her dream blew past her. They had a group of kits with them as well. I can't imagine how long this journey must have been for them.
As Lucina walked through the unknown territory, she tasted the air, trying her best to pick out any foreign scents to her. Nothing. I know that I wish to save Tigerheart, but what if I get lost on my way and can't return to ThunderClan? How can I help bring the future of peace to the Clans? Lucina felt herself hesitate. Like before, Spottedleaf's words rang in her head. Sometimes fate is better left untouched… If Rowanclaw's death possibly was meant to happen…could the same be said for Tigerheart? No, it can't be. He has to lead ShadowClan, and I have to save him from that owl.
The sun had finally fully risen in the sky. Lucina felt like she was walking forever, the she-cat ignoring any sense of starvation or thirst and pressing forward. She knew that saving Tigerheart mattered more than anything. Her own health took second to that. Lucina's ears suddenly twitched when she heard the sound of rustling grass nearby. She quickly tasted the air. Mouse. I know I shouldn't…but… She felt her stomach growl, causing her to sigh. Fine, one mouse, and that's it. Lucina slowly turned in the direction of the mouse and slowly began to creep towards it, entering the tall grass. Once she was close enough, she got into a hunter's crouch and quickly leaped forward, giving it a quick death blow, the prey now lying at her paws. She left the long grass and rested down, ready to eat.
"Hey!" Lucina looked up at the sound of a young tom's voice. Three unfamiliar scents now touched her nose, and they seemed to be in front of her. I must have been too hungry to catch any scent other than this mouse.
"Excuse me." Lucina watched as a brown tabby she-cat with white paws left the patch of tall grass, followed by two other cats. Hold on…I've seen these cats before. She realized. "We were wondering if we could have that mouse you just caught. Blaze was tracking it, and we really need it."
"Cinnamon, don't worry about it. We can find another one." The brown-and-black tom told her.
"What? Ant, we need whatever we can and as fast as we can!" The younger white and ginger tom protested. "The kits and Tigerheart need something to eat!" Yes! They're cats from my vision!
"I don't mind giving this mouse to you." Lucina told them. "Tigerheart…is he alright? I know I might sound crazy, but did the owl attack him already?" The three cats looked at Lucina in astonishment.
"How…did you know about that?" The she-cat asked.
"Have you been following us?" The older tom wondered. Lucina realized that just like before, she was too late to save the life of the cat she knew would die.
"Oh gods…I failed to save him…just like his father."
"Save him? You sound like you knew this was going to happen." Cinnamon stated. "Do you know him?"
"I've never met him…but just last night I dreamed about the owl carrying him and dropping him." She replied. "Wait…you said that Tigerheart needed something to eat." She looked over at Blaze. "So he's still alive?"
"Yes…but I think he's barely hanging on." The she-cat meowed. "We can take you to see him."
"Please." The other three cats led the way until they reached a small pool of water. Near the edge she saw Tigerheart, along with the pale gray she-cat and three kits. Another she-cat and presumably her kits were nearby as well. Lucina broke away from the group and ran over to where Tigerheart was. The she-cat got up defensively in front of the tom. They were most likely mates. "Is he okay?" The she-cat returned to a normal posture at Lucina's gentle, worried voice.
"Are you…not from this world?" The she-cat asked.
"Was it the tiara that gave it away?" Lucina meowed.
"That and your eye reminds me of something one of my friends has." She meowed.
"Dovewing!" Blaze ran over and dropped the mouse down. "This is for Tigerheart. She actually caught it, but was nice enough to give it to us." He told her before going back out to hunt again.
"Really?" Dovewing looked over at the blue-gray she-cat. "Just who are you?"
"My name is Lucina. I'm here because I wanted to save Tigerheart…but it seems that I was too late." She looked over at the tom, sorrow in her eyes. "I'm…so sorry, Tigerheart."
"You wanted to save him?" Dovewing asked. "From the owl?"
"I was given the vision last night. Tigerheart's death has been…"
"He's not dying!" The pale-gray she-cat insisted. "He's going to be okay." Lucina saw her look over at the kits, her heart feeling heavy as she realized how much she just worried them.
"W-What I meant to say was that…I was given the vision of the incident with Tigerheart before I was even brought to this world. It was only last night that I saw how it happened." As she listened to her speak, Dovewing began to tear the mouse into pieces, pushing some towards Tigerheart.
"Share it with the kits…they like mouse."
