Chapter 18
Strongstar! No! No!
Mothstar's eyes were wide with horror, as though despite everything she'd said to Leapfoot about hating Strongstar, she'd never really wanted to kill him.
"Strongstar," Iceshadow whispered to her father. His green eyes focused on her; Mothstar's blow had been clumsy, and blood was oozing slowly from his throat. I can heal it! Iceshadow scooped up a pawful of leaves and pressed it on her father's wound. "Strongstar, just hold on. It's going to be okay. Leapfoot or someone can just get Sunnyflower—"
"No, Iceshadow." Strongstar's voice was weak, raspy, hardly more than a breath. "Nothing can save me now."
"Strongstar, don't say that!" Iceshadow's voice rose to a wail. No! I can't lose my father!
"Streamtail, just give me a few more moments," Strongstar whispered, his voice fixed on something over Iceshadow's shoulder. "I will join you in just a few moments. I need to…to speak with our daughter."
Iceshadow looked, but there was no one there.
"Iceshadow…I am so proud of you. I can die…I can die in peace," Strongstar murmured, his voice slurring, "You will be a great leader…"
"No. No, I can't. Strongstar, I can't lose you!" Iceshadow felt as though her heart was breaking. "Strongstar, I can't do this, not without you. I can't lead a Clan."
"I thought the same thing…when Goldenstar…died." He was choking, hardly able to speak now.
"Shhh," Iceshadow whispered, "Don't talk. Just rest."
"No, these are…my final…moments." Strongstar coughed, and red blood stained his lips. "Believe in yourself. The storm…has broken. You…will be a…great leader. I love you, Iceshadow."
"Strongstar…" Iceshadow's voice broke, and her throat dried up. No words would come to her lips. No! I can't lose him! I can't! "I…I love you, Strongstar." The pain was threatening to overwhelm her. Strongstar gave a small nod and closed his eyes. A familiar scent filled the air, a scent that Iceshadow had not smelled in a long time. The scent of her mother. Streamtail.
Something soft and feathery touched Iceshadow's pelt, making her shiver, but when she looked, there was no one there. Strongstar inhaled deeply, one last time. "I'm coming, Streamtail," he breathed, the rasp smoothed from his voice, and then he exhaled, for the very last time. His body fell still.
"No! Strongstar!" Iceshadow shook Strongstar's body, but she knew in her heart that he was gone. "Strongstar," she whispered, her voice cracking. Rain still fell around them, soaking Strongstar's fur and drawing the last bit of warmth from his body. Iceshadow lay her head on his flank, longing so desperately to hear his strong, steady heartbeat. She remembered all the times as a young cat when she had lay against him and listened to its sturdy thumping, always knowing he would be there. But now he wasn't. Now there was only silence, a dull, thick silence.
He was gone.
Lightning and thunder crackled around them, as if the forest itself was grieving for her dead father.
Iceshadow lifted her head, listening to the cries of battle that continued to emanate from the camp. She turned to look at Mothstar, her father's murderer, and tried to summon up anger, but all she could find was grief—grief for her father, for her newfound responsibility, and grief for Mothstar, and everything that she could, and should, have been as a leader.
"Go," Iceshadow rasped, "Take your warriors and leave. Become a better leader, but never let this stain on your paws be forgotten."
Mothstar looked like a kit. Her amber eyes were wide, and she looked lost, abandoned. She nodded once, swallowing, and then raced away, swallowed up by the relentless storm.
"Leapfoot, come on. We need to…we need to…" Iceshadow paused, trying to gather her feelings, trying to control the grief that threatened to overwhelm her. "We need to take Strongstar home." Her voice shook.
Together, she and her son, a daughter and a grandson, lifted Strongstar up. Stripped of life, Strongstar looked small, fragile, especially with his fur plastered to his frame. Iceshadow's steps were uneven, shaky; it was all she could do to keep walking.
By the time she reached the camp, the last of the ThunderClan and WindClan intruders were fleeing. All that remained were Splashstar and Adderstar, and their warriors.
"Is that Strongstar?" Splashstar asked in shock, staring at the body as Iceshadow and Leapfoot neared.
Iceshadow nodded numbly and carefully lay her father in the middle of the drenched clearing. The thorn barrier was torn to shreds and tangled with fur; streams of blood poured toward the center of the camp. Yowls of shock and horror echoed around the camp as the SkyClan warriors saw their brave, powerful leader lying lifeless in the mud.
