Disclaimer – I don't own Warriors. If I did, Blackstar would be ruler of all.
"Is this it?" Amberpaw asked as her amber eyes scanned the clearing.
"Looks like it," Cassie replied.
The tabby noticed Blackpaw wander farther into their new camp. Bounding up to him, she whispered, "What do you think?"
The tom nodded. "It should be a good place. Look. There's an opening in that huge rock on the edge of the camp. That could be the warriors den. And then that old badger set could be the apprentices den and then-
"Badger set?!" Amberpaw interrupted her friend. "I'm not sleeping in that!"
Her anger flared as Blackpaw purred with amusement. "What are you laughing at?"
"Amberpaw, you'll only have to sleep in there for two days at the most. We're old enough to be warriors now."
"Hmph," the she-cat pouted and continued looking around. Her eyes trailed over to where Bramblestar and Firestar were staring each other down as the other cats watched nervously. Signaling Blackpaw, she whispered, "Come on. Let's see what's going on," and padded up to the group.
"You filthy StarClan cats can leave now," Bramblestar growled. "You've done your part."
Firestar took a step forward the large tabby. "We're not leaving until you leave," he calmly replied, although his fur was fluffed out.
"Shouldn't you go and help your friends?" he sneered. "After all, I hear that there's a war going on between the sides that you and I are on."
"StarClan's at war?" Forestgaze echoed, her voice shaking.
"Yes," Firestar simply meowed as he kept his glittering green eyes on Bramblestar. "Leave," he added to the tabby.
"You've no right to order me around, Firestar," he snarled. "You aren't my mentor or my leader anymore. You haven't been for seasons."
"And whose fault is that?"
"That's enough," Brightheart stepped in between the toms. "I understand that we are enemies, but we must cope long enough to insure these cats have built a sturdy Clan." Looking towards Bramblestar, she said, "Tigerstar sent you, didn't he?"
"I don't have to tell you anything!" he snapped, but made it obvious enough that the she-cat was right.
The group remained quiet until Graystripe quietly mewed, "Shouldn't we all decide on a leader for these young cats?"
Amberpaw noticed that Echostorm stood up a little straighter at the mention of the position of leader. He'll get chosen, she thought.
"Right," Jayfeather meowed. "Let's get that settled. Everybody but Forestgaze leave."
"You're mouse-brained if you think that I'm going along with all of this," Bramblestar glared at Jayfeather.
"It is StarClan's decision on whose leader," he simply said. "You are not of StarClan."
The leader put his ears back and jeered at the medicine cat, but eventually stalked away and sat down under a willow tree.
Amberpaw watched as all of his friends grouped together to speak about their new lives. Making sure she wouldn't be noticed, she quietly approached Bramblestar. There were a few questions that she wanted answers to.
"What do you want?!" he hissed when he had noticed her.
She flinched, but did not run. The she-cat had gotten used to his short temper. "I was wondering…" she paused before finishing, "You said that Firestar was your mentor. If that's true, then why are you two enemies?"
"Because I killed him," he curtly replied.
"Why?" She had expected to receive a cuff on the head, but instead the tabby answered without a sneer or sharp retort.
"I didn't know at first either," he began. "I had declined the first chance I got to kill him when Hawkfrost and Ashfur had trapped him in a fox trap. Back then, I was horrified at the thought of killing my leader. My mentor. My Clan mate.
"But time went on and I grew impatient. Firestar had been leader for moons. He was ancient by then and yet, he refused to retire and allow me to become leader." There was a hint of a snarl in his voice. "Soon, Ashfur approached me. 'I have a plan,' he said."
"What was his plan?" Amberpaw asked, fully wrapped up in the tom's story.
"He said that Firestar was going to go out on the midnight patrol. I was assigned to the patrol, and so was he. It was just us that night." He paused before continuing. "It was the perfect time to kill the blasted fool, and I soon realized that. We set out on the patrol and waited until we were far enough from the camp. That's when it happened.
