Warriors; Roar of the River

Epilogue

Epilogue

The sun was gleaming over the dip of ShadowClan camp. The day was warm, the sky was a clear blue, and a breeze wound its way through the pine trees with ease. The camp had long since been rebuilt, though some parts of the forest still showed signs of the fire.

Emberleaf was lounging in the shade of the nursery, her eyes shining as she watched three small kits tumble around the clearing. “They’ll be good at battle tactics,” she mused proudly to Blackfeather, who was sitting beside her. They were about two moons old but growing quickly.

Sitting beside Blackfeather, Leafclaw nodded in agreement. The tabby was an extremely new warrior, and proud of it. Her sister had become Birdfeather, but Emberleaf had hardly seen the she-cat since she had sat vigil. And Mothshadow had her own kits as well. ShadowClan had new life blossoming under the ashes of the blaze.

“I can’t wait to have my own,” Leafclaw purred softly. “They’ll be just as strong as you are, Blackfeather.”

Emberleaf snorted as Blackfeather let out a rumbling purr and pressed his muzzle to hers passionately. She turned her head as her kits scampered across the clearing.

“Emberleaf, when will Sparrowstripe be back?” chirped Darkkit, a dark ginger she-cat named after Darkstar. Her brother, a tabby tom that Sparrowstripe had named Brackenkit after his father Brackenface, mewed eagerly, “Yeah, where is he?”

“He’s out in the forest, mouse-brains,” a pale gray tabby kit hissed from beside them. Emberleaf and Sparrowstripe had called him Smokekit, in remembrance of the smoke that had killed Shadefall. He was the largest of the three, and the most irritable.

“He’ll be back shortly,” Emberleaf mewed fondly, beaming at her offspring. “For now, why don’t you go and see if Shardkit and Larkkit want to do anything with you?”

“No,” Darkkit mewed, “we wanna hear about you! Adderstrike told us that you were a hero, fighting in battles and stuff!”

Emberleaf smirked as Blackfeather failed to stifle a laugh beside her. “Well, I wouldn’t call it being a hero… but come closer, and I’ll show you how I took Blackfeather out with one swipe!”

With a laugh, she whirled and leapt at her brother, who hardly had time to react. They tussled on the ground of the clearing, much to her kits’ amusement. Emberleaf felt like she was finally happy; without all the rumors and dangers following her around like a trailing shadow, she was as normal as any of her Clanmates. And that’s all I ever wanted, she thought.

“Sparrowstripe’s back!” Brackenkit yowled. The tabby streaked across the clearing, his thin tail flying out behind him, as his father crossed the clearing. Emberleaf beamed as their kits clambered over him before he could take another step, and she let out a content purr.

Everything is at peace now, she thought. Looking around the camp, she didn’t see one distressed face among the crowd. Bad things will happen, things will threaten the Clans… but if we stay united, we will thrive for as long as time permits.

With that thought in her mind, she stood up and padded over to her family.