Sparrowstar didn't have many other acts as leader. She made Beechpaw, Rowanpaw and Cherrypaw apprentices and she'd sent Quick Water to StarClan. Acorn Fur had been the one to name Dashtail.
It didn't seem very long at all before Birchpelt and Acorn Fur were heading toward the Moonstone. But it had been long, so long in fact that a different newleaf had come to the forest again. Sparrowstar lost her last life to the sickness that seemed to claim all of them the same day the snow started to melt. Now Birchpelt was making a journey in slush that turned her silver paws tan.
"My moons grow thin," Acorn Fur mewed, "I figure I'll be joining Owlstar, Hawk Swoop, Jackdaw's Cry and Sparrowstar soon enough…"
And Dew Petal, Birchpelt added silently.
The tunnel was pressing and the cave was just a bit too bright. Seeing it at moonhigh rather than sunhigh, Birchpelt truly understood why Dashtail hated going there. Acorn Fur directed her as what to do, and soon enough Birchpelt was in an oak forest.
"Greetings," mewed a cat she faintly recognized. He was a pale-blue gray, with sleek fur and a white underbelly. His eyes were the same teal as Dew Petal's, and a dark star sat in each. "My name is Skystar. With this life I give you loyalty…"
Flower Foot gave her strength. Dew Petal gave her love. Red Claw gave her strength. Owlstar gave her clear sight. Quick Water gave her stubbornness. Star Flower gave her love. Fritz gave her confidence. Sparrowstar gave her mentoring.
Next thing she knew, she was Birchstar, the leader of SkyClan.
"I could sleep for a moon," was the first thing she told Acorn Fur after waking up. Acorn Fur let out a mrrow of laughter. Birchstar stood shakily. All that pain had felt so real. "What now?"
"You have to appoint a deputy and then go around the other clans to alert them of your appointment. Preferably with your deputy."
Birchstar nodded and padded back toward the tunnel. Before Acorn Fur followed, she pointed to the hole where moonlight seeped into the cavern.
"Doesn't look like you'll have long to sleep, though."
Birchstar grunted. "Wake me up at sunhigh."
(...)
Dashtail did just that. Reluctantly getting up and reluctantly organizing a sunhigh patrol, Birchstar tapped Rainsplash on his shoulder.
"I organized patrols when you were asleep," he informed.
"Neat," yawned Birchstar, "Come to the other clans with me?"
"Okay. What's the plan?"
Birchstar shrugged. Rainsplash let out a mrrow of laughter and stood, following her out of the bramble tunnel.
In ThunderClan, Whitepelt had become leader and he had made his brother, Vinetail, his deputy. Sunstar had died in ShadowClan and a cat named Hollysky had become leader. In WindClan, Dust Muzzle had become leader and his son, a cat named Stonetail, was his deputy.
"Not Spotted Fur?" asked Rainsplash. Spotted Fur had been Gorsestar's deputy, and if the tan-spotted pelt beside the nursery was the same tom- who did perk up his ears and turn at the name- was still alive, he was next in line to be leader.
Duststar shook his head, "Gorsestar was Windstar's mate. He thought that leadership should stay in the family."
Birchstar shifted her paws uncertainty, "Oh…" She cut a glance at a tom who had introduced himself as "Ryewhisker, son of Stonetail," and suddenly things clicked into place.
"Are you going to make a kit of yours your successor, Birchstar?" he went on.
Birchstar hurriedly stood up, "I'm not having kits. Come on, Rainsplash, I think we've greeted quite enough here."
Rainsplash followed, hardly keeping up with his sleeker sister as she dashed away. She stopped at the marshy ground and treeline of RiverClan's border.
"Honestly," Birchstar panted, "You make a cat your second-in-command, you give them that stress… and you don't even reward them with leadership!" she turned to face Rainsplash, "Rainsplash, promise me… if you live to be a leader after me, you won't make your kit your successor."
Rainsplash blinked. "Are you making me deputy?"
"Who else?"
Rainsplash huffed a laugh, "Okay. I don't think I'll be having kits either."
