The Roaring Winds

Epilogue: Far From Over

Epilogue: Far From Over

The StarClan cat watched Rosepaw dissipate into mist. She sighed, dipping her head. The medicine cat apprentice had left the StarClan world and had returned to the living world.

She turned away from the sight, walking across the empty plain. Small snow flurries were drifting down from the sky. Contrary to popular belief, leaf-bare in StarClan did exist. However, prey was still rampant, and snow only formed in the bleak outskirts of StarClan territory.

Her heart felt hollow, her steps ragged. A familiar ache had filled her again with the disappearance of Rosepaw. The sight of her beloved kit had made her grief ebb away for a moment. But now, with her gone, it was a fresh wound, stabbing at her heart and mind.

The StarClan cat had not been content with her death. It was sudden—it was too soon. With one fatal slip, she had lost her grip on her life. And then, she was in StarClan, only able to watch over her family as a ghost. Only Rosepaw could see her in the waking realm—because she was a medicine cat.

She raised her head as she padded through StarClan's hunting grounds. She heard the gentle cascade of stream water as it flowed down small slopes and ended in small pools. She walked over a ridge, catching the rich scent of heather in the wind. Another pang of emotional pain hit her heart as she walked through the heather stems.

The land contorted to a dark pine forest. Its heavy scents filled her nostrils as her paws walked through the murky water. She didn't mind the water, but it wasn't exactly a pretty sight. The trees surrounded her, and a cool breeze wafted past her ears. She could hear the sound of squirrels as they darted up the dark tree trunks, as well as the croaks of frogs.

She crossed paths with a StarClan cat, who shot her a dark look, before turning away. Cats still remained judgmental over her choices. In a lot of ways, StarClan society paralleled the living Clans. Grudges weren't always forgotten, and they could last for years. StarClan cats could cling onto their memories, both the good and the bad, if they so desired.

The law of StarClan followed the warrior code. Yet, it also took into account the goodness of one's heart. StarClan cats could tell if a cat had true malicious intentions, or if they simply made a large pawful of mistakes.

I didn't make a 'pawful of mistakes.' I forged my own path, made my own choices, that didn't always obey StarClan's laws. The queen thought to herself, lashing her tail. Even in StarClan, she was treated in the wrong for her actions.

"I'm not wrong," she muttered. "I did the right thing. It wasn't all a mistake."

She heard a series of snickers behind her. The queen turned her head, as a cat walked into the sunlight. It was a ginger-and-brown tabby she-cat. The queen instantly knew who the ShadowClan she-cat was.

"That's what you've been telling yourself for moons," the she-cat cackled to herself. Her claws were unsheathed, sinking into the peaty ground. "How many more moons of contemplation will it take?"

The queen stiffened, her hackles raised. Her dark fur bristled, its true color caught in the shadows. Her tail flicked behind her. "What do you mean?" She asked the other cat warily.

"Don't play stupid," the tabby rolled her eyes. "You know exactly what I've talking about. How long will it take? How long will it take for you to realize you've made a grand mistake?"