Warriors: Feather's Path

Epilogue

"Feather!!!"

The familiar tom voice filled the small tabby she-cat's ears as she padded up the rocky path to her long ago home in the cave of the Tribe of Rushing Water. The cool water of the waterfall sprayed mist on her pelt, and she longed for that cooling feel on her fur. She was back home now, where she was trotting beside Hawk, both carrying one each of their four kits. One warrior from each clan: Duskfang of WindClan, Spottedwing of ThunderClan, Tallfrost of RiverClan, and Cinderclaw of ShadowClan came with them. Duskfang carried Pebble while Spottedwing carried Poppy, Feather carried Maple and Hawk carried Birch.

Feathercloud and Hawkclaw had taken back their tribe names, and the small tabby she-cat, Feather that Drifts in the Wind, gave Maple to Tallfrost and ran up to her brother, Leaf. Her throat rumbled in such a loud purr the mice rustling about the boulders were thought to have run away deep into their burrows and hand't come out until the next time of freed water!

"How could a cat purr that loud?" A brown kit squeaked, interrupting the story. Rain that Covers Plants with Dew let out a mrrow of amusement at the young tom-kit. "You're just going to have to ask Feather herself, Sky."

"Talking about me, are you?" Feather padded into the nursery cave, her belly big with kits once more. It was about eight moons since she had come back to the tribe, and her four kits were already apprentices. Coming back to the mountains wasn't as hard as leaving, but they had still encountered some rude and even some kind rogues. When they had come back, Moss that Covers Stone, Rain -and Feather's brother:- Leaf's kit was almost ready to become a To-Be, or a Cave Guard as Stoneteller concluded. Feather and Hawk had been in the clans for about four moons and came back with four kits. Stoneteller's dream about the five baby hawks in the nest such a long time ago had finally made sense but The Teller of the Pointed Stones said something important is coming for them soon. Birch and Pebble had become cave guard To-Be's for their bigger builds and Poppy and Maple had become prey hunter To-Be's for their small lean bodies.

"I'm just telling Sky and Holly about when you came back to the tribe." Rain said, glancing from her two kits to the expecting queen. "Why don't you come sit and tell them about clan life there?" She asked.

"Yea!" Holly squeaked, her bright green eyes matching her father's.

Feather looked down at the two kits. Sky that Reaches the Horizon's light brown pelt and blue eyes and Holly Leaves that Spike Green's black pelt with green eyes. She sighed and smiled at their beaming eyes. "I suppose." She settled down beside Rain and wrapped her tail over her paws. "It all started when we got there. We didn't even know we were there until a patrol of ThunderClan cats found us." She hadn't told this story in a while, and it made her happy to remember it all back a while ago.

"Move!" Hawk growled as he pushed his way through the cluttered tribe cats at the cave entrance. Feather heaved as a deep gash in her side made her pelt soaked with blood, her belly still carrying the soon-to-be born kits. Cats made was as Hawk and Fish helped the she-cat walk across the main cave to the Cave of Pointed Stones. It was the day after Feather had been telling stories to Rain's kits.

"What happened?" Stoneteller rasped as she bounded up to the wounded small she-cat from the end of the tunnel and led them deeper to her cave.

"An eagle slashed her belly after trying to snatch the rabbit she was carrying." Fish panted. "I left my patrol after seeing an eagle swoop near them two. They were going on a walk together or something."