Chapter Six: Hazelstar
Hazelstar awoke about noon the same day, having slept all morning. Looking around the sleeping cats, all sleeping comfortably on the soft grass, he noticed Berrypool at the base of the lone beech tree.
"What do you see over there, Berrypool?" he wondered.
"There were cats here, once upon a time," Berrypool answered, "Long gone now, but look at this den! It will be perfect for our warriors."
"Yes, it does look that way," Hazelstar agreed, "Good work, Berrypool. Of course, we'll need some other dens, but I think, if Bigstorm agrees, we should spend to day exploring our territory. If there are any other cats around, we don't want to be attacked unexpectedly."
So, in the end, they divided into groups and went out to explore. Hazelflame and Fivepaw went together, not expecting to stray far from camp, but as it was beginning to get dark, Fivepaw slipped and fell down a steep incline, injuring his paw in the process. When he tried to stand, the young tom cried out in pain and slumped down again.
"How bad is it?" Hazelflame asked.
"I don't think I can get all the way back to the camp with it," Fivepaw moaned, "Maybe you should go on, and I can join you tomorrow."
"If a fox finds you hurt out here, there won't be a tomorrow," Hazelflame said, "We'll find somewhere to stay..."
His gaze settled on a small tree. It attracted him because of its small size, but as he looked, it seemed to be glowing with a faint silver light.
"Do you think you can get up into that tree?" he asked.
Fivepaw managed a faint smile.
"I can try."
Hazelflame finally did get Fivepaw up into the tree, and when they reached an odd cup-shaped hollow in its boughs, he saw to his surprise that there was a white stone embedded in it. This had been creating the silver glow he had seen.
That night, as he slept in the strange little tree, Hazelflame had a dream. In his dream, he stood in a place where a great rock overlooked a clearing in the woods. But the clearing was empty. Then, suddenly, softly, the stars swirled down from the sky, each a warrior of StarClan.
Hazelflame looked around the circle of cats, and found that he recognized some of them.
His mother and father sat side by side, and his littermate Nutfur sat with them. Rowanstar was also there, no longer looking quite so old and confused. And then he saw her. Violetleaf, her fawn tabby pelt gleaming, her green eyes shining with pride.
"Welcome, Hazelflame," the StarClan cats said as one.
The red-fawn warrior suddenly realized what was going on. He tried to speak, but he felt frozen to the ground.
Then, his father, Redwind, stepped forward from among the ranks of StarClan. Pressing his nose against Hazelflame's head, he spoke softly.
"With this life, I give you loyalty, so you may always be loyal to your Clan, no matter what."
Redwind turned away, and Nutfur took his place.
"With this life, I give you bravery," his brother said, "So you will always be ready to defend your Clan."
Rowanstar came next.
"With this life, I give you wisdom," Rowanstar said, "Use it wisely to lead your Clan through all times when your path may seem uncertain."
Another cat stepped forward, one Hazelflame had not noticed before.
Acornpaw's dark pelt shone, and his wounds and scars were gone, as if they had never been.
"With this life, I give you compassion," Acornpaw said, stretching up to touch Hazelflame's nose, "Use it wisely, for many in the world do not deserve it."
Acornpaw padded away, and Hazelflame's mother, Nightfur, took his place.
"With this life, I give you patience," she murmured, "You will need it."
A small orange and white tom came next. Pumpkinpaw! Hazelflame wanted to greet his former apprentice, but still he could not speak.
"With this life, I give you the gift of mentoring," Pumpkinpaw mewed, "Although, you were already a wonderful mentor." His big green eyes were contented as he looked at Hazelflame, and the red-fawn tom felt the guilt that had overwhelmed him when he saw the apprentice in StarClan disappear.
A tall flame-colored tom Hazelflame had never met before came next. His green eyes looked straight into Hazelflame's even as he bent his head to touch Hazelflame's muzzle.
"With this life, I give you hope. Like I did long ago, you have led your Clan out of an old territory and into the new. Now, you must survive the hard days to come."
Another cat, a black she-cat, made her way forward. Hazelflame recognized her instantly as his former mentor, Ivyeyes.
"With this life, I give you honesty," Ivyeyes said softly.
Hazelflame knew his last life would come from Violetleaf. The pretty tabby she-cat stepped forward, her eyes full of pride.
"With this life, I give you love," she purred, "Love all your Clan as you have loved your brothers, your parents...and as you loved me, for now they are all you kin."
"I should have taken better care of you," Hazelstar whispered.
"It was my time to go," Violetleaf mewed simply, "I will always be with you, wherever you go."
She smiled.
"Use all of your nine lives well, Hazelstar, and StarClan can never regret its choice."
Hazelstar awoke to see Fivepaw standing over him.
"Hazelstar? Are you awake?"
"Hello, Fivefur," Hazelstar said, then immediately thought to himself: "Why did I call him that? And why did he call me Hazelstar?"
Fivefur grinned.
"Did you have a dream too?"
"I think I was just made leader of this Clan," Hazelstar murmured.
"I was just made a medicine cat," Fivefur said.
Hazelstar sighed.
"Well, it's good to know I'm not crazy, at least. I wonder what Bigstorm will say about this."
"Let's go home and ask him," Fivefur said, "My leg is feeling much better."
OK, explanation time. 1: Leader ceremonies are hard to do. The unedited version took up three notebook pages... 2: Flame-colored cat-Firestar(DUH!) 3: Please review! :)