"You have to eat, too." She insisted as she chewed a piece up for him. She took it from between her teeth and pushed it towards his mouth, the tom finally eating. She looked over at Lucina. "You said you were supposed to save Tigerheart and that you were given the vision last night?"
"Correct."
"There's no way you could've helped us fight the owl, then. The incident happened two days ago."
"What?" Lucina meowed in disbelief. Why would Spottedleaf grant me with a vision if I wasn't able to help at all? Does this mean that this was the fate I wasn't supposed to change? But then…why bring me to this world with a horrid vision of a dying cat? "I'm sorry, Dovewing. I'm just…perplexed by this all."
"It definitely sounds like it." She looked back at Tigerheart and saw his eyes slowly beginning to close. "Tigerheart, no! You have to stay awake!" Dovewing moved closer to the tom. "Remember during the time of the Dark Forest when we'd meet at the ShadowClan border."
"Y-Yeah. You were…such a…goody-four-paws." He responded with a faint smile before his eyes slowly closed.
"Tigerheart!" Dovewing shook the tom. His breathing was very slow, the tom only drifting off to sleep.
"Maybe it's best to let him rest for now, at least." Lucina suggested. "His injuries must have been horrible."
"The kits!" Dovewing told her with a whisper.
"Oh, I apologize!" She quickly stammered, looking over at the three. They're so young. To lose their father this soon… "Dovewing, you're from ThunderClan, correct?"
"Yes. I'm guessing that you've been living with the Clans?" Lucina nodded.
"Your Clan took me in with open paws."
"That doesn't surprise me. All cats from other worlds usually end up in ThunderClan for some reason." Her green gaze grew soft. "How's Ivypool?"
"Right, you're sisters." The blue-gray she-cat remembered. "She's doing great. Her kits arrived a week ago. One tom and a she-cat: Foxkit and Swiftkit."
"That's great! How'd Nightheart react?"
"She was overjoyed. I'm sure she can't wait to show them around the forest."
"And Lelouch?"
"He loves them." Dovewing looked over at the tom kit.
"So Shadowkit's vision was of Ivypool, then." Lucina saw the three kits slowly walking over to Dovewing. "I should introduce you to these three. This is Shadowkit, Lightkit, and Pouncekit.
"They're really cute." The three kits didn't seem talkative, most likely due to their father's critical condition.
"Shadowkit said he saw her with kits…but that was a vision moons ago while we were in the city." Is it possible that he could see the future? She noticed Shadowkit's gaze touch hers for a while.
"I've…seen her before." The dark gray striped tom meowed.
"Really?" Dovewing looked at her son in surprise and then back at Lucina. "Have you seen him before, Lucina?" She shook her head.
"Never." She looked over at Shadowkit. "Do you mind telling me where you've seen me before?"
"It was in a vision. I was looking down at the lake and I saw a cat running across the moorland. I was able to get a closer look…but I didn't think that cat was important."
"You must have been watching me as I left ThunderClan and made my way through WindClan." Lucina stated. "Why would you be given a vision of me?"
"I don't think it was specifically of you." Dovewing meowed. "Shadowkit says that he's seen the Clan territories from above, but no cat has told him what they even look like." She looked over at her son. "Is that what it was?"
"I think so."
"You must be a very special kit then." Lucina told him with a kind smile before looking over at Dovewing. "I may have been late to save Tigerheart, but I do know the way back to the Clans. I'd be more than honored to lead your group back home."
"We'd appreciate it. Thank you, Lucina." Dovewing meowed. "It's just over those hills, right?" Lucina turned around and saw the hills marking WindClan's territory far in the distance. She nodded. "Thank StarClan. We're almost home."
Once the rest of the cats who were out returned, Lucina was introduced to the others. She was happy to find out that Slatefur, Cloverfoot, Berryheart, and Sparrowtail were ShadowClan cats who were finally returning home, and that Ant, Blaze, and Cinnamon were coming along with them. ShadowClan may be gaining more members…but without Tigerheart… Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Tigerheart begin gasping for air. She ran over to his side, along with Dovewing and the others.
"I…can't breathe." He gasped. The others watched in horror, Berryheart doing her best to shield her kits. "ShadowClan…must survive." He stated, looking over at Slatefur before turning his gaze towards Dovewing. "Take the kits…to ThunderClan."
"I won't…not without you. Please don't die, Tigerheart…not after everything we've done." The she-cat cried. His amber eyes looked at the cats around him one final time before slowly closing. "No…this can't happen, it can't!"
"Dovewing…I'm sorry." Lucina apologized.
"What do we do now?" Blaze wondered.
