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The RiverClan camp was busy and agitated as Riverstar lay in his nest in the leader’s den, panting and exhausted. The leaf-bare sun was high in the sky, shining its weak golden rays across the RiverClan camp, though Riverstar felt no warmth, and the river coursed swiftly and peacefully nearby. Although it seemed like a peaceful day, he knew his Clanmates were worried about him and wondering how he was, and every breath seemed an effort as he fought the sickness that had ravaged his body in the last quarter moon. He was severely ill from greencough, and he feared that StarClan was waiting for him soon. Would he have to leave RiverClan forever because he was too weak to survive a sickness?
Not forever, he thought determinedly, knowing that even after he lost his final life, he would watch over his Clanmates from StarClan. But I thought I’d have more moons to spend with them… to lead them and protect them. Worry began to tug at the edges of his thoughts. Please, StarClan, protect my Clan even after I join you and I’m no longer here.
He knew that Night would be a strong and competent leader, but apprehension still coursed through him like poison from his ears to his tail-tip at the thought of leaving his Clanmates. And my family… Excruciating pain pierced his heart like thorns as he thought of Finch Song and their kits, Arc Shadow, Ripple Shine and Dusk Smoke. He didn’t want to leave them, but he had no choice; he knew that soon StarClan would be calling him to their rich hunting grounds.
Leaf-bare had arrived upon RiverClan like a cruel storm a moon ago, leaving prey running to their burrows, and even the river had begun to freeze. The cold season was always a hard time for any Clan, and although RiverClan was managing well, having plumb bellies because the river had been rich with fish until recently and they’d prepared for the cold, he was still worried for his Clanmates. Would they manage to survive this terrible cold without him?
And although he knew that the answer was yes, he still wished StarClan would give him more time among the cats he treasured more than anything. But I’ll be gone soon… I hope RiverClan will be safe and well without me.
He broke into a savage coughing fit, barely able to catch his breath, and as he tried to stand up from his nest, he collapsed onto his side. He lay there for a few moments, wondering if StarClan was already calling him to join them, when he heard a mew from the den entrance. “Oh, no… no!” a horrified voice wailed desperately, and a cat hurried to his side.
“You’re worse”! a crow-black she-cat whispered hoarsely and crouched down next to him.
“I’ll be okay,” Riverstar tried to reassure his mate, but even to him, his words sounded hollow and he knew that wasn’t true. He would never recover from this savage sickness that had gripped his body like sharp claws that wanted to kill him.
Finch Song gazed at him worriedly for a few heartbeats. “Oh, my love…” Her round green eyes seemed to bore into him, and her gaze lanced through his heart with a pain far fiercer than he felt from his sickness. “I’m so afraid. I don’t want to lose you. I came here and joined RiverClan to be with you…”
Riverstar tried to give her a reassuring blink. “I know. But it will be okay. Night will lead you after I am gone, and you’ll have our kits and our other Clanmates, and-”
“I don’t care!” Finch Song wailed desperately like a lost kit. “I don’t want to live without you… this isn’t fair! If StarClan gave you nine lives, why couldn’t they spare you from this sickness?” Her voice rose into a mournful growl on the last few words.
“This is not StarClan’s fault,” Riverstar told her. He was finding it hard to speak, but he tried his best to be strong for her. “I’ve lived nine long and happy lives, and I couldn’t have asked for more. I am honored that StarClan chose me to be RiverClan’s first leader, and I’m grateful for all the friends and dear memories I’ve made.” He gazed at Finch Song lovingly for a few moments, wondering how she and their kits would cope after he’d be gone. How could he leave them? But he knew he had no choice.
“I know, but still… I don’t want you to leave me. I love you.” Her words broke his heart into a million pieces, and he desperately wanted to stay with her forever.
“I love you, too… you’re the best mate I could’ve ever had.” His own words pained him so much that he felt like his heart might be hollowed out at any moment and he would wail his grief to the stars. This wasn’t fair! They should have many more moons together… although he knew that both of them were old. Finch Song’s muzzle was gray with age, and he himself had been RiverClan’s leader for a long time.
