Hello hello hello!
just a couple of things:
1)I've started up a new fic featuring some canon characters! It's called aftermath, and it's a fic that looks at the after effects of traumatic events. The first chapter is on crowfeather. I'm taking requests on it so feel free to offer some!
2)One of the characters in this has only popped up like once in this fic, and in chapter three at that, but they're in a one-shot i did a while ago - just check my profile for 'flamespirit's cult.'
review Replies:
Guest: Foxstar's death made you sad? 0.0 i laughed lol
Mintflight0245: I AM REALLY SORRY BUT I HAD TO. and out of context that sounds TERRIFYING lol.
ReadingEevee: Sorry! D: and there's a few more chapters left - if you have any ideas for one-shots within this universe i'd be happy to do those!
SomeStormLeaf: PLOT REASONS I AM VERY SORRY. Poor everyone :(( and yay! Foxstar is dead, but unfortunately Moonscar has to be leader. Not as cool.
Crystalshine of Lightclan: hehehe i am really sorry but they both had to die. And oh nooo next you're going to spam 500 youtube links. (just kidding lol.)
Dragonbreathjr: hope ur login issues are fixed now! And woooo conspiracy theory o.o. And obab is ending soon? Ish? But i'M DEFO WRITING ONE-SHOTS AND STUFF IN THIS UNIVERSE I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS TOO MUCH NOT TO.
SilentsongOvO: bold of u to assume she'd make it to starclan. Just kidding, she does. And yes! Moonstar! The amount of times i've almost typed moonstar this fic,,,
And yes. Just the dead niece, and dead leader. Very relaxing.
Anyways, onwards with the chapter! Feel free to review and pm me. Also feel free to join my forum, Fallenclan!
"I'm not going." Moonscar snapped stubbornly, her fur standing up. She felt like she'd been doing this back-and-forth with Daffodilheart for moons, but when she glanced outside, the sun had hardly moved in the sky. It was still dipping just behind the camp, reminding her that her decision would have to come soon.
Her uncle huffed loudly. "Moonscar. You're the deputy. Foxstar is dead, so you take her place. It's the way it was for her, and it's-"
"- the way it should be for me, yeah, I know." She hissed, her tail lashing. "But I don't want it to be. I can't lead my clan. Not like this."
"You have to." Daffodilheart sighed. He sounded exasperated. Moonscar didn't blame him.
She was beginning to think that she should just accept her fate. If she chose a capable enough deputy, surely she wouldn't have to do much? Just hold ceremonies, and talk at gatherings. She could handle that. Surely.
"You'll come with me? To the moonpool?" She asked, admitting defeat. Daffodilheart's green eyes met hers, and he nodded.
"I'd be a lousy medicine cat if I didn't." He mewed, and Moonscar half-chuckled. She couldn't let herself feel too joyful. She could still feel Finchpaw's death, raw on her skin, like a rabbit burrowing away at her heart. It was strange how little she cared that Foxstar was dead, despite knowing her for seasons more than Finchpaw. Indeed, when she'd sat beside Foxstar's body, feeling it growing cold, she'd longed to bury her nose in Finchpaw's fur. But she had to keep up appearances. For the clan's sake.
"Who should I choose as deputy?" She asked, tilting her head. Daffodilheart's brow furrowed.
"A warrior older than you. Choose someone experienced." He suggested, and Moonscar nodded. She padded towards the exit to the medicine cat's den. It was nowhere near Moonhigh, but she'd rather leave a deputy in charge of the clan. And there was always the chance something bad could happen to her on her way to the Moonpool - bad luck seemed to follow her at every turn.
When Moonscar slipped out of the medicine cat's den, and leaped upon the highledge, she was sure of her choice. She'd pick Smokeshadow, or Pebblepelt. One of the cats who had been around for moons. She cleared her throat loudly, and the clan looked up at her. Nightlark's amber eyes were dull with grief. Moonscar could dimly remember that her and Foxstar were littermates - surely, once Dawnpaw's training had finished, Nightlark would have to join the elders.
