Threshtail's POV
Briarlight's yowl sounded loud and mournful. Fawnstep joined in with small pitiful mewls. It took a moment for Threshtail to remember that Cinderstar had been their father.
"No… no. this is not right I can't be leader yet!" Threshtail mewed. "He… he was on his last life!" Threshtail's eyes widened. He had been good friends with the leader. Cinderstar had been his leader since before he was kitted. Threshtail whirled on Whitepaw and Silverstar, "This is your fault! If you had been strong enough to fight off those flea-bitten fish eaters then Cinderstar would still live!" Threshtail snarled. Silverstar's silvery grey eyes were wide in sorrow,
"I am sorry for your loss, Threshtail. I knew you two were close…"
"Sorry doesn't bring him back!" Threshtail growled his fur rising along his hackles. He towered over Silverstar by a mouse length.
"Threshtail." Moonflame's voice shook him out of his anger as she laid her tail across his shoulders, "It wasn't their fault. They needed help; Cinderstar wouldn't want us to be angry. He died a warrior's death. We need to bring him home." Threshtail nodded and grunted a sorry, and turned to his warriors. His throat felt tight, and he didn't feel as big as he really was, he felt as tiny as a kit.
"We must leave and mourn our fallen leader. Shadowclan can survive now; it's time to return home." Threshtail nosed under Cinderstar's still warm body, and slid the heavy deadweight onto his broad shoulders. He lead Thunderclan home, the mewls and yowls of Fawnspot and Briarlight echoing around him, Swiftfang and Moonflame at his flanks guiding him.
"What happened!?" the patrol was met by Galepaw whom had heard Fawnspot and Briarlight's despairing yowls, "Oh… oh no!" She saw Cinderstar's motionless bodies and turned, darting into the camp yowling, "Cinderstar is dead! Cinderstar is dead!" Threshtail entered the hollow and was met by curious sorrowful gazes.
"Cinderstar was killed by Flamestar… Briarlight was there and knows the true story…" he trailed off as the dappled queen stalked forward with a hiss,
"The attack on Shadowclan was a trap for Thunderclan!" she declared yowls of disbelief rose into the air as Threshtail lay down under the weight of Cinderstar's body.
"Flamestar admitted it right before he tore out C-Cinderstar's throat." Fawnspot mewed.
"Yes. As Cinderstar dragged Night claw off Silverstar… Flamestar pinned Cinderstar down and told him… that he knew Thunderclan would help Shadowclan… so he set up the ambush in Shadowclan camp. Then he snarled and ripped out Cinderstar's throat, and retreated." Briarlight's voice gradually got quieter and quieter till it was a mewling whisper.
"Thunderclan have been gravely wronged. And we WILL incite our revenge. But first we must grieve for our lost leader. Then we will get stronger. Come up with ways to fight specifically against those Riverclan scum, we know under Reedstar this foul deed would never have come by." Threshtail's words were met with yowls of approval. His eye met Cloudfur's sorrowful, but proud blue eyes. She was heavy with his kits, and he was thrilled.
"We must leave immediately, Threshtail. Moonlight will be here soon." Nettlewhisker loped over, "Galepaw can send Cinderstar's spirit to Starclan and clean his fur."
Threshtail nodded and went to see Cloudfur and Moonflame first,
"Cloudfur, I will return soon. Don't worry though, you will always be my mate, whether I'm leader or not. And Moonflame, you're the best friend a cat could have." She nodded,
"Threshtail… I was told you may have been thinking on making me deputy, as I would be honored, I can't. I am having kits."
"You're what?" Cloudfur and Threshtail asked together.
"Swiftfang's." Moonflame purred.
"We knew that. You two have been closer than any two cats since you were kits." Cloudfur purred. She was happy that her apprentice was going to be a father.
"Yeah." Moonflame purred. "I'm glad I wasn't hurt in the battle. I'll tell Nettlewhisker when you two return."
"Alright. I will see you two when I return, as Thresh star." Threshtail turned and loped away his mind whirling. While the tragedy of Cinderstar's murder hung heavy in the air, there was the prospect of two litters of healthy kits on the way.
Moonflame's POV
She hadn't realized it until she got home, the squirm in her belly was not sickness at the thought of Cinderstar's death, it was her own kits, living and breathing within her. She had been speaking to Cloudfur, when she had mentioned the possibility of her becoming deputy.
"I'm sure you will be deputy, Moonflame. Everyone here respects you, well maybe not Eaglewing, but he respects no one."
"I can't Cloudfur." Moonflame mewed.
"Well why in Starclan's name not?" Cloudfur meowed.
"Well-"then Threshtail walked up and she told them together. Now she was on her way to find Swiftfang.
"Swiftfang, may I talk to you?" She mewed to him. He looked up from licking a shallow scratch on his paw. He nodded and followed her to a more secluded area.
"I love you Swiftfang." She purred, "And I'm sure our kits will love you too."
"Our… kits?" he had one of his clueless looks again.
"I'm pregnant silly." She purred.
"Oh! Wow! I'm going to be a father!" he jumped to his paw and bounced a little in excitement. Moonflame let out a mewl of laughter; he was more excited than her.
"When are you going to tell Nettlewhisker?"
"When he returns."
"Oh ok." He purred and nuzzled her. They curled up together twining together, their warmth shared as was their love.
Threshtail's POV
'HALT!" Jaytail meowed to the pair of Thunderclan cats. Foxtail and Skycloud were soon behind her. "Why are you here, Threshtail? Nothing is wrong I hope."