He was the only one out of the original leaders who was still alive. Thunderstar, Shadowstar, Windstar and Skystar had all joined StarClan in the last few moons, and now their Clans were led by their deputies. Gorsestar was a wise and competent leader, just like his mate, and so far RiverClan hadn’t had any troubles with WindClan since StarClan had appointed him leader. Ravenstar had proved to be a capable and peaceful leader after Shadowstar’s death, and ThunderClan was being led by Owlstar. As for SkyClan, its new leader, Sparrowstar, Owlstar’s sister, was very different from Skystar; she was much more friendly and understanding, and RiverClan hadn’t had any more troubles with SkyClan, enjoying some much needed peace with their neighbors in Skystar’s absence.
He had protected RiverClan many times during his lifetime, sacrificing his StarClan-earned lives to protect his Clanmates from a badger that had roamed free on their territory, or fighting off rogues who had threatened their peace. But now, it seemed, all of that might be coming to an end, and Riverstar could only hope that his Clan would be strong enough to survive the coming moons.
As Finch Song buried her muzzle into his shoulder fur, he relished her softness and her sweet scent, and the way their pelts merged perfectly together. They completed each other, and ever since Finch Song had left the park and joined RiverClan, they had been happy and enjoyed their life together. His mate had become a strong and skillful warrior in a short time after joining the Clan, and Riverstar couldn’t have been prouder of the cat he loved.
As Finch Song lay with her muzzle in his pelt, enjoying what might be their last moments together, three cats burst into Riverstar’s den within the roots of the ancient willow, ducking through the woven branches. “We were worried it might’ve already been too late…” a silver she-cat mewed huskily, her belly huge and her flanks bulging because she was carrying kits.
Finch Song spun around and shot her daughter a sharp look. “Ripple Shine, don’t talk like that!” Her mew was taut with pain, and Riverstar knew she was only being severe with her because she didn’t want to lose him.
“It’s okay. I know my place will be in StarClan soon. But I’m really glad I have the chance to see my whole family before I join them.” He gazed proudly at all his kits, marveling at the cats they’d become. His daughter, Ripple Shine, was one of the best warriors RiverClan had, skilled at both hunting and fighting, and she was carrying Pine Needle’s kits. Dusk Smoke, his son, was an amazing fisher and he knew all the best places to fish, while Arc Shadow, his other son, was a patient and skilled medicine cat, having trained as Dappled Pelt’s apprentice. Dappled Pelt might be joining StarClan soon, too… Riverstar thought gravely, knowing that she was old too and should retire as an elder and let Arc Shadow take care of the Clan on his own. His fellow friend and medicine cat had served RiverClan for many moons and had always been there when her Clanmates had needed her, and Riverstar was grateful to have had such a good and experienced cat in his Clan.
All my kits are special. They work hard to take care of their Clanmates and protect one another, and RiverClan couldn’t have asked for better cats. “I’m proud of you. All of you,” Riverstar told them earnestly, and his voice rose into a cheerful but hoarse purr, his chest aching and his breathing shallow.
“That sounds like goodbye,” Arc Shadow’s voice was trembling with fear, and he gazed at his father with apprehension glittering in his golden eyes. “I’m going to get you some more catmint and a poppy seed so you can sleep. I promise, I’m going to do everything I can to cure you of this sickness.” He took a pace toward the den entrance, but Riverstar forestalled him before he could leave.
“There’s nothing more any cat can do for me now,” Riverstar told him sadly, resignation heavy in his voice. “All I want in my final moments is to be with my kits and my mate.”
“But-” Arc Shadow tried to meow, seeming even more scared now.
“You needn’t worry,” his father tried to tell him calmly. “I will be healthy and well again in StarClan, and we will see each other in dreams. As RiverClan’s medicine cat, I trust you and Dappled Pelt to take care of the Clan after I join the stars.” He tried to give Arc Shadow a reassuring look. “Don’t worry about me.”
Arc Shadow gazed at him with dread shining in his eyes for a few heartbeats, then looked away. He knows just as well as me that there’s nothing he can do now… Oh, StarClan, don’t let my family suffer too much when I leave them.
His son reminded him of Arc, his old mentor from when he’d been a park cat, before he’d traveled the river on a log and found the current territories. Arc had been like a father to him, and had taught him everything Riverstar had needed to know, like how to be a good cat and how to meditate, lessons that Riverstar had carried with him to RiverClan. With a pang, he remembered how he had felt when Arc had come searching for him, wounded, and how he’d traveled back to the park with him and Drizzle to defeat Slash and his rogue gang. He’d lost two lives in his journey, one to save Drizzle from the raging river, and another to help the park cats and kill Slash once and for all.
