The sun rose above the lake, a new dawn for the clans that lay by the Lake below. After a long night of fighting, the usual rivalry was at a low, however all the cats would be extra aware for many moons to coe.
"Brambeclaw!"
"BRAMBLECLAW!"
"What is it?" the tabby warrior hissed.
Brambleclaw roused to see his clan's medicine cat, Jayfeather, prodding him, as grumpy as ever.
"We have to go to the Moonpool. Make haste." Jayfeather hissed as he padded back to his den.
"Fine. We shall leave immediately. " replied the new ThunderClan leader.
"Jayfeather? I am ready" Brambleclaw called for his medicine cat as he headed out the camp entrance.
The two cats made it to the Moonpool just as the sun was setting. Brambleclaw wished he could hunt and eat, the smells of prey were reaching out to him. He was very worn out after the Great Battle, collapsing from exhaustion next to his leader, Firestar. The Clan decided it would be best to wait for Bramblestar to receive his lives first, before burying the great and noble leader before him.
After what seemed like forever, Jayfeather meowed "It's time."
"Take a single sip of the water and lie beside the pool. From now until the ritual is over, neither of us must speak."
Brambleclaw walked up to the pool, and followed Jayfeather's instruction. Almost at once StarClan sent him sleep, and as he woke up, he looked and saw the stars swirling about, coming closer towards him. "Is this what Firestar saw when he became leader?" he wondered as he took several steps back. 9 of the swirling shapes came in front of him and took the form of many cats he had previously known, except, much grander with stars in their pelt.
The majestic feeling was soon replaced by more pain than he had ever felt before. His life was ebbing away, to be replaced with new ones.
The first cat that walked up to him was his old friend, Sootfur. "With this life, I give you friendship and fair-mindedness. Use it well in making the right decisions for your Clan." he murmured, and touched noses with Brambleclaw. At once pain surged through him. "This must be Sootfur's last moments." he thought, as the feeling of a badgers large claws raked through him.
The next cat was Whitestorm, who had been ThunderClan's first deputy under Firestar. "With this life I give you courage. Lead your clan bravely through thick and thin." he said, just louder than a whisper. He half expected his next feeling. The fangs and large claws of Bone, who Brambleclaw had helped kill avenging the former deputy's death, scratched him.
Brambleclaw doubled back at the sight of the next cat. "Ashfur?" The name barely came out of his lips. The gray warrior said nothing, though his eyes showed forgiveness. "With this life, I give you mercy and forgiveness. Remember, true courage in battle is not knowing when to take a life, but when to spare one." The gray tabby mewed, and Brambleclaw braced himself for the feeling of his foster daughter, Hollyleaf, sinking her teeth into him, and the sharp pain almost caused him to faint.
The next cat he saw had been one that he had just felt. Hollyleaf, one of the fallen from last nights battle and who he once believed to be his very own daughter, had clearly arrived safely in StarClan, as she walked up to him. "I give you Justice, use it well in making the right decisions for your future, and being fair to all," she meowed, and he straight away felt another burst of pain, this being from his half-brother, Hawkfrost's paws.
Brambleclaw closed his eyes, waiting for his next life. He looked up to see Mousefur, another one killed in the Great Battle, while protecting the camp. He was surprised to see her looking young and fresh, a large change from the grumpy elder she had been alive. "With this life, I give you patience with the hope that you will give every cat a chance, from the weakest kit to the grumpiest elder, even to the strongest warrior." Another agonized spasm pained through him.
He looked to see his 6th life giver, and was surprised to see Cinderpelt running towards him. "Her leg must have been healed by StarClan when she died," he thought. "With this life I give you perseverance. Never give up and keep believing, and all your dreams will be fulfilled." He expected this life to be strong and painful, but was pleasantly surprised to feel warmth and energy surging through him, as if he would never be knocked down.
He saw Ferncloud walking towards him next. "Ferncloud!" He purred in surprise. He had been close to the former ThunderClan queen before her death. "Do you have any message to pass on to Dustpelt?" he questioned, as the two cats had been closer than most mates. But the she-cat did not respond. She simply murmured "With this life I give you caring and mentoring. Look after your Clan like a queen and her kits, and raise it just as you would an apprentice, to become strong." He expected this life to be warm and loving, and was surprised to feel a jolt of extreme pain, expressing a queen's anger protecting her kits.
He jumped at the sight of the next warrior, but then purred at the sight of an old friend. Feathertail, who had been one of the journeying cats to find the Clan's new homes had sacrificed herself to save the Tribe of Rushing Water. "With this life, I give you love. Care for Squirrelflight, she truly loves you. Love your Clan and use it to be strong." Brambleclaw was surrounded by a feeling of great warmth and satisfaction. He just felt, amazing. But then the feeling died away as he got ready for his final life.
"Firestar!" exclaimed Brambleclaw, as his former mentor and leader strolled up to him. The heroic leader walked up to him and placed his head on top of Brambleclaw's. "With this life, I give you nobility and leadership. Use it well to guide your Clan along the path of the warrior code." A final spasm of pain surged through Brambleclaw as he looked to what would happen next.
Then the flame-pelted leader spoke once more. "Brambleclaw, my apprentice, my warrior, my deputy, and now my successor. I hail you by your new name. Rise Bramblestar!"