Squirrelflight’s heart leaped into her throat. Don’t sacrifice your place in StarClan for me!
Leafpool went on. “Everything she did was out of loyalty to me. I couldn’t wish to have a better sister. She wanted to protect my kits and me, and she was willing to sacrifice everything to keep us safe. If some cat must be punished for what we did, punish me, not her.”
Squirrelflight’s gaze clouded. Star-flecked pelts swam before her eyes. She could only focus on Leafpool, awaiting the judgment of StarClan. Squirrelflight pressed against Firestar. “She deserves to be here,” she whispered.
“So do you.” Firestar nudged her forward.
Squirrelflight’s pelt spiked. Bluestar was looking at her expectantly. Heart quickening, she padded toward the ThunderClan leader. Leafpool blinked encouragingly, but Squirrelflight could see fear in her sister’s gaze.
Crookedstar padded forward and glared at Squirrelflight. “You lied to your Clan,” he told her bluntly. “You lied to your mate. You told them that Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather were yours. Why should such a deceitful cat have a place in StarClan?”
Squirrelflight looked at her paws. Her pelt burned. “That was my only lie,” she mumbled. “I have been loyal to my Clan in every other way.”
“Really?” Bluestar’s mew was sharp. “We have seen you choose the Sisters over your Clan time and time again in the last moon. They are strangers to the forest, and yet you put your own Clan at risk to protect them.”
“Some cat had to!” Squirrelflight raised her head.
“Why?” Bluestar’s eyes flashed.
“Moonlight was expecting kits.”
Crookedstar frowned. “Cats can have kits anywhere. If you’d let the Clans drive her off sooner, she could have had her kits far from Clan territory. No cat would have been hurt. Instead you put the kits in danger, as well as the Sisters and your Clanmates.”
“My Clanmates were never in danger,” Squirrelflight insisted.
Bluestar’s eyes widened. “Have you forgotten the landslide already? Doesn’t that count as danger?”
Guilt clawed at Squirrelflight’s heart. “I was just trying to protect every cat.” She stared helplessly at the StarClan cats. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I wanted to protect Leafpool when I lied for her. I wanted to protect Bramblestar when I lied to him. Does it matter if rules get broken if it’s to stop cats getting hurt?”
Crookedstar’s gaze darkened. “Without the warrior code, we are nothing but rogues.”
Bluestar glared at Squirrelflight. “Are you saying we should live without it?”
“No!” Panic flared in Squirrelflight’s belly. “This isn’t fair! I’m just trying to explain …” Her mew trailed away. Think before you speak. Firestar was watching her, his eyes glittering with worry. She blinked at Bluestar. “I’m sorry. I know that a warrior shouldn’t lie. And that they must put their Clan before everything. I have failed you. I’ve failed my Clan.”
Tallstar’s ears twitched. “Bluestar.” He blinked at the ThunderClan leader. “Why be so hard on her?”
“She broke the rules.”
“She told you why she did it,” Tallstar pressed.
Yellowfang narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. “Is it such a crime to protect those you care about?” She met Bluestar’s gaze. “Surely it matters more why she broke the warrior code than the fact that she did? If Squirrelflight broke rules, it was out of compassion. Is that so bad?”
Squirrelflight’s heart swelled with gratitude. “I know the warrior code is important,” she blurted. “I never would have broken it if I hadn’t felt I was doing the right thing. I hope that the mistakes I’ve made, I’ve made out of love.”
Crookedstar swapped glances with Bluestar, then nodded to Leafpool and Squirrelflight. “Thank you.” With a flick of his tail, he turned away and padded into the shadow of the forest. Bluestar, Tallstar, Moth Flight, and Littlecloud followed.
Squirrelflight stared after them, hardly able to breathe. Was that it? “Are we allowed into StarClan?”
Yellowfang glanced at her. “We’ll let you know once we’ve discussed it.” With a nod, she headed after the others.
Firestar hurried across the clearing. He stopped beside Squirrelflight and Leafpool, his pelt rippling nervously along his spine. “You spoke well, both of you.”
“I hope so.” Leafpool gazed anxiously at Squirrelflight. “If they stop you joining StarClan because of me, I’ll never forgive myself.”
Squirrelflight touched her nose to her sister’s cheek. Leafpool’s scent hadn’t changed since they were kits, and she breathed it in fondly. “Whatever they decide, you’re the best sister I could have asked for.”
“So are you.” Leafpool pressed against her, her breath warm on Squirrelflight’s neck.
Pulling away, Squirrelflight saw affection shining in her eyes. She purred. “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”
“Squirrelflight.” Firestar’s mew jerked her attention away. He was staring across the clearing. Bluestar, Crookedstar, and the others had returned from the shadows.
“We’ve made our decision.” Crookedstar beckoned Squirrelflight and Leafpool forward with a flick of his tail.
Squirrelflight’s chest tightened. She felt her breath quicken. Staying close to Leafpool, she crossed the clearing and stopped in front of him.
“We’ve decided that both of you did more good than harm. If this is truly the end of your lives, you may remain in StarClan.” The RiverClan leader’s eyes shone. “But remember that we are still watching. If your lives are not over, we’ll reconsider them when you return. You still have to earn your place in StarClan.”
Squirrelflight nodded. “Of course. Understood.”
“And thank you!” Leafpool pricked her ears. She turned to Squirrelflight. “If this is the end … we’ll always be together now.”
Squirrelflight blinked at her. This was what she wanted. Leafpool would always be safe now. StarClan would welcome her. She waited for happiness to spread beneath her pelt, but a chill gripped her. “I’m not ready to die,” she whispered. She turned to Firestar. “I have to go back to ThunderClan. I can’t leave things like this.”
Firestar’s eyes rounded sympathetically. “I know it’s hard to leave the living behind.” He touched his nose to her head. “But if your time has come to die, there’s nothing you can do.”
Leafpool pressed against her. “Alderheart and Jayfeather might save us.”
Squirrelflight closed her eyes. I hope so.
“In the meantime …” Firestar’s mew was suddenly brisk. He ran his tail along Squirrelflight’s spine. “You can explore our territory. One day this will be your home. There’s no harm in looking around.”
CHAPTER 25
Squirrelflight tore another piece of flesh from the rabbit carcass. It was so sweet that she closed her eyes for a moment to savor the taste, her fur prickling along her spine. A light breeze swirled around the sandy ravine where Firestar had brought them, an echo of the ravine where ThunderClan had made their camp in the forest before the Great Journey.
Dandelionkit and Juniperkit were playing moss-ball nearby with Larksong, Flickerkit, and Briarlight, while Leafpool and Hollyleaf lay happily beside Squirrelflight, paws outstretched, eyes closed, in a pool of sunshine. Firestar and Sandstorm were sharing a squirrel near the fern wall. The scents and sounds of the ravine were so familiar that Squirrelflight suddenly felt as though nothing had changed since she was a kit.
Dustpelt sat beside her, his tail flicking contentedly. He gazed around the ravine. “Do you remember the old camp?”
“Of course.” Squirrelflight purred.