And that’s how I met Finch Song, he thought with a rush of love, turning to gaze at her profoundly. As she gazed back at him with anxiety sparkling in her beautiful green eyes, he thought about how his old life in the park seemed so long ago now. It had been many moons since he had left the park and his old life behind, but he was glad that by returning there and helping his old friends, he had met the love of his life. After Flutter, his first love, he’d thought he might never find love again, but StarClan had brought Finch Song straight into his paws, making his journey back to the park all but worth it.
“Is this really your last life?” Dusk Smoke whispered hoarsely, breaking into his thoughts.
“Yes, I’m afraid,” Riverstar rasped. He didn’t want his kits and his mate to suffer, but he couldn’t hide the truth from them anymore. They knew just as well as him that his time to run with the stars would come soon.
“I can’t believe my father won’t get to see my kits,” Ripple Shine whispered hoarsely. “I wanted them to see what a great and wise leader their kin is.”
“Don’t worry,” Riverstar told her mournfully. “I’ll be watching over them from StarClan.” He gazed at all his kin in turn, then added, “I don’t want to die in my den. I want to spend my final moments by the river that has always guided and protected me.” He broke into a coughing fit on the last few words.
“Of course, my love, but-” Finch Song tried to object, but Riverstar cut her off.
“I know I’ll soon walk among the stars, but I’d rather be by the river. I don’t want to die like an elder, complaining in my den!” he tried to add jokingly to lighten the mood, but he knew his words didn’t manage to ease his family’s grief.
“Okay,” Finch Song responded sadly. “But please don’t talk like that… you’re breaking my heart. Maybe StarClan will spare you and let you stay with us longer.” Riverstar knew that when his mate had first joined RiverClan, she’d been skeptical of StarClan, but she had soon grown to respect and honor their warrior ancestors like any Clanborn warrior.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be okay,” he tried to meow confidently, but his breathing was even more ragged now and he was beginning to slip into unconsciousness.
“Come on, let’s carry him,” he heard Finch Song tell their kits. Together, she and Dusk Smoke got him to his paws and led him outside the den, and then they half-carried, half-guided him to the river’s edge outside of camp and laid him on the shore, while Ripple Shine and Arc Shadow followed. He thought he could hear his Clanmates’ alarmed meows on the way, but he couldn’t be sure; one voice in particular rose above the others, “Where are you taking him?” Night.
She’d followed them to the shore and crouched down next to him. “I didn’t think you’d go so soon…” she trailed off. Her eyes were deep pools of sadness as she looked at him, and with a jolt of happiness and gratitude, he realized how lucky he’d been to have had her as a friend and deputy all these moons. She’s been by my side the whole way, and knows me better than any cat.
“I’m sorry,” Riverstar’s mew was barely more than a whisper now, and he dropped his head onto his paws. “But I know RiverClan will be safe in your paws when StarClan will take me to their hunting grounds.” He knew that Night was still mourning the death of her brother, Mist Fur, who had recently joined the ranks of StarClan due to old age, dying peacefully in the elders’ den, but he didn’t doubt that she would be an excellent leader.
The river chattered softly near them, and a blackbird twittered in one of the trees nearby. Even though leaf-bare is upon us and the weather and prey are scarce, life still goes on, Riverstar thought wistfully.
“Oh, my old friend…” Night broke into his thoughts, grief heavy in her voice. “You’ve been the best leader RiverClan could’ve ever had, and I’ll be proud to follow in your pawsteps.” She turned to look at Finch Song, Ripple Shine, Dusk Smoke and Arc Shadow. “All your family and friends are here with you in your last moments. We will always remember you fondly, and we will carry your legacy forward for all the moons to come.”
My legacy. “Do you promise?” Riverstar asked her seriously, looking at Night as though he could see straight through the black she-cat.
“I promise,” Night told him sincerely. Riverstar thought he could detect a small sob in her meow. “RiverClan will always stay true to the ideals you’ve set for it: peace, community, and friendship.”
Peace, community, and friendship. Night’s words suddenly made Riverstar’s mind fly like homing birds back to his first days by the river, when he’d been Ripple and then River Ripple. He had named himself after the river because it had always protected and guided him when he’d needed it most, and he had always been a peaceful cat at heart. Back then, he hadn’t understood why cats like Gray Wing and Clear Sky would be at war over territory or why they would mark their borders, and the spirit cats had chosen him to be their stepping-stone after the first vicious battle at Fourtrees. He had always believed that cats should have no reason to fight one another, that they should always share what they had and live in peace. After the Clans had been created, he had started to understand more why cats would guard their borders or why they would chase off trespassers, but he had still remained a kind and peaceful cat, always believing that peace was the answer, and he had carried these values with him his whole life, inspiring his fellow Clanmates to be good and peaceful with the other Clans.
