Chapter Twelve: Nine Lives

"Well," Windshadow said cheerfully. "I'm the son of an accursed cat, but at the same time, I think I've had pretty good behavior besides the whole-" He cut himself off, shooting a nervous glance at Littlecloud, who was looking slight suspicious.

"The whole what?"

"Other things!"

Littlecloud rolled his eyes as they approached the Moonpool. Windshadow had been nervously chattering the whole journey, and he was really getting sick of it.

"Now," He meowed. "Take a few laps of the water, and that should do it."

Obediently, Windshadow touched his tongue to the icy liquid, quickly taking a couple gulps. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them.

"Littlecloud?" He began nervously. "It isn't wo-"

That's when he realized that Littlecloud wasn't there. And that he still wasn't the only one in the area.

"Welcome, Windshadow."

He immediatly recognized Yellowfang.

"Guess it worked."

The old gray she-cat gave a rusty purr of amusement. "Windshadow," She said. "You have proved yourself worthy of becoming a leader, even though you are so young. You have trained to become the best you can be, and though there are... what did you call them? 'Other things'? you are still worthy of nine lives."

She stepped back into the ranks of Starclan.

Windshadow felt a stab of pain as a gray tabby shape padded up.

"Magpiepaw," He murmured. His brother, having died of sickness at such a young age... But Magpiepaw looked better than he had ever seen him. The smaller cat flicked Windshadow's shoulder with his tail.

"Brother," He meowed. "It is so nice to see you again."


"Same here," Windshadow croaked.

Without another word, Magpiepaw stood up taller-for he was shorter than Windshadow-and touched his nose to his brother's forehead.

"With this life I give you wisdome beyond your years," He announced. "Use it well for the difficulties ahead of you."

Windshadow felt a wrenching pain go through him. Memories flashed through his head. Memories of playing, but in Magpiepaw's point of view. It felt like a weight was one his chest, he was so weak...

"Father?"

"Eat these, Magpiepaw," Blackstar soothed. "They'll help you get better."

He rolled a few bright red, beautiful berries toward Magpiepaw. Two of them. The tabby dipped his head and began to eat...


Wait...

Why couldn't he move?


What was happening?

"Blackstar!" Magpiepaw cried out in pain. "Father..."


But Blackstar only stared, emotionless, as darkness swept over Magpiepaw.

Windshadow jerked his head up. "Blackstar..." He hissed. "Our father! He fed you deathberries!"

"He knew that nobody had told me what they were," Magpiepaw whispered, sorrow in his voice. "You were stronger son, Windshadow. The one he feared, and yet was proud of at the same time. I was a weakling, and it was perfect. Come to me at night..."

"You were his son..."


"In his eyes, I was a failure."

Without another word, Magpiepaw turned and left. Windshadow was breathing hard. How much more sorrow would he have to go through?

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Yellowfang murmured.

A second cat stepped forward, this one a tiny kit, no more than two moons old.

"Windshadow..." She breathed in a voice that was too mature for her.

"Er... no offense, but who are you?" Windshadow asked. He was a bit horrified and saddened to see a kit this small, a pretty little black and white she-kit, here in Starclan so young.

"I knew you wouldn't remember," The kit sighed, and looked up at him with milky blue eyes. "My name is Cottonkit. If... he... hadn't done what he did to me, I would be a warrior by now, Cottonbreath. Windshadow... Magpiepaw wasn't the only cat Blackstar killed."

Windshadow's eyes widened.

"You're my... my sister?" He croaked.

"Yes." She whispered. "Half sister. We met once, when he brought me to camp. But you were too young to remember. I was the kit Blackstar had with a rogue. He didn't want anybody to know he had sired anything but pure Shadowclan kits, so... he killed me. Just like he killed my mother. Another one of your queens had me for a while, and named me. But not for long."

Unable to take it anymore, Windshadow crouched low to get his second life.

"With this life I give you innocence. Never leave it behind, no matter who you love."

What Windshadow saw in that life he blocked out for the rest of his life.

His eyes widened as another younger cat stepped forward. Grief filled his voice as he spoke.

"Nectarfoot!"


She stepped closer to him. "Don't blame yourself, Windshadow. It was my time to go. I was sick, and I knew it, but I didn't want to tell anyone. The Twolegs knew I was sick, and they gave death to me in the easiest way. I felt no pain at all.:
"You mean they're taking the sick, and killing them?" Windshadow asked angrily. Nectarfoot shook her head.

"No. They take all cats they can."

"What do they do with them?"

"That I cannot tell you."

Without another word, she touched her nose to his forhead. "With this life I give you healing. Use it well for the ill."

More pain.

The next cat to come was Whitethroat, a cat from long ago. Windshadow had heard stories, and couldn't believe that this cat was giving him a life.

"Traitor!" He snarled. Whitethroat gave him pleading eyes.

"I made the wrong choice, Windshadow. I know that. Just give me a chance to give you a life that will teach you a lesson."


Windshadow sighed and obliged.

"With this life I give you good decisions. Do not make the bad ones I made."

Whitethroat's life was filled with fear, pain, and cofusion.

The next cat was Nightstar, the cat whose inability to ask for help caused his demise.

"With this life I give you learning. Never stop learning."

Nightstar's life was actually uneventful and painfully boring compared to the others', but Windshadow took it.

Next was Yellowfang. She stepped forward, slight sorrow in her eyes. Why?

"With this life I give you caring," She whispered. "Use it for the cats in your clan, and the ones out of it, if you know what I mean."

Fire flashed before Windshadow's eyes. He winced at the slight burning, but it was nothing compared to what Yellowfang really must have felt.

That's when two cats stepped forward that he had never expect to see.

One was Brokentail.

And the other was Blackstar.

"You aren't supposed to be here!" Snarled a warrior. Many cats spat as they passed.

"Wouldn't want to miss the most important ceremony of my son's life," Blackstar hissed.

"And I'm here to finally meet my best friend's kit," Brokentail agreed. Before any cat could do a thing, he stepped forward.

"With this life I give you battle skill," He said, eyes glittering. "Use it well."

Before Windshadow could dodge, he was receiving the life.

"It's too late!" One cat cried. "Now we must let them continue the ceremony!"

Blackstar padded up.

"My son. My only worthy kit. My murderer."

"You're the only murderer, fool!" Windshadow spat. "You killed your own kits!"


"Yes. And I'd do it again if I could," Blackstar snarled, touching his nose to his son's forhead.

"With this life I give you deception. Use it well for your enemies."

Windshadow wanted to reject the life, but he couldn't. It was too late. He opened his eyes, then glared at his father.

"Go back to your cursed hunting grounds. Both of you."


"You won't be the last cat to get lives from a cat who's not in Starclan," Blackstar spat before stalking off, Brokenstar at his side.

There was a long silence.

"We hail you by your new name, Windstar," Yellowfang whispered.

'WINDSTAR! WINDSTAR! WINDSTAR!"
xxx

R and R!

Next Chapter Info: Dreamcloud plagues Windstar with mood swings while he adjusts to life as leader, and Calicofur gets jealous, and wonders about the black tom she dreamed of.