CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

We told Half Moon our tale—Jay's Wing wasn't keeping secrets from her anymore—and then all we could do was wait. She had said she would miss the three of us that were leaving, but she knew we would be happy.

I could only wait anxiously for Lion's Roar to return. In the meantime, I tried to explain how the Tribe of Endless Hunting would work, but I didn't think Half Moon really understood what we were trying to say. Only experience could really explain that to her.

Two days ticked by slowly. Everyone waited eagerly for the softpaws to return as sharpclaws, but no one more eagerly than me.

I was waiting at the entrance of the cave the morning they were due to arrive, anxious and excited, determined to sit there all day until Lion's Roar returned, when Half Moon walked up to me. She looked troubled.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing's wrong," she said. "I'm just a little...confused. Last night, I...I had a dream."

"What sort of dream?" I asked, curious.

"I dreamed I was back at the lake, in our old camp," Half Moon explained. "There were so many cats there...many that I had known. Many that had died. Falcon Swoop and Falling Rain, Jay's Wing's parents...Broken Shadow...Dark Whiskers...not Fallen Leaves, oddly enough...but how?"

"The Tribe of Endless Hunting came to you," I said softly. "It's working already—your ancestors are gathered."

"Is that what it was?" Half Moon said, excited. "What good news! I must go tell Jay's Wing!" She dashed off toward her mate.

I smiled, feeling a little more at peace. That was good.

What would make it even better was if I could tell Lion's Roar. "I do wish he'd hurry up..." I muttered under my breath.

I waited until noon before the first cat came up to the cave. It was Darkest Night, carrying a hare and dragging an eagle behind him.

The Tribe cheered and welcomed him back. He said he had caught more, and he would go back to fetch it if he could. A few cats went with him to help.

Next came Silver Glow, and then Hawk's Talon. Both had plenty more to bring back. I did not volunteer to bring more prey back to the cave. I was waiting for Lion's Roar.

I was growing very nervous. Had he been hurt? Had he died? What was wrong? What was keeping him? My yellow eyes strained as I gazed out on the horizon where his three siblings had appeared.

At last, with the sun almost beneath the horizon, a figure became visible. Hope sprang in my chest, and I scrambled to my paws.

"Lion's Roar!" I called out, ecstatic.

He slowly made his way back to the cave, not one but two birds of prey dangling from his jaws. I was so proud. I raced toward him and helped him carry the fruits of his labor back to the Tribe.

"I was worried, you came back so late," I purred to him once the crowd of greeters around him had dispersed.

"More time to catch more prey," he said, winking. "Let's take a couple cats to gather up the rest!"

It was moonhigh when we returned. There was plenty of food for all. I was so happy, and very content. I would be going home soon!

Half Moon quieted down the crowd and began to address them.

"Cats of the Tribe," she began, "last night I had a dream. I dreamed I was back at the Lake, in the hollow that was our home. All those who had died were there: friends, family, and others. They introduced themselves as our ancestors, the Tribe of Endless Hunting."

There were murmurs of disbelief, but Jay's Wing rose to his feet and backed up his mate. "I have had dreams like this as well. You all remember the dream I had that told us to come here?"

"And I have dreamed other dreams before," Half Moon murmured. "Our ancestors called me not by name, but by another: Teller of the Pointed Stones. Stoneteller. They... they told me I could interpret dreams and read the ripples of the water in the moon cavern. They said I was the Healer of the Tribe."

There was now complete silence. I was enthralled. She hadn't told me this part of her dream!

"And I stand here today, as your Healer, and ask you to accept me...and to accept the Tribe of Endless Hunting. They are your ancestors. They will guide you. They will help us and watch over us. Will you accept us?"

Out of the silence, one cat stood. It was Dove's Wing.

"I will accept you," she said firmly.

"As will I," Lion's Roar said, standing as well.

"You're just a softpaw," Jagged Lightning—always a troublemaker—growled.