"We have to bring him back to ShadowClan." Dovewing stated. "We're not leaving him here…not after we made it this far." Dovewing looked over at Ant, Sparrowtail, and Slatefur. "Can you three help me carry him until we get home?" They nodded and carefully placed the fallen tom on their backs. She then looked over at Lucina. "Please, lead the way."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Lucina! Lucina!" Nightheart called out as she walked through the forest along with Asuna, Fernsong, and Molewhisker. When she woke up this morning, Nightheart saw no sign of the blue-gray she-cat.
"We have to keep it a bit quiet at least, Nightheart. Twigpaw and Finpaw are in the middle of their warrior assessment." Molewhisker told her.
"Sorry, Molewhisker." She apologized.
"It's alright. I know how close you are with her." He meowed, placing his tail on her shoulder. "The only thing is…we have no idea where she is. There's no scent trail to follow."
"He's right. Wherever Lucina went, she had to have left pretty early." Fernsong added.
"But where could she have gone?" Asuna wondered. "If this does have to do with the second cat Lucina says she saw died, then the only cat who could possibly know where she went is Lucina herself."
"I guess you're right." Nightheart let out a sigh. "I'm sorry for bringing you three out here for nothing. You're the third group whose time I've wasted today…"
"Hey, don't worry about it." Molewhisker assured her. "I can't remember the last time I've actually been out in the forest ever since I've been sick, so it's good to be out here." The violet-eyed she-cat let out a small smile.
"We care about Lucina, too, Nightheart. All the cats who you've asked to help you look for her don't mind one bit." Asuna assured her. "We can still try looking for her if you'd like?" The she-cat shook her head.
"No, I'm sure that she's okay out there. Without any leads, there isn't much we can do." She replied. "Let's get to camp before Finpaw and Twigpaw's warrior assessment is done."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Lucina and the others finally felt relief once they crossed over the stream between WindClan and ThunderClan, the sun beginning to set. SkyClan's camp was still a small travel away.
"How is everyone feeling?" She asked the others as they stopped walking.
"We're okay. Let's keep going." Berryheart meowed. "You said SkyClan's territory is between ThunderClan and ShadowClan?"
"Correct."
"We can take the lead from here, Lucina. Thank you for leading us this far." Dovewing meowed, the cats carrying Tigerheart moving up to the front of the group as they made their way towards SkyClan.
Lucina took a spot behind the group alongside Dovewing's kits. As they were walking, Lucina felt a small body bump into her. She saw that it was Shadowkit. "Oh, hello, Shadowkit. Is something wrong?"
"I…I think Tigerheart's still alive."
"You do?"
"Yes. I had a dream and I remember playing moss ball with him in a place not far from here." He told the she-cat. "I know it was real, too. I'm sure he's alive."
"Really? Have you told the others about this?" He shook his head.
"I don't want to raise their hopes if I'm wrong. You've had visions like me, so…I thought you'd understand."
"I understand wholeheartedly, Shadowkit, don't worry." She assured him. "Back in my world, I lived in a timeline where my parents had both died, but I was given the chance to save them. I know how horrible it must feel for your father to be gone right now, so I really hope your vision is real like you say." She meowed. "StarClan must have plans for you. Your fate must be important."
"As important as you and the other cats from outside the Clans that my parents told me about?"
"Maybe even more." The tom let out a smile, one of the first Lucina had seen ever since Tigerheart had died. I know I've been gone for most of the day, but it feels longer than that. The she-cat thought as she walked through the forests of ThunderClan. I have to apologize to them when I return. I hope they weren't too worried about me. As they crossed the border between the two Clans, their noses were filled with SkyClan scent. They walked for a few more minutes until they finally reached the SkyClan camp. The eyes of every SkyClan cat locked onto the group once they entered the heart of the camp.
"What in the name of StarClan is going on here?" Leafstar asked as she approached the group. "Lucina! There you are! ThunderClan has been worried about you. They had sent a patrol telling us that you were missing." Her gaze now turned over towards the cats carrying Tigerheart. "Is that Tigerheart? Is he okay?"
"What?" Lucina saw that it was Tawnypelt, the she-cat's eyes widening in horror at the sight of her last living kit. "Tigerheart…oh no…StarClan please, no!" Now, the rest of the ShadowClan cats who were now a part of SkyClan walked over to the group.
"Tawnypelt…Tigerheart was the other cat in my vision. I saw how he died, but it was impossible for me to do anything."
"You couldn't save either one of them?" Tawnypelt meowed in disbelief.