I’ve come a long way, Riverstar suddenly realized, a fiery spark igniting inside him. He had always done his best to be a kind and understanding cat, and he felt joyous and proud of himself that he’d managed to inspire other cats to be like him.
“Thank you,” Riverstar told Night, looking at his deputy and dear friend with the deepest respect and appreciation in the depths of his eyes. “Thank you for everything.” Whatever he had faced, Night had always been by his side, and whatever challenges RiverClan had gone through since StarClan had appointed him leader, Night had always been there to help and support him, and he was proud of the Clan they’d built together.
Night looked at him for a few heartbeats, her gaze burning into his pelt, her eyes deep pools of grief and sorrow. Grief tugged at Riverstar’s heart too, threatening to tear his heart out with sharp claws, knowing he didn’t want to leave her. Memories suddenly flashed in his mind like minnows in a pool, remembering everything they’d faced together since he’d come here. She’s the first cat I met here, and I couldn’t have asked for a better and more loyal deputy.
Night nuzzled his shoulder, clearly overtaken by grief. Finch Song, Ripple Shine, Arc Shadow and Dusk Smoke gathered around him too, crouching by his side and burying their heads in his pelt, and Riverstar relaxed. They’ll be okay without me. Standing there, with the cats he loved most by his side in his final moments, he realized he felt peaceful. He was grateful he’d lived such long and happy lives, and he would get to rest and see old friends in StarClan.
Death isn’t the end. He suddenly remembered the spirit cats’ message after the first battle at Fourtrees. When cats died, their spirit went to run among the stars with old friends and kin, and they got to be happy even though they might’ve been struggling in life. I’ll live a peaceful life in StarClan, and I’ll get to see old friends who have long passed away.
“I love you,” Finch Song cut through the mist of his thoughts, touching her nose to his, her voice trembling with emotion. “I love you so much. We all do.” Her kits murmured in agreement, sadness and pain heavy in their grief-stricken mews.
“I love you, too,” Riverstar murmured lovingly, closing his eyes for a few heartbeats and drinking in her sweet scent. “I’ll be waiting for you in StarClan. We will be together again among the stars.”
“Yes, I will be joining you soon, my love,” his mate murmured softly, seeming calmer now, although resignation was crystal clear in her beautiful bright-green eyes.
After a few heartbeats, Riverstar suddenly felt another cat’s presence nearby, and he opened his eyes to see a starlit shape walking towards him. It had starlight sparkling around its paws and ears, and with a jolt of pure joy, Riverstar realized that the cat padding in his direction was… Arc?
“Hello, Riverstar,” his former mentor meowed in greetings, dipping his head in deepest respect to him. Happiness bubbled up in Riverstar’s belly until he thought it would burst.
“I thought you said we’d never meet again,” Riverstar meowed in pure amazement. His pelt fizzed with shock and excitement at seeing Arc again.
Arc gave a small mrrow of laughter. “Maybe not in life, but I walk among the stars now, and I’ve come to take you to StarClan, if you’re ready.” His mentor looked him deep in the eyes.
Meanwhile, the cats around Riverstar looked around in confusion. “Who are you talking to?” Finch Song asked, drawing away from Riverstar, her face clearly puzzled.
“Arc is here,” Riverstar explained, his paws rooted to the ground in utter shock, but then a sudden realization blazed down on him like a bolt of lightning. “But… does this mean you died?” Grief sliced through Riverstar’s heart, threatening to overwhelm him.
“Yes, I joined the stars a few moons ago,” Arc explained, starlight shimmering in his black fur. “But you don’t have to grieve. I died peacefully, and I was surrounded by friends in my last moments. And while I didn’t understand your ways when I came to your Clan, I was surprised and pleased when StarClan asked me to join them, and now I’ve come to take you with me.” He paused for a few moments, then went on. “Are you ready?”
