Spottedleaf felt Mapleshade's jaws closing around her throat, and flailed her paws helplessly. No! I can't die! What will happen to me?

She felt herself swirling in an endless darkness. What in StarClan is going on? She thought groggily. Suddenly, she was pulled into a clear, sharp, consciousness. She glanced around her, seeing a clearing surrounded by four oak trees. Fourtrees. She was in StarClan.

"Welcome." The word seemed to reverberate with five different voices, each unique, but they blended into each other seamlessly. Five cats appeared, surrounding her.

She only had to glance at them to know who they were. The original five leaders of the clans. She bowed her head in respect to them.

"Spottedleaf. You have died at the claws at one who was evil. But it should not have happened. You were never supposed to die a second time. By StarClan, your murderer wasn't even supposed to be evil! There was just a tweak in her destiny. She was meant to be the leader of ThunderClan, not Pinestar. Thus, we are giving you both the chance to return to the clans. In fact, she should be here any moment now." Thunderstar mewed, his deep voice echoing.

At that moment, Mapleshade appeared next to Spottedleaf. When she glanced at her surroundings, she bared her fangs in a snarl. "StarClan fools!" she hissed. She turned to Spottedleaf, confusion on her face. "I killed you!"

"Yes, you did. And you shouldn't have!" Riverstar reprimanded. Mapleshade bared her fangs, snarling venomously. "Don't you dare talk to me like that! You took so much from me! My mate, Reedtail, my kits, oh, my kits!" she broke into a sob. "My kits were perfect! They were beautiful! You stole Sorrelkit and Silverkit from me!"

"It was beyond our control!" Shadowstar snapped. "You were meant to be Maplestar, wise leader of ThunderClan. But when you met Reedtail, everything changed."

Windstar's eyes gentled. "You made a mistake once. You have the chance to try again." Mapleshade looked up curiously, her ginger and white fur still fluffed out.

Skystar took over, her blue eyes calm. "You two will be reborn into ThunderClan."

Then, the five leaders spoke as one. "You will be born to Dovewing. In your new lives, your memories will be lost. May StarClan light your path."