Last chapter! :D Second book of this trilogy finished!

Also, I just really want to thank all of you for 400 reviews. I never thought I'd get this far and I'm glad so many of you like my writing/plot/characters/whatever else to keep on reading! :) It really means a lot, so thank you all from the bottom of my heart and the bottom of my soul and the bottom of my mind (did you know in Japan they say "I love you with all my mind" instead of heart?) and everything else. Just... thanks. :)

walkswithwheels: I loved adding in the kits. :) They were so fun to write about! And I sort of added in the canon characters randomly. I really should've put in Onestar instead of Wind. And yes, the tension between Ashthorn and Sootstar will definitely be addressed in the third book. It'll be one of the major plot points, I think, so I sure hope it'll be cleared up! :P And I named Alderleaf so early because I thought it just wouldn't really fit having three medicine cats with full names and one apprentice. It would put WindClan at a more obvious disadvantage. Echosong was named early in SkyClan even though she didn't have much knowledge of healing, so I thought I'd do the same with him.

Willowdream of ForestClan: Thanks! :D I feel accomplished now, my life has meaning! XD

QLKwriter: *sniffles* They are growing up too fast, aren't they? Soon enough they'll be elders telling kits about their adventures! (I think Cinderstar would be the best storyteller personally :P ) And staycations can be fun, you can get time to write and sleep and eat ice cream... (I'm so unhealthy)

ShadowHawk540: That's cool that you play baseball! I've never actually known anyone who plays baseball, even though it's stereotypically the American Sport and all. Is baseball fun?

Leopardstar2002: Well, summer can also be fun staying at home, even if it's due to... reasons. And I don't mind you not posting reviews. It's not exactly mandatory for reading. XD

ThiefofSong: Yeah, I think this is your first review! Thank you so much for reading my story! :D It really does mean a lot to me. And Honeypaw probably would be another possible she-cat for Rainstar, but she's so quiet most people probably forgot about her. :P

Shadows of Weeping Wolves: Thank you so much! :) I think I've improved a lot since I started this series, and I'm so glad you also think so! (makes me feel like it's actually true XD ) Amusement parks are always fun! I might not have time to go to one myself this summer, though. ;-; But camping sounds like fun, too! :) And I hope this review of yours was up to your standards, like the last one apparently wasn't. (I thought it was fine)

skyclan lover: Sorry, but I don't think I'll have time to bring in SkyClan. :( I might try to add them in next book, but if so then they'd have to come to the lake by themselves, because Sootstar, Cinderstar, and Rainstar don't have the time to go on another quest!

RANDOM PERSON: I'm glad you love Sootstar's name! :D So do I! And sorry, no Ashthorn in the epilogue, but he will be prominent in book # 3. :) And I don't mind you not reviewing. Reviews are not mandatory for reads, though they are appreciated. :P Also, who is Adderkit? Do you mean Adderpaw? He was actually a kit at the same time as the trio (revealed in the third chapter in the first book, I think) so he's basically a warrior now. His warrior name's actually overdue. You learn it this chapter. :)

CAPS LOCK 4EVER: Alderleaf! :D *gives Alderleaf plushies* It's spelled exercise, btw. And since I use Microsoft Word, it might autocorrect all the words to regular typing or autocorrect caps lock on. I'll give it a try, though, and see how it works! But if it doesn't work, I'll probably just post a normal chapter. :(

LEAFPOOL 4EVER: Happy first review! :D Thank you so much for supporting my story! Also, cross country sounds like fun! ^^ I haven't read the Genius Files. They sound good, though, so I'll have to give them a try. :) Thanks for the recommendation! And I've never heard of Bruce Jenner before, but I looked him up and I think it's wrong to make fun of her. I have several transgender/unisex friends and they're just as "good" as normal people. Though it was wrong of her to have several wives if she wasn't also homosexual. (I saw she broke up with all three of them, was that right?)

ilovewarriorcats: That's kind of odd that the chapters I think are crummy you say are okay and the chapters I feel good about you sometimes (or just once :P ) say are rushed. I wrote the epilogue over several days and I do think it turned out pretty well. Do you agree? (I don't mind you giving constructive criticism. It makes my writing better :) ) I made sure I gave the gifts in accordance with the cats' specific personalities. At times I even stole from reviews about how the three would react to being leaders. XD But yeah, the forethought was uncalled for. And the issue between Sootstar and Ashthorn will be discussed at length in the next book. :) So hopefully that'll be interesting. I hope this epilogue was up to your standards, though! I thought it would be good to show how they settle in, plus I forgot to mention something concerning Sootstar, Cinderstar, and Rainstar in the last chapter, so I had to have it here. And the wedding sounds like fun! Also, I'd love to read your fanfictions. Is there any reason in particular why you don't get a fanfiction account?

sunstrike: My secret is... (drum roll) writing a lot. I'm serious; the more you write the better it will get. I've been writing for years now (not continuously but oh well :P ). It's how I've gotten to be this good at writing. Plus I look up grammar and stuff on the internet when I'm confused as to how to use it. I'm still actually confused about ; vs : vs -.