“What is he telling you?” Night interrupted, clearly confused and uncomfortable. Finch Song was still looking around in bewilderment as if she thought she might be able to see Arc, and Ripple Shine and Dusk Smoke had puzzled expressions on their faces, replacing their grief. Only Arc Shadow looked calm, having spoken to StarClan cats before due to being RiverClan’s medicine cat. He clearly understood what was happening, sadness filling his eyes.
“Did Arc die?” Finch Song put in, clearly concerned for her former parkmate.
“Yes, and he’s come to take me to StarClan,” Riverstar explained calmly, peace seeping into his pelt and filling his mind. The time has come.
“No!” Finch Song wailed, moving closer to him and burying her head in his shoulder, while Night and their kits looked equally horrified and grief stricken.
“Don’t worry,” Riverstar mewed, a cough bursting out of him and rocking his body. “I’ll be watching over all of you from StarClan.” He looked Finch Song deep in the eyes, and touched her nose to hers. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Finch Song echoed his words, her mew quivering, and touched her nose to his. After a few moments, she drew away, water glistening in her eyes.
Riverstar looked at Finch Song one last time, then at Night, emotion welling up in his heart as if it might burst at any moment. He looked at each of his kits in turn, proud for having raised such strong cats, then turned his gaze to Arc, who had stood silently nearby while Riverstar said his goodbyes, understanding glistening in eyes.
“I’m ready,” Riverstar told Arc, and as he spoke, it was as if a huge rock had suddenly been lifted off his shoulders. He could live in peace in StarClan and relax now, knowing that his Clan and kin would be okay.
Arc dipped his head to him. “StarClan is waiting for you, old friend,” he meowed in a deep voice, and stars began to swirl and shimmer around Riverstar, blotting out his vision, some settling on his silver pelt. He closed his eyes, peace enfolding him like a soft pelt, and as darkness enveloped him, he knew nothing more.
Riverstar slowly blinked open his eyes and found himself crouched on soft grass. A cool wind blew softly through his fur and he relished the sensation, and he could smell the scents of forest, moor and river all around him. It’s as if all the Clans are mingled together here, Riverstar thought in wonder, getting to his paws. The sky was full of stars and stretched out as far as he could see, and he realized his own pelt was sparkling with stars too. Am I in StarClan now? As the thought crossed his mind like wildfire, he heard a cat’s pawsteps behind him and turned around to see Arc standing behind him, as if his earlier thought had summoned him. “Yes, this is StarClan. Welcome, Riverstar,” Arc told him, looking calm and relaxed.
“I am honored to be here,” Riverstar replied, bowing his head. When he looked up, Arc added, “You have earned your rest, friend. I’ll leave you in peace now, but I will see you again soon. For now, there’s someone who wants to see you.”
“Who?” Riverstar asked incredulously, his pelt shivering with excitement. He had been looking forward to seeing old friends again in StarClan, but Arc was already padding away, leaving him alone on the wide swath of meadow. A river coursed swiftly nearby, its sound lulling and peaceful, reminding him of home, and he could hear a thrush flap its wings on the branches of an oak nearby.
After a few heartbeats, he realized another cat was coming towards him. It had a sleek dark gray pelt and golden eyes, and Riverstar recognized him immediately, energy fizzing in his fur and sending him running towards the tom. “Gray Wing!” Riverstar called joyously, a purr of pure bliss bursting out of him, and he touched his muzzle to Gray Wing’s.
Gray Wing purred back, clearly pleased to see him too. “Welcome to StarClan, Riverstar,” Gray Wing told him solemnly, looking at him deeply. “We have met here before, but now your place is among the stars with old friends. You have led RiverClan well, and Night will be an excellent leader.” He looked and sounded much wiser and more experienced than when he’d been alive; his time in StarClan had clearly changed the WindClan tom, and stars were shimmering in his pelt.
“Thank you,” Riverstar replied, his voice thick with emotion, a whisper of breeze warming his fur. I’m really a StarClan cat now. I lost my ninth life. As the thought crossed his mind, he suddenly felt troubled, apprehension nagging him at the edges of his thoughts. “What about my kin?” he asked Gray Wing. He knew they were grief stricken and were deeply mourning his loss.
Gray Wing’s eyes rounded with understanding, and he nodded toward a wide, sparkling pool at the foot of a slope nearby. It shimmered with countless stars and reflected the wide, beautiful sky. “Come with me,” Gray Wing told him briskly, and padded in the direction of the starlit pool.
