The First Ceremony

by Foxdawn

Onestar's leader ceremony was the very first Leader ceremony conducted at the Moonpool. What happened at this ceremony? Who visited Onestar in his dreams? What did his lives stand for? Well this is the story of the first leader ceremony, and the cats that visited this interesting character.

Onewhisker followed in the pawsteps of Barkface, the stumpy-tailed medicine cat. He felt panic and fear prick at his paws as he walked. Tallstar made me leader. He assured himself. StarClan will accept me. But still, the brown tabby tom was not so sure of himself.

Onewhisker thought back to the battle, and Mudclaw's death. He remembered the crash of branches and leaves at the great tree toppled over, falling squarely on top of the former WindClan deputy, crushing him with its weight, and proclaiming Onewhisker the true leader of WindClan.

Still, Onewhisker was unsure of himself. What if Mudclaw was right? What if I won't be a good leader? Oh, Tallstar. Why did you have to pick me?

"Are you coming, Onewhisker?" Onewhisker's thoughts were interrupted by Barkface. The medicine cat stood on a ridge, several paces away. "We're here."

Swallowing back his fear, Onewhisker padded forward to stand next to Barkface. Down below them, there was a small cavern. The cavern glowed with a gentleg silver light. Onewhisker hesitantly followed Barkface down the winding path, into a circular clearing.

Onewhsiker followed Barkface to the edge of the pool, leaving his pawprints behind in the soft soil. Barkface motioned for Onewhisker to lay at the edge of the pool, and take a sip from the water.

Onewhisker opened his eyes in a misty forest. Sun shown from above him, warming his pelt. Just ahead of him, the vague shapes of nine cats stood, ready with lives to bestow upon him. The first cat stepped forward.

Onewhisker gasped as he recognized the ginger-and-white tabby fur. "Gorsepaw!"

The young tom dipped his head to his former mentor. "Greetings, Onewhisker." Onewhisker felt a surge of grief and anger as he remembered the young tom's death. Tigerstar stood above the young tom, pinning him to the earth. The ginger apprentice's eyes had been wide with fear and pleading. He remembered the young tom's cry as Tigerstar ruthlessly clawed his throat, and taking away the tom's life.

"Onewhisker, I give you a life for mercy, that you may use it to forgive those who have wronged you." Onewhisker felt his claws stab into the grassy soil as another image of Tigerstar flashed through his mind. Gorsepaw padded forward and touched noses with his mentor, his eyes wide and knowing. In the moment, Onewhisker felt a stab of pain to his heart, then the rush of a warm breeze. He dug his claws into the earth as the pain subsided. When he looked up, Gorsepaw was padding away from his former mentor.

"Thank you, Gorsepaw." Onewhisker mewed as the ginger apprentice returned to the line of cats.

The next cat to step forward was a dark tabby she-cat, her eyes shining with love.

"Wrenflight!" Onewhisker exclaimed, wishing he could run to her and touch noses with his mother. The she-cat stepped forward and tapped her nose against her son's.

"Hello, Onewhisker. With this life, I give you strength. Use it to lead your Clan through hard times." Onewhisker braced himself for the pain, but instead, he felt warmth surge powerfully through his legs and tail. Every whisker of his body seemed to be filled with the warmth.

"Thank you, Wrenflight." He managed to meow as she padded away from her son.

Deadfoot was next, the former WindClan deputy smiled as he neared. Onewhisker glanced down at the black tom's front paw, which was twisted at and odd angle.

"With this, I give you a life for second chances. Use it to forgive and build up." Deadfoot leaned forward and touched his nose to Onewhisker's forehead. Onewhisker hooked his claws into the ground as a fierce pain shot through him like icy cold claws. He winced as the pain subsided, then looked back up at the black tom.

Next came a small ginger she-kit. But despite her age, wisdom glowed in her bright eyes.

"Hello, Onewhisker. You do not know me, although I have watched you as you lived the life of a loyal WindClan warrior. I am Finchkit, Tallstar's littermate. But with this life, I ask that you explore what can be, rather than what could've been. Use this to lead your Clan well, and not dwell on the past."

Onewhisker ducked his head so the ginger she-cat could place her muzzle on her forehead. He expected a whirlwind of shooting pain, but instead, a dull, deep ache burrowed into his heart, then faded slowly away.

Onewhisker blinked in surprise as a black tom with a white paw stepped forward. "Whiteclaw?" Onewhisker asked, remembering the day the black tom tumbled over the edge of the frog and into the rapids below. Whiteclaw dipped his head.

"Hello again, Onewhisker. With this life, I give you trust in StarClan. Never doubt them, no matter what others might say."

Next came Hawkheart, who gave Onewhisker a life for discernment; then came a she-cat called Willowbreeze, who gave him a life for respecting other Clans; after Willowbreeze, came a pretty tabby she-cat named Brackenwing, who gave him a life for loyalty. Then lastly came a black-and-white tom who Onewhisker thought he would never see again.

"Tallstar!" He breathed. The black tom dipped his head in greeting.

"Onewishker, for your final life, I give you friendship. Keep the forest bound by friends, whether they be ThunderClan or ShadowClan, WindClan or RiverClan, kittypet or even rogues. Lead the Clan well in my absence. Onestar!"

Onestar felt a thrill run through him at the sound of his new name.

"Onestar! Onestar! Onestar!" The StarClan cats yowled the mottled tom's name, and Onestar felt himself drifting back to consciousness.

Tallstar, I promise I will lead the Clan, until I don't have even the breath to do so.