Lilypetal's POV

After all of these moons...

My heart felt as if it were truly blazing with warmth, longing, and happiness as I watched the radiant, glimmering, sparkling figure of my daughter, Snowflight, walking towards where Thornclaw and I stood.

Everything else seemed to completely disappear around me as I stared back at her. And although I knew that Snowflight was only a spirit, the way that she walked so gracefully, so carefree, her pale blue eyes full of warmth... she seemed just as at ease as if she were alive. For a moment, it felt as if she had never even left us.

And to see her looking so peaceful and untroubled, after seeing the end of her life that was surely filled with so much suffering... almost brings me more happiness than getting to see her. "Oh, Thornclaw..." I whispered, pressing closer to my mate and keeping my gaze on Snowflight. "Please tell me that we're not dreaming this again."

Thornclaw glanced down at me for a moment, his pale blue eyes sparkling with warmth and disbelief. "Luckily for you, I don't think that we are, Lilypetal," he whispered back to me. He then let out a purr of amazement and looked back out towards his daughter, his head shaking slowly. "But even if it was, would that make this moment feel any different?"

"I don't think that my heart would feel any less full..." I murmured, now having to blink back emotion that was welling up in my eyes. "Snowflight!"

I couldn't contain myself any longer, and raced forward so that I could press myself against my long-lost kit. And as soon as our fur touched, a rush of warmth seemed to run through my entire body. Oh my StarClan... what have I done to deserve to get to be so close to my kit again? After I thought that I'd never get to again...

I pulled Snowflight closer to me with my tail, and I gently touched my muzzle to her head. "My daughter..." I choked out, hardly being able to handle my own emotions at all - ones of happiness, sadness, guilt, longing... they were all too overwhelming.

After a moment, Snowflight pulled away, and I met her warm, ice-blue gaze. "Hi, mother," she whispered.

I quickly pulled her closer to me all over again. "Oh my goodness..." I breathed, only taking a moment to pull her even closer to me. It truly feels as if I could never hold her close enough... "I hope that you know that I'm going to hold you like this until you physically start resisting."

Snowflight further leaned into my touch, and I could hear the purr rising in her throat. "I'm not complaining one bit," she meowed softly. I then began to twitch my whiskers as I heard her purr with amusement, and she nodded ahead. "And I assume that Thornclaw is just going to watch us from afar?"

I followed my daughter's gaze to see that sure enough, Thornclaw hadn't moved from the spot I'd left him in. He was simply staring back at us from a few fox-lengths away, his pale blue eyes glossed over.

My heart managed to feel even warmer as I realized that Thornclaw was just as overwhelmed with the sight of his daughter as I was. I know him too well, I thought affectionately. His amazing, expressive eyes always give him away. "Apparently so," I purred, flashing my mate a warm and sympathetic look as I gestured to Snowflight. "Thornclaw, are you alright? Don't you see our brave, beautiful, and kind-hearted daughter that has returned to us?"

Thornclaw sniffed, beginning to shake his head slowly. "Oh, I see her. It's just..." he then trailed off, closing his eyes and looking away for just a moment. But when he looked back, his eyes opening again, they were just as shiny and glossed-over as they were before. "After all of this time, you're..."

He paused once again, this time, his voice breaking. "It's been so long, Snowflight," he then meowed huskily before running up to us, joining us in our embrace. "Too long."

I gave Thornclaw a lick on the cheek as soon as I felt his fur pressing against mine again, and then pulled Snowflight even closer, so that she was nestled just between the two of her parents. "Too long, indeed."

And among all of the chaos, I'm only beginning to realize that just moments ago, back in the forest... I not only was fighting Ashfur alongside Snowstorm... but my own daughter. "And you're still the amazing, selfless, and fearless she-cat that we knew you to be when you were alive," I then went on, my voice thick with emotion. "Oh, Snowflight... through Snowstorm, you..."

I trailed off for a moment, still overwhelmed by this realization. "I mean, you saved my life tonight," I finally managed to say. "You saved so many lives."

"It was my destiny," Snowflight whispered as she looked up at Thornclaw and I. "And I knew that I was going to do whatever was needed to fulfill that destiny, as soon as Bluestar gave it to me up in StarClan."

