DarkClan had little time to respond as Darkpelt's attack lit up a spark on the battlefield, causing both TreeClan warriors and DarkClan warriors alike to leap ferociously at one another for a final brawl. Lostheart was able to duck away from an attacking TreeClan warrior only to look up moments later as Darkpelt's pale, flecked form vanished into the crowd of cats.
She had to find him, or Willowstar, before the two found each other; Darkpelt's judgment was clouded by rage, and Lostheart knew that Willowstar was baiting them. She too couldn't completely suppress her anger toward the TreeClan leader; there was so much he had done- to drag Browneyes's dead body all the way out to the field just to take pleasure in seeing their pain- It was a cruel, cold-hearted display that mocked Browneyes's life and sacrifice.
Lostheart's single, red eye flickered over the blurred crowd of cats, searching for any sign of the evasive TreeClan leader. She had to stop in her attempt, however, as another cat moved to try and attack her, but she was able to evade their claws easily and send a sharp parry to their side. Standing in one spot was too dangerous, and it was impossible to remain uninterrupted in her search; she knew she had to get away from the crowd and find Willowstar. Lostheart turned sharply back in the direction she had last seen Darkpelt run off in and flew through the field as fast as her legs could carry her.
The she-cat was no more than a dark blur as she bolted forward, twisting gracefully around the fighting warriors, even leaping over a pair of cats who had become tangled up in their fight. The storm's wind blew her fur around her, bringing along a dark sense of foreboding as she came to closer to the end of TreeClan's line. Dust from the ground flew up as Lostheart skidded to a halt just as three cats moved to block her path. She didn't bother wasting her time with attempting to fight them and quickly moved to try and evade the cats in order to go around their blockade, but just as she moved, a large shadow came over her from behind as a TreeClan tom jumped at her.
Lostheart's eyes widened during the split second she had to curve her body out of the way, only narrowly escaping. She swayed a bit in her effort to regain her previous fast pace, refusing to look back at the warriors; she stumbled as her body connected with another cat's shoulder, and with a noisy scrabbling, the dark she-cat tripped and collapsed to the ground as warriors continued to fight each other in the crowded area. Dust filled the air around her low to the ground, making her want to cough; breathing deeply, Lostheart managed to stand up just in time. From behind her, a loud growl erupted through the air, and as she turned, her eyes met the sight of a large, spotted, TreeClan tom in the midst of attacking her.
Lostheart was frozen in place, her heart stopping for a split second before a flash of light from the side caught her eye and the shape of a starry cat rammed into the attacking warrior, pulling them to the ground. Lostheart snapped back into reality during the lightning fast encounter and promptly pushed off the ground and back up into a run as she bolted away from the mass of fighting cats.
The battle was left behind her as she entered the empty part of the field, her eyes immediately landing onto the large boulder standing only a few fox-lengths away now, and with a narrowed gaze, she looked up to see the shadowy figure of a large cat standing at its peak. Sharp, razor-like claws glinted even in the absence of light from where Willowstar stood atop his perch, and were soon coupled with the glint of teeth that formed his crooked smile as he caught sight of the approaching she-cat. The grass swayed lightly in the wind from the storm above, and the distant yowls and screeches of the fighting cats behind Lostheart seemed to become more muted in the background as she beheld Willowstar's acidic gaze.
Lostheart slowed to a stop a short distance from the stone, meeting Willowstar's eyes impassively with her own mismatched expression, mouth set in an unreadable line; and for a moment, neither cat did anything.
Willowstar let out a small sound of amusement and leapt down from his perch with a loud thud onto the earth below. The ground on which they now stood was harder than before, now that they were closer to the gorge, and it soon extended from the grass into a large, gray expanse of pure rock just ahead.
"Lostheart," Willowstar greeted plainly, eyes glimmering as he focused on the she-cat.
