Featherstar's POV

"You're here!" Crowstorm's eyes brightened. Featherstar reluctantly wrenched her eyes away and she found her paws.

"What's wrong?" he pushed, stepping closer to Featherstar.

Sighing, Featherstar brought her gaze up to Crowstorm and meowed,

"Are you...the One?"

Crowstorm' eyes were hit with a wave of surprise. "Er...what?" he said confusingly.

"The One." Featherstar whispered. "You know..."

"Woah. I'm not part of a prophecy - I promise you that." Crowstorm meowed, stepping away with his tail up.

"No, no, not a prophecy," she couldn't help stifle a mrrow of amusement. "I mean, my partner. My soul mate."

Widening his eyes, realization dawned on Crowstorm's face. "No." he shook his head. "I...I can't be, I mean," Now, he was more talking to himself. "Sure, I like you, I mean..."

Looking straight at Featherstar's face, he meowed, "I'm not sure, Featherstar. I feel like you're more like my stolen goods - and I'm the robber. I really want to work on this relationship, but the more I want it, the more I realize that I stole you. From your life. From your duty as a leader. From your beliefs in the warrior code. From Cloudfall."

Featherstar stared at the DarkClan deputy with disbelief. If she was correct, she was getting...well, there was no better word for it: dumped.

Rejected. Unloved. Pushed away. Abandoned.

"Not that I wish to hurt your feelings," Crowstorm added on quickly, seeing Featherstar's expression fall. "I wouldn't want to hurt you in anyway! But...this relationship, friendship, whatever...its just not meant to be. There's a reason why the warrior code exists, Featherstar. I think its best if we return to our old lives. Pretend we never had our evening meetings. Pretend that you never tripped and fell off the bridge to the Island. Forget everything that happened between us."

Featherstar opened her mouth. "I don't think -"

"I'm doing it right?" he cut in. "Yeah, you're right. I'm not doing this correctly. I'm not...saying goodbye to you correctly. I should set more...more suggestions, I guess you could call them. I'm sorry that I started this, that I messed up you and Cloudfall's relationship." Crowstorm's eyes glowed so brightly, he almost looked wistful. "Hey, just...just enjoy your life, okay? Perhaps we can both enjoy our lives without each other. Have other mates that would have the same bond we did. But I'll never forget you, Featherstar. Who could? You're a life changer." Smiling, Crowstorm turned around and sprinted towards the DarkClan camp.

Featherstar sat down, shock rushing through her. She had just said goodbye to a great tom. He was now on another path - the path of his destiny.

Now she was left with IceClan, a mission to find out DarkClan's secrets, and a mate that she had shunned away.

"I'll never forget you, too, Crowstorm." Featherstar whispered.

Snowsong's POV

"What do you want?" I say rather aggressively, throwing my shoulders back as I stomp towards my mate.

Or is he my former mate? Its hard to tell.

"N-nothing." Hawktalon mews, shrinking at the sight of me towering him. Immediately, I feel guilty. Its my fault I'm using Darkstar's power and appearance to my pleasure.

"Whatever." I reply, flicking my tail. "So how'd you enjoy StarClan so far?"

"What?" His eyes widen, as if he can't believe that I haven't struck him yet. "Oh...oh, its great. Unlimited prey, no borders, its definitely better than life with...with the Clans."

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow. "You say this confidently even though I know that you are secretly hating life in StarClan?"

Hawktalon bristles, but then he suddenly stops and slumps down on the floor, his shoulders drooping; defeated. "Alright, alright, you've caught me. Its just...I miss Snowsong so much. My kits. Even though Snowsong released the final blow that killed me, I still miss her. She was kind. Thoughtful. Intelligent. Stubborn." Laughing to himself, he fixes his gaze onto mine. "Do you...do you suppose I'll meet her someday? Out here in the fields and rivers of StarClan?"

"I'm mighty sure you will, mate." I say. "Mighty sure."

Technically, I'm not lying. I mean - I'm here. In fields and rivers. In StarClan.

Smiling widely, Hawktalon's eyes brighten. "Great! I'll start searching for her now! Thanks for the talk, Darkstar!" He dashes the opposite direction.

He'll just have to search hard enough to find me.

"So? When is the Choosing Ceremony? We had no time during the Gatherings, so I suppose that we will choose now."

Darkpelt - well, now Darkstar - nervously flicks his ears. "Yeah. You're right. You're choosing today. I'll try to get them to you by today - at twilight." he mews to Sunstar.

I flick my paw and stare at it. Its nearly transparent and I can walk through other cats.

Great. Another vision.

Sunstar purrs in excitement. "I've waited for this day. That's partially why I fought so hard against you and Icestar. The harder we fight, the faster we'll end the war."

"Well, the war ended, so hurry up and choose," Icestar meows irritably.

"Actually, ladies first, Icestar." Sunstar replies coolly.

"Fine." Icestar meows, slinking down to meet Darkstar.

"I'd like Mothberry, please." The pure white she-cat quietly murmurs.

"She's yours." Darkstar nods, thinking about the golden-colored she-cat and how she had always wanted to join IceClan.

Sunstar paces towards Darkstar.

"Snowsong."

I can see Darkstar freeze; its almost like ice trickling in his veins.

"What?" he says absently.

"I want Snowsong." Sunstar promptly meows.

"She's...she's also yours." Darkstar mews feebly.

"Great! Good business, Darkstar." Sunstar trills, nodding to Icestar and returning back to his camp.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Darkstar reluctantly looks up into the beautiful eyes of his mate, a.k.a. replica of me. I've decided to call her Claire Cassidy, which is the same silly name Featherstar gave me.

Featherstar. I wonder how she's dealing with her problem.

Anyway, back to Darkstar.

For a second, he's lost in her eyes and almost forgets the whole Sunstar-wanting-her thing.

"I...er...I struck a bargain with SunClan and IceClan." he meows.

"Everybody knows that." Claire meows, her eyes amused. "In exchange for becoming a part of their circle, we give them each some prey."

"Yes...but...but...no one knows the other half of the payment."

"What other half?" Her eyes widen.

"I told them that they could have warrior." he breathed. "Forever. And...and...Sunstar chose you. Icestar chose Mothberry."

"What?" Claire nearly shrieks. "But...but...Darkstar -"

"Its the only thing we can do." Darkstar meows dully. "Or, or, or else..."

"Or else what?"

"We'll die off." he meows. "You know we can't survive without them -"

"Who cares?" Claire's voice is unnaturally calm. "Who cares, Darkstar? Who cares if we have to return back to the lake and rejoin the new part of ShadowClan now? Who cares if we have to share borders with WindClan, ThunderClan, and RiverClan all over again."

"I do." Darkstar mews angrily. "Its for the sake of the Clan. We won't make the journey - the elders, the queens, the kits...they need a place to stay."

"Its not only for the Clan's sake, Darkstar." she murmurs. "What about my sake? Our sake? Your sake?"

Darkstar stays silent for a while. He only stares at the ground, and his thoughts are swirling in his head.

"I'll meet you again." he mews. "I promise. In StarClan."

Claire Cassidy's eyes gaze up fearfully at Darkstar - her beloved mate. "You really truly promise?"

"Yes." he nods vigorously. "I really do."

When the vision fades away, I know that Darkstar never fulfilled his promise.

All this time, I've wondered why Claire and I have the same appearance, name, everything. Why I'm stuck in Darkstar's body.

But now I've gotten the answer.

I am her.