Sandsong stepped forward hesitantly. Mothermouth seemed to radiate darkness and it turned her spine to icicles.
"We had better go inside. The moon will be in the right position very soon," said ThunderClan's recently appointed medicine cat, Ravencry. The tom's black pelt blended with the blackness as soon as he entered the cave. Sandsong was overtaken by a wave of panic, but she forced it down. If she were to be ThunderClan's new leader, she would need strength and confidence. She stepped into the shadow.
I bet Bramblestar wasn't afraid of the dark.
She continued onward, afraid of losing Ravencry's scent.
Maybe StarClan won't take me.
Sandsong was jolted out of her thoughts when she bumped into her medicine cat.
"We have arrived," he announced, and stepped aside to let the future leader pass. Sandsong tried to find her footing as her eyes adjusted to the dark. Suddenly the cave was filled with light as bright as all of Silverpelt, and Sandsong faltered.
I don't deserve to lie in front of this sacred stone.
The glittering moonstone stood in the center of the silent cave, and Sandsong remembered her time as an apprentice coming here. She has done it then, but this was different. This was for leadership.
Ravencry nudged her softly.
"You'll be fine. Countless cats before you thought the exact same thing," he murmured. Sandsong appreciated her loyal medicine cat's words, although she was surprised at how well he had read her thoughts. She walked forward, lay down, and touched her nose to the stone.
Sunlight dappled green grass and full, Greenleaf trees, glittering off a clear river that gurgled by. Sandsong felt strength in her limbs, and she fought down the urge to run
"Welcome, Sandsong."
Sandsong whirled around, surprised to hear a voice in such a serene place. Then she remembered that she was in StarClan, where all the cats before her lived again with cats of all Clans.
She tried to identify the cat before her. The cat had a sleek tabby pelt and sparkling amber eyes. With a jolt she realized it was Bramblestar, but much younger. She purred happily.
"Bramblestar! I'm glad you are doing so well," she mewed. Bramblestar nodded in appreciation.
"Thank you; it is a pleasure to see my loyal deputy once more. But let us get on with the ceremony-"
"So I'm really going to have a ceremony?"
Bramblestar's eyes glittered with amusement.
"Indeed."
"Oh-oops. Sorry for interrupting…" Sandsong apologized, but her heart fluttered in excitement. So Ravencry was right! She would get her leader name.
"It's alright. But please, let's begin," he meowed, and, as if on cue, more cats than Sandsong could count padded out of thin air, their starry pelts shimmering. Sandsong stifled a gasp.
Jayfeather, Leafpool, Sandstorm, Birchfall…and my parents, Graystream and Thunderclaw!
Sandsong's heart was a mix of elation and sadness when she saw the many cats that she used to know in her Clan. Jayfeather and Leafpool had only died recently, when they had tried to protect the medicine den from a ShadowClan attack. Birchfall had caught green cough just a moon after Sandsong's warrior ceremony. Sandsong had only known Sandstorm when she was a kit, for Sandstorm had died of old age just before her apprentice ceremony. And finally, Sandsong's parents had died in a fox attack, when they had already been weakened by whitecough.
"Sandsong. I give you this life for patience. Use this skill to remain calm in even the most alarming of situations," Bramblestar meowed, taking Sandsong out of her thoughts. He touched his nose to her head, and suddenly her muscles turned to stone, forcing her to move slowly. The feeling was soon replaced by a feeling that made Sandsong think she had all the time in the world. As the sensation faded, another cat stepped forward, and Bramblestar nodded farewell.
"Sandsong." Sandsong did not recognize this cat from her lifetime, but she had an idea from the older cat's tales.
"Firestar," she meowed respectfully, dipping her head. Firestar shook his head.
"No need for that. In just a few heartbeats' time, you will be equal to all Clan leaders. Sandsong, this life I am presenting to you is for bravery. Let it guide you to lead your Clan through anything."
This life sent a jolt of pain through Sandsong so sharp her legs almost buckled. She met Firestar's eyes, determined to live up to the great leader's expectations. Firestar purred as the pain dissipated, and he stepped backward to let the next cat through.
"Hello, my kit," mewed Graystream happily. Sandsong purred, and rubbed her cheek against her mother's in joy. Her mother gently pushed her back after licking her kit's head fur flat.
"I give you this life for awareness. Be aware of other groups of cats; but more importantly, know your Clanmates, for without them you are nothing," Graystream murmured, and gave her life to Sandsong. A sense of worldliness spread through her pelt, and she knew that her Clanmates were just a small speck in the vast expanse of the world. The Tribe of Rushing Water, the other Clans, the Twolegplace, and beyond, were all part of it as well.
"Until we meet again," her mother purred. The cat that replaced her Sandsong did not recognize.
"Greetings. You do not know me; I was before your time. My name is Stonefur. Tonight, I give you a life for forgiveness. Every cat deserves a second chance; it's up to you to give it to them," the StarClan cat meowed, and a tinge of sadness ringed his meow. Sandsong felt a surge of sympathy for this cat, not knowing whether that was her or the life coursing through her. She dipped her head.
"Th-thank you," she rasped, tiredness creeping up on her as she received her fourth life. She cleared her throat, determined to last through it, "Thank you."
Stonefur backed away, and Graystripe came forward.
"I give you this life for strength. You will need it to lead your Clan," he meowed. Power running through Sandsong, she nodded her thanks. The next cat padded forward.
"I am Ferncloud. With this life, I give you perseverance, to live through whatever comes your way, for the sake of your Clan." Sandsong felt the life seep into her weary bones, and she welcomed it happily. A tom cat stared unblinkingly at Sandsong where Ferncloud has stood.
"Jayfeather!" she purred. He grunted in acknowledgement.
"Yes, it is me. But this is not the time for reunion; let me give you a life. With it comes righteousness. Use it to always take the right path, not the wrong."
A powerful sense of…well, righteousness, spread through Sandsong's pelt, and she knew that she would always do what was right for her and her clan.
Sandsong had lost track of how many lives were left, and she had a brief moment of panic.
Can I stand much more of this?
She shook her head inwardly. She was to be leader of ThunderClan in just a few heartbeats; she could take anything.
Anything.
And with that thought, she kept her head and tail high as she received her 8th life from a cat named Crowfeather, for respect for the warrior code. The crow-black tom's voice was lined with bitterness, and Sandsong felt that bitterness amplified when the life came. She clenched her teeth until the next cat to give her a life stepped up.
"I am Sunstar, a ThunderClan leader from long before you were kitted. Your final life I give to you is for independence. As leader, you are separated from your Clan, no matter how close you may feel," the strong-looking cat mewed seriously. Sandsong felt sadness well up inside her at the thought.
"You must use this life to not only cope, but excel at your lonely position. Congratulations, Sandstar," Sunstar mewed, dipping his head as the life spread through Sandstar. She could feel mingled despair and strength fill her spirit, and the life left her more tired than any oher. Faintly she was aware of the whole of StarClan following Sunstar's lead, meowing congratulations and dipping their heads.
"Thank you," Sandstar mewed gratefully, but the scene was fading. In just two heartbeats they were gone, and she was back in the cave of the Moonstone, darkness shrouding her.
Though, despite the darkness, she felt lighter than she ever had in her whole life.
Sandstar.