Chapter 7: Cedarstar

It was moonhigh, the night after the battle with WindClan. Runningnose had come back, and had told Cedarleaf to visit the Moonstone tonight. But he was supposed to meet Brambleberry tonight. He had, every two nights since he was an apprentice. He couldn't stop now. So he decided to stop at Fourtrees along the way.

He left, with no cat accompanying him, and now he was waiting at the base of one of the four oaks. He saw Brambleberry laboriously making her way of the hill from RiverClan territory; he rushed to help her. She must be having her kits soon, he thought, but she was doing a good job of hiding the fact. She looked as if she had eaten too many mice that sunhigh, but nothing more. Brambleberry gasped, "Thank you, Cedarleaf." Cedarleaf nodded and as she sat down, he was bursting to tell his story.

Brambleberry looked him over. "What's going on?" Without further prompt, Cedarleaf launched into his tale, not bothering to hide the details. He could trust her. "Owlstar came to me in a dream, and told me to go to HighStones, so I did, and he talked to me again. He told me that Nightstar wasn't really ShadowClan's leader, and that it was really Smokefrost who was supposed to be. Then he told me to kill nightstar, and that there would be a battle with WindClan, and then I woke up. I went back to camp, and there was Windclan, and there were more of them than us, and I killed Nightstar, because she really only had one life...And then Smokefrost and Brackenfoot were dead, so Runningnose went to HighStones, and he told me to come to highstones tonight, so I have to leave now, and I'm going to be leader of ShadowClan, but I don't want to be..." Brambleberry nodded, taking it all in. "Go, Cedarleaf. I'll wait for you here."

Cedarleaf licked her cheek, then raced to HighStones. He reached the cliffside and stared up at the brown and red dirt. These were possilby his last moments as Cedarleaf, the name he had for so short. He took a deep breath and slowly stepped inside. He saw the glowing MoonStone, though it wasn't as bright; there was less than a half moon. He pressed his dark nose to the rock that was too warm to fit the cold of the cave.

Cedarleaf was near the pool he had seen Owlstar's death in. He shivered, just as the latter appeared from the shadows of a large tree. With him were seven other cats, but in the dark, Cedarleaf could not tell who they were. Owlstar half-smiled and said, "Welcome back, Cedarleaf." Now he could recognize the others. It was Smokefrost, Snakefoot, Coalpaw, Snowpaw, Sagewhisker, Brackenfoot, and Whiteowl. The ninth cat was still lurking in the shadows.

Owlstar told Cedarleaf, "You were destined to be ShadowClan's leader, and now it is time for us to bestow upon you your lives." He bowed his head, and stepped back. Brackenfoot smiled and walked forward. "With this life, I give you courage." A searing warmth spread through his body, and satisfaction rustled like leaves. Brackenfoot retreated, and Smokefrost took his place.

"With this life, I give you the protection a mother has for her kits." Cedarleaf suppressed a gasp as protection roared through his heart, fearless. It was painful, and he flinched. Smokefrost blinked at him sympathetically.

Snakefoot murmured, "With this life I give you loyalty." Cedarleaf felt as if he would die over and over for any cat of his Clan. And one other...

Coalpaw proceeded to give him a life of trust; Snowpaw gave him hope; Sagewhisker gave him determination; Whiteowl gave him patience; and finally, Owlstar gave him honesty.

But where was his ninth life. The cat who had been hiding before revealed herself. It was Brambleberry.

Cedarleaf gave a yelp. "B-Brambleberry? Why are you here? You're not dead! I just saw you!" Brambleberry closed her eyes and mewed softly, "I have joined the ranks of StarClan. The kitting was too much for me....And one of our kits. A tiny black and gray bundle jumped out and pounced on his paw. The kit looked exactly like him. "I named her Darkkit. Now, I need to give you your last life so you can get the two others before they must join me. She touched her nose to his and said, "With your last life, I give you love." All he had ever felt for Brambleberry coursed through his veins, amplified.

Brambleberry looked at him sadly. "Your name is Cedarstar, now. I'll miss you. Save the kits...And don't worry; we'll see eachother again." Then everything faded and Cedarstar woke next to the MoonStone. He felt as if his heart was shredded. Brambleberry was dead! But he had to save his remaining kits. Would they look like her? Or him? If they did, like Darkkit had, his secret would be it didn't really matter anymore. Brambleberry was dead.

Cedarstar stepped from the cave, and he sensed a cat near. His heart clenched. "Who's there?" The voice answered breathlessly, "It's me, Raggedpaw. I had to come and protect you if WindClan cats came. I just got here. Are you ShadowClan's leader now?" Cedarstar nodded slowly. His secret was still safe...For now. "Yes. I have my nine lives, and my name is Cedarstar." Raggedpaw gave an amusing little bounce and he said excitedly. "I'm the apprentice of a Clan leader, just like you were!"

