Epilogue

The rising moon was clear and half-formed above the ThunderClan camp. A soft leaf-fall breeze stirred the blanket of colored leaves that littered the stony ground below. The battle with the Dark Forest had left all four Clans in chaos, everyone was mourning the loss of Sandstorm, who had collapsed in the center of the clearing as soon as the Clan had entered the camp after the battle.

The majority of all four Clans were gathered in the ThunderClan camp, as it had been the closest source of herbs for the wounded cats. The stronger of the cats had headed to the ShadowClan camp to increase their medical supply, and the other cats were huddled together in groups, murmuring about the battle.

Lionblaze's head swung from side to side, looking for Cinderheart. Through all the confusion, he hadn't seen her since he had confessed his love for her. Lionblaze needed to know she wasn't harmed. He spotted her at the base of the Highrock, and pelted towards her, dodging clusters of his Clanmates as if his life depended on it.

Cinderheart saw Lionblaze before he reached her. She knew in that instant exactly what he was going to ask her, and started talking before he could say anything would make her feel worse than she already felt.

"Lionblaze, I'm sorry." Her voice cracked at her first attempt at a sentence, but grew more confident as she went on. "You know how I feel about you, but I know what my dream is now. I want to lead ThunderClan. This kind of power gives me the confidence you, or any other cat could never come close to."

"I..." Lionblaze hung his head. "I'm sorry, too, Cinderheart." He started to pad away, his tail dragging on the ground, but Cinderheart's voice made his head whip around.

"I'll always love you."

Lionblaze smiled. He wasn't sure why, it didn't feel like a time to be happy. It may have looked like a halfhearted smile, but all his heart was bursting with relief.

"I know."

"Leafpool!"

Leafpool would have known that voice anywhere. She was carrying delicate cobwebs to the other side of the ThunderClan camp to try to stop Icewing's bleeding, but once she heard Crowfeather's voice, she swung around and headed back for the Medicine Cat den. There were plenty of cats who she'd run into who'd need cobwebs.

"Leafpool, I know you can hear me! Please, just stop for a second!"

The resigned Medicine Cat slowed her pace so Crowfeather could catch up to her, but didn't stop walking. "I'm very busy right now, Crowfeather. I can't talk without breaking these cobwebs, which every cat in this clearing probably needs right now."

"Then just listen."

"I can't forgive you, Tigerheart." Dovewing had been looking for Ivypool, but had found Tigerheart chasing her instead.

"I know I should have told you," Tigerheart began. "But you don't know what it's like in the Dark Forest. I fought against them, didn't I?"

Dovewing turned to look at Tigerheart for a second, then looked at her paws. "Ivypool didn't want to attack your brother." She changed the subject on purpose. "And maybe I don't know what it's like, but she does. And so do you. So you should know, if Tigerstar had asked you to kill me, you would have."

"That's not true."

Bramblestar stood in front of Squirrelflight to stop her from walking away. "I never stopped loving you."

Squirrelflight couldn't bear to look at her ex-mate. "No amount of apologizing could compensate for what I've done. I wouldn't blame you if you never want to see me ever again."

"In the moment, I was furious with you."

Heathertail had happened upon Lionblaze by chance, when she had arrived with the herbs from ShadowClan to treat Cinderheart. When Cinderheart was moved to the Medicine Cat den, they were left alone. "But now, after all this, I'm actually grateful."

"We were young. And stupid."

Leafpool couldn't bear the look on Crowfeather's already heartbroken face. But she just had to tell him. "I'm going to be a Medicine Cat again. My Clan needs me more than you do."

"I'll always need you."

Dovewing knew in her heart that was true for the both of them, but she also knew in her heart what was right, and would could never be.

"It doesn't matter anymore. We both know we've made up our minds."

Squirrelflight hung her head. "You'll be a great leader, Bramblestar. I've come to terms with my choices I've made in the past, and all that's left to do is move on."

"Yes, we all need to move on."

"By the power of StarClan, I give you your true name as Medicine Cat..." Jayfeather spoke the words at the trampled, battle-scarred ground of the Moonpool to Leafpool and Briarlight in turn. He would give up his position as Medicine Cat formally after he had shared tongues with StarClan this half moon.

Jayfeather felt Mothwing brush against him as he put his nose to the still sparkling, clear water of the Moonpool. Right now, he didn't care what StarClan would think of him. All that mattered was that he could finally be with Half Moon as a warrior of ThunderClan.

"Welcome, Jayfeather." Firestar's kind words woke Jayfeather from his sleep, and he blinked in the new light of his dream-vision. "We have much to thank you for."

"You're... you're not mad?" Jayfeather lifted a paw, looking around the circle of cats who had formed around him by the Moonpool.

"Of course not." Sandstorm padded out of the group to entwine her tail with Firestar's. "StarClan has been rebuilt, and so have the Clans.

"The war has ended between the dead Tribes. The Tribe of No Moon will never threaten the peaceful grounds of our ancestors ever again."

That voice; Jayfeather knew that voice from somewhere. It felt almost like trying to recall a dream. His past suddenly became a blur, and he didn't allow his hopes to rise until he saw the face of the speaker.

"Hollyleaf."

His sister's green eyes stared back at him from the front lines of StarClan. Her black coat glittered with stars, and she looked more beautiful than ever.

"You... you gave me the yarrow all those moons ago, didn't you?" Jayfeather wanted to run towards her, to tell her about Half Moon and everything else that had happened since she had gone, but suddenly his feet felt like ice; unable to move from where they stood planted. "You... you really died."

Hollyleaf nodded, her smile seeming to brighten all the other stars in each cats' pelt. "I admire you for choosing to become a warrior. I know how hard that can be. But it is unlikely we will ever see each other again." Before Jayfeather could protest, she went on. "And so, to guide your paws on your journey to becoming a great warrior, StarClan will return something the Tribe of No Moon unfairly took from you when they sent you back to the lake."

Jayfeather's eyes were the brightest blue and round with sight as he gazed upon his mate, surrounded by the rest of his Clanmates. He never imagined the forest could look so beautiful.

"By the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name..." Crescent's sleek, battle-scarred white pelt seemed to glow beneath the light of the setting moon as Bramblestar addressed her. When he was done, she turned to the group of cats behind her, her green eyes meeting Jayfeather's as all the four Clans' chanting stirred the stars themselves.

"Lunarheart! Lunarheart!"