And now, as an extended sort of ending to last chapter, here is Part 2 of Chapter 16!

The Age of Awesomeness: Reading just transports you to another world. If I ever read to de-stress/calm myself down, I make sure it transports me to a place where the main character's feeling calm and happy because otherwise I'll just get grumpy for no reason whatsoever. When I read something, the main character's experiences get inside my head and sort of sit there. :P Does that happen to you too or is it just me?

Anova00: That just reminded me of how long it's been since I've ridden my bike. It's been about a year and a half. :O I used to LOVE riding my bike! I need to start doing that again! And I'm glad I actually did know where Ukraine was. :) I've never been there, but I'm sure it's beautiful and fun and has great food and all that. :P

ShadowHawk540: I honestly don't care that you didn't review last chapter, as long as you and your parents are okay. :-\ I'm glad you have so many different ways of de-stressing (unlike me :P)! And yes, I also play video games, so the (I know, I know) would be me, too. ;) Also, what was wrong with your logging in or do you not know? Because I might be able to help you our with that.

QLKwriter: I only really have one way of coping with stress, probably because it really does take a lot to get me stressed, sort of like you. I've had... 3 panic attacks in my life? The most recent was when I thought I wouldn't be exempt from my math exam because of a test on material I just didn't get at all PLUS I had waaay too much art homework which always takes awhile PLUS I was going to lose my A in science because of this tough homework I didn't get at all. Minimum, that's what I need to get stressed. So I guess I sort of understand not having any particular way to get rid of it. And I figured no cats had died in a while, so it was about time to hold another funeral...

EradrinSkyleaf: I feel bad about killing Molewhisker's sister. :( But it was a choice of her, Aspentail, or Rustpelt, and Aspentail's needed for fighting later and Rustpelt's just a fun character and I'd feel worse about killing Foxtooth's brother. So... yep. Sorry Cherryfall! And I really wasn't expecting you to review twice, so that was unexpected. :P I generally spend most of my time dehydrated, so... huh, right about now I'm feeling thirsty. Maybe I should get something to drink. XD Hydration!

Willowdream of ForestClan: I've heard of Switchfoot but haven't actively listened to that much of their music. I know they're a Christian rock band and played a song for the Narnia movies, but that's about it. Are they any good? Also, you're a great drawer, so I can understand how drawing de-stresses you. :P It makes me slightly more stressed, actually, because my drawings never turn out quite right.

XxLight-of-Stormy-OakxX: Doing the homework that's stressing me out usually helps de-stress me, too. And I think your username is great! :) I think one syllable definitely fits for the last word, because it has a sort of rhythm with that. I don't know, you probably don't get what I just said, but oh well. The point is, I like it better now than if you change it to Lightning or Darkness or something else. It sounds good this way. :)

Sootpaw's POV

The camp had never looked so dark as it did that night. Cherryfall, groomed neatly, had been laid in the center of the clearing, her chin resting on her paws and her eyes shut. Stray bits of herbs were caught in her fur from when Stormtuft and Goldenpaw had prepared her for the overnight ritual. Beside her lay her brother, Molewhisker, and her apprentice, Twigpaw. Amberwing was curled beside her mate, her kits asleep by the side of the clearing between Mistheart's paws. Not a sound split the silent air.

Goldenpaw had stretched cobwebs over my shoulder and foreleg, keeping in a mess of herb poultice that stung but soothed at the same time. I lay at the edge of the clearing beside Dawnpaw, my leg awkwardly stretched out in front of me.

Dawnpaw's soft, sleepy breaths ruffled my ear fur as I readjusted myself to lie on my side. Gazing up at the stars, I imagined I could see my father's face painted there.

Was there any way to save her? I thought, wondering if Ashthorn could hear me like Cinderpaw and Rainpaw could. Would you have done anything differently? How can I truly be a leader when cats die like ants beneath my paws? I let you die. I let Silverdapple die. Now Cherryfall is dead. And then, though I tried to suppress it, Am I really meant to be a leader like you?

Sighing, I closed my eyes. I was exhausted from the battle, and though I felt I should stay awake to respect Cherryfall, I just… couldn't… stay…

Without even finishing my thought, I slipped into a river of sleep.

I stood in a forest, the sunlight streaming through the branches above, warming my fur with ease. My body relaxed as I breathed in the sweet Greenleaf air. This was a place of peace; I could just feel it.

A dark gray tom leaped out from the line of trees ahead, his dark gray fur casting the illusion that he'd materialized from the shadows. I grinned at the sight of him, bounding forward to touch noses. "Ashthorn!"

"Hello, Sootpaw, my son," Ashthorn meowed in his deep voice. I purred as I heard his last two words. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too," I whispered, pressing my muzzle into his fur. "I wish you hadn't died."

