Second DandelionClan challenge ready to go! We really need to see more leader ceremonies in the books.

"Where am I?" I mumbled. My head felt heavy and dizzy, as if I just got swept away in the rapids of the river. My vision was dark, but I could tell I was no longer at the Moonpool. The earth beneath me was was warm, and the grass was soft on my paws. I remember how the difficult trek in the leafbare night left my pads hard like stone and almost too numb to feel the cuts I acquired. A warm breeze swept over my feathery pelt, heating my chilled bones and restoring the feeling in my feet once moor.

"Welcome, Mothpatch," I heard a soothing female voice purr. I craned my neck and squinted as the moonlight pooled in to the clearing. Now I remember. Twigstar died from greencough this morning. I'm here to receive my nine lives. I could now see that I was surrounded by many cats, some that I held close, and others I've never seen before. However, they were still smiling as if they saw my kitting.

The cat that stood before me smiled sweetly, and anyone could tell she was beaming with pride. "Mother," I cried out in shock. I may have tried to deny it before, but I knew all too well about my kittypet heritage. My father was a ShadowClan warrior that was smitten with a mouser from the barn. My father wouldn't let me go to the forest until I could eat solid food. I never looked back as we walked away from my birthplace. I didn't know that would be the last time I saw my mother in life. As I got older, the realization sank in, becoming one of my biggest regrets.

The honey colored tabby licked my cheek and head, just like when she groomed me so many moons ago. "You don't have to say anything, my kitten, I know. Your father and I lived in two different worlds. I wanted you have excitement in your life, something that being a mouser could not provide. Now look at you, ready lead a whole clan." She let out a long sigh, as if she had been waiting to say that since she saw me leave. "Are you ready to accept your nine lives?"

I nodded, my mouth still slightly parted as I tried to think about if this was actually real. I blinked and nodded a second time, more confidently. "I'm ready to receive my nine lives granted by StarClan, and lay down each for the sake of ShadowClan."

"Spoken like a true leader. Well, Mothpatch, I have the honor of granting you your first life." She touched her nose to my head, and I felt something ripple through my body, far worse that the strike of any cat, dog, or badger's claws. "With this life, I give you forgiveness. No cat is perfect, mistakes will be made, and feelings will be hurt more than any physical wound. Use this life to understand that, be able to accept a "sorry", and hold no ill will."

Before I the feeling died down, she already disappeared in to the crowd and another cat took her place. It went on like this for the next seven lives, but the memories were blurred. My brother Patch, who was born lifeless gave me curiosity. I will explore where no other cat may be willing. Streamcloud, the queen that watched over me in the nursery, gave me love. I will give every cat in my clan, the strong, weak, and ill the concern of a mother, and protect them with the same ferocity. My old mentor, Icestreak, gave me courage. No matter how daunting the challenge, I will not back down. Onelight, an elder in RiverClan known to be the oldest in the forest, gave me patience. There will be cat that won't understand me, and I won't understand them, but the answer is never with claws. Yewleaf, the medicine cat from my kithood, gave me companionship. The medicine cat is my closest confident, and I will always appreciate my other clanmates. Flameclaw, a warrior that died in a boarder skirmish, gave me farsightedness. I will think of the consequences before my actions.

At last, Twigstar approached. On her deathbed, she looked so frail, just like her namesake. Her fur was matted and missing in patches. She was even to skinny and weak to turn her head drink water. I blinked to make sure what I saw was real. The once great leader was restored to her youth with stars spangled across her pelt. She stood before me, giving a satisfying smile. "Look at how for you have come," she meowed.

"I still can'y believe this is happening," I admitted and looked down at my paws. "I never understood why you chose me to be your deputy. There were many other senior warriors, more confident, more respected than me."

Twigstar only tilted her head slightly. "Yes, there was, but they all had a fatal flaw. They didn't know humiliation like you do. There's too many warriors that hate to admit things. When they're wrong, when to help, when sacrifice has to be made. I chose you because you have to capability to think outside the clan," she answered. She then shook her head. "We don't have much time for this, Mothpatch. Your clan is waiting."

I nodded and lowered my head. This jolt was the most painful of all. I closed my eyes shut and saw only white. "With this life, I give you judgement. There will be times your clan may not agree with you, from the oldest elder to the youngest kits. While you must consider what they have to say, there may be times you will chose to follow your heart. Sometimes it won't be easy, so choose wisely what you will lay your lives down for."

I staggered, feeling extremely faint as the life coursed through me. Twigstar brushed against my shoulder and I stood up straight. She starred at me with her bright amber piercing amber eyes and raised her voice for the crowd. "I hail you by your new name, Mothstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader and StarClan grants you the guardianship of ShadowClan. defend it well; care for the young and old; honor your ancestors and the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

"Mothstar! Mothstar! Mothstar!"

Am I the only one that thinks that all the current leaders and deputies are reeeeeally old?