Chapter 6

FrostClan had left the battle very quickly, leaving AcornClan in a circle around Honeyfall. Her neck had a huge gash, and her back was slashed with Addertail's claw marks.

"Honeyfall…" Duststar whispered. Grayheart and Silverheart ran up, Ravenfur, Cedarleaf, and Shadeflower following.

Honeyfall coughed. She shook her pelt, still lying on the ground. "Duststar?"

"I'm here," he breathed.

"Have you thought about it?" She asked.

Duststar's breath caught in his throat. Mates… He hadn't realized it before, but he DID love Honeyfall. He closed his eyes, and pictured tiny kittens next to him and Honeyfall in the Newleaf air.

"Yes," he said. "I want to be your mate." He reached down and touched his nose to Honeyfall's.

She purred, and then said, "I wish we could have a real future… good luck with your leadership, Duststar. I love you, always." She layed her head back, and closed her eyes.

"No!" Duststar yowled.

"She's gone," Cedarleaf said, after she pressed her ear to Honeyfall's chest. "She hunts with StarClan now.

Silverheart gasped and buried her nose in her mother, Grayheart's fur. All of AcornClan looked down to the ground.

"Oh no… Duststar," Redstorm, Duststar's mother gently whispered.

He lay next to Honeyfall, small whispers of "no" being heard here and there.

"Duststar. We need to go home. We can bring Honeyfall's body with us, and bury her. But we must go." Jayfang said, gently pawing at Duststar's side.

"O-Okay." Duststar got to his paws, shook out his fur, and then gently grabbed Honeyfall's scruff and dragged her back to camp.

…

That night, Duststar slowly and shakily fell into his nest. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was in a very beautiful starry place. StarClan.

He saw a pretty cream-and-white she cat pad toward him. "Honeyfall!" He mewed. "I miss you," his heart ached thinking about the future he could have had with Honeyfall.

"I miss you, too." Honeyfall said, her eyes somber. "I came here to tell you," she paused. "That wherever you are, StarClan is on your side. And don't worry about Stormstar. He will have his own future to come." A golden tom padded up to Duststar and Honeyfall.

"Sunstar!"

"It's me! Congrats, Duststar. You may have not won the war, but AcornClan is still under the safety of StarClan. Always."

…

THE END

And…finished! It has been so fun writing this fan fiction with AcornClan, and don't worry, there are many more to come! See what happens next, in Twisted Scales.

-WolfsongOfCherryClan