Riverstar followed him down the smooth slope, curiosity and exhilaration mingling through his pelt. As they reached the water’s edge, they sat down, curling their tails over their paws, the atmosphere serene and beautiful. “Look,” Gray Wing told Riverstar, crouching down at the edge of the pool and touching his paw to the sparkling water.
As he did, the pool shimmered and shifted, the stars slowly dispersing, until Riverstar could make out images in the pool. He saw cat figures and immediately recognized the RiverClan camp, just how he’d left it, peaceful and neatly organized. “What are you showing me?” Riverstar asked, feeling awe course through his body from his ears to the ends of his claws.
“Look closer,” Gray Wing instructed, looking at the scenery in front of them. Riverstar peered closer at the water. He could make out Night’s shape standing on the tall boulder in the middle of camp, the whole Clan gathered around it. His eyes suddenly darted from the black she-cat to another black cat but smaller, standing at the front of the crowd with grief evident in her hunched shoulders, but she had a determined expression in her eyes. Finch Song. Riverstar’s heart skipped a beat, wanting to jump into the pool, to go back to the RiverClan camp and tell her not to grieve for him. Their kits were standing near her, looking equally shaken by his death. I hope she’ll find happiness in RiverClan without me, but I know she’ll be joining me here soon. The thought made his heart a little lighter. And our kits are strong, capable cats. They’ll be okay.
“Is this happening right now?” Riverstar asked Gray Wing, turning to gaze at him.
“What do you think?” Gray Wing replied, amusement sparkling in his golden eyes. “Look again.”
Riverstar turned his eyes back to the water and saw that the whole Clan had started to chant. They’re chanting Night’s new name as leader, Nightstar, he realized. Even though he knew his Clanmates were grieving, they looked determined to keep on going, and they clearly trusted Nightstar to lead them. Pride for his Clanmates ran through his pelt like warm fire, and he relaxed even more. Whatever happens, whatever challenges they’ll face, RiverClan will be okay.
“Yes,” Gray Wing told him, seeming to read his thoughts. “You don’t have to worry about your Clan anymore, Riverstar. Your Clan’s fate is in Nightstar’s paws now, but you will still get to meet with her and the medicine cats when they travel to the Moonstone, and you will guide your Clan from StarClan.”
Gray Wing’s words made realization blaze down on Riverstar like a burst of sunlight. Nightstar will be traveling to the Moonstone soon to receive her nine lives. What life would he give her?
“You don’t have to worry about that now,” Gray Wing interrupted his thoughts again. How does he always know what I’m thinking? Riverstar wondered, looking at Gray Wing, bewildered. Being in StarClan had granted Gray Wing knowledge and experience far beyond his age. “I know,” he told Gray Wing, trying to calm his thoughts. “Nightstar will be a competent and wise leader, and she will lead RiverClan well.”
“I agree,” Gray Wing conceded, his meow deepening now, and he gazed at Riverstar as if he had something serious on his mind. “But there’s something even more important that you need to see. RiverClan is okay for now, but they will face many challenges in the future, and they’ll have to be prepared.”
“What challenges? What will happen to RiverClan in the future?” Riverstar asked, his calmness fading away like dew on a hot day. Gray Wing had sounded grave, and his words had sent a chill running down Riverstar’s spine like icy claws. “I thought you said I don’t have to worry about my Clan anymore.”
“You don’t,” Gray Wing assured him, looking at the star-sparkling water once more. “But your Clanmates will need to be strong, if they are to face what the future holds for them.” He touched his paw to the water again and stepped back, letting Riverstar inspect the pool as the image in it faded, stars shimmering on its surface, only to be replaced a few heartbeats later with a new scene, when the water had grown still and the stars had slowly melted into tiny sparks.
It took a few moments for the images to become clear, but when they did, Riverstar found himself looking down at what he thought looked like a camp. It was surrounded by two streams and full of lush trees, and a golden tabby she-cat was standing on a high tree stump in the clearing, seeming to address the many cats he could see there. “What is this?” Riverstar asked Gray Wing, bewildered and curious. “This doesn’t look like RiverClan. I don’t recognize any of the cats, and everything looks different.” But as he finished, he realized that the territory and cats did look like RiverClan; he could see it in their plump bellies and slender bodies, and in the way they held their heads and tails high.
“This is RiverClan,” the wise gray tom explained. “But not now. This is RiverClan in the future.”
RiverClan in the future? “How?” Riverstar asked, even more puzzled now. “I don’t understand. This doesn’t look like the RiverClan camp.”
