Chapter 8
The dreaded scent of death overwhelmed Ravenpaw.
"W-was he on his last life or something?" he stuttered.
"No," a ginger she-cat replied weakly. "You took all his nine lives away at once."
Horror rippled through Ravenpaw. He had killed Bramblestar! Rosepaw would be so disappointed in him as well as their three deceased kits.
"ThunderClan," whispered the ginger she-cat meekly. "R-retreat..."
ThunderClan somberly walked away from WindClan territory. Ravenpaw watched them go with shame until he could no longer see them.
You did well, Mapleshade murmured. Don't worry if they're upset at you because you did the right thing, my dear apprentice.
Ravenpaw tried to block out the sounds of her voice, and tried to focus on the pool of blood where Bramblestar had been dragged away by the ginger she-cat. Then, he felt grief wash over him, so he looked away.
They cast you out! Mapleshade reminded him. Don't feel bad, feel glad!
I can't... murmured Ravenpaw.
"A few apprentices fought bravely today," Ashstar announced clearly as if nothing had happened. "So they will be going to the Gathering tonight!"
"But when will Squirrelflight receive her nine lives if the Gathering is tonight?" Crowfeather questioned.
"Probably right now," Ashstar meowed, pointing with her tail to the ginger she-cat and a white tom crossing the moor somberly.
The white tom seemed rather uncomfortable by the presence of the ginger she-cat, presumably Squirrelflight.
The sun was just starting to set slowly over the moor, its rouged surface spreading out across the fading blue sky like blood spilling out of Bramblestar.
"Who shall go to the Gathering?" asked Graypaw eagerly.
Ashstar cleared her throat.
"Graypaw, Gingerpaw, Stormpaw Softpaw and..." Ravenpaw's thoughts filled with hope. "Ravenpaw."
"What about the warriors?" demanded Boulderfur.
"Whitetail, Sunstrike, Swallowtail, Boulderfur and Emberfoot," Ashstar replied smoothly.
"That's it?" hissed Heathertail. Ashstar shot her a sharp glance.
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The soft gray moon was just starting to rise as Squirrelflight reached the Moonpool, Jayfeather at her side.
"Oh, no!" Squirrelflight gasped. "I still have to choose a deputy, receive my nine lives and get to the Gathering on time!"
"It's fine," spat Jayfeather. "You're going to be fine."
"Very well," Squirrelflight muttered. "If you say so."
She touched her nose gently to the Moonpool as darkness lapped her mind.
She appeared in a starry forest where cats that shined with frosty starlight rushed up to greet her.
A familiar black, furry shape with glinting green eyes and a star-touched pelt padded forward, touching noses with her.
"Hollyleaf!" gasped Squirrelflight. "It's been too long."
The black she-cat purred.
"With this life I give you cleverness," Hollyleaf murmured wisely. "Use it to choose the right path in your life and avoid mistakes."
A burning sensation surged through Squirrelflight in her neck, and she felt deep green eyes glaring at her as she tumbled into the lake.
Hollyleaf padded away slowly to be replaced by a dark brown tom.
"Bramblestar, my love!" meowed Squirrelflight with joy, rushing up to greet her mate.
"With this life," began Bramblestar. "I give you pride. Use it to not care what others dislike of you and stand up for yourself no matter who you may seem like."
Shame and sadness washed over Squirrelflight as she watched from an unfamiliar den as cats walked past her quickly and glared at her with disapproving eyes.
A flame-colored tom greeted her with his nose touched to hers.
"Firestar!" gaped Squirrelflight.
Firestar smiled at her, love and grief dominant in his bright green eyes.
"With this life I give you sympathy," he murmured. "Use it to care for those you love, especially when they're in danger."
Suddenly, Squirrelflight felt as though one thousand badgers had attacked her as she saw a blue-gray she-cat shivering in her den, muttering crazy talk.
Firestar padded away from his daughter with a warm smile, and a dark, gray-silver she-cat took his place.
"Hello, Feathertail!" Squirrelflight greeted her old friend. "I miss you too often."
"I miss you too," Feathertail told her with a purr, then her gaze deepened.
"With this life I give you courage," the pretty tabby meowed. "Use it to sacrifice yourself for those you love and defend your Clan at all costs."
Sheer pain seared down on Squirrelflight as she tumbled to the ground, sharp rocks and stones piercing her skin. She breathed a sigh of relief as it ebbed away.
Feathertail bounded away toward a silver she-cat that stood next to a tom with a twisted jaw.
An ash-gray tom padded over to Squirrelflight as she shifted around uncomfortably.
"Ashfur..." Squirrelflight mumbled. "How are you?"
P.S. ASHXSQUIRREL ROCKS! GO ASHFUR X SQUIRRELFLIGHT!
