Little Leaf stared in astonishment at Nya. “Wh— what?” She whirled around to Silver Mist. “Is— is that true…?” Looking reluctant, her mother hesitated. “Y— yes. It is true.” She heaved a sigh. “But it would mean you must vow to spend the rest of your life acting as leader and guardian for the tribe. You would be the new queen.” Leaf’s jaw dropped. “Me— me? Leader?” “Make your choice soon, kit,” one of the spirits snapped. “This is your only chance to return to the land of the living. Hesitate too long, and we and your mother shall take you to our place among the stars to rest for good.” “This— this is all so fast…” Little Leaf wrung her hands together, her glowing eyes flickering from face to face. “How— how could I…?” Three cat spirits emerged from the ring and transformed into humans; one a tall man with spiky hair, the others two small boys who wore permanent grins. They approached Silver Mist and Little Leaf—Leaf gaped at the man in astonishment. “Bracken Stripe!” Her eyes flickered to the little boys. “Who are—?” “Your brothers, of course,” the werecat purred. “We all wanted to see you.” “Hi, Little Leaf!” one of the boys said cheerfully. “Mama said we’ve been waiting for you! We got to meet Eagle Talon!” “Not Blood Star, though,” the other boy giggled. “‘Cause she’s a stink-head.” Silver Mist shushed her sons while Bracken Stripe embraced his daughter. “There’s not a lot of time,” he could be heard murmuring. “I— I missed you…” Leaf sounded as if she were about to cry. “I missed you too, Little Leaf.” Bracken Stripe cast an anxious glance at the glowering spirits. “I’m so sorry, darling, but you must make your choice now. Just know that all of us—we shan’t be going anywhere. We will always wait for you. There is no rush.” Face crumpling, Leaf hugged her father tightly. Her brothers joined in enthusiastically, followed by their mother. Both humans and spirits gave them a respectful silence. “Wh— where’s Eagle Talon?” Leaf mumbled. Stroking her daughter’s hair, Silver Mist replied, “He is elsewhere, helping someone in need. He did not know we would meet you.” Little Leaf allowed herself to be buried in the embrace of her family for a while longer. Then, slowly, she pulled herself away from them. “Tell— tell him,” she gulped, “that… I miss him. And— And I’ll see him again. And that I’m proud of him. He’s my hero.” Ember Star spoke, his voice low and quiet. “You’ve made your decision, then?” “Yes.” She seemed to gather herself. Her glowing eyes flashed with determination. “I— I will be the new leader of the tribe. I’ll do whatever it takes to help everyone.” The ancient werecat looked pleased. “Very well.” He nodded solemnly to the other spirits. “Let us begin.”
The air seemed to twist and shimmer before the humans. Skylor flinched when blinding light burst in the cavern, but it faded away quickly. When she looked to the center of the cavern, a completely circular pool of silvery water had appeared. She had no idea where it came from. It sat etched in the stone as if it’d been there forever. All the spirits, both in feline and human shapes, hovered around the strange pool in a ring. Little Leaf’s spirit hovered in the center; she looked small and scared, but enough resolve held her there. A strange heavy silence seemed to have fallen upon the cavern, like the silence that comes with snowfall. For several long moments, nothing moved. The Moonstone seemed to have dimmed, so that the only light came from the spirits themselves and the glittering pool of water. Then, the spirit of Silver Mist knelt at the pool. She cupped her hands and let a handful of water pool into them. Slowly she approached her daughter, holding her hands like a bowl. “I, Silver Mist, give my daughter Little Leaf her first life. Be brave.” She motioned for Leaf to drink from her hands, and Leaf obeyed. The water glittered as she gulped it down awkwardly. When it was all gone Silver Mist dropped her hands, gave her daughter a loving look, and pulled herself away. Ember Star transformed into his human form; he knelt and collected the water into his own hands. “I, Ember Star, give Little Leaf her second life. Remember that everyone has their own journey, and with it, their own hardships.” She drank from the water in his hands. One of her brothers came next, cheerfully holding up his tiny handful of water. “I, Sandy Nose, give my sister Little Leaf her third life. Don’t forget to have fun!” Spirits continued this ritual, having Little Leaf drink the strange water from their hands. No physical change seemed to come over her, although in her eyes some thought they could see a strange sort of heaviness—as if she were seeing pieces of each spirit’s lives and absorbing the wisdom from their own experiences. Mist Rise gave her the final life. “I, Mist Rise, give my friend Little Leaf her ninth life. Know that you will make many mistakes in the future, and learn from them. There is no such thing as a perfect leader.” She drank the water from his hands and he stepped back. She heaved a sigh as if shouldering a heavy burden. “Is— is that it, or…?” “Not quite.” There was a smile in Ember Star’s voice. “Before you make your vows, you should choose your full name. You have earned it a long time ago.” “My— my full name!” Her eyes widened. “Oh— oh, yes, of course.”
