Greetings dear readers, I'm back with the final chapter of All That Glitters! I really hope you enjoyed this story, I had a great time writing it and I'm honestly sad to be finishing it.
A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, I could never have done this without you!
Swirlspot - All will be revealed! However I will make you wait for the prequel to explain pretty much everything.
Flower - Thank you! That's exactly what I was going for there so I'm glad you thought so!
Now, without further ado I give you the final chapter of All That Glitters!
"Are you okay?" Angel asked softly, Magpiepaw looked up to find the cream she cat's concerned blue eyes fixed on her.
"Yeah, sorry." Magpiepaw said, wondering what she was apologizing for. "Are we far away now?" She asked.
"No, we're almost there." Angel told her, angling her ears to indicate a row of small buildings. "But really, you've been acting weird since this morning. I want to help you, just tell me what's wrong."
Magpiepaw felt her chest clench and her eyes prickle at the older she cat's warm tone. How can you help me? I don't know what to do anymore! I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I have no idea. Magpiepaw thought, ducking her head to hide the tears that were building in her eyes.
Blinking back the tears Magpiepaw lifted her head and smiled as convincingly as she could. "I'm fine honestly! You worry too much!" She purred. "Now, let's go! The forest won't come to us!"
"If you're sure." Angel agreed, her words filled with uncertainty as she bounded after Magpiepaw towards the forest.
Magpiepaw pulled ahead, concentrating on the pounding of her paws on the pavement that had once been so unfamiliar to her. She could hear Angel behind her and knew that the cream she cat was still watching her with those gentle, concerned blue eyes.
"Follow me." Angel said suddenly, turning off the path and into a small gap between two buildings.
Magpie slid through the narrow space, feeling the damp stone brush her fur as she passed between them. As Angel disappeared out of the passageway Magpiepaw quickened her step until she almost running.
Bursting into the open air the black and white she cat stopped short, gazing at the edge of the forest. The tops of the black pines brushed the sky, the shadows beneath the trees beckoned her and she obeyed.
"Magpie, wait!" Angel called, and Magpiepaw stopped short.
Looking back she found the cream colored she cat's eyes wide with fear and her fur fluffed out. Suddenly Magpiepaw heard a roaring sound and a blast of foul smelling air hit her as a car raced past.
Casting a grateful look at Angel, who had padded up to stand beside her, Magpiepaw peered into the road.
"Wait, I want to say goodbye!" Angel said, reaching out to touch noses with Magpiepaw, a sad smile on her face.
"Thank you so much Angel, thank you for everything." Magpiepaw said, dipping her head in a gesture of respect and gratitude.
Another car raced by and Magpiepaw found the way was clear, "Goodbye!" She said, then bounded across the road.
Once she was safely on the other side Magpiepaw looked back and saw Angel standing at the edge of the road. Catching Magpiepaw's eye the cream she cat waved her tail, then turned and disappeared over a fence.
Steeling herself Magpiepaw turned to the forest and found her self face to face with a Shadowclan patrol.
The leader of the patrol, a silver she cat who seemed oddly familiar to Magpiepaw, stepped forward. "Who are you and what business do you have here?" She asked coldly.
"Dovepaw?" Magpiepaw asked hesitantly, searching her sister's blue eyes for any sign of recognition.
"How did you know my name?" Dovepaw asked, looking at Magpiepaw closely. Then her expression changed from suspicion to shock and joy.
"Magpiepaw? Is that you?" She asked tentatively, gazing into Magpiepaw's blue eyes.
"Yes." Magpiepaw said, tears spilling from her eyes.
"Great Starclan! Magpiepaw, how? You were dead, the monster hit you." Dovepaw asked, tearing up as well.
"Doveheart? Who is this?" One of the patrol members asked.
"This is my sister, Magpiepaw." Doveheart said, looking up with shining smile despite the tears dampening her cheeks. "You remember her, don't you?"
Magpiepaw stood tall beside her sister, smiling at the patrol as one by one they realized who she was.