Birchstar nodded, satisfied. They then continued onto RiverClan. Riverstar was still living, however Night was not. Instead, a tom named Emberfall was deputy. Emberfall had himself a child, she did not introduce herself as "Cloudberry, daughter of Emberfall," but she still worried Birchstar.
They returned to SkyClan when the sky was red and the sun was going down. Birchstar collapsed back into the den beside the Highbranch for a very exhausted, somewhat angry, all-night nap.
(...)
"Birchstar!"
It was hardly a moon later and Birchstar still hadn't quite slept off her ceremony. She also hadn't quite slept off the stomach wound the ThunderClan warrior Dapplespring had given to her that had also taken her first life.
"What is it?" she said groggily.
"Duststar."
Birchstar grunted and stood, emerging from the ferns. It was a cloudy day, one of the days perfect for one of those all-day naps.
"Greetings," she mewed, sitting in front of him. Beside him sat Stonetail. Duststar dipped his head, so Birchstar went on. "How is WindClan?"
"WindClan's alright," he answered, eyes flickering to Stonetail, "And we've had a bit of an incident."
"...oh?"
"Yes," Duststar went on, "We're going to have a meeting at Fourtrees at the full moon. Will you attend?"
"Of course. May I ask what it's about?"
"Our incident…" Stonetail answered, standing and following behind Duststar as they headed up the bramble tunnel, "We lost a warrior. We need to speak to the other leaders."
Birchstar shifted her paws uncertainty, then turned back to Dashtail, who had been watching the ordeal.
"Dashtail," she mewed a bit quietly, "When's the full moon?"
"Tonight."
"Tonight…" she repeated, then leaped onto the Highbranch, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highbranch for a clan meeting!"
Truthfully, most of the hunters were already watching from their den. The apprentices were watching as well from their fern-and-stump nest. The apprentices were the first cats to bound up, just in case it was finally their ceremony.
They are getting quite old… Birchstar thought to herself. She sighed and shook her head. "Emberstar has invited us to attend a Gathering at Fourtrees tonight…. I'd like Rainsplash, Acorn Fur, Alder, Beechpaw, Rowanpaw and Cherrypaw to come with me."
The apprentice's eyes lit up. Birchstar, satisfied, jumped off the Highbranch and padded to where Blossom and Rainsplash were sitting.
"Assessment time?" Blossom asked. Birchstar nodded, then turned to Beechpaw. He looked more like a WindClan cat the older he got. Beechpaw was long, tall and sleek- and still so much like Eagle Feather. His nurserymates looked more like ThunderClan, Rowanpaw was big, stumpy and a bit stout. Cherrypaw was just about the splitting image of Clover. Birchstar flicked her stumpy tail and Beechpaw came rushing up behind her.
Birchstar silently led him into the woods, into a hollow abundant with herbs. Without a word, Birchstar picked a blue flower and put it behind her ear.
"What's that for?" Beechpaw asked.
Birchstar shrugged and turned to him, "I've felt like a tom for the past moon. Might as well roll with it."
Beechpaw tilted his head and squinted his blue eyes in confusion. "A bit strange, isn't it? I mean…"
Birchstar didn't respond, instead she simply climbed up a tree and lounged on a branch. Beechpaw blinked up at her.
"You know," he went on, "Rowanpaw's been insisting Cherrypaw and I start calling him a she-cat."
"And you haven't been?"
Beechpaw pressed his ears to his head. "But Rowanpaw's a tom!"
"Not anymore. She's a she-cat, now. Just as I am now your male mentor."
Beechpaw huffed and got into a hunting crouch.
"I can hold you back from getting your full name with Rowanpaw and Cherrypaw," Birchstar informed, "Seems like you still need to learn a bit of respect."
"I'm sorry, Birchstar," he replied, sitting back up, "Next time I see him- er, her- I'll call Rowanpaw a she-cat."
Birchstar smiled, letting a purr rumble in his throat. "Good. Now, I want you to catch a thrush and a bluejay…"