Okay, I'm really bored. I've already written two chapters today, and this one is my third. I'm sorry for updating so quickly, I ammmm really bored. I just wanted to let you know that there are only four chapters to go, one of them the epilogue. So anyways, PLEASE leave a REVIEW!


~Chapter 46~

Wind ripped through Hollyheart's fur as Rainshower led her to the Moonpool. Jayfeather had to stay behind because he was working on a wound Squirrelflight had recieved during the battle. The dark ginger she-cat had been suffering more then any cat from Bramblestar's death, because he had been her mate.

But Hollyheart already knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. She had thought that she lost Muskedfur, but in the end, he chose to come back to her.

"Are you ready?" Rainshower asked. The blue-gray tom was standing on the slope that led down to the Moonpool. She could hear the sounds of the stream gurgling nearby, and flicked her ear.

She nodded. Hollyheart didn't really need to say much; Rainshower always seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. Hollyheart followed him down the slope, and stared at the Moonpool in amazement.

The black she-cat had only been here once, when she was an apprentice. That was when she had first learned of her power, when Bluestar told her everything.

Hollyheart shivered as she remembered that day. She followed Rainshower towards a small island that jutted out into the Moonpool. It's water gleamed silver as the moon hovered over it. She was vaguely aware of the fact that Rainshower had touched her gently with his tail tip.

"Now you must lap up the water, and StarClan will send you into a dream," he meowed in a gentle voice.

She did as he instructed, and lapped the icy cold water. Hollyheart shivered as the ice tingled through her spine. She closed her eyes, and quickly fell asleep.

The sounds of the forest echoed through Hollyheart's ears. She opened her eyes, and gasped in astonishment. Hollyheart was standing in the clearing of ThunderClan camp, and stars gleamed in the sky. But she was surprised that there was no moon.

Hollyheart stared at the sky for a moment, her eyes clouded in confusion. It looked as though the stars were moving in a circular line, dancing in the night sky.

Her thoughts were justified as the stars came towards her. Their bright lights grew brighter, until they almost blinding. But Hollyheart already knew what they were.

She stood still, and awaited for the stars to descend. And they did. Hollyheart gasped when she recognized Lightningpaw, the apprentice who had been murdered by Snakeclaw, Brackenfur, her former mentor and grandfather, Hazeltail, yet another cat who had been murdered by a ShadowClan warrior, and a few other cats who were lined up in the clearing.

The first cat to approach her was Spiderleg, the long-legged black warrior who had died during the battle. He pressed his muzzle to her forehead and murmured, "with this life, I give you courage and nobility. Use it wisely to help your Clan." Hollyheart gasped in shock as a painful flash of energy flared through her body, wrenching her muscles and chest. She tried her best not to yowl in pain, and had to clutch the ground with her claws.

By the time the pain lanced away, another cat took Spiderleg's place. It was Hazeltail. She did the same as Spiderleg and murmured, "with this life I give you loyalty, so that you know what is right." This life wasn't as painful as the last. Hollyheart was surprised when she felt a wave of love rush through her, and she realized who the cat was that Hazeltail loved. It was Thornclaw, Brackenfur's brother.

Hazeltail quickly joined the group of StarClan warriors. Hollyheart watched as Millie, the striped gray tabby who had died from greencough approached. Millie had grieved for a long time after Graystripe died, and Hollyheart believed that her death had led to that. "With this life, I give you justice, so that you may judge your Clan fairly." As she pressed her muzzle to Hollyheart's forehead, she felt a harsh flash rush through her. Hollyheart suddenly realized that Millie had always lived in fear, because of her kittypet roots. But she never thought of Millie as a weak cat. In fact, Hollyheart thought that Millie was the strongest after helping nurse her kits after Graystripe died.

As the pain was gone, Hollyheart found herself panting hard. How can I go on with this? She wondered as she tried to catch her breath. A new cat was coming to her, and this time it was Graystripe himself. His yellow eyes gleamed with excitement as he stared at her. "With this life, I give you endless energy, so that you may serve your Clan to the utmost." He pressed his muzzle to her forehead, and all of a sudden, Hollyheart felt as though she could run forever.

The light ebbed away, and Hollyheart stood up. She stared in surprise as Whitetail, the WindClan deputy padded to her. She had helped Whitetail when WindClan were short of prey. Thanks to her, WindClan was now hole and healthy. "With this life, I give you the urge to protect your Clan as though it were your kits." She pressed her muzzle to Hollyheart's forehead, and she pressed forward eagerly. But what Hollyheart thought would be enjoyable, ended up being horrifying. She gasped in shock as she felt claws rake her back, as though a cat were desperately trying to protect itself. Now she understood what this meant. Whitetail had wanted to protect her Clan so fiercely that she was willing to give her life for it, which was what she had done.

She shook herself as Lightningpaw approached her. The young apprentice's eyes gleamed with starlight, and she suddenly looked wise beyond age. "Lightningpaw I'm so sorry," Hollyheart mewed. She wished that she could have helped Lightningpaw. The pale ginger she-cat could have been a strong, brave warrior, but instead she died under the claws and teeth of Snakeclaw. Anger surged through her as she remembered the dark brown tabby. She would make sure that no cat would ever end up like him, again.

