Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors
Painted Inkblot: …Yes. Right, you are. Why would Silverstar make such a suspicious cat deputy? (insert evil laugh here). You'll find out. Thanks for reviewing!
Guess who I am: Uhhh… I don't know? The series has one more book after this one… well for part one, anyways. Thanks for reviewing!
Moonstar of FireClan: Nope, it wasn't Jaggedpaw, and Jaggedpaw isn't dead either. The Three Red Sons… are the sons of Silverdiamond. Yes. And yes, Rainpaw is quickly running out of time. Silentstar's deafness has nothing to do with anything, though. And Hawkheart is evil. Thanks for reviewing!
some crazy girl who likes pie: Yay! Evil lessons it is! Thanks for the suggestion for Acidpaw's warrior name, but I already have some stuff planned. Thanks for reviewing!
Mourning Wolf: Good. You understand. Excellent. Well, I think you understand, 'cause you said you understood. I am confusing myself. That is not excellent. Thanks for reviewing!
Oceanpelt: Wow. Thanks! Thank for your suggestions, but I have the entire story planned out already, but you've given me a massive amount of ideas for something else. Thanks for reviewing! I'm really glad you like the story!
A/N: I get the feeling that not many are going to like the title of this chapter…
Chapter Eight
The Devil's Nine Lives
Three sunrises passed. The sun was setting, and Rainpaw was sitting in the Apprentice den, trying to think of an excuse to leave camp to meet with Mangledpaw at the Moonstone. Acidpaw was doing his chores quickly so that he could sneak out of camp without Falconbeak or Pantherstar calling after him and realizing he wasn't there.
"I could say that I'm going out to look for herbs… but that wouldn't work because it's mid-leafbare…" muttered Rainpaw to herself, "I could also tell Silverdiamond that I'm teaching myself how to hunt and fight properly… but then she'd have a Warrior come with me… mousedung… what am I going to do?"
Suddenly, Oceanpaw burst into the apprentice den, a flustered look on her face. Rainpaw suddenly had a sinking feeling.
"Rainpaw! There you are! Mistypaw wants to speak to you! She says it's really urgent!" she meowed, "Meet her in the Small Woods!"
The Medicine Cat apprentice nodded. "I'll go right away."
Rainpaw dashed into the Small Woods. It took her quite some time to get into the depths of the trees.
Someone's hurt… she thought, Someone's hurt, I can feel it.
"Rainpaw! Come quickly!" called Mistypaw.
Rainpaw skidded to a halt, nearly sliding on some ice.
"What is it?" panted Rainpaw, shouldering her way through some leafless shrubs.
"Please help him…" whimpered the small white she-cat, her gray tail quivering.
Rainpaw gasped. "Jaggedpaw! Is that you?"
MountainClan camp…
There was a yowl of frustration. "Mousedung!" spat a young apprentice.
Hawkheart smirked. "Don't feel too bad, Clawpaw. Prey is already deep in the crevices of the cave, so the only option is to take a hunting trip to the mountains to hunt Mountain Goat."
"Can I come?" asked Clawpaw excitedly.
"Of course you can't!" growled Hawkheart, "You're too young! Now, I'm gathering a patrol and alerting Silverstar! I'll see you in a few sunrises."
Clawpaw hissed to himself, but then Hawkheart leaned down to his apprentice's ear and whispered. Clawpaw brightened.
From a distance, Mangledpaw watched with an insane grin on his face. Now Hawkheart wouldn't be around to pester him. Mountain hunting patrols usually took three or four days, so Mangledpaw could enjoy a nice, clean, Hawkheart-free environment. Humming to himself, Mangledpaw passed by the two.
"Hi Hawkheart, I'm going hunting in the forest. The crows are plenty there, kinda scrawny though. See ya!" he meowed cheerfully.
"Mangledpaw, take Clawpaw with you. Please teach him how to hunt birds. I haven't taught him that yet," ordered the deputy.