Ember Star’s voice boomed against the walls. “Ancestors, descendants, friends, hear me: we have here Little Leaf, daughter of Silver Mist and Bracken Stripe. She has proven herself a kind and fearless warrior time and time again and has given her life for both her tribe and for other creatures deserving of respect. Now as the new leader of the Tribe of the Moon, I bestow upon Little Leaf the right to claim her full name.” Silence followed his words. When Little Leaf did not move, one of her brothers whispered, “Hey, it’s your turn now.” “Shh!” his mother shushed him. “Oh!” Little Leaf gulped, looking embarrassed. “Sorry! Uh, umm… oh, ancestors help me—” “We are helping you,” the grumpy lady said. “R— right. Just let me think. Umm…” Wringing her hands, Little Leaf glanced at the humans pleadingly. Matilda arched her eyebrows. “Don’t look at us, kiddo. It’s your choice.” “You can make it whatever you want,” Nya added. “Yeah. Yeah, OK…” Taking a deep breath, Little Leaf began. “I, Little Leaf, daughter of Silver Mist and Bracken Stripe, choose my name to be…” Her voice faltered. She looked to where Lloyd lay; her eyes seemed to rove over his pale face, lingering. Privately Skylor suspected the young werecat regarded him with more tender feelings than she did for the other ninja. “Dragon Leaf,” she murmured. “I choose my name to be Dragon Leaf, in honor of a warrior who saved my life and gave me hope. I— I hereby vow to…” Her voice trailed off. “You can do it,” one of her brothers whispered. “No,” she rasped. “I mean— I know I can. That’s not it.” Nervously she looked up at the spirits. “May— may I give one of my lives to Lloyd?” There was a collective stir of gasps. A lot of the spirits huffed and rolled their eyes. Ember Star, however, regarded her request solemnly. “Is that your wish?” “Yes.” She nodded vigorously. “I don’t mind.” “Preposterous!” the grumpy woman hissed. “You’ve already been given your nine lives! You cannot divide them up among humans as if they were prey to be shared! It is a sacred gift!” “Once you finish your vows, you cannot give away any more of your lives,” Ember Star cut in. “If it would even work… It has never been done before.” “I want to try. Mist Rise,” she looked anxiously to the tall spirit. “I— I hope you don’t mind if I…” Mist Rise shook his head with a understanding smile. “I do not mind… especially if this works.” “Thank you.” Hesitatingly, the little werecat knelt at the pool and cupped water into her own hands. She looked to her ancestors to see if she was doing the right thing. All she received were shrugs and judging stares. Evidently this interruption in the ancient ritual had never been done before and many spirits did not like it.
Slowly, as if afraid of spilling the water, she drifted from the pool over to Lloyd. Misako backed away as the spirit knelt over him. With tender movements, she pried his mouth open and poured the water slowly down his throat. “I, Dragon Leaf, give Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon his second life.” A quivering smile broke across her face. “Know that whatever happens, whatever choices you make, you will always have friends who love you.” As the last of the water dripped away, a small ball of light seemed to drift out of her mouth. Like a firefly it hovered in the air for a moment, glittering in the dark. Then it spun around and dove into Lloyd’s mouth; its light vanished. He did not stir. “Come away, young one,” Ember Star called. “Finish your vow.” She returned to the center of the pool slowly, as if reluctant to leave the spirit world already. Yet she said the next words with firm resolve. “I hereby vow to be the best leader I can be for Tribe of the Moon until my time comes to walk among the stars.” For a single moment, nothing happened. Yet all the world seemed to hold its breath. A gust of wind picked up mysteriously, swirling in a circle around the pool. The Moonstone glowed back to life, this times its light blinding. The humans crouched and covered their eyes. Skylor buried Kai’s face into her shoulder as she shielded him from the worst of it. Then—the light faded. Everyone looked to see the silvery pool and the ring of spirits were gone. The werecat girl sat in a heap on the floor, but she was no longer a pale blue, transparent form. She was real, in a physical human body. Her ginger hair, with its one black streak, lay in tangled waves beneath her head. Tiny, glittering stars seemed to collect beneath her like a shimmering bed. The girl’s chest heaved. She bore no wounds, not even a scar on her body. She was alive. Her flickering eyelids proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. “Little Leaf!” With a shriek of joy Nya ran and snatched the werecat in a tight hug. “You’re alive! You’re back!” “I believe you mean Dragon Leaf now, water lily.” With a wry smile Matilda trotted over and promptly threw her arms around both girls. “Good to see you back, kiddo.” “N— Nya…? Matilda?” Dragon Leaf’s eyes flew open. With a shrill cry she hugged them back, looking thrilled. “I— I’m back! You’re here! I— I’m here! Ha!” The girls dissolved into a ball of happy shrieks and badly-suppressed sobs. Skylor watched, content to leave the reunion to the band of friends. She reached over and squeezed Kai’s hand. “Lloyd!” Misako’s sob brought everyone’s attention to the other side of the cave. She was kneeling and hugging a very dazed and confused-looking Lloyd. He was sitting up shakily and wearing an expression that one might wear awakening a long nap. “Hi, Mom,” he mumbled. “Uhh… what’s going—?”
