a forest divided: part six

Thunder wakes Clear Sky so he can go to his mother. Clear Sky is leery of entering the den but Star Flower encourages him. He enters and Quiet Rain starts talking to Shaded Moss - who no one else can see. She is happy her sons are here and Shaded Moss explains to her why she needs to forgive Clear Sky, that nothing could avert the battle. Quiet Rain tells Clear Sky to forgive himself - though he is unsure for what - and she dies.

Thunder sits vigil with his kin and Sun Shadow. When it is time they decide to bury Quiet Rain's body at Fourtrees. They decide River Ripple should be present so Star Flower volunteers to go get him. They also decide to continue to give Wind Runner her space. They bring Quiet Rain's body to Fourtrees and bury it. The spirit cats arrive to greet her. Bright Stream greets Clear Sky and Thunder looks to Star Flower to see if she sees what is going on, but the she is absorbed with being there for Sun Shadow and doesn't notice. S

Bright Stream tells Clear Sky that they must forget their past, no matter how much they love it, and choose their paths. When the spirit cats leave Clear Sky feels this means they must unite, but everyone disagrees with him. Thunder feels awful, but he tells him that he cannot return, that he must go be with his own cats, but that Clear Sky will always be his father. When he looks to Clear Sky he is surprised to realize that his father is making peace with his decision. Thunder heads home, where he finds Lightning Tail has made a nest for him and that Leaf and Milkweed are inseparable. 

Clear Sky and Star Flower leave. Gray Wing starts to go with his group but stops and tells Tall Shadow he must leave her. He says his goodbyes to Pebble Heart, who tells him be must follow his heart, and seeks out Wind Runner's camp. He asks her if he can stay and she welcomes him - as does Slate, who is happy he has returned for good.

Clear Sky lays next to Star Flower in their nest. He thinks back on his return to camp. Everyone was happy to see him return - not so much Star Flower, who everyone had assumed ran away. He wonders if there was gossip about Star Flower while he was gone. He wishes everyone could see how loyal she is and reflects that even Tall Shadow, Gray Wing, and Thunder saw her loyalty. He sleeps and dreams of Storm. Storm tells him he must forgive himself and look to the future, not the past. He wakes when he thinks he hears his name. Star Flower isn't in their nest but he hears her cry and so he seeks her out. He finds her with three other cats, one of whom is Slate. He realizes quickly that something is wrong when Star Flower is too scared to leave them. Slate says he was a friend of One Eye, and that he and Star Flower were to marry. Slate also tells Clear Sky that once the rogues hunted for them but now all the rogues have been recruited by the groups. Slate wants a new system where the groups hunt for him and his cats. He wants a meeting with all the leaders to discuss this or he will kill Star Flower. He and his cats leave - and drag Star Flower away with them. Clear Sky finds Quick Water, who heard everything. She feels Star Flower is back with her own people and was in on it with Slash. Clear Sky refuses to believe this but Quick Water tells him none of the other leaders will fight Slash and bid cats for Star Flower. Clear Sky leaves her, feeling the other leaders must help him no matter what.

I am inclined to believe Star Flower wants to stay with Clear Sky and not Slash, however Quick Water has a valid point. But, she swayed Thunder so for now I will believe in Star Flower. But Quick Water is right - the other leaders might turn their backs on Star Flower. 

I am glad Gray Wing has returned to the moor. Now we need the full moon meetings at Fourtrees and the new moon meetings at the moonstone and I will be happy. (Also, Wind Runner has to return to the fold.)