My first TorrentClan Challenge!(A Xenops is a type of bird that is brown with white flecks)
Lives of Nine
"Are you sure you want to do this", asked Bonetail, RiverClan's current Medicine Cat, "You're expecting kits."
Yeah, I'm Xenopsfeather, a expecting brown tabby she-cat with white flecks. I was deputy when our leader died. I'm also going to have my kits really soon.
"Yes", I respond, "I need to. Without a leader, RiverClan will turn into massive destruction."
"I understand", Bonetail mewed, "But can't you choose a deputy now and wait until the kits are fully weaned while the deputy takes over?"
"No", I say.
Bonetail sighed, "Then let's get going."
I nodded agreeingly.
…
We padded along the winding trail that lead to WindClan territory.
"What is the moonpool like", I asked.
"It's beautiful", he responded, "It is a little hollow surrounded by bushes. The moonpool gleams in the middle, reflecting the stars", he gazed dreamily into the distance, eyes glazed as though he were seeing it in front of him through memory, "I always pause when me and the other Medicine Cats visit the moonpool to gaze in it's glory and radiance."
"It sounds perfect", I purred.
"It is", he breathed.
I turned and sprinted across the moor, enjoying the cool breeze in my fur. Bonetail panted along behind me.
"The moonpool's that way", he said, breathing hard and gesturing with a paw to a cluster of bushes in the distance.
"Oh", I mewed, embarrassed.
…
When we had finally arrived at the moonpool, Bonetail told me to take a lap of water from the pool. I crouched beside him and scooped a puddle of water on my tongue. It was icy cold and left a freezing feeling on my tongue. I slowly began to drift into sleep, darkness enfolding me.
…
The cave was full of starry figures. Some I recognized from the last battle with ShadowClan, some seemed to be fading into the shadows around them.
One of the fading cats padded toward me, "I am Mistystar", she croaked, "Once RiverClan leader. I give you your first life as the life of courage. A leader must be ready to brace anything, from the death of a clanmate, to the death of some kin. Always have courage and fight for your clan, be brave Xenopsfeather."
The old she-cat touched her nose to mine and I felt a surge of grief that changed to pain that turned to anger that turned to fear. Then it stopped.
I looked down at my expect… wait, where was the swelling in my belly! WHERE DID MY KITS GO!
I saw Mistystar looking at me sympathetically, "The nine lives ceremony strips you of your old life, your kits and gives you a new nine ones. Plus they get rid of any potential danger to your body, stopping illness, injury, and a new one, kits. I am so sorry."
I felt a rush of anger, grief, and pain once again. This time not from lives, but for my kits. I suddenly saw three small shapes appear. One looked like me, the other two looked like my dead mate, Kiwistar, the last leader, who was standing with them.
Kiwistar padded toward me, "It was for the best love", he said softly, "With this life, I give you faith. Faith can get you through the toughest times as a leader. Including this one."
He touched my nose with his and hope shone through my pelt.
Kiwistar stepped back and one of my kits stepped forward.
"Hello Momma", he said, "Can you name me?"
I smiled, "You look like a Snailkit."
"Thank you Momma", Snailkit mewed, "With this life, I give you understanding. To understand something isn't just to know the meaning, but to accept it fully."
He tried to stretch up to touch my nose but ended up falling backwards. A few StarClan cats giggled at the sight but stopped quickly. I lowered my head and Snailkit touched my nose. A flooding of realization and acceptance flew in me. They had done the right thing to give up my kits, RiverClan needed a leader, and when I died I would have all the mother kit bonding time I wanted.
Another kit stepped forward, "Daddy named me Frecklekit", she mewed, "With this life, I give you forgiveness. Forgiveness is forgotten by even the most gracious cats. Even you. Even with the life of understanding, your still mad at Mistystar for taking us away."
I lowered my head so we could touch noses. A gracious feeling swept in my fur, wiping away any anger that was filled with more understanding and a bit of forgiveness.
Frecklekit walked back to Kiwistar and the third and final kit stepped up, "What's my name?", she asked.
"I think your name should be Deerkit", I said warmly.
"Thank you", said Deerkit, "With this life, I give you love. Love is the feeling you had when you found you were going to have us. Now go home and give love to your clanmates."
We gently touched noses and pain soared through my body, not an injury, but love burning through her for everything she cared about.
As Deerkit went to Kiwistar, a fluffy gray tom came forward, "I am Graystripe, once of RiverClan and three times of ThunderClan. I give you the life of complacency. Always stay with what you know is right. I left ThunderClan to raise my kits after their RiverClan mother died after their birth, then went back to ThunderClan when they became apprentices because I felt like I needed to go home. I got caught by twolegs and then left twoleg place with my new mate to find home. My clan had moved to another place, here, after the forest was destroyed. I went on a long, unforgettable journey to get back. I lived in ThunderClan from then on because my heart lead me home. That is the meaning of complacency, to find home."
They touched noses and I felt a urge to race home to RiverClan but stopped myself.
A orange tom came up to me, "I am Firestar, former leader of ThunderClan. I give you the life of knowledge. Knowledge is a powerful object to have in your grasp. Most cats can't handle the gift of knowledge, that's why it's a rarely given life. But I trust you to handle this life more wisely than I did in my time."
He touched my nose and a rush of knowing fled through me.
Firestar walked away as a jumpy black and white tom leaped into sight, "I-i'm R-ravenp-paw", he stuttered, "I give you the life o-of k-knowing when to r-run. I-i left T-thunderC-clan as an a-apprentice to live with B-barely in a barn near WindClan territory b-back in the f-forest. M-my m-mentor wanted to k-k-k-kill me. S-sometimes it's better t-to flee than take the r-risk."
As they touched, fear tried to urge her to run out of the cave.
Ravenpaw left and a pure white tom padded forward, "I am Cloudtail", he mewed, "My parents were kittypets and when I was a kit, my mother gave me to Firestar. My clanmates hated me so I started eating twoleg food from these nice twolegs that soon took me away from my clan. After a week passed, Firestar, then Fireheart, saved me. That's why I'm giving you the life of never giving up. Ravenpaw's life should only be used in a impossible battle or famine after everyone else is safe. Even then, there are times when you should never give up. Use Mistystar's life of courage and this one now to push through it."
We softly touched noses and a sudden spring of bravery pushed into me.
…
I woke up on the same rocky shore I had fallen asleep in. Now Xenopsstar, leader of RiverClan, no longer barring kits, but barring nine lives.
I can do this. I will survive. I swear to never use Ravenpaw's life unless there's a big emergency.
I will… I CAN SURVIVE!
That was my version of Lives of Nine!