Before he could finish the question, he was buried in the weeping embrace of Dragon Leaf. She hugged him as if she were afraid he’d vanish then and there. “Lloyd! You’re back! You’re back, you’re back! I can’t believe it worked! I gave you one of my lives, and it worked! You’re here…!” Dazedly Lloyd looked down at himself; his throat and chest were intact, bearing not even a scratch, although the front of his gi had been ripped to shreds. It was the only proof of his gruesome yet brief demise. “How— how?” He stared around at everyone. “How is this possible…?” “Who cares?!” Nya laughed almost with insanity. “I’m just glad you’re alive, you little idiot!” “Little Leaf!” Lloyd seemed to notice her for the first time. With a broad smile he eagerly took her hands into his own. “You— you’re all right!” “I am now.” She giggled anxiously, cheeks flushing. “And it’s Dragon Leaf now. The spirits let me get my full name. And they gave me nine lives! Well, technically eight, since I gave one of them to you.” “Uhh— cool!” He looked bewildered. “Wait— what…?” Struggling to regain her composure, she sat back, sniffing and wiping her face. “It— it’s complicated. I’m just— just happy you’re back.” “Leaf… you’re alive.” His grasp on reality strengthened. “But— Blood Star—!” “Is dead,” Misako finished firmly. She stood back to give the others some space, but the way she hugged herself made it appear as if she were barely holding herself back from enveloping her son in a tight hug. “We don’t know how, and we have not found her. But the Moon Tribe’s spirits came…” Hastily Misako, Nya, and Dragon Leaf explained what had occurred. They talked over each other at times and had to back up while Lloyd would stare at them confusedly. Eventually he got the gist of it, and he regarded Dragon Leaf with awe. “Leader of the Moon Tribe now, huh?” He chuckled weakly. “So, what does it feel like to have nine lives?” “Not that different, actually.” She cast a glance down at her feet, where stars continued to trickle like liquid diamonds. “Except my body feels warm and fuzzy right now. I feel like I could fight—” The happy glow of her face vanished as if someone had blown out a candle. “Oh ancestors, the tribe! Are they still fighting?!” Skylor’s stomach dropped. “Jay. Zane, everyone—they’re still in there!” Misako’s eyes widened with horror. “Wu.” “I left Jay. I left Jay!” Nya leapt to her feet and practically flew to the tunnel entrance. “We’ve gotta help them, you guys!” Lloyd stumbled to his feet. Misako rushed in to support him. “I’m coming, too.” “Don’t forget me!” Kai crowed. Skylor shot him a stern look. “No, you’re not—” “Skylor, I’ve spent too much time out of the field, wondering what’s happened to all my friends.” He met her eyes with a fiery look. “I’m going.”
“Follow me, then!” Dragon Leaf shape-shifted; a tiger-sized nekomata took her place. Her calico fur shimmered in the Moonstone’s glow. “We’ve got to stop them!” Dragon Leaf led the way down the dark tunnel, with Misako and Lloyd at her tails. Kai staggered with one arm around Skylor’s shoulders. No one noticed Matilda that had not joined them. She remained in the cavern, inspecting the pile of fallen dirt and rocks at the south wall.
