The air was locked in a misty silence, the flora around the area shivered as if a terrible cold was upon them. A flowing river parted two different lands, half of the river was pure and clean, the other was a oozing mud slime. From the shadows of the mud-river side, out of the darkness, a Brown and black she-cat was helping a nearly faded tortiseshell and white old she-cat limp towards the river. On the other side of the river, where there was bueatiful life everywhere as a gray cat was waiting.

"Ash!" Exclaimed the brown and black cat.

"Hawkflight! I'm so glad to see you!" The gray cat Ash padded towards the river, smiling, but then he noticed the cat Hawkflight was helping, "Who is this?" He asked, cocking his head, stopping midstep.

"Mapleshade, she's almost gone." Hawkflight exclaimed help the old dark forest cat a few more pawsteps.

"I'm fine!" Mapleshade snapped in a raspy voice.

Hawkflight promptly ignored her, "We need help to get across the river, Mapleshade knows something."

Ash, trusting in his former mate completely rushed away from the river seeking aid. Hawkflight watched sadly as he disappeared over the next hill. She  pressed against Mapleshade more, helping her limp until they had reached the edge of the river. She sat there with Mapleshade, both dark forest cats staring blankly into the distance. Hawkflight looked over, for a second she couldn't see Mapleshade, but then she recognized the faint glowing outline as the She-cat leaned breathlessly into her. She glanced back just as Ash was returning with five Riverclan cats.

Good, Riverclan.  Hawkflight thought, pleased that Ash had brought cats from the clan she had allied with when she had been living. Ash in the lead, the band of six cats swam across the warm clean river with ease but had to heavily trod through the fast flowing mud. Out of the five of them when they reached the other side only one recognized the faint figure of Mapleshade.

Darn. Hawkflight thought, one of them was Appledusk.

Appledusk leaped back startled. He cautiously squinted closer at Mapleshade's shape, "What...?"

All the faint glowing she-cats response was a moan. Hawkflight stepped forward, "Help me get her across, she knows something." Reluctantly the Riverclan cats swarmed around Mapleshade and they trudged the first couple pawsteps into the muddy river. Only Appledusk was holding back. Paws frozen to the bank, his face expressionless, but Hawkflight could see many diffferent confusing emotions writhing around in his eyes.

"Come on." She urged him and they stepped into the mud as well following the train of cats as they escorted Mapleshade to the shore. 

"This is starclan?" Mapleshade asked, her voice husky.

"Yes..." Appledusk responded, looking at his paws.

"Why are we letting two dark forest cats here again." Asked one of the Riverclan cats.

"Because Mapleshade knows something," Hawkflight responded, swishing her brown and black spottted tail. The Riverclan cats glanced at each other but continued to lead them on. Soon the slopping hills and grass thinned out and they lead them towards a hollow.

"Four trees!" Hawkflight exclaimed, racing towards the hollow. Inside to their luck was a great gathering of cats. The starclan cats swung around, slightly alarmed as she burst in. Followed by the Riverclan cats leading the faint figure of Mapleshade in. 

A Shadowclan warrior leaped up, hisssing, "Dark forest cats!" The other cats pelt's bristled.

Hawkflight took a few steps backward, "Were not here to fight." But if any Thunderclan cat makes a move... she added silently in her head.

"Mapleshade knows something you need to hear." She expplained, the Riverclan cats leaving the her to lean on the high rock. Hawkflight bounded up beside Mapleshade along with Ash. She scanned the crowd, there was one cat and one cat alone she also needed to see.

"Hawkflight!" A silver pelted apprentice came bounding up.

"Windpaw!" Hawkflight waved her tail happily. However before she could greet the silver cat Mapleshade interrupted, "Of... of..." She rasped. Hawkflight swung around, waving her tail to signal Windpaw to stop.

She glanced at Mapleshade, "Tell everyone now, I probally need to hear this too." Instead of saying anything, the old she-cat collapsed and her shape started to evaporate.

"Wait!" Screeched Hawkflight, her fur bristled in panic. She crouched down beside her, "Tell me!"

"Fallen feather... river's end." Mapleshade choked out, and then suddenly he was gone forever.

"Does no living cat remember her?" Ash thought aloud 

"What did she say?" Windpaw asked cautiously, taking a few paw steps forward.

"She said," Hawkflight started, grieving the loss of the only cat she really knew in the dark forest. The starclan cats would surely not accept her, and she would have to go back to that place all alone.

With a sudden act of bravery, Hawkflight bounded up the high rock. The other cats gasped as she took her place among the other leaders. "She said," she  took a deep breath, "Fallen feather, river's end."

 What could it possibly mean?