Leafstar rested her muzzle on the top of Cherrytail’s head; Cherrytail licked her shoulder and moved away to join the other warriors.
Leafstar turned to Sparrowpaw and repeated the same time-honored words. “Sparrowpaw, from this moment you will be known as Sparrowpelt. StarClan honors your courage and your strength, and we welcome you as a full member of SkyClan.”
She rested her muzzle on his head, and he too bent respectfully to lick her shoulder.
“Cherrytail! Sparrowpelt! Cherrytail! Sparrowpelt!” the rest of the Clan called to welcome the two new warriors.
Cherrytail gave a massive, jubilant leap into the air.
Next, Leafstar beckoned with her tail to Clovertail’s three kits. Trying not to wriggle with excitement, they padded up to their Clan leader. Clovertail watched them, looking ready to burst with pride.
“Patchfoot, you have shown courage and endurance,” Leafstar meowed. “You will be mentor to Bouncepaw.”
Bouncepaw let out a squeal, broke off almost at once, and pattered over to Patchfoot to touch noses with him.
Patchfoot looked down at him, eyes glowing with pride at having been chosen as a mentor.
“Cherrytail, you are a new warrior,” Leafstar continued, “but the whole of SkyClan has seen your dedication. You will mentor Rockpaw.”
The black apprentice bounced up and went to touch noses with his new mentor; Cherrytail looked thrilled.
Leafstar looked down at the last of the three kits, who was hardly able to keep still. “Sparrowpelt, you are young too,” Leafstar mewed at last. “But you have excellent fighting and hunting skills. I trust you will pass them on to Tinypaw.”
The white apprentice sprang up and, obviously trying to be more dignified than her brothers, padded up to Sparrowpelt and stretched up to touch noses with him.
“For now,” Leafstar told them, “all warriors will work together to train the new apprentices. We are a new Clan, and we must learn to depend on one another. I have one more thing to do,” she added. “Before Firestar and Sandstorm came to the gorge, we lived separate lives. We were rogues and kittypets. We knew nothing of the life of a Clan, or of the warrior code. Now we belong together and we support one another. Firestar, Sandstorm, we thank you for all you have done for us. Your names will be honored forever by the cats of SkyClan.”
“Firestar! Sandstorm!”
Firestar felt himself swelling with pride. He remembered his worries about leaving his Clan, and the dangers of the journey upriver. Every pang of anxiety, every weary pawstep were worth it now that he saw the strong bodies and shining eyes of the new Clan members.
He felt Sandstorm’s muzzle brushing his ear as his mate murmured, “It’s time for us to leave. We’ve rebuilt SkyClan, just as we promised. Our own future is waiting for us in the forest.”
Firestar knew she was right, but a pang clawed him at the thought of leaving these cats who had become his friends.
They were unlikely to meet again until they walked with StarClan—and even then, would they share the same skies?
He rose to his paws to meet Leafstar as she padded over to him. “Was that all right, Firestar?” she asked anxiously. “I was afraid I wouldn’t remember the proper words.”
“It was perfect,” Firestar told her. “SkyClan is yours now.
You don’t need us anymore.”
A shadow of sadness crossed Leafstar’s face, but she didn’t try to persuade him to stay. “Your own Clan needs you,” she meowed. “But SkyClan will never forget you.”
As the rest of SkyClan realized that Firestar and Sandstorm were about to leave, they gathered around, wishing them good-bye and good luck.
“Remember the first time we met?” Cherrytail meowed.
“You told us off for making fun of Skywatcher. I thought I’d never seen such a dangerous cat!” Her eyes gleamed with mischief. “Now I’m dangerous, too!”
Sandstorm gave her an affectionate nudge. “I wouldn’t be a rat around here for anything.”
“Yes, you’ll have to keep an eye open for the rats,” Firestar reminded Leafstar. “And the kittypets in Twolegplace—Oscar might take it into his head to cause trouble. And—”
Sandstorm interrupted him by prodding him with one paw. “Leafstar knows all that,” she meowed. “They’ll be fine.
Let’s go.”
Calling out more good-byes, Firestar and Sandstorm began to climb up the stony trails to the cliff top. Echosong walked with them as far as her own den. When she reached it, she touched noses with Firestar, her eyes filled with regret.
“Maybe we will meet again in the paths of dreaming,” she mewed. “But my heart tells me that this is farewell. Thank you, Firestar. You have helped me find my destiny.”
Firestar bowed his head. “SkyClan is lucky to have you as their medicine cat, Echosong.”
It was hard to look back and see the small tabby figure standing outside her den, watching them leave. Was Echosong really ready to take on the role of a medicine cat?
Would Sharpclaw understand how a deputy had to support his Clan leader? Would the inexperienced mentors be able to cope with their apprentices?
Then as they paused at the edge of the cliff, Firestar caught sight of a SkyClan patrol among the undergrowth far below.
Leafstar was in the lead, with Patchfoot and his apprentice, Bouncepaw, and Clovertail bringing up the rear. As Firestar watched, Clovertail pounced, and stood up with some tiny creature hanging from her jaws.
“See?” Sandstorm purred as she licked Firestar’s ear.
“There’s nothing to worry about. Let’s go home.”
Firestar let out a long sigh. His quest was over; he had walked with SkyClan to their journey’s end—and a new beginning—and now he could go where his heart truly belonged. He pressed his muzzle against Sandstorm’s shoulder, and they began to head toward the forest.
Epilogue
Frost glittered on leafless branches as Firestar bounded down the ravine. He felt full of energy, completely recovered from the long journey back from SkyClan three moons before.
Brambleclaw and Mousefur followed him: the dawn patrol was returning to the ThunderClan camp, cold and hungry, but with fur unruffled. The borders were peaceful, and leaf-bare would soon give way to the fresh growth of newleaf.
Firestar pushed his way through the gorse tunnel and turned to wait for his Clanmates. “Better get something to eat, and then rest,” he meowed. “I want you both to come with me to the Gathering tonight.”
“Great!” Brambleclaw’s fur bristled with excitement, while Mousefur simply flicked her ears and headed for the fresh-kill pile.
Firestar headed across the clearing toward the nursery, spotting Sorrelpaw, Sootpaw, and Rainpaw wrestling together beside the apprentice’s den among the ferns. While he watched, Thornclaw emerged from the warriors’ den and called to Sootpaw; mentor and apprentice disappeared through the gorse tunnel.
As he approached the nursery Cinderpelt emerged; Firestar bounded up to her. “Is everything all right?” he demanded.
Cinderpelt’s blue eyes glimmered with understanding.
“Everything’s fine, Firestar. I just took her some borage to help her milk come.”
Firestar let out a long breath of relief. “I still can’t believe how beautiful they are,” he confessed.
Cinderpelt gave his ear a gentle flick with her tail. “In you go, then, and have another look.”
Firestar pushed his way through the brambles and into the nursery, the warm, milky scents flowing over him. Sandstorm lay in a deep nest of moss and bracken; huddled close to her belly were two tiny she-kits, their eyes still closed. One was tabby with a white chest and paws, the other a dark ginger like Firestar himself.