A.N: Hello, my wonderful readers :) Time for another update, oh yay! Now, as a forewarning I do have to say that there are no deaths in this... well. no graphic deaths. Sorry ^^'
To Graywhisper: I have included your favorite character here, so you can say good-bye to him properly
'The tom had been revitalized to a younger form of himself, and he opened his bright green eyes, the same that Hollyleaf had, and said, "Let's begin."
Hollyleaf swallowed nervously, and glanced at the starry figures that stood around her. "How do…?" Her question trailed off as a translucent cloud of ash puffed from the paws of the StarClan cats as they settled on their haunches, eyes glowing intelligently. But where Hollyleaf felt that she should be the center of their attention- it was not narcissism but a feeling of tradition- the cats seemed distracted. Of the cats that remained, Firestar sat in front of her with his two daughters by his side and his deputy to the other. Other assorted members of ThunderClan stood around her too, and the kits that had greeted her originally. All of them formed a kind of circle, though the kits didn't seem to participate. This left Hollyleaf to wonder if there were enough cats at all.
"We will show you the way." The voice that came from the group seemed like one, but Firestar was the only one with his mouth open. The kind leader's demeanor had changed and he looked… not older, but wiser almost? The dark she-cat suddenly felt very small, and very unfit for the position that Brambleclaw had given her. "Through tradition, Brambleclaw will be the last to give you a life, as he appointed you. I will start." The cat stepped forward, his green eyes glowing, almost burning Hollyleaf as she attempted to avoid his gaze. But she found that she couldn't move, and was forced to look into the seemingly flickering depths of her kins' eyes. He stopped just a pawstep in front of her, and Hollyleaf noticed that his fur looked bristled and uneven in places, like a silent wind was pushing it aside.
"Hollyleaf, my grandchild," he murmured, and his breath was like a freezing winter wind; it smelled of ice and smoke, darkness and light. "I always wished that you were one of the Three, when you returned, I hoped you were the Fourth. But it seems that not even the powers of StarClan could help the Clans in this dark time. We couldn't save you with the power of the stars, we couldn't see into the future- all our prophecies have broken to pieces and even the Three are not enough to save the Clans. We were foolish to think that the power of the darkness would only match our own. So now, I give you this life of Integrity. You believe in the Warrior Code and that is all that the Clan has to live on right now. They need the belief that they will get through this, even in their darkest hour." Firestar closed the little space between them and touched her nose with his.
Hollyleaf froze, the power rushing through her body like a river coursing, rushing down a streambed that had been dry before. It was pain and happiness at once, the glowing emotion that felt like it was burning her fur off and warming her inside. The black she-cat refused to move as the pain shook through her bones and made her tail bush. She barely noticed when Firestar stepped away and backed into the circle again. It was obvious that he didn't like hurting her, but the pride in his eyes made Hollyleaf feel stronger.
Brackenfur was next, and Hollyleaf purred happily to see her mentor alive and well again. Though her muscles still quivered from the shock of her first life, she stepped forward to push her head into his shoulder. The fur that touched her was soft, almost not even there really. Hollyleaf wasn't sure if she really wanted to try and touch his actual body- in fear that he wouldn't be solid.
"Hello Hollyleaf," his eyes crinkled as he looked at the cat that he had once changed from an attempted medicine cat to a warrior under his guidance. "I had never dreamed that you would ascend to a leader, but I'm so happy you did." His whiskers twitched as well as his tail in joy. "So I'm here to give you a life, to help lead your new Clan." He touched his nose to hers, his soft tone that had previously been used strengthened back to the voice she heard so many times calling her out of the apprentice den. "With this life, I give you clear Vision. Use this to predict the future of your Clan, even when StarClan cannot help you and to convince others that they can make it, even when it seems impossible." This energy was swifter, blowing her back a step. The pain was fierce, but it was less physical, and more emotional. Horror and fear, as potent as if she was on a Thunderpath with a monster bearing down on her, flooded her body and grated on her every nerve until she felt like she would wretch. Brackenfur touched her shoulder in condolence as she calmed her racing heart. "I know you'll be a great leader," he laughed, "Just don't go chasing anymore foxes." Hollyleaf chuckled as well, and then her mentor nodded farewell, backing away to join the other StarClan cats. She hadn't thought of his death and now she was a bit sad; Brackenfur had been a great warrior and had plenty of experience, even if he was one of the more senior cats.
