Pinetail awoke in Fourtrees. The nervous tom looked around the place of peace, waiting. As he looked up, a single star started to descend down towards him. When it touched the ground a fox-length away from him, it turned into a brown tom with the same bright green eyes as Pinetail.
"Dustclaw!" Pinetail purred, overjoyed to see his father. Dustclaw smiled.
"You've come a long way," he said, "I'm proud of you." Dustclaw touched his nose to Pinetail's, "With this life I give you curiosity. Never be afraid of trying something new or asking your clanmates for ideas." Pinetail gasped, gripping the grass as a shock went through him. He looked up to see Dustclaw walking away into the ranks of Starclan that had arrived. A young red-brown she-cat stepped forward.
"Redmoon," Pinetail whispered his sister's name. She had died recently of sickness, but she looked healthy and happy.
"With this life I give you contentment," Redmoon said as she touched noses with her brother, "Use it when you face a dire situation or when trouble occurs." Pinetail suddenly felt calm, like a river. Redmoon locked eyes with him for a moment, then walked away to be replaced by a dark grey tom.
"With this life I give you friendship," he said as he touched noses, "Remember that even when times are tough, you have someone to support you." Pinetail trembled, feeling a strong emotion.
"Shadowfoot," he whispered, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you." Shadowfoot just smiled, "No one would have tried harder to beat that fox." Shadowfoot walked away as a silver tom walked forward. Pinetail recognized Icestripes, who had helped Pinetail against a battle with Riverclan over Sunningrocks, but died from the wounds he had received. He touched noses, "With this life I give you courage. Use it to do the right thing in face of danger, pain, or risk." Icestripes dipped his head to the gasping tom, then walked away. A white she-cat Pinetail didn't recognize stepped forward.
"I am Fernshade," she said, then touched noses with him, "With this life I give you honesty. Don't be afraid to trust your clanmates with the truth, for a lie will end worse." Pinetail nodded, and she walked past the next cat, a bounding, young light brown she-cat.
"Mousepaw!" Pinetail couldn't help but purr to see his old apprentice. She had died in the same sickness that had taken Redmoon. She had to stand on her tiptoes to touch her nose to his, "With this life I give you endless energy. Use it to keep going when ever you face difficult situations." Pinetail suddenly felt as if he could run to Highstones and back. He watched sadly as she retreated. An orange she-cat then approached him.
"I am Orangespot," she said as she touched noses with Pinetail, "With this life I give you respect. Use it to know the worth of others as well as yourself." She smiled kindly at him before sitting where a red-brown she-cat had previously been. Pinetail stared, "Sweetbriar?" Sweetbriar smiled at her son, and touched her nose gently to his, "With this life I give you a mother's love. Use it to watch over your clan as a queen watches over her kits." Pinetail closed his eyes tightly, gasping as the strongest life yet ran through his body. He then looked up at all of Starclan.
"Who will give me my last life?" Pinetail searched until he saw a dark grey tom approaching him.
"Owlstar!" Pinetail greeted his old leader. Owlstar smiled, his unblinking eyes gazing over him.
"Pinetail, my warrior and deputy," he said in his powerful voice, and touched his nose to Pinetail's, "With this life I give you strength, kindness, and faith. Use it well to lead over your clan." Pinetail felt many emotions: anger, sadness, grief, then happiness, fear, power. It ended with peace and acceptance, and Pinetail looked up at Owlstar, who was smiling.
"I hail you by your new name, Pinestar. Your old life is over. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan is proud to see you as leader of Thunderclan. Defend it well; care for the young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code, and live each life with pride and dignity," Owlstar ended the ceremony and began the chant, "Pinestar! Pinestar! Pinestar!" Pinestar looked on as Starclan chanted his new name, filling with happiness. He looked at Owlstar one last time before closing his eyes, allowing himself to awaken.