Moonscar stood up on the highledge, looking down at the clan. Her clan, she realised. She was leader of Thunderclan now. It still didn't seem quite real. She let her gaze flicker over all the cats she knew and loved - Sheepskip, staring up at her adoringly, Emberlight, hunched over, curled into Sparrowthorn's side. Berryfoot was sitting alongside Heatherskip, grooming her deep wound reassuringly. Moonscar looked up at the sky. The sunset was approaching, and she could see the faintest trace of stars on the horizon.
She looked down at the foot of the highledge, where Foxstar and Finchpaw's bodies lay, side by side. She glanced back up, and caught Sparrowthorn's eye. The tom seemed smaller in his grief, his green eyes shrunken and dim. He blinked up at her, and looked longingly over at Finchpaw's body, tiny and limp on the floor. Moonscar nodded, a movement so miniscale only Sparrowthorn noticed. She knew what to do.
"I say these words before Starclan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice." She mewed strongly, her voice cutting into the quiet night air. Usually, Thunderclan would be chattering away, but the atmosphere was thick with mourning, and an unshiftable sadness. "The new deputy of Thunderclan is Sparrowthorn."
With that, she leapt down from the highledge, and brushed past her clan. She felt like she had to get to the Moonpool now. She couldn't stop to deal with the murmurs of the clan echoing behind her. She allowed herself a glance, and saw Sparrowthorn, with a small, sad smile fixed on his face. Emberlight wasn't smiling, but her eyes were brighter than they were earlier, and she had her tail entangled with Sparrowthorn's. Moonscar dipped her head to Sheepskip, who nodded back. She wouldn't be able to speak to him until she had finished at the Moonpool. It would be just her and Daffodilheart, tonight.
She lingered at the exit, meeting Sheepskip's gaze once again. He smiled weakly at her, and that was all she needed. She could get through her ceremony with Sheepskip's smile fixed in her mind's eye.
The walk to the Moonpool was little more than a blur. Daffodilheart tried to talk to her, but she brushed him off, just powering onwards. She didn't want to talk. He eventually understood that.
They didn't run into any other clans, which Moonscar was thankful for. If they'd run into Skyclan, she didn't think she'd be able to control herself. Forget Foxstar, she'd tear any Skyclan warrior she found apart limb by limb for what they did to Finchpaw. It was no less than what they deserved.
The moon was shining brightly in the sky by the time they'd arrived. Wordlessly, Moonscar padded forward, and pushed her nose to the cold water of the pool. She drank quickly, and deeply. The water tasted fresh, like liquid starlight. She sighed, and curled up in a ball, sinking into sleep.
When she awoke, everything was glowing. She screwed up her eyes tightly, wincing from the sudden light. Secretly, she was quite confused. When she'd visited the Moonpool before, after Sheepskip's injury, everything had been dim and dark. Not this. Not now. When she opened her eyes again, the figures of the cats surrounding her were distinct and gleaming with starlight. When the first cat stepped forward to speak, their voice was as clear as the water she had drank. No echoing, far away whispers.
"Dad!" She mewed joyfully. It was Sharpgaze, his fur no longer matted, and his eyes no longer dull and unseeing. He was young again, and his coat shined, as did his eyes.
"Moonscar." He said proudly, blinking fondly at her. He padded up to her, and rested his nose on her forehead, right on the white marking that gave her her name. "With this life, I give you strength. Strength is already present in you, but you will always need more of it." He mewed, glancing down at her scarred eye. She looked away. She hadn't felt ashamed of her injury for many moons, but the close scrutiny was making her feel self-conscious. "Use it well, both within yourself, and to defend your clan." He said, and Moonscar felt the sheer strength flowing within her. It burnt, but she felt like she could fight it off. She felt as though she could decimate an entire Skyclan patrol. She was unstoppable.
Sharpgaze stepped away, and his eyes communicated something unreadable to her. The smile had dropped from his face - indeed, he looked worried. That look was forgotten quickly by Moonscar, when she saw the cat who took his place. Her mother glided forward, young and lithe. She brushed Sharpgaze's back with her tail as she walked past, and Moonscar felt overjoyed to see her parents reunited.