They were eyes filled with bloodlust and the desire for revenge, and the tom's eagerness to take her life was all too apparent as didn't even attempt hiding his intentions. Lostheart already knew what Willowstar wanted, for her and Greysight to die; and in the process he would go at any lengths necessary, even if that meant killing every cat in DarkClan. Greysight wasn't even Sunstar's kit, yet she had to take the blame along with Lostheart when it was truly only Lostheart's existence that put them in danger. Admittedly, it could have been argued that Willowstar himself had no true motive or reasoning, and that perhaps the simple act of killing was his driving force. Either way, they had to put a stop to Willowstar's destruction; and not just for DarkClan, but for the entire forest. The TreeClan leader had gone against almost every part of the warrior code, and not just with the other clans, but in his own clan; a clan that, for whatever reason, looked up to him.
Lostheart said nothing in response to his greeting and continued to stare emotionlessly back at the tom, causing him to tilt his head slightly, a grin adorning his face.
"Why do you remain silent? Have you nothing to say?" Willowstar moved his eyes to look past her and back toward the cats fighting a good distance away before he refocused his attention back on the black she-cat.
"You've come all by yourself?" he murmured, pupils narrowing slightly. Lostheart remained motionless, causing the TreeClan leader's smirk to slowly fall. "Answer me," he growled.
"Yes."
Lostheart's response caused Willowstar to light up once more, expressing a great deal of amusement; the tom even chuckled as he beheld the lanky she-cat.
"You and your clan are all fools," he remarked. "I am the most powerful cat in the world, I hold more lives than any other clan leader to ever live!" The wild fur on Willowstar's back began to bristle and flow in the wind, making the tom appear even more massive and threatening as he stepped forward to growl his final line, muscles twitching in anticipation.
Willowstar laughed at Lostheart's seemingly empty words.
"You will die, just as your father has died before you. I have taken many lives before Sunstar, and I will continue to do so until DarkClan is extinguished forever. Their lives may be meaningless at present, but in joining with me they gain meaning and give new life to a new world! An age of strength and power under my rule!" Willowstar's eyes had lit up as he looked up into the swirling mass of dark clouds above. "No one can stop me! Not any cat, animal, or StarClan itself. I have overcome them all!"
"They never volunteered to die," Lostheart hissed.
Willowstar only laughed and lashed his bushy tail to the side. "Oh, but some of them did, you see. TreeClan understands its destiny, and all know of their role in it."
He snorted while an arrogant smirk adorned his face. "Brisingstar and Morningstar couldn't bear to see their clanmates slaughtered before them, so they offered themselves up instead, a noble act." Willowstar paused as if to try and recall a certain memory. "It reminds me of a similar situation long ago... Where I watched a poor, defenseless apprentice struggle in battle, unable to help her clan- unable to do anything in their dear mentor's time of need."
Willowstar grinned in satisfaction as he watched the black she-cat, noticing the way she suddenly stood more still in the swaying grass, averting her gaze to her paws as she became engulfed by thought.
Lostpaw's eyes widened as she watched several cats beginning to swarm around Ivyfoot, and watched as a tabby tom also came running at him from the side. She ran forward in a desperate effort to reach the gray tom, knowing she had to help him.
Two TreeClan warriors suddenly leapt in front of her, holding her back as she tried to run through them. The cats surrounding her became a blur, and Ivyfoot was quickly lost from sight. Lostpaw struggled desperately against her captors as they held her back while ignoring the sharp scrambling of her claws against their pelts. In one final effort, Lostpaw pushed forward, letting out a loud cry.
"Ivyfoot!"
A sickening splatter pierced the air, and Lostpaw froze as she lay witness to a burst of crimson liquid. With the cats in front of her distracted, Lostpaw came to her senses and pushed her way through them, running to find her mentor. The cats that had previously been blocking her view had now moved out of sight as she ran past them, searching in desperation for Ivyfoot.
The world around her slowed down, and not a single noise could reach her ears from the muted fighting around her as mismatched eyes fell onto the wounded form of her mentor lying in a pool of blood.
"But do not fear," Willowstar continued, "For his life has gained new meaning. Ivyfoot was a strong warrior, well-known throughout all the clans for his bravery and strength. I couldn't allow him to continue taking down my warriors."
Lostheart blinked out of her memory and moved to look back up at the tom, slight confusion written in her normally emotionless face.