Cedarstar smiled. "Yep." The two cats started padding to camp, and as they neared, Cedarstar halted. "Raggedpaw. Stay here, I sense there's something. Guard back here." He lied wildly. Raggedpaw stiffened and stood tensely. Cedarstar padded cautiously through the undergrowth. He saw Brambleberry's body, and his heart clenched. He padded closer, and saw two kits mewling and squirming. They were alive, at least! One of the kits was large, with comically large black paws, disproportionate to his small form, with otherwise snow-white fur. The other kit was tiny and all white.

He gingerly picked up the kits and carried them to where Raggedpaw was still guarding. Raggedpaw's expression changed from determined and fierce to shock. "Two kits? Whose are they?" Cedarstar shrugged. "Would you take them back to camp? There was a dead cat next to them. RiverClan cat. I'll take it to RiverClan's camp. Raggedpaw nodded and carefully took the kits. He walked slowly toward ShadowClan's camp. Cedarstar turned back to where Brambleberry's body lay.

He pressed his nose into her fur. It was cold, and her eyes were closed. Her scent held some of the kits' scent, so he nipped a stalk of a strong smelling plant and ran it through her fur, masking the smell. He picked her up by her scruff. It was difficult, but not impossible to carry the lifeless she-cat. He started walking towards RiverClan. Cedarstar was regretful he could nto hold a vigil for his mate, but he had to return her body to her Clan.


Cedarstar neared the entrance to RiverClan's camp. Weary from so much travel tonight, his breath was laborous. He called into the night, "I need to speak to Hailstar!" he didn't know how else to begin. A large red tom pushed through the reeds and stared in shock at Cedarstar holding Brambleberry's dead body. Then he bristled and yowled angrily. He jumped toward Cedarstar, unsheathing his claws. "Murderer!" Cedarstar dodged and said pleadingly, "I didn't kill her! Let me explain!" The tom pinned him to the damp ground and hissed, "Explain. Or fight."

Cedarstar began his story, half lies. "WindClan attacked ShadowClan's camp, killing both Nightstar and our deputy, Brackenfoot. So Runningnose went to HighStones, and told me I was to be ShadowClan's leader. So tonight, I went to HighStones, and recieved my name and lives. As I was returning to camp, I found her body at Fourtrees. I didn't kill her." A low voice came from behind him and said sadly, "Redsplash, get off him." The red warrior scrambled off and said hastily, "Sorry Owlfur." Owlfur led Cedarstar to the heart of RiverClan's camp and said quietly, "Lay her body there."

Cedarstar complied, gently placing Brambleberry's stiff body on the cold ground. He breathed in her scent; it may be the last time he would. Owlfur then called into a dark den, "Hailstar!" The gray leader padded out, his fur sticking up all over the place. "What is it?" the now agitated leader asked. Owlfur said sadly, "Brambleberry is dead." Hailstar jumped, then his eyes fell on Cedarstar. "What are you doing here, umm, whatever your name is? " Cedarstar told him emotionlessly, "I am Cedarstar of ShadowClan. I found Brambleberry dead at FourTrees." Hailstar dipped his head. "Very well. You may go now. Thank you for returning her body." Cedarstar turned and left the camp, not daring to look back.


Raggedpaw was waiting for him at the entrance to camp, and he said hurriedly, "Since you're leader now, it's up to you whether we keep the kits now or not. Poolcloud is taking care of them now. She wanted to speak to you." Cedarstar nodded. He smiled at Raggedpaw and said gratefully, "Thanks." He brushed past into the nursery. It seemed so small now. Poolcloud was lying awake, his two kits curled up at her stomach. "Cedarleaf-I mean, Cedarstar. You found these kits, and I think you should name them. If we let them stay, anyway." Cedarstar deliberated for a moment before answering cautiously, "They are only kits. I do not see how they could harm the Clan. They may stay. As for the names..." He looked down at the two white bundles; one large, one tiny. A small, excited voice behind him said, "You should named that one Blackkit! Because of his paws. Are they always that big when you're a kit? Were mine?" Cedarstar smiled for the first time since he had seen Brambleberry in Fourtrees. "Blackkit, then. And, er, Littlekit, for the small one.

Poolcloud nudged them closer. "Thank you," she breathed. Surprised, Cedarstar looked at her questioningly. Poolcloud gazed down at his kits. "For them." She looked him in the eyes, as if she knew more than she let on. Could she, he wondered, slightly panicked now. Did Poolcloud know?? "Don't worry," she said softly, and rested her head on the earth and closed her eyes.


Note: Sorry this chapter is so short, but so much happened, I think that makes up for it.