“Looks like this is the end, buddy!” Jay grunted. His leg shot out and kicked a charging wolf in the jaw. Zane’s jaw was set grimly as he shot needles of ice out of his hands. Broken wires trailed from his torn neck and the empty socket where his arm had been. “This appears to be the end of our nine lives,” he said. “Was that a cat pun?” Jay flashed him a wry grin. “Ha-ha, I’m so proud of you! I mean, it’s terrible, but—!” “Would you knock it off with the jokes?!” Ronin snapped. “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re fighting for our lives!” Jay and Zane were backed into a corner of the cavern, along with Ronin and Mr. Brookstone. With them were Wolf Paw, Quick Fin, and Lightning Streak. Master Wu was nowhere to be seen. The angry wolf pack had completely disrupted the Moon Tribe’s battle. Cats in their various forms were scattered haphazardly across the cavern, fighting the wolves desperately. The cats were larger in size and strength, but their previous battles had exhausted them. The ambush had given the wolves the advantage. Over half a dozen wolves were closing in on the ninja and their allies. Wolf Paw was just barely limping out of the way of their snapping teeth. Ronin stayed by the black cat’s side, chucking knives and rocks whenever he could. Quick Fin made obscure screeches and squeaks to annoy the wolves, but even she could not fight past them. The entire group was enclosed in a corner. Wolves advanced from all sides. “I thought you were going to get the pups!” Ronin shouted amid the clamor of snarling wolves and wailing cats. “I was!” Jay snapped, shooting lightning at a wolf about to bite his foot off. “But these things followed me, and I couldn’t lead them to the baby cats!” “Well,” Lightning Streak grunted wearily. “Thank you for trying to help us. I would rather die fighting evil than fall prey to its power. I’m sorry you must die here with us.” Jay shrugged good-naturedly. “Hey, what are friends for?” That shrug cost him; one wolf saw him distracted and lunged, slamming Jay to the ground. With a yelp he thrashed and punched it in the jaw. The huge beast snarled and snapped its teeth toward his face. A bright green ball of energy slammed into the wolf. The impact sent the creature flying and it hit the wall. Dazedly Jay sat up and peered through his swimming vision. A figure in a tattered green gi was approaching him. He mumbled, “L— Lloyd? But…” “Looks like we’re just in time.” A familiar hand grabbed his and pulled him to his feet. Jay could hardly believe his eyes. “Lloyd! But— but,” he stammered. “Blood Star said you were dead!” Lloyd shrugged. “I got better.” He looked over his shoulder.
Jay followed his gaze, and his heart leapt. Nya had appeared and was already engaged with three massive wolves. A silver Spinjitzu vortex revealed Misako’s presence as she slung wolves and enemy cats this way and that. Even Little Leaf was there, fighting among them. There seemed to be something different about her, but Jay’s attention was distracted by the arrival of Skylor and— No. No way. He caught his breath. “K— Kai…?” “It cannot be!” Zane cried. Misako swooped in on them with her Spinjitzu. More wolves went flying, and Ronin and the werecats suddenly found themselves free. With a fierce caterwaul Wolf Paw threw herself into the thick of the crowd and helped some wounded cats fight off a group of wolves, followed by Quick Fin. “Thanks, Mrs. G!” Jay flashed a grateful grin at Misako. “Jay!” He turned to find Nya flying toward him on a shallow water slide. She let the water dissemble into a pool as she flew into his arms. “Are you OK?!” “Y— yeah!” He hugged her back tenderly, making sure not to hurt his already-mangled hand. “It’s all good! We had our werecat buddies watching our back— look out!” Nya whirled around. Two wolves balancing on a pile of boulders were dropping down on them. Yellow teeth flashed at their faces. Fire plumed over their heads. It washed over the wolves, singeing their fur and faces. With shrill yelps and whines they plummeted on the floor clumsily. “Back off, Rover! Those are my friends!” Stumbling dizzily, Kai held his arms out and shot another hot plume of fire at the wolves. The wolves got up yelping and stumbled away. “Kai!” Eyes welling with tears, Jay raced for his friend, arms outstretched. “You’re alive! You’re alive!” Kai’s eyes widened in panic. “Wait, no, I’m—! Ugh!” His words ended in a loud grunt of pain as Jay hugged him tight. Nya and Skylor hurried to pry him off. It was only then Jay saw his burned and shriveled hands. His face contorted with disgust and pity. “Dude! What happened?!” “No time for that,” Skylor said impatiently. “She’s right.” Groaning, Kai straightened and gave Jay a pale smile. “But good to see you, zap-trap.” He surveyed the scene. “So. What’ve we got?” “Angry wolves and shape-shifting cats. But some of them are our friends.” Kai looked bewildered. “Which cats are the bad cats?” “The cats that are trying to kill you are the bad cats.” “I guess that makes sense.” Zane joined them. “I sense we are close to the end of this.” His words were dark, but a shadow of a smile flickered on his metallic face. “Whatever may happen, I am happy to have all my friends together again.” “Likewise, buddy.” Kai faced the crowd of battling werecats and wolves. Skylor linked her arm with his, and they shared a smile. Likewise Nya grasped Jay’s good hand and squeezed it.
