LAST CHAPTER! But don't worry, I'll post an epilogue! Thank you all so much for your support, and I'm happy to have gotten this far! See you later ;) -A

Chapter 20

Skystalk leapt to his paws as Mothflutter and Scratchpaw entered the camp. He blinked at the dead body they were carrying, and his heart beat triumphantly within him. Darkpool gasped, "No!"

"Who in the name of StarClan will be our leader now?" Demanded Hiddenpaw.

Russetfur, Pinescar, and Lightningstripe crouched beside the dead deputy. The two littermates shifted closer to their mother, who buried her nose in Blackfoot's fur. "StarClan will decide who our new leader will be. For now, we grieve for Blackfoot." Mothflutter sighed.

Scratchpaw padded to his mentor, carrying stalks of lavender. Skystalk turned up his nose. He needed to get moving if he were to create his sign. The warrior trembled slightly, knowing what he was about to do was dangerous, but he needed to do this if he were to become the leader of ShadowClan.

The gray warrior carefully grabbed a piece of lavender, and broke the flower away from the stalk. Perfect! Skystalk purred. Half of his sign was completed, now for the finishing touch. The warrior dropped the stalk in the center of the camp. Climbing up to the highest branch of a spruce tree above the camp, and waited for the moon to reach it's peak. Come on come on! The warrior purred with delight as the moon entered it's highest state, but just before he could pull a weak ranch away to beam light onto the lavender stalk, he heard Mothflutter screech, "A sign! A sign! StarClan have chosen our new leader!"

Skystalk purred with delight. They had found his sign more easily than he had expected. The warrior jumped down into the camp with ease, but his calm seized to a halt at the sight of Mothflutter's sign.

Troutleap had just returned to the camp with a fish, common if you hunted near the thicker swamps in ShadowClan territory. But the fish was beginning to leap, and Skystalk felt sick as he started to recognize the markings of a trout on the fish. "Troutleap is to be the new leader of ShadowClan!"

Willowspring watched proudly as her kits padded towards their new mentors. Foxpaw had been apprenticed to Webfoot, while Moonpaw and Onewhisker had been paired. Willowspring still felt uneasy about her son Oakpaw being apprenticed to Mudclaw. The mottled brown warrior was strict and cruel, not the right background for the apprentice. "This is the best day of my life!" Gorsepelt trembled with excitement as he twined his tail with Willowspring's.

The queen nodded with equal pride, and watched as her grown kits padded away. "Willowspring, patrol?"

Willowspring dipped her head at Tawnyfur, and the two she-cats padded away. The former queen followed the senior warrior as the two padded closer to the RiverClan border, her fur prickling. Two RiverClan cats were sitting waiting at the border. Stonefur padded forward first, and explained coldly, "Leopardstar decided to retire. I am on my way to collect my nine lives."

"Yeah, so don't get in our way!" Spat Nutfrost, only to be cuffed by Mudfur.

Willowspring and Tawnyfur bowed their heads solemnly, and Willowspring agreed, "She was a great leader, let us pray she will continue to pass on her knowledge to future generations. I am sure you will make a worthy successor."

Stonefur dipped his head, and The WindClan patrol led the foreigners away. Tallstar accepted the news honorably, and nodded at Stonefur, "Good luck."

Willowspring watched calmly as the three RiverClan cats padded to Mothermouth, their tails high in the air. I wonder if I'll see Blackfoot doing that when he earns his lives, Willowspring mused to herself. The young she-cat suddenly felt a wave of peace wash over her. Her clan was strong and safe, her family was stable and caring, and she knew, she would find a brighter future. For the first time in moons, Willowspring padded to the oak tree her mate had shown her. She knew who would be there.

Troutleap trembled with anticipation as he reached the Moonstone. It was the day after his sign from StarClan had been discovered, and the day after Skystalk's plan had been revealed. Troutleap remembered the feeling of betrayal His friend had caused him, and Troutleap had banished him as punishment.

"Ready?" Mothflutter asked her brother excitedly.

"Ready." Troutleap purred.

