Disclaimer: I don't own the Warrior Cats series!

Title: An Elder Speaks: Hazelstar's Weakness

Summary: A WindClan elder tries to tell a kit about one of the strangest leaders ShadowClan ever had back in the old forest, with mixed results. Hazelstar was boon and a bane to his Clan; kind and sweet, but never interested in battle. His demise is legend.

Warnings: It's not crack, I promise.

...

"They say that Hazelstar was a jet black tom, so dark it took the best of ShadowClan's warriors to find him. Provided, of course, that he closed his bright hazel eyes.

Cats had complained when he was made deputy. Hazelstar- Hazelflight, then- was a forgiving, quiet tom, who always did what work was presented to him. But he lacked the capacity for bloodshed.

His smart battle strategies and excellent patrol-sorting eventually warmed the Clan to him, and Hazelflight was content.

Hazelflight was loathe to leave his fallen leader's side so soon after his death, feeling as though he was kicking him aside with a level of disrespect not even permitted to the laziest kittypet, but his medicine cat- wise old she-cat, they say- practically shoved him all the way to the Moonstone. Out of that darkness came Hazelstar.

"ShadowClan shows its greatest strengths by being better than its enemies." He said to himself. "I will do my best to avoid useless battles."

That didn't mean Hazelstar would never lead a battle patrol. His greatest belief was not in StarClan, but in fairness, and he abhorred the thought of leaving thoughtless warriors who crossed his borders unpunished. ThunderClan especially would learn to fear his night-colored pelt, during the colder seasons when a cat grows hungry. Likewise, any punishment to his own warriors would be delivered without complaint.

Hazelstar called a meeting to tell of his new status before his clan, and to promise all nine of his lives to his Clanmates.

"Now I must pick my deputy." He said. "It's a shame I can't choose an elder. Their wisdom would be very useful."

ShadowClan as a whole let out a cry. "We're loyal to you, Hazelstar!" A warrior yowled. "Do you doubt any of us could be your deputy?"

"Never." He promised, and chose a deputy.

The next Gathering was solemn, with all the other Clans mourning the old leader's demise. Hazelstar dipped his head understandingly at the lack of cats calling his name.

WindClan's leader was a thin gray tom, with small specks of black. His name has been lost to time, but no one can forget the deep friendship he and Hazelstar would share.

"I was happy to see you become deputy as Hazelflight." He meowed. "And I'm happy to see you as ShadowClan's leader now, Hazelstar. Perhaps now we can put the rivalries our Clans share behind us."

Hazelstar dipped his head. "I would be honored."

ShadowClan and WindClan slowly forged a bond of friendship. That doesn't mean there wasn't issues- Hazelstar's first deputy died young from a raid of the WindClan leader's more troublesome warriors, and in retaliation Hazelstar was forced to take one of the leader's lives in battle- but instead Hazelstar focused on ThunderClan, and on keeping his borders and his cats strong.

"Hazelstar!" A warrior called once, during a meeting. "We're seen as weak by the other Clans; we must prove our power!"

"Power won't keep the Clans in their territories." Hazelstar replied. "Fairness will."

As time went on, Hazelstar's warrior grew restless. They felt like their claws had been dulled, with no rocks to sharpen them on. Every cheerful greeting between Hazelstar and the WindClan leader twisted the rage in their hearts, making it deeper and hotter.

"We will challenge him at the next Gathering." They swore.

The time came, when the moon was high and shining, and one of Hazelstar's youngest and brashest warriors stepped up.

"I say this before those Gathered and before StarClan-!" She called to the sky- "That ShadowClan resents Hazelstar as leader, and demand he return his remaining lives!"

The stone-gray tom leapt to his paws, eyes blazing. "You dare go against your leader, whose word is law?"

Hazelstar waved his tail for silence. Even in the light of the moon, which nary a cloud covered, his pelt was so dark it was impossible to fully get a read on his reaction. Some say you couldn't even see his jaw moving; or his mouth at all, for that matter.

"On what grounds?" He asked.

Emboldened, Hazelstar's warriors began to yowl their pent-up fury.

"You treat us like kittypets!" She yelled over the noise. "The peace we've had, we've gained through cowardice! This is no way for warriors to live!"

He thought over the words a long moment. "If I back down, and became Hazelflight once more, will I still have a place within ShadowClan?"

"Of course you will, Hazelstar." The WindClan leader sent a warning glare to the ShadowClan warriors. "This is your Clan, even if your warriors have gone astray."