Ronin joined them, along with a frazzled-looking Mr. Brookstone. Misako appeared by her son’s side, followed by Dragon Leaf. As one they faced the heart of the battle. “Hey.” Everyone looked at Kai. “It’s good to be home.” He took a deep breath, then looked up at them all. A familiar smile spread across his face. “Ninjaaaa…!” “GO!” The ninja, their friends and feline allies charged forward and threw themselves into the battle. Spinjitzu vortexes shot across the room, sending wolves and werecats alike flying. The canine army edged back in alarm. The humans—from Lloyd to Mr. Brookstone—were fighting back with renewed ferocity. Both elemental powers and weapons flashed, disarming and wounding adversaries. The wolves began to retreat, fleeing with panicked yelps back to the tunnel that led to freedom. All the ninja were back together again, and everyone who had torn them apart in the first place felt the full force of their power. Jay and Nya worked together, fusing their water and lighting together to rain electric droplets on a group of attacking Moon Tribe warriors. The humanoid warriors fell to their knees screeching and shuddering from the shocks, tongues of electricity washing over their bodies. Nearby Kai shot waves of fire at several nekomata attempting to attack him. Their fur caught aflame and they fled with wild wails. Skylor never left his side, alternating between her powers to defeat her opponents. Misako seemed to fight with uncharacteristic joy—perhaps having her son back brought new strength to her. Whatever the reason, she alternated between Spinjitzu and using her bo staff to help Mr. Brookstone fend off a wave of wolves. He looked weary and ready to collapse, yet somehow he stayed on his feet, swinging his own staff clumsily and hitting wolves. Ronin fought nearby, shaking half a dozen bakeneko off of himself. Wolf Paw rushed in to help him. Zane fought with, evidently, the help of Pixal; he seemed to sense cats and wolves attacking him from behind and whirled around with lightning-fast reflexes to shoot frozen needles or to literally freeze his opponents in their tracks. Alpha, the massive red-furred wolf, stood astonished in the center of the cavern as he watched his pack flee. He barked insults and orders in their canine language, but the wounded and scared wolves paid him no heed. Angry, Alpha turned his yellow eyes onto the approaching humans. He switched to a crude, guttural version of the human tongue. “Humans! Cats! Hate them! Cats liars!” His eyes settled onto Lloyd. “Cats and humans die.” He set off running at a startling speed. Like a dark red missile he shot for Lloyd. Lloyd didn’t see him coming—he had his back to the wolf, blasting away enemy Moon Tribe cats with an energy ball. Jay caught sight of the wolf. “Lloyd, on your six, big bad wolf—!”
A huge white, calico shape slammed into the alpha, throwing him to the ground. The wolf snarled and thrashed furiously. “Die, die, die—!” His snarling ended in a startled gulp. Dragon Leaf, shifting into her human body, snatched Alpha by the neck. He tried to snap at her arms, but could hardly move and choked. His paws scrabbled desperately in the air. In astonishment Jay and Lloyd watched as the little teenage girl’s eyes and hands glowed pale blue, almost white. A crescent moon shape appeared on her forehead, glowing the same way. Stars seemed to trickle from her fingers, her body practically throbbing with power. With slow, deliberate movements, Dragon Leaf bodily lifted Alpha into the air with just one hand. The panicking wolf thrashed and whimpered in her grasp, but she did not let go. She hardly seemed to notice the weight, even though the wolf had to be at least twice her size. “What— what the heck…?!” Lloyd rasped. “It’s part of her powers, I think!” Jay cried, jubilant. “They make her, like, three times stronger! How cool is—?!” “Jay!” Dragon Leaf grunted. Her glowing eyes seemed to flicker to him, and he shivered under the intensity of their power. “Get the pups! The alpha won’t leave until he has them back!” “On it!” Lightning flashed at his hands. With a crackling surge of his powers, Jay went zipping down the other end of the cavern—it was not often he used his element’s super-speed aspect. Dragon Leaf’s eyes swung back to Alpha. The wolf flinched when their eyes met. “Your son and daughters are safe and sound.” Her voice seemed to come out slow and heavy, almost as if other voices were speaking with her. Never before had she sounded so calm, so solemn. “Blood Star was an evil leader. I, Dragon Leaf, have taken her place. The Tribe of the Moon shall not interfere in the lives of your pack again, granted you do not interfere with ours. I ask your forgiveness, O Alpha of the River Pack.” Alpha looked much too unnerved to respond, fur standing on end. Yet Dragon Leaf lowered him slowly back onto the ground, and he did not attack her when his paws touched stone. “I’ve got them!” Jay came running, arms full with brown mottled fur. At the sight of their father the puppies squealed with delight and wriggled out of his arms. Little tails wagging, they ran yipping and crying to him. Alpha’s tail wagged furiously as he met them, sniffing and licking their faces anxiously. The battle seemed to still. The ninja looked around and realized the Moon Tribe had stopped fighting; everyone was watching what was taking place in the center of the cavern, unable to believe their eyes. Because of the sudden quietness, even some of the elders, mothers and kittens peered out of the branching tunnels to see what had happened. The puppies continued wagging and crying with delight and relief. After making sure his children were truly unharmed, Alpha rose his head and met Dragon Leaf’s gaze.
