"When I began my life as a warrior, I never imagined it would be this hard." A voice from the shadows meowed.

Gingersun dipped her head, unable to find her voice.

"I need you to know how proud of you I am," the voice continued. A striking silver and gray tabby padded from the shadows, smiling.

"Mother!" Gingersun gasped.

The tabby dipped her head. "Gingersun, my sweet, I want you to know that your father and I are very happy. We are so proud of you."

"Fallenshard, I missed you so much!" Gingersun cried, running to the tabby.

"I missed you, too, but I must give you a life." Fallenshard stepped back and looked into her daughter's eyes. "I know, you leading the Shadow Cats and all, this may not seem important, but always remember, it will make you strong. With this life, your first life, I give you love. I give you all the love I have lived through and even more. I give you my love for my first love, your father, and you. I give you the love for your siblings. May it make you strong and wise, my dear."

Fallenshard stepped forward and pressed her nose to Gingersun's forehead.

Gingersun took in a sharp breath as pain as searing as fire swept through her from head to tail.

Fallenshard stepped back and looked for a long time into Gingersun's eyes. "I love you."

"I love you."

Then Fallenshard faded into the shadows.

The next cat to step forward broke Gingersun's heart. Tabbystripe padded from the shadows, eyes glinting with tears.

"Tabbystripe!"

Her mate had been slain in a cruel battle against the Star Cats. May Snowspirit curse their souls.

Gingersun rushed to him, breathing in his scent. "I've missed you so much," she breathed.

"I've missed you, too, Sun."

Gingersun looked up into his eyes.

"I've got a life for you." Tabbystripe touched his nose to hers. "With this life, I give you the will to die for your family in battle, as I did. Defend your family with your life, my love. Have honor in battle, and may you win many for your group."

With that, he faded and disappeared.

Gingersun stood alone for a long time before she glimpsed the next shadow coming forward.

A broad-shouldered ginger tom padded into the clearing. Black tabby stripes broke his ginger-and-cream pelt. He had striking green eyes, and they held a mischievous glint.

"Thornstar!" Gingersun greeted. He had been the leader when she was born, and so far there had been the treacherous reign of Clearstar, then the ultimatum of Hawkstar.

Thornstar dipped his head. He leaned in and touched her shoulder and a glorious feeling spread through her from head to toe. "With this life I give you the skill of a strategist and the wise mind of Jaggedstar who ruled before me. May you use it wisely in battle one day."

Gingersun stepped back and dipped her head. Thornstar disappeared.

A silhouette padded from the shadows and purred. It was a handsome gray tom with green eyes.

"Hello, sister." he purred.

"Drapedust!" Gingersun exclaimed. A badger had killed her brother when he was protecting her during an ambush.

Drapedust's eyes twinkled. "How's life been? Wait, I've been watching you. You must be proud of Minnowtail."

Gingersun nodded, choking back tears. Her former apprentice had grown into a fine young warrior.

"Anyways," Drapedust continued, "I've got a life to give you. I'm supposed to give you, uh, the life of a warrior. I've got to give you the rest of mine, since mine was cut short." Ever the joker, he padded forward and licked her forehead, sending agony searing through her. It was over within heartbeats, and was replaced with a feeling of pride.

By the time Gingersun had opened her eyes her brother was gone.

Another cat padded up to meet her. It was a small shape, brown and white.

"Littlekit!" Gingersun hissed with surprise. She hadn't expected to see her other dead brother here.

Littlekit looked up into her eyes. "Hi, Gingersun!" he called.

Gingersun smiled. "Hey, big guy."

Littlekit smiled sadly. "I've been jealous of you guys."

Gingersun gave him a sympathetic look. "I couldn't imagine. Have you learned to hunt?"

Littlekit nodded. "And caught enough to feed mom, dad, Valleygrass and Drapedust!"

Gingersun winced at the sharp reminder of her dead sister. Valleygrass had been struck down nobly by Boulderstar, the former leader of the Star Cats. "How is Valleygrass?"

Littlekit looked up at her. "She's great." there was no enthusiasm in his mew. "I know how much you miss her."

Gingersun nodded. Of all her nine littermates, she and Valleygrass had been the closest.

