{ALLEGENCIES}
{LEADER} ~ Bramblestar, a dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
{DEPUTY} ~ Squirrelflight, a dark ginger she-cat with a white paw
{MEDICINE CAT} ~ Jayfeather, an undersized gray tabby tom with blind, blue eyes
{WARRIORS} ~ (Toms and she-cats without kits)
Graystripe, a long-haired gray tom
Sandstorm, a pale ginger she-cat Apprentice, Lilypaw
Dustpelt, a dark brown tabby tom
Cloudtail, a white tom
Brackenfur, a golden tabby tom Apprentice, Amberpaw
Thornclaw, a golden tabby tom Apprentice, Seedpaw
Millie, a striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Brightheart, a white she-cat with ginger patches
Sorreltail, a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat
Leafpool, a light brown tabby she-cat
Spiderleg, a long-limbed black tom with a brown underbelly and amber eyes Apprentice, Snowpaw
Whitewing, a white she-cat with green eyes
Birchfall, a light brown tom Apprentice, Dewpaw
Berrynose, a cream-colored tom
Hazeltail, a small, gray-and-white she-cat
Mousewhisker, a gray-and-white tom
Poppyfrost, a tortoiseshell she-cat
Lionblaze, a golden tabby tom
Foxleap, a reddish tabby tom Apprentice, Cherrypaw
Icecloud, a white she-cat
Toadstep, a black-and-white tom
Rosepetal, a dark cream she-cat Apprentice, Molepaw
Dovewing, a gray she-cat with blue eyes
Ivypool, a silver-and-white she-cat with dark blue eyes
{APPRENTICES} ~ (More than six moons old, in training to become warriors)
Molepaw, a brown-and-cream tom
Cherrypaw, a ginger she-cat
Lilypaw, a dark, tabby she-cat with white patches
Seedpaw, a very pale ginger she-cat
Dewpaw, a gray tom with amber eyes
Snowpaw, a white tom with amber eyes
Amberpaw, a gray she-cat with white patches
{QUEENS} ~ (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)
Cinderheart, a gray tabby she-cat Mother to Lionblaze's kits: Goldenkit (a golden she-cat) and Smokekit (a dark gray tom)
Daisy, a cream-furred she-cat foster mother to: Firekit (a bright ginger tom)
{ELDERS} ~ (Former warriors and queens, now retired)
Purdy, a plump, tabby tom, formerly a loner
{SHADOWCLAN}
{LEADER} ~ Blackstar, a large white tom with jet-black paws
{DEPUTY} ~ Rowanclaw, a ginger tom
{MEDICINE CAT} ~ Littlecloud, a very small tabby tom
{WARRIORS} ~ Oakfur, a small brown tom
Smokefoot, a black tom
Toadfoot, a dark brown tom
Applefur, a mottled, brown she-cat
Crowfrost, a black-and-white tom Apprentice, Talonpaw (a dark gray tom with darker paws)
Ratscar, a brown tom with long scars across his back Apprentice, Stoatpaw (a skinny ginger tom)
Snowbird, a pure white she-cat
Tawnypelt, a tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
Olivenose, a tortoiseshell she-cat
Owlclaw, a light brown tabby tom Apprentice, Hawkpaw (a black tom)
Shrewfoot, a gray she-cat with black feet
Scorchfur, a dark gray tom
Tigerheart, a dark brown tabby tom
Dawnpelt, a cream-furred she-cat
Pinenose, a black she-cat
Ferretclaw, a cream-and-gray tom
Starlingwing, a ginger tom
{QUEENS} ~ Kinkfur, a tabby she-cat with fur that sticks out at all angles
Ivytail, a black, white and tortoiseshells he-cat
{ELDERS} ~ Cedarheart, a dark gray tom
Tallpoppy, a long-legged light brown tabby she-cat
Snaketail, a dark brown tom with a tabby striped tail
Whitewater, a white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye
{WINDCLAN}
{LEADER} ~ Onestar, a brown tabby tom
{DEPUTY} ~ Ashfoot, a gray she-cat
{MEDICINE CAT} ~ Kestrelflight, a mottled gray tom
{WARRIORS} ~ Crowfeather, a dark gray tom
Owlwhisker, a light brown tabby tom
Whitetail, a small, white she-cat Apprentice, Crouchpaw
Gorsetail, a very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes Apprentice, Larkpaw
Weaselfur, a ginger tom with white paws