The prophecy made sense now, at least to Iceshadow. Wind and water couldn't clash. Fire and water could, but wind and water could not. They were of two different realms. Mothstar had been trying to fight a battle that wasn't real, that she had made up, a battle against a cat she had mistakenly believed to be her enemy. In the end, water and wind had clashed in an improbable battle, a battle that made no sense—a battle that had nothing to do with territory or food, but only vengeance, and spite. And in the end, it had been this battle that had ended Mothstar's misguided quest for justice. Iceshadow gazed down at her father, lying still and cold. Did he really have to die to set things right?
The pain in her chest was threatening to overwhelm her, but she was leader of SkyClan now. She had to be strong.
"Adderstar, Splashstar, SkyClan thanks you for your help. Without you, we would all have been driven out or killed," Iceshadow meowed, trying to keep her voice steady, "Is there anything we can do to thank you?"
She looked expectantly at Splashstar, expecting him to demand more territory, but both leaders shook their heads. "No. This battle was unjust, and it was only right to come to SkyClan's aid," Adderstar replied. His eyes flickered to Strongstar, though he said nothing more. Splashstar nodded in agreement and added, "Do you need some warriors to help repair your camp?"
Iceshadow opened her mouth to say no and then thought better of it. Her Clan was in shambles. They needed all the help they could get. "Yes. If it's not too much trouble, we would really appreciate your help."
The rain was easing off now, and Iceshadow looked up at the sky. It was just beginning to lighten with dawn.
Adderstar glanced at Splashstar. "Could I go back to my own territory? Your warriors live closer, and I have a couple of, erm, words to share with my Clan." His gaze drifted toward the young warriors who had fought on the side of ThunderClan and WindClan.
"Of course." Splashstar dipped his head.
Adderstar flicked his tail, gathering his Clan together, and glanced back at Iceshadow. "I wish you all the luck in the world for getting your Clan back together, Iceshadow."
"Thank you," Iceshadow replied genuinely, dipping her head, feeling as thought her chest was going to tear open from her pain in her heart. Adderstar nodded and then led ShadowClan back toward their own territory.
"No! Silverclaw!"
Iceshadow whipped around. Spottedclaw was standing over the body of his mate, his eyes wide with horror. A gash at her throat revealed how she had died. She was laying across the entrance of the nursery, her lips still frozen in a vicious snarl.
"She died defending the kits," Frostflower whispered, coming forward to press herself against her brother's flank.
"She was too young," Spottedclaw whispered, trembling with grief. Iceshadow stared dully, unsure what she was seeing. Surely Silverclaw wasn't dead? Silverclaw was the fiercest cat that Iceshadow had ever known. She couldn't be dead. And yet, there she lay, her eyes staring at nothing and her flanks still, unstirred by a single breath. Iceshadow shook her head. She couldn't even make sense of all that had happened.
Sunnyflower emerged from the medicine den, followed closely by Splashpaw. Both bore the marks of enemy claws. They were carrying herb bundles and began to make their way through the ranks of injured cats. Splashstar sat uncomfortably off to the side, as if not sure what to do. Iceshadow realized it was now her job to guide these cats in rebuilding their camp, their home, their lives. Clearing her throat, she called out, "All cats with serious injuries must be seen to immediately. If you can walk, please help Splashstar's warriors to rebuild the thorn barrier.
To her relief, most of the cats headed over to join the RiverClan warriors. However, Leapfoot took two steps and collapsed. Both Lightningtail and Mudpelt were lying unmoving a few fox-lengths away, and Fennelclaw also did not move.
Brookpaw ran to Leapfoot's side, and Snowfoot to Fennelclaw's. Iceshadow herself was feeling very shaky, and she couldn't stand the thought of walking over to see her son, not if there was a chance he was dead. She walked over to Sunnyflower. "Can you give me some strengthening herbs?"
"No. We need to go to the Moonstone," the medicine cat replied.
Iceshadow felt as though Sunnyflower had just struck her. "Oh. Oh, right." She glanced back at her father's body, lying limp and lifeless in the mud. Will I see you at the Moonstone? she wondered. The thought filled her with hope.