"Oh, well!" Littlekit squealed again. "I have a life to give." He reached up and touched her. "With this life, I give you the liveliness of a kit and the enthusiasm to get your warriors enthusiastic, too."

Gingersun couldn't help but laugh as she was filled with a sense of pure giddiness. "Thanks, Littlekit."

As Littlekit faded, he was replaced with an old cat, one Gingersun had never heard of before.

The old she-cat had a blazing golden pelt with black rings on her tail and glittering yellow-amber eyes the color of dawn. She held herself with a regal posture and the look on her face was serious. She looked disapprovingly down into Gingersun's face.

The look was so severe that Gingersun looked away first.

"I was told that the Shadows had a future ahead of them," the she-cat snapped tightly.

Gingersun risked a glance and regretted it. The she-cat had fire in her eyes as she spoke.

"You," she continued, "are going to have to step up your game if you want to win."

Gingersun kept her gaze on the ground. The she-cat made a disapproving sound. "And you can't even keep your gaze on mine." she scoffed. "I've known kits who can do better."

Gingersun lifted her head, irritated. "I, for one, am just thinking about what to say. I should work on how to carry myself, shouldn't I? Maybe then the cats of the Shadows will fear me, unlike how I now view myself, as familiar towards them!" she spat. "And we can't have that now, can we?" Gingersun shoved her face up to the other she-cat's until they were whisker-lengths apart. "I, for one, would like to know who you really are, miss prim and perfect." She narrowed her eyes to slits.

The older cat was taken aback. "I suppose that'll do." she squeaked. Then she regained her composure. "I am Aurorastar, leader when the Star Cats had nearly taken hold. The leader before me, Searstar, did a poor job and got us into that place. By the time I was done, I'd regained our territory and then some."

Gingersun smiled. "Well, Aurorastar, I'd be honored to receive a life from you."

Aurorastar dipped her head. "With this life, I give you kindness."

Gingersun choked back a hiss of surprise.

"I give you kindness," Aurorastar continued, "even when it seems like your being cold." At this point, Gingersun swore that Aurorastar was choking down tears. "When you're doing it for the good of others, they may not understand."

Gingersun looked up to check her assessment, but Aurorastar was gone. In her place stood Blackmist. The old deputy looked down at her and dipped his head. He was never much of a talker, but he would have made a great leader. He touched noses with Gingersun and said simply, "With this life I give you leadership. Use it well." And then he faded and was gone.

Gingersun smiled. She had only ever heard stories of Blackmist, but she knew he was great.

Now, in Blackmist's place stood a gruff looking tom with a smile on his face. "Hey, kiddo."

Gingersun tipped her head. He was a blue-gray tom with ice-blue eyes and he wore an expression of contentment. "Never heard of me?" he teased. "I'm Coldwind. I was Thornstar's mentor when he was just wee little Thornpaw. Oh, he had too much drama in his life for a ten-moon-old."

Gingersun smirked a little. That was where the touch of sadness that lingered in his gaze came from.

"Well, I guess, let's get to the lives, right?" Coldwind laughed stiffly, but Gingersun glimpsed the trace of pain that clouded his gaze.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Coldwind nodded through gritted teeth. "Just… a little stomach pain. I'm nervous, you know? Never done this before."

Gingersun nodded thoughtfully. She was about to ask more, but Coldwind had stepped forward and touched his nose to hers. "With this life –" Suddenly, he collapsed and a searing pain rushed through her. Gingersun screeched, and Aurorastar appeared again.

"Something went wrong!" she yowled frantically. "Coldwind collapsed!"

Coldwind faded, and Aurorastar went with him. Gingersun watched with horror.

Valleygrass appeared next to her, a look of worry on her face.

Gingersun leaned into her nervously. "What happened?"

Valleygrass answered, "Something's happened to Coldwind. It messed up the life-giving ritual. I… I can't give you my life. You will only have seven."

"Seven?!"

"Seven. Because Coldwind messed up and I can't give you mine. But I can give you my love, Gingerstar."

Gingerstar blinked sadly. "I love you, Valleygrass. Tell Fallenshard, Killjoy, Tabbystripe, Drapedust, and Littlekit I love them, too. And tell Aurorastar it was fun to talk. Goodbye."

"Farewell." And then Valleygrass was gone.