The white she-cat straightened herself up, her eyes beginning to glow with determination and love. "But it's just as I told Goldenshine - destiny or no destiny, I'd do something like that without hesitation."

"Oh, Snowflight..." I whispered as I ran my tail down my daughter's flank. "I have no doubt."

"Neither do I," Thornclaw then purred, his gaze blazing with affection as he looked at his daughter. "Great StarClan, you're making it easier and easier for us to miss you once you go up to StarClan, aren't you?" And after the three of us shared mrrows of laughter, my mate then began to quickly scan his eyes around the ThunderClan camp. "And speaking of Goldenshine, where is that other firstborn of ours?"

I continued to laugh, simultaneously still trying to get used to this extreme level of happiness as I exchanged a humored glance with Thornclaw. "Mm, I had a feeling that something was missing!" I purred, quickly spotting my other daughter speaking with her mate, Dustystorm, just a little ways away. "Goldenshine!"

Goldenshine instantly whipped her head around at my call, her gray eyes narrowing down into slits as she smirked. "Hm, interesting," she murmured, turning to face the three of us. "Am I supposed to come over and join in this heart-warming embrace?"

I held back another mrrow of laughter as I looked back at Thornclaw, who replied to his daughter with a shrug and began to flit his eyes in every which direction. "Well, if you don't want-"

"No, no! Don't say another word!" Goldenshine quickly interrupted, and Thornclaw, Snowflight and I all purred with amusement once more as Goldenshine then pelted straight towards us, proceeding to worm her way in between Thornclaw and Snowflight. "My gosh... I'd trade away all of my knowledge as a warrior if it meant getting a moment like this!"

Snowflight snorted, giving her sister a flick on the ear. "Mm... doubtful."

The four of us then burst into laughter yet again, that laughter soon being replaced by soft purrs as the four of us stood in ThunderClan camp together, our fur pressed together as we soaked up every single heartbeat of this moment that we were being blessed with. All four of us, together again... I thought lovingly. It's moments like this that remind me of why I summoned an evil demon cat and attempted to kill him.

I then slowly lifted my head from where it had been leaning into Snowflight, and began to scan my eyes around the area once again. But as perfect as it feels... just the four of us no longer makes this complete, I thought, my eyes set on finding the brown tabby, black and white, and golden brown and white pelts of my second litter.

I quickly found them just a few fox-lengths ahead, and a purr began to rise in my throat all over again as I noticed that way that they seemed to be staring back at the four of us in awe, hesitating to take even one more pawstep forward.

I stared back at my kits warmly, gently beckoning them over with my tail. "Wrenpaw, Lightningpaw, Emberpaw," I meowed softly to them, flashing them a reassuring look. "It's alright. You can come over."

Wrenpaw's pale blue eyes were sharp with wariness. "Are... are you sure?"

"Who is she?" Emberpaw then whispered, nodding to Snowflight.

Goldenshine stood up, taking a step closer to her younger kin. "Wrenpaw, Emberpaw, Lightningpaw..." Goldenshine meowed as she lashed her tail towards her pure-white sister next to her. "This is Snowflight. She is my littermate."

Lightningpaw tilted his head to the side, flicking his ears. "Wait, your littermate?" he repeated, his yellow eyes widening. He then nodded to Goldenshine. "That means that she's your sister... which means that..."

Thornclaw chuckled, nodding back at his son. "Yes, Lightningpaw," he purred. "That means that she's your sister, too."

With those words, Lightningpaw suddenly looked as if some cat had told him the secret to getting all of the prey in the world. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in complete astonishment and then proceeding to run up to the four of us. "Whoa!"

Emberpaw looked equally as amazed. "This is Snowflight?" she meowed, her mouth gaped open in shock. "My other sister?"

She then let out an excited squeal and followed just behind her brother. "Oh my goodness, I have another sister! And she's here!" she cried out. She then skidded to a halt just in front of her older kin. "Snowflight, it's so nice to meet you! I-I heard so much about you! You were a medicine cat, and you were so kind and intelligent, and-"

The golden brown tabby-and-white she-cat then cut herself off, shaking her head quickly. "Sorry... I'm just..." she then murmured, letting out another squeal just a heartbeat later. "Wow! I can't believe it!"