“Still hate cats. Cats… no honor,” he grunted. “But new cat alpha bring pups back. Pups safe. Pups tell Alpha humans keep pups out war.” He cast Jay a cold look. “Not hate all humans.” “Flattered,” Jay muttered. Nya elbowed him. Alpha turned back to Dragon Leaf. “New cat alpha better. Not black cat alpha. Black cat liar. Hate liars.” His fangs flashed in a soft growl. “Cats stay away from wolves. Wolves stay away from cats.” Some Moon Tribes bristled and hissed softly, but Dragon Leaf merely nodded. “Agreed.” With a huff, Alpha grabbed one of his pups by the scruff of their neck and started toward the cavern exit. His other two children followed. They vanished into the tunnel and the pups’ excited yips faded away until there was silence. For several long, strange moments, no creature in the cave moved. The Moon Tribe warriors seemed to look at one another, as if trying to remember what they had been doing before the interruption. Then one tom growled, “Traitor! Where’s Blood Star?!” The glow in Dragon Leaf’s eyes, forehead, and hands flickered and faded. The stars that had been trickling from her fingers seemed to gather slowly at her feet like snowfall. Their glow illuminated her face strangely and beautifully. “She— she’s dead.” No longer did Dragon Leaf look powerful and intimidating. She looked more like Little Leaf, small and uncertain. Yet she held her head up as she faced the crowd. “Blood Star is dead.” The reactions of the Moon Tribe were mixed; half the creatures gasped and shared looks of amazement and relief. The other half lashed their tails and growled in fury. “Impossible!” the tom snarled. “She had nine lives! There’s no way she is gone!” “I’m telling the truth!” Dragon Leaf glared at him. “If you don’t believe me, why don’t you go into the forbidden caves yourself and see?” The tom glared back, now silent. Another cat, however wailed, “You destroyed her and stole her powers!” “You betrayed us to the Sons and Daughters, and now you’ve ruined everything!” another cat, a female, hissed. “This is all your fault!” Instinctively the ninja gathered around Dragon Leaf in a tight circle. Lloyd glared at the crowd. “She just saved you from that tyrant! Blood Star was going to be the death of all of you!” “See, the Sons and Daughters are in on this!” another opposing nekomata sneered. “They’re all spreading lies, trying to brainwash us! They’ve already brainwashed our tribe-mates and made them traitors!” “They’ve forgotten their place!” yet another growled. “We should teach them a lesson once and for all!” Kai curled his lip at the crowd. “These guys remind me of Gesber.” “They remind me of the Polarians,” Skylor muttered. The Moon Tribe began closing in on the group of humans. Their growls and hisses rose in a threatening chorus. “Hey, back off!” Wolf Paw leapt in front of Ronin protectively.
“Yeah!” Earth Flame placed himself in front of Mr. Brookstone, gray fur bristling. “If you want them, you’re gonna have to get through us first!” More Moon Tribe warriors gathered in front of the humans and Dragon Leaf, forming a defensive ring. From that ring came Sky Pelt, limping in his bakeneko body. He hopped onto Dragon Leaf’s shoulder and raised his voice. “I beg of you, be still! I am on their side. Let there be no more death!” “Ohh, there’ll be death, all right,” a snarling nekomata said. “We shan’t stop until every human, traitor, and weakling are purged from our home.” The ocean of Moon Tribe warriors surged in on the rebels and humans. Their voices rose in angry caterwauls. The cats standing with the ninja shrank back, pressing together. Dragon Leaf was one of the few who stood her ground—though her eyes were wide with terror, she shaped her hands into claws and looked prepared to fight to the death. “See you guys on the other side,” Kai grunted. “I’m just glad to be back home. Even if it was only for like ten minutes.” “Enough!” Blinding light surged through the tunnel. Everyone flinched and covered their eyes as a cold wind blew through the cave. Startled shrieks and yowls bounced off the walls, fading only as the wind did. When the ninja opened their eyes, they found the dark walls lined with rows of pale spirits—the same ones who’d gathered in the Moonstone cave. Like a ghostly choir they hovered above the armies, silent in their pale blue glow. The Moon Tribe gasped in awe and terror at the sight of the spirits. They huddled together in silence. After a moment, Sky Pelt gasped, “Broken Stone!” A faint dark tabby drifted from the ceiling to stand beside Dragon Leaf. She gaped at him in recognition. “Who’s this guy?” Jay whispered. “The previous leader of the Moon Tribe. Shush.” Zane elbowed him absentmindedly. The rest of the Moon Tribe seemed to recognize the old tabby as well. They fell into a stupefied silence. The spirit roved his gaze over them. “What Dragon Leaf says is true. Blood Star is dead—honorably defeated in battle by the Son of Earth.” He spoke calmly, as if half his people weren’t just fighting for their lives. “In her place we gave Little Leaf, now Dragon Leaf, the right to claim her full name and the gift of nine lives. She has been appointed to lead the Tribe of the Moon. Do not doubt it; she has the blessings of the ancestors.” Most of the opposing cats looked shocked and uncertain now. One of the toms who had been leading the mob earlier muttered, “But what of the Sons and Daughters? They are still our enemies.”