The three cats touched the stone, and fell into a dream. Troutleap felt the hairs on his back rise as he noticed star-pelted cats began to appear around him. A thick-furred black she-cat approached him, her pelt slightly faded, showing her age. "Welcome Troutleap, to StarClan! I am Shadowstar, the first leader of ShadowClan. I give you your first life. I give you a life of loyalty. Stay loyal to the warrior code, and protect your clan above all else."

Troutleap felt strength flow through him, with a mixture of solitude and fear. Shadowstar blinked slowly as she padded away, and was replaced by a familiar face. "Sunkit!" Troutleap gasped with delight and sorrow.

Sunkit beamed at his older brother, and squeaked, "I give you a life of caring. Care well for the cats of your clan both young and old."

Troutleap touched noses with the tiny tom, and harmony filed through him. He felt joy and trust beam throughout him, while Sunkit whispered, "Say hi to Mama for me!"

The older warrior's heart thumped harder as Sunkit scampered beneath the paws of a familiar tom. Tigerstar strode forward, and nodded, "Welcome my strong son. You have done many wrongs in your life, but that is behind you. I give you a life of forgiving. Forget your mistakes and move forward to the future!"

Troutleap gasped as searing pain welded through him, and when he gazed at his father in confusion Tigerstar explained, "The past can hurt just as much as a battle." Leaning in closer the leader hissed, "Forget about Appleleaf. She may be hurt by the past but she has found love again."

The black warrior stared at Tigerstar in shock, but then he realized what the former leader had meant. Appleleaf had been spending time with Littlecloud, more time than usual. As Tigerstar padded back to Sunkit, a new cat replaced him. "You know me?" Asked the strong looking tom before the new leader.

"Runningnose! It's good to see you again!" Troutleap purred happily, but the old medicine cat silenced him with a look.

Runningnose rasped, "I give you a life of trust. Look to your warrior ancestors for guidance and trust our clear judgment."

Fear and negligence cascaded through Troutleap like a claw wound. Runningnose nodded at Mothflutter before turning away to reveal Blackfoot. The tall deputy nodded proudly at Troutleap, and purred, "I give you a life of strength. Use it well when protecting your clanmates, and when fighting your own terrors."

Troutleap flinched as fire and ice struck him at the same time. Pain seared through him, and Blackfoot padded away. Next was a ragged mottled brown tom. "I am Raggedstar, former leader of ShadowClan. I give you a life of energy. Use it well when teaching your clan."

Lightning crackled beneath Troutleap's pelt, and he felt adrenalin pulse through every fiber of his being. Raggedstar padded back to the line of cats, and an equally ragged she-cat took his place. "I am Yellowfang. Though I was trained to be a ShadowClan warrior, I died a ThunderClan medicine cat. I give you a life of compassion. Use it well when caring for the kits of your clan, and for the ones you love."

Warmth and hope swarmed through Troutleap, and a purr filled his lungs. The second to last cat stepped forward, and nodded, "My name is Nutwhisker. I was Yellowfang's littermate. I give you a life of nobility. Use it when facing challenges for your clan, and when fighting battles."

Heat flushed through the black warrior, and he managed to dip his head in understanding. Finally, the last cat padded to greet him. "Greetings young one, I am Pinestar, Tigerstar's father. I gave up my leadership to become a housecat, perhaps not a popular choice, but one I chose. Like your mother, I had to make a decision that would affect those around me greatly, and I chose wrong, unlike Darkpool. I give you a life of responsibility. You are responsible for what happens to ShadowClan, and I trust you to make wise decisions."

Troutleap gasped as sudden weight forced him down, but he couldn't move. Pinestar dipped his head at the tom and padded back to the others. Troutleap couldn't help but notice Tigerstar glare at his father furiously. Tigerstar stepped forward, and yowled, "I now hail you by your new name: Troutstar! Your old life is no more, and you have now received the nine lives of StarClan! Protect your clan; defend the borders, and hunt for the young and old. You have authority over your clanmates, and you have the approval of StarClan!"

"Troutstar! Troutstar! Troutstar!"

Troutstar purred as they chanted his name, but suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled. The ground fell away, and water cascaded around him. Troutstar watched helplessly as trees fell into the river with him, but suddenly it all melted away. "Take heed of what you have seen Troutstar. You are one of the four StarClan have chosen. Darkness is coming, and you must act! Follow the falling star!"