She didn't exclaim to her mother, instead she pushed forward, and met Lilyflower in an embrace. She didn't smell like she always had - the Thunderclan scent had dropped from her. Instead, she smelt like a mixture of the clans, mixed with something flowery. She stepped backwards, and waited for her next life.
Lilyflower pressed her muzzle to her forehead, and murmured something that Moonscar didn't quite catch. "With this life, I give you love." She mewed, her voice loud and clear. "Use it for your clan. Give love to the youngest kit, and the oldest elder. Show love to all cats." She said, and Moonscar's heart was set alight with a rush of emotion. It stung, and she gasped out loud. Was this how Emberlight had felt when she had seen Finchpaw's body? If it was, she didn't know how'd she'd cope if something happened to her and Sheepskip's kits, when she did have them.
Lilyflower stepped backwards, a small, secretive smile fixed to her face. She winked at Moonscar,and stood alongside Sharpgaze.
The next cat to step forward was a surprise. It was Snowflight, the elder who had always been so kind to Moonscar. She hadn't restored herself to her youthful state, she was slightly more springy on her feet that Moonscar was used to, and that was all. She padded up to Moonscar, and with no further introduction, pressed her nose to Moonscar's forehead. "With this life, I give you knowledge." She purred. "Use it to guide your clan wisely, and use it to teach the younger cats well." She mewed, and Moonscar felt like she was in the middle of a blizzard. Wind pushed at her from all directions, and she saw every nursery story she'd ever been told - the rise and fall of Tigerclan, the legend of the Three, Flamespirit leading her ragtag group of cats. She blinked, and the wind was gone. Her fur felt cold, and she was frozen to the bone.
Snowflight turned around, and headed backwards, joining up with Lilyflower. Moonscar widened her eyes, trying to make out who the next cat would be. She left out a faint squeak when she saw who it was. Ravenwing tiptoed gracefully forward, her black fur sleek and shiny. She dipped her head towards Moonscar, and she inclined her own back.
"Moonscar." She purred. "With this life, I give you forgiveness." Moonscar's brow pinched at that, thinking back to her old turmoils with Emberlight. "Use it to move on from old incidents, and repair your clan." She explained, and Moonscar felt in pain, purely in pain, from the strength of that life. Forgiving someone was one of the hardest things she would ever have to do.
Ravenwing slipped backwards, and the next cat skipped forward, paws as light on the floor as a feather. Moonscar's face lit up with joy when she saw the face of her niece, her body untarnished with the ugly wounds that had covered her when she'd saw her last. She pushed her face into her apprentice's shoulder, letting out a sob at how small the she-cat was. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there." She mumbled. Finchpaw stepped back, and took in Moonscar's expression. To the russet she-cat's delight, she didn't seem angry. She didn't seem too happy, but she wasn't angry at Moonscar.
"With this life, I give you ever lasting energy." She mewed, and the life hit Moonscar early. She felt like she could run a thousand rabbit-lengths within a heart-beat. She raised her head, pressing up into Finchpaw's muzzle. "Use it to guide your clan, and lead them tirelessly." When Moonscar looked back at Finchpaw, she seemed taller. Older, somehow. Like she'd given up her youth for that life.
Moonscar didn't recognise the next cat to trapse forward. It was a tom, dark ginger in colour, with brown speckles along his back. He walked with a slight limp, his back leg clearly lame. He met her curious gaze with sharp green eyes, and smiled. "My name is Mothburn." He explained, and Moonscar could recall a day, many, many seasons ago, in the elder's den. Mothburn was the brother of Flamespirit, and he'd died under the paws of his own sister. Just because he had an injured leg… which he still seemed to have.
"With this life I give you acceptance." He mewed, pressing his nose to her forehead. He seemed less solid than the other cats. Moonscar could hardly feel his nose on her head, but Starclan, she could feel the weight of the life sinking into her. She felt like she was watching from afar, as that hawk sunk its talons into her back, and then her eye. She trembled, reliving the pain that bird had caused her. She blinked back up at Mothburn. "Accept yourself, how you are, and you'll be able to accept others." He said, and stepped backwards.
Blearily, Moonscar could recall that she'd have three lives left. Her paws felt weak- like she was about to sink into the ground. She didn't think she'd be able to stand for the next three lives, let alone accept them.