"Then I accept. If I am unable to lead you in the right direction, then I shouldn't be leading at all."

Hazelstar- now Hazelflight once more- gracefully leapt down from the Great Rock. WindClan's leader blinked at him sorrowfully.

"Goodbye, my friend." He sighed, tail drooping.

Hazelflight lifted his head to reply. "We're still friends. I simply have no place as your equal any longer."

"You're still a traitor!" A warrior hisses, eyes narrowed. "You're no warrior!"

"Then I'll retire." He answered, putting his Clan first, as he had many times before.

"It's not enough!" They cried. "It's never enough with you, coward!"

The warrior leapt and ripped out his throat, draining Hazelflight of the rest of his lives before he could return them fairly. The gray tom was by his side in a second, screeching in horror.

The stance of a leader had abandoned him, leaving the leader desperately pressing a paw to the gaping wound, eyes wide with terror. He leaned down to press his nose to Hazelflight's neck, a silent reminder that he was with them.

"Help him!" He pleaded, sounding no bigger than a kit. "There's four medicine cats here; won't one of them help this cat?"

But it was too late. Hazelflight died by the leader's side, and the leader slowly wilted away as the seasons went on, eventually dying of a sadness no cat could ever cure."

"I don't like that story. It's sad."

"Clan life is sad, sometimes." The elder retorted. Stonekit is a small kit, with dusty gray fur and a stubby tail, nipped off from an infection. He stared up at him with dull blue eyes. "It's all worth it, in the end."

"But your story doesn't make sense!" He squeaked, with a passion that surprised the older cat. "Why did they kill Hazelstar? Why did nobody stop the cat who did it?"

The old tom blinked at him warily. "Hazelflight, Stonekit."

Stonekit shook his head stubbornly. "Hazelstar didn't get to renounce his title. He was still leader."

"Perhaps. But there's still a lesson to be learned here."

"What lesson?"

The elder's fur bristled with surprise as he was interrupted yet again. A small body of black fur stepped into the den. The kit blinked at them with green eyes, a patch of the purest white fur across her throat.

Stonekit didn't seem surprised. "He was telling me the story of Hazelstar, and it's so sad."

The kit glanced at him before padding inside. "I don't see what's so sad about it. Hazelflight had to have known he was in danger."

"Hazelstar. He hadn't resigned yet."

"He probably felt like Hazelflight." She replied, sitting next to her littermate. Stonekit shrugged.

"He'll always be Hazelstar to me." He proclaimed.

The black kit fixed the elder with a blank look. "What lesson is there? Hazelflight was as good a warrior as any."

"The lesson is that there's kindness, and then there's weakness." He answered pompously. "Hazelflight was too scared to allow his warriors to fight, and it led to horrible consequences."

"That's not true." The kit stated bluntly. "Hazelflight fought ThunderClan all the time, and even invaded RiverClan, once. He just happened to be good friends with Stonestar."

"Stonestar?"

"Hazelflight is the cat I got my name from, right? Then it would only make sense Stonekit was named after the leader." Hazelkit swished her tail. "We should feel honored to have had a leader like Stonestar."

"You mother didn't name you after anybody. She just liked the names." The elder's tail twitched irritably. "What do you know of Hazelflight's story? Were you listening?"

Hazelkit didn't answer. "ShadowClan got selfish. They were un-used to peace, and didn't want to let the opportunity to invade drop. WindClan was used to long stretches of silence from the moor, like we are, so they didn't find it too chafing."

Stonekit pressed a gray nose into Hazelkit's throat. "I couldn't imagine just standing by while you died."

Hazelkit giggled, returning the nuzzling. "That's 'cause we're lucky! There's only so much Stonestar could've done; he and Hazelflight were from different Clans. We're both WindClan; not to mention we're siblings."

"Rabbit-brain!" The gray tom cuffed her along the ear, then pressed their noses together affectionately. "Stonestar and Hazelstar were brothers."

Author's Note: Obvious reincarnated kittens are obvious. I might write a second part to this, with Hazelkit and Stonekit slowly coming to terms with the fact that Stonestar kinda had to watch Hazel die. They're both WindClan because Hazelstar never felt at home in ShadowClan.

Hazelkit can be a she-cat if she wants to be. After all, these sorts of things don't play by any sort of rules.

Hazelstar's story is a bit exaggerated, as every Clan tale is- with his crazy pelt and crazy hazel eyes.

Hazelkit will be Hazelsky, one day, and Stonekit will be Stonelight.

-Mandaree1