"It's not Lucina's fault. The incident happened before she even had the vision." Dovewing told her.
"If Tigerheart is dead, then why did you bring him here?" The SkyClan leader questioned.
"We don't want to lose him. We worked so hard to make it here." Blaze stated. Tawnypelt looked over at Blaze and the other non-Clan cats, curious as to why they were with the group.
"There has to be something we can do. Without Tigerheart…ShadowClan will be no more." She looked over at the medicine cat's den. "Puddleshine!" The she-cat called out. The ShadowClan medicine cat walked out of the den, his eyes immediately filled with horror at the sight of Tigerheart.
"Is he…dead?"
"Yes…but there has to be something we can do to bring him back." Tawnypelt meowed "Please, Puddleshine. Is there anything we can do?"
"Well, there's nothing medicine-wise, but maybe we can bring him to the Moonpool so he can speak with StarClan. I don't know if it's possible, but it's our only option."
"Okay, let's go."
"We're all going with you. We need to be there if this all works out." Scorchfur stated. "ShadowClan…it may finally return after all."
"Now hold on…" Leafstar meowed.
"You have to, Leafstar, please." Lucina meowed. "StarClan has wanted there to be five Clans, and this may be the only chance we have to fulfill their wish." The SkyClan leader hesitated before letting out a sigh.
"Very well. Frecklewish and I will go along with them as well. Lucina, we'll go with everyone. Can you tell Hawkwing to meet us there? He's attending Twigpaw and Finpaw's warrior ceremony with Violetshine."
"Yes, Leafstar." Lucina and the group of cats left together, Lucina branching off from them when they crossed the border with ThunderClan. She broke into a quick run as she followed the route back to camp.
"Lucina?" As she made her way back to camp, she heard a voice. She turned around and saw that it was Brightheart. "It is you! Where in the name of StarClan have you been? We were all starting to worry."
"I'm so sorry, Brightheart. It was an emergency."
"I had a feeling I caught your scent while I was out here. You were coming from SkyClan territory. Did they do something to you?" She shook her head.
"I was following a vision I was given while I was sleeping. I need to get Hawkwing now."
"I'll go back to camp with you. Finding you out here is a major discovery, after all."
As they were walking, Lucina looked over at Brightheart. "Was Nightheart worried about me?"
"She was the most worried. She took three patrols around in search for you." Of course. She's the sweetest cat in ThunderClan. I have to apologize to her the most. "She didn't want to give up, but we didn't have any way to track you."
"I did leave early this morning, so that must be why." Lucina meowed. "Everyone's still okay, right?" She nodded. "Thank the gods. I didn't want my absence causing cats to get hurt looking for me."
The two cats crossed through the thorn tunnel leading into camp and when they arrived, every cat stopped when they saw Lucina.
"Lucina!" Nightheart broke through the crowd and ran over to her. "Where in the name of StarClan did you go?!"
"I'm sorry for worrying you, Nightheart. I saw who the other cat that died in my vision was." She meowed. "It was…Tigerheart."
"Is Dovewing with him?" Ivypool asked, worry in her meow.
"She's okay…but as for Tigerheart…"
"No…don't tell me…" Asuna slowly walked over to the she-cat. "Is he…dead?" Lucina shook her head.
"It seems that way…for now, at least." The cats around looked at each other, the she-cat's statement a bit vague. Her blue gaze looked around for Hawkwing. "Hawkwing, Leafstar needs you at the Moonpool."
"Moonpool?"
"That's where Tigerheart and the others are going now." She told him. Without another word, Hawkwing left camp, followed by Violetshine. Asuna followed them as well.
"Bramblestar, I might be able to help them. I need to go with them." Alderheart told his father.
"Very well. Lucina will help escort you." The she-cat nodded before they both left camp, following the trail of the three cats who had just left before them.
"So…Tigerheart was the other cat you saw in your vision? They must have been close by if you're back already."
"I found them just over the hills of WindClan. However…the vision I had was different from the one concerning Rowanclaw. With Rowanclaw, my vision was of the future, but I was too late to save him, but when it came to Tigerheart…it was in the past. He was injured by an incident with an owl, but I was told that happened two days ago."
"So there was no way you could have saved him." Alderheart stated. "But then why would Spottedleaf show you his death?"
"I'm not sure. They're both connected by being father and son, but…I think one of them was meant to die, and it's not Tigerheart."
"But…you just said he was dead."