The next cat to step forward was also a shock. It was Slatestar, the former leader of Windclan, and Sheepskip's grandfather. He was standing tall, and strong, no longer the weakened leader she was used to. He stood there, almost regally, waiting for her to come to him. She slunk forward, every pawstep painful. "With this life, I give you loyalty." He rumbled, and once again, the life seeped into her early. She felt a deep sense of dedication to her clan, and the pain that came with having to do unspeakable things, just to protect them. She nodded, and tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. "Use it both for your family, and for your clan." He said, stepping backwards.
The next cat to dart gracefully forward was Bearheart, the deputy before Moonscar. He was as small as he was in life, but not shrunken in on himself. He seemed springy, and his green eyes were wide. "With this life, I give you resilience." He mewed. "Use it to work endlessly for your clan." He said, and Moonscar nodded, trying to push past the pain. The ache in her paws was intense, but her heart was screaming at her to ignore it, to continue with the ceremony. She knew that was what would be accepted from her in the moons to come.
When he fell in line with the other seven cats who had come before him, she sighed with relief. She only had one life left. She could deal with that.
Foxstar, the former leader of Thunderclan, stepped forward, and Moonscar shivered. She'd been expecting Foxstar, but to see her the way she could remember as a kit, with gleaming ginger fur, and intelligent, clear green eyes, it brought her back. The leader pushed forward, and roughly pushed her nose onto Moonscar's forehead. "With this life, I trust you to put Thunderclan above all else." She mewed, and in Moonscar's mind's eye, she could see Sheepslip, and his clumsy smile falling away, as she towered high above him. He merged into a dozen different cats, and she blinked, watching them merge into a blurry collective. Thunderclan was one, and she'd protect them all. "Use it to protect Thunderclan until your dying breath."
(Moonscar thought that the 'dying breath' bit was slightly unnecessary, but Foxstar was bound to slip something awful in there.)
Foxstar stepped backwards, and joined the other eight cats. She stepped next to Ravenwing, who smiled at the former leader with something Moonscar couldn't quite trace in her eyes. Something way beyond the usual medicine cat-leader relationship.
Before she could ponder it too much, Foxstar was talking again. She sounded bored, which made Foxstar stifle a chuckle. Why had Starclan chosen Foxstar to conduct this bit of the ceremony? "I hail you by your new name, Moonstar." Foxstar drawled, and Moonstar felt something hit her in the chest, as hard and as fast as a lightning bolt. When she glanced down, she saw she had a white marking on her chest, like the colour had been sucked from her fur.
"Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and Starclan grants you guardianship of Thunderclan." Foxstar continued. "Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity." She concluded, and Moonstar nodded.
The quiet clearing was suddenly filled with noise. The assembled Starclan cats began calling her new name out, as loud as they could. Moonstar could make out Finchpaw's eager mew distinctly, and she smiled. She let her eyes close, and waited, expecting to wake up back by the Moonpool.
When she opened her eyes, her nose twitched. The air reeked with rot, and it was dark. She was back… wherever this was. And she could hear the whispers. Starclan, she could finally hear the whispers. She backed off, eyes wide with fear.
"She let them all die. Get revenge." They hissed, and Moonstar didn't need a medicine cat to tell her who the whispers were talking about.
here we gooooooooo
this chapter is like 2.8k idk what happened, but i hope you enjoyed! i've never written a leadership ceremony before, and i hope it was alright!
anyways here's an updated allegiances !
Thunderclan
Leader:
Moonstar - Large russet-brown she-cat. She has a missing eye, and a large scar over that eye. She has a small scar next to her other eye, and another scar on her mouth. She has a crescent moon shape on her forehead, and white ear-tips and paws. Mates with Sheepskip.
Deputy:
Sparrowthorn- Brown tabby tom with a white underbelly and piercing green eyes.
Medicine cat:
Daffodilheart - Long furred pale yellow tom with green eyes.
Medicine cat apprentice:
Bramblepaw - Brown tabby she-cat with a white underbelly and green eyes.
Warriors:
Smokeshadow- Dark grey tom with amber eyes. Father to Maplethroat's kits.