Willowstar snorted. "The fools couldn't manage to kill him, so I had the pleasure of handling things myself; it's just as I say, if something must be done right, one must do it by oneself- Although I can hardly say I minded, Ivyfoot's life has had a great deal of benefit to my own." He chuckled darkly to himself and looked to Lostheart with a new degree of sadism twisted into his jagged grin. "Killing him was almost too easy. It surprises me that he was one of the best DarkClan had to offer- and now look at you. I have kept a close eye on you Lostheart, as well I should; after all, what kind of Uncle would I be if I had not? Yes, everyone spoke of Sunstar's two odd she-kits, but it was just too good to be true that DarkClan was gifted with rejects. Scrawny, blind, weak... You could have never saved him," Willowstar meowed. "And now look at you, look at what you've become! I've made you strong without even meaning to do so! Tell me, Lostheart, how did it feel to tear open the flesh of Ivyfoot's supposed murderer? Was it enjoyable? Did you feel recompensed?" Willowstar questioned eagerly.
"...You killed Ivyfoot?" Lostheart meowed, feeling a sudden burning in her chest that began to eat up her entire being.
"Ivyfoot died just as the rest of DarkClan shall die; he was in the way, and I disposed of him."
Lostheart didn't want to believe it, but it made sense. Ivyfoot could have never been killed by an average warrior, and she had never seen the attack that killed him. All she remembered was seeing Ivyfoot getting attacked by a group of warriors that had come at him from nowhere, and then she had been pushed back and her vision had become obscured by battling warriors. Worse though was her memory of killing the tabby tom she had believed to be Ivyfoot's murderer; the strange sense of anger and darkness she had felt at the time was overwhelming and admittedly quite powerful, but even as she looked back on it now, the event had never made her feel any better. Now as she realized her mistake, Lostheart couldn't help the feeling of self loathing and a deep-seated regret.
"...And Browneyes?" Lostheart meowed, face shadowed.
Willowstar's whiskers twitched for a moment before he seemed to catch on to what she spoke of. "The silver tom?" At this, he shrugged, curling his lip slightly. "The fool got in my way, and he paid the price. And for what? Nothing, there was nothing gained. No DarkClan cat will live, not you and not Greysight, nor your clanmates. This day will be your last, despite the fool's prolonging of the event," Willowstar snarled, his lip curling up to reveal sharp, white teeth.
Small shadows had formed beneath Lostheart's eerie gaze as she watched the TreeClan leader, and her eyes had even fallen slightly as she thought of her clanmates. Ivyfoot, Browneyes, Cherrynose, Sunstar, Blizzardpelt... Had everything they'd done been for nothing? Lostheart's eyes closed shut for a second, causing Willowstar's ears to perk curiously.
No. It wasn't for nothing; it was for them. For DarkClan, they believed that Willowstar could be defeated and that a new generation of DarkClan cats would finally be able to live in peace.
Willowstar's eyes narrowed as the colors of blood red and a clouded, icy blue became visible once more. Lostheart unsheathed her claws as she faced the massive tom almost over twice her size.
They believed Willowstar would be defeated one day, and if she didn't at least try now, then DarkClan would continue living like this forever. The anger burning in her claws and chest was real, but even more so was the feeling of sorrow and regret. There was so much she wished she could fix and do over again, but...
It was true that her life might not have been fair at times, and no one in it had deserved to die; but if none of it had ever happened, then their clan wouldn't have become as close as they were now, and she wouldn't have met Moonfur, Raggedear, or Thistleprick. Her memories of Ivyfoot and Silentshadow, although painful, were precious to her; she could never think of erasing them or the experiences she had had with her clanmates.
Willowstar grinned tightly as his eager claws scraped the stony earth beneath them.
"You are alone, 'demon cat'; killing me even once is an impossible task. Why bother trying to resist when you know that there is no hope left for DarkClan?!"
"She's not alone!"