Harespring, a brown-and-white tom Apprentice, Mistpaw (a pale gray she-cat)
Leaftail, a dark tabby tom with amber eyes
Emberfoot, a gray tom with two dark paws Apprentice, Vinepaw (a tabby tom)
Heathertail, a light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Sedgewhisker, a light brown tabby she-cat
Swallowtail, a dark gray she-cat
Sunstrike, a tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white mark on her forehead
Whiskernose, a light brown tom
Furzepelt, a gray-and-white she-cat
Boulderfur, a large, pale gray tom
{ELDERS} ~ Webfoot, a dark gray tabby tom
Tornear, a tabby tom
{RIVERCLAN}
{LEADER} ~ Mistystar, a gray she-cat with blue eyes
{DEPUTY} ~ Reedwhisker, a black tom
{MEDICINE CAT} ~ Mothwing, a dappled golden tabby she-cat Apprentice, Willowshine (a gray tabby she-cat)
{WARRIORS} ~ Graymist, a pale gray tabby she-cat
Mintfur, a light gray tabby tom
Icewing, a white she-cat with blue eyes
Minnowtail, a dark gray she-cat
Pebblefoot, a mottled gray tom Apprentice, Streampaw (a gray she-cat)
Mallownose, a light brown tabby tom Apprentice, Cloudpaw (a white she-cat)
Robinwing, a tortoiseshell-and-white tom
Beetlewhisker, a brown-and-white tom
Petalfur, a gray-and-white she-cat
Grasspelt, a light brown tom Apprentice, Swiftpaw
Rushtail, a light brown tabby tom
Troutstream, a pale gray tabby she-cat
Mossyfoot, a brown-and-white she-cat
Hollowflight, a dark brown tabby tom
{QUEENS} ~ Duskfur, a brown tabby she-cat
Mosspelt, a mottled gray she-cat
{ELDERS} ~ Dapplenose, a mottled gray she-cat
Pouncetail, a ginger-and-white tom
{CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS}
Smoky, a muscular gray tom that lives in a barn at the horseplace
Floss, a small, gray-and-white she-cat that lives in a barn at the horseplace
Nightcloud, a black she-cat
Breezepelt, a black tom with amber eyes
{OTHER ANIMALS}
Midnight, a star-gazing badger that lives by the sea
{PROLOGUE}
The dying figure before Brambleclaw made his heart wrench in pity and grief. The leader he looked up to, the wonderful, ginger tom that had saved the Clans, the cat known as the ThunderClan leader, Firestar, was slowly dying.
Not too long ago, a horrendous battle between the Clans, StarClan and the Dark Forest Cats had taken place, claiming the lives of Mousefur and Ferncloud. Firestar on the other hand, had survived the battle but was critically and mortally wounded. He had fought with all his might to defend his Clan and his Clanmates.
The brave ginger cat had faced off against Brambleclaw's father, Tigerstar, fighting the massive tabby to the death. Eventually, Firestar had killed Tigerstar, leaving the tom to fade away. Finally, ThunderClan had won the battle, but at the cost of two warriors lives.
Ferncloud had died honorably, by protecting her den mates from Brokenstar, a former warrior of ShadowClan. Brightheart, a disfigured, white she-cat had recently given birth to her second litter, as well as Sorreltail before the Great Battle. Every cat had fought their hardest, driving away the cats that were intruding their homes.
Mousefur had died as well, leaving behind her friend, Purdy an elderly tabby. The Clan mourned the two cat's death and it wasn't long before Firestar would follow them.
Now Brambleclaw stood before his leader, looking down at the blazing ginger coat and the glazed over emerald green eyes.
"Brambleclaw, you have served me well." The tom rasped, looking up at his deputy. Brambleclaw dipped his head. "And you have been a wonderful leader, Firestar."
The ginger tom craned his neck and looked towards his mate, Sandstorm. The pale ginger she-cat was crouched by his head, gently licking his ear. "Sandstorm, I love you."