Sootstar's POV

I stood beside the lake, staring across at the Gathering Island. Already I could see a Clan crossing the tree-bridge, their dark shapes silhouettes against the bright, white moonlight reflecting off the water. Was it ShadowClan? No, they would've had to pass this spot and I couldn't smell Cinderstar on the pebbly beach. Was it WindClan? Probably, their territory was closest.

I took a deep breath. Only a half moon ago I would have reached out with thought-speak to Rainstar and see how he was doing. Only since we'd received our nine lives, we'd discovered we couldn't speak to each other mentally anymore. It was as though with the added gift of nine lives, we had to give up something too.

"Come on," I meowed to Rustpelt and Goldenwing, who flanked me, before heading off around the lakeshore. It was time for the first Gathering since NightClan had been defeated.

I was right; it had been Rainstar crossing the bridge. As I forced my broad shoulders through the thick foliage around the island's edge, I spotted him chatting with Alderleaf and Aspenpaw near the Great Tree. A grin unfurling across my face, I bounded over as fast as my paws could carry me.

"Rainstar!"

Rainstar turned, his eyes growing wide with excitement upon seeing me. "Sootstar!" he exclaimed, racing toward me and closing the remaining distance between us in a few leaps. I rested my chin on his shoulders, purring louder than I've ever purred, except for maybe three times. Once when Dawnshine and I had become mates, once when Rainstar returned with the peace cats, and once when Cinderstar returned with RiverClan.

Rainstar beckoned me over to his little group. "Hey Alderleaf," I greeted them. "Hey Aspenpaw."

"I'm actually Aspensplash now," the she-cat grinned. "Rainstar figured now that Alderleaf has his name, it would only be fair to make me a warrior too. Plus I was old enough and I'd finished my training."

"That's great news!" I purred. My heart seemed to be fizzing with tiny bubbles. I wondered if it would just explode when ShadowClan got here.

I didn't have long to wait to find out, however. At that moment, I heard a yowl of greeting. Turning, I saw Mossystar leading RiverClan through the barrier of bushes. Spotting us, she made her way over and meowed, "Cinderstar and ShadowClan are right behind us. We can start the Gathering soon."

"Shouldn't we let the cats mingle with each other first?" I asked anxiously. "They'll want to catch up after so long apart."

Mossystar shrugged. "They can talk afterwards. Anyway, RiverClan should probably get back. We don't really know anyone besides Cinderstar and Foxtooth, and they never really tried to get close to any of us anyway."

I shook my head in exasperation but saw her point anyway. The RiverClan warriors might have to get up early for the dawn patrol and if they didn't know anyone from the other Clans, why bother staying?

"Okay," I agreed. "Gathering first, then catching up."

Cinderstar announced her arrival with a loud battle cry from the opposite side of the island from the tree-bridge. I turned around, a smile widening across my muzzle as I saw my sister sprinting across the clearing, all of ShadowClan behind her.

"Hey—" I tried to meow, but Cinderstar tackled me in a badger hug, knocking me to the ground before I could get another word out.

"Hey indeed," she muttered, her meow muffled against my thick fur. Then, pushing off of me, she leaped on top of Rainstar. "How's WindClan, little bro?" she asked as she wrapped her legs around his back.

Rainstar shook her off, battering her with sheathed paws until she let go. "Not bad until some senile she-cat decided to knock the wind out of me," he laughed.

"Who are you calling—" Cinderstar began hotly, but she was interrupted by Mossystar.

"Can we please just get the Gathering started? Some of us want to get back to camp before Moonhigh."

I glanced over at the she-cat, fighting the urge to smile at Cinderstar rolling her eyes. "Sure, Mossystar," I meowed, somehow keeping a straight face until she turned and bounded up into the Great Tree, settling on the highest branch.

"Let all the Clans gather!" she yowled. I leaped up the trunk quickly, Cinderstar and Rainstar right behind me. We settled into sitting positions just as the loud rumble of conversation died away, to be replaced with innumerable wide, blinking eyes all staring up at us.

Of course, Mossystar started the reports. "RiverClan is doing well since we returned to the lake," she meowed smoothly. "I am happy to name Troutstream as my new deputy."

About half of the gathered cats cheered Troutstream's name. I caught a glimpse of the pale gray tabby sitting up tall next to the other deputies, her chest puffed out in pride. As Mossystar began talking again, I turned to look up at her through the leaves.

"We have also accepted two loners into our ranks. Badgertongue is our newest warrior…" Mossystar paused to allow cats to cheer for the black and white she-cat, "… and Bluepaw is our new medicine cat apprentice."

I stared down at the small, dappled dark blue-gray she-cat, the moonlight illuminating several silver spots on her back and tail. I couldn't help but wonder if she and Badgertongue had only been accepted because it would make RiverClan look stronger.

Mossystar dipped her head and sat down on her branch. Cinderstar, who sat on a branch opposite the trunk from me, nudged Rainstar, who sat beside her, into a standing position. He took a deep breath and began his report.

"WindClan is also thriving," he meowed in a slightly shaky voice. He swallowed and continued, his meow gradually growing stronger the more he talked. "We have a new warrior in our midst. I welcome Aspensplash into WindClan as a full warrior."

