Sparrow Fur took a deep breath as she looked up at the gaping hole of Mothermouth. It'd been a few days since the fire, which wasn't nearly as bad as the clan had feared. It got the camp, but for the most part was just a smokefest.
"Are you ready?" asked Acorn Fur.
"...do I really need my lives so soon?"
"We've already walked all the way up here, Sparrow Fur, you're getting your lives if I have to knock you out myself."
Sparrow Fur let out a mrrow of amusement, then sighed. "Okay. Fine. ...what was it like with Skystar?"
"I don't know, I didn't get his lives with him. Looked like it hurt."
Sparrow Fur shuddered and Acorn Fur touched her white tail-tip to the bridge of her muzzle. "The tunnel is small and dark," she informed, "Don't lose me." Sparrow Fur nodded and slowly, Acorn Fur padded forward. For a while it was comfortable, but soon the walls started to press inward, touching the ends of her whiskers. Light taps echoed on the stone as their whiskers brushed against the cold stone, but after several more steps, the tunnel grew again and Sparrow Fur saw a stone the height of a tree. Moonlight seeped into the den, lighting up the place.
"Come on," Acorn Fur mewed, "Once it's moonhigh it's blindingly bright."
"What do I do?"
"Just go up and place your nose to it. StarClan will take you soon enough."
Sparrow Fur nodded and followed Acorn Fur's example. Paws shaking, she laid down next to the stone and placed her nose to the ice-cold surface. Acorn Fur wrapped her tail around her haunches, but Sparrow Fur was only faintly aware. The blackness of her eyelids was quickly being replaced with a forest, leaves of trees dark blue with stars in each. Ranks of starry cats then appeared in front of her.
"Welcome Sparrow Fur," came a voice she faintly recognized. Blinking, she saw her own striking image staring back at her.
"Mom!" she yowled, tumbling into her.
"Sparrow Fur! Sparrow Fur!" Turtle Tail cried, licking her head. Sparrow Fur could've stayed in her mother's paws forever, but after one more lick to her eye, Turtle Tail shoved her off and stood. She placed her nose to Sparrow Fur's, who let out a whimper.
"With this life I give you a mother's love."
A scene unfolded before Sparrow Fur's eyes. Turtle Tail sat in the nursery, kits playing around. Then they were gone, and Turtle Tail was running, up toward the Thunderpath. Sparrow Fur dug her claws into the ground, eyes going wide and letting out a breath as she felt a monster tumble into her side and across her body.
Next came a calico, sweeping her head under Turtle Tail's chin before Turtle Tail stepped away.
"My name is Bumble," she mewed, "I lived with your father and Turtle Tail when she was a kittypet." Sparrow Fur nodded, "With this life I give you compassion." Claws sank into Sparrow Fur's pelt, but she couldn't see who- or what- was making them. She blinked and next thing her knew, she was sitting in Turtle Tail's paws. Coming back to StarClan, a gray cat was in front of her.
"Dad?"
Gray Wing nodded. "With this life I give you selflessness," her chest was tight, so tight she felt like her bones would shatter in on themselves. Gray Wing licked the space between her eyes, and the pain was gone.
Next was Bright Stream, who brushed her tail under Skystar's chin before coming up to Sparrow Fur. She gave her a life for trusting her clan, and Sparrow Fur felt the ground leave from under her paws and claws dug deep into her back. Then was Petal, who's pain felt like Gray Wing's but stuffier, giving her the life of bravery. Next was Micah, who gave farsightedness. Then was Tiny Branch, who gave happiness. Then was Birch, who's life was loyalty. Finally Skystar stepped up, dipping his head to her.
"With this life I give you confidence."
Sparrow Fur expected it to be the drowning, but no, it was worse than that. First came claws across her throat, then what felt like a thousand sharp, heavy stones on her leg. Claws across her shoulder, claws down her stomach, claws, claws, claws…
Sparrow Fur knew Skystar didn't lose all his lives in battle and that no clan cat was that ferocious. Regaining her senses, she managed to look up to Skystar. Once she saw that his eyes were averted away from her, away from the crowd, she knew exactly what all that pain was. Skystar sighed.
"No matter. Your old life is no more, you have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you guardianship of SkyClan. Defend it well, care for young and old, honor your ancestors, live each life with pride and dignity. I hail you by your new name, Sparrowstar!"
"Spar-row-star! Spar-row-star!"
(...)
"Spar-row-star! Spar-row-star!"
Sparrowstar lifted her chin as her clan called her name around her. She stepped down from the Highbranch, next to Acorn Fur.
"Who will you appoint as deputy?" she asked. Sparrowstar looked around the crowd. Thorn had always been quite the helpful cat, but Thorn had always been quite the ambitious cat. Her gaze drifted to the tan tabby in front of the nursery. Sparrowstar tapped her shoulder to Acorn Fur.
"I'm going to take Flower Foot and tell the other clans about Skystar's death. I'll see if she accepts."