"He's a sharpclaw now," Shy Fawn hissed. She stood. "I will accept you!"

"We're sharpclaws, too!" Silver Glow shouted, hopping to her feet, her brothers right behind her. "We accept you!"

I knew I wasn't really part of the Tribe, but I exchanged a glance with Wolf, and we both stood. "I accept you, Stoneteller," I called.

"As do I," Wolf growled, shooting an angry glance at Jagged Lightning.

"They're not even members of the Tribe!" the black and white tom muttered, but no one paid him any attention. Around us, the Tribe leapt to their feet and cried out Half Moon's new name, Stoneteller. Even Jagged Lightning stood, albeit reluctantly and among the last.

I knew her name was Stoneteller now, but she still would be Half Moon to me. I smiled at her relieved face.

"Thank you, my friends," Half Moon said. "I will do my best to lead you well. Now, I formally welcome Darkest Night, Lion's Roar, Hawk's Talon, and Silver Glow as full members of the Tribe of Rushing Water! May the Tribe of Endless Hunting Guide your paws!"

My bones hummed with importance, and I smiled. All would be well with the Tribe. They were on their way to becoming what they were in my days as Gingerstar.

The crowd then went to eat a little more. We were truly having a celebration. I talked with Wolf and Lion's Roar for a while, until we were interrupted by Half Moon.

"Wolf, Snow," she purred. "I've been thinking... you two have done so much for the Tribe and for our ancestors. You deserve to become members of our Tribe as well."

"Half Moon—sorry... Stoneteller," I said, "thanks, but... I'm not meant to be here. I had a good time, but our business in this time and place is over. You know that Lion's Roar and I are mates. We can't be together here. We need to go home."

"What about Wolf?" she asked, hope dying in her bright green eyes.

Wolf shook her head sympathetically. "I don't belong here either. Thanks for the offer, though. We were actually planning to leave tonight."

"Tonight?" Half Moon asked, dismayed. "Couldn't you wait until at least tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow morning, then," I amended.

"And Lion's Roar? You're going with them?" Half Moon said.

My mate nodded his golden head. "Yes. I don't think the Tribe will like it, but I need to stay with Snow. I want to go back to my new home, the human world."

"But if you stay here, Snow can join! It will all work out!" Half Moon protested, swishing her tail from side to side. "We can all be together—you and me and Jay's Wing and the kits... the kits will miss you terribly!"

"I'll miss them, too," I said sadly. "But..."

"Maybe we can visit," Wolf suggested. "Every once and a while."

"How?" I asked her. "We're going back and staying there."

"Maybe it could be like those dreams we had back when StarClan needed us a lot," she said. "We can ask the Originals—"

"That's a good idea, as long as we can go back at any time," Lion's Roar said thoughtfully.

"All right," I agreed. "We'll try to visit, Half Moon, but I don't know..."

"I'll miss you," she said, the picture of sadness.

I muzzled her in a friendly way. "I'll miss you too."

"Yeah, me too," Wolf said.

"And me," Lion's Roar murmured.

Half Moon sighed. "I'd best announce it to the Tribe."

Most of the cats were sad to see us go, and it pulled at my heartstrings. Shy Fawn and the newest sharpclaws were dismayed to hear their brother was leaving, and the older cats clearly disapproved of the hints that he and I were mates. Still, I didn't care.

The next morning, Dove's Wing, Jay's Wing, and Half Moon all wanted to come wish us well at the edge of the territory. We would travel there, then call upon the Originals to take us to those people who wanted to see us.

I politely refused Half Moon's company.

"I'm sorry," I told her, "but the Originals can't take you, too..."

Reluctantly, she stayed behind. The five of us set out once again on an unknown journey. We talked for a while, then hunted as we grew hungry. It was shortly after sunhigh when we stopped at the edge of the explored territory.

"I guess this is it, then," Jay's Wing said, a little sadly. "The end of our adventures."