Lostheart froze and Willowstar's gaze was promptly redirected to the sound of the new voice just as two cats ran up beside Lostheart. Greysight and Darkpelt stood on either side of the she-cat, breathing heavily, and Greysight had now pointed her sightless, dull gaze toward Willowstar with every amount of fury and rage she could muster in blank eyes.
She hissed at him ferociously and Darkpelt let out a low growl from where he stood, eyes locked hatefully onto the cat who had destroyed his entire family, and now Browneyes. Thinking of the way Willowstar had sat so carelessly on his body sent Darkpelt into a burning rage, fueling his body; in his entire life, he had never felt as much hatred toward another cat as he did for the tom standing in front of him, and today was the day he would finally get his revenge.
Willowstar's yellow eyes flickered between the three cats as the tom took a step back, large tail swaying back and forth as he went. To the DarkClan cats' surprise, the great tom wheeled around and fled, running out into the broad expanse of stone beyond.
Darkpelt immediately bolted forward to give chase, and was promptly followed by Greysight and Lostheart, whose speed allowed them to catch up to him easily.
Was Willowstar really going to try and run from them now that they were together? Or did the tom have something else planned? It seemed unlikely that he would give up so easily, especially after everything they had been through.
The stone was hard beneath their paws as they ran over its surface, getting closer and closer to the figure of Willowstar, who had now stopped and stood motionless with his striped back toward them only a few fox-lengths away.
Lostheart, Greysight, and Darkpelt stopped a safe distance away from the tom, and watched as thunder struck the air. This place was familiar to Lostheart, and her eyes immediately drifted to the lone tree standing near the edge of the gorge not far from where they stood. They were far from the battle now as they stood alone in the open area, watching Willowstar's billowing form with apprehension, waiting for him to make a move.
Slowly, Willowstar turned to face them, face serious and lacking any sign of previous emotion other than a deep-seated anger. Lostheart, Greysight, and Darkpelt moved into their own battle positions, watching the TreeClan leader closely. Lostheart knew that killing Willowstar would be almost impossible, even with the three of them. All they really had to do was make it so that the tom couldn't fight anymore and was forced to surrender. She knew this wasn't the time to stop and think as she now stood across from the TreeClan leader, but she couldn't help feeling like there was something important, something she had overlooked.
She was grateful for Greysight and Darkpelt's presence; now that they were together, they would surely have a better chance with Greysight's abilities and Darkpelt's strength. Still, Willowstar was massive, bigger than any cat Lostheart had ever laid eyes on- Even bigger than Darkpelt who was only a little over half his size, not to mention the tom's claws and raw strength, and his lives. The TreeClan leader's victory over both Shadestar and Sunstar could not be forgotten, but Lostheart couldn't allow her mind to get the better of her. A cat's claws weren't their only weapon.
Willowstar's claws flashed out as he stood to his full height, a shadow falling ominously over his face as he strode purposefully forward toward the three DarkClan warriors. Lostheart, Greysight, and Darkpelt shot off in three different directions, each moving to surround him.
Darkpelt was the first to attack as he let out a ferocious growl and flung himself at Willowstar with a single paw outstretched to deliver a powerful blow into the leader's side. Greysight and Lostheart saw their chance as Willowstar shifted his attention toward Darkpelt, and Greysight leapt into the air in an effort to grab hold of the TreeClan leader, but she didn't get the chance as Willowstar rammed into Darkpelt, sending the tom hurtling onto his back before he then moved to deliver a powerful blow that knocked Greysight to the ground. Her body ached as she connected with the hard, stone, but she was able to feel Willowstar's movement and knew he was about to attack her again. Predicting his attack, Greysight prepared to avoid it, but didn't have to as Lostheart moved past her and dug her teeth and claws into Willowstar's shoulder, stopping the attack short.
Willowstar hissed venomously and immediately moved to throw her off, but Lostheart managed to hold on, even if by only a small thread of chance. She scrabbled to inflict a wound on the TreeClan leader, but her claws became entangled in his fur and she was unable to lay a single claw on him before he moved to crush her beneath him and she had no choice but to let go.
