After waking up, trying to make peace, as well as teaching the young cats, Ravenpaw shows them some fighting moves. They continue on their journey and find an abandoned Twoleg nest. While exploring it a shadow falls across the doorway and Ravenpaw braces himself for a fight, but it is just Barley. He wants to greet Barley but holds himself back, remembering their bitter words. But Ravenpaw doesn't have to worry because Barley immediately apologizes. He admits his fear that Ravenpaw was leaving him for good. Ravenpaw assures him that he had nothing to worry about, that he was always coming back home. The best friends make up and Barley joins them on their journey. Bella and Riley are happy to see Barley, though Bella does say that Ravenpaw is bossy. Barley tells her she needs to listen to him if she wishes to be a clan cat.
Ravenpaw realizes they are approaching SkyClan territory so he tells the cats they must stop for now so they do not accidentally cross the border. Riley and Bella admit that they are afraid the clan will not accept them. Barley assures them that if that happens they will always have a home with him and Ravenpaw. They settle down for the night but are woken by Pasha and his gang of tough kittypets. Words are exchanged and Ravenpaw bashes Pasha on the head with his paw, warning him that they mean business when they say they want to be left alone. This angers Pasha, but his gang want to move on. Feeling that these cats are more talk then action, the friends settle down to sleep again.
In the morning they wait for a SkyClan patrol. The cats are hostile at first, but when Ravenpaw tells them that he is Firestar's friend they agree to get Leafstar. While Leafstar is honored by their request she tells Ravenpaw that there is no room in her clan for Bella and Riley. She asks him why not take the cats to ThunderClan and Ravenpaw tells her that the clans have left the forest. She expresses a hope that Firestar and Sandstorm are okay and Ravenpaw assures her that they are, that StarClan would have told him otherwise. Barley looks surprised by this and Ravenpaw feels guilty for keeping his faith in StarClan from his friend. The cats leave, upset that Bella and Riley cannot stay with the clan. Ravenpaw's stomach starts to bother him again. Concerned, Barley makes him rest. Ravenpaw sleeps until Riley and Bella wake him up. They can hear something coming from the direction of the SkyClan camp. Barley wakes up too and Ravenpaw says he will go to investigate but everyone insists on coming with him. They sneak right up to the border and look down on the camp below. Pasha, with his kittypet friends, are attacking the camp for fun. They leave and the cats overhear that this is the third night in a row they have attacked.
Everyone goes back to sleep and Ravenpaw dreams of Silverstream. Ravenpaw is in pain and makes a joke about getting old, but Silverstream's eyes betray the truth and Ravenpaw realizes he is dying. He asks Silverstream if he is going to make it home and she tells him no, but that he will die surrounded by those who love him. He worries for Barley but Silverstream aspires him that Barley knows he does not want to leave him. She then takes him to see Skywatcher and Cloudstar, formally of SkyClan and now of StarClan. They tell Ravenpaw not to give up, that there is a home for Riley and Bella if he can solve the kittypet problem. The next morning Ravenpaw tells the cats that they are staying. They wait at the border for another patrol. When it comes, it is hostile, but Echosong, the medicine cat, arrives and brings them to the camp to see Leafstar. Ravenpaw passes on his idea of moving the border further from the camp and lying in wait for the kittypets to show up that night. Leafstar likes his idea and calls a clan meeting to pass it on. During the meeting Ravenpaw is called on to speak beside Leafstar, but has such a bad pain in his stomach that he says his part from where he is sitting. The cats excitedly get to work and their daylight warriors (cats who are warriors during the day and kittypets at night) insist in fighting in the upcoming battle. Riley and Bella are given tasks to help prepare, and so to is Barley who is joining a hunting patrol. Ravenpaw wishes to join the patrol but Barley tells him to rest. Echosong takes Ravenpaw to their version of the Moonstone/Moonpool. She leaves him there and Bluestar, Whitestorm, and Lionheart appear to him. They try to give him his warrior name, but he says he wishes to remain Ravenpaw after having that name for so long. They invite him to join them in StarClan, but thinking of Barley he tells them he cannot for he wishes to be where his friend will go. They accept his answer and tell him that a visit to StarClan will always be welcome. Ravenpaw drifts off to sleep.
Ravenpaw wakes up and finds Barley, who begs him not to fight that night, but Ravenpaw insists he must. Everything goes as planned and when the kittypets arrive they are shocked to find the clan cats ready for them and eager to fight. One of the kittypets hits Ravenpaw in the stomach, causing him intense pain and knocking him out of the fight. Barley finds him after the fight is over but Ravenpaw refuses to let him fuss over him. Leafstar invites Riley and Bella to join the clan - which they excitedly agree to - and gives them mentors. Barley bring Ravenpaw to Echosong's den. At first when she approaches him Ravenpaw mistakes her for Silverstream, but then he realizes who she really is. Echosong asks Ravenpaw where he wishes to go and he tells her under the trees. Barley starts to object, feeling Ravenpaw belongs in her den, but Echosong tells Barley that it is too late, and all they can do is honor Ravenpaw's wishes. As he lies down Ravenpaw knows that Rileypaw and Bellapaw will be safe, but he worries for Barley. Barley curls up beside him, promising that he will never forget him. Ravenpaw, in turn, promises to find Barley. Leafstar arrives, and says they will sit vigil for Ravenpaw as he was a warrior. Ravenpaw finds himself outside of his body, all of his pain gone. He looks down at his friend and longs to stay with him but knows he cannot. He leaves, knowing that one day he and Barley will be reunited.
I am so relieved that Barley followed Ravenpaw! I was so worried they wouldn't make up until Ravenpaw was dying. And, StarClan never forgot about Ravenpaw. That was a nice touch too, offering to give him his warrior name. And I am glad he turned down StarClan's offer to join them. He belongs with Barley, wherever that is. I hope Barley isn't too lonely without Ravenpaw. Things never worked out with his brothers and while his sister lives nearby she is not interested in being a loner. But Barley is older then Ravenpaw. I am not wishing death on him but maybe they won't be separated for too long.
But yeah, this is definitely the most depressing "Warriors" story EVER.
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