Mangledpaw's eyes narrowed. Tch! That foxdung's sticking Clawpaw to me like a tracker! And as soon as Hawkheart gets back, that little brat will tell him everywhere I've been! I'm a mousebrain for even talking to him before he left!
"Hawkheart, you know the rules," Mangledpaw tried reasoning, "An apprentice is not allowed to train an apprentice."
"The rules…" muttered Hawkheart, his eyes glinting maliciously, "That's never stopped you before."
Mangledpaw winced.
Hawkheart watched his brother calmly before turning, "If you have nothing more to say, then I'll leave now."
The MountainClan Medicine Cat apprentice grit his teeth. "Yeah. See you later."
The deputy smirked and padded away. Clawpaw looked at Mangledpaw.
"So, are you going to teach me to hunt birds?" he asked.
"I'll give you tips, but training you is a mentor's job," muttered Mangledpaw, "Besides, being a Medicine Cat and all, I'm not a fantastic hunter."
Clawpaw started pouting. "But Hawkheart told you to!" he whined, "And he's deputy!"
"He's also my brother."
"So?"
Mangledpaw sighed. StarClan, this apprentice is annoying!
Thankfully, Scarletleaf saved him from any further pestering. Or so Mangledpaw thought.
"Hey, Mangledpaw," called Scarletleaf, "Come help me prepare the traveling herbs for the hunting patrol!"
Mangledpaw smiled inwardly. He gazed down at Clawpaw.
"Sorry, I have to go help my mentor," he meowed, starting to leave.
"Can I help?" asked Clawpaw.
Urgh, thought Mangledpaw, He's a determined little flea, ain't he? Why am I talking to myself in my head?
"Hello?" meowed Hawkheart's apprentice, "Did you suddenly become a muted mousebrain?"
"Shut up!" snapped Mangledpaw, "There are cats who are actually mute and it's an insult to them to say things like that!"
Clawpaw shrugged. "It's not like they can talk back."
"Just because they can't talk back doesn't mean they don't hear the awful things that other cats say about them! They're not stupid, you little mousebrain!"
"What did you say to me?!" shrieked Clawpaw.
"I called you a mousebrain!" hissed Mangledpaw, "What's wrong? Did I strike a raw nerve? Oh, silly me, I forgot. They're all raw nerves."
With a yowl of anger, Clawpaw leaped at Mangledpaw, claws outstretched.
Mangledpaw dodged, then turned around and slammed his paws onto Clawpaw's back, forcing him to the ground—right as Hawkheart walked into the camp.
"What in the name of StarClan are you doing!?" growled Hawkheart.
Mangledpaw glared up at his brother. "He attacked me!"
"Clawpaw would never do that!"
"H-hawkheart," sniffled Clawpaw, "Make him let go!"
Hawkheart grabbed Mangledpaw by the scruff and sent him sprawling to the ground. Mangledpaw swore that he saw a glint of satisfaction in the deputy's eyes.
"For that, there'll be no leaving camp for three sunrises," the brown-furred tom hissed, "And you'll also do Clawpaw's chores. Scram."
Mangledpaw glared at him and started to return to the Medicine Cat den.
"I don't think so," growled the deputy, "I don't want your filthy paws in my traveling herbs."
Mangledpaw took a deep breath and turned around. "Very well then. I'll go take care of our elders. They're fun to be around, and they tell great stories. And they don't give innocent apprentices cruel punishments."
Hawkheart yowled at him angrily, but Mangledpaw wasn't paying attention. He entered the elders' den.
Splashlily, a white-furred elder, greeted him with a frown. "I heard the commotion. What's going on out there?"
"Clawpaw, that little mousebrain," muttered Mangledpaw, "He attacked me, so I defended myself, and then Hawkheart walked into camp and I was blamed even though he started it."
"Something just doesn't seem right," meowed Roughbreeze, an old tabby tom, "Of course, he is the genius who figured out who the Curse-Carrier is, but Topazpelt was perfectly adequate to become deputy. Hawkheart's just an overgrown apprentice."
