A/U: This is definitely the longest chapter I've ever written. Sorry I had to cut the ceremony short, I wasn't sure how much longer this would get. But, thankfully, it will get better. I'm also warning you now, updates won't be as frequent now that my sister is home. But this also means my chapters will be longer. So pay attention to updates, and you'll get more plushies if I'm in the mood ^^" Oh, and thanks to all who have reviewed!

-Chapter 4-

A sense of worry had begun to form in Stormstrike's belly after night had fallen. He knew that it took a night for the medicine cats to return. What he wanted to know was whether or not Flowertail would make a safe return. It wasn't like he loved her or anything. They'd become good friends during their journey, and he didn't want to lose that sense of friendship. In fact, all four of them had grown close to one another in time.

After returning from a successful day of hunting, Coppershine had given him a comforting lick across the cheek. She too was worried about the first friend she'd ever made, but she didn't show it as much. Instead she tried to focus on getting their makeshift camp looking proper rather than exposed.

Crowfeather worked surprisingly well with her as she ordered him to clear out a pile of branches that had fallen. The dark gray cat didn't growl or snap at her when she told him what to do. Stormstrike thought that this was Crowfeather's way of making up for living as a rogue for so many moons. He could tell that the former WindClan deputy didn't want any troubles with the Marked, unlike some warriors in SkyClan.

"How much longer until this clearing becomes a camp?" Crowfeather asked after he finished pulling away a stubborn twig.

The two of them had worked together to build a large den. Stormstrike could see the makeshift work already as they finished a last part of it. It was made up of brambles and twigs that had been found on the outskirts of their clearing. The trees would provide enough shelter from the rain that had fallen just when Flowertail left.

"We've finished building the warrior's den," Coppershine told him. "Now we should work on the apprentice's den." She pointed her tail towards a small crop of boulders that were laid untouched. Moss had grown over them in time. Stormstrike thought it would be a good place for collecting the stuff, but he knew that there were other places to find material for nest building. The small group began to work until exhaustion threatened to overwhelm them. As they settled into the newly formed warrior's den, Stormstrike lifted his head to gaze at the stars. Their home had been found, and he would defend it with his life. Nothing would get in their way.

. . .

Stormstrike's ears pricked forward when he heard a muffled voice. He opened his eyes and arched out his back as the sleep was shaken from him. A familiar scent writhed around him when he opened his jaws to taste the air. It was one that he'd been looking for most of the night.

"Flowertail, you're back!" he mewed when he spotted her distinctive figure.

The former ShadowClan medicine cat purred and nodded. "I've shared tongues with our ancestors for the first time," she told him.

I wonder if she saw Redeye, he thought with a twitch of his whiskers. Memories of his first dream with cats who'd been Marked before him still haunted the young warrior. He knew from experience that there were more cats out there like StarClan. Clearly the Marked were one of those cats.

"Stormstrike, I need to speak with you privately," she murmured after his thoughts were broken.

Confusion began to spread through Stormstrike as she led him away from the newly formed warriors' den. He could hear the gentle snoring of Crowfeather as the former WindClan deputy slept. His companions were still fast asleep as well, though he knew that it wouldn't take long for Coppershine to wake.

Flowertail stopped when she reached a clearing further away from the grove of trees. Stormstrike thought that this would make a good place for a training session. Patches of moss grew around the small boulders that lined the ground. Pebbles could be used as enemy markers during a session. He could remember his own training montages with Mistystar as she coached him through his moons as an apprentice.

Stormstrike grew even more confused when Flowertail looked around for signs of any listeners. Her gaze was wary when she looked him in the eyes.

"When I was with...our ancestors, they told me that StarClan would not allow them to join the stars." Flowertail spoke in a distant voice, as though she was afraid of what to say next. "They called themselves LightClan." She waited for this to register in Stormstrike's mind. His eyes widened in shock when he realized what she meant by this.

"Does this mean leaders won't get their nine lives?" he asked.

"I'm not sure." Flowertail looked down at her paws before meeting his gaze once more. "What I do know is that they've chosen you to become our leader."