“Do not punish these Sons and Daughters for crimes they themselves did not commit,” Broken Stone said. He seemed to eye the tom critically. “You have all taken part in cruel and unfair persecution of innocent creatures. Your crimes cling to your hearts like mud. It shall take many seasons for you all to clear your own names of violence and murder. Why do you think you can condemn the Sons and Daughters for things their forefathers did?” The tom looked thoroughly chastened and fell silent. Many of tribe-mates shared dismayed looks with each other. It was hard to say if it was because of their old leader’s rebuke or because they’d realized and felt ashamed of all they’d done. “He’s right.” Everyone looked at the white, long-haired tom who’d spoken. He had an old scratch standing out over one eye while several fresh ones stained his coat. He was speaking softly, voice shaking. “Whenever we attacked those villages, we were not bringing justice. We were taking out our anger on others—others that we could bully and bring down.” “Storm Cloud,” one cat muttered. “What are you saying? You were one of our bravest warriors! The most enthusiastic to—!” “And I hate that!” Sighing, he looked up to Dragon Leaf. “My loyalty is to you, Dragon Leaf. I believe what our ancestors say, even if I don’t like all of it.” “She has our blessing,” Broken Stone repeated. “As do the Sons and Daughters. Harm them, or defy Dragon Leaf, and you defy us.” The ninja shared delighted grins with one another. The opposing warrior cats seemed to either realize the same as Storm Cloud had or merely suppressed their indignation. There were no more protests. An awkward silence lingered, until some cats glanced up at the rows of spirits. Cries of shock and joy rang off the walls. Slowly, more cats recognized their fallen friends and family among the spirits. “Fallen Twig! Is that you?!” “Fire Paw! My son!” “Am I seeing things…? Stoat Poppy!” The spirits seemed as delighted as their live relatives were. Gradually the cave was filled with jubilant voices as members of the dead and living were reunited. The cat spirits drifted down to happily speak to their loved ones, purring and nuzzling. As the feeble joy spread, the anger seemed to melt away. Some cats still looked on confusedly and rebelliously, but the appearance and excitement of the spirits soothed the hearts of the tribe. The friends of the ninja relaxed. Lightning Streak cried aloud in joy as some of her departed siblings came tumbling happily at her paws. Earth Flame got very quiet when the spirit of his father came to nuzzle him affectionately. A nekomata—a live one—appeared by Dragon Leaf’s side. “I’m so proud of you.” “Birch Tail!” She turned to him with a gasp. A large gash stood out on his muzzle and he held his paw up like it was hurt. She looked concerned. “Are you—?”
“I’m fine, believe me.” The big brown cat looked upon her proudly. “Honestly, I feel pretty great, knowing that my student is now the leader of all the tribe. None of my friends can say that!” He purred. “I’ll need help,” she said seriously. “I don’t know how to lead a tribe. I’ll— I’ll mess it up—!” “Hey, you won’t mess it up. Of course I’ll help, if that is what you wish. You have good friends to help you.” His gaze shifted to the other werecats. Wolf Paw puffed her chest out happily. “Of course!” “Funny,” Lightning Streak added mischievously. “I’d thought you would have appointed Lloyd to be your successor.” Dragon Leaf blushed. “Shut up.” “Huh?” Lloyd looked at the werecats. “Did someone say my—?” “Nope!” Dragon Leaf glared at her friends. Wearily Zane looked upon the Moon Tribe exchanging the spirits of their relatives. A faint smile appeared on his face. “May we assume the war between the Moon Tribe and the Sons and Daughters is over?” Nya barked a laugh and linked her arm with Jay’s. “I’d say that’s pretty safe to assume.” “This is great.” Jay wore a relieved, happy smile. “Everyone’s back together: me, Kai, Skylor, Cole—” His eyes bugged out in horror. “Oh, shoot, you guys— where’s Cole?!” The ninja froze and stared at one another.