Hawkclaw- Sturdy dark- brown she-cat with lighter stripes and amber eyes. Mates with Spiderspring.
Pebblepelt- Light grey she-cat with brown eyes and grey splotches.
Emberlight- Dark orange she-cat with brown flecks. She has a light marking on her chest, and darker markings on her ear-tips and muzzle. She has amber eyes. Sparrowthorn's mate, and mother to Bramblepaw, Dawnpaw and Sunpaw.
Nightlark- Black she-cat with sharp amber eyes.
Apprentice: Dawnpaw.
Dovefoot - Light grey she-cat with soft blue eyes. Mates with Maplethroat.
Apprentice: Sunpaw
Bubblewhisper - Grey she-cat with blue eyes. She has white paws and a white underbelly.
Spiderspring - Dusky grey-brown tom with amber eyes. He has a white tail-tip, and long legs. Mates with Hawkclaw.
Heatherskip - Pretty dappled grey she-cat. She has blue eyes.
Berryfoot - Lithe black she-cat with amber eyes and white paws.
Sheepskip - Fluffy white tom with amber eyes. Mates with Moonstar.
Larksong - Elderly light brown she-cat with green eyes.
Apprentices:
Dawnpaw - Gold tom with white blotches and amber eyes.
Sunpaw - Light ginger tom with green eyes.
Queens:
Maplethroat - Pretty ginger she-cat with green eyes. Mates with Dovefoot. Mother to Fogkit, Smokekit and Mistkit.
Kits:
Fogkit- Dark grey tom with amber eyes.
Smokekit- Light grey she-cat with green eyes.
Mistkit - Pale white tom with ginger patches and amber eyes. Deaf.
Elders:
Badgereye - Black and white tom. He has one missing eye. His remaining eye is green.
Windclan
Leader:
Stormstar - Small grey tom with green eyes.
Deputy:
Emberpelt - Orange and black she-cat with amber eyes.
Medicine cat:
Tawnyheart - Brown-and-white she-cat with amber eyes
Medicine cat apprentice:
Hoppaw - Dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
Warriors:
Wolfthroat - Dark grey tom with amber eyes. Mates with Bluefrost.
Bluefrost - Grey tom with blue eyes and white paws. Mates with Wolfthroat.
Apprentice: Sootpaw
Dawnblossom - White she-cat with green eyes and black paws. Mother of Sheepskip, Driftsong and Rabbitstep, and adoptive mother to Berryfoot.
Beeripple - Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes. Mates with Dawnblossom.
Driftsong - Light brown she-cat with green eyes. Mother to Hoppaw, Sootpaw and Harepaw.
Rabbitstep - Large dark brown tom with amber eyes.
Applesnarl - Dusky brown she-cat with amber eyes.
Acorndance - White she-cat with brown patches and green eyes.
Apprentice: Rabbitpaw
Featherclaw - Sandy brown tom with yellow eyes. Mates with Driftsong.
Apprentices:
Sootpaw - Sandy brown she-cat with amber eyes.
Rabbitpaw - Small brown tom with green eyes.
Queens:
Goldenpoppy - Pretty yellow-white she-cat with yellow eyes. Mother to the late Stagpounce's kits: Tumblekit, Stonekit and Slatekit. Her first litter included Applesnarl, Acorndance and Featherclaw.
Kits:
Tumblekit - Pretty white she-cat with amber eyes.
Stonekit - Grey tabby tom with green eyes.
Slatekit - White tom with amber eyes.
Elders:
Deerfeather - Brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
Riverclan:
Leader:
Whitestar - Sleek white tom with blue eyes.
Deputy:
Blacknose - White she-cat with a black muzzle and paws. She has amber eyes. Mates with Whitestar. Mother to Rosekit, Duckkit and Bramblekit.
Medicine cat:
Firedance - Soft ginger she-cat with wide brown eyes.
Medicine cat apprentice:
Shadepaw - Ginger and white she-cat with grey-blue eyes.
Warriors:
Flintspiral - Dark grey tom with green eyes. Mates with Crowfall.
