Chapter Two
I sat beneath the Moonstone, shivering in the cold air. I could sense Leafstorm close by me. In just a few moments, I would receive the nine lives of a leader.
Bramblestar was dead. I remembered him so well, old but fearless, my old mentor, my leader. Tigerstar's son. Bluestar, Firestar, Graystar, Bramblestar, all of them dead. I felt horrible. And now Glacierclaw would be given the name 'star,' and I would continue the generation of leaders.
I wondered vaguely how my Clan was doing. I had had three kits; Ashenwind, Spiraltail, and Nightcloud. They were all exceptional warriors, so strong and brave. The Clan had five apprentices, and that was very excellent, considering it was late leaf-bare. I had an apprentice by the name of Creampaw.
I squirmed a little, trying to get warm. Where were the dreams of StarClan? Had I messed up already?
I slowly squinted. At first, I saw darkness. But when I blinked, I was no longer sitting under the Moonstone. I was just below the Great Rock at Fourtress. How in StarClan's name had I gotten here?
I looked up at the sky, searching for a sign from StarClan. It took me a moment to realize that the stars…the stars were moving. Moving! In a swirling motion, they fell down to the ground, and the cats of StarClan descended down from the sky. I couldn't recognize them in the darkness.
"Welcome, Glacierclaw." A voice sounded, one that seemed to belong to all the cats I knew in my time. "Are you ready to receive your nine lives?"
I stared around at them. In a way, I was not ready at all. True, I was one of the oldest cats in the Clan, but I would never be ready for such a huge responsibility.
But the Clan was counting on me. So I nodded and mewed, "Yes."
Instantly, a large, white, long-haired tom rose to his feet. It took me a moment to recognize him. Cloudtail! Firestar's nephew bent to touch noses with me. He had died about eight moons ago from a ShadowClan patrol. With a voice much younger than what it used to sound like, Cloudtail whispered,
"With this life I give you courage. "Use it well in the defense of your Clan."
I felt a nasty burst of pain shoot through my ears to the tip of my tail. I must be receiving a life, I thought. My mind flickered to memories of bloody battles and hunting.
In an instant, the pain ended. Cloudtail was already padding away from me. A light brown tabby took his place.
It was Dustpelt. I could barely remember him. He had died almost four seasons ago, killed by greencough. Dustpelt's son, Spiderpelt, was my mate. He purred when he saw me and touched his nose to mine.
"With this life I give you justice," he mewed. "Use it well as you judge the actions of others."
I felt like I was being electrocuted as another spasm of pain wracked my body. Dustpelt stared at me with large amber eyes before moving away, allowing another cat to take his place. A small brown she-cat stepped forward.
I drank in the familiar scent of Mousefur. She, like Dustpelt, had been killed by greencough at the same time. I leaned forward, allowing my nose to touch hers.
"With this life I give you tireless energy," murmured Mousefur. "Use it well to carry out the duties of a leader."
Another pang of agony. I gripped the ground with my claws as I felt the sensation of running through the forest at top speed, after what seemed to be a rabbit…
Mousefur moved back into her position in the circle. A fourth cat walked toward me. At first, I thought it was my son, Nightcloud. But no, it was Ravenfur. He had died peacefully of old age. I barely remembered when Ravenfur came to the Clan; I had been an apprentice. That was so, so long ago.
The large black tom purred loudly, the two of us touching noses. "With this life I give you mentoring," he mewed. "Use it well to train the young cats of your Clan."
"Ahh!" I cried. I couldn't help it; I shut my mouth as soon as I realized it was screaming, but this life was so painful that I had to cry out. I had a sudden flash of Creampaw, my apprentice, grown up, strong and graceful.
Ravenfur licked my forehead before going back beside Mousefur. I waited for the next cat to come. When she appeared, I was shocked – it was Sandstorm, Firestar's mate. I remembered her dying in the heat of a territorial battle. Firestar had been there – he had slain the cat who had killed Sandstorm. I couldn't even remember the cat's name, but Firestar had been furious. I had never seen him look like that. Their kits, Squirreltail and Leafstorm, still lived on.
"With this life I give you protection," she murmured. "Use it well to care for your Clan as a mother cares for her kits."
I bit my tongue to stop myself from yowling out. I had a sudden flash in my mind of Ashenstar… Spiralstar… Nightstar… my kits had become leaders. I felt a glow of pride when I saw this.
Sandstorm gave me a reassuring look before heading back to the crowd of cats. I had four more lives to receive. The first was our old medicine cat – Cinderpelt. The small gray she-cat with a crippled leg limped forward, and awkwardly sat in front of me. Leafstorm, her apprentice, had been distraught when she had died of blackcough.
"With this life I give you compassion," whispered Cinderpelt. "Use it well for all the elders in your Clan, and the sick, and all those weaker than yourself."
All the lives before had been painful. But this one was a burst of confidence, reassurance. Love. I purred happily, wishing the other lives could have been like this.
Cinderpelt nodded to me, wishing me good luck, and another cat took her place.
It was Graystar. The long-haired gray tom sat in front of me, restored to his youth. I remembered his kits, Feathertail and Stormfur. Sadly, both of them were gone, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were among the cats here. Graystar had died quite a while ago by a dog attack and Bramblestar had taken his position as a leader.
Graystar touched his nose with mine. "With this life I give you loyalty to what you know to be right. Use it well to lead your Clan through times of trouble."
I winced, unprepared. This life was painful once again. I could just see myself making a great decision for the Clan, some of them nodding their heads and others staring at the ground in disagreement. The vision ended just as Graystar moved away, and a very familiar cat walked toward me and sat in the same spot as all the others.
I recognized him instantly. Firestar! This was the tom who had taken me in as a loner lost in the woods. I remembered the grudge I had had against him for leaving the Twoleg home so many seasons ago. Firestar's last life had been taken during a storm. A tree had fallen on him and Graystar had taken over.
Firestar sat before me, fearless and strong.
My old leader purred loudly and touched my nose. "With this life I give you love," he told me. "Use it well, for all the cats in your care."
There was no pain in this one at all, like Sandstorm's life. I was relieved. Bramblestar moved back into the line, and for a second I wondered if the ritual was over before a large tom walked toward me.
Bramblestar. I recognized his incredible dark brown coat, amber eyes. Like Graystar, he was restored to what I remembered him looking like. A terrible fight had broken out between ThunderClan and WindClan and the two leaders at that time, Robinstar and Bramblestar, had killed each other at the same time. Both had been on their last life.
"Welcome Glacierclaw," he mewed, "my apprentice, my warrior, and my deputy. I always knew you would make a great leader one day."
I dipped my head to accept this last life.
"With this life I give you nobility and certainty and faith. Use it well as you lead your Clan in the ways of StarClan and the warrior code."
I let out a small yowl that was quickly muffled for this life was more than painful. I sat there panting, so happy it was over.
"I hail you by your new name, Glacierstar," announced Bramblestar proudly. "Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of ThunderClan. Defend it well; care for the young and old; honor you ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."
"Glacierstar! Glacierstar!" yowled the cats of StarClan like any ordinary warrior ceremony.
But then…something happened. The ritual was interrupted. I looked up, startled, and recognized the horrible smell of smoke.
The Fourtress was on fire!
Flames flicked from all four trees, casting eerie shadows around me. I was terrified. Bramblestar turned toward me, fear in his eyes.
"The new leadership starts the prophecy," he whispered. "An old enemy will return in a unique form."
There was a sudden flash, and I was back in Mothermouth.
Sorry it's a little short…the next chapter will be pretty cool. Please review!