CHAPTER FOURTEEN

My paws were cold as we trudged onward, my pelt gently brushing against Puddleheart's. He was leading me through the darkening pines and to the moonpool. We said if we hurry we'll make it on time. My fear was rising with every step.

Would Wasptail or Bluekit or Stonetooth or even Nightfur be there? My heart skipped a beat when I thought of Nightfur. He had died and I could feel my heart break. I had to drag his lifeless body through ThunderClan territory and into RiverClan camp, crying the whole way. Mistystar listened to my explanation very welcomingly. I was grateful to her.

We had just entered ThunderClan territory, staying in the swampy part next to the lake so the ThunderClan cats couldn't challenge us. We were quiet the whole way, glancing at each other to make sure the swampyness didn't sink us down and helping each other but there wasn't much to say. It wasn't awkward as much as it was sad. I missed talking to my brother.

Puddleheart pushed me out of ThunderClan territory wearily and sped up. I could see the top of moonpool ahead and raced up the hill, looking down into the cave. Puddleheart nudged me from behind.

I plunged into the darkness and down the hole and Puddleheart lapped up some water and laid down. I copied him quickly.

"Greetings Beestripe," a very small brown tabby tom stood in front of me, gazing up at me with light blue eyes. His thin, frail body trembled. He looked healthy and happy. "Are you ready to recieve your nine lives?"

My pelt prickled as I gazed at the former medicine cat and I felt Puddleheart tense up beside me. "Yes, Littlecloud. I am ready." I felt a tinge of pain for Puddleheart who sat quietly beside me, watching.

The former medicine cat touched his nose to my and mewed, "With this life I give you faith! Use it for your Clanmates and new deputy." He stepped back as I got a blast of pain throughout me. My body shook with pain. Another cat I hadn't even noticed standing in waiting, stepped forward.

This she-cat was a sleek silver cat with white chest fur. Her bold green eyes shined at me in excitement. "Beestripe, with this life I give you compassion. Use it for your kits, my kits, and your Clanmates." She touched her nose to me as I prepared myself for pain. Although this one just felt like small claws digging into me, it reminded me of Shadowpaw and Lightpaw.

Needleflower dipped her head to our brother and stepped back as a small gray she-kit stepped forward. A she-kit I had named Bluekit because of her beautiful blue eyes and the way her pelt shined blue in the sunlight.

"Beestripe," she squeaked happily, "with this life I give you love. Everyone around you deserves love." When she touched my nose, pain struck me with great teeth, snapping at my heart. I felt myself melt a little as my precious kit stepped back, smiling at me.

Another cat I'd grown to love stepped forward. His dark gray pelt stood out among the lightness around us of StarClan and his loving bold green eyes meeting mine. "With this life I give you pride, use it in battle to protect your Clan." Nightfur touched his nose to mine and the pain came instantly. I felt claws tearing through my pelt as we brutally lost a battle. And then it was gone as he stepped away.

Wasptail, my beautiful yellow-pelted mother, stepped forward, purring softly, "With this life I give you trust. Use it with your medicine cat, deputy, and warriors." Her nose touched mine gently and it stung me for a few heartbeats and continued to do so as she stepped back.

My father, the large white tom, padded forward and I felt my tears come as I went to say something but couldn't. My voice wasn't working. "With this life, Beestripe, I give you strength. Use it in battle and when you've lost someone you love." He leaned down so his nose touched mine and the pain struck me and rang through my ear. I had to close my eyes to keep the tears from coming.

When I opened them again, Stonetooth was no longer in front of me and instead, Oakfur's familiar brown pelt blew in the light wind. "With this life I give you wisdom. Use it to make your choices and use it to help your Clan." His nose touched mine but this time, the pain was sharp and in my stomach. My eyes teared up as he stepped back and Squirrelflight of ThunderClan stepped forward.

"Thank you for telling Bramblestar about Stormcloud," she whispered and then cleared her throat, standing tall. "With this life I give you tireless energy. Use it so that when your time comes, you may run with your Clan." With her nose, pain echoed throughout my body and I had to struggle to keep myself standing, pain engulfed my whole body.

Even when Snowstar stepped forward I could feel the pain throughout my body.

Snowstar was smiling, his gray pelt almost blue. His hauntingly dark green eyes met mine. "With this life I give you loyalty. Be loyal to your Clanmates and yourself." Snowstar touched my nose and the pain came once again. I stumbled and felt Puddleheart's tail help me stay up. "Beestripe, I take away your former name and give you your new one: Beestar! StarClan hopes you lead ShadowClan with the strength of LionClan, that you run with your warriors proudly like LeopardClan, and that you hide in the darkness like TigerClan." He dipped his head to me and the other cats with stars in their furs copied him.

"Beestar! Beestar!" they cheered and I lifted my head proudly, basking in my new leadership. I would not lead like Tigerstar or Rowanstar. I would be my own leader.

Suddenly, the cheering disappeared and I looked at Puddleheart who looked alarmed as everything went black and the sunny skies disappeared. The cats standing in front of us now had black pelts and their eyes were black as well.

They gazed at me silently until the biggest one stepped forward and spoke in a dark, eerie voice, "Night and snow will combine to destroy all of your kind." And then it all disappeared.

