Froststar's Destiny

Chapter Thirty-five

Dawnfire nodded sympathetically, then ran off deeper into WinterClan territory.

"Frostwind!" Amberfrost called after attempting to stop Dawnfire and failing. "Dawnfire-"

"It's alright," Frostwind meowed. "She knows what she's doing."

"Does she?" Amberfrost looked doubtful, but didn't question Frostwind further, instead returning to the front lines looking troubled.

Frostwind smiled wryly. Amberfrost loved Branchclaw, but she'd never had to fight for him the way Dawnfire had. Dawnfire would've had to fight to even be with Wispflame at all.

The SeasonClan patrol reached WinterClan unobstructed, but the WinterClan camp was empty.

Dawnfire's lifeless body lay in the center of the camp.

Beside it lay Wispflame's.

"What?" Berryshine snarled. "I didn't even get to claw his guts out! How dare he die before I could get here!"

"Berryshine," one of her Clanmates chided. Frostwind winced. It was Icepool. She'd been there when Frostwind fell into the river, and the older she-cat flashed her a knowing smile.

"Ugh! He killed my sister!" Berryshine spat, trembling on her paws.

But weren't Dawnfire and Wispflame's forbidden relationship supposed to bring peace? That Dawnfire forgiving Wispflame showed that Streamlight's role had been completed after all?

Wispflame... His eyes were glazed and empty, but there was life still fading from his eyes. And Dawnfire... That expression wasn't one of anger, it was one of love, sorrow, and shock, at the end.

Frostwind was almost certain that Dawnfire had forgiven her beloved mate for Streamlight's death at the very end.

Maybe SeasonClan stood a chance of uniting after all.

"You mange-pelts," someone hissed, and Frostwind whirled around to meet the strangled but piercing eyes of Snowstar. Her entire Clan stood behind her, queen, kits, elders and warriors alike.

Moonshine and Nightfall... They looked terrified. The Clan's medicine cats weren't prepared for battle, didn't want battle.

Well, too bad, because their leader seemed to be thirsting for battle with every fiber of her body. Frostwind emitted a delicate laugh, so unlike her usual self that Amberfrost started.

"We're no more mangy than yourself, Snowstar," Frostwind responded with amusement. If this leader was going to go out with insults, she'd show them she could do the same. 

SeasonClan stood behind her, their pelts bristling, hopping from paw to paw in anticipation of a battle.

Then, from behind Snowstar stepped Frostwind's brother. Windecho looked almost triumphant as he gazed down at his sister. Frostwind had always been slightly shorter than him, and he should have towered over her, but the mere menace radiating from Frostwind seemed to counter his height. He really was puny by battle standards.

"Recognize him, Frostwind?" Snowstar hissed, her voice contempt and filled with satisfaction.

"Oh, right, he's a traitor from my Clan. Why?" Frostwind asked airily.

Snowstar looked surprised, but hid away her initial shock with mere amusement. "I thought you'd be more excited to see your long-lost brother."

"I thought you'd be more terrified to see enemy warriors in camp," Frostwind responded easily.

Snowstar blinked. "You're really not bothered by him or Dawnfire, are you?"

"Dawnfire and Wispflame are together in death, happier than they could ever be. I suspect once Streamlight formally forgives Wispflame in StarClan, that dispute will be behind them and Dawnfire can go back to loving him like before." Frostwind met the WinterClan leader head-on. She meant every word she spoke.