"I know, but one of Dovewing's kits says that he's had visions of him playing with Tigerheart and his siblings. He sounds confident in it, too, and I believe him. Not only that, but the last time I spoke with Spottedleaf, she told me that sometimes it's best for fate to be left alone." She replied. "I'm sure it has to do with Rowanclaw and Tigerheart."
"So…your guess that one of them was meant to die could be correct, but…this is all so confusing." Alderheart said, letting out a sigh. "You said one of Tigerheart's kits had a vision? Is there anything else he's seen?"
"He said that he saw the lake from the sky in a vision, and yet he only set his first few pawsteps on this land today."
"Really?" Alderheart was surprised at what Lucina had told him. "It sounds like StarClan has blessed him, and at such a young age, too. It could be possible that his vision of Tigerheart being alive is true…but how?"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
When the group of cats arrived at the Moonpool, Puddleshine ordered for them to place Tigerheart at the edge of the water, slightly allowing for his nose to break the water's calm surface. Puddleshine waited alongside Asuna and Alderheart, while the other cats waited outside of the hollow.
"Tigerheart…please don't be dead…please." Asuna softly prayed, her hazel eyes softly glistening.
"Asuna, can you use your powers to check if he's still alive?" Puddleshine wondered. Alderheart shook his head.
"She hasn't be able to use any of her skills ever since she stepped down as a medicine cat."
"You did? Why?" The tom wondered. The dark ginger tom walked over to him.
"Briarlight died a while ago. She blames herself for her death." He whispered.
"Oh…I'm sorry to hear that, Asuna."
"It's for the best." She replied. "I guess I really shouldn't be here with you two now, right?" The two medicine cats looked at each other, wondering how to answer her. "It's okay. I'm so used to being here that I forgot that I'm no longer part medicine cat."
"I mean…you're in here already. You can stay with us if you want." Alderheart insisted, the cream she-cat shaking her head.
"It's okay. Just make sure to watch over Tigerheart." She meowed before walking up the slope leaving the Moonpool. Outside, she saw all the other cats sitting down, waiting for any news.
"Is Tigerheart okay?" Dovewing asked her as she approached. She was sitting beside her kits and Lucina.
"I'm not sure yet. I hope he is, for your sake, Dovewing." She looked over at the three kits and let out a soft smile. "And these three as well." The kits all looked over at the hazel-eyed she-cat.
"You three, this is Asuna. She's one of the cats not from this world." She told them. "Asuna, this is Shadowkit, Lightkit, and Pouncekit."
"Oh, she's the one who helped Tigerheart, right?" Lightkit mewed, Dovewing nodding her head. "Thank you for helping our parents be together." Asuna's gaze grew soft.
"You're welcome. I was glad to help them in any way possible. You'll need to thank your uncle Lelouch for helping your mother, too."
"Hopefully Bramblestar would at least let me allow them to visit." Dovewing stated.
"I'm sure he will, Dovewing." Lucina meowed. She looked over at Shadowkit. "Shadowkit, Asuna's had visions like you before. Would you like to tell her what you've seen?"
"He's had visions already? But he's only a kit." The cream she-cat meowed in surprise. "Shadowkit, do you mind sharing what you've seen with me?" The gray kit nodded.
"It's about Tigerheart. I know he's not dead, I'm sure of it." He told her. "I had a dream of me and my siblings playing moss ball with him somewhere close by here. It was in a big hollow surrounded by pine trees. There were bushes and boulders at the top. At the bottom there were ferns and bramble thickets. I know I lived there with Dovewing, Pouncekit, and Lightkit." Asuna looked over at Dovewing.
"That sounds exactly like ShadowClan. Did you tell him anything about it?" The she-cat shook her head.
"Maybe Tigerheart did, but even so…the way he's describing it is as if he's been there before."
"Right…so maybe he really is alive after all!" Hope filled Asuna at the news.
"I hope he's right."
"I'm sure of it. Vivid visions like that happened to me when I was still a medicine cat."
"You're not a medicine cat anymore?" The green-eyed she-cat asked, Asuna nodding her head.
"While you were gone, there was a belly sickness spreading around camp. Briarlight fell ill…and I failed to help her. Ever since then I've been a warrior. I can't even use my powers anymore." The cream she-cat swiped a paw down to show her that no menu screen appeared. "But it's okay. They wouldn't really be much use to me now." Dovewing's gaze fell to her paws.
"Briarlight was always so happy. I wish I could've said goodbye to her." Dovewing said. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that, Asuna. You're an amazing medicine cat, though. You were given your powers for a reason, after all."