"I'm going to see to your wounds first, just so that they don't get infected," Sunnyflower added. She began to work, but Iceshadow hardly noticed. Her mind was filled with thoughts of all the responsibility she now carried.
By the time Sunnyflower finished, the camp was looking much better. Silverclaw and Strongstar had been groomed and were lying beneath some ferns, out of the heat until tonight, when the vigil would start. The barrier was about half-built and all the debris had been cleared away.
"You have to name a deputy," Sunnyflower reminded her.
"Oh, right." Iceshadow ran across the clearing and clawed her way up the old thorn tree. "All—All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here for a Clan meeting!"
She realized she hadn't given herself any time to think, but she knew exactly who to pick. She waited patiently for the Clan to gather before calling out, "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve my choice." She paused, searching the crowd until her eyes landed on the cat she had in mind. "Aspenheart will be the new deputy of SkyClan."
There was a pause. Everyone looked surprised. Then Rosewhisker took up the chant. "Aspenheart! Aspenheart!"
The cheers were loud and heartfelt; Aspenheart was a popular choice. Iceshadow jumped down and padded up to the tabby tomcat, who looked dazed.
"Why did you choose me?" he asked.
"Because you are calm, even-tempered, and wise beyond your years," Iceshadow replied wearily. She turned to Sunnyflower. "Let's go."
Leapfoot was sitting at the edge of the clearing, leaning against Brookpaw; his eyes were closed, but he was breathing. A little ways beyond, Splashpaw was working on Fennelclaw, with Snowfoot looking on anxiously.
"Splashpaw, I trust that you can take care of everything while I'm gone?" Sunnyflower called to her young apprentice.
Splashpaw nodded. "Of course. You can count on me, Sunnyflower."
Aspenheart stepped forward. "I'll make sure all the patrols get sent out."
"If you can, try to just use SkyClan warriors. But if our cats are too injured and Splashstar offers…" Iceshadow trailed off meaningfully. Aspenheart nodded in understanding.
"Iceshadow!"
She heard a mew, rough with grief and pain, that made her heart ache. She turned to see Stormyheart bounding toward her. "Iceshadow," he whispered. He seemed hesitant to come close to her. "I can't believe…I can't believe you're leader now." Vaguely, Iceshadow noticed Sunnyflower stepping away.
"Nothing's changed between us, Stormyheart," Iceshadow assured him. She leaned in close to him, drinking in his warm, familiar scent. "You're still my mate, the father of my kits, everything." She felt as though layers and layers of fear and doubt and misery were being peeled away, now that she was standing beside him.
"I'm so sorry about Strongstar…" Stormyheart's voice carried the weight of his sadness. Iceshadow swallowed, trying to control herself, then thought better of hiding her feelings from her mate and best friend. "I miss him so much," she admitted, her voice thick, "I…I can't imagine doing this without him. I don't know if I can, Stormyheart. I just…" She dropped her gaze, afraid to be overwhelmed by her emotions.
"Iceshadow, you won't be alone," Stormyheart promised, "You have Leapfoot and our kits, and Aspenheart and Sunnyflower, and you have me." He paused. "I will never leave you, I swear."
Iceshadow shook her head. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Stormyheart. Honestly."
"I won't ever leave you, not until it's my turn to join StarClan." Stormyheart pressed against her for a heartbeat before pulling away. "Now go, Icestar."
"I'm not Icestar yet," she retorted, but her tone was warmhearted. She turned back to Sunnyflower, who was studiously examining her claws. Sunnyflower nodded, and the two of them headed out of the camp.
The forest looked wrecked right around camp. Dirt and leaves had been churned up, and what little undergrowth there was had been trampled. Blood gathered in pools, mixing with rainwater and mud. The reek of all five Clans tainted the air, mixed with the sour smells of blood and fear.
Iceshadow shuddered as they passed the old oak tree where Leapfoot had been trapped and Strongstar killed. She would never be able to walk past it again without thinking about all the tragedy its boughs how sheltered.
Exhaustion dragged at Iceshadow's limbs, but she trudged ahead. Mothstar might relaunch her assault. Iceshadow needed to have her nine lives to prepare for any sort of attack. She needed to be strong in order to face the treacherous she-cat.
