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A crescent moon hung in the sky, reflecting in a small pool of water. A bengal molly gazed into the water, into the oh-so-familiar moon. She knew those craters well, yes. But that was in the past.

Now, it was the future. In both ways. The mysterious Other-StarClan cat stayed silent after that remarkable statement, keeping to the trees and watching Martineye converse mutedly with Driftdeer.

"This is all so confusing!" Martineye snarled, ripping up the softened earth with unsheathed claws. She spun around towards the odd cat. It was a dark tabby tomcat, his shining yellow eyes and white toes thrown into a mask of liveliness by a smooth shimmer in his fur that seemed almost like a second layer of his pelt. Not like the normal StarClan cat, and yet he smelled of pure earth and clean water still.

Said cat rose gracefully to his paws. "Allow me to explain." Martineye exchanged a skeptical glance with Driftdeer. The healer scowled, his yellow eyes trained on the mystery tomcat. "My name is Astra. I greet the cats who walk on the forest path at twilight. Most wish to come here. Not you, my friends. We are the Realms cats, and there are many different Realms.

My Realm is called the Realm of the Rising Moon, or Moon Realm. Rather like our distant relations the Tribes, we have long names with elaborate meanings, shortened into one word.

My name is Stars Gone Astray Dimming the Light of the Moon. We are given our names when we are alive by the Crowned. The commander, deputy, and healer are the Crowned. The Realm of Sunlit Valleys is one that you may not visit. Not until the end must you know of what is to come. Good or bad, it will impact the Clans forever," Astra finished vaguely, gazing calmly at Martineye like they were having a normal conversation about new kits in the Clan.

"So you mean there are no warrior names in the future?" Driftdeer meowed sharply, flicking his tail-tip. A warrior name or medicine cat name was what defines you, Martineye thought angrily.

"That is neither here nor there," Astra replied softly. "And there are many dimensions. When the moon is at it's peak, different dimensions will collide to make one united force. There are many ways the Clans could end. The Realms, as we may call this dimension, is only one way. There are perhaps as many dimensions as grains of sand on a beach, or stars in the universe. The moon is very close to where it lines up perfectly in every dimension, and a great change may occur. Wether fortune or virtue, chaos or peace, can only be told with the observant eye to watch for signs."

Driftdeer stared at the glowing tomcat. "You mean medicine cats have to watch for signs?! But StarClan has lost connection to all the Clans every since the battle that took place."

"Didn't I just say there are many dimensions? Any one of them could have sent the Clans - plural, yes - a sign." Astra sighed. "I know this a lot. I guess that's why I'm Stars Gone Astray Dimming the Light of the Moon. I know I make it seem like everyone is so different, but just try to understand. In the Realms they name you when your eyes first show their true colour and your personality grows."

Martineye nodded thoughtfully. "Imagine naming a kit Shykit but they grow up to be a brute underneath their shy mask?"

"Then you'd name the kit Shymask, or better - Shylion or Shytiger to show the inner beast," Astra replied easily, giving his short brown tail a sweeping movement that denied further comment. "We can find our ways around these things, but it's preferable to just use Realm names."

Sniffing in disdain, Martineye's serenity melted away. "But if Realms is for the dead, doesn't that mean everyone is dead?" she meowed quickly, trying to change the subject.

"Realms is just a name. Like Clans. Like Tribes. Like loners or rogues. Just because StarClan is dead doesn't mean all the other Clans are dead, correct?" Astra flashed her a smug smile when she nodded reluctantly. "You need to get out of the mindset that you are the only ones; that you are special. Of course, every single living creature is special, but you're stuck on your present and past. Maybe it's time to lean a little into the future. . . ."

Driftdeer cleared his throat loudly, glaring at the dark brown tabby tomcat. Yellow met yellow as their eyes fixed on each other. "Do you mean - and of course this must sound absolutely silly - that there ways to travel into future dimensions?"

Everything was quiet for a heartbeat. No birds sang, and the small pool of water in front of them had no ripples. The trees didn't rustle. Everything seemed so dim compared to StarClan.

"That is a superb question!" Astra mewed, titling his head back. "But I'm afraid you may not go and see the future. Like I said, there are so many ways, infinity to the beyond, and it would take you forever to search them. You do not belong here for long, and we must get you back. Look at your paws."

In unison, a gasp rose up from the StarClan cats as they looked down. Their paws still felt solid, but they were fading away, and the invisible force was slowly but surely creeping up their legs.

"We each have our own dimensions, and prolonged time here will eventually fade you away, and you will go on," Astra explained, even more calmly. "I'll show you how to get back, but you must remember this name - Sunrise that Lights the Horizon's Clouds. Sunrise will visit you if they can. Now, to get back to StarClan -"

"Wait!" Martineye cut in. "Don't you want to show us the Realm of the Moon?"

"Martie! Do you not see our legs?!" Driftdeer yowled indignantly, his shoulder fur bristling. Martineye looked him in the eye in a startled silence, and a curious sensation shot through her legs, like she was stepping into a cold, rushing stream. "Let's go!"

A huge orb of glowing white light hung in front of them. It looks like the moon! Martineye thought with a start, her mouth gaping open in awe.

"Make haste!" Astra grunted, his eyes closed tightly as if he was experiencing some kind of pain. Martineye leaped swiftly into the orb, Driftdeer beside her, and then Astra and the Realm of the Moon was seen no more.

The high notes of chirping birds greeted Martineye's ears. Instantly, she knew they had made it to StarClan. She scrambled to her paws, the looming trees of the forest shading the grassy ground.

"We're back," Driftdeer muttered, pushing himself to his paws. "I think we took a wrong turn to the higher-ups."

"You think?" Martineye snapped, looking around. A breeze played with her whiskers, and it was cool against her face. "And - when have you ever called me Martie?! Not - not for seasons." She looked away from him. "I thought we had left that with our mortal bodies."

Driftdeer groaned. "I miss it."

Martineye bit her lip, eyes flashing with bitterness. "I thought while we were cornered by the wolf pack, we agreed to accept our fate." She closed her eyes briefly, wishing to see the tomcat no more.

"Maybe we should've tried to fight! Everything I loved is gone!" Driftdeer's voice broke.

"I'm not gone. . . ."

"I know. I know."

Martineye shook out her pelt, opening her eyes but staring directly at the ground in front of her. "We should go," she whispered, pain scorching her heart like a forest fire ravaging the land. "It's in the past. We can't fix the past."

"Unless -"

"No, Driftdeer," Martineye growled. "We shouldn't mess with the balance of life, just to fulfill our own selfish needs." She flinched at her own harsh words, but didn't take them back. "What's in the past, stays in the past."

Driftdeer stared at her. Then he pivoted on his hind paw and raced out of the forest. Martineye saw the sparkle of tears in the air, but forced herself to stay where she was.

Never had she felt so lonely.