The next cat was an unexpected one- Raggedstar of ShadowClan. Hollyleaf hadn't noticed the shaggy old tomcat approach, but now that she took another look, she noticed that Mothwing of RiverClan also had joined the circle. A pang shot through her at seeing the newly-dead medicine cat, who nodded to her in greeting, though it wasn't time for her to step forward yet.
"I think that this is a surprise to you," The long-deceased ShadowClan leader rumbled, his huge frame towering over the black she-cat, making her look slight in comparison. "Though if you think about it, it shouldn't be. You helped restore faith to my Clan when Sol tried to divert them. It is truly the strength of belief in the Clan that holds them together, and without you and your brothers, there would be no ShadowClan to guide now. For that I must thank you again." He dipped his massive head down, and like the mane of a lion, the dark fur silhouetted his head like the rays of a dark sun. "With this life I give you Faith. Use it to keep your Clan together and strong through their belief in their ancestors and in you."
This life was less jarring as it flowed into her and, instead of pain; Hollyleaf was left with a sense of wholeness as she nodded gratefully to the elder cat. He retreated back to the circle like the other two had, and it was Mothwing's turn now. Her amber eyes glittered nervously as she stepped forward, but instead of the timid cat that Hollyleaf remembered from the RiverClan camp just a few seasons ago, when she had gone to visit, this she-cat was much more confident. Though a light of amazement seemed to glow around her like an aura, she was standing right in front of the soon-to-be leader, though in life she hadn't believed in the starry ancestors she now walked among.
"Hollyleaf," She nodded courteously, amber eyes bright. "I see now that you were right; there is a StarClan, and they are merciful to bring me here. I am here to give you a life, as you expect." She smiled gently. "Thank you for coming to my Clan, even though it broke your laws. Sometimes rules need to be broken in order for the community to function." She nervously touched noses with the black cat. "With this life, I give you Courage; this will help you have the power to do what you know is right, even when the rules prohibit it." Hollyleaf felt the blast of power, but behind it was an emptiness, a foreign-ess. She didn't know how to describe it, but it slowly changed into the excitement and love that she had associated with being around her Clanmates. But always there was a doubt that grew and grew. A blast of adrenaline and pain… and the doubt disappeared to wonder. The black she-cat blinked, confused. Mothwing was gone already, and Squirrelflight had taken a single step forward.
"Mothwing?" Hollyleaf called, turning to try and see the tan she-cat. But the medicine cat wouldn't catch her eyes. It dawned on her that the emotions she had felt along with the life may have been Mothwing's… all the way up to her death and ascent to StarClan. The foreign feeling that came from being born a rogue and pushed into a Clan, eventually being accepted and freed from Hawkfrost, the doubt that StarClan existed and the amazement that came with learning that it did. Instead of questioning her again, Hollyleaf blinked, and nodded slowly to the cat. She understood now.
Squirrelflight cleared her throat nervously as Hollyleaf turned back to her. "Hello," She half smiled to the black she-cat. Hollyleaf dipped her head in return, unsure of what to feel when faced with her adopted mother. The she-cat that had lied to her for more than half of her life, and broken two toms' hearts, putting her children in danger through her own actions.
"I hope… that you can forgive me." The older ginger cat began, her white paws scuffling in the ash that coated the ground. "I was trying to protect you from the consequences of being born, so that you didn't have a bad kithood. Your mother couldn't take care of you…" She shot a glance at Leafpool, who watched steadily, amber eyes guilty. "I just how that you can see why I had to do it." She moved to touch noses with the black she-cat, and Hollyleaf pulled back, looking at Squirrelflight with confusion. "Squirrelflight, I know that you hid our identities to save us from ridicule, but… I feel that if I had known earlier… It would have been better. I wouldn't have reacted the way I did that night. The night I left." Her paws mimicked the older cat's, disturbing the piles of soot. "I was hurt. I was brash. There were secrets everywhere, everyone was talking about it. About me. I… I don't want to just be a story the Clans repeat to their kits because my parents broke the code." Her voice cracked slightly in the middle of her sentence, and her tail quivered.
"You were confused. Everyone gets confused, Hollyleaf." Leafpool spoke up, and with some hesitation, also joined Squirrelflight in the middle of the circle. A few hisses greeted her action, but Leafpool held her head high as she approached her daughter. "I understand that you didn't know what to feel. No one should be put into a situation like you were."
