Chapter 20

The battle was over. Cats gathered the bodies of their Clanmates while Flarepelt and Swampfoot received their nine lives. Repairs were already being made to the dens that had been torn apart in the battle. Tension was still high between the Clans. LeafClan cats avoided DayClan cats.

Icepaw sat as far away as she could from the large group. She wasn't sure what to make of it all.

Her mother was safe. Her mentor was safe. Her Clanmates, though battered, were safe. Fallenstar had paid the price for his refusal to forgive. In a way Icepaw was thankful she had put the past behind her. But she still couldn't forgive the Clans for what they had done. And she couldn't forgive her mother for not fighting from the start.

"Are you okay?" Bramblepaw's voice brought her back to reality.

She looked to the side and saw that he was sitting nearby, tail wrapped neatly around his paws. Bramblepaw looked different. Icepaw wasn't sure how to describe how he had changed. But for once he wasn't goofing off or making a fool of himself in front of everyone.

"I'm fine," she murmured.

"Everything is going to be different now, isn't it?" Again Bramblepaw had asked a question Icepaw never thought about.

I'm not even sure what I should say to that, she thought. He was right - everything would be different. DayClan seemed to accept LeafClan just fine. And the NightClan cats that had arrived were accepting of LeafClan as well.

"Icepaw, I am so happy to see you again." Icepaw flinched when she recognized her mother's voice. Rosefall refused to visit Whiteclaw's body after it was cleaned off. Icepaw didn't blame her. She knew the pair had never gotten along even when she was just a kit. "To think that you can live with us again..." Rosefall broke off as she stared at the clearing ahead.

"What do you mean by us?" Icepaw demanded.

"Seawhisker has agreed to join DayClan," Rosefall explained. She looked down at Icepaw, and she didn't miss the look of hope in her mother's eyes. "I was... hoping you could join us," she admitted after a few heartbeats had passed.

Almost at once a seething anger surged through Icepaw. She glared at Rosefall with all the coldness she could muster. Her mother flinched when she realized that this was getting them nowhere.

"Join you? Why in StarClan's name would I join you?" Her voice was filled with hatred as she held her mother's shocked expression. "You've never done anything for me! And I can't ever forgive you for what you've done to me!"

Rosefall looked taken aback by Icepaw's sudden outburst. An awkward silence had filled the clearing as cats turned to look at her. Icepaw didn't care if she was making a scene. All that mattered was getting a point across.

Eventually Rosefall simply bowed her head and left Icepaw to herself. Icepaw finally saw the look in her mother's eyes and saw nothing but sadness. Seawhisker sat beside her, tail swishing from side to side as if nothing had happened.

"That was harsh," Bramblepaw sniffed after the awkward moment had ended.

"Would you forgive your mother?" Icepaw shot back.

She remembered the way his mother had treated him. His mother had been harsh and cold towards him. It seemed like she wanted nothing to do with kits. Icepaw wondered why she even bothered having a son in the first place.

"I don't know," Bramblepaw replied with a shrug. "I guess if she was nice enough to me I would."

Icepaw stared at him in surprise before shaking her head. Maybe he didn't remember the way his mother had treated him. Maybe that was why he was always so happy.

She was saved from her thoughts when Flarepelt and Swampfoot returned. It was close to dusk by the time they had gotten back, and they both looked exhausted. DayClan's medicine cat Heatherstorm was with them just as Birchpaw, her apprentice, bounded towards them.

"You got your nine lives?" he asked.

"Birchpaw, you know better than to ask a leader what their ceremony was like," Heatherstorm scolded him.

Birchpaw's tail lowered in disappointment before he stalked away.

"Now that I am leader there is a ceremony that is long overdue," Flarestar meowed after they reached the clearing. "Two apprentices that are here are ready for their warrior names." She glanced at Swampstar as if to gain his permission. The dark brown tabby simply nodded before she continued,"I, Flarestar, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon these apprentices. They have learned hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." Flarestar paused before she continued, "Pinepaw, Fawnpaw, Windpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?" All three apprentices were sitting further away from the gathered crowd.

Icepaw had noticed the way Windpaw was glaring at Swampstar before he looked back at Flarestar. There was no missing the amount of hatred these apprentices felt towards the other Clans. Icepaw didn't blame them one bit for their hatred. But she wished that they wouldn't make it so obvious.

"I do," Fawnpaw replied.

"I do." Pinepaw's reply was quick and courteous.

"I do." Windpaw's eyes were narrowed into tiny slits as he answered.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Pinepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Pineclaw. StarClan honors you for your courage and stamina, and we welcome you as a full member of LeafClan."

Pineclaw looked like he was ready to burst with happiness when Flarestar touched her nose on his forehead. Out of respect he gave her shoulder a gentle lick.

"Fawnpaw, from now on you will be known as Fawndapple. StarClan honors you for your spirit and hunting ability, and we welcome you as a full member of LeafClan." Again Flarestar touched her nose on Fawndapple's forehead.

"Windpaw, from now on you will be known as Windstrike. StarClan honors you for your battling skills and forgiveness, and we welcome you as a full member of LeafClan."

Confusion swept through Icepaw when she heard that last part. What did Flarestar mean by forgiveness? Did she know that Windstrike was still angry with the other Clans? Again Icepaw couldn't blame him for his anger, but like she had thought earlier, it was pointless to show that anger.

"Pineclaw! Fawndapple! Windstrike!" LeafClan cats cheered their names, and Icepaw joined in. She was more surprised than ever when the other Clan cats joined in. Even Swampstar, the cat she least expected to join in, cheered on.

It's time to move on. That sudden realization hit Icepaw like a wall of water. LeafClan would move on as if nothing had happened. But the other Clans would refuse to give up their kits after this night. Icepaw knew now that the rules had been changed.

Rosefall had saved the lives of future kits. Icepaw looked at her mother and saw that she was truly happy for a change. Even Seawhisker seemed like she was at home as she pressed against her sister. Icepaw let out a sigh when she guessed that this was the last time she would see them. She glanced back at Bramblepaw, who was chattering excitedly to Reedshine.

Slowly but carefully Icepaw made her way to Seawhisker as her former mentor got adjusted to living in DayClan again. Seawhisker blinked in surprise when she looked back at Icepaw.

"Are you going to stay?" Her question caught Icepaw off guard. Rosefall stiffened too, but Icepaw refused to look at her mother.

"No, I'm going with LeafClan," Icepaw hissed.

Frustration clawed at her heart when she saw how confused Seawhisker looked. Once Seawhisker had been angry with Rosefall for what she had done. Now it seemed like all of that had been put behind them.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Seawhisker murmured.

No you're not, Icepaw thought bitterly. She tried to look her best though when Seawhisker brushed her tail across her shoulder.

"Take care of yourself, Icepaw," Seawhisker told her. "Don't ever forget that StarClan is watching you."

Icepaw looked at her in surprise before nodding. She would remember those words. Seawhisker was right. StarClan was watching over her, despite what she had thought when she was younger.

Nothing would ever be the same when they left this forest. Bramblepaw was right to say that everything would be different. Icepaw only hoped that LeafClan's future would last. She wanted to see the kits grow into fine warriors. She wanted her denmates to make the Clan stronger. And now, more than ever, she wanted to put the past behind her.

AN: This chapter was so hard to write. And yet fairly easy because I knew how this story would end. No, it isn't over yet. There's still a few chapters to go before this is over. Thanks everyone for your reviews! I really appreciate them :D