Snowflight purred with amusement as she brushed her tail against Emberpaw's shoulder. "There is no need to apologize, Emberpaw," she replied kindly to her sister. "I'm so happy to see yet another one of my kin have so much excitement and spirit."

Snowflight then briefly looked over her shoulder to give Goldenshine and me a wink. "It definitely runs in the family," she murmured.

She then looked over towards Wrenpaw, the only kit of mine who hadn't taken a step closer. "But I can also appreciate having kin with a very calm, dignified manner as well!" she then purred, dipping her head to her brown tabby brother. "It's great to see you, Wrenpaw."

For a moment, my son seemed completely and utterly surprised that Snowflight had addressed him at all; his eyes flashing with alarm for just a heartbeat. But just as quickly as they'd blazed, they softened, and Wrenpaw returned the nod to his sister. "It's great to see you too, Snowflight," he then muttered before finally running up to join the rest of us, squirming in between Emberpaw and Lightningpaw.

And just as Wrenpaw had done so, my heart almost seemed to sense it, filling up with so much warmth as if it knew what was going on. I am with my mate, and all five of my incredible, perfect kits all at the same time, I thought, wrapping my tail around every cat that I could. Amidst everything that has happened tonight, I can't believe that StarClan still took the time to bless me like this.

I then couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt and unease as I took a glance out towards the forest. And as much as I hate to admit it... I don't think that this ever would have been possible if Ashfur were to still be alive.

Luckily, a gasp from Emberpaw cut off my thoughts. "Emberpaw?" I meowed to my youngest daughter, immediately welling up with concern. "What's the matter?"

The golden brown-and-tabby she-cat was staring wide-eyed at something ahead. "It's that cat!" she exclaimed. "That fluffy gray-and-white she-cat!"

My heart nearly skipped a beat with those words, and Lightningpaw's reply to his sister was a bit fuzzy. "Fluffy gray-and-white she-cat?" he repeated after a snort. "Emberpaw, what are you meowing on about?"

"No, I'm serious! She's standing right over there!" Emberpaw insisted, lashing her tail towards something ahead. "Oh my goodness, where have I seen her before?"

"Don't either of you remember?" Wrenpaw then cut in, clearly seeing the cat that Emberpaw was referring to. "She was the one that always came to visit us in the nursery before..." He trailed off for a moment. "Well, before she saved us from drowning."

Oh my goodness...

Any more that my kits could have said were completely drowned out by how much my anxiety and shock were taking over. I couldn't even find the ability to confirm Wrenpaw's words. I found that all I could do was look ahead, utterly bewildered as I could very clearly see my mother, Mistpelt, emerging from the group of StarClan cats. The fluffy gray-and-white she-cat's eyes were burning into my own as she slowly walked towards me.

And I found that I was doing the same, something in my subconscious being stronger than all of the feelings of wariness and guilt I felt just by the sight of my mother.

But once I stood face to face with Mistpelt, I realized that I had absolutely no idea what to say. What can I even say? I thought in dismay, almost feeling pained by the warmth that I saw in my mother's eyes. Up until she died, things were so sour between the two of us...

I then had to shut my eyes and look away, feeling too ashamed to look at my mother anymore. All because I was a little upset that she didn't tell me about Oreo... I realized, hardly being able to handle the amount of regret and pain that jabbed at my heart. I was told over and over that I had all the right to be upset... but I let it drag out for much too long.

I was haunted every single day with thoughts like this, being reminded over and over about how I'd wasted too much time being angry with my own mother. And I never got the chance to forgive her. To let her know how stupid I was being.

And I had no idea what I could possibly say in order for her to forgive me. All I could do was stare back at Mistpelt, forcing myself to keep her gaze as I fought back immense waves of emotion.

But Mistpelt continued to stare back at me, her pale blue eyes full of love and reassurance. "Lilypetal..." she whispered to me in her, soft, gentle voice as she took a step closer to me. "It's okay."

That was enough to give me all of the words that I needed. "How can you possibly say that?" I meowed hoarsely, shaking my head slowly. "How can you possibly be so forgiving when I was so unforgiving to you?"

I then had to screw my eyes shut. "I let you fall beneath the water, knowing that your daughter still hadn't forgiven you for something that ended up being so... petty."

"Lilypetal, it was not at all petty."