"Ashfur ambushed him from behind and weakened him from behind. As soon as Firestar was tired from fighting him, Ashfur allowed me to have the opportunity to kill him, so I took it. It ended quicker than I had expected and finally, the tom had lost his last life."
"Did you become leader?" Amberpaw asked.
"Yes, but not for long," Bramblestar's eyes had narrowed to furious slits. "One night, I let my guard down. I was on a walk and before I knew it, my throat was sealed in a fox trap. Ashfur pushed on it and took all of my nine lives before you could even say 'mouse.' He then when back to the Clan and said that I Firestar and he had avenged the tom. It just so happens that cats from each Clan killed one of their Clan mates as well. He had planned it all. Why he chose the cats he did, I'm not sure. And I don't plan to ask him. But long story short, Ashfur became Ashstar, leader of ThunderClan." There was now a slight hint of regret in his voice. "I lost everything that night. My mate, my leader, my Clan's respect, and my life."
Amberpaw stared at the tom in pure awe. Was it really that simple to get what you wanted and yet, even simpler to lose it all?
"Looks like those mouse-brains have picked a leader," Bramblestar's growl forced her back into reality. Turning around, she saw that all the cats had gathered in the center of the camp.
As she stepped towards the group, Angerstrike silently approached her. "Amberpaw," he whispered.
"What is it?" she replied to her father.
The tom looked around before he meowed, "I saw you speaking with Bramblestar. I wouldn't advise doing that again; you can't trust him."
Amberpaw felt her fur bristle. "Why not?" she hissed. "He hasn't done anything wrong to me!"
"He's a murderer! Him and that Tigerstar! Do you really want to have your influence be them?"
Amberpaw didn't answer, but turned towards Firestar, who had been speaking.
"...help of Forestgaze, StarClan has chosen the leader for this new Clan." Firestar went on. "The leader shall be Echostorm."
Amberpaw noticed her former Clan mate's eyes widen in shock. "M-Me?" he stammered. "Are you sure? After all, I just became a warrior and I've never had and apprentice-
"StarClan has already decided," Graystripe interrupted the tom. "But, if you do think that you will not be a good leader for your friends, then speak now or forever hold you silence."
Amberpaw stiffened when he hesitated. If he were to decline, it would be either Crookedtail or Mistpelt. As long as it's not Mistpelt, I'm fine. she thought.
"Very well," he said after a while. "I agree."
Firestar nodded. "Good."
The apprentice was about to approach and congratulate Echostorm, but she paused. Did Bramblestar want Echostom as the leader? Turning around, she saw the tabby sitting alone as usual.
"Bramblestar?" she asked. "What do you think of StarClan's choice?"
"He's far too young." the tabby growled. "Too inexperiance as well. I wouldn't trust him with my Clan, especially with what the results are going to be."
"What are the results?"
He opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly closed it and shook his head. "Nothing. I've told you too much tonight."
"What? No you haven't!" she protested. "There are plenty of things that I don't know of."
"I must leave. Tigerstar is most likely wondering what has become of me." With that, he faded until the only evidence that proved he was standing there were the pawprints in the ground.
"What did you mean?" Amberpaw murmered. "Will Echostorm really be that terrible of a leader?"
-------
Echostorm, bursting with pride, stood tall as his new Clan mates mewed their approvals of him becoming their leader. Already, he was thinking of ways he could improve his cats' lives and what to call their new Clan.
Cassie walked up and gave him a hearty nudge. "Nice job, you big furball," she mewed teasingly.
"Thanks," he purred. He sat down and gave his paw a quick lick before asking, "Are you going to live with us? You're welcome to."
"I'd be happy to. But trust me, you'll regret having to deal with me as a warrior!"
"No, I'm sure I won't."
As the two were talking, Echostorm didn't noticed Cloudtail come towards him. "Sorry for interrupting," he meowed, although he didn't sound sorry at all, "but Echostorm, it's time you recieved your nine lives."
"Already?" he replied, clearly surprised that the ceremony happened so suddenly.