* * *
It was strange… there was no pain. The ground felt soft. The air felt warm. All felt calm. Opening his eyes, Cole blinked in gentle sunlight. He was lying in a vast green field. The lush grass was dotted with yellow flowers. Bright blue sky arched over him, going on forever. There was no sound of animal nor human life. With a groan he pushed himself to his feet. He looked down at himself. His body was whole; no enchanted knife, no gashes, no scratches nor bruises. Both his body and his clothes were intact. He felt strong and healthy—and confused. “Wha—? Where the heck am I…?” He scanned the sprawling field. A familiar voice spoke behind him. “I think it’s like, an in-between place between the living world and the dead world…? I really don’t know, though. It’s more of a human thing, but they said we could stop by real quick.” Cole’s throat constricted. He turned around. “Eagle Talon.” His half-brother looked as alive as he had just hours ago; from his woundless body to his animal skin-tunic, to his long, black hair that fell in his eyes. “Hey.” A familiar, crooked smile spread across his face. “You good—? Oof!” Cole rammed into him to give a hug, practically lifting Talon off his feet and squeezing the breath out of him. Yet he felt his brother hug him back just as tightly, and he wondered if he heard him biting back a sob. Neither brother wanted to let go. “Am I dead?” Cole rasped. “I don’t think so.” “Are you dead?” “Oh, for sure.” Talon barked a wry laugh. Cole didn’t feel like laughing. “I— I’m sorry. For not saving… her. Our sister.”
He felt Talon stiffen. “It’s not your fault. Really. You did what you had to. And we helped.” “And— and for not saving you… For not—!” “That wasn’t your fault, either. Really. Don’t blame yourself.” Cole took a shuddering breath. “What do you think happened to her? Like— Where did she go?” Sighing, Talon pulled away at last. “I really don’t know. I think before she would have gone to the Cursed Realm, but word has it you guys destroyed it. So…” He shrugged. “Who knows.” “What matters is that it’s over. You did it,” a new voice joined in. Cole’s vision blurred with tears. He turned to see Liana standing nearby. She too looked whole and well. She wore a simple, pale violet robe. Her pale blond hair was down in soft waves, framing her face; she still bore her scars, but her eyes were blue and seeing. “Liana.” He couldn’t move, even when she approached him. He could only listen to himself stammer helplessly, “I— I’m so s— sorry… I mean— I mean, in the tunnel…” “Shh…” She hugged him with a soothing murmur. “It’s OK.” “No, it’s not!” He shuddered and gritted his teeth. “This wasn’t supposed to happen! If— I’f I’d been faster, if I’d stopped Blood Star—!” “Stop. Stop it.” She pressed a finger against his mouth and met his eyes. It felt so weird to see her looking back at him. “Cole, please… It’s done. It wasn’t your fault, and it’s done. I’ll be— I’ll be all right.” She tried to smile, but her lips quivered. “I’m just sorry I couldn’t… y’know. Stick around. With you.” He looked at her, feeling small and overwhelmed. He felt a tear drip off his chin. “Won’t you come back?” “I can’t.” Her voice broke. “I can’t. But— but I’m glad I lived. I’m g— glad I made friends, I’m glad we…” Tears started rolling down her face, and she choked. Cole swept her into his arms. He felt her hug him tightly, burying her face in his chest. Talon joined in the hug by throwing his arms around both of them, and Cole thought his heart would burst apart. He didn’t know what to say. There was nothing to say. He thought he could hear someone crying quietly—he wasn’t sure if it was Liana, his brother, or himself. A child’s voice interrupted the reunion. “Is that Uncle Cole?” “Rock Heart, hush!” Cole jerked up, though kept an arm wound securely around Liana. Several feet away stood a woman with two children: a boy and a girl. The young woman looked beautiful, having a full face and tawny-blond hair that fell in long waves. “Sorry, Talon,” she apologized, grimacing. “They couldn’t wait—” The little boy—looking to be around four years old—ran up to Cole and gave him a very serious, intense look. “Are you Uncle Cole?” Cole stared. The child’s face looked like a copy of Eagle Talon’s, although his shaggy hair was blond, like the woman’s, and his eyes were hazel. “Did— did you just call me uncle…?” Cole looked up at the woman. He recognized her. “Dove Stream.”