I then opened my eyes again, flashing my mother a grim, guilty look. "Waiting to let myself forgive you for as long as I did... it was definitely petty, and so... so ridiculous of me," I admitted to my mother, giving the smallest shrug. "If anyone should be holding a grudge... it's you, Mistpelt."

My voice cracked, and nearly broke with those words. "Oh, mother," I then whimpered, lowering my head. "I am so, so sorry."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Mistpelt padding up closer to me, and she stopped as soon as I felt her fur brushing mine. She then used her tail to gently lift up my head. "Oh, Lilypetal," she sighed, her eyes glowing with sadness and sympathy. "There is nothing, nothing at all that you have to be sorry for. You did what you thought was right, and you were right."

I was then surprised to see that Mistpelt now seemed to be the one overcome with guilt. She broke her gaze from mine. "Me not telling you about your brother, and your father..." she then murmured as she slowly shut her eyes. "I held it all back out of my own shame for my past, but I shouldn't have."

She then opened her eyes again, revealing a gaze full of regret and shame. "I am so, so sorry too, my love."

I didn't hesitate at all with my reply. "You are more than forgiven, Mistpelt," I whispered. I learned the hard way... the extremely hard way about what a waste of energy holding grudges is... I realized, a chill running down my spine. I've not only seen it in my worst enemy, but in a way, myself.

But I quickly pushed these thoughts away, my heart practically growing as I met Mistpelt's warm gaze again, and I felt her brush her tail against my cheek. "Oh, Mistpelt, the few moons that you've been up in StarClan have felt like a lifetime..." I then meowed to her as I held back an immense wave of grief. "I needed your support and guidance now more than ever."

Mistpelt blinked back at me, raising both of her eyebrows. "But Lilypetal... you had it!"

I flicked my ears. "What?" I nearly exclaimed out of complete confusion. "How?"

I was then shocked, and even more confused to see Mistpelt shrug, her pale blue eyes glinting with amusement. "Well... firstly," she muttered as my heart began to race with anticipation, "I'll say that I suppose I have something else to apologize for."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you see," Mistpelt went on, giving me a wink. "I've kind of kept you up at night lately."

With those words, I nearly let out a gasp, and I was sure that my eyes were widening to be bigger than the size of my entire face.

And Mistpelt seemed to realize that I'd quickly caught on as well, slowly beginning to nod her head as her gaze beamed with mischief. "Those dreams that you've been having for the past few moons weren't by chance, Lilypetal."

I nearly purred with amazement. "No way!" I exclaimed. Oh my StarClan, I never would have thought... all of those flashbacks and memories...

I then glanced over my shoulder to look back at Thornclaw, who I knew would surely also be shocked by this news. And sure enough, my mate was staring right back at me, his gaze full of disbelief as he shook his head slowly.

I then looked back at Mistpelt, still hardly able to believe all of this. "All of those dreams that I've had about my past..." I breathed. "You were the one that sent them my way?"

Mistpelt sniffed, as she looked affectionately back at me. "I'm sure you weren't completely fond of returning to your kittypet past, but... yes, I was," my mother admitted, her gaze then growing more solemn and full of concern. "After I went up to StarClan, I was finally able to realize just how much you were going through, Lilypetal. I was finally able to see the torment that you've had to endure for so long."

She then took a step closer to me so that she could run her tail along my flank. "And most of all, I was finally able to see all of the doubt within yourself, and your uncertainty of what to do about this torment you were facing," she went on. "So, I sent you those flashbacks to guide you, and to remind you of who you are, and to show you how far you've come and what you're capable of. And Lilypetal..."

My mother then trailed off for a moment, her eyes beginning to well up with pride. "I am so proud to see how you took it all upon yourself."

"Really?" I forced out, not realizing just how much words like that from Mistpelt would mean to me until she had said them aloud. "You are?"

"I couldn't be more proud," Mistpelt replied softly. "You did exactly as I'd hoped you would. It was clear in how handled everything with Ashfur up until now."

"Wait a moment."

Before I could even come up with the words to give my mother in reply, I quickly recognized the meow of my mate, Thornclaw, and looked back to see that he was padding up to join us. "There is definitely something that I'm missing here," he muttered, stopping just beside me. "If all of these dreams were meant to guide Lilypetal through what she was facing with Ashfur..."

