Ravenpaw's Farewell/Chapter 9

==Chapter description==
:Ravenpaw opens his eyes to find that he is beside a starry pool in StarClan. He drinks the water from the pool. Silverstream appears and invites him to sit with her, and the tom does. He is slightly bothered by an ache in his stomach. Silverstream watches in concern, but he jokes that he's getting old. The she-cat keeps gazing at him, Ravenpaw feels a chill run through his pelt. He asks her if he will ever see his home again. Silverstream admits that he won't, but she says that he shouldn't be afraid of dying somewhere else. Ravenpaw expresses his fears for Barley, and she assures him that the loner understands that he does not wish to leave him, and will not love Ravenpaw less if they cannot be together.
:Then, two more cats appear, and Silverstream leaves. One of the cats, a dark gray tom, introduces himself as Skywatcher, explaining that he was the last of the SkyClan warriors before Firestar and Sandstorm came and restored the Clan. He promises Ravenpaw that Bella and Riley have a place in SkyClan. The other cat introduces himself as Cloudstar, the leader when they came to the gorge. Ravenpaw dips his head, saying that he is honored to meet them both. Cloudstar says that he made the same journey as Firestar and Sandstorm, and is grateful to him for bringing new warriors into the Clan. Ravenpaw exclaims that SkyClan doesn't seem to want the two cats he brought, stating that Leafstar even allow them over the border.
:Cloudstar says he needs to give the Clan a chance to see what Riley and Bella can bring to them, insisting that they need their help. Ravenpaw lashes his tail, saying that SkyClan has strong warriors, and asking what they can do that they cannot. Skywatcher pads to the pool's edge and throws in a stone, which lands with a splash and sends ripples through the water. He orders Ravenpaw to look, stating that the stone reaches further than he might expect. The black tom watches the waves and pictures SkyClan, scared and waiting in the gorge for the kittypets' invasion. Cloudstar puts his muzzle onto Ravenpaw's head and murmurs to him to that he must help them in the name of the Clans and the warrior code. The black tom promises that he will.
:Ravenpaw wakes from his dream when dawn arrives, and he nudges Barley awake. Bella asks if it is time to go home, and her brother yawns. Ravenpaw announces that they will not go home, and will return to SkyClan. Barley stops stretching himself and exclaims that the Clan will not even let them across their borders. His eyes narrow and he tells Ravenpaw that he needs rest. Ravenpaw tells him that he will be okay, and told them about the dream he had.
:Riley bounds to the entrance of the cave, saying that the kittypets need to respect SkyClan. Ravenpaw feels pride towards the younger tom for being so loyal to a Clan that has been unkind to him. Bella nods, agreeing, saying that if there is anything they can do, then they have to go back. Barley sighs, saying that he is outnumbered, and brushes his tail along Ravenpaw's spine, insisting that if he feels like he has to stop to rest. he should tell him. The black loner agrees to.
:He leads them back up the stream, pausing among the trees to hunt. Barley makes Ravenpaw rest on some moss while he and the others catches a pigeon. When they had eaten and cleaned themselves, they continue. Ravenpaw sees the brown boulder hanging over the stream clearly in the daylight. As they pass a holly bush when a few SkyClan cats run toward them. Plumwillow growls and says that they should stay away, while Bouncefire tells them to get out of here. Echosong springs from a path and blocks the warriors, saying that Ravenpaw and the others mean no harm. Bouncefire mutters that they don't know it, but stays where he is.
:Echosong comes up to them and introduces herself as SkyClan's medicine cat, saying that Leafstar told her about them. Ravenpaw says that he needs to see their leader, adding that it is important. Echosong watches him for a moment then says that he should follow her. As they pass Plumwillow and Bouncefire Bouncefire hisses. The medicine cat turns to the travelers and apologizes, saying that there wasn't enough room in Leafstar's den for them all, only Ravenpaw should go. She asks if the others will mind waiting there. Barley watches the warriors who begin coming out of the dens and Echosong promises that they will be safe, saying that Hawkpaw will look after them.
:Hawkpaw promises that he will. Echosong thanks him, and says he should let her know if Ebonyclaw comes and needs him to do anything else. She explains to Ravenpaw that the black tom is a daylight warrior, so she is not yet here. Ravenpaw remarks that Hawkpaw seems committed and Echosong says that he is, as long as he is kept away from Billystorm's apprentice, Pebblepaw. Barley, Riley, and Bella are left sitting while Ravenpaw and Echosong pad to a ledge where three cats are sitting. Leafstar welcomes him.
:Ravenpaw talks with Leafstar, Billystorm, and Sharpclaw, explaining his plan of keeping the kittypets out of their camp. He recounts his experiences with them, and how moving the boundary will make it easier to defend. She goes out into the clearing and leaps on a boulder, calling SkyClan to her. Leafstar meows to her Clanmates how they'll move a border back to protect the gorge. She then calls Ravenpaw forward, and he rallies the Clan, saying that StarClan is on their side in this fight. Sharpclaw then divides up patrols of cats to prepare for the battle.
:Ravenpaw then follows Echosong to the Whispering Cave, and she explains it's significance. Bluestar, Whitestorm, and Lionheart appear, and he says he's honored to meet them. The three cats apologize for his struggles in ThunderClan, but the loner meows he wouldn't change it if he could. Lionheart offers to give Ravenpaw a warrior name, but the black cat declines. Bluestar nods, and then asks if he will want to join StarClan when he dies. Ravenpaw mews he cannot be with them, as the tom wishes to be with Barley, wherever he may be. Lionheart says that Ravenpaw will always be welcome to visit, and then the dream ends.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Mistakes==
*Duskpaw is mistakenly called Dustpaw.
==Notes and references==
Category:Ravenpaw's Farewell
Category:Novellas
Category:Chapter subpages