They finally reached the border of Fourtrees. They were going to Fourtrees the long way around; it would have been far faster to cut through ThunderClan and ShadowClan's territories, but Iceshadow knew that, while ShadowClan would allow Iceshadow and Sunnyflower to pass through, ThunderClan would probably never let either cat leave the territory alive.
The journey seemed far longer than when Iceshadow had made it as an apprentice. They were skirting WindClan's territory as well, which meant they had to make a huge detour to go across ShadowClan's land, and Iceshadow could feel it. Her breath was coming in short bursts, and exhaustion dragged at her limbs. Sunnyflower kept shooting her worried glances, but Iceshadow said nothing to her aunt. She needed to make this journey.
By the time they'd crossed the border into the territories beyond the Clans, Iceshadow was having trouble putting one paw in front of the other. Her muscles screamed with agony, and her head was throbbing. The newleaf sun seemed harsh and cruel, burning across her black pelt. Sunnyflower, without a word, came up beside Iceshadow and allowed the ailing she-cat to lean against her. Iceshadow managed a gasping, "Thank you," relieved beyond words.
Even so, it was slow, hard going. They reached the Thunderpath beyond the territories just after sunhigh, and Iceshadow had to rest for a short while before she felt well enough to cross. A monster flashed past, and Sunnyflower yelled, "Go!"
Sunnyflower darted across, but Iceshadow was weak and tired, not to mention hungry and in pain. She hobbled along as fast as she could, but she could hear another monster fast approaching. She reached the other side with heartbeats to spare. Sunnyflower let out her breath. "Come on, lean on me again," Sunnyflower offered. Iceshadow's nerves were frayed, and she was too miserable to protest.
It wasn't far after that, but they still didn't reach Mothermouth until well past sunset. Sunnyflower allowed Iceshadow a few minutes of rest before urging her to her paws. "Come on. It is time."
"What am I supposed to do?" Iceshadow asked, heart pounding.
"When you get to the cavern, press your nose against the stone and close your eyes. StarClan will send you dreams," Sunnyflower answered softly, "From now on we must be silent, but just follow me, and I will guide you there."
Iceshadow nodded tersely. Sunnyflower plunged into the darkness. Taking one last look at the starry night sky, Iceshadow followed.
The stone was freezing beneath her paws, stingingly cold against her pads after the sun-warmed dirt and stone outside. The air was so cold that she felt dizzy, and it seemed to sear her lungs and chest. She was grateful, however, for the cold because it helped to wake her up. She could detect no light, no change in the absolute darkness, but strangely, she felt no fear. StarClan would protect her, and Sunnyflower would guide her.
Finally Sunnyflower stopped. Iceshadow peered ahead, but saw nothing. Then, all at once, there was a blinding flash. Iceshadow had seen it once before, when she visited the Moonstone as an apprentice, but she had forgotten just how dazzlingly beautiful the stone was, like a star, fallen to earth.
Sunnyflower's tortoiseshell pelt seemed to glow silver, and her amber eyes reflected the cold white light. She nodded encouragingly to Iceshadow. Iceshadow swallowed back her nervousness and lay down beside the Moonstone. The stone floor was frigid and seemed to pierce right through her fur. Closing her eyes, she touched her nose to the stone.
Instantly, the bright light behind her lids faded, and pain gripped her body, as if all the burning heat of greenleaf and all the freezing cold of leaf-bare had combined together, churning inside of her. She felt as though every ounce of her life and strength was being sucked from her weak, battle-weary body. Am I dying? she thought in alarm.
She opened her eyes a crack, and instantly they flew open in surprise. She leaped to her paws, the horrible pain now gone. A warm greenleaf breeze teased through her whiskers, and a silver full moon glittered above. She was standing not in the cavern of the Moonstone but at Fourtrees, and above her head, the stars were not really stars, for they were moving, flying down to earth, and turning into cats, cats with moonshine in their eyes and starlight at their paws. She noticed Sunnyflower standing off to the side, looking calm and collected.
Every cat she had ever known to die stood before her, every cat who had died in leaf-bare, every cat who had died when she was a kit, an apprentice, a warrior, a deputy. Familiar faces surrounded her, faces she had last seen cold and still in death, now alive with warmth and life. Her heart leapt at the sight of Tigerpelt, and at his feet a small tabby cat—Ploverkit!