I smiled as the brown and white she-cat below swelled with pride, many voices chanting her new name, welcoming her warmly as a warrior. It must be a wonderful experience, I reflected, to be welcomed at a Gathering. A small pang of regret wormed its way through me; I hadn't had my own warrior name called out by all the Clans. But then again, if it hadn't been for my littermates and me, we wouldn't have any Gatherings at all.

"We also have a new deputy," Rainstar meowed. "Adderclaw."

I blinked. Who was Adderclaw? Then, after a quick glance downward at the lilac tabby ears and twitching tail, I realized who it was. Adderpaw.

"Adderpaw? Seriously?" I hissed across at Rainstar. "You made him your deputy?"

Rainstar shrugged. "Why not?" he asked in an undertone. "He deserves a second chance."

I shook my head in exasperation. "He doesn't have an apprentice!"

"Neither do I, but as soon as Lionkit and Hopkit become apprentices, we both will be eligible."

Fine. Who was I to go against Rainstar when he was so determined to see the best in everyone? I let the matter drop as I turned back to the Clans, whose cheers for Adderclaw were now fading away.

I stood up next, glancing quickly across at Cinderstar to make sure she didn't mind going last. But she nodded at me with unfamiliar warmth in her eyes, mouthing, "Go ahead."

"ThunderClan is doing very well," I started. "Three majorly wounded cats, Mistheart, Streamfrost, and Iceheart, have all healed well. We also have a new deputy, whose broken paw has healed with the help of Goldenwing. His name is Rustpelt."

I stepped back a kittenstep, watching with a wide smile as the Clans cheered for my friend. Rustpelt, now standing squarely on all four paws, basked in the warmth flowing from the Clans, his muzzle split in a grin as big as a crescent moon. As the voices died away, I nodded at Cinderstar to report for her Clan.

"ShadowClan is doing well also," she meowed. "We have completely redone our camp, wiping out all traces of NightClan. ShadowClan is truly NightClan-free." Under the cover of the resulting yowls of triumph, she leaned forward and whispered, "Vixentail was a big help in the rebuilding efforts."

I smirked. An I Told You So hung in the air between us, but I didn't dare say it. Instead, I dipped my head and meowed in an undertone, "I'm glad she's fitting into the Clan so well."

Cinderstar's eyes glittered. She turned back to the cats and continued, "I now have a new apprentice, Morningpaw, and Sparrowtalon is mentor to Twigpaw." Over the chants of, "Morningpaw! Twigpaw!" she called, "And speaking of Sparrowtalon, he's also the new ShadowClan deputy."

Cheers for Sparrowtalon now joined those for the apprentices. I stood up with the other leaders, glancing up to where Mossystar was quite obviously waiting to speak. When the voices from the clearing died down, she said, "RiverClan, it is time to leave. The other Clans can stay if their leaders agree, but I'm afraid RiverClan needs to get back to camp." She leaped down the tree in a few bounds and headed for the tree-bridge, her tail in the air. The RiverClan cats followed, a few with backward glances but most keeping their eyes fixed on their leader. They vanished into the bushes.

"ThunderClan can stay and talk with the other Clans," I meowed, shimmying down the tree backwards. I'd never really gotten the hang of tree-climbing.

"WindClan too." Rainstar followed upside-down like a squirrel. When he touched down I muttered, "Show-off." Rainstar only grinned at me.

"ShadowClan has to leave," Cinderstar announced. Then, at the cats' shocked faces, she meowed, "I'm kidding. We can stay as long as needed. Also," she added, bounding down the tree trunk, "I'll have to take Mistheart to ShadowClan, Sootstar. Her brother and kits are missing her."

I dipped my head. "She is fit to travel." I beckoned Mistheart out of the crowd and relayed the news to her. Her eyes widened with excitement and she dipped her head briefly before bounding off to find her kin.

"So should we just go around and socialize or something?" Rainstar asked.

"Yeah," Cinderstar replied. "Come on, let's go." The two scampered off into the crowd, but I hung back for a moment, staring around at the Clans, just savoring the moment.

We'd defeated NightClan. We'd restored the Clans. We'd settled into our respective Clans.

Peace had come at last.

Ah, but Sootstar, if peace has come at last, then why would there need to be a third book? Why would there need to be a third book entitled Misty Peace?

AOTD: This is actually semi-important info for updating schedules. So I've signed up for a summer-long swim team that I've swum on for ten years (this is my eleventh). Also, in about a week, I'll be off to a 2-week writing camp. Then after that, there's a week when I'll be starting rowing lessons, then a week of day camp (another writing camp) and rowing lessons (and swim team). Sometime else during July I'll be going to another day camp for filmwriting and drama, then in August I'll go to a week-long sleepaway Christian camp. Also at the beginning of July I'll go to a wedding for a day, and at the end of July there will be Championships for swim team. So yeah, my summer is really busy, but I'll make sure I take time to write! I'll try for at least one update per week, but that might slow down during camps and things. But I'll do my best to keep writing! :)

QOTD: How do you think this long-lasting peace will be broken in the third book?