"With this life I give you caring," Ashfur murmured, touching noses with her. "Use it to love those you know all around you and care for the weak and injured."
A rush of love and pain filled Squirrelflight, nearly making her cry as she faced three, terrified young cats trapped in a blazing fire and another cat at her side.
Ashfur stepped aside to give way to a gray-and-white she-kit.
"My name is Mosskit," mewled the tiny kit as Squirrelflight bent down to touch noses with her.
"With this life I give you strength," Mosskit squeaked. "Use it to survive in even the harshest conditions."
Suddenly a freezing wind tumbled over Squirrelflight as she shivered in the cold, a burning sensation threatening to kill her.
Mosskit bounced away happily and content as a white she-cat stepped up to Squirrelflight.
"I am Snowfur," the white she-cat mewed with wisdom.
Squirrelflight dipped her head.
"With this life I give you a mother's love," she mewed. "Use it to care for your Clanmates... and your kits."
Squirrelflight felt a rush of love and yet pain as a white tom-kit tumbled over her paws, then the wave of pain struck as a Monster ran her over with its hard, black paws.
Snowfur padded calmly away as a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat bounded up to her with a happy smile.
"Sorreltail!" exclaimed Squirrelflight. "I'm so glad to see you!"
"With this life I give you patience," Sorreltail murmured. "Use it well to guide your Clanmates in times of need and last through the most painful moments, always hoping."
A dark flash of electric pain surged from Squirrelflight's paws and up to her head as two kits and a tom crouched over her, worry in their eyes as blood frothed around her paws.
Then it was gone.
Sorreltail padded slowly away to be replaced by a furry, silver-and-white she-cat with darker stripes.
"Hello, young one," the she-cat murmured. "My name is Moonflower and I am Bluestar and Snowfur's mother."
Squirrelflight had heard of Bluestar, the great leader that went crazy before her father, Firestar, took over.
"With this life I give you loyalty," she whispered. "Use it to always be there for your Clanmates and support them with your life."
As Moonflower touched noses with her, Squirrelflight was surprised to feel love wash over her instead of pain as she saw it darkening over her as two apprentices mournfully crouched over her.
The StarClan cats lifted their heads up and called to the night sky.
"Squirrelstar! Squirrelstar! Squirrelstar!"
Squirrelstar felt pride sweep over her as she glanced at Jayfeather, who for once, was actually smiling.
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"Why is ThunderClan so late?" complained Stormpaw as she settled down beside Ravenpaw. "We need to hurry up so I can go home. The greenleaf nights are always hot. Especially since there are so many cats crowding around."
Ravenpaw rolled his slightly mismatched eyes. Stormpaw complained about the slightest things.
Suddenly a rotten stench filled Ravenpaw's nostrils as ThunderClan raced in. He had gotten so used to the WindClan scent that all the other Clans smelled like rotten crow-food.
The Clan cats gasped as they saw Squirrelflight, probably Squirrelstar now, pad up and leap up onto the lowest branch of the Great Oak where all the other leaders sat.
"What happened to Bramblestar?" questioned one cat.
"He's dead," replied a dark brown tabby tom.
"How?"
"None of your business," snapped Berrynose, the one who had hurt Frostkit.
"Anyway," Squirrelstar yowled. "I am Squirrelstar of ThunderClan and Bramblestar is dead. Lionblaze is the new deputy."
"Squirrelstar! Lionblaze! Squirrelstar! Lionblaze!" cheered the Clans.
It was all a murmur as the leaders went on talking. A chilly breeze swept some leaves from the trees and onto the Clan cats.
"Leaf-fall is approaching," murmured Stormpaw as she huddled up beside Ravenpaw, shivering.
There was something about her being so close to him that made him feel funny. Strange.
As the talk came to an end, a harsh wind roared over as dark storm clouds gathered at the sky.
"WindClan, time to go back to camp!" Ashstar called, beckoning with her tail.
When they got there, Ravenpaw decided it was too cold to sleep outside. But, the other apprentices thought it was warm enough, as they huddled up together in a small pile of fur. Stormpaw stood up, and walked over toward Ravenpaw, her dark blue eyes glittering in the soft moonlight.
"Mind if I share a den with you?" she asked nervously, shuffling her paws. "It's awfully chilly outside."
"Sure..." Ravenpaw invited, crawling into a middle-sized, abandoned fox den as Stormpaw curled up beside him. There were two nests, surprisingly.
"So, who's taking care of Frostkit?" mumbled Stormpaw sleepily.
"Gorsetail," mewed Ravenpaw. "She's expecting Harespring's kits."
"But what about the milk?" Stormpaw sounded rather worried.
"She has some, shockingly, but Kestrelflight's been feeding her borage," Ravenpaw replied.
"I see," Stormpaw muttered drowsily.
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"Congratulations!" beamed Mapleshade as she circled Ravenpaw proudly.