Lostheart released her hold as Darkpelt rolled onto his feet and moved to attack Willowstar once more. Her gaze quickly flickered to Greysight, whose heavy landing on the stone had created a wound on her shoulder, making her flinch as she pulled herself up.
Willowstar's yellow eyes flashed toward Greysight and after sending a short grin in Lostheart and Darkpelt's direction, the tom thundered toward Greysight at an incredible speed, his fur whipping back behind him as he went. Lostheart's eyes widened in fear as she leapt from her position, racing to follow Willowstar, but she was the furthest away.
Greysight had to at least feel him coming!
But as the tom grew nearer to the she-cat he had tossed away like a piece of fresh kill only moments before, Greysight had yet to fully regain herself and her balance.
Lostheart felt her heart leap in her chest as Darkpelt suddenly slammed into Willowstar from the side, sending himself and the TreeClan leader scrambling on top of the stone, snarling viciously. Taking her opportunity, Lostheart ran to Greysight and helped her to her paws. The she-cat winced, but she curled her lip into a snarl of anger as she turned back toward Willowstar. Lostheart knew it would be smarter for Greysight to take it easy, but she also knew that Greysight wasn't one to give up without a fight.
A loud screech instantly caught their attention, causing the two she-cats to re-focus their attention on the fighting toms. Willowstar had his claws sunk deeply into Darkpelt's shoulder and had now pinned the thrashing tom beneath him. Darkpelt's struggles were beginning to slow down; however, and his eyes had begun to droop tiredly, making the two she-cats' hearts stop in horror.
Lostheart was the first to move as she raced toward the two toms with Greysight following behind her. Willowstar paid no attention to the rapidly approaching she-cats and instead had his full intention locked onto Darkpelt as a large grin slowly spread across his face.
'No you don't!'
With a violent hiss, Greysight leapt onto Willowstar's back and dug her claws into his skull while Lostheart approached from the front and slashed the tom across the face just as he looked up. The sound that erupted from the hiss body was horrific as he wrenched himself back and tried to throw off the small, black she-cat who was now latched onto his back. Fresh blood began to ooze down Willowstar's face from the blatant new scratch marks, giving him a truly ghastly appearance.
Lostheart immediately went to Darkpelt's side, inspecting the damage. The tom let out a low growl and moved to pull himself up. His body was already covered in wounds, Lostheart noticed; two in particular looked bad, one on his shoulder and one above his eye looked to be the worst.
"Are you okay?" she asked him.
Darkpelt spat onto the stone, staining it with the color of his blood.
"I'm fine." he growled, pulling himself to his paws.
Willowstar let out a growl and rose onto his hind legs, whipping his head around and succeeding in throwing off the blind she-cat. Greysight twisted gracefully in the air and landed back onto the stone, stumbling slightly from her wound. Willowstar's eyes had become crazed slits as he whipped back around to face Darkpelt and Lostheart, but before he could step forward, Greysight slid in front of him, blocking his path with an expression of pure determination. Willowstar looked taken aback for a moment, but his expression slowly changed into that of a humorous nature and the tom let out a chilling laugh as he raised a paw to knock her to the side.
Greysight gritted her teeth as she leapt back just in time to avoid the blow, much to Willowstar's surprise. The tom let out another snarl as he began to chase after her, missing with each attack. Greysight could feel her self-confidence rising inside her as Willowstar's movements became increasingly frustrated and erratic. This was the moment she had been training for her entire life, and now as she danced away from his attacks, Greysight reminded herself of who she truly was. A warrior of DarkClan.
Seeing a gap in his movements, Greysight slid past his paw and lashed out at his foreleg in an attempt to make him stumble. Her efforts, however, were in vain as it did little to move Willowstar and only resulted in putting her in a bad position. Feeling her blood run cold, Greysight moved to slip under the tom and roll away, only narrowly escaping his cruel grip.
Greysight felt a wave of fear wash over her as her wounded shoulder and leg suddenly gave out beneath her, causing her to stumble for a brief moment. Willowstar had already turned to face her, and before she could leap away after regaining herself, the tom's massive body connected to her own, sending the blind she-cat tumbling across the stone.