"Then why did you do it?" Hollyleaf said quietly, her eyes narrowing though the sadness in her voice was apparent. "Why did you lie to us? It didn't protect us, you don't understand; I grew up thinking that the Warrior Code was the only thing that really mattered. That as long as you followed it, you were doing the right thing. But all these secrets came up; the entire Clan was full of them! We shouldn't keep secrets, they tore us apart!" her voice rose in anger, then dropped suddenly. "They tore me apart. I didn't know who to trust… I couldn't speak with StarClan and not even my own mother wanted me." She stilled silently as Leafpool pressed her nose to Hollyleaf's.
"With this life, I give you Love." She mewled quietly, eyes shining with sadness. "Use it to choose who to tell, what to tell, and how to keep your Clan- your family- from falling apart."
Hollyleaf tried to ignore the warm feeling that coursed through her body, focusing on Leafpool's emotions like Mothwing had done. Maybe she could understand her mother that way? The younger cat closed her eyes and opened her mind to the energy the StarClan cat was giving her. The love for Crowfeather, the knowledge that they couldn't be together, but the lines that the Great Journey had left behind still tangible. She didn't expect to have kits. Being the only medicine cat helped, no one could tell the difference. No one looked for it. Squirrelflight helped her give birth, in the snow. The pain was intense, one of the kits died in the cold. Three were left, with unusual coloring. Two like Crowfeather, one like her father.
Hollyleaf only got partial thoughts, snippets of ideas, feelings. But she saw herself growing, maybe taking on the path of a medicine cat? Leafpool desperately wanted to be near her kits. She and Squirrelflight fought many times over telling them. They were apprentices now, Leafpool was happy that they had all survived the foxes, though she knew Jaypaw could never become a warrior. She and Squirrelflight fought again, and during the Daylight Gathering she asked Crowfeather. No one wanted to tell them, Leafpool felt the tension building. Ashfur died, Leafpool felt shocked. Why did her daughter kill him? Yellowfang had warned her that the children of a medicine cat… The thought was cut off as Leafpool pulled away quickly. "You see?" She asked, though her fur was raised slightly in apprehension. "I wanted to tell you, I wanted you to know. My existence was not untouched by these secrets as well. By the time you were a warrior, it was too late, and I knew you would reject me. Your contempt for me burned, your hatred made me feel guilty. It was truly torturous to go on living and be stripped of the position I worked so hard for. And then you disappeared and it hurt so much…" Leafpool choked quietly, and turned away, padding sullenly back toward the other cats. Hollyleaf watched her go in silence, lacking empathy for the past medicine cat.
Squirrelflight looked troubled, and touched noses with the black she-cat quickly. "With this life I give you Acceptance. Things will change and trouble you, but have the will to work past them and you become stronger." Hollyleaf barely registered the pain that prickled at her heart- probably a reflection of Squirrelflight's own emotions as well- as the ginger she-cat pulled away and padded to her sister, whispering quietly in her ear.
The black she-cat looked around the circle, her eyes slightly wet as she searched for the cat that would give her her next life. No cat stirred, and for the next few heartbeats, everything was still as everyone held their breath. Finally Brambleclaw spoke.
"That is only seven lives," he mewed with confusion, looking to Firestar. "Where is the eighth cat?"
Firestar looked confused as well, and craned his neck to gaze at each of the cats in turn. "Maybe StarClan has deemed that because Hollyleaf took a life that she will only receive eight of her nine lives."
Hollyleaf shook as she was reminded of the dark time in her life. She had been desperate and angry and confused, yet she still couldn't remember how she couldconvince herself to kill a Clanmate.
"Wait," Mothwing murmured, looking over Firestar's shoulder. There, in the shadows of a dead tree, stood a figure. One that was familiar to all the ThunderClan cats in the circle, and became even more apparent as he stepped forward. Hollyleaf shuddered with guilt, and Squirrelflight flicked her tail with nervous energy. Brambleclaw dipped his head hesitantly as the cat stepped into the circle, his blue eyes shining healthily. No one had said a word and all that could be heard was the whisper of a dead wind through stunted trees when he spoke.
"Hollyleaf, I have come to give you your eighth life."
The black cat was stunned, but found her voice. "Thank you, Ashfur."
A.N: Come on, you had to have seen that coming! Next chapter soon. Sorry if this one was confusing ):