"You've killed Bramblestar!"
Ravenpaw tried to smile, but it was weak as he still felt quite guilty about killing his former leader, even though he cast him aside.
After a long night of training with Mapleshade, Ravenpaw awoke to the chirping of small birds and sunshine pouring in through the den. He scented fear.
"Stormpaw, wake up!" Ravenpaw urged his friend.
Stormpaw scented it too, as she bolted out of the den, Ravenpaw following her.
The smell led them to the nursery where Gorsetail was gasping for breath, Frostkit at her side.
"What's wrong with her, Ravenpaw?" Frostkit asked.
"The kits!" Gorsetail gasped. "They're coming!"
"That's impossible!" Stormpaw breathed, though she sounded worried as well. "You're belly isn't that swollen yet!"
"It's only as round as half the moon!" Ravenpaw agreed.
"They're coming alright," Kestrelflight meowed sternly. "I think it had something to do with Frostkit nursing on her."
"I didn't do anything!" Frostkit protested.
"Oh, Frostkit," soothed Gorsetail. "It isn't your fault." She nuzzled her foster-daughter gently.
"Right, it isn't," mewed Weaselfur, Ravenpaw's new mentor.
Frostkit still looked rather guilty.
Suddenly Gorsetail caterwauled in pain as a tiny head poked out, mewling. Then it slid out onto the floor, not moving except for its small breaths.
Kestrelflight began licking the small kit, trying to warm it up and get it moving, but the kit gave one feeble mewl, lifting its head up, then collapsed to the ground.
"He's dead!" wailed Gorsetail as a smaller kit flopped out beside her, then another.
"Get out," Kestrelflight snapped to all the other cats.
A few minutes later, Kestrelflight emerged with a solemn look on his face.
"One survived," he announced.
"Survived?" hissed Harespring.
"Go inside and meet your... your son," Kestrelflight mewed weakly.
Ravenpaw followed, checking on Frostkit.
A small, brown-and-cream tom kit suckled at his mother's belly as three other kits lay dead on the floor.
"Can I drink?" asked Frostkit. Gorsetail gave no reply.
"She's very weak," Kestrelflight meowed as he padded in. "And Frostkit, I think you should start eating live prey now. The tom-kit will need as much milk as he can get."
"Fine," huffed Frostkit.
"What's his name?" asked Ravenpaw.
"Lionkit," meowed Harespring proudly. "To give him the strength of a lion so he can survive."
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Ravenpaw scented the air. He smelled rabbit. He saw a small, white, furry body crouching low in a small, thorny bush. It crept out, oblivious of Ravenpaw as it looked for food.
Ravenpaw stalked it slowly, slowly, then at the right moment, he pounced! He killed it with a swift bite to the neck and could feel the green gaze of his mentor burning into him as he completed his assessment, a proud pile of hares and rabbits stacked up beside Ravenpaw.
"Good job," commented Weaselfur as he padded out to stand beside his apprentice.
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"Ravenpaw," meowed Ashfur. "Your skill and courage gives me the right to name you Ravenwing."
"Ravenwing! Ravenwing!"
Ravenwing stood proudly beside Stormfrost, Gingerfur, Grayflight and Softbreeze.
He then looked at the ground somberly.
"What's wrong?" Stormfrost soothed.
"Rosepaw should be here," Ravenwing murmured.
Stormfrost sighed. "I miss my sister," she muttered.
Ravenwing slipped off into a daze about his former mate, but then snapped right back out of it.
"It's nice to finally be a warrior," he heard Gingerfur murmur to Softbreeze.
Softbreeze giggled slightly, entwining their tails together.
"Right," she mewed to Gingerfur. "Now that we're warriors, no more elder duty, but there are also more opportunities..."
"You don't have to talk about that in front of every other cat, you know," Grayflight hissed.
"Yeah, that's just gross when you talk about it," Stormfrost meowed.
"Soon the nursery will be filled with kits," Ravenwing huffed.
Stormfrost looked at the ground.
"What?" Ravenwing asked his best friend with worry. "Was it something I said?"
Stormfrost shook her head.
"No, no..." she trailed off as Crowfeather approached.
"Congratulations," the deputy meowed.
Ravenwing dipped his head.
"Ravenwing?" Stormfrost sounded urgent. "Can I talk to you? In... in private."
"Sure!" Ravenwing chimed.
Crowfeather gave him a wink. Ravenwing just rolled his eyes.
"I've... I've always had secret feelings for you," Stormfrost confessed as they settled down in their den. "And when Rosepaw got to you first, I kind of took it out on you and began to ignore you."
Ravenwing gulped.
"This doesn't change our friendship, does it?" Stormfrost looked up.
"No, not at all," Ravenwing soothed. "In fact, it boosts it."