I sat up, my eyes wide as I turned to Puddleheart who gazed at me with terror in his. "Was that another prophecy?" I gasped at him, finally finding my voice.

Puddleheart was nodding as the words spilled out of my mouth. "I-I think so." I could see the tears in his eyes. Puddleheart had loved everyone of the those cats just as I had, with the exception of Squirrelflight and Nightfur. The pain of seeing his old mentor must've hurt him.

My eyes closed briefly. I wanted to lay down and go to sleep. "My Clan!" I blurted and jumped to the entrance, suddenly feeling the energy flowing back in. "We have to get back!" I bursted out into the greenleaf sun, the sunlight blinding me for a few seconds. I paused to let my eyes adjust to the brightness and as soon as I did I raced right into the grass, smelling the scent markers for WindClan territory but pushing through over to the lake, itching to get back to my Clan. I could hear Puddleheart struggling to catch up. He hadn't done a lot of running ever since he was my medicine cat.

I pushed forward, feeling excitement. I was the fastest runner in ShadowClan, Cloudsong coming close to beating me. I wanted to get back and see my new Clan, to fix what had been wronged, like the pine hunters and outgoers. That might be hard, I'd have to see what they wanted.

Now my breath was heavy as I ran but I didn't care, the itch to run was back. I was ShadowClan's new leader! I blew past the ThunderClan border, racing beside the lake quickly, hearing someone call out hello to me. I waved my tail in response.

I passed by what the ThunderClan cats called the Ancient Oak and kept going, admiring it's greatness. The half bridge was in the distance. After that I'd be back in my territory. ShadowClan territory. Home.

Puddleheart's paws were loud, pounding on the ground behind me as we ran. He needed to get out more. I couldn't wait until Featherkit was his apprentice, she'd wear him out quickly. She was so full of energy and so excited to work under Puddleheart.

The half bridge was behind me now as I jumped over the border and raced through the pines, recognizing all of the trees and easily dodging around them. I wonder what camp would look like now. Would it seem different now that I was leader?

A sharp corner had me off my paws for a second and I quickly jumped to my paws and slowed down as I neared camp, hearing Puddleheart gasping behind me and trotting up to me.

"Oh StarClan Beestar, you're fast!" he gasped and smiled at me, padding next to me as we entered camp.

Everyone in the camp's eyes flickered to us, even Rowanstar who was gazing at me with excitement. They all waited as I walked through camp and jumped onto the hazel branch, looking below at them.

My eyes watched the cats and I caught Strikefang's gaze for a heartbeat. "StarClan has named me Beestar and given me my nine lives and name!" I yowled.

"Beestar! Beestar!" they cheered just like the starry cats, only louder and prouder.

I gazed at my Clan proudly, seeing Cloudsong, Featherkit, Stonekit, Lightpaw, Shadowpaw, and Clumsykit all cheering for me the loudest, the kits jumping around. They were my family and they were proud of me.

When I'd jumped down from the branch they all went back to their duties with the exception of Yarrowfur who was smiling at me.

"Welcome Beestar," he purred and licked my cheek. "Glad to see you're doing great." He dipped his head and padded away without another word.

Next, get rid of the pine hunters and outgoers. After that, worry about the prophecy, I thought to myself and nodded, seeing my deputy padding over to me.

Tawnypelt looked well-rested and ready. "Beestar, how about you get some sleep and I'll watch camp for a while, okay? I'll bring you a mouse," she purred, her eyes shining.

It was about time Tawnypelt took place as deputy. She was loyal, kind, and fair.

"Okay, thank you Tawnypelt," I agreed and dipped my head before sliding into my new den. It was empty inside besides the nest in the middle, pressed up against the wall on a stone ledge.

I climbed on it and settled down, feeling the coldness of the den and seeing Tawnypelt set a mouse down in front of me and then leave. I didn't remember eating it but I did remember falling asleep in the lonely den.

Bramblestar smiled warmly at me, his new deputy Ivypool beside him and I felt Tawnypelt brush her fur against mine for comfort. These were friends, not enemies.

The prophecy given to me by the dark-furred cats had given me nightmares every time I closed my eyes. I was scared for my Clan and the other Clans too.

"Welcome Beestar," Bramblestar purred and dipped his head. "And Tawnypelt." His eyes lit up as he looked at his sister. He knew just as well as I did that Tawnypelt deserved that spot. "ThunderClan stands beside you proudly."

I dipped my head back to him, smiling. "ShadowClan thanks you." I wanted to resolve the war between the Clans. I had spoken to Onestar and Mistystar already in their camp, they agreed the feud was over with a new leader. Bramblestar and I just randomly met at the border while I was speaking with Tawnypelt. He was glad it was over.

We said our goodbyes and left, I continued talking to Tawnypelt when they were away from earshot. "So how should I get rid of the split in the Clan?"

Tawnypelt gazed up at the warm sun thoughtfully. "Tell them it's over, there is no more split. Tell them you want us as one Clan again." She turned back to me, matching my pace. "Tell them your leadership rises up above that split in the Clan." Her whiskers twitched.

My thoughts ran with this. "I am the leader," I told her and she nodded, she already knew this. "They already know