"Welcome, my deputy and my daughter." It was Strongstar who strode forward. This was not the bloody, muddy tomcat, hunched in the mud, with blood pulsing from his throat, but Strongstar at the height of his power. He looked tall, strong, his green eyes gleaming with vigor and his muscles sleek beneath his thick, short pelt. Her heart ached with a mixture of joy and sorrow. "Are you ready to receive your nine lives?"
"Yes," she breathed.
The first cat stepped forward. At first Iceshadow was confused; what was Graypaw doing in StarClan? Then she recognized his warm, placid green eyes. It was Graytail, Graypaw and Shrikepaw's father, and Frostflower's dead mate. He strode across the clearing, his silver pelt no longer torn by a fox's jaws but sleek and shiny, rippling with black stripes.
"With this life, I give you the gift of acceptance," Graytail meowed, his voice calm and hauntingly familiar, "Use it well to accept the toughest things that life throws at you."
He touched his nose to her forehead. Painful energy seemed to emanate from the point where his nose connected with her fur, growing stronger and stronger until Iceshadow thought she might burst from the pain of it. Then it faded into a warm feeling, a feeling of acceptance. "Graypaw looks just like you," she whispered. Graytail's eyes were full of a loving sorrow, and he dipped his head to her before returning to the ranks of StarClan. Iceshadow shuddered, wondering how she could possibly bear to receive eight more lives.
Next came a longhaired tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat. Her light, frosty blue eyes seemed to reflect the silver of the moon. "Doveswoop?" Iceshadow gasped, naming Brownstripe's mate and the she-cat who had been deputy before her.
Doveswoop dipped her graceful head. "You have been a good deputy, Iceshadow," she murmured, "And with this life, I give you ambition—ambition to be the best mother, the best leader, the best Clan, the best of everything, that you can possibly be."
This time it felt as though a lightning bolt of energy pulsed through Iceshadow, quick but burning and painful. Iceshadow stumbled backward, panting, hoping for the strength to receive seven more lives.
The next cat who came forward completely surprised Iceshadow. It was a small silver tabby she-cat, her blue eyes gleaming. Just earlier today, Iceshadow had seen this same cat lying dead in the mud, with Spottedclaw leaning over her. "Silverclaw?"
Silverclaw stepped lightly across the clearing. She seemed calm, and wise; her eyes were glowing with youth, and her fur was sleek and without injury. She stepped up to Iceshadow. "With this life, I give you courage in battle. No matter what happens, victory will always be yours, so long as you have the courage to chase it."
The life this time was fierce, like every claw in the world was piercing her at once. She felt fierce, righteous anger, and then pain at her throat, and she suddenly realized she was relieving Silverclaw's death. Even though she had never liked the feisty she-cat, she realized just how brave she was, fighting to the death in a hopeless battle. She had been fiercely loyal to SkyClan, right up until the very end.
"Silverclaw…I'm so sorry, for everything. We could've been…we could've been friends." Iceshadow could hardly choke out the words. Her throat felt tight and swollen.
A sparkle of laughter lit up Silverclaw's eyes. "I'm afraid we would have clashed terribly. But I am so glad to have had the chance to know you."
Iceshadow watched, her heart nearly breaking, as the she-cat walked back across the clearing, stepping carefully through the grass.
Next came a cat who had haunted Iceshadow's dreams for far too long—a dark brown tabby tom with gleaming amber eyes. She didn't even know his name.
"I am Jaggedclaw. Once, I was a warrior of SkyClan, and then their trusted medicine cat," he growled, "Now I am in StarClan, and I am the one who found the prophecy that has followed you for so long. And so, with this life, I give you forethought, that you may go into every battle knowing its outcome."
The pain that ripped through her was unexpected, a mixture of grief and tragedy, of battles of both claw and of the mind. She felt as though she was Jaggedclaw, reliving his life, and wondered what exactly had happened to the myserious tabby tom. But ss quickly as the strange pain started, it faded, and Jaggedclaw stepped back, dipping his head.
The next cat to come forward Iceshadow didn't immediately recognize. She was a white-and-gray she-cat, with powerful hind legs like a SkyClan warrior and silvery-green eyes just like Stormwing's. She also looked similar to Strongstar in the shape of his head, and a lot like Iceshadow herself in the way she walked. Suddenly, a name came to mind—Mistfern, Strongstar's mother.