I then snorted, rolling my eyes as Thornclaw flashed me a teasing, yet sharp look. "...what she wouldn't let anyone else face," he went on, keeping his gaze on me. "Then something tells me that she did a lot more than just try to get him alone to kill him, hm?"

I began to shuffle my paws back and forth, shyly looking away from the golden brown tabby tom. "Just a tiny bit..."

"That's all that we could assume when you said that you were going to speak with Ashfur out in the Dark Forest!" Goldenshine then exclaimed, running up to stand beside her father. "What in the name of StarClan did you do instead?"

I took a deep breath, finally lifting my head to look back at Thornclaw and Goldenshine, and now Swiftflight, who had been curiously watching our conversation a few tail-lengths away.

Great StarClan, were these three about to receive a heck of a lot of information.

But nevertheless, I proceeded to explain to them every single component of my plan: firstly, my reasoning for going to the Dark Forest in the first place - meeting with Ashfur so that I could propose a trade - he got Squirrelflight, and I'd receive peace of mind that he would stay away from my family.

From talking to Squirrelflight, I'd been able to confirm that she was indeed Ashfur's biggest weakness, making it incredibly easy to convince Ashfur to meet with me at all.

And just as my family had predicted, I had wanted to meet Ashfur alone so that he couldn't hurt anyone else but me. I met him by the stream, knowing very well that I could make an easy trap using one of the dead trees that stood in the area.

And I had wanted to trap him so that I would be able to actually speak with him, and he wouldn't be able to get away. Just as my dreams, and Oreo had taught me, you should always take a chance at being able to give a second chance.

"But when Ashfur refused to change... I had no choice," I went on to my family, not being able to feel a pang of guilt as I continued to recall the moment from just earlier in the night. "I had to try and kill him, before he could do any more hard, which he made it clear that he would've done had I not done a thing."

I then let out a long sigh, my long explanation finally coming to a close. "So... that's how it all went down," I finished, flashing my Clanmates a shy look. "I've known that I've wanted to do something for moons and moons now, but it just took me quite a while to figure out exactly what to do."

I then took a deep breath, trying to lift my chin a bit higher. "But as soon as I did, I knew that I was going to go through with it, no matter what."

As soon as I'd finished speaking, I found my gaze immediately falling on Thornclaw. I actually found myself holding back a purr as I watched him slowly shake his head, his pale blue eyes filled with amazement and love. "You are crazy," he meowed, his voice full of laughter as he padded up to nuzzle my cheek. "You are absolutely crazy!"

Hm... I thought as I nuzzled back, giving my mate a lick on the cheek. You're even crazier for putting up with me after all of this.

A purr was rumbling in Goldenshine's throat as well, and she exchanged an astonished glance with Swiftflight. "Well... I suppose it's as Mistpelt said - her craziness is what got us to this moment, and now..." My daughter then took a deep breath, her eyes blazing with excitement. "Ashfur is dead."

She then flitted her gaze back and forth between me and her littermate. "Thanks to Snowflight and to you... Ashfur is finally dead!"

Ashfur is finally dead, I thought, that realization truly and fully hitting me for the first time this entire night.

Since Snowstorm had made the killing blow on the fox-heart, I'd barely been able to give that very moment, and what it could mean for the future very much thought at all. I'd been so consumed in returning to camp, the death of ThunderClan's beloved leader, and then Snowflight's release from Snowstorm to truly let it all set it.

Ashfur is finally dead, I repeated to myself, hardly able to bear the amount of ease and joy that those words now brought me. "Yes... yes, he is..." I breathed, leaning into Thornclaw, and beckoning Goldenshine and Swiftflight closer with my tail. "Which means that you all are safe." And I don't have to spend every moment of every day worrying about that sick mouse-brain getting to any of you anymore.

"Wait a moment... Ashfur..." I then heard Emberpaw murmur, and I peered past Thornclaw to see Snowflight leading her three younger siblings towards the three of us. Emberpaw was flanking the white she-cat, looking up at her with a grave, concerned gaze. "He was the one that killed you all of those moons ago, wasn't he?"

"Yes, Emberpaw, he was," I replied gently to my daughter, watching warmly as Snowflight, Emberpaw, Lightningpaw and Wrenpaw joined the rest of us. "And I was going to make sure that no one else I cared about was going to have to face that same fate."