"Yes, mouse-brain!"
Echostorm snorted and nodded towards Cloudtail. "I'll see you later, Cassie," he muttered before following the warrior.
"This way," Cloudtail dissapeared under drooping willow branches on the edge of the camp.
The moment he appeared on the other side of the trees, his blue eyes grew large with awe. The clearing was simple with green short-cropped grass. There was a single willow in the center that had a large hollow at the bottom of the trunk.
"Welcome, Echostorm," Jayfeather padded towards him. "This will be the medicine cat den. Since there is no Moonpool near, we will hold your naming ceremony here."
The tom, unable to speak, merely nodded.
"Good," the gray tom stepped closer. "Sit down." When Echostorm had done so, Jayfeather rested his muzzle on his head. All Echostorm saw was a bright flash of light before it all went dark.
"Open your eyes, my son."
Immediately, the black-pawed warrior's eyes flew open. "Miraclepool!" he gasped.
"Yes, it's me," she purred. "I couldn't be prouder of you."
"I agree," an exact copy of Echostorm said quietly.
"F-Father!" Echostorm whispered.
Darkstep dipped his head. "Greetings."
Looking around, Echostorm realized that they were in the same area that Blackstar had summoned him to what seemed like seasons ago. The four trees behind his parents were swaying lazily, despite the fact that he felt no wind. "Are you two going to give me my nine lives?" he asked after a moment.
"No, young one," Darkstep replied. "There will be many more present."
After he had finished speaking, dozens of ghostly shapes appeared and surrounded Echostorm. His hackles raised with slight apprehension, although he knew that these cats would not harm him.
A dark brown she-cat with lighter brown stripes appeared out of the group and calmly walked towards Echostorm, who was crouched low to the ground.
"Echostorm, my warrior," Leafstar said. "You have come far from the days when you were an apprentice. You have become a strong cat. I am honored to give you your first life."
He dipped his head respectfully. "Thank you, Leafstar."
The TreeClan leader softly pressed her nose into his fur and meowed, "With this life I give you strength. Use it to lead your Clan, even through the darkest of moments."
Echostorm tensed as a wave of extreme pain coursed through his body. He saw himself leading his Clan as they struck down enemy after enemy, no matter how dangerous. When he opened his eyes once again, Leafstar was walking away as a ginger and white tom came forward.
"Blazingsoul!" he rasped as his old mentor nodded and copied Leafstar's actions.
"With this life I give you patience. Use it to gain the respect and love from even the smallest of kits."
Echostorm let out a contended sigh as a wave of calmness blurred out his pain. He felt as if he could calmly react to anything that a future apprentice threw at him. This must be how Blazingsoul felt about me, he mused.
"Thank you, Blazingsoul," he said. "I promise to make you proud."
The tom flicked his ears to signal he had heard as he sat down by Leafstar.
Echostorm's hackles raised when he recognized the next cat padding up to him. Crystalheart. He nodded towards he anxiously. Did she hate him for his decision to bring Mistpelt instead of his own kin?
"Hello, my brother," she purred. "I trust that you will be a strong leader for these cats." She affectionately licked the top of his head before resting her muzzle there. "With this life, I give you forgiveness. Use it to accept your Clan mate's actions, no matter how severe."
He had expected this life to be calm, so Echostorm had relaxed. He nearly screeched in pain when a burning jolt of anger scorched him from head to paw. Suddenly, his anger was washed away by the cool aftershock.
"Crystalheart," he whispered. "I-I'm sorry."
"Don't be, you crazy mouse-brain." Her voice cracked with emotion.
"Who knew you of all cats would become a leader," a dark gray tom with white streaks exclaimed in a friendly tone.
"Hello, Stormtail," he mewed was more strong then it had been. He was getting used to the pain.
"With this life, I give you the ability to think things through. Use it to calmly asses a situation and not to screw up."
Surprisingly, the tingling sensation caused Echostorm to let out a purr of laughter. "Why aren't I suprised, Stormtail?"
