"Cats of BloodClan, it's time to prepare for battle!" Badgerstar said, "In order to properly prepare, I am going to get my nine lives from our ancestors in the Dark Forest!"
The cats yowled in approval.
"Mollystep, bring me the herbs from our medicine cat!"
Mollystep nodded, and brought a small wing from a bird.
"We mixed it in so you wouldn't taste it as easily."
Badgerstar nodded, and ate the fresh-kill. The clan watched in silence as he fell asleep.
"The ceremony for his nine lives has begun!" Mollystep said, "Please, give him some room to move about should he need to do so!"
Badgerstar opened his eyes. He saw the leader of the old BloodClan stand in front of him.
"You call yourself Badgerstar? You're weak without having the nine lives of a leader!"
"That's why I'm here!"
"Very well." Scourge said, and lead him to the edges of the dark forest.
"I cannot take you farther, but I will watch from here."
Cats with shadows around them stepped out of the Dark Forest to greet Badgerstar.
Darkstripe came forward and touched noses with him. "With this life I give you strength. Use it well to slice open the blood of your enemies!"
Next was Hawkfrost. "With this life I give you courage. Use it well to fight for your clan as well as what you may believe in."
Brokenstar now stepped forward, touching noses with Badgerstar. "I give you a life for mentoring young cats well. Remember that good apprentices need the right training to be a warrior."
A small black kit with his pelt in star came to Badgerstar. "My name is Badgerfang. I died too young as a young kit at only three moons old. With this life, I give you a life for forgiving those you have hurt you in some way."
This kit's life is useless! My enemies can never be forgiven for their actions, except by dying under my claws!
Littlecloud stepped forward and came to Badgerstar. "I give you a life for compassion to others, even those who may seem like your strongest enemies."
Dawncloud was next to the former medicine cat, giving Badgerstar another life.
"With this life, I give you mercy towards those who are weaker than yourself."
The StarClan cats all faded away, and the only cats Badgerstar could see were those from the Dark Forest. Tigerstar came forward, and nodded silently.
"They've chosen a good leader for the clan. I give a life for having the strength to act without fear or judgement. As the leader of the clan, you are the one who is responsible for the most important decisions."
A black and white tom came to touch noses with Badgerstar. His collar with dog teeth made him seem very strong.
"I was the deputy of BloodClan when Scourge was leader. He was brave, strong, and had to courage to do anything. I give you a life for the tireless energy any leader will need, especially on days when a lot of important tasks need to be done."
Scourge was last to give Badgerstar a life. He touched noses with him, nodding in agreement with Bone.
"He will lead our clan well. I give you a life for putting the clan above all others. Without a leader, there is no clan at all."
Scourge looked at Badgerstar's folded ears, and then at his claws.
"This spot will do."
He tore Badgerstar's left ear, leaving the same battle scar he had on his own ear.
"Long live Badgerstar, leader of BloodClan!"
Badgerstar opened his eyes. He felt pain in his left ear.
"We saw something claw your ear, Badgerstar. But you'll be okay. There is going to be a scar left behind from it, though."
"Scourge did it, Mollystep. He did it as a sign of approval for me to be leader."
"Leaf-bare will be here soon, and we need all the territory we can get, Badgerstar. I hope our battle goes well."
"Trust me, Fang. We will win the battle. Those kittypets are weak, and so is Sanddust!"
"Socks, they took me to the cutter. They were going to make me a true kittypet."
"Well, did they do it?" Socks asked.
"Do I look like I'm lazier than when you first saw me as a kit?"
Socks shook his head. "Why didn't they do it then?"
"They think I'm expecting kits, Socks."
"Kits?" His eyes widened.
She nodded. "But I'm still going to fight for us. After all, the kits will need somewhere to call home."
"Dawn came to see how you we were doing. She said that she saw Quickstep and Sandie preparing for battle, too. They're on our side."
We have to fight for everything these kittypets have ever known.
"I know StarClan will help us." Sandpaw said, looking at her pearl necklace.
"I sure hope so. We need all the help we can get." Socks said, a bit confused but confident about the battle ahead of them.