Flowerpelt looks in the Moonpool nervously. Her reflection shimmers with starlight. Swallowing back her fears and doubts, she lies down, closes her eyes, and laps up a few droplets.
Warm, lush grass rubs against her fur, and she opens her eyes to a brilliant green forest. The leaf-covered ground is cool beneath her paws, and the leafy branches above casts dappled shadows across the clearing.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Redleaf mews, padding to Flowerpelt's side. "This is the forest of StarClan, where most ThunderClan cats end up going."
Flowerpelt gazes around. Her pelt prickles with anxiety. She glances at Redleaf.
"They will come," Redleaf assures her calmly.
A cat slides from the undergrowth. Flowerpelt's heart leaps, as she recognizes her sister Rowanshine. She glances around her, and sees countless eyes peering from the forest. More cats step into the open, until rows of cats stand before her.
"Hello, Flowerpelt," Wrenstar greets. She pads forward to dip his head to her. "Are you ready to receive your nine lives?"
"I am." Flowerpelt has to force them past the lump in her throat.
Wrenstar's eyes gleam. "Relax." She leans forward to gently tap noses. "With this life, I give you the courage to defend your Clan from anything you might face."
Flowerpelt stiffens as a bolt of energy shoots through her. Strength floods her tired limbs, and she stands straighter, lifting her chin. If a badger attacked the nursery just now, she knows she would be able to drive it off all by herself.
When the energy fades, leaving her rejuvenated, she blinks and sees Rowanshine standing before him, her eyes warm.
"Hello, sister," she meows. Flowerpelt swallows.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," she mews, her voice suddenly hoarse.
Her tail swishes over the grass. "It's okay. It was my time. Not even StarClan can turn aside the paws of destiny." Rowanshine stretches forward. "Flowerpelt, I give you a life for fair ruling."
Peace sweeps over her, the feeling that she had done something right. Flowerpelt blinks, and hears her sister whisper, "The best leaders know how much is too much."
Shaking off the remnants of her life, she gazes at a white tom as she steps from the ranks of StarClan.
"Mallowbreeze," she breathes, trembling with joy. Her eyes feast upon him, unable to get enough. It's been seasons since she has seen him, yet she loves him just as much as the night he left her.
"Flowerpelt," he murmurs in return.
"It's been so long," Flowerpelt mews softly. She brushes her tail-tip against his pelt.
"How are the kits?" Mallowbreeze asks.
"Fine," the pale creamy she-cat purrs. "Strong and loyal. Adderfur is the best hunter I've seen yet. And Scorchpelt has yet to meet his match in battle. Nutstep has given ThunderClan two healthy kits."
Mallowbreeze purrs, and touches his nose gently to Flowerpelt's. "I give you a life for following your heart. Use it well to truly find your destiny."
A multitude of emotions crashes through Flowerpelt: anger, peace, displeasure, bitterness, joy, love. She closes her eyes briefly, and when she opens then, Mallowbreeze is stepping away, eyes glimmering with regret.
A dark brown tom takes his place. Flowerpelt gasps. "Duskwing!" Her hackles begin rising. "What are you doing here?"
"Flowerpelt, I'm sorry." Duskwing looks at her, his eyes soft. "I wasn't thinking straight—"
"You killed Mallowbreeze," she hisses.
"I was jealous and hurt," he mews quietly, looking at his paws. "I wanted you as my mate. When you chose Mallowbreeze, I killed him, hoping you would pick me as your next mate. But then I died."
"I would never choose a murderer like you as my mate!"
"I know, and rightly so." Duskwing shifts his paws. "I realize now, that if I truly loved you, I would've wished you a happy life with Mallowbreeze, because that's what made you happy."
Flowerpelt simply glowers at him. As the brown tom leans forward to touch noses, she ducks her head away.
"Flowerpelt, what else can I say?" Duskwing gazes at her, his eyes full of love.
She swallows, glancing down. Nothing. He apologized, and she couldn't change the past.
Duskwing tries again, and Flowerpelt allows him to briefly brush noses with her. "With this life, I give you forgiveness." His eyes blaze brightly. "Many cats can go astray. You must find it within yourself to forgive and move on."
"Very well," she whispers, as he moves away. Cloudclaw pads forward to take his place, white fur sparkling with starlight.
"Hello, Flowerpelt," he meows. "You have grown much since I died." He leans forward, before the ThunderClan she-cat can respond. "With this life, I give you belief in your warriors. They have trained; they know how to hunt, fight, take care of themselves. You are there to guide and lead them, not micromanage them."
Flowerpelt dips her head. Guilt prickles her paws. Maybe she hadn't been very trusting in them...
A small, faint, black-and-white she-cat moves to take her turn. "Who are you?" Flowerpelt asks.
"My name is Springpaw. When I lived, I overheard RiverClan warriors planning to invade, I tried to warn my leader. But she didn't believe me. I was only six moons old at the time. His disbelief led to my death."
Wow. Springpaw shakes her head. "But that's in the past now. Flowerpelt, I give you a life for listening to every cat in your Clan, whether they be young or old. While older cats may be wiser, that doesn't mean younger cats should be ignored. Don't make the same mistake my leader did."
Flowerpelt dips her head to the StarClan she-cat. "I won't," she promises.
"Good." Springpaw steps away, and Wildfoot steps forward.
"Hello," she purrs to her former mentor. Wildfoot nods in return, businesslike as always.
"I give you the life of trusting yourself," Wildfoot announces, pressing his nose against her's. "You are filled with self-doubt, Flowerpelt, and tend to show it in the way you move and speak. A leader needs to be strong and confident in themselves. Work on it."
"I will."
"My name is Goosewing." The pale gray she-cat is suddenly in front of Flowerpelt, causing her to blink in surprise. "With this life, I give you nobility. Flowerpelt, you may be small in body, but that doesn't make you any less noble. It's what's in the heart and soul that counts."
As Goosewing steps away, Flowerpelt blinks. That was fast.
A pale brown tabby tom appears from the ranks of StarClan. Her eyes widen. "Timberheart," she purrs. "I'm glad to see you made it. I wasn't sure you would, since you died away from Clan territory."
"No matter where they die, a warrior always find the path to StarClan, if they are true of mind." Timberheart rests his chin briefly on his daughter's head, then draws back. "Flowerpelt, I give you a life for knowing your warriors' limits. Some can go farther than you, and some not as far. Know them well, so that you can use them to their fullest."
"Thank you," she murmurs.
"Welcome, Flowerstar, leader of ThunderClan. Lay down your pawprints in the sands of time so that others may follow. Carve your path, and lead ThunderClan with pride and dignity. StarClan asks nothing more of you."
Timberheart raises his muzzle and calls, "Flowerstar! Flowerstar!"
His starry Clanmates take up the chant, until it echoes around the clearing, ringing deep within the forest. "Flowerstar! Flowerstar! Flowerstar!"
Flowerstar lifts her chin proudly. It was over. She was leader of ThunderClan now, and could lead her Clan to peace and prosperity.
May StarClan light my path.