"Yeah, yeah," the medicine cat replied and walked over to the group.
After the tom had sat down, Miraclepool and Darkstep came towards Echostorm, who tilted his head.
"Am I recieving only one life from both of you?"
Miraclepool shook her head and touched her nose to him. "With this life I give you determination. Use it to protect your Clan, even at the cost of you life."
Echostorm let out a gasp as pain clawed through him. Both fear and worry gripped his mind as he saw a burning clearing and the dying screams of cats. No! he thought desparingly as he leaped into the flames. I must save them!
He had barely opened his eyes before Darkstep had replaced Miraclepool. "With this life I give you fathering. Use it to love your kits, even if your existence is barely known to them."
Echostorm hardly even felt his body accept this life. It was the same feeling he had gotten when Miraclepool used to speak of Darkstep when he and Crystalheart were kits.
"I am surprised that you made it this far," Jayfeather muttered as he stepped forward. "I suppose that I will agree to give you your sixth life."
Echostorm bit back the need to growl at the tom. Ever since the medicine cat had come to 'help' them, the two hadn't of exactly had a friendly relationship.
"With this life, I give you the ability to heed warnings. Use it to accept one's advice and react to it so."
The tom let out a small cry when the extreme pain threatned to take him over. Regret, anger, sorrow, and fear entered him at the same time, causing him to shake.
"Remember what I told you," Jayfeather whispered before bounding off.
Echostorm forced himself to force down his anger towards the medicine cat as Firestar came towards him.
"Echostorm," the tom meowed. "I am sure you will become a leader whose name shall be remembered. After you ceremony, you will only see me in you dreams." He got into position and continued. "With this life I give you acceptance. Use it to respect every cat, no matter thier origin or Clan."
He braced himself as he felt the fierceness of defending a cat whose blood is not pure or who is not Clanborn. An image of him defending Minnowpaw from cruel accusations appeared in his mind and the feeling numbed away.
That was my eighth life, he told himself. Who will deliver the ninth?
As if to answer his question, Blackstar came towards him, his head and tail held high. "I am proud to call you my kin, Echostorm," he rumbled.
Echostorm dipped his head respectfully, but remained quiet. He had guessed that his final life would possibly be the most painful of all.
Blackstar pressed against the tom's head and said, "With this life I give you the ability to harden your heart. Use it to know when you should be agressive and to whom."
Echostorm gritted his teeth as he instinctively unsheathed his claws, ready to strike down and enemy for his Clan, no matter how weak they are. When he had opened his eyes, he was surprised to feel a new strength flooding over him, replacing the pain and exhaustion he felt from recieving his nine lives. Looking around, he saw the cats that had given the lives to him.
"You shall now be called Echostar," Blackstar meowed. "StarClan welcomes you as a leader of your newly founded Clan."
"Echostar! Echostar!" the group of StarClan warriors chorused together.
Suddenly, all the cats except Blackstar dissapeared. Echostar pricked his ears curiously. "What's going on?" he asked.
"You need to be warned," Blackstar replied. "Beware of a silent killer."
"A silent killer?" he repeated. "What do you mean?"
Blackstar didn't answer. Instead he flicked his ears in a farewell and vanished. Echostar let out a yowl of surprise as he began falling into eternal blackness. Wake up! he screeched inside his mind. I have to wake up!
Echostar's eyes flew open to reveal the calm clearing that was deemed the medicine cat's den. In front of him sat Forestgaze. She was staring intently at him until their eyes met.
"How are you, Echostar?" she asked.
Echostar felt a surge of pride as he was called by his new name. "I'm fine. Just a bit tired."
She nodded. "I see. I'm afraid you won't be able to sleep just yet though. Your warrirors are waiting for you."
His fur immediately bristled as Blackstar's warning flashed through his head. Beware of a silent killer.
Did it mean that one of his warriors was a murderer?
A/N: Well, there is. I hope I did Echostar's ceremony right. I didn't have The Darkest Hour with me when I did this.