"Topazpelt is a senior warrior, but Sandbelly is a vicious she-cat, also suitable of becoming deputy," meowed Splashlily.
Wetfeather, the third elder, growled, "Lest you forget, Sandbelly's kits just became apprentices. Obviously, she'll give privileges to them."
"You're just an old grump," snapped Splashlily.
"Well so are you!"
Roughbreeze sighed and shook his head. "Sandbelly is loyal to the Warrior code, as is Topazpelt. In my opinion, Blackspot would be most suitable. He's mentoring Hazelpaw at the moment—"
"We know that," snarled Wetfeather.
Roughbreeze was unfazed. He gave a little cough. "As I was saying, Blackspot also mentored Littlebreeze, and look at the strong Warrior that young one has become."
The other two elders nodded in agreement.
Mangledpaw sighed. "Great, and I need to get out of camp at moonrise…"
The tabby elder looked up. "Do you? I don't see what the problem is."
"Hawkheart told me that I couldn't leave camp for three sunrises," meowed Mangledpaw.
Roughbreeze grinned. "Three sunrises? Don't those kind of punishments usually start at sunhigh?"
Mangledpaw nodded. "Yeah."
"Well, sunhigh has already passed. If it's three sunrises, then your punishment technically hasn't started yet."
The white-furred apprentice blinked. "That's true… but I highly doubt Hawkheart will approve of that."
"He's on a hunting expedition right about now. He won't know," Roughbreeze winked, "Don't worry. He won't find out, and if anyone asks, we'll cover for you."
Splashlily nodded. "I don't see the problem in lending a young one a paw once in a while."
Wetfeather snorted, but it was clear that he wasn't going to object.
"Thank you so much!" meowed Mangledpaw cheerfully, "I'd better get going now!"
Mangledpaw scampered out of the elders' den.
Small Woods…
A huge tabby tom with a crooked tail was leaning against Mistypaw. It was unmistakably Jaggedpaw. Deep scratches covered his neck and chest. It was obvious that he had been in a dangerous fight. Rainpaw sprang into action.
"Mistypaw, clean his wounds," ordered Rainpaw, "They don't look life-threatening, so we know he's going to be fine. I'll run back to the Medicine Cat den and fetch some cobwebs. Nothing looks infected, since the injuries are fresh."
"Thanks, Rainpaw," meowed Mistypaw.
The Medicine Cat apprentice tore off towards camp.
Mistypaw crouched closer to her brother. "Jaggedpaw, can you hear me?"
"Y-yeah… Mistypaw, listen, I found something out—"
"Save your energy, my brother," replied Mistypaw, starting to clean his scratches.
Jaggedpaw tried to stagger to his paws, but fell. "Th-that's just the problem, Mistypaw… I… You're not my sister!"
Mistypaw froze, her eyes wide. "I know…" she meowed, "My real mother, Lavaflame, told me. I was kitnapped by Roaringbreeze during a badger attack. Now rest."
The smaller cat continued cleaning Jaggedpaw's wounds.
"Mistypaw… there's something else," muttered Jaggedpaw, "First of all… my name isn't Jaggedpaw anymore. It's Jaggedtail."
"When were you given a Warrior's ceremony?" asked Mistypaw.
Jaggedtail squeezed his eyes shut, tears pooling in the corners. "S-Silentstar made me a Warrior… Those were the last words she spoke before she… before she…"
Mistypaw felt her blood freeze. No… that can't be… "Before she what?"
"B-before she was killed…"
Jaggedtail fell silent. Mistypaw, trembling in shock, continued taking care of his injuries.
Soon after, Rainpaw returned.
"How's Jaggedpaw?" she asked.
Mistypaw decided not to correct her on Jaggedtail's name. She would find out what happened to Silentstar at the next Gathering. "He's sleeping."
"That's good," she meowed, "Rest always helps."