Her green eyes clouded over with grief, as she knew that Firestar's time had come. "I love you too." She choked out.
Squirrelflight was crouched beside her mother, sadness clear in her eyes. Leafpool, the former Clan medicine cat was pressed up against her sister, trying to give her comfort. Firestar turned back to Brambleclaw.
"You were a great deputy and now," He paused to suck in some air before continuing.
"Now you are a worthy leader of ThunderClan and I trust you. I trust you enough to leave my Clan in your paws and that you'll take good care of them when I am gone. Brambleclaw, I know you have suffered much in your life, but I know that you can do it. I believe in you and plus you have the rest of the Clan for back up if you're troubled."
Each breath that Firestar took was ragged and came in short gasps. It was a miracle that the tom was still alive for the time.
Brambleclaw couldn't find the words to thank Firestar for all he'd done. When Brambleclaw was a kit, Firestar had been the one to save him from a fire. He was the one who mentored and taught Brambleclaw loyalty to his Clan, he was the one who held belief in him. Firestar was more than just his Clan leader. To Brambleclaw, Firestar was the father that he had always wanted.
Tigerstar was more of the enemy to him. Though he did hold feelings for the tom when he had been torn open by a single blow from an enemy cat named Scourge. But that was so long ago that Brambleclaw had nearly forgotten.
He could remember the screech of terror, the slicing of flesh as Scourge dug his reinforced claw into the former ShadowClan leaders belly and cut it open from head to tail. The sight of Tigerstar's life bleeding out all over the grass was still there, the spasms of his body as each of his nine lives was ripped from his body. It was all there.
Brambleclaw could feel the sympathy he felt back then rising back up in his chest. Tigerstar had been felled with a single blow and Brambleclaw could recall saying: "I thought I hated my father. But I didn't want to see him die just likethat."
All the cats that had been called to join in on the battle with BloodClan had fought hard and long to drive off the band of rogues. He could recall the death of the deputy, Whitestorm. Firestar had been devastated but recovered when he renamed Graystripe deputy in the midst of the battle. Brambleclaw could remember swarming the BloodClan deputy, Bone with his sister, Tawnypelt and a couple others of his Clanmates. They had been apprentices back then.
Eventually, Firestar succeeded in killing their leader and disbanding the cats. They heard news that they had scattered in Twolegplace, some going back to their Twolegs, some finding new homes and some just staying loners or strays.
Then there was the badger fight. They had lost two valuable cats that night. Sootfur, Sorreltail's brother was killed by a badger slicing his neck open and snapping his neck. Then they heard the news about Cinderpelt, the medicine cat before Leafpool. She had died protecting Sorreltail who was kitting, by taking a swipe from a badger paw ultimately killing her.
In honor of her savior, Sorreltail had named one of her kits, Cinderkit after her. That kit grew up to be Cinderheart a loyal warrior of ThunderClan. But no cat knew of Cinderheart's past life as Cinderpelt until Jayfeather, Brambleclaw's foster son revealed it to the gray she-cat.
Now Cinderheart was a proud mother of ThunderClan's newest litter, fathered by her mate, Lionblaze; Brambleclaw's other foster son.
Brambleclaw was suddenly snapped back to reality by a gasp coming from Squirrelflight. "Firestar, no don't leave!"
The ginger leader cast his cloudy emerald gaze towards his daughter. "Leafpool and Squirrelflight, my beloved daughters, I will miss you. But remember, I will always watch over you from StarClan. You are my kits and I love you."
The dark brown tabby could feel himself getting misty-eyed over this departure speech. "Farewell Brambleclaw, may we meet again in StarClan. Tell the Clan that I was honored to be their leader and that I entrusted them to you. I'm sure they will help you in all the moons to come."
The only thing that Brambleclaw could do was nod. "I will do my best Firestar." The tom nodded before he rested his head back onto his nest and let out a sigh.
And with that, the leader of ThunderClan shut his eyes slowly and gave a massive shudder as the last grip of his life slipped from his body and left him limp. His eyes were now closed forever as he slipped into death.
Every cat hung their head sadly. Their once-great leader was on his way to StarClan.
"Firestar…"