Moonlight illuminated the forest. Brambleclaw was standing on the silvery grass, warm wind gently blowing into his fur. Stars twirled around him until slowly they began to take cat-like shapes. Stars shimmered in their pale, transparent pelts. Desperately he began to look for familiar faces. He could recognize some - Whitestorm, Shrewpaw, Sootfur... But he couldn't see Firestar or Squirrelflight. Brambleclaw felt overwhelmed by number of his ancestors, but he kept looking around, searching for his mentor and for his former mate.
One of the cats moved in front of the other StarClanners. He knew her. Bluestar.
"Greetings, Brambleclaw. StarClan has been waiting for you."
Former ThunderClan leader looked even more formidable than he remembered her. Her starlit gaze seemed to pierce his spirit, and she stood confidently, like a warrior meeting a trespassing cat. He dipped his head to show his respect to starry warriors.
"Greetings Bluestar." - He replied deferentially.
"Ever since you were born, StarClan knew you had a great destiny ahead of you." - A skinny gray cat with ruffled fur, standing behind Bluestar, spoke.
"We believed in you, when we chose you to guide cats in the Great Journey. No one could doubt your strength or determination." - Bluestar added.
"But you have strayed from the path of the warrior. We hoped you would turn out to be someone different than your father... But alas, we were mistaken." - A voice he didn't recognize spoke from behind him.
Brambleclaw froze as he noticed accusing stares that StarClan cats were throwing at him. He wanted to run, but as he turned around, he realised he is surrounded.
"StarClan made mistakes in the past. But we are not blind now." - Big white tom next to Bluestar said.
Bluestar nodded.
Brambleclaw was shivering from fear. He gathered his strength to overcome the squeezing feeling coming from the inside.
"You won't grant me nine lives, won't you?" - He finally dared to ask.
Bluestar gave him curious look.
Then she slowly looked around all the starry cats that was in the clearing, as if acknowledging each ancestor that came here.
After she finished circling cats with her eyes, she finally meowed.
"Does any cat here want to give life to Brambleclaw?"
The muscular brownish tom standing behind Bluestar moved in front of the rank.
"Ambition is a noble trait. It gives us strength, the willingness to improve. It is challenges that we have to meet that harden us. But we should never forget forget why we should strive for more, not for our own good, but for the weal of those around us. There is no life to those who strive only for themselves."
Brambleclaw flinched hearing those words. He remembered how he believed that recognition, respect and title of deputy were all things he deserved, and would do anything to gain them.
Brown cat didn't move back. Instead, white tom that spoke earlier moved next to him. Whitestorm.
"We are warriors, not savages. The warrior code guides us in hardships and in good times, and we should never forget it. As warriors, we promise to uphold it, and protect our clan, even at the cost of our lives. Life has a high, but measurable price. But there is one thing in the lives of cats and clans that is without price. That thing is honour. There is no life for oath-breakers."
"Bramblepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" - Firestar's words rang in Brambleclaw's ears.
But now, he couldn't hear his response...
A gray tom trotted from Brambleclaw's right side to the other warriors who spoke before. It was Ashfur.
"We may be misguided, or go the wrong way. Our hearts may lead us to things we should never do. But we should always have courage to admit that we did was wrong. To take responsibility for our actions. There is no life to liars." - Ashfur said.
The grey, ruffled she-cat tripped to them. But before she took her place, Ashfur gave a sharp look to Brambleclaw.
"A cat who killed his leader and the medicine cat is nothing more than a crow-food." - Ashfur spat back.
Old she-cat growled at Ashfur, before meowing:
"We may be warriors, but there is more to it than fighting and hunting. Warrior Code speaks of mercy, and how we should care for those who can't care for themselves, and to never pass the border that would mark us as cruel. There is no life for those without mercy."
"Please, let me live! I beg you!" - Leafpool flashed before his eyes. He saw her between the crowd of other ancestors, with three kits lying next to her.
The golden, broad-shouldered cat moved next to Ashfur. Brambleclaw didn't recognize him.
"Our life is hard, but hardship is no justification for wrong-doings. We are clan cats, not rogues, and we don't kill each other. There is no life to murderers."
It wasn't until then, that Brambleclaw noticed that the golden warrior had many scars on his star-dappled pelt. He must have fought many battles during his life.
The tortoise and white she cat appeared next to Bluestar. Sweet scent of herbs flooded over Brambleclaw.
"Love is precious thing. Many have done betrayed for their beloved, but heart knows no master, and in the name of love nothing wrong can be committed. You, Brambleclaw, had the opportunity to be happy and live with beloved cat, a cat of your dreams. Many never had such opportunity. But instead, you scratched it with claws, as if it was nothing, but an obstacle in your road to power. There is no life, for those who treat kill their love."
Brambleclaw shivered at the memory of all good moments he spent with Squirrelflight. Even now, he knew how much he loved her.
"Is she here?" - He meowed in quivering voice.
"She never stopped loving you, even after she learnt what crimes you committed. But she didn't have strength, nor courage to meet you. You will never see her again." - The she-cat words stung Brambleclaw like a sharp thorn.
A pale tabby she-cat already has taken her place by the tortoiseshell cat.
"I have seen death of most of my children. There is no greater loss for mother than to outlive her kits. But it filled me with sadness, to see my own grandson kill an innocent kit. There is no life for kit killers." - Speckletail quietly meowed.
Brambleclaw looked at Leafpool again. He could see motherly warmth in her eyes as she looked at her kits.
"Brambleclaw!" - Another cat appeared next to Bluestar. He was a large gray tom, looking similar to her.
"When you were young, you said that you would rather die than join Tigerstar. But now, you joined him at your own will. There is always darkness lurking between trees, and great sacrifices need to be made to get rid of the evil shadows. Nobody has right to demand these sacrifices. But you must know that being in that shadow is not right for any cat. You surrendered yourself to darkness, and that I will never forgive you. There is no life to those who cannot defy evil!" - he meowed confidently.
"I only..." - Brambleclaw started speaking, but Bluestar interrupted him.
"There is no life to those who betray their own clan. You have chosen your destiny. We believed you had great strength, but it's your weakness what made you succumb to the evil. This is not your place. You must leave now, and never come back, Brambleclaw!"
All of the stars twirled away from him, and the meadow turn darker and darker, until he couldn't see anything at all. He was in the darkness, alone. Would he be like this, for the rest of his life?
Shivers ran across his body. Cold wind was blowing in this dark place. He opened his eyes, and saw a pair of piercing amber eyes looking at him.
"Tigerstar?" - He meowed scared.
"Tigerstar?" - The she-cat let out a surprised meow.
He regained some of his composure, and noticed that it wasn't Tigerstar that was piercing him with his sight, but Mothwing.
Memories of meeting StarClan still lingered in his mind. She must have seen all this as well. But would she cover Brambleclaw? He watched her carefully, but couldn't read anything from her expression.
"We should go." - She meowed cordially.
"Yes." - he agreed, and they began to move away from Moonpool.
At the end of the exit from the hollow, a large black cat with blue eyes stood in their way.
"What is happening here, Brambleclaw?" - he growled.
Brambleclaw gave Crowfeather a stern look.
"I have come here to receive my nine lives and name of the leader." - he replied, looking sideways to see Mothwing's reaction. But the golden she-cat retained her her mysterious expression all the time.
"I know that much. Patrol told me. Forgive me, Bramblestar." - Bramblestar felt so longly awaited satisfaction at hearing his new, leader's name.
"Why isn't Leafpool with you?" - He asked boldly.
Bramblestar wanted to tell him that she had his kits. But he couldn't. Not after what he did to her.
"Blackstar killed her." - Bramblestar growled darkly.
His former travelling companion didn't reply, just lowered his head, turned around and went to WindClan territory.
"We should go as well." - Mothwing meowed sadly.
He nodded in agreement, and they began to trot toward ThunderClan camp.
Mothwing remained silent on the journey, so Bramblestar began to think about his meeting with StarClan. They all seemed so majestic and wise. But when the thought about that, were they, really? What will honor help him with, when fighting against WindClan and ShadowClan? ShadowClan warriors already once watched Berrykit fall into trap and they haven't helped him. If they were willing to leave kit to death, Bramblestar must be prepared that they will do anything. They won't hesitate to kill, so neither must ThunderClan.
WindClan was very antagonistic toward ThunderClan ever since Onestar became leader. Where is his gratefulness for their help? The battle with Onestar is coming, the only question is when.
And what was Ashfur doing in StarClan? He betrayed ThunderClan with Hawkfrost, just for revenge. "Love can make you commit nothing wrong," indeed. StarClan was just a bunch of idealistic hypocrites. They were the same oath-breakers, traitors, dishonorable murderers as they accused Bramblestar of being. At least he had a higher goal in mind.
Tigerstar was right. StarClan are fools.
"I know it is only a formality to remind you. But you mustn't tell anyone what happened during the ceremony." - Mothwing finally spoke when they approached the ThunderClan camp.
"Of course it's formality. Clan wouldn't respect me, if they knew what happened at Moonpool." - Brambleclaw thought.
"But at least I know Mothwing is on my side" - he added in his mind.
When he pushed through the thorn tunnel, Stormfur and Brook dipped their heads in respect for their new leader.
"Most patrols must have already returned," Bramblestar thought, looking around the camp, and seeing most of his clanmates. Fresh-kill pile was empty, aside from one small vole. Most of what Brightheart and apprentices hunted must have been eaten already. More hunting patrols would be necessary. But Bramblestar knew he could worry about it later.
He swiftly reached the high-ledge, and began to speak, gathering the attention of all the ThunderClan cats.
"I have been to the Moonpool and StarClan has given me my new name, and nine lives."
"Bramblestar! Bramblestar!" - cats began chanting his new name.
This is what he was dreaming about all his life. It was a dream come true. Standing on the high-ledge, he could feel his authority over each single cat there. His power, and his responsibility to protect them. He would make ThunderClan the greatest clan again. No cat would oppose Bramblestar. No clan will threaten ThunderClan. This is my destiny.
But for now, he had to choose new deputy and the medicine cat.
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