"I betrayed my Clan by giving birth to Strongstar," Mistfern mewed calmly, "But he grew up to be a warrior all the Clans can be proud of. With this life, I give you certainty, that you may always know that what you are doing is right."
The life felt like a boulder had fallen onto Iceshadow's shoulders, threatening to crush her. She gasped, struggling against the pain, and then the weight was lifted. She straightened up, calm, and certain of herself and of her Clan.
At first Iceshadow could not see who came next. Then she looked down and saw none other than a pale brown tabby and white tom-kit with glowing amber eyes. "Ploverkit!" Her heart swelled.
"I've missed you so much, Iceshadow," the little kit mewed, "and they said I could give you a life, so I'm going to give you a life for trust, so that you can always trust your loved ones and your Clan, just as blindly and as truly as I have always trusted you." He had reached up on his hind legs
This life was sharp but warm, like a sun-heated thorn piercing her heart. She drank it in hungrily, so happy to see her kit again, even if it was for only a short time.
The cat who took her place was a sturdy blue-gray tom with silver-green eyes—her lost brother, Stormwing.
Her eyes met his, and it was all she could do to stop herself from racing forward and pressing herself against him. "Stormwing," she breathed.
"My sister, with this life, I give you compassion, for all cats less fortunate than you, even those from different Clans, or different territories," he whispered, his eyes brimming with emotion. This life was a dull, aching pain, the burden of caring for all cats that needed help, but then it faded in a flash of warm happiness, a celebration of the gift of life in all cats, great and small.
Stormwing started to walk away, but he glanced back once more with his silver-green eyes to shoot his sister a look of pure love. In that moment, Iceshadow missed her brother so much that it hurt.
Now Streamtail was walking across the clearing, her lithe silver tabby body sparkling with stars. Her eyes glittered with sorrow at the sight of her daughter. "Oh, Iceshadow. How long I've waited to see you again." Her voice was smooth like honey and sweet, too, warming Iceshadow down to the ends of her claws. "With this life, I give you love—for Stormyheart, for your kits, for your Clan, for everything that is important to you, and especially for those things and those cats whom you find it hard to accept or forgive."
This life was not painful at all. It was warm, flowing through Iceshadow like a stream of sunlight. She shivered gratefully. "Thank you, Streamtail," Iceshadow whispered, staring into her mother's deep amber eyes, "I miss you so much."
Streamtail dipped her head. "And I you, my precious daughter," she replied softly. Iceshadow watched with sadness in her green eyes as her mother dipped her head and walked back across the clearing. The black-and-white she-cat felt as though she was full to the bursting; she was not sure how she could receive this last life.
It was Strongstar who stepped forward this time, and Iceshadow could hardly bear to see her father after watching his cruel death at Mothstar's paws. But he bore no trace of blood or wounds, nor of anger or discontent. His green eyes were full of wisdom, and his stride was calm, steady. The warm affection in his eyes made Iceshadow want to run to him, but she held herself back as he approached. A warm breeze ruffled her whiskers as he came close, and she shivered. "Strongstar…" Words failed at her at the sight of her father, restored to his former glory and power.
"My kit, my deputy, my dear, dear daughter." Strongstar's voice was warm, smooth. "I know you believe that amends cannot be made and that you will never be the leader that SkyClan deserves, but they can and you will. Already you have proven yourself in a million small, seemingly meaningless ways."
"Why did you do it? Why did you sacrifice your last life for me?" Iceshadow asked, her voice hardly more than a breath.
"I've told you before, Iceshadow. You are my daughter, my blood. I would do anything for you." His green eyes gleamed. Iceshadow still couldn't believe that two of her father's lives, one his last, had been given up for her. Then Iceshadow thought of Leapfoot and how she ran out to find her son, knowing that danger awaited her. She thought of Ploverkit and how desperately she'd wanted to die in his place. She thought of Thistlekit and Rowankit and Hawkkit, all of whom she would die for in a heartbeat, and she understood. It was the bond between parent and kit that could never be broken, even when one's kit was grown, mature, able to make his own decisions.
"With this life, I give you strength," her father boomed. His voice seemed to resonate through her entire body, like a clap of thunder. "I give you the strength to lead your Clan, to suffer grief and sorrow without breaking, to become a leader that SkyClan can be proud of." His nose touched her head, and she felt as though a firestorm surrounded her, flames licking through her pelt and burning through her pelt, right into her core. The pain was unbearable and yet at the same time, comforting. It faded into a warm feeling of power, of strength, and Iceshadow knew that a piece of her father had just been given to her in the form of one of her nine lives.
"Thank you," she whispered, hardly able to watch as her father dipped his head and returned to the ranks of StarClan. Stormwing sat on one side, Streamtail on the other, and Ploverkit bounded over to perch at his grandfather's paws. Her dead family, united, waiting for her in StarClan.
"Icestar! Icestar! Icestar!" StarClan took up the chant, calling out her new name. "Icestar!"
Icestar gazed at them, hardly able to believe that she was leader of SkyClan. She closed her eyes, drinking in their warm, familiar voices one last time before she was forced to return to the waking world.
Icestar opened her eyes. The voies and the warm grass of Fourtrees had faded, replaced by silence and cold stone. The Moonstone was dark, empty, untouched by the light of the moon. The new leader stood, her muscles stiff and aching, her wounds burning like fire, and yet somehow she felt stronger, more hopeful. She glanced around. Sunnyflower was just waking.
Sunnyflower gestured for the tunnel back up to the surface, and together the two she-cats made their way back to the light.
It was early. Sunrise had not yet come, but the sky was streaked with pale light. Icestar's exhaustion had returned, and she hardly knew how she would be able to make it all the way back to camp.
"You look like a fox that's been dead for a moon," Sunnyflower commented, "I know a place where you can rest and eat before we go on, but it's across the Thunderpath."
They headed away from ShadowClan's territory, toward the Thunderpath. Icestar's paws were aching, but to her surprise, she wasn't nearly as tired as she expected. She felt fresher than yesterday, but she was still tired, hungry, weak, and sore, and the thought of food and rest was making her mouth water.
They reached the Thunderpath and crossed, fortunately, this time, without any problems, before heading to a large Twoleg building. Icestar shot Sunnyflower a concerned look. "Where are you taking me?"
"This is a barn," Sunnyflower explained, "Some cats I know live inside of it. It's warm, comfortable, and teeming with plump mice."
Usually, Icestar abhorred mice. She preferred feathers over fur by far. But at the moment, at the mention of mice, she had to stop herself from drooling.
They walked toward the building and pushed their way inside. Icestar's nose twitched at the strong smell of plump mice, and her stomach gave a loud grumble. She glanced around, embarrassed, but Sunnyflower just purred.
"Who's there?"
A big, longhaired black-and-white tom stalked out from behind a clump of soft, sweet-smelling hay, his fur beginning to bristle.
"It's just me, Sunnyflower," Sunnyflower replied. The tom relaxed. "Oh, I thought you were some rogue or something." He had a strange accent, rough but warm.
"Icestar, this is Crow. He's a loner. Crow, this is my leader, Icestar," Sunnyflower introduced.
"I thought Strongstar was your leader," Crow replied, confused.
"He passed away yesterday," the medicine cat explained quietly.
Crow's eyes widened, and his head bowed in sorrow. "I'm sorry to hear that. He was a noble cat."
"This is his daughter, Icestar. She's our new leader, but she's, well, exhausted. I was wondering if we could stay here for a while."
"Shoot, stay as long as you like. There's plenty of mice to go around. Let me go find Fauna." He padded away.
Icestar stretched luxuriously before pinpointing a mouse by smell and giving a mighty pounce. She dispatched it with one hard blow. It was huge and plump, just what she needed. Her mouth watered, but she caught two more before settling down to eat them in quick, famished bites.
Sunnyflower had already hunted for herself and was talking with Crow and a pretty tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat that Icestar assumed must be Fauna. As she finished eating, she headed over to join them.
"Where are Fig and Flash?" Sunnyflower was asking.
"They're probably around here somewhere," Fauna replied in a high-pitched airy kind of voice, "They like to explore up in the rafters and around the farm."
She turned to Icestar. "Hi, you must be Icestar. I'm Fauna." She bowed her head in an odd sort of way. Icestar glanced uncomfortably at Sunnyflower, who shrugged as if to say, That's just Fauna.
"If you'd like to sleep here, feel free. There's plenty of hay." Crow's ear twitched.