Willowstar snorted as he watched her go, until finally, she lay motionless on the ground.
"Useless." he growled.
The TreeClan leader turned away from the blind she-cat and fixed his gaze back toward Darkpelt and Lostheart who had both risen to their paws and were now standing not far from him, locked into position. Willowstar grinned, revealing sharp teeth stained with his own blood that had run from his face.
Lostheart gave a small nod to Darkpelt and ran at Willowstar with claws outstretched, causing the TreeClan leader to lower himself toward the ground in preparation. Thorn sharp claws suddenly dug into his body from the side, distracting the tom as he turned to meet the sharp gaze of Greysight. Lostheart ran up in front of him, lashing out with a single paw as he reeled back to avoid her claws, his own claws scraping the earth as he went. Greysight had since moved in front of him in preparation for her own attack and prepared to leap.
"Darkpelt!"
Greysight suddenly jumped back a good distance from Willowstar and crouched low toward the ground, catching Willowstar by surprise. From behind her, Darkpelt leapt over Greysight and ran into Willowstar at full force, causing the tom to skid back as he scrambled to regain his grip on the stone. Darkpelt's claws locked onto Willowstar as the two toms became linked together in a battle of strength. Darkpelt's legs shook beneath him as he struggled to hold the massive tom back, and he gritted his teeth issuing a deep growl. His claws scraped the stone beneath him as he slowly began to get pushed backwards; his muscles felt as if they were slowly tearing apart inside of him as he strained to overpower the much larger tom.
"Now!" Darkpelt managed just as Willowstar thrust him back, but not in time to avoid Lostheart and Greysight's unison attack. Greysight claws connected with Willowstar's already bloodied face, splattering small crimson droplets over the rock while Lostheart slashed out at Willowstar's legs, causing him to step back to avoid her attacks.
Willowstar's eyes were wide in fury and he threw up his head, letting the blood fall. His teeth were gritted firmly together, so tightly that it looked as if they could crack at any second as Darkpelt and Lostheart latched onto him.
"You cannot defeat me!" he roared. "I am eternal! I cannot die!" Willowstar moved to make a mighty heave that would release him from the two cats' grip as he roared his final line.
Greysight then leapt up from behind the group and pushed a long stick toward Lostheart, who promptly grabbed it between her jaws and, with all her energy, thrust herself forward, plunging the spear-like branch toward Willowstar. Everything happened in slow motion as it pierced through the sharp, white fur of Willowstar's throat until finally it broke through the other side, sticking out oddly from the back of his neck. The tom's normally narrowed, yellow eyes were wide in shock as blood began to form in his throat and he let out a massive cough, spraying a form of bloodmist into the air.
"Now!"
It was in this split second that Darkpelt, Greysight, and Lostheart shoved forward, pushing Willowstar with all their might. The tom had no time to react as the ground suddenly disappeared beneath him and his body wavered for a split second before he fell backwards into the gorge, vanishing into the darkness below.
Lostheart stood at the edge of the ravine and had watched him as he went, taking note of the tom's widened eyes as he stared beyond her and blankly upwards, pupils the form of tiny slits, before he disappeared completely. A chill ran down her spine as she watched the him vanish into the darkness just as Greysight and Darkpelt padded up to the edge beside her.
All was silent as the three stood at the edge of the ravine beneath the dark sky, the wind blowing their fur lightly.
Greysight suddenly chose to interrupt the quieted disbelief, "Is he..."
Darkpelt said nothing as he stood in place, staring down into the ravine.
"TreeClan cats don't swim." Lostheart meowed quietly.
What was at the bottom of the dark ravine, no cat knew for certain, for none had ever dared to travel down there;,but Lostheart knew that the river had to run somewhere beneath the darkness; after all, where else would the waterfall lead?
Greysight said nothing more and joined her clanmates in simply staring down into the dark abyss, despite not being able to actually see anything. Darkpelt turned to the blind she-cat after a moment, curiosity lining his face.
"Where did you find that stick?"
Greysight turned toward the flecked tom and blinked.