"You and every other cat says the same thing." Asuna let out a sigh. "Maybe I'll return to the medicine cat's den someday…but not any time soon."
Hours passed by as the group of cats at the Moonpool waited. The sun had finally gone down, the moon and stars above taking it's place in the dark sky. Lucina could tell that the other cats were losing hope now. She looked over at Shadowkit, the small gray tom still looking as confident as he did before. He believes that Tigerheart is still alive, so I should do the same. She broke away from her thoughts when she heard rustling from the bushes that surrounded the hollow of the Moonpool. It was Alderheart and Puddleshine, their eyes wide and their fur bristled in shock. The two cats stepped aside as the bushes again began to shake, this time, a dark tabby walking out. Lucina's blue gaze glistened when she realized the cat was Tigerheart. Oh thank the gods.
Tigerheart leaped from the rocky path leading to the Moonpool and stood in the middle of the ShadowClan cats. Yowls of adoration filled the area as they saw the spectacle that was their once fallen Clanmate now standing in front of them, alive and well. Dovewing quickly broke through the group and approached her mate, her kits quickly following behind.
"You're…alive!" She pressed her head onto his chestfur, letting out a loving purr.
"I didn't worry you, did I?" He asked, letting out a small chuckle. Tigerheart turned his attention to his kits. "You've been brave, all of you." He looked up and saw that Asuna had followed Dovewing as she moved through the crowd, her hazel eyes shining with tears. "Asuna? What are you doing here?"
"I heard that you died and was worried about you! Is that really all you can say?!" She yelled, the tom noticing her unsheathe her claws.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" He quickly apologized, letting out a small laugh. He looked out towards his Clanmates. "You all…I left you, but now I've returned with new cats who can make our Clan strong again. Please accept them as you do me. Give them your loyalty as I have given you mine. I'm now ready to lead you." The ShadowClan cats all looked at each other, before Juniperclaw let out a cheer.
"Tigerstar!" Once the other ShadowClan cats realized what had happened, they joined in the clamor, chanting the name of their new leader. Once the uproar died out, Tawnypelt walked over to her son.
"Tigerstar…please tell us what happened."
"StarClan brought him back and gave him his nine lives." Puddleshine explained.
"It was like nothing I've experienced before. I was in StarClan, but what happened after that surprised me. I was…transported to a different place. Rowanclaw was there, and so was Dawnpelt and so many more cats. He told me that I would be sent back to lead my Clan, and then he gave me my nine lives." Leafstar looked over at the ShadowClan medicine cats.
"I'm not going to cross the will of StarClan." She meowed. "However, I'm tired of ShadowClan cats treating our camp like a temporary abode. RiverClan has left your territory, so now you are free to move back. From now on, ShadowClan needs to stay off of our territory, and we will make sure of it." Tigerstar dipped his head to the SkyClan leader.
"You're right, Leafstar. It is time for ShadowClan to return home." With his tail, he motioned his comrades to follow him down the steep moorland. As he was about to pass by Lucina, Tigerstar stopped.
"Lucina…my father gives you his thanks. You may have failed to save him, but if you didn't, I wouldn't be here leading my Clan now. Thanks to you, ShadowClan can thrive again, and I'm ready to take responsibility for it all." The blue-gray she-cat let out a hopeful smile.
"I know I've barely gotten to know you, but I'm sure you'll be an impeccable leader, Tigerstar." The ShadowClan leader gave her a nod of thanks before walking past her, the other ShadowClan cats bowing at the she-cat as they passed by, but she shook her head, their praise almost too much for her. Once they passed, she joined Asuna and Alderheart at the slope of the Moonpool.
"Dovewing!" Alderheart called out as the she-cat and her kits followed the group. "Aren't you coming back to ThunderClan?" The she-cat's green eyes were solemn.
"I'm sorry, but I belong with Tigerstar. I've chosen my mate and kits over ThunderClan." She told him. Next to him, Asuna noticed the tom's claw unsheathe. Alderheart…
"But…we were all worried about you! We thought you were dead!" He retorted. "Ivypool especially will want to see you. She has kits, too!" Dovewing hesitated for a moment before catching up with Tigerstar to talk with him. After they talked, she bounded back to them.
"I'll visit ThunderClan before I go to ShadowClan. I just hope they're willing to see me."
"I'm sure they will, just like Lucina told you earlier." Asuna assured her. "You'll be fine, I promise." There was still a hint of fear in the she-cat's eyes, but once it left, she dipped her head.
"Okay. Come on kits, let's go."