Suddenly she was surrounded by her clanmates, all greeting her and trying to tell her what had happened since she'd been gone. The air was filled with exclamations of happiness and surprise, her name was repeated over and over, passed around with wonder and joy.
"Magpie!" The call rang out from behind her, rising over the other voices and Magpiepaw whirled around.
Angel stood at the edge of the trees; by her side was the dark ginger tom who Mittens had always hated. Magpiepaw took a step towards the loners and felt her clanmates pull back from her.
"Magpiepaw, do you know them?" Doveheart asked quietly, standing beside her sister with unsheathed claws and raised hackles.
"Yes, yes I do. Please don't hurt them, just let me see what they want." Magpiepaw said, padding over to the alley cats. "Is everything okay?" She asked, looking between them.
"No, oh Magpie, it's not okay." Angel said, tears pouring down her cheeks and grief in her blue eyes.
"What happened?" Magpiepaw asked, fear building in her chest at the expressions on her friends' faces.
"It's Mitzy, she's got attacked. She's been asking for you." The ginger tom explained grimly.
"I-I..." Magpiepaw trailed off as she look back at her clanmates. They were all watching her with confused expressions, Doveheart stepped forward to stand beside Magpiepaw.
"If you need to go then go." She said with a sad smile, "You can always come back if you want to, even if it's just to visit."
"Thank you." Magpiepaw said, pressing her cheek against her sister's. "Thank you so much."
"Anything for you, now go." Doveheart told her, "Just remember, there's always a nest for you in Shadowclan."
"I love you, tell Mother and Thrushpaw that I love them too!" Magpiepaw said before padding over to standing with Angel and the ginger tom.
"I will." Doveheart said, then added in a softer voice. "Magpie."
With one last look at her sister and the other Shadowclan cats Magpie turned to the loners. "I'm ready, let's go." She said.
The three cats raced through the city, slipping through backstreets and alleyways and dodging around cars and buildings.
As they ran Angel and the ginger tom explained the events leading up to their conversation in the forest.
"Mitzy somehow ended up in the Dark Moon's territory and a couple of their cats had found her. She was already unconscious by the time I got there but she'd certainly fought back. I don't think I could have driven them away if she hadn't started the job." The ginger tom, who had introduced himself as Norway, began.
"I took her back to my home and got her settled as best I could, she was really beaten up. She kept waking up and asking for you, I think she was delirious because she was apologizing to you like you were there."
"She was?" Magpie asked, feeling hope bloom inside her at the words. Mittens didn't hate her; she wanted her back, they could start again.
"Yeah, she was really insistent about it. She was even calling for you in her sleep when I left." Norway said with a small smile. "She really loves you, you know that?"
Magpie simply nodded, feeling impossibly light and joyful, as though a ray of warm sunlight had filled her body. Everything was going to be fine.
"She'll be okay, right?" Magpie asked, remembering that Mittens was injured.
"I hope so, Norway and I both know how to patch up wounds, it's not guaranteed but she should be fine in a few moons." Angel said with her gentle, warm smile. "She just needs to be looked after."
Magpie was at a loss for words, all she could do was nod and smile. The tears had dried and as the walled garden where Norway lived came into sight she realized that this was where she belonged.
The three cats leaped over the wall, following the winding pathways to a small shed at the edge of the garden.
Stepping through the slightly open door Magpie blinked in the dim light. A single beam of sunlight was shining in through a small window, the golden light resting on the form of a sleeping she cat.
As she padded over to black and white loner Magpie felt warmth and affection bubble in her chest.
Mittens green eyes fluttered open and focused on Magpie, a small smile formed on the older she cat's face.
"Hey kit." She said softly.
And there you have it! My first complete story, I'm really going to miss these characters now that I'm done. I hope you guys loved it as much as I did, if you did please follow, favorite and write a quick review telling me what you thought of it!
I mentioned a poll in the last chapter and I'm happy to say that it is officially up so please go vote on it!
QOTD - Should I write an epilogue? Just to clear a couple things up?
Thank you again for reading!
~ Feathers