Rainpaw carefully applied cobwebs onto Jaggedtail's scratches. "He should be okay now, but come and find me if there's anything wrong. I've got to go, so I'll see you later."
Rainpaw turned and pushed her way through the foliage. She started at a steady pace towards the Medicine Cat meeting place. Looking up at the enormous tree, she hoped that Mangledpaw was already there. For the time being, she sat down at the foot of the tree. She was waiting for Acidpaw to join her.
I hope he was able to get out of camp… thought Rainpaw to herself, I don't really like him breaking the rules of his punishment… but this is important…
A bush on Rainpaw's right rustled. She tensed, hoping that it wasn't Silverdiamond or anyone who might come looking for her.
But when a cat stepped into the open, Rainpaw let out a sigh of relief. "Oh! Acidpaw, it's just you!"
Acidpaw snorted. "No, really?" he meowed sarcastically, "Let's get going. Is Mangledpaw here yet?"
Rainpaw shrugged. "I don't know."
The black-furred tom rolled his eyes. "Figures…"
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
Acidpaw was already scaling the tree. Rainpaw leaped up after him.
"Hey! What's Acidpaw doing here?" meowed Mangledpaw's voice in surprise.
Acidpaw pulled Rainpaw into the hollow of the big tree, too impatient to let her finish climbing. Once Rainpaw had joined Acidpaw and Mangledpaw in the tree, she turned to the MountainClan tom.
"Acidpaw's also received the Prophecy," she explained, "And he's figured out a lot."
The black-furred tom nodded. "If you're also a mousebrain like Rainpaw, then the Three Red Sons are cats—not apocalypses or whatever you thought it was. Redstar is one of them."
Mangledpaw blinked, a blank expression on his face. "Oh. Yeah. That actually makes sense. But who are the others?"
Rainpaw was lost in thought. She suddenly lifted her head. "Redstar was Silverdiamond's son, we know that… so that means… the other two are probably Redstar's brothers, meaning Silverdiamond's two other sons."
Acidpaw shook his head. "I don't think Redstar had any siblings."
"But what else could it be?" Rainpaw protested, "They also must all have ginger, meaning red, fur."
Acidpaw blinked, looking surprised. "Rainpaw…" he whispered.
The ForestClan Medicine Cat Apprentice's ears went slightly pink. Wh-why is he looking at me like that?
The black-furred tom smirked. "… Did you grow a brain while I wasn't watching?"
Now Rainpaw's ears were red with anger. "What did you say?!"
Mangledpaw laughed. "You two fight like a couple of elders!"
The two ForestClan cats chose to ignore him. After a moment of silence, Acidpaw spoke up.
"Well… Now what?" he meowed.
There was more silence.
"We should look at every cat with ginger fur," meowed Mangledpaw slowly, "From there, we'll be able to see who looks and acts like Redstar, and we'll figure out this Prophecy, and who exactly the Three Red Sons are."
Rainpaw shook her head. "But there have got to be dozens of ginger cats out there, we can't possible analyze every single one."
"Ask StarClan," suggested Acidpaw, "We're at the Moonstone anyways. Might as well."
"Hadn't thought of that…" muttered Rainpaw.
Acidpaw rolled his eyes. "And you call yourself Medicine Cat…"
Rainpaw didn't reply. She crouched in front of the tiny Moonstone. Mangledpaw did the same.
The MountainClan apprentice looked at Acidpaw. "Aren't you coming?"
"I'm not a Medicine Cat," replied the black-furred tom.
Mangledpaw shrugged. "So?"
Acidpaw frowned. "Isn't it against the Warrior code for a cat who isn't leader or Medicine Cat to use the Moonstone?"
The two Medicine Cat Apprentices exchanged a glance.
"Well for one thing," started Rainpaw, "You don't really care about the rules anyways… and second, we don't know if it's against the Warrior code or not, so we can't get in trouble for something we didn't know."
The black-furred tom smirked. "Good point."
