I don't own Warriors.

Tanglestar licked the kit's head. Her fur was still fluffy and soft. "Does she have a name?"

Anelmen shook his head. "She was your kit that never existed. She never had a name."

"She's beautiful."

Anelmen chuckled. "Of course she is. She's your kit." Tanglestar looked up at him. He had said it in a fatherly way, not like Riverpelt would have. She felt her face warm slightly, and she smiled down at her kit.

Tanglestar picked up her kit and followed Anelmen back through the clearing. None of the kits said anything, but jealousy shined in the eyes of all of them.

"Do they age?"

"No," Anelmen replied, not looking back. Unless they are taken out they stay the same age forever."

"Do I have any siblings here?"

Anelmen stopped. "Half siblings, yes. Sunwing and Crowstar would never have any more kits."

"Who?"

"Crowstar and a cat named Feathertail, and also Leaffur and Nightcloud. If Sunwing never came to the forest then there would have been a whole different future. If Sunwing never left ThunderClan then she would have been with Ashfur, and if Onewisker never died she could have fallen in love with him."

"Can you see what could have happened?"

"In a way, yes. There are many different things that could happen, but only one can. If Sunwing stayed at her house and never went into the woods that day, then it's possible that twolegs—you do call them that, don't you?—would have destroyed the forest. Because she did come, it changed their plans. If she hadn't come, then the forest could have been destroyed and Crowstar would have fallen in love with Feathertail. Leaffur's name would have been Leafpool instead, and if Feathertail died Crowstar could have fallen in love with her. Leafpool's a medicine cat so it would be forbidden, and they would run away to be together. They miss being part of the clans, and return. They can't stay together after that and Crowstar—who's really Crowfeather, because he never became leader—took a mate to prove his allegiance to WindClan."

"So my dad was a player?" Tanglestar asked.

"He could have really loved them. But my point was that what could have happened is more confusing than helpful. Nothing is they way that it did happen, so it's irrelevant."

"But everyone still thinks about it."

"Yes, but you'll all young. I have been alive since the beginning of time and I like to know what could have been, but I don't ponder over it. I just accept what happens and allow it to. I can change many things, but I usually leave it as it is. Sometimes it is necessary for me to interfere. An outbreak of disease could end a war, and stop something horrible from happening." Anelmen sighed, leading Tanglestar and her kit out of the clearing. "It's not like you can take care of yourselves, you know."