Stormstrike's jaw dropped in utter disbelief. He couldn't believe his ears. He could barely lead them over the mountain let alone here in their new camp! Coppershine would have been a better choice. She got along better with cats than he did. Even Crowfeather would have been a wise choice, since he had experience in leading cats. The gray and white mottled warrior shook his head to clear the frantic thoughts ringing through it. Flowertail had already left him as the sun rose higher in the sky. Soon the others would wake up, and she'd tell them about her dream. She'd tell them that it was him who LightClan, as they were now called, seemed to favor.

His mind was churning by the time he reached the warriors' den. Coppershine was already awake and giving her pelt a thorough wash. He spotted his sister eating the remains of a swallow that had been caught the night before. Crowfeather and Leafpool were wide awake, looking around as they waited for Flowertail to speak. What he didn't find disturbed him slightly. Squirrelflight was nowhere to be seen as he searched the clearing.

"Cats of RockClan!" Flowertail's voice rang across the clearing as she called the group together. "I have shared tongues with our ancestors to discover who would become our first leader." She looked down at Stormstrike before staring at the small group in front of her. "A sign was sent to me, and it was a vision of the future. A future that would be led by Stormstrike."

He waited for a yowl of disapproval from Crowfeather. Stormstrike braced himself for Coppershine's sharp tongue as she tried to fight her way into leadership. To his surprise, and dismay, none of them argued. Crowfeather just stared at Flowertail through gleaming blue eyes, while Coppershine nodded in approval. A look of pride gleamed within Streamfur's eyes as his name was called out by all of them.

"Stormstrike! Stormstrike!" His ears were pricked forward as the newly formed Clan began to gather around him.

I'm not ready for this, Stormstrike thought as Streamfur brushed her pelt against his. Coppershine gave his cheek fur a gentle lick before joining Flowertail. Squirrelflight had emerged from the undergrowth when his name was announced.

"I think, that you should come with me to find out if you will get nine lives," Flowertail meowed after the Clan had settled down.

"Shouldn't we hunt before that?" he asked cautiously.

"A leader does not hunt before they receive their nine lives," Leafpool warned them. Her head was bowed as she remembered the rules her former mentor had given her.

Stormstrike could only dip his head respectfully as Flowertail led him away. By now most of the group had gone out to hunt. Coppershine had left before the others. He guessed that she was searching for more cats who would be willing to join the Clan. The sun had begun to sink down the mountains as they returned to the gorge where SkyClan stayed. The rich, earthy scent that writhed around the pair told Stormstrike that a patrol was near. Flowertail was quick to move towards a shrub as she picked up the scent as well. The look in her eyes told Stormstrike that she'd run into a patrol the day before.

He recognized the ginger tabby in the group of cats that were returning from a successful hunt. Prey was gathered in their jaws as they moved proudly towards the gorge. He spotted the ginger and white apprentice again. Silently he tried to recall her name, but it slipped his mind before he could think of it. It took Stormstrike a few heartbeats to realize that Sparrowstar was with the group. The dark brown tabby looked at the shrub suspiciously before stopping. Stormstrike's heart skipped a beat when he realized that their scent was blowing in the patrol's direction.

"More rogues?" the ginger tabby snarled angrily as he took a step forward.

"No, they are the guests that you tried to threaten," Sparrowstar meowed calmly. "Have you come to share tongues with StarClan again?" he asked when Flowertail stepped out of the bush. Stormstrike followed a bit more warily. His head swung from side to side as he looked for hidden enemies. Flowertail nodded stiffly when Sparrowstar gave her a suspicious sniff. "Very well," he muttered. "Follow us if you wish."

Stormstrike's ears flattened when the ginger tabby glared at him. He knew that the warrior wouldn't let RockClan live in peace without a fight. There was something almost malicious about the way the ginger tabby acted. His whiskers twitched when the ginger and white apprentice stepped in beside Flowertail. She whispered something to the tortoiseshell medicine cat, earning a startled look from the older cat. Flowertail whispered something back, and the apprentice nodded in approval.

What was that about? he wondered as they reached the gorge.

The look in the apprentice's eyes told him he would not have long to find out. She joined a cat who looked identical to her. The pair whispered to one another as the patrol returned to their stations.