He crouched in front of the Moonstone and gazed at Mangledpaw, unsure of what to do.
"Just rest your nose against it," meowed the MountainClan apprentice, "Sleep will come to you naturally… well… that's what happens for Medicine Cats anyways."
Acidpaw felt the cool surface of the Moonstone against the tip of his muzzle. He closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to come. He wasn't sure that it would, seeing as he wasn't a Medicine Cat or leader, but to his surprise, a cold wave ran through his body. His paws became limp and heavy and his senses dulled. His tail tingled with an eerie freezing feeling.
Acidpaw sprang to his paws, his heart racing. It had felt like his life energy was ebbing away. He looked around at the other two cats. They were both asleep.
Swallowing to push down his nervousness, Acidpaw crouched down in front of the Moonstone again and put his nose against it. The same coldness came over him, but this time Acidpaw suppressed the urge to leap to his paws. Soon all of his thoughts vanished. He was asleep.
Small Woods…
Mistypaw was munching on a shrew she caught. She wasn't very hungry though. She was thinking about what Jaggedtail had told her.
I can't believe that Silentstar is dead… She was leader before I was born… StarClan, she was leader before Silverdiamond became Medicine Cat.
Mistypaw suddenly stood up, her fur bristling. If the leader of CanyonClan was dead, then the deputy was the one to take over…
"StarClan no…" she whispered.
Medicine Cat Oak…
Acidpaw blinked open his eyes. He was sitting in a large field. The grass, a deep emerald green, shimmered from the light of the sun. There was a pond of glittering crystal clear water with small fish swimming in it. The scent of plump and healthy prey was in the air.
He heard a yowl of surprise. Acidpaw spun around. A black she-cat stood behind him. It was the she-cat from his dream of the Prophecy. Her acid green eyes were shocked.
"Acidpaw!" she meowed, "How did you get here?"
"Well… I kinda had my nose against a rock—"
"I know that!" she hissed, "Normal apprentices aren't supposed to use the Moonstone!"
Acidpaw smirked. "Yeah, but I didn't know that."
The black she-cat sighed. "It's not that I'm surprised about… I'm sorry for snapping at you. It's just that… normally, a Warrior's apprentice isn't even able to use the Moonstone."
Acidpaw's eyes widened. "Then why am I…"
The ForestClan apprentice trailed off, not sure of what to say.
The other cat looked lost in thought. "In any case, you shouldn't be here, Acidpaw. There's—"
Acidpaw suddenly cut her off. "Wait, I've been meaning to ask you. Who are you? How did you already seem to know me when I first met you? You're PrairieClan, it's impossible!"
The black she-cat smiled weakly. "I… I cannot tell you. But I'll say one thing. You share part of your name with me. Now get out of here. Quickly, there isn't much time."
Acidpaw growled furiously. "That's not an answer! I want the truth!"
The black she-cat took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Acidpaw."
She picked up the apprentice up by the scruff and threw him into the pond…
"Acidpaw!"
Acidpaw sprung to his paws. Mangledpaw stood in front of him, his eyes wide with fear.
"What is it?" snapped Acidpaw.
"We… we have to get out of here! Fast!"
"Why?" asked the black-furred tom, "What's the rush?"
"Someone's coming!" hissed Mangledpaw, "When I fell asleep, I came face-to-face with Lizardfang and Flowerheart, and they told me to get out of here!"
Acidpaw nodded, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Alright, you big chicken, let's go. Just wake up Rainpaw—"
"That's the problem!" Mangledpaw panicked, "I tried waking her before you, but she wouldn't open her eyes! I don't know what we're going to do!" What is StarClan's name is a chicken?!
Acidpaw rolled his eyes. "Let's just get out of this tree and you'll see, there's no one outside to bother us, then we'll come back, get Rainpaw, and call it a day."
Mangledpaw gulped nervously. "O-okay…"
Acidpaw exited the hollow and climbed down to the forest floor. Mangledpaw was right behind him.
