When Midnightpaw woke the next morning, Sunpaw was yelling at Lavenderpaw.

"No! You're wrong!"

"I−" Lavenderpaw began, but Sunpaw cut her off.

"No!"

With that, he ran outside.

"What happened?" Midnightpaw demanded.

"Longlive. She...she didn't make it," Lavenderpaw admitted. "Sunpaw's not...not taking it so well."

"Okay," Midnightpaw sighed. "I'm going outside."

She trotted out and stopped, struck by the destruction.

The water had gone down completely overnight, revealing the worst of the devastation. Dens were destroyed, medicine supplies and fresh-kill gone. Worst of all, dead bodies littered the camp.

Without turning around, Sunpaw mewed, "It's horrible, isn't it?"

"Yes," Midnightpaw agreed, sitting beside him. "Are you...are you okay?"

Sunpaw snorted. "Are you?" He asked. "Are any of us? Will we ever be okay again?"

"I...I don't know, Sunpaw. But I believe that we can push through this."

"We? We're sticking together, then?"

"Yes," Midnightpaw said firmly. "We have to."

"I guess you're right," Sunpaw sighed.

Midnightpaw turned to him.

"I know it's hard," she whispered. "I know it hurts and it's terrible and you're scared. I am, too. But we can make it. I promise I'll do whatever it takes, whatever I can, to make sure of that. I'd give my life for you, Sunpaw."

Sunpaw turned to her, green eyes wide. "You would?"

"Yes," Midnightpaw said. "Or for Foxpaw, or Lavenderpaw, or Blankkit or Snowkit or Jewelkit or any of you."

"Thanks, Midnightpaw," Sunpaw said. "You should...you should call everyone together. Right now. We have to hold the funerals."

"Tonight," Midnightpaw said. "Now, we're going to try to hunt."

They told Foxpaw and Lavenderpaw where they were going. Then, they left camp and hunted all day. They talked only occasionally, and by sunhigh had two pigeons and three fat squirrels to show for it. They dragged them back to camp and everyone ate. After that, Midnightpaw and the others performed the horrible job of gathering every cat's body into the center of camp.

"Everyone come outside," she called. She's considered calling an official Clan meeting, but that hadn't seemed right.

"A few nights ago, we lost most of our Clan," she began. "They were our friends, or parents, our mentors...even our leader is gone. I want you all to know that we will make it. SwiftClan will survive, and we will find a new place to live. But not tonight. Tonight, we mourn our Clan."

She began the Song of Mourning. Slowly, the others joined in.

"Just close your eyes

The sun is going down.

You'll be alright

No one can hurt you know.

Come morning light

You and I'll be safe and sound."

Midnightpaw began ceremoniously lowering the bodies into the huge grave they'd dug earlier. When all the bodies were in, they covered them with dirt.

That night passed in a dark haze. Midnightpaw had a hard time staying awake, and by the time the sun cleared the horizon, she barely had the energy to sing the Song of Morning. But she managed, as did the rest of SwiftClan.

"I've been spending the last eight months

Thinking all love ever does

Is break

And burn

And end.

But on a Wednesday

In a café

I watched it begin again."

Midnightpaw stumbled back into Willowstar's den, followed by the others, where they collapsed in a heap and didn't wake until dusk.