"I'll miss you all," I said, "but we can see each other in dreams."

We all smiled at that thought.

"Goodbye, brother," Lion's Roar said, his voice thick with emotion. "And you too, Dove's Wing."

We all murmured our farewells. I felt sad, but I knew it wasn't the end. There would be more to come.

At last, we stopped talking and looked around awkwardly. "Are we ready, then?" Wolf asked.

"I guess we are," I said. "All right. Star, Moon, First, Also, Rock... if you can hear us, we're ready."

"I thought you never would be," First's voice said impatiently. My eyes drooped sleepily—he must be putting us to sleep. "It's time to meet the future, my friends..."

I crumpled to the rocky mountain ground, and hoped that whoever it was who wanted to see us, they were friendly.

I opened my eyes to see StarClan's territory.

I had been here many times before, as a member of the starry ancestors of the living Clans. I knew what it looked like, and never before had I seen so many cats here. It looked as if all the cats who had ever been in the Clans were here, wishing to see us.

"Wh-what's going on?" Dove's Wing, beside me, stammered. Only, when I looked, she was different...more like Dovewing than her mountain self.

And Lionblaze stood on my other side, not Lion's Roar. He was bigger and older. Wolf looked pretty much the same, but I had a feeling she was Wolfstar. Thus Jay's WIng must be Jayfeather, and I found myself correct in being Gingerstar. My paws were ginger, not white.

Star and Moon padded forward out of the crowd, their pelts shimmering. "StarClan wishes to thank you," Star said, his voice solemn. "You formed the Clans, then saved them from the Dark Forest. And on top of that, you made it possible for them to exist together. Moon and I thank you as well."

Both of the Cat Originals dipped their heads, as did all of StarClan. I saw a few familiar faces among the crowd, and I winked at them.

"This is all very well, but I have a few questions," Jayfeather interrupted. "Questions for the Originals and Rock only."

Moon turned and waved a paw at the StarClan cats. They scurried away in silence, until only us five and the Cat Originals remained. A few moments later, Rock walked out of the shadows. Then First and Also appeared.

"What is it?" Also asked, a little warily.

"I want answers," Jayfeather said firmly. "Why were we in particular chosen? You refused to answer us last time!"

They exchanged a glance. Then Moon sighed.

"We chose you because you were the most qualified," she said. "As well as being those instrumental in the great change."

"The great change?" I asked, baffled.

Star coughed and added, "You caused quite a change in the Warriors world, Annie."

I scowled at him. "Yes, but...?"

"You changed history," First said simply. "Without you, things would have been very different in the Warriors world."

"How so?" Wolfstar asked.

Images flashed before my eyes. The Great Battle taking place in the real world, not the Dark Forest... Firestar dying after killing Tigerstar... Lionblaze and Cinderheart together... No wishes were granted... So much was different!

"As soon as you came here, everything changed," Also said.

"But why did I come in the first place?" I demanded, irritated.

"Because of...well..." Star cleared his throat uncomfortably. "First and I made a bet. I told him that there was no way a human could adapt to becoming a cat, he disagreed, and...well...I lost."

"A bet?" I demanded. "You completely altered the course of my life and the lives of many others just because of a bet?!"

"Yes," Moon said tiredly. "I told him it was a terrible idea, but would he listen? No!"

"Well, it's over now," Lionblaze purred. "And you won't bother us again?" he demanded to the Originals and the silent Rock.

"No," Also said firmly. "You can go back to living your normal lives. As consolation, we'll even let you visit the mountains as cats every once and a while."

"Oh, good," Dovewing murmured.

"Fine," I snapped, still angry at First and Star. Males! "Just send us home now!"

"Very well," Moon said. "I'm sorry this had to happen, but it did. We won't bother you again."

"Good," I grumbled.

Then my vision blurred, and the sparkly mist surrounded my vision. I was going home.