Epilogue
A breeze swept through the ThunderClan camp, carrying with it the scents of newleaf. The branches were bare as they swayed in the wind, and playful kits squealed in the hollow below. It was nearing sunhigh, the sun casting soft shadows across the forest.The elders, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Longtail, and Graystripe, were sunning themselves, while the new apprentices, Rainpaw and Stormpaw, practiced new battle moves with each other. A patrol led by Hareflight was returning, her jaws filled with prey. Rosepetal and Toadflax were right behind her, along with Hareflight's apprentice, Blackpaw.
Jaysight sat at the medicine den, looking amused as his apprentice, Streampaw, struggled with a load of herbs weighing her down. He and Moonshine were starting to get along again after the fight they had had a few moons ago at the Gathering. It was at that particular Gathering that Leafstar had stood her ground and declared that SkyClan didn't need ThunderClan's help to find their place in the lake.
Lionclaw slipped out of the nursery after seeing his mate Hazeltail to make sure she was alright for the hundredth time. She was only one moon pregnant, and Lionclaw was already acting like she was the first cat to ever give birth. Brightheart and Cloudtail were also sitting outside of the nursery, the she-cat expecting to give birth any day now.
Cinderoak, Thornclaw, Spiderleg, and Berrynose were just about to go out on a border patrol; WindClan had been acting suspicious lately and ThunderClan had decided that they'd better check it out before anything happened. Stormpaw broke off from practice fighting with her friend to ask Thornclaw if she could join the patrol as well, but was sadly rejected.
Hollystar watched all of this, the daily life of the Clan with swelling pride. ThunderClan had continued to grow over the past few seasons, but everyone still felt the loss of their former comrades. Mousewhisker padded up behind her from the leader's den they shared. "Do you want to go hunt?" he asked.
"A hunting patrol just came back," Hollystar informed him.
"Leafbare just ended, everyone will be hungry," Mousewhisker replied.
"You're just looking for an excuse to get out of camp," Hollystar teased him.
"What if I am?" Mousewhisker retorted, but his eyes shone with happiness.
Hollystar leaped down the tumbled rocks below the Highledge and called over to her deputy, Cloudtail, "I'm going out to hunt with Mousewhisker, make sure the camp isn't destroyed by the time I get back."
"I'll try," he replied playfully.
Hollystar led the way through the camp entrance and out through the woods. She scented the fresh, clean air that promised new life, both in the forest and back in camp. Birds chittered happily in the trees as squirrels clambered from one tree limb to the next, signs of life going on as usual. Even though many cats had left them the season Firestar died, life would still go on.
This was Hollystar's home. This was ThunderClan.
The End
Join Qfeast to read the entire story!
Sign In. It is absolutely free!