I then looked back up at Mistpelt, who was standing just in front of us, watching us through tender eyes. "And those dreams were what finally brought me to end it all," I then whispered, love for the fluffy gray-and-white she-cat making my heart want to burst. "Oh, Mistpelt... thank you." I've been praying for your guidance for so long, but I had no idea that I was already receiving it almost every night...

"Of course, my love," Mistpelt replied, stepping forward so that she could touch her nose to mine. "But I can be sure that even without any guidance at all, you would've handled it all just as well - like a true warrior would. Your determination and fierce love for this Clan and your family could've taken you all the way."

Mistpelt's eyes then shifted towards the other cats clustered around me. "You all are pretty lucky to have a she-cat like Lilypetal in your lives - I hope you all know that."

Goldenshine let out a snort in response to Mistpelt's words, flashing me a teasing, affectionate glance. "Oh, we do!"

"I second that!" Snowflight chimed in.

Emberpaw then ran up to nuzzle her head into my neck fur. "Me too!"

"So do I!" Lightningpaw exclaimed. Beside him, Wrenpaw simply nodded to me, his gaze warm.

I returned my son's warm look, and then proceeded to look up at Thornclaw, whose loving eyes were glowing in the moonlight as he stared back down at me. "Hm, it's definitely occurred to me a couple of times," he purred, giving me a lick on the nose.

I was completely overwhelmed by all of the praise, and couldn't help but look away shyly. "Oh, goodness..." I breathed. "Thank you all."

I then looked back towards my family, not only determined to take the attention away from me, but genuinely show gratitude to this fantastic, loyal group of cats that StarClan had blessed me with. "And thank you all for still standing beside me through all of this... even when I stubbornly insisted that you stay back for your safety, or was annoyingly cryptic about my plans..."

I then took a deep breath. "Thank you so much," I continued after some purrs of amusement with my words had died down. "I love you all."

I then shifted my gaze back to Mistpelt, eagerly beckoning her over with my tail. "Now that the gratitude's been spread around..." I then murmured. "Let's get Mistpelt in on this embrace!"

With my words, many of my kin around me immediately began to echo my words, excitedly looking back at Mistpelt and flicking their tails back in their direction, as if to urge her forward.

For a moment, Mistpelt looked genuinely surprised to see that she was going to be so easily welcomed, but it only took a bit of encouragement for her to run up and join us, pressing herself against my pelt, and wrapping her own tail around the kits of my second litter. The same kits that she gave her own life for...

"Bluestar?"

Mistpelt, Thornclaw, Goldenshine, Snowflight, Emberpaw, Lightningpaw, Wrenpaw, Swiftflight and I had only been in our loving cluster for just a moment before Brambleclaw's shocked meow echoed through the camp. Bluestar?

I exchanged an intrigued glance with Thornclaw before looking up to see that, sure enough, a blue-gray she-cat was making her way into the camp clearing. And although I'd never seen this she-cat before, elders' tales were enough for me to know that this was indeed the blue-gray pelt of Bluestar - one of ThunderClan's previous leaders.

I then gasped, my ears pricking as I watched many more star-flitted cats that I didn't recognize follow just behind Bluestar. The walls of the stone hollow actually began to shimmer and glow, like the pelts of these StarClan spirits, even more so with each cat that came into sight.

I then watched, speechless and completely in awe, as these cats began to circle to body of Firestar, which still lied just below one of the camp's fallen trees. The circle that they made around the ThunderClan leader was becoming tighter and tighter.

And then, finally, just as Snowflight had from Snowstorm, Firestar stood up from his own body, following a bright, sparkling flash of light.

And was then that I realized that these StarClan cats had come to bring ThunderClan's beloved leader back to StarClan with them. Oh, Firestar...

"It's time to go," Bluestar then meowed, her even, commanding voice seeming to fill the entire camp.

I then shifted my gaze back to Firestar as he dipped his head to Brambleclaw, and then touched his nose to his long-time mate, Sandstorm.

And then, I felt my heart skip a beat as my gaze locked with the leader's for just a moment. And although his green eyes were filled with so much warmth, affection, and for some reason, certainty as he nodded to me, the gesture still filled me with so much grief.

But I tried my hardest to push it away, returning the leader's warm gaze. Thank you. Thank you for giving me a chance all of those moons ago, letting me in to my true home, for giving me a chance, and teaching me so, so much. You truly were like a father to me.

I was filled with sadness and awe at the same time as I then watched as Firestar began to follow the StarClan cats, who were beginning to leave the stone hollow.

Which I quickly realized meant that all of the StarClan cats were surely having to leave. Meaning that, unfortunately, I'm going to have two more difficult goodbyes ahead of me...

And I shifted my gaze back towards my family to see exactly what I had dreaded to see, which was Snowflight and Mistpelt already beginning to step away towards the other spirits.

I ran up to Snowflight first, immediately pressing my nose against hers. "Oh, Snowflight..." I breathed. "I hate to have to watch you leave like this again."

I pulled away to see that my daughter's eyes reflected all of the sadness that I felt, and more. "I hate it too..." she sighed, her eyes then brightening the smallest bit. "But now, I'll be just like Mistpelt - able to be with you all of the time, now that I'm finally able to return to StarClan."

You didn't get your time in StarClan before... instead, StarClan sent you to Snowstorm, who led you to end Ashfur's treachery. She was able to conquer the storm that sparked in you when you died, and now, you can fly peacefully up into StarClan.

I then snorted, somewhat surprised by my thoughts. Huh... Snowflight and Snowstorm... who knew that those two names together would carry so much meaning?

I then continued to shake my head, pushing down grief as I watched Snowflight say farewell to her entire family, and just before she ran up to finally follow the StarClan cats, she paused, giving her final-final goodbyes to Goldenshine and Jayfeather, who were almost standing together to wait for her.

And while I couldn't hear most of the words that they exchanged, the ones that I could hear definitely shocked me, to say the least. And they were ones that Snowflight was saying to Jayfeather. "I'll be waiting in StarClan," she meowed softly to the medicine cat, after having touched muzzles with him.

She then began to walk away, looking lovingly and teasingly back at the gray tabby tom. "In the meantime... maybe find another apprentice to help you out!"

I couldn't help but cock a single eyebrow as I observed this encounter. Snowflight and Jayfeather... those two have definitely always seemed very close. Closer than a mentor and apprentice would typically be, I thought, reflecting on how I'd seen them interact when my daughter was alive, as well as when Snowflight had spoken to him in StarClan just after she'd been killed.

And as discomforting as it all was - especially the thought of my daughter waiting for any tom in StarClan, I had no time to focus on that. Right now, I must say goodbye to my mother, and wipe away the horrible note that we last left on.

I ran up to my mother, a purr rumbling in my throat as I dug my head into her fur. "Goodbye, Mistpelt. Thank you so, so much again," I whispered, feeling a pang of regret as I stepped back to meet her gaze. "I... it's so hard to believe that I went so long without realizing what an amazing, compassionate mother that I had. All those moons as a kittypet, were so many moons lost..." All because one stupid Twoleg decided to be a little greedy... I lost nearly half a lifetime's worth of time with my mother.

Mistpelt's eyes flashed with sorrow for just a moment, but quickly glowed with warmth all over again as she wound her tail around mine. "For me, it was entirely worth the wait," she purred, touching her nose to mine one last time. "Goodbye, Lilypetal."

I forced myself to stay in place as Mistpelt then slowly began to follow behind Snowflight. "I'll tell Oreo that you said hi!" I called out to her.

To my surprise, that caused Mistpelt to pause in her place and look back at me, her eyes full of amusement and mischief. "Ah, that reminds me," she purred. "Definitely keep an eye on that brother of yours."

I sniffed, twitching my whiskers as I tilted my head to the side. "Keep an eye on him? Why?"

Mistpelt shrugged, giving me a wink. "Let's just say that there's a certain she-cat across the Thunderpath that's caught his eye."

With those words, I was left amused, and quite frankly a bit surprised, but watched warmly as both Mistpelt and Snowflight ran up to join the rest of the StarClan cats.

Goodbye, you two. I could never fully express just how much you both have done for me. Thank you, and I look forward to that day that I'll see you again.

I then let out a long sigh as my gaze then shifted back towards the camp clearing, where cats were being treated, dens were being repaired, and worst of all, dead bodies were being moved to a safer place. But, for now, I'm going to help this Clan pick itself back up, and grieve like crazy.