Life carried on. Rainstar continued to do all of her usual duties, but she decided to abolish the scheduling. "We don'd really need it," she announced one day. "I was trying to control everything." She shuffled her paws. "I'm going to stop doing that."

We still sent out regular patrols- the war with IceClan wasn't to end for another several moons- but Rainstar didn't regulate them. She gave Gorseclaw control over who went on which patrol.

I kept being medicine cat, and I helped deliver Cinderstripe and Stormwind's kits. There was a tabby tom named Ivykit, after Ivyheart, the elder who died; a dark gray she-kit named Flintkit, after Flintstar; and a little dark tom named Hollykit, who was of course named after Hollywhisker. I felt a pang in my heart whenever I saw his bright green eyes. His fur was a different color, but that kit's eyes... They looked exactly like Hollywhisker's.

Russetclaw and Heronfeather died in battle with IceClan, defending the nursery, and Silvertuft, Thundertail, and Sunfoot all became elders. Redpaw, Adderpaw, and Specklepaw's warrior names were Redfeather, Adderstrike, and Specklepelt.

And as for me? I was a faithful medicine cat, delivering omens and prophecies and healing my Clanmates. Silverbird spoke to me often. She tended to be full of herself and pretentious, but I know she was much wiser than any of us.

I accepted that I could never have Smokecloud. It was okay to me now; I had Ferntail, Sunfoot, Gorseclaw, Shadowstep, Larkfeather... And Smokecloud was still my friend. Plus, I had my herbs now.

Still, my life wasn't completely perfect. There was still the prophecy about the evil white cat to worry about- I could only dream of what it was trying to warn me of. But I tried not to fret about it too much. It was no use worrying without cause.

And sometimes I could still feel that presence, like a StarClan cat stalking me. One day, I was out looking for tansy when I felt it again. I looked around the grass and saw a flicking white tail. Could it be the evil white cat, haunting me? I bounded towards it and pounced, but it disappeared below my paws. The cat was gone. When I returned there again to look for more tansy, there was no sign of the cat.

I felt it again and again and again and I couldn't figure out who it was, until one sunny morning when I was making a poultice for Falconpelt's wound. I felt the presence, and could almost see white paws leaving the camp... How could I not follow it?

"Be right back," I said, and I darted out of camp, my paws still sticky with the poultice.

I padded through the grass. What was that scent? Why couldn't I put my toe on it? I saw the white tail, and I thrust myself forward into a clearing with short grass.

I realized who the presence was a heartbeat before I saw it.

Cloudpaw.

"It's you!" I exclaimed. "You've been haunting me!"

Cloudpaw dipped his starry, translucent head. "It's me. Silverbird thought that if I visited you in StarClan, it'd be too upsetting. But I wanted to see you again."

His eyes were so wide and innocent, I couldn't help but purr.

"But I thought you hated medicine cats," I said.

"Not anymore," he answered, meeting my gaze. "If it weren't for me throwing out that catmint, you would've saved my life. A medicine cat would've saved my life! There's no way I can still hate medicine cats after that."

"It's not your fault you died," I said softly.

Cloudpaw looked unsure.

"It's Nightheart's," I said with a playful purr. "She was the one who ate that catmint!"

"Oh, yeah," Cloudpaw said. "Anyway, I'm... not supposed to be here. I should go. You Ember's cursed quack."

I couldn't help but smile at this.

"Remember the prophecy from before," Cloudpaw said. "Evil does not need to be cloaked in black." And with that, he disappeared.

I padded into camp, feeling content for the first time in a long time.

I had my friends in EmberClan- Ferntail, Gorseclaw, Shadowstep, Larkfeather, Cinderstripe, and yes, Smokecloud. I knew now that Cloudpaw still cared about me and didn't blame me for his death. And I was a medicine cat now. My dream had finally come true.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like everything was off my chest.