Sparrowstar gave a skinny black cat a nod before joining the ginger cat Stormstrike had seen before. "Ravenwing told me you had a successful dream," he meowed after Flowertail settled down in front of him.

"We've decided who the leader of our Clan will be," she replied.

Cats gave her a curious look, while others flattened their ears in annoyance. Stormstrike braced himself for a yowl of outrage, or a cry of defiance. Instead, only silence followed her words. Sparrowstar closed his eyes before he spoke once more.

"I wish you the best," he murmured. "We too were once gone, but have come back to life. It is time you started a new life, one that you can share with us."

Flowertail gave him a respectful dip of her head, and Stormstrike did the same. He was surprised that Sparrowstar had accepted RockClan so quickly. Hope began to swell within him. Perhaps the rest of SkyClan would accept the newly formed Clan as well. It would only be a matter of time before the new territory was laid out. Flowertail rose to her paws after the Clan settled in their daily routine. She led Stormstrike towards a smaller cave that rested in the outskirts of their camp. His tail lashed when he caught the rich scent of moisture and earth mingling together.

Quickly she entered the cave, ducking her head as she did so. Stormstrike cautiously followed her, blinking as the darkness swallowed him. It took him a few heartbeats to realize that there was a hole on the ceiling of the cave. Orange rays of sunlight poured through the hole, illuminating moss that grew on the damp rock. Stormstrike gaped at the sight while Flowertail settled down beside him. Her gaze was filled with amusement when she saw the look in his eyes.

"Ravenwing told me that you must touch the moss if you wish to share tongues with your ancestors," she whispered. "It does work, but...I'm not sure if it is necessary for us." She looked around at the cave walls as she waited for Stormstrike's reply.

"I don't think I'm ready to lead a Clan," he admitted under his breath. "There's so much to learn, and so little time."

His fur stood on end when she brushed his pelt with her tail. "LightClan chose you because of that attitude. You were the best choice, whether you wanted it or not." Her purr rang around the walls after she finished speaking.

Stormstrike held his breath while the sun sank lower, until the moon appeared above the horizon. Its silver light gleamed into the cave, turning the moss into a bright glow. Stormstrike's eyes were wide as Flowertail rose to her paws. She led him towards a pile of moss that covered the rock. He didn't wait for her to guide him. Within the next heartbeat his eyes were closed after touching the moss with his muzzle.

Whispers murmured around Stormstrike's ears as he was brought back to reality. The gray and white mottled cat opened his eyes when he realized what was happening. Everything seemed to move like a blur. Cats began to emerge from the mist that touched the ground. Their pelts were frosted with starlight as they padded towards him. Stormstrike recognized Redeye, the cat he'd seen while traveling with the others. The creamy white tom gave him a nod of approval after the mist had cleared around him. A feeling of apprehension rose in Stormstrike when he spotted Rockfall. The former WindClan warrior remained silent while the other cats followed him.

"It is an honor to meet the first leader of the Marked." Stormstrike's ears flicked to one side when a dark gray tom spoke. His pelt looked as though smoke had touched it. "My name is Smokewhisper. I have been around for seasons, but never have I been able to touch the light of StarClan. Until you came to the gorge."

A few cats nodded in agreement, while others just lashed their tails. Stormstrike knew that they must have felt betrayed after reaching this place when they died. He was grateful to know that there was a place for the Marked after all. Future generations wouldn't suffer what the past had suffered.

Smokewhisper suddenly stepped forward until his muzzle rubbed Stormstrike's muzzle. "With this life I give you nobility. Use it well to lead your Clan." Energy coursed through Stormstrike's body, sending a jolt of pain into his belly. He nearly yowled in shock from the sudden pain, until it faded. Memories of Smokewhisper's past flashed by after the cat had stepped back. He pictured a younger looking cat trying to figure out why the Clan hated him so much. Than he felt the pain and realization that he would never be accepted by his Clanmates. Stormstrike bowed his head when he guessed that Smokewhisper had lived as a loner after earning his warrior name. No cat deserved that kind of fate.

