Circle of Life: Book 2: Paths Not Tread

A/N: Last chapter D; Sadness! That means another chapter of Tanglepath and Silvertail's lives are over, but another will be opening as soon as I finish (or at least get halfway through) Book 3, the title and summary of which will be posted on my profile as soon as I finish writing this A/N and get my butt over there.

Anyway, it's time for the POV of one of my favorite OCs: Hawkwing! That's right, the AmberClan deputy will be narrating this epilogue. I thought that, since Pebblestar narrated the prologue of this book, it was only fair that another non-NorthClan cat narrated this one.

Enjoy!

Epilogue: An Offer and a Choice

"Lightjay, Shadefoot! Keep up!" Hawkwing called over her shoulder. The midnight patrol had reported catching mingling LightningClan and NorthClan scent at Four-place. Even though it had pained her to think that their old ally had joined with their enemy, it was her duty as Clan deputy to check it out and make sure that everything was all right.

But until she got there, she was only concerned about making sure that the two lazy warriors she'd dragged out of camp with her were moving fast enough to keep up with her.

"Lightjay! Shadefoot!" she yowled irritably, pausing so that they could catch up. She shook her head, annoyed, when they finally did. "Honestly! You two are the slowest warriors in the Clan. And you make enough noise to scare off all the prey in the forest!"

"At least we're not yelling so loud that the fish can hear us," Lightjay muttered under his breath.

Hawkwing shot him a sharp glance. "Did you say something, Lightjay?"

"Uh…" The black tom looked down at his paws, embarrassed. Shadefoot coughed to cover up a laugh.

"I didn't think so," Hawkwing muttered. She turned back towards Four-place and started off again. When they finally reached it, she paused. "All right, Shadefoot, you go south towards LightningClan. Lightjay, you go north towards NorthClan. I'll head into the clearing and see if there's anything going on that we can't see."

The two warriors nodded, starting off in the directions she had ordered them to go. Once they had disappeared from sight, Hawkwing turned to the ring of bushes, pushing through them and into the clearing.

She froze as she found herself nose to nose with a brown tabby tom. She leaped back defensively, hissing and unsheathing her claws.

"Hawkwing," the tom said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'd hoped that it would be you who found us."

She blinked in surprise, and then realized that she recognized the tom. It was Tanglepath of NorthClan. She knew him through Stripefur, who had been her friend for a long time.

"Tanglepath?" Her blood ran cold. She now had confirmation that NorthClan had been here. And when she parted her jaws slightly and drank in the air, she could catch fresh LightningClan scents, as well. "What are you doing here?" she growled.

Tanglepath dipped his head respectfully to her. "I need to speak with Smallstar."

A flash of anxiety surged through Hawkwing, but she covered it quickly by narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "And why is that?"

Tanglepath shifted uncomfortably. "Well, it's complicated—"

"Hawkwing!"

The AmberClan deputy whipped around to see Shadefoot dashing out of the bushes. Lightjay was right on his heels, dragging along a small LightningClan she-cat by the scruff.

"I found her lurking around in the bushes on NorthClan's side of the border and called Shadefoot for help," Lightjay spat. "I knew it! NorthClan has joined Lightning to fight against us!"

"Wishsong!" Tanglepath exclaimed. "Oh, for SkyClan's sake, let her go! She's with me!"

Hawkwing whirled back around to face Tanglepath. "What do you mean, she's with you?"

Tanglepath looked down at his paws. "I…" He glanced up at the LightningClan she-cat, Wishsong, as if asking for permission. The white and ginger she-cat hesitated, and then sighed and nodded.

Tanglepath sat up straighter. "Wishsong and I… we're mates. We've been meeting here secretly for a few moons now. We've decided—" He broke off, his eyes falling on Lightjay and Shadefoot.

Hawkwing flicked her tail irritably. "Anything you can say to me, you can say to my warriors."

Tanglepath sighed. "All right then. We want to join your Clan."

Hawkwing's eyes widened in surprise. "You want to what?"

"Join your Clan," Tanglepath repeated. "It's the only way we can ever be accepted." His eyes grew pained and desperate. "Please, Hawkwing. We have to speak to Smallstar."

There it was again, the traitorous anxiety, but she calmed it quickly.

"Why do you have to join our Clan?" Lightjay growled. "Why can't you just join another Clan? Or leave altogether? No Clan wants a couple of traitors in their ranks."

Tanglepath's eyes flashed angrily, and Hawkwing whipped around to glare at her warrior. "Lightjay, that's enough. You will be silent."

Lightjay growled quietly to himself, but was otherwise silent.

Hawkwing turned back to Tanglepath. It seemed she had no other choice. "Very well, Tanglepath. I will take you to visit Smallstar, but I can't guarantee that he will agree to let you join the Clan."

Tanglepath nodded in understanding, but hope flashed in his eyes anyway. "Thank you, Hawkwing. You won't regret it."

Lightjay snorted, but Hawkwing silenced him with yet another glare. She turned to Shadefoot, who was still standing nearby Wishsong. "Let her go," Hawkwing ordered. The gray tom dipped his head and stepped away. Wishsong rushed over to Tanglepath, who licked her muzzle soothingly.

"It'll be okay," he murmured.

Hawkwing's heart softened. "Come," she said, flicking her tail at the two warriors. She gave the slightest nods to Shadefoot and Lightjay. The two AmberClan warriors dipped their heads at the silent order and fell in behind and to either side of Tanglepath and Silvertail.

Hawkwing couldn't help but feel proud. This was why she had chosen the two warriors to come with her. Though Lightjay had a quick temper, he was kind-hearted and brave underneath. Shadefoot had finally outgrown his prejudice against outsiders, and had become a noble and courageous warrior, stronger because of his compassion for all cats.

She pushed away her pride and dove into the bushes back into AmberClan territory. She then set a brisk pace as she led the way through the territory, over rivers and fallen logs. She could tell that Wishsong was unused to the tree cover, and Tanglepath to the fewer number of trees than in NorthClan territory. Both seemed to be having problems with the wetter ground.

Eventually, they came to the deep river that surrounded the AmberClan camp. Hawkwing waded in easily. Shadefoot and Lightjay started to follow, until they all realized that Wishsong and Tanglepath had stopped at the edge.

Hawkwing turned back, frowning. "Don't tell me you can't swim!"

Tanglepath shook his head. "It's not that."

Lightjay snickered. "They don't want to get their paws wet!"

Shadefoot shot him a sharp glance. "Quiet, Lightjay!"

Hawkwing nodded to her former apprentice in approval, and then turned back to the LightningClan and NorthClan warriors. "There is no other way into the camp. You'll have to swim."

Wishsong looked at the slow-moving water unsurely. "I'm not a very good swimmer…"

"We'll help you," Shadefoot promised. "It's really not that deep. Look, Hawkwing's out in the middle of it, and she's it's not even touching her belly fur."

Wishsong took a hesitant step in, and Tanglepath followed her. Finally, they all made it over to the other side. Hawkwing shook out her fur, giving her paws a quick lick, and then led the way into the camp.

She made her way over to Smallstar's den, made of mud and sticks, as quietly and as quickly as possible, trying not to attract attention. When they reached the entrance, she turned around.

Nodding to Lightjay and Shadefoot, she said, "You two have done a good job. Go get some rest. You'll need it."

"Yes, Hawkwing," they chorused, dipping their heads. Then they turned and hurried away.

She watched them go, and then looked over at Tanglepath and Wishsong. "Come on."

She stepped up to the entrance to her leader's den. "Smallstar?"

There was a moment of pause, and then a croaking voice responded, "…Is that you, Hawkwing?"

"It is," she answered. "I have Tanglepath of NorthClan and Wishsong of LightningClan with me. They have something to ask you."

Again that pause before Smallstar answered. "Send them in. You wait there, Hawkwing."

She sighed, and turned to the two warriors. "Listen," she said quietly. "Go in there, and once he's given you your answer, come right out. Don't dillydally in there."

Tanglepath nodded, and then he and Wishsong headed inside.

Hawkwing settled down outside the den and groomed her wet fur until it was dry. Not long after she finished, Tanglepath and Wishsong came out. The tabby tom looked confused, and the she-cat looked shaken.

Hawkwing jumped to her paws. "What did he say?"

"He said we could stay…" Tanglepath said slowly. "But—"

Hawkwing interrupted him. "I don't want to know what else happened. Whatever it was, keep it to yourselves, and speak of it to no one." She straightened up. "If you're going to stay, follow me, and we'll get you a couple of nests in the warriors' den."

She turned and started off, but anxiety and worry tugged at her belly. What had Smallstar said to them?

And more important, what had he done this time?

END OF BOOK TWO

A/N: Mwuhaha, foreshadowing at the end of a book. ;D Well, that's the end of book two! I hope you've enjoyed Circle of Life: Book 2: Paths Not Tread. If you're interested in getting a preview of Book 3, check out my profile, where I'll have the name and the summary up in the "Coming Soon to a Computer Near You" section.

Don't forget to review! After all, it is the epilogue, and it wouldn't hurt you to review. :D

Off to take over the world,

Crazy Girl