"From this small tree over there; I snapped off one of the branches. I don't know what I was thinking, but somehow I thought it would help." she meowed, turning toward the direction of the small, flowering tree in question. Lostheart followed her gaze to look at the familiar tree whose flower petals had now begun to line the grass around its base, and she found herself blinking before a strange sense of peace came over her.
Lostheart, Greysight, and Darkpelt began walking back through the field in silence, each still trying to fully process what had happened. Had they really defeated Willowstar?
A large grin broke out across Greysight's face as the blind she-cat suddenly dashed forward, catching Darkpelt and Lostheart by surprise. Both cats blinked as Greysight danced around the grass, smiling to herself before turning back to them.
"Don't you feel it? Look! The fighting has stopped!"
Lostheart and Darkpelt looked up past her and into the distance where they could see a large group of cats, some of which glowed lightly in the darkness; however, there was little movement from the crowd. They seemed to be waiting for something.
Lostheart looked up past the cats in the distance and to the sky above them as the world around her began to lighten and once-black clouds began to fade into a mere gray, the wind having stopped completely.
At their approach, movement broke out amongst the cats, and the three were immediately met by the faces of their clanmates and the ancestors standing behind them. Thistleprick broke out into a wide grin and let out a cheer as he saw them, while Roseclaw sighed in relief and smiles broke out amongst their clanmates. Lostheart blinked as she realized that the TreeClan cats had vanished upon the disappearance of their leader and all who now sat in the grass were either of OceanClan, LightClan, DarkClan, or StarClan.
Their clanmates immediately ran up to them, looks of amazement and concern written on their faces.
"Willowstar-" Raggedear began.
"Gone," Darkpelt meowed, causing the cats' eyes to widen slightly in disbelief. Thistleprick let out another laugh while Roseclaw padded closer to them with Moonfur, examining their injuries worriedly. The apprentices had begun to speak amongst each other around them, each cat's voice suddenly covering up the others with questions of how they had done it and what had happened.
Greysight retold the events of the cliff to the eager, listening cats, making sure to describe every big picture detail of their encounter.
"If it wasn't for Lostheart," Greysight meowed, "I don't think it could have been possible." Greysight's words caused Roseclaw's eyes to widen slightly as she took in her blind friend's genuine smile. The blind she-cat had always been very arrogant and self confident, and for her to say such a thing was truly a surprise. Roseclaw found herself smiling as well; even Raggedear seemed to share in the clan's joy as Amberpaw bounced excitedly around him and Moonfur.
Thistleprick laughed at the sight and turned back toward Lostheart and Darkpelt who had yet to say anything. Upon seeing Darkpelt's impassive expression, Thistleprick's smile faded suddenly as Darkpelt stepped past them and stopped before the familiar body of a silver tom. The clan became quiet as they watched him go, moving to follow their clanmate, expressions changing in an instant.
Lostheart and the others looked up; however, when the sound of pawsteps and the dim glow of light became apparent. Across from where they stood, the whole of their ancestors stood before them, and at their front was a starry, golden tom. Greysight could only watch in amazement as she took in their faded forms and recognized her foster father as he stepped forward.
In the crowd, Greysight's eyes landed on the she-cat she had seen earlier with the bushy white tail, and toward the lanky tom, and the familiar Siamese she-cat sitting beside him. The three cats met her gaze, and with soft smiles, they slowly faded from her vision, causing Greysight's heart to stop in her chest as the familiar faded whisper tickled her ears.
'We're proud of you...'
However, it was not just Greysight who saw the cats. Lostheart and the rest of DarkClan watched as well while several of the StarClan cats slowly began to fade away like the last remaining colors of sundown.
Lostheart stood frozen in place staring ahead at the now small group of StarClan cats.
At the front of the group, Sunstar's deceased form was pressed closely against that of a she-cat. Silentshadow sat as gracefully and beautifully as ever, her pelt sparkling lightly in the dull atmosphere as she and Sunstar met Lostheart's gaze. Sunstar stared blankly at her for a moment before he gave a small nod as a light smile adorned his and Silentshadow's face, and together, the two cats faded away.
Once they had vanished, only a single cat was left in the clearing.