Crowfall - Black she-cat with amber eyes. Mates with Flintspiral, and mother to Amberslice, Firedance and Splashnose. Her second litter includes Shadepaw and Houndpaw.
Tigersnarl - Small light brown tom with amber eyes. Heavily scarred.
Amberslice- Light ginger she-cat with amber eyes. She is covered in black specks.
Splashnose- Dusky grey-brown tom with brown eyes.
Apprentice: Houndpaw.
Cricketsong - Brown she-cat. She has brown eyes, and her hearing is not great.
Snowpool- White tom with grey eyes.
Apprentices:
Houndpaw - Broad shoulder brown tom with sharp green eyes.
Queens:
Bramblemist - Light brown she-cat with amber eyes. Elderly she-cat seeing out her warrior days as a permanent queen.
Kits:
Rosekit - Cream ragdoll she-cat with light blue eyes.
Duckkit - Cinnamon, ginger and brown calico she-cat with green eyes.
Bramblekit - Dappled cinnamon she-cat with sharp green eyes.
Elders:
Breezefrost - White she-cat with blue eyes. Deaf.
Shadowclan:
Leader:
Nettlestar - Muscular grey she-cat with brown eyes. She is mates with Swiftrunner, and mother to Quailflight and Brambleface.
Deputy:
Hawkshade - Light brown tom with green eyes. Adoptive father to Batflight.
Medicine cat:
Hollyflank - Black she-cat with green eyes. She has a white patch on her chest, and white paws.
Medicine cat apprentice:
Batflight - Large black tom with wide amber eyes. He has a torn ear.
Warriors:
Swiftrunner - Black and white tom with blue eyes.
Pebblepad - White tom with brown patches. Green eyes. Mates with Robinspot.
Waspfire - Ginger and black she-cat with amber eyes. Mates with Pearspirit, and mother to Mistlight and Shredstorm.
Mistlight - Pale brown she-cat with green eyes and dark brown spots.
Shredstorm - Dark ginger tom with amber eyes.
Stormspirit - Dark grey tom with blue eyes.
Pigeonflutter - White she-cat with dark brown patches and green eyes. Mother of Hawkpaw, and mates with Shreadstorm.
Apprentices:
Hawkpaw - Huge grey tom with green eyes.
Queens:
Robinspot - Dark ginger she-cat with a paler ginger underbelly. She has round blue eyes. She is mates with Pebblepad, and is mother to Stormspirit and Pigeonflutter. Her second litter includes Lionkit and Otterkit.
Kits:
Lionkit - Large yellow-white tom with yellow eyes.
Otterkit - Russet brown she-cat with brown eyes.
Elders:
Ashwhisper - Light grey she-cat speckled with darker grey spots. She has green eyes. She is mates with Quailflight.
Quailflight - Dark grey she-cat with amber eyes. She is mates with Ashwhisper.
Skyclan:
Leader:
Swanstar - Elegant white tom with wide blue eyes. He has grey back legs and a grey tail-tip.
Deputy:
Cherrycloud - Pretty pale ginger she-cat with amber eyes.
Medicine cat:
Mossstep - Grey tom with green eyes.
Medicine cat apprentice:
Lightpaw - Fluffy light ginger she-cat with amber eyes.
Warriors:
Mothwish - Black tom with amber eyes. Father of Fallentail and Stormwind.
Palewing - Light brown tom with amber eyes. Mates with Fireflank.
Fireflank - Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes. Mates with Palewing, and mother to Littlescar and Flywing
Sandfur - Pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes. Mother of Lightpaw and Smogpaw.
Mouseclaw - Dark brown tom with grey eyes.
Blacksmoke - Black tom with green eyes.
Littlescar- Small ginger tom with green eyes.
Flywing - Brown tabby tom with amber eyes. Mates with Sandfur.
Fallentail - Large white she-cat with a stumpy tail, and blue eyes.
Stormwind - Grey tom with amber eyes.
Apprentices:
Smogpaw - Small yellow tom with grey-black eyes.
Queens:
Rapidslash - Black she-cat with amber eyes. Mother of Sandfur, Mouseclaw and Blacksmoke. She is pregnant with an unknown tom's kits.
Kits:
Elders:
Fawnfang - Dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes.