Path Of A Warrior

They were eye to eye, Quick Water’s amber eyes staring into her own green ones. Behind and around them stood the Clans, silent with horror. Shadowstar opened her mouth to speak, to reassure her Clanmates, but she couldn’t make a sound. The forest was growing blurry around her. Skystar was pressing his paws against Quick Water’s side, trying to close the wound.

“It was true,” Quick Water croaked suddenly. Shadowstar blinked slowly, registering the shock on Skystar’s face. “I led the dogs to attack Shadowstar and Sun Shadow. I thought if they were both dead, we could take their territory, and ensure the safety of SkyClan. And then I tried to kill Shadowstar again, up by Highstones. I know it was wrong, but I was so scared.”

“Oh, Quick Water,” Skystar sighed. He was still trying to hold her side together, but he looked heartbroken. “After everything we’ve been through to form the Clans … SkyClan wouldn’t have thanked you for betraying the warrior code like that. For killing another Clan cat.”

Raven Pelt was above Shadowstar now, trying to clean some of the blood from her face.

The warrior code is what keeps us from being rogues. It makes us Clan cats. If we don’t follow the code, the Clans will be more lost than we would be without our territory. Shadowstar wanted to tell Raven Pelt this—he was going to lead ShadowClan now; it was important that he know—but she couldn’t speak, only gasp for air. Meeting his eyes, she was sure he knew what she wanted to say.

“Shadowstar, I’m so sorry,” Quick Water moaned, her voice weak. “I thought I was saving my Clan. But I should have been trying to keep all the Clans safe. All you cats”—she looked around wildly at the crowd, which Shadowstar could barely see now through the blur of her vision—“please know I know I was wrong. Please, forgive me… .”

Darkness was filling the clearing. Shadowstar could make out only the shapes of cats , all around them. But she was sure, somehow, that right now they stood united—not Clans, but one great Clan. They wouldn’t forget. Her paw twitched as she tried to reach out, tried to touch Quick Water.

I forgive you.

Chapter Ten

A warm breeze ruffled Shadowstar’s fur, and she stretched luxuriously, enjoying the pull of her muscles in a sleepy, contented way.

I’m dead. For good this time. She opened her eyes and stared out over the lush grass of the clearing. The warmth of the sun, the scents of prey and growing things were stronger, more real than she had ever experienced. Because all of me is in StarClan now.

She felt … surprisingly content. She had had nine good lives. Her Clan was safe with Raven Pelt. She had the strong feeling that her and Quick Water’s deaths had brought all the Clans closer together than they had been before. They would take care of one another.

A soft whimper came from beside her, and she turned to see Quick Water. The gray-and-white she-cat’s amber eyes were wide with fear and sorrow, and she was shivering.

“Oh, Shadowstar,” she whispered. “We’re dead. I don’t belong here. How can StarClan forgive me for what I did?”

Shadowstar reached out a paw to touch Quick Water’s, the way she had wanted to, and couldn’t, while they lay dying. “The Clans will go on,” she told her. “That’s the only thing that matters.” She tried to give Quick Water a reassuring look. “And if I can forgive you for what you did, I’m sure StarClan will, too… .”

Quick Water looked doubtful. “So you think my breaking the code and killing you and Sun Shadow—you twice—is somehow okay if it made the Clans stronger in the end? I feel like StarClan might see things differently.”

“You confessed to what you did,” Shadowstar said, “before the Clan cats could kill one another for no reason. That must count for something. You were so sorry before you died.” She paused and thought. “I think you might owe Sun Shadow an apology of his own, though.”

Quick Water’s shoulders drooped.

“You definitely do,” a cheerful voice meowed behind them. “But at least I’m in good shape now.”

Both she-cats turned to see Sun Shadow—looking healthy and strong—trotting happily across the grass toward them, Gray Wing by his side. Quick Water jumped to her feet and ran to them, clumsy in her haste.

“I am sorry,” she said, dipping her head to Sun Shadow. “Sincerely. I made a terrible mistake. It’s like I’ve been crazy for moons—all I could think about was whether SkyClan would have to leave our territory. I stopped caring about anything else, even whether other cats lived or died. I don’t deserve to be forgiven.” She turned to Gray Wing, her tail drooping. “I’m so ashamed.”