Beside her, Lostheart's clanmates turned away and had begun to move around and step closer toward Browneyes, seemingly unaware of the lone, starry figure still standing in the grass. His spotted foot remained as clear as ever, even in this ethereal form.
Lostheart felt her heart stop in her chest and she hurriedly stepped forward in an effort to stop the tom from vanishing like the others.
"Wait!" she meowed.
Ivyfoot paused and let his gaze fall onto the black she-cat with the strange eyes. Lostheart bit back her tongue, instantly averting her gaze as her eyes fell, looking back toward Browneyes's body.
Ivyfoot followed her line of vision, and vibrant green eyes slowly closed shut in understanding as his body began to fade, a peaceful smile on the tom's face.
"When a warrior dies, they do not truly leave this world," he said. "Their spirit lives on, watching over the forest through nature, watching over their kin's future. Don't worry, Lostheart..." Ivyfoot meowed, voice a faded whisper as he met Lostheart's gaze for a final time. "So long as one exists in memory, they'll live on forever."
As he finished his final words, Ivyfoot smiled warmly in his departure, his words taking root in Lostheart's memory; though it was something she had known all along. Ivyfoot faded, leaving behind an empty space in the grass, as if nothing had ever been there at all.
Behind Lostheart, the others gave no sign of having heard or seen Ivyfoot, leaving Lostheart to contemplate alone in the grass.
She silently made her way back to them, to where Darkpelt sat looking down at his brother, expression more pained than she had ever seen it before. Raggedear suddenly stood up from where he sat upon her approach.
"There was no stronger warrior," he meowed, speaking not of any physical strength or battle prowess, but of the kindness and courage Browneyes had so often displayed.
Darkpelt hunched over more, face shadowed beneath him. Moonfur, Roseclaw, Thistleprick, and Lostheart all agreed silently as they remembered their friend. Browneyes had saved Lostheart's life; he had believed in her, in them. The tom had always been there for the clan, and though he might not have been the largest or strongest warrior, he held much more meaning to their clan than any set of extra paws.
"We'll hold vigil," Greysight meowed. "For Browneyes."
Darkpelt nodded and finally rose to all fours, mouth set in a firm line as the tom one again chose to put up a barrier around himself. Thistleprick moved to stand beside him as the two mourned for Browneyes, and the clan stood around them in vigil.
Lostheart sat watching for a while, but eventually padded away into the tall grass of the field. She stopped a few fox-lengths away from the group and looked up into the sky as the gray world around her began to change and the first few rays of golden-orange sunlight broke through the clouds. The sky far up above remained dark as the sun began its slow ascent, but the stars still remained visible from Silverpelt; and amongst them, a single star stuck out to her, shining brighter than the rest.
The familiar orange light of sunset and sunrise came over her as she watched the glimmering star, her whiskers quivering in the cool air. Then slowly, a small smile grew across Lostheart's face, unable to hold it back any longer.
It was over.
Silentshadow and Ivyfoot, she had seen them, had seen their smiling faces again. The raw emotion she felt overwhelmed her, and she couldn't stop herself from smiling like a fool, full of pure joy at that single star.
I wanted to see you smile again.
No, she would never forget.
"I see you smiling."
The End
AUTHOR'S NOTE
It is complete! So clearly this took a little while, but I was really busy and it was long. I did a WHOLE BUNCH of edits too. Hopefully it came out alright and you guys have enjoyed the story. It's still hard for me to believe I got this far. I also hope that you guys picked up on a lot of the main themes of my story and the different significance of my titles (this one in particular had a ton). I would love to hear all of your final thoughts and questions in a review along with things you have picked up on or remember as well as predictions- just overall thoughts on the character, on what's happened on anything and everything. It's the end of the book! Thank you for reading!
P.S Keep your eyes peeled for the final book 3 of the DarkClan Trilogy sometime in the future. I can't guarantee an exact time because it all depends on my busy-ness.
P.P.S Ivyfoot's quote was inspired by a favorite quote of mine, which happens to be from one of my favorite childhood games, The Spyro Trilogy.