But Lightningpaw flicked her tail over Hollyheart's mouth. "Hush," she whispered. "It could not be stopped." She stepped forward and pressed her muzzle on Hollyheart's forehead, making the black she-cat relax. "With this life, I give you the gift of mentoring cats. Use it wisely to guide your Clan." As pain lashed out on Hollyheart, she felt a pain sharper then when she felt Whitetail's life. Is this what Lightningpaw felt when Snakeclaw killed her? She wondered as she winced from the sharp pain.

Lightningpaw was quickly replaced by Brackenfur, whose eyes gleamed with so much pride that Hollyheart was sure he would burst from it. "With this life, I give you the gift of love. Use it to help guide Silverpaw and Pepperpaw." He pressed his muzzle to her forehead, and Hollyheart felt a hot wave of friendship flash through her. She was almost sad when she found that the flash was edging away.

Soon Leafpool took Brackenfur's place. The light brown tabby stared at her for a few heartbeats, and pressed her muzzle close to her fur. "Leafpool, I am sorry for what has happened to you," Hollyheart mewed.

Leafpool flicked her ears as if she didn't hear. "With this life, I give you the gift of compassion, so that you may look beyond Clan boundaries when there is trouble ahead." Her amber eyes gleamed as she pressed her muzzle to Hollyheart's muzzle. She felt a feeling of longing rush through her. Hollyheart's sight was almost blinded by it. What did Leafpool long for? She wondered as she gasped for air. But when Hollyheart looked up, she saw Leafpool padding towards a dark gray cat. And that cat was Crowfeather, a warrior from WindClan, who was sitting next to a light gray she-cat with bright blue eyes.

The cat who came up next almost made Hollyheart shudder with grief. She felt as though a stone had formed in her chest. Bramblestar had been around even before she was born. How could she cope with leading the Clan, when she couldn't even bare to stare at the face of her leader?

But as Bramblestar stepped forward, she felt a wave of grattitude. Hollyheart braced herself as he pressed his muzzle close to her forehead. "I knew I was right to choose you as my deputy," he whispered. "You were a young kit, who acted out when times were tough. But now you are a leader." Bramblestar's eyes gleamed with pride as he pressed his muzzle to her forehead. "With this life, I give you certainty and faith, so that you may lead the Clan in the way of the warrior code and all of your nine lives."

This life was not as painful as Hollyheart would have expected. And it surprised her when it quickly ebbed away. Hollyheart stared at her paws as the nine cats who had given her lives sat in front of her. "We must call you by your new name, for it no longer stands for what you are. From now on, you will be known as Hollystar." It sounded as if all of them had spoken at once, and Hollystar couldn't help but try out her new name.

"Hollystar! Hollystar!" The StarClan cats chanted.

Hollystar lifted her chin and gazed at them proudly. She closed her eyes for a couple of heartbeats, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself crouching in front of the Moonpool.

Rainshower was staring at her with wide eyes, and he padded over to her side. "How did it go Hollyheart?" He asked.

The black she-cat narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "It's Hollystar now," she answered cooly.

The blue-gray tom purred, unaware of the coolness in her tone. Hollystar flicked her tail and rose to her paws. She knew that she would have to appoint a new deputy soon - it would be completely against the warrior code if she did not.

"Come on, I want to get back," she meowed.

The two of them bounded through the forest in silence. As tired as she felt after recieving her nine lives, Hollystar was desperate to get back home. She wanted to see her mother, her mate, and her kits again. And she wanted to see her Clanmates.

By the time they reached camp, the moon slowly fell. Hollystar was surprised to see that Cragfur and Whitewing were guarding the camp entrance. The two of them looked at Hollystar and dipped their heads. She returned their gesture and padded into the clearing.

Everyone was still asleep, so Hollystar decided that this would be a good time to think of who her next depuy would be.

Just as she was about to head towards the warriors' den, she heard Rainshower cough slightly. Hollystar's fur prickled in embarrassment as she realized that she should have gone into the leaders' den.

The black she-cat padded towards it. When she poked her head in the entrance, she saw that either Silverpaw or Pepperpaw had laid out a mossy nest for her, and they caught a mouse as well. I will have to thank them for it, she thought as she looked at it.

She curled up in her nest after she finished eating the mouse; her stomache had been roaring in hunger the whole night. As a deputy going to recieve her nine lives, Hollystar had been told that they were not supposed to eat before they got to the Moonpool. So now that her belly was filled, she could think better.

Hollystar curled her tail over her nose, trying to warm it up. She felt uncomfortable being in such a small, empty den. Especially considering this was where Bramblestar had slept for so many moons.

She quickly went over the list of cats who would make great deputies. Brightheart would make a good choice, but most cats would give her a hard time, especially with the fact that she was blind in one eye. Kerntail would also make a good choice, but she was also young, and she might not want the job that meant so much to a Clan. Then a thought occured to her.

There was one cat who deserved the position more then anything. Hollystar had seen her work harder then any cat, and it made her fur prickle with anticapation. She couldn't wait to see the look on the cats' face when she discovered her plan. She soon fell asleep, satisfied with her decision.