"What do you say, Midnight? Has this cat proved herself worthy of the stars?" A blind, hairless tom sat in a deep burrow, next to a badger with a greying muzzle.
"Cat is bad, doesn't deserve stars," rasped the old badger.
"But her mother abandoned her," murmured the tom quietly. "I would be bitter, too."
"Matter not. She killed many." replied Midnight briskly.
"Why punish her for something that's cause she had no control over? When Bluestar died, we let her in."
"Bluestar killed no cat. She also had more losses."
The tom scratched at the ground with his long, twisted claws. "She has still suffered through much. We should give her a place in the sky to honor what he has overcome."
The badger sighed quietly. "Very well. I hope we not regret this decision."
* * *
I blinked open my eyes to a lush forest. Where am I?, I wondered. I couldn't recall ever being in a place like this. I tried to remember what I had been doing last, but strangely, nothing came to mind. All I could remember about myself was my name, Molefoot, as well as some very distant thoughts, of heartbreak and abuse and a path marked in blood.
Might as well look around some, I thought. Besides, this place is so nice! I admiringly observed the trees, all of which seemed to be home to squirrels, and the rivers with the freshet water I've ever drunken. Might as well stay here for now. Out of the corner of my eye, I spied a flicker of movement. I turned my head to see a plump ground squirrel, one of the biggest pieces of fresh-kill I've ever seen. My mouth watered as I crept closer. That squirrel will be mine soon. I thrusted myself forward and pinned it down under my paws. But just before I delivered the killing bite, I heard a cat calling into the forest. Another cat! Maybe he can tell me who exactly I am. leaped away from the squirrel, all thoughts of fresh-kill abandoned. I raced up to the cat, who was a brown tom with a jet-black tail-tip.
"Who are you?" I demanded. "And where am I?"
"I'm Soilstar. This is Starclan." I blinked as the memories came flooding back. My abusive mother, rejected by my siblings- for being born without those sharp canines. And the only highlight- the blood. Oh, I had shown them I didn't need those teeth to be deadly. In fact, I now knew where I had been when I had died- in the midst of a battle. But if I killed so many cats, then-why am I here?