Author's note at bottom.

A/N

The last shafts of moonlight trickled down on a dark tabby cat, bloodied and panting, with broad shoulders and smoldering amber eyes. Around him, cats were collapsing with exhaustion and pain from gruesome battle wounds. The tabby tipped his head upwards to gaze at the sparkling warriors of Silverpelt, twinkling in the early dawn sky. A new star shone radiantly, pulsing brighter with every heaving breath the dark tomcat took.

Bramblestar. The powerful tabby repeated his name silently. It hadn't been more than a few heartbeats ago that he was just a deputy, a humble warrior among many others, serving his Clan and leader with every drop of strength. Now he was a 'star' and the new leader of ThunderClan. Even his new name seemed to pull at his tongue awkwardly. I will do my best, Bramblestar vowed to his shining ancestors as dawn tugged at the night sky. I am not my father...I promise to make you proud of everything I do...

A dragging noise pricked Bramblestar's ears as a limp black-furred she-cat was being pulled to the center of the clearing. The leader flinched as he saw his former daughter's lifeless figure resting among a clump of bloodied ferns. Hollyleaf had never been his true kin, but Bramblestar had raised her from kit-hood, and she had become a brave and loyal warrior he was proud to fight beside. Memories of fluffy black kit fur and tiny claws climbing over his own matted pelt tugged sharply at Bramblestar's heart, and he stifled a murmur of piercing grief.

Squirrelflight, Bramblestar's mate and new deputy, pressed comfortingly against him, green eyes glistening with sorrow. The leader breathed in her sweet scent as his amber eyes flitted around the clearing.

Across the bloodied camp a dusty brown tabby stood over a heap of gray fur, whiskers drooping and nose pushed into the dead cat's pelt. Ferncloud had given her life to defend ThunderClan's kits from the Dark Forest warriors. She hunts with StarClan now...

Purdy, tail dragging in the dust, was focused on a different body, one with brown matted fur and scratches running up and down its flank. Mousefur. "She's gone," Purdy muttered, head tilted towards the sky. "Perhaps she's young 'gain and chasin' prey o'er the stars." Blossomfall, standing nearby, murmured something quietly in the elder's ears, and he let his fur lie flat.

A sickening scratching noise was made at the edge of the camp, and every cat looked up, pelts bristling.

Bramblestar drew in a harsh breath and Squirrelflight stiffened beside him as an achingly familiar flame-pelted tom was dragged to a halt next to his lifeless Clanmates at the center of the clearing. Blood-stained and streaked with scratches, its fur was clumped and torn.

Firestar! ThunderClan's beloved leader, defeated from battle wounds and scars...Fire will save the Clans, but without the fire...

They have me now!

Sandstorm stumbled over and pushed her nose into her mate's bloody pelt, a wail of grief echoing around the camp walls. Squirrelflight and Leafpool padded over to join their mother and soon all of ThunderClan had gathered to pay respects to their old leader. The first bright rays of dawn tiptoed down on a gentle breeze and stirred Firestar's flame-colored fur, whistling through the hollow.

Bramblestar wanted to wail like an abandoned kit. The cat who had saved him in ThunderClan's fire moons ago, mentored him, accepted him despite his heritage and trusted him as deputy...How could Firestar die? What will I do now?

Squealing erupted from the nursery, followed by a stampede of tiny paws. "Mama!" Bramblestar recognized Amberkit's high-pitched mew that interrupted the silence around Firestar's sodden body. "Mama, we want to fight!"

"No, my dears," Brightheart mewed softly from deep inside the warm den, voice faded from exhuastion. "The battle has been won."

Squirrelflight flicked her ears as the Clan dispersed, nodding to Graystripe as the gray warrior dragged Firestar's lifeless shape to the edge of the clearing. "The battle is finished," she whispered softly into Bramblestar's ears. "It's time to move on."

Sunlight began to flood the early dawn sky, sending bursting rays of bright orange everywhere. I'm the leader now, Bramblestar thought, astonished. Oh, StarClan, how can I lead these cats without the fire? His head was fuzzy with weariness and shock, and a fog so thick filled his thoughts that he could hardly grasp what needed to be done.

"Jayfeather," Bramblestar shook his head to clear it and called to the blind medicine cat, "Is everything okay? Are there any serious injuries?"

The blue-eyed tom, pressing herbs onto one of Bumblestripe's shoulder wounds, replied in his usual brisk manner. "Nothing that can't be treated. We have enough stored to get by."

Ivypool, limping as blood trickled out from a bite on her forepaw, stumbled over to Dovewing, who was staring into the trees with ears pricked. "They've gone," Dovewing murmured quietly. "I can't hear a trace of them." Ivypool let out a sigh of relief and sadness as more dawn light exploded into the sky.

Bramblestar beckoned Squirrelflight with a flick of his tail. "So, deputy," he mewed quietly as he watched his tattered Clan struggle with the effects of the deadly battle, "What should we do first?"

A/N

This was my first chapter! Review and tell me what you think!