“That’s because, in the future, all the Clans will leave their territories and they’ll embark on a journey together to new grounds,” Gray Wing explained.
Riverstar’s paws seemed rooted to the earth, shock filling his body until he thought he would burst. He felt as if Gray Wing had raked his claws across his muzzle. “Why would the Clans leave the forest?”
“Because Twolegs will destroy it,” Gray Wing answered calmly, and before Riverstar had the chance to ask any more questions, the pool shimmered again, faster this time, and revealed a horrible scene. Horror gripped Riverstar like savage claws and he wanted to flee from what he was seeing, but he forced himself to sit still and stare at the water.
Huge monsters were churning up the earth and destroying everything in their path. They were yellow and had big, round black paws and they were moving fast, gripping the trees by their trunks and snatching them savagely from the earth. Riverstar could see Twolegs inside the monsters, and he shivered. Have the monsters captured the Twolegs? Why are they destroying the forest? Then he remembered Gray Wing’s earlier words. He said the forest’s destruction is the Twolegs’ fault. They must somehow be controlling the monsters from inside.
“Why are you showing me this? Why do Twolegs want to destroy the forest?” Riverstar wailed like a lost kit, alarmed.
“Be patient,” was all Gray Wing said, and as he spoke, the pool shimmered one last time to reveal a vast land full of stone, gray and bare with steep cliffs apart from a few racks where grass grew. Snow was pounding down hard on a huge group of cats that were struggling through the blizzard, and in the midst of the struggle Riverstar spotted the same dappled golden she-cat he’d seen before on the tree stump; she was at the front of the group now, leading her cats. She must be the RiverClan leader in the future, Riverstar thought, impressed, as he took in her determined stride and her fierce amber gaze. But there’s so many cats there. Surely they’re not all from RiverClan? As the thought crossed his mind like a fish swimming for deeper water, he noticed that some of the cats had wirier, smaller bodies. WindClan cats, Riverstar realized, while he noticed that other cats were bigger and more muscular. ThunderClan. All the Clans are traveling, mixed together. He was impressed at how all the Clans were working together, without any of their usual hostility and rivalry.
“They’re traveling to their new territories through the mountains, where I came from,” Gray Wing jerked him out of his thoughts, wistfulness in his voice. He was staring at the water, as if he was remembering his own life in the mountains, before he’d come to the forest with his group. “They’ll eventually settle by a lake and each Clan will form new territories. They couldn’t stay in the forest after it was destroyed by Twolegs, but the lake will be just as good a home to them as the forest was.” He looked up at Riverstar, deep wisdom in his eyes.
As Gray Wing finished, the water in the pool swirled for a few heartbeats and the vision slowly faded, and as it fell still, only clear starlit water remained, reflecting the wide swath of stars in the sky above. Riverstar straightened up, taking a pace back from the water’s edge, and gazed at Gray Wing solemnly. “Thank you for showing me this,” he told the WindClan tom. “I can see that all the Clans will face many challenges in the future. But will RiverClan survive?” his voice quivered with anxiety on the last words.
“Of course,” Gray Wing answered, swishing his tail in the air. “They’re strong, skilled warriors and they can get through this, and StarClan will always be by their side. Don’t worry, Riverstar. Whatever happens, your Clan will survive.”
Riverstar dipped his head to Gray Wing in deepest gratitude. “Thank you,” he said sincerely, and Gray Wing nodded in return. Riverstar squared his shoulders and looked toward the distant lush horizon, knowing that life would always be full of challenges, even in StarClan; even from among the stars, he would always protect and watch over his Clan. But he knew that no matter what happened in the future, he could rest for now, knowing that RiverClan could get through any challenge. That’s what being a warrior is all about. Protecting those you care about, and fighting for what you believe in. He let out a long sigh from deep within his chest, feeling calm and peaceful. His time as leader of RiverClan was over, and he was eagerly looking forward to resting with his old friends in StarClan now.
“Come on,” Gray Wing told him, purring softly. “There are cats here who have been waiting for you.” He turned and started padding up the slope, toward the rich green forest, and Riverstar followed him, feeling full of energy and lighter than he’d felt in a long time. He no longer felt any of the stiffness or illness that had gripped him savagely in his last moons. He felt young and strong again, and as he followed Gray Wing across StarClan’s beautiful territory, he felt only peace. Only hope.