So here is the last real chapter :'( I'm really sad and I also kinda hate this chapter, it sucks. The epilogue is probably going to suck too. To be honest, I don't think my heart is in this story anymore. But, I refuse to give up on it, so I'm going to finish it! For you guys :) Next is epilogue, also in Thornflight's POV. After that, I'll take a break and publish a new story I've been working on for a while now. I'm going to write a collection of one-shots for this story also, so you can see the aftermath the battle had on other cats.

More in the bottom A/N!

Moving on!

Chapter 30

Thornflight

He stared at the limp white form at his paws wordlessly, unable to fully comprehend what had just happened. Roseheart's pale green eyes were already faded and glassy, open and staring at nothing. A whimper escaped his clenched jaws as he leaned down to lick her eyes gently closed. Every part of his body was trembling and a dizzying fatigue weakened his muscles.

"Roseheart," he whispered in a shaky voice. Anger suddenly flared in his chest and he howled the pain inside to the sky above. "Roseheart!" he screamed. Paw steps behind him sent him spinning around.

Gingerstrike stood behind, gold eyes wide with horror. "Thornflight, is that…" he trailed off as he caught sight of Roseheart's scarred face. "No," he gasped.

Thornflight's stomach lurched at the agony written on the tom's face. He could practically hear Gingerstrike's heart breaking. Tears began to fall from his eyes as Thornflight turned back to gaze at her body. Her flanks were bleeding from old and new scratches. But she looked peaceful, almost as though she was sleeping. Thornflight half expected you to wake up and ask them why they were moping about.

Jerking his head up, he realized the rest of the Clans were gathered near the High Rock not too far away. Wails of sorrow broke the still air and his heart fell to his stomach. Who else is gone?

Leaving Gingerstrike to mourn her alone, he shoved his way until he was beside Snowpaw. "Snowpaw, who-" and he paused. His mother's head was bent over Leafstar's still body, bleeding from a large bite at her neck. "No."

Their leader was dead. Beside her lay Fernstep and Jaypelt's still bodies. Thornflight's vision was suddenly shaky and he stumbled. "Thornflight, I-" He turned away, shutting his eyes tight. His sister, leader, and two friends were dead. Gone forever. Anguish threatened to tear him apart and he fought to keep it together.

Ravenwing approached him wearily, wounds still bleeding and eyes filled with tears. "Where's Roseheart?" she whispered hoarsely. Thornflight shook his head and his mother took a step back. "She's dead, isn't she?" Ravenwing whimpered. Her son nodded, tears beginning to fall. Snowpelt gasped, shocked.

"Thornflight," she started again but he stood and walked away. Behind him, Ravenwing's howl of grief broke his heart. Gingerstrike stood beside her, eyes wide and unblinking. They never left her beautiful face and his tears slid freely down his own handsome face.

"Gingerstrike," he sighed. The warrior glanced up and Thornflight flinched at the look in them. His eyes looked dead and empty.

"She's gone," he muttered hollowly. "She's gone for good."

Their arrival back at camp was a solemn one. Dapplesong and Darkfire had done their best to comfort him, but both had realized it was fruitless. Dapplesong had given him a reassuring lick on the cheek before leaving. Featherstream had remained beside him the entire torturous trip home.

She remained beside him the entirety of the vigil as well. Silent but ever present. Gingerstrike mourned silently as well, his nose shoved in her neck fur. Few slept that night as the entire Clan mourned their great leader and three warriors.

When dawn came, they all assisted in the burials. Lilyspeckled sobbed into Grayfur's shoulder, while her brother Stormpaw tried to comfort a distraught Gingerstrike. Poppypaw shivered uncontrollably beside Jaypelt's blue body and Mosspelt tried to comfort her to no avail. Branchfur stood beside Featherstream, staring blankly into space. Ravenwing stood with her chin raised, face expressing no emotion as her leader, friend and daughter were buried.

Thornflight slipped to her side in time to hear her whisper, "She runs with Stonepelt now."

"And Roseheart runs with Darkflight." Ravenwing nodded and Thornflight watched as the other warriors faded away to get well-earned sleep.

"I'm going to the Moonstone now," Ravenwing murmured. Thornflight glanced at her, only mildly surprised. Barktail waited for her patiently a little distance away. "I'll be back tomorrow. Until I return, let Mosspelt know she is in charge."

"Mosspelt?"

