Fatal War
Chapter 11
Jayfeather padded out of the den and laid Firestar in the clearing. Curiosity quickly became horror as the cats gathered around. Jayfeather hung his head,
"I did all I could." Sandstorm flung herself on top of Firestar and sobbed openly. Graystripe, always Firestar's best friend in life, blinked back his own tears as he stared disbelieving at his body. Mousefur padded up and rasped,
"I doubted him in the beginning, but he proved me wrong. He was a great leader." No one asked how Firestar had died. He was already sick, Jayfeather thought, they probably assume he died of just that. Moe sobbing came as the whole Clan learned about Firestar's death. Ivypool was shocked, her eyes wide. Dovewing cried quietly. Daisy, Purdy, Millie, and all the others who Firestar had let into the Clan had to suffer more, since they wouldn't have gotten in if were another leader in charge at the time. Lionblaze, soon to be the new leader, just stared blankly.
Mousefur hauled the bright orange body and dumped it into the pit she and Purdy had dug. The whole Clan was there, and each took turns putting pawfuls of soil on the body. Some whispered messages to the body, but most were silent. Jayfeather had had to give all his thyme and poppy seeds to Sandstorm, and she was going to sleep through the funeral. Jayfeather thought it would be better that way. After everyone had put their pawfuls on, they stood back and were silent for a few moments. Then they turned and trudged back into the camp.
Ivypool walked through the Dark Forest, dazed. How could Firestar be dead? She was so preoccupied she didn't notice Hawkfrost knock her paws out from under her.
"You have to pay attention!" He roared. Ivypool scrambled up,
"Sorry. I'm just preoccupied. Firestar died." Hawkfrost nodded,
"And just how did he?" Ivypool stared back with questioning eyes.
"He killed himself! He ingested a deathberry! I must admire Jayfeather though," Hawkfrost nodded,
"He was from Firestar's den to his den and back to Firestar's den faster than you could blink. He's a gifted medicine cat. Unfortunately, he's not gifted enough…."
Ivypool woke with a start. What did Hawkfrost mean by 'not gifted enough?' She turned over a went back into a restless sleep. For the first time in many night, she did not visit the Dark Forest.
Jayfeather grumbled as Lionblaze kept falling behind.
"Hurry up!" He snapped,
"I'm supposed to be the blind one."
"Coming!" Lionblaze called. After some more slow traveling, they finally arrived at the Moonpool.
"Just drink from the pool, tip your nose in the water, and snooze." Jayfeather snapped. Lionblaze padded unsteadily down to the pool and did what Jayfeather said. Soon he was sucked into a deep sleep….
Lionblaze groggily opened his eyes. In front of him stood the ranks of StarClan. There starry pelts glittered, and soon there was a cat padding up to Lionblaze. Lionblaze squinted, and then realized it was Russetfur.
"With this life I give you courage. Use it to defend your Clanmates in battle." An insane pain seared Lionblaze as Russetfur touched noses. She backed away, and the unbearable pain ceased. And Lionblaze was supposed to go through eight more of these? How did Firestar do it? He searched to form words,
"Uh, I'm sorry for killing you after you went for Firestar." Russetfur shrugged,
"I was going to become an elder soon anyway." She backed off, and another dark gray pelt came forward. Crowfeather!
"With this life I give you wisdom. Use it to make good decisions for your Clan." He backed away. The pain this time didn't hurt as much, it was more of a feeling. A determined feeling. Another dark pelt came forward. Nightcloud.
"With this life I give you fairness. Use it to judge your Clanmates fairly." She backed away. This hurt, but not as much as the first one. A third dark pelt came forward. Breezepelt.
"With this life I give you desire for peace. Use it to stay out of conflict with other Clans and within your own." Another feeling came over him, not a pain, but it was sort of determined, like Crowfeather's. Next came a dark brown tabby with amber eyes. Brambleclaw.
"With this life I give you mentoring. Use it to teach your Clanmates your point of view, but don't forget to listen to theirs. Use it also to pass on knowledge from generation to generation." Another burning fire ripped through Lionblaze, rattling his bones. Brambleclaw stepped away, and was replaced by Firestar.
"With this life I give you kinship. Use it to understand other cats, and share a sense of kinship with them." Lionblaze was blasted by pain, but he was puzzled. Firestar seemed to be aiming to unite the Clans. That would never happen. Firestar stepped away and was replaced by Squirrelflight.
"With this life I give you defence. Use it to defend your Clan like a mother would defend her kits." Lionblaze was zapped by so much pain it left him gasping for breath. At least there were only two lives left. Squirrelflight left and was replaced by Heathertail.
"With this life I give you love, so that you may show it to all, especially Cinderheart." She smiled at him before leaving, and was replaced by the one cat Lionblaze would never dream of getting a life from.
"With this life I give you knowledge, so that you may keep it and yet share it, and all the Clans shall benefit." Leafpool smiled before continuing,
"I hail you as Lionstar, leader of ThunderClan."