"Are you sure that this is okay?" asked the white-furred tom.
"Yeah…"
"Wait!" meowed Mangledpaw, "I smell something!"
He lifted his head, sniffing the air.
Mangledpaw gasped.
"CanyonClan! I smell a CanyonClan cat!"
Acidpaw bristled and unsheathed his claws. "They'd better not be trespassing on ForestClan territory!"
"Not the time!" hissed Mangledpaw, "Hide!"
Mangledpaw pulled Acidpaw into a nearby evergreen bush.
The two apprentices peered out cautiously.
"Can you see who it is?" asked Acidpaw.
Mangledpaw squinted. He suddenly staggered back.
"Oh no…" he whispered, "It's Roaringbreeze."
Acidpaw grit his teeth. Blueclaw, one of Roaringbreeze's Warriors, had once tried to kill Rainpaw. Roaringbreeze must've come to finish what Blueclaw had started!
"Rainpaw!" Acidpaw started to step out of the hiding spot, but Mangledpaw pulled him back.
"Are you insane? Do you want to get killed?!"
"The one who's going to get killed is Rainpaw if no one goes up there and saves her!" he protested.
Mangledpaw gulped. He shut his eyes and kneaded the ground with his paws. "She'll be okay… she'll be okay… she'll be okay…"
Acidpaw growled to himself. How could he let this happen? He sat down and looked up at the oak tree. If there's even a scratch on Rainpaw… I'll kill Roaringbreeze with my own claws…
Medicine Cat Oak…
Rainpaw opened her eyes. She looked around wildly.
"That's weird…" she muttered to herself, "Normally I'm on the Gathering Island…"
"Rainpaw? Young Rainpaw?" meowed a familiar voice.
The ForestClan Medicine Cat apprentice turned around. She gasped. She recognized that cat!
He was a honey-colored tom with a short tail that was quivering in annoyance.
"Oakstump!" she meowed joyfully.
Oakstump just grunted in response.
"What's going on? Where's Redstar? Where am I?"
"Slow down, slow down!" ordered Oakstump, "First of all, why are you here?"
Rainpaw blinked. "I… uh… needed to speak to Redstar…"
"I can't blame you for that, I guess…" replied the former CanyonClan Medicine Cat, "But Rainpaw, you shouldn't be here."
"Why not?"
Oakstump opened his mouth to answer, but he stopped and motioned for Rainpaw to follow him to a small pond.
"Look," he meowed.
Rainpaw gazed into the pond. She saw herself from a bird's eye view, sleeping with her nose against the Moonstone.
Acidpaw was asleep as well, but not Mangledpaw. He was prodding her with his paws. "Rainpaw! Wake up! We have to get out of here!"
Rainpaw tore her gaze away from the pond. "What's going on?" she asked Oakstump.
"Keep watching."
The ForestClan apprentice gazed back into the water. Now, Acidpaw was awake and he and Mangledpaw were leaving the tree.
"Where are they going?" she meowed in a panic.
"Keep watching," repeated Oakstump, "But touch your nose to the water."
Rainpaw did as he said. The vision in the water changed. Now another cat had entered the hollow.
Rainpaw gasped. "Roaringbreeze!"
She saw the CanyonClan deputy glaring at her sleeping form with hatred. I'll finish her later. I can't afford to risk anything now.
Rainpaw blinked. She could hear his thoughts!
She pulled her nose out of the water and looked back at Oakstump. "I have to get out of here! Roaringbreeze'll kill me if I don't!"
"Rainpaw, you need to see this," replied Oakstump, "I know you're afraid but you're just going to have to suck it up."
The ForestClan Medicine Cat Apprentice was frantic. "Are you crazy? He's going to kill me!"
Oakstump didn't reply. He turned away from her and walked towards a small patch of trees.
Rainpaw blinked. "Where are you going?"
"Follow me, Rainpaw. There's something you must see."
