What if We Hadn't Died..?

The skies were tinged grey, and a strong breeze ruffled the plains of Starclan. Rainstar sat in the grass, her blue eyes closed, taking in deep breaths of the cold air. Her thoughts were on what was occurring in the clans. Riverclan had entered Windclan's camp, and Wildstar had given in immediately. It angered the old leader, but there was nothing she could do any longer. Now, if she had been alive, that never would have happened...

"Shadowstar is playing right into RiverClan's paws." Ebonyroot padded out to the clearing, dipping her head respectfully to the old leader in greeting. "I'm afraid for ShadowClan's future." She sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws, concern shining in her green and yellow eyes. It bothered her, how could Tawnyfur and Dawnpaw simply let this happen?

Rainstar opened her eyes to see a Shadowclan cat approaching her. She dipped her head in return, listening to what the she-cat had to say.
"Shadowclan and Riverclan intend to become allies, correct?" she asked softly.

"Indeed." Ebonyroot slit her eyes and looked the other way stubbornly. "I'm afraid it has already happened." she sighed softly, looking up and out into the lands, wondering if anyone else shared the same concerns.

Rainstar shook her head in disbelief.
"I wonder what has taken hold of Sleepystar to cause this," the Windclan cat mewed.

"He did seem to change a bit after Hawkpath's death." Ebonyroot mused, taking light note of the leader's behavior as she had seen with the rest of StarClan at the gatherings, and from what had happened when she had watched over her son and daughters. "But perhaps nothing change really, maybe he was always like this." The calico turned to look back at Rainstar. "What I'm curious of is why did Wildstar give his clan away so easily? He is supposed to be a leader, not a coward."

Trying to hold in her feelings, Rainstar lashed her tail once, her eyes narrowing.
"If I had a say in it, we would have fought," she said sharply. "Perhaps Wildstar's choice was smarter, though. Windclan has been low on warriors. No matter, Riverclan will lose power after Sleepystar's death." The she-cat seemed so sure, but there was always that .1% uncertainty.

"But if he gave in so easily, as if WindClan had no pride." Ebonyroot flicked her ear, "What makes you so sure?"

"The kindness, perhaps, of his deputy," she replied. If cats could shrug, Rainstar would have done so. Another thought struck her. "This could also be a good change for the clans. Maybe they will learn respect for the others' way of life."

"If you ask me, the clans coming together is the last thing we need." Ebonyroot sighed, "The cats must learn to rely on their own cats in their clans, instead of whoever happens to catch their gaze at the gathering." she looked away again, "I myself am guilty of forgetting where my loyalty lied, yet so many are taking the very first code so lightly.
"Once everyone 'comes together' and gets to know each other, will they be able to separate again?"

Rainstar remained silent a moment, mulling this over. What Ebonyroot had said was true, but nobody could truly predict the consequences.
"Perhaps it depends on how long they're forced to work together," she suggested.