“I had to be!” Affection for her old mentor warmed Squirrelflight’s heart. “You had so much to teach me.”
Cinderpelt lay a tail-length away, sharing a squirrel with Longtail and Mousefur. She looked up from her meal. “Leafpool was always patient,” she mewed fondly. “Especially with the elders. She could listen to them complain for moons.”
Mousefur pricked her ears. “I hope you don’t mean me,” she mewed sharply.
Squirrelflight saw Cinderpelt and Leafpool swap a knowing glance. She blinked innocently at Mousefur. “Of course she didn’t. You never complained.” As she spoke, Squirrelflight noticed a gap in the ferns at the far end of the clearing. “Look, Leafpool.” She nodded toward it. “That’s where we used to sneak out of camp and go exploring.”
Leafpool purred. “We’d pretend we were fetching mouse bile from the medicine den and slip out when no cat was watching.”
Dustpelt’s eyes widened. “
On the other side of the clearing, Ashfur got to his paws. He signaled to Dustpelt with his tail. “Do you want to come hunting?” he called. “I’m meeting Whitestorm by the river.”
“Sure.” Dustpelt acknowledged the gray warrior with a nod. “I’d better go. Whitestorm will be waiting.” Dustpelt dipped his head. “I’ll see you when I get back.”
“Not really.” Hollyleaf licked a paw absently. “After a while, what happened in the forest seems less important.”
Firestar swiped his tongue around his jaws. “It’s strange how distant the living Clans seem now. These days I recognize more pelts in StarClan than I do in ThunderClan.”
Sandstorm pulled the squirrel carcass closer and picked delicately at the bones. “No cat fights in StarClan,” she mewed between bites. “But then, we’re never hungry, or cold. I suppose there’s less to fight over.”
“Squirrelflight!” Juniperkit’s mew made her turn. He was hurtling toward her, his tail sticking straight into the air. He bundled into her, purring. “Do you want to play moss-ball with us?”
Dandelionkit hurried after him. “Briarlight says it’s more fun if we all play.”
“I said no such thing.” Briarlight bounded to the edge of the clearing and blinked at Squirrelflight. She looked lean and fit, her pelt sparkling with starlight. It was hard to believe she’d been crippled for so long. She grabbed Juniperkit and scooped him onto her back. “Do you want a badger ride?”
“Yes!” Juniperkit squeaked.
“Me too!” As Dandelionkit scrambled onto Briarlight’s back, Larksong and Flickerkit crossed the clearing.
“Let’s have a race,” Larksong called.
“Can we?” Flickerkit’s eyes lit up.
“We can do anything we want.” His father ducked low enough for him to climb onto his back.
Squirrelflight purred as Briarlight and Larksong charged away, the kits squealing with delight as they clung on. Her purr suddenly died in her throat. They’d always be like this. “Are they sad that they’ll never become warriors?”
Firestar shrugged. “They learn warrior skills,” he told her. “And even though they won’t ever get warrior names, they can hunt and explore where they like. It’s safe here. And there are always plenty of other kits to play with.”
Sandstorm followed Squirrelflight’s gaze. “They spend a lot of time with Mosskit,” she told her.
Squirrelflight jerked her muzzle toward her mother. “Mosskit.” The name rang a bell. She’d heard nursery stories about her. “Wasn’t that Bluestar’s kit? The one who went missing?”
“Yes.” Cinderpelt shifted onto her belly. “She and Bluestar are inseparable now.”
Leafpool glanced around the camp. “Why aren’t they here?”
“Why should they be? There are no borders in StarClan,” Cinderpelt reminded her. “Cats roam where they please. Bluestar lives with Oakheart now. They can be the family they never were in life.”
Squirrelflight wondered what it was like to live without borders. She tipped her head to one side. “How can the Clans live in peace here but not beside the lake?”
“I told you.” Sandstorm flicked her tail. “There’s less to fight about.”
Cinderpelt got to her paws. “I promised Yellowfang I’d hunt with her this afternoon.” She blinked at Leafpool. “Do you want to come too?”
“Of course.” Leafpool blinked at Squirrelflight. “Do you want to join us?”
“No thanks.” Squirrelflight wanted to make the most of the time she had here in StarClan. She could wake up at any moment and find herself in the ThunderClan medicine den. “I’ll stay with Sandstorm and the kits.” She watched Leafpool and Cinderpelt hurry toward the gorse tunnel, their pelts fluffed with excitement. Cinderpelt seemed happier here, and Leafpool happy to be with her again.