Swallowing nervously, the white she-cat ran to catch up to the old CanyonClan Medicine Cat.
Oakstump shouldered his way through the bushes of the patch of trees, which opened up into a clearing.
"Stay in these bushes," he ordered her, "And whatever you do, don't leave here or say a single word."
Rainpaw nodded numbly, her heart pounding loudly.
Oakstump gazed at her for a bit longer before stepping into the clearing. Rainpaw saw that other cats were gathered there. She immediately recognized Redstar and Lionclaw. Most of the other cats there smelled of rocks and sand mingled with the scent of StarClan's fields.
"He's coming," meowed a black she-cat from beside Lionclaw. It was Shadelion.
The group of gathered cats went silent.
A gigantic smoke-grey tom with piercing ice blue eyes stepped forward from the group of StarClan cats.
"Greetings," he meowed, "Welcome to your Leader's Ceremony, my son."
Leader's Ceremony? thought Rainpaw, Did someone die? Silverstar? Or Blazingstar?
To Rainpaw's horror, a completely different cat stepped out of the trees. Rainpaw felt as if her stomach had dropped to her paws. It was Roaringbreeze.
Roaringbreeze purred. "Hello father."
Another cat from the crowd of StarClan cats stepped towards Roaringbreeze. It was a ginger she-cat covered with battle-scars. "And what of me?" she asked.
Roaringbreeze laughed, which was quite creepy. "I could never forget you, mother."
Rainpaw felt like her heart had stilled. The grey cat had said: 'Welcome to your Leader's ceremony.'
Nothing was making any sense! It was impossible that Silentstar was dead! She supposedly had six lives left!
The ginger she-cat sighed. "Such a pity about Silentstar… Accidents like that happening… It's awful!"
Roaringstar sighed, his ears drooping. "I tried so hard to save her…"
"It wasn't your fault, my dear," purred the ginger cat soothingly, "We best start the ceremony!"
The StarClan cats backed away, all except for the big grey tom.
"It is in sadness that the lead of CanyonClan is passed to you," he meowed, "We will miss Silentstar's leadership greatly."
A glint in the grey tom's ice blue eyes made Rainpaw doubt his statement.
"I, Icegaze of StarClan, will begin your ceremony," he touched his nose to Roaringbreeze's, "With this life I give you pride, the driving force that will push you to your limits for your Clan."
Roaringbreeze grit his teeth, then stood up straighter. Icegaze grinned at his son before the ginger she-cat took his place.
"I, Flamingstep of StarClan, will continue. With this life I give you wrath, the burning energy to eliminate those who threaten your Warriors and Clan."
Roaringbreeze doubled over in pain, then stood shakily. "Thank you, mother, " he hissed out, smiling.
A familiar cat with blueberry-stained claws stepped forward.
"With this life I give you strength," meowed Blueclaw, "Use it well to fight until your last breath."
Rainpaw watched as four more lives were given to the giant ginger tom.
The ninth cat stepped forward.
Rainpaw stifled a gasp. It was Redstar. He pressed his nose to Roaringbreeze's and pulled away when the life was given.
Roaringbreeze also had an expression of shock on his face.
"I gave you protectiveness," he told Roaringbreeze after, "Use it well to protect what you didn't before. I know that yours and Goldenstream's kits will be born soon."
""Protect what I didn't before"?" Roaringbreeze smirked, "Whatever do you mean?"
Redstar laughed grimly. "You know perfectly well, father."
Rainpaw's eyes widened. N-no way…
"You mean go against the Warrior code to keep yourself and your brothers?" replied the new CanyonClan leader, "It's a pity I had to scatter them. Lest you forget, your mother couldn't keep the three of you either. Splitting you three up was the best option."
Redstar growled. "I hope your new kits don't have to suffer like me, Blazingstar, and Scarletleaf."
A/N: Hehe… Don't hurt me please. I'm sorry for being so inactive lately. I was away for a month again with no computer access, just like last year.