A ginger and dappled she-cat took a step forward after Smokewhisper was finished. Her pale amber eyes gave away the fact that she was Marked. Stormstrike saw that her tail ended in an elegant vine-like fashion.

"With this life, I give you courage, so that you may face any trouble thrown at you." Again she touched his muzzle like Smokewhisper had. Another surge of pain coursed through his chest, stronger than the last. Stormstrike learned that her name was Vinetail, as her body structure had suggested. She'd been a noble warrior of ShadowClan, until her father went mad under the fact that she was different from the others. Her own father had ended her life, the day after she became a queen. Stormstrike gave her a look of sympathy before she joined the others. Her passion to serve her Clan would live on within him, and he knew it.

His eyes narrowed when Redeye padded up to him. The cream and brown spotted cat looked old and tired, despite what he'd gone through for moons on end. "With this life I give you the ability to see through the eyes of others, so that you may not be blinded by their actions." This time Stormstrike braced himself. He knew what was coming after the first couple of tries. His heart skipped a beat when he felt joy rather than pain. He felt the joy that Redeye felt when the old cat discovered this place. Redeye nodded to Stormstrike before he went back to join the others.

This time it was a brown tabby cat who met him. Stormstrike saw that the cat's paws were lager than his own. A grin spread across the tabby's face when she noticed Stormstrike's expression. "With this life I give you strength, so that you may use it to defend your Clanmates." Another surge of pain coursed through Stormstrike's body when her muzzle brushed his own. He learned that her name was Briarfoot. She'd been a mother to several kits until old age took her life. None of her kits shared the same fate she did, much to Stormstrike's surprise.

By now Stormstrike's muscles were heaving as the fifth cat came forward. He wondered how much longer it would take for him to endure the pain that they all felt before their lives ended. It didn't take long for him to register that the next cat was just an apprentice. Her pelt was long and shaggy looking. She met his gaze before brushing her muzzle against his. "With this life I give you loyalty, so that you may never run from the path that was chosen for you." Stormstrike gasped in shock when he felt the energy that she felt course through him. It was a good kind of energy, rather than the pain that had touched his body several times. The apprentice stepped back after it was finished. She glanced up at Stormstrike through gleaming orange eyes. "I'm glad that a RiverClan warrior was chosen," she purred.

Two more lives were given to Stormstrike after she joined her Clanmates. One was the power of agility, so that he could run as fast as the wind. The eighth life had been given by a golden tabby she-cat, who's life ended before her kits could be born. She gave him a life that would protect the kits of his Clan. The pain that she'd felt was so strong that it passed on to him. Stormstrike knew now that he would defend any kit that was in pain. And any queen that had been murdered for something she couldn't help.

The last cat to give him his ninth life was Rockfall. Stormstrike met the black and brown tabby's gaze as the crowd parted for him to step forward. Rockfall bowed his head as a look of pride lit within his eyes. It was a look that Stormstrike would never forget. He knew that Rockfall of all cats would have challenged his leadership. Yet here he was, giving Stormstrike his last life.

"Thank you for saving us," he whispered after Rockfall had brushed his muzzle. "Coppershine never did forgive herself."

"You can tell her to stop grieving," Rockfall muttered. "I'm tired of seeing it." A purr of amusement rose in Stormstrike's throat, until Rockfall touched his forehead with his muzzle. It was a gesture that would always surprise the young warrior. "With this life I give you peace and reassurance, so that you may pass it on to the rest of your Clan." Stormstrike braced himself for the pain that followed his words. As soon as it was over Rockfall went back to the crowd that had gathered around Stormstrike.

"I hail you by your new name, Stormstar. Your old name is no more. You have now received the nine lives a leader would have. Use them well to guide RockClan into seasons of peace. Defend it well, and honor us by our own name, LightClan." Rockfall spoke the words in a strange manner, and looked at Stormstar strangely.

"Stormstar! Stormstar!" The cats of LightClan cheered his new name, and a sense of pride gleamed within his eyes.

I promise to lead the Clan through moons of peace, he vowed silently. No cat would harm his Clanmates, not unless it was for a good reason. With those thoughts, he could finally wake up knowing that RockClan now had a leader that would care for them.