Ravenwing turned to him at last. He jumped. Her eyes were dark and haunted though she purred. "StarClan is wise in ways we don't yet understand." Thornflight nodded and watched her walk away. His gaze dropped to his one white paw and a now familiar ache throbbed in his chest. He stared at his sister's mound of earth.

Roseheart, beautiful and amazing, was gone. Perhaps the strongest of them all was dead. Leafstar was dead. Fernstep was dead. Jaypelt was dead.

"It's incredible, how much it hurts," Gignerstrike's voice behind him made him jump. He nodded and turned to face the other warrior. He saw his own pain reflected in the ginger tom's eyes and they both sighed.

It was nearly sunhigh already. The sky above was cloudless, just like the day before. Just then, everything hit Thornflight. Shadowfur was dead. All the other rogues had been killed or ran off. The Clans were safe. Warm sunlight fell on his pelt and Thornflight closed his eyes, chest still aching.

"I'm leaving," Gingerstrike meowed suddenly. Thornflight's eyes flew open and he gaped at the other cat as Gingerstrike continued. "I can't stay here, not without her."

"But, Gingerstrike, your family-"

"My mother is dead. My sister and brother can fare without me. Listen, Thornflight," he meowed, voice and eyes suddenly intense. "She isn't here. This forest, these trees, she doesn't rest here. StarClan stretches far, I know. She, she is somewhere far away and free. I'm going to look for her." His voice sounded faintly amused. "Don't look so surprised. I couldn't possibly live here without her."

Thornflight stared at him, unsure of what to say. He had known Gingerstrike was hurting, but not this bad. He was leaving behind all he had grown up with; the forest, his siblings. "Gingerstrike, ThunderClan…" he hesitated. "We'll miss you," he whispered finally, throat closing.

Gingerstrike purred, taking a step forward and rubbing his cheek against Thornflight's. "Watch over her for me. I'm going to find her spirit, wherever it may wander."

Thornflight watched him go, heart breaking for what felt the millionth time. He doubted he would ever see the ginger warrior again and he whispered after him, "She really loved you."

Padding into camp, he realized the Clan already knew. They whispered his name amongst themselves and Lilyspeckle whimpered at Grayfur's side.

"I'll miss him," she cried. Grayfur soothed her with his tail, eyes filled with pain.

"We all will."

Thornflight curled up in his nest. His body throbbed with pain and his despair hit full force as he stared at Roseheart's empty nest. Although he had thought it impossible, he was soon swept away on a black tide of sleep.

"I miss you," he mewed lovingly to the white she-cat before him. Her face and flanks were unscarred, clean and sleek once more. Her beautiful pale eyes shone with a light he had never seen and she looked young and brilliant once more.

"I miss you, too," she answered softly. Roseheart looked sad and joyful at the same time. "We'll be together someday."

"Gingerstrike left."

"I know," she murmured. Her sweet scent wrapped around his body and he drank it in. "I know."

"Why did you have to go?" he whimpered suddenly, feeling like a kit wailing for its mother again. She sighed and licked his cheek gently.

"It was my time," she mewed simply. "I was never meant to live, sad as it is. I was born to die for what I love, which I did gladly. I died for ThunderClan. I died for you." Thornflight nodded and watched as she faded. "I love you," she whispered before she was gone and he was left alone.

"Roseheart!" he wailed into the rising winds.

Thornflight jerked awake to a new dawn. "Thornflight, Ravenwing-er, Ravenstar is back!" Featherstream exclaimed, bounding outside. He stretched and yawned, savoring the last few strands of sleep.

"I love you too, Roseheart," he muttered before forcing himself to his paws and a new day.

And suddenly, his chest didn't ache anymore.

Sweet ending I suppose. I actually really liked his dream :)

So, is anyone into anime here? Yeah? Okay, I have recently renewed my love of Naruto and have found this new anime called Fairy Tail that I like too. Yes, I'm aware that I'm too nerdy for my own good, but I am proud!

And I'm really really depressed about killing off Leafstar and Fernstep too. I planned their's like halfway through the story, and Jaypelt was kind of last minute. I think I gave you guys a few hints to Leafstar though, and a few of you were totally ready for her to die. I'm still sad though :'(

My entire memoir/long and emotional speech to you guys will be in the epilogue on the bottom A/N! It's going to be long and very loving, so prepare yourself!

Oh, and for some more pointless news, I'm making a rug :) And school is finally out! And I love to eat!

I have no clue what that last on was about xD

~Ciao, Monkey!~