Chapter 22: Who Would Ever Wanna Be King?

Being in camp was heartbreaking. Now that Goodstar was gone, they felt as though they were lost, not knowing how to journey to the future. It was painful to hear Lizardsneeze cry in agony, as his two sons were dead. Newsky was silent, looking broken in her gaze. The birth of Heartburn's kits had happened, two healthy kits, two she-cats and one tom. The names weren't declared, but there was at least some hope in Thunderclan. The other families thanked Starclan that their family hadn't died in combat, but they also mourned for the leader and warriors.
It was announced by Normaltail that Toastfire was to become leader at the Moonstone, and that he'd have to pick a deputy. He stood anxiously on the leader's rock, looking down at his clanmates. He did rolecall. Normaltail, Timberpaw, Moonshine, Budlight, Hardwhisker, Salmoncreek, Scotchdrink, Wafflepaw, Maplepaw, Dollface, Newsky, Lizardsneeze, Bluelightning, Axpaw, Ricetooth, and Heartburn was with her kits. Who to pick as deputy..? He scanned over the cats, finally resting on one. One who had been there since the first chapter of this fanfiction, and who had lost so much. He was a strong warrior and would make a great leader.
"Ricetooth, do you accept the role as deputy, and swear to be loyal to Thunderclan, even at the cost of your own life."
The brown and white tom was shocked at first, but nodded. "I do, sir."
"Then it's settled. CLan dismissed. I shall make my way to the Moonstone with Normaltail and gain my nine lives. Ricetooth and Budlight are in charge while I'm gone."

The journey to the Moonstone was long and painful for a cat who had spent the last few days running. When they reached the entrance, the tom hesitated. Normaltail growled lightly, but a kind tone was still present. "What's wrong, Toaster?"
"I... I'm not sure I deserve to be leader, not after every death I've caused."
"Toaster, what are you talking about..?"
"It was my fault that Brightlight died, along with Stevehawk, Stormkit, Goodstar, and all of the others. It wouldn't have happened if I didn't just run away from my problems!"
Normaltail stared at her mate with a dead serious look. "Toastfire, don't blame yourself. Did you kill all of those cats yourself? No, you didn't. Breadclaw did. It's his fault. And if you don't go down there and receive those lives, there might be no clan to lead."
That shut the tom up, he started to cry, but held it in. "... Okay... Thank you, Norma... But I shouldn't run away from all of this..."
"Then don't. Fight it head on. But be safe, please, you've got kits to care for. A clan to lead."
"Wait, what?"
"I'm pregnant, stupid. Now let's go get those lives."

The walk down the tunnel was dark and unsettling for Toastfire, but he still felt a flame of determination in him. As he saw the huge piece of stone, Normaltail shoved him into it and he immediately knocked out.
Starclan felt warm as Toastfire faded into their territory, but nobody was there. Normaltail fell behind him, and looked happy at the sight of the afterlife. Before the dark tabby could speak, bursts of light appeared around the two, taking shape into cats with wings. They all chanted strange words Toastfire couldn't understand, and Monkeytail appeared in front of them. Her purple eyes seemed so lively. "Greetings, young ones. Toastfire, it is time that you become leader of Thunderclan. Although I am not here to personally give you a life, I am here to cheer you on." She smiled, and nuzzled with her old apprentice. The chanting stopped, and a figure appeared from the light. A strong-looking brown she-cat with red across her face stepped forwards, her yellow eyes piercing into Toastfire's.
"Greetings, I am Robinstrike. I am the mother of Bloodclaw and Stevehawk, therefore your grandmother. I am here to give you your first life. With this power of Starclan, I give you the life of courage, and the determination to keep going."
Toastfire felt a fire burn up inside of him, and he coughed as Robinstrike disappeared and was replaced with the small figure of an apprentice. Normaltail was too shocked to speak. "Heyo, sis, nice to see you too. Hey, Toastfire, it's me, Plumpaw. With this life I give you lifelong energy, to lead your clan and provide for others." A shock ran through the tom's body, and the purple she-cat quickly left with a small laugh.
Next up was a kit, the size of a rabbit. It was Stormkit. "Don't cry, dad, please. You're embarrassing me in front of the others." He huffed as the father and mother starting bawling at the sight of his large wings and innocent face. He flew up to the tom's face and smiled. "With this life, I give you happiness, which defeats all evil." He touched noses with the new leader, and flew off to be replaced with Goodstar. The tom seemed content, and he touched noses with his successor.
"With this life, I give you the value of others, and how they can change your life."
Then Paleale. "With this life, I give you love."
Barrybee. "With this life, I give you undying loyalty."
An old leader named Seastar. "With this life, I give you perseverance."
And Stevehawk. "With this life, I give you the value of second chances."
Finally, all went silent. Wait, was that all? Toastfire only had eight lives, he needed one more. Everyone stopped to stare at one final glow of light, though it was dim. Then, a figure appeared, but it wasn't quite what the new leader had expected. A golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes walked towards the tom, with all of Starclan staring. She had no wings, and her eyes were glowing like an endless void. A bloody wound lied upon her neck, as well as on her claws. Brightlight.
Toastfire backed away out of fear, but the she-cat ran too fast for him to react. As soon as she touched noses with him, the world ran in slow motion. Confused shouts among cats were too slow to understand. "With this life..." She began, starting to cry. Toastfire started to cry too, for some reason. "... I give you the option of making the right choice. Learn from my mistakes." She croaked, swaying her tail. Before the Starclan cats could reach her, she whispered to the leader. "You have 8 moons of peace, then everything will go to Hell. You can either choose to stay and fight, or run away just like every other time. You decide what is the right choice." And with that, Toastfire's mother was gone.
Suddenly, a star formed on the tom's forehead, and Starclan gasped. It took a second of processing before shouts began.

"Toaststar! Toaststar! Toaststar!"