"So do I," Ashthorn said gently, "but it was my time to go. It was time for you to assume leadership of LeopardClan."

"But I'm such a bad leader!" I protested, leaning back to look earnestly into Ashthorn's eyes. "I'm letting cats die! Cherryfall is gone, and who knows who'll go next?"

Ashthorn swept his tail around, muffling my meows. "Quiet," he said sternly. "Stop complaining. You're doing the best job you can, and that's good enough for me. Sootstar," he added.

"Don't call me that," I meowed, turning away. "I'm not a leader. I'm just an apprentice."

Ashthorn circled around to my side and, laying his tail across my shoulders, said softly, "Come, Sootpaw. Come with me."

"What for?" I asked, but I stood and began padding forward anyway.

"You'll see," Ashthorn said infuriatingly. "I have something to show you."

He guided me along the forest path, his tail still across my shoulders. I could see him looking at me out of the corner of my eye, but I refused to look at him. Instead, I fixed my gaze on my scuffing paws. Finally, Ashthorn paused, and I looked up. "Here we are," he meowed softly.

"Where are we?" I asked, stepping forward. By the looks of things, nowhere important. Ashthorn had led me to a small clearing, a pool of water in the center. I stepped forward to drink, closing my eyes and folding back my ears against the splashing water. When I had drunk my fill, I stood up and opened my eyes again.

Ashthorn had snuck up beside me while I drank. I watched his reflection in the water as he stretched out a paw and touched the surface of the pool. What was he doing?

A moment later, I got my answer. I stepped back in alarm as the water began to swirl around and around, faster and faster. I was glad I'd already gotten my drink as it gradually turned into a whirlpool, its black center sinking away into the depths of the water. I hadn't realized before how deep this pool must be.

Out of the whirling water rose two figures, pale and transparent but most definitely recognizable as Ashthorn and me. I stared first at them, then at Ashthorn, who stared right back at me impassively.

"Can you tell the difference between these two cats?" he asked quietly. I nodded. "Which one's me?" Ashthorn challenged.

"That one." I pointed with my forepaw, which somehow didn't hurt anymore.

"Why is that me?"

"Because it looks older. Look, it's got a couple gray hairs along the muzzle."

Ashthorn nodded. "Okay, then. What if I showed you myself as a younger cat?" He touched the now smooth, still water once more with an extended paw. As the ripples touched the ghosts of me and Ashthorn, they vanished, replaced with an image on the water, moving as though there really was a forest at the pool's bottom.

I leaned forward and saw, to my astonishment, a light brown and white tabby she-cat not much older than me. She touched noses with a dark gray tom, and together they began padding up a gently sloping hill to join a larger group of cats. Just as they reached the group, however, a dark brown tabby tom raced up to join them, his jaws parted in a silent yowl. The dark gray tom turned, his face contorted with concentration as he listened to whatever the other tom said. Finally, he nodded and turned to the she-cat, his sorrowful eyes at odds with his chin, stubbornly sticking out like a kit's.

I turned away. I knew what this was now. This must have been when Ashthorn was forced to let Lightwing leave for the forest without him.

"Sootpaw." I looked up at Ashthorn again. "Look into the pool."

I shook my head. "No. I don't want to see you leaving Lightwing."

"But that's not what you'll see."

Confused, my gaze darted inadvertently at the water. It had begun to swirl again, and two cats rose out of the water once again. Except this time, they both looked young.

"Which cat is me?" Ashthorn asked.

I stared hard between them, but each looked exactly the same as the other. No matter which tiny detail I focused on, I couldn't see any differences. Finally, I said slowly, "I'm not sure."

"This was me," Ashthorn meowed, sweeping his tail toward the cat closer to him, "when I assumed leadership of LeopardClan. This was you," he nodded at the cat closer to me, "when you assumed sole leadership of LeopardClan." He turned to gaze intently at me once again. "Do you see? We looked exactly the same. You are just as good of a leader as I was."

"But… what about Cherryfall?" I asked anxiously. "You wouldn't have let her die, would you?"

Ashthorn closed his eyes with a soft sigh. "Sometimes some deaths are unavoidable," he murmured. "I hope you will see that for yourself soon. But now, you must sleep and be well rested for what tomorrow brings." He pressed his muzzle to the top of my head and the world went black around me once more.

Chapter 16 has finally ended! What did you think? Should I have lumped them together in one chapter?

AOTD: I'm a strange person. I organize my room to calm down from stress. Plus, the last time I did that, I found a yo-yo and that really helped me get de-stressed. I mean playing with the yo-yo helped me de-stress, not just finding it. XD

QOTD: What should Sootpaw's warrior name be? I've figured out what I want Cinderpaw's and Rainpaw's to be, but I can't think of one for Sootpaw. -.- His personality is just so hard to describe.