"The worst. Cinderstar was just murdered by Flamestar." Threshtail bowed his head in sorrow.
"Murdered? Are you sure?" Foxtail's loud voice asked.
"Yes. He attacked Shadowclan knowing we would come to their rescue, and as Cinderstar was helping Silverstar with an attacker, Flamestar pinned him and ripped his throat out." Threshtail's eyes blazed with anger and sadness, "It falls to me to pick up the pieces of my grieving clan now, but make no mistake, this is no weakness."
"We understand how hard your loss is, Threshtail. We will tell Larkstar of Flamestar's barbarity, and grieve for Cinderstar ourselves." Cloudsky spoke softly to the grieving leader. Threshtail nodded and lead Nettlewhisker the rest of the way to Moon pool.
He touched his nose to the water and was thrown into the dreaming world.
When Threshtail opened his eyes, he was standing on the Gathering Island under the shadow of the Great oak, the leaves were full and bursting with life, not barley green like it was in the waking world with newleaf. Shimmering forms appeared, and Threstail sat watching as the warriors of Starclan materialized. He waited in awe as the nine cats there spoke as one,
"Welcome Threshtail, are you ready for your nine lives?"
"I...I am" he whispered back. The first cat to approach was a silver tabby with a scar running down his flanks. It was Jayfeather.
"With this life I give you Intuition, so that you may tell when your clan mates need your help." The once blind tom touched his nose to Threshtail's, the searing heat that rushed through Threshtail left him gasping. The next cat was there almost immediately, he recognized the one-eyed cat, Brightheart.
"With this life I give you strength to make it through any pain you may face." Her voice was as sweet as he remembered, he had missed her since she had died, one of the oldest cats, always telling him about the old forest as a kit. The life that went through him was like the sun passing through his pelt, flames welling under his skin; it was all he could do not to yowl. Next was a cat he had only heard of in elder's tales, her pelt thick and black like night time fog, eyes as green as the oak leaves in Greenleaf, Hollyleaf, Jayfeather and Lionblaze's sister. She touched her nose to Threshtail's,
'With this life I give you loyalty, so that you can always find your way home." This life was different. Despair and anger filled his mind, followed by the need to escape, and then fear. There was muddled half content, but always longing. Then there was fear, and acceptance. This life left him breathless. Next came a golden tom he recognized as Lionblaze.
"With this life I give you power, to fight every battle, every war with prowess to protect Thunderclan." A rise of strength welled in Threshtail here. Next was a white tome that Threshtail knew well,
"Tornclaw! Oh how we miss you… your sons are shaping to be amazing warriors." Threshtail purred to his old friend. Tornclaw nodded and touched his nose to Threshtail's, speaking strong,
"With this life I give you strength, so you may protect those you love with everything including your very life." The life he received here was strong warmth and desires to keep some cat safe. Next came a ginger she-cat with a white paw.
'Oh! Squirrelstar," Threshtail breathed. He was not alive when Squirrelstar had died, and Cinderstar became leader, but she had been the great Firestar's daughter… a good leader too.
"With this life I give you truth, to know when it is right to use." The life that stabbed through Threshtail here was full of distraught confusion, and pain. It took him a few moments to realize Squirrelstar had left, and in her place there was a tabby she cat with kind amber eyes, it was Lea pool.
"With this life I give you love, so you can do what's right for your loved ones." Leafpool's life was soft and lulling, warmth like the Greenleaf sun warmed his pelt. Then there was a face he knew all too well,
"Cinderstar... oh I'm so sorry… I should have done something… been with you so he couldn't…" Threshtail trailed off as Cinderstar raised his tail to silence him,
"It was not your fault my friend, Flamestar has veered off Starclan's path, and walks with the Place of no Star's warriors now. You now need to lead my clan. Threshtail nodded. "Then with this life I give you Understanding, to understand the pain and plight of every clan cat, and to have the compassion to help them." Cinderstar's life was full of pain, hot as the rage he felt for Flamestar when Cinderstar died under his claws.
"Your old life is no more; I commend you by your new name, Threshstar!"
"Threshstar, Threshstar!" the cats echoed
"Remember Threshstar," Cinderstar began to fade, "Red is Cloaked in Black As the Moon Shines Above, a Hero Returns in a Queen's Fur, Reborn Anew To Return to What Was Once Theirs, To Protect, To Guide, And to Love." Threshstar woke, feeling strange. He shook his head and nodded to Nettlewhisker.
"Did it go well?"
"Very." Threshstar stood shaking, "Tiring, I need to get back to my nest."
Nettlewhisker nodded and lead him out.
Moonflame's POV
She sat next to Nettlewhisker's den waiting for him to return, so she could get herbs and leave off Warrior duties to go to the nursery with Fernfire and Cloudfur. When the two walked in, Threshstar greeted some cats, and then retreated to the leaders den; Nettlewhisker walked over and saw Moonflame.
'Is there something wrong Moonflame?" Moonflame noticed how much older he looked than he was; Featherstep's death had his him hard.
"I am having kits Nettlewhisker, isn't that great!?"
"Wow! That's great Moonflame. Let me guess, Swiftfang's?" Nettlewhisker purred.
"Of course." Moonflame purred back. Nettlewhisker nodded and retreated into his den, and pulled out Borage leaves, she licked them up, frowning at the fowl taste. She touched noses with him, and turned to make a nest in the nursery. She was so happy.
Long huh? Its only cause of the warrior's ceremony, did you like it? - Willowfrost