"Thank you," Icestar replied formally. She wondered how Strongstar would have reacted to such an offer. "I might have to take you up on that."
"Yes, stay as long as you like," Fauna mewed, turning a slightly unfocused yellow gaze on Icestar. Icestar nodded and headed off toward the nearest pile of hay. She scraped out a little nest for herself, turned around it a few times, and then lay down, yawning widely. She was asleep within seconds.
When she woke again, it was about sunhigh. She got up quickly, shocked she had slept so long and also that Sunnyflower had let her.
The medicine cat was speaking with two cats that Icestar didn't recognize, a dark tabby and white tom and a longhaired tortoiseshell and white she-cat. Stretching, Icestar jumped down from her nest and walked over to them.
Sunnyflower turned to greet her. "This is Fig"—she gestured to the she-cat—"and Flash." She inclined her head toward the tom. "They're Crow and Fauna's kits." Fig and Flash nodded politely to Icestar. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yes. I wish you'd woken me earlier," Icestar admitted.
"You needed the rest. As your medicine cat, I knew we'd end up nowhere if you collapsed from exhaustion halfway back to camp." There was a lively twinkle in the old medicine cat's eyes. "Now, come on. Let's go back to camp."
The journey back seemed much shorter than the journey there. They cut across ShadowClan territory and then went through Fourtrees back to SkyClan's camp. The sun was hardly touching the horizon as Icestar walked toward the entrance to camp. The camp already looked better; the thorn barrier was back in place, although it did look a little sparse, and as Icestar walked into camp, she noticed that the dens were starting to look less damaged.
"Iceshadow! No, wait—Icestar!" It was Brookpaw who noticed her first; the cream-and-tabby she-cat was weaving thorns into the barrier.
Around her, cats stopped what they were doing and came over to congratulate her. Icestar was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed, so, finally, she cleared her throat and backed away from the crowd. "Thank you, all. I travelled to the Moonstone and received my nine lives. I am now Icestar."
She noticed that Splashstar was gone, although Wetnose, his deputy, was still there, along with some, though not all, of his warriors. They joined the cheers of her Clanmates.
"I also have a very important ceremony to perform," she announced. She was surprised to find herself saying the words; until now, she hadn't even decided she was going to do this. "Brookpaw, Sparrowpaw, and Lightpaw, step forward."
The three apprentices exchanged mystified glances before coming forward. Brookpaw's fur was tangled with thorns. Sparrowpaw's shoulder fur was matted with blood, and Lightpaw was sticking up every which way. Icestar had to stifle a purr of amusement that was trumped by sadness. She wished Silverclaw could have been here to see this moment.
"These apprentices fought hard in the battle yesterday, and while they have not been training for very long, who here can deny that they deserve their warrior names?" Icestar boomed.
Lightpaw's eyes widened in astonishment, while Brookpaw stifled a squeal of delight and Sparrowpaw's jaw dropped.
"I, Icestar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." Icestar felt a thrill of delight at hearing herself speak these words. "Brookpaw, Sparrowpaw, Lightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," Brookpaw meowed strongly, her brothers echoing her words.
"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names." Icestar paused, looking at Brookpaw. "Brookpaw, from this moment you will be known as Brookshine. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and your bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan."
Icestar rested her head on Brookshine's, and Brookshine licked her shoulder before stepping back, her eyes shining with pride.
"Sparrowpaw, from this moment you will be known as Sparrowfrost. StarClan honors your diligence and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan."
Again, she rested her head on his and he licked her shoulder before joining Brooksehine.
"And Lightpaw, from this moment you will be known as Lightface. StarClan honors your loyalty and your forethought, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan."
"Brookshine! Sparrowfrost! Lightface!" Icestar watched in a satisfied happiness as the Clan took up the chant for the new warriors. Icestar noticed that sadness mingled with the joy on their faces, sorrow for their dead mother. Silverclaw, I hope you're watching, she thought.
As the cheers faded away, as the warriors of SkyClan—Icestar's warriors—returned to their duties, each one of them loyal to the tip of their whiskers, Icestar felt a strange peace. Strongstar was dead, and she had more responsibility than she could have ever imagined, but never before had she been so content.
I have been guided by StarClan in everything that has happened thus far. I can trust in them to take care of everything that will happen from now on. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment. There is no need to worry, not anymore.
Everything is how it's meant to be.