"What happened at the Gathering?" Adderfang asked Stormfeather as the cats milled back into ThunderClan camp with troubled faces. Stormfeather told him what happened, and he stood there with a horrified look on his face. The leaders reported on what their clans had been doing, but Stormfeather doubted if any cat had been listening.

She went to the Medicine Cat's den, and told Brightflower what happened. "StarClan save us!" she rasped after she heard the story. "Embernose's condition is getting worse. I don't know how long it would be before he join StarClan…" Her voice trailed off.

Stormfeather rested her tail on her shoulder and mewed gently, "Go get some rest. Flarepaw will help you, and please tell him to not spread the news about you being ill around the camp."

"Actually, I don't think Flarepaw even knows that I've got green-cough. He still has a lot to learn," Brightflower sighed. "I can't let him take care of them alone. He doesn't know what to do!"

"That's exactly why we need you so much! We need you to teach Flarepaw until he's able to teach an apprentice himself!" Stormfeather snapped. "So get some rest and don't argue with me!"

"Fine!" Floundering back into her den, Brightflower curled up in her own nest. Deciding that she doesn't want to do anything that night, she called to her clan, "Go get some rest, this night is already too eventful, and we need every cat to hunt or participate in patrols tomorrow!"

She watched as the clan drifted back to their dens slowly, finally, when she is the only one left outside, she slipped into the nursery where her kits are sleeping. Taking great care to not disturb them, she curled herself around them and falls asleep immediately.

*In StarClan:

"Stormfeather… she needs to receive her nine lives, now."

"Yes, and her kits need special protection from us."

"What shall we do?"

"Can we give her her nine lives now?"

"When she's asleep in her den? It has to be done at the Moonstone!"

"She needs it now. We can try, at least."

"Lets do it."

*Back to Stormfeather –

She could hear cats whispering her name. She opened her eyes drowsily, then it flew open. She is at the Fourtrees. How?

Looking around, she saw the stars spinning and finally stopped in front of her. StarClan? It's impossible!

Eight sparkling cats came down and sat before her. Then, more cats she don't recognize seemed to spill out from the cloud, like rain. "Welcome to StarClan, Stormfeather."

Stormfeather didn't say anything; she is too shocked by what she is seeing. "We are here to give you your nine lives," the voice continued.

She nodded; what shall she say? She knows that she isn't at the Moonstone, but if StarClan chose to give her her nine lives here, then why not? So she waited for the StarClan cats to carry on.

The first cat walked out, and she gasped. It was her lost sister, Featherpaw. Her name, Stormfeather, was given in honor of her sister the day after the battle with ShadowClan. Now, Featherpaw's eyes are shining as she touched her nose to her sister's head. "With this life, I give you the gift of compassion for others. Use it well to care for you clanmates, and help the other clans when they need it." Stormfeather felt a burning sensation, and her mind was taken back to when they were kits. Her sister's life memories flashed by in her head, and she endured everything Featherpaw went through, every battle, every heartbreak… Finally it was over, and she was already exhausted. Looking up, she saw Featherpaw gazing at her with her warm amber eyes, as if saying, I'm proud of you.

Featherpaw left, and another warrior came forward. Her mother, Cloudblossom, gave her the gift of courage. Crowtail gave her the gift of farsightedness. Petalpelt, her mentor, gave her the gift of clear judgement. Blizzardstorm gave her the gift of curiosity. Fawnsplash gave her the gift of endurance. Sparrowspot gave her the gift of love. Finally, Aspenstar stepped forward, looking nothing like the leader Stormfeather last saw in her den. Her fur is shining, and when she walked she seemed to be stepping on air.

"I give you the gift of patience, use it to listen to what your clanmates or rivals has to say." Aspenstar touched her nose to the top of Stormfeather's head. At once, glazing heat and pain seared through Stormfeather. After what seemed like seasons, it stopped, and she was still shivering.

"I hail you by your new name, Stormstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of ThunderClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

With that, all StarClan cats rose from their spots and started cheering for her. StarClan cheering for her. For me. Wow.

After what seemed like an eternity, the cheering died down. Aspenstar stepped forward again and said, "Now that you are leader, we expect you to lead your clan well. But, you will not have enough time to be with your kits when you are awake. So, with the permission from StarClan, we grant you the gift to go into your kits' dreams until they are apprentices." She touched her nose to Stormstar's head again, and Stormstar licked her shoulder in respect. "It is almost dawn, you should return back to real life."

Stormstar woke up in the nursery. Aspenstar's words are still circling inside her head. Feeling a burst of energy when she looked at her kits, she stood up and walked out of the nursery. Once out in the open, she heard the voice of Aspenstar:

Dreams must save the Clans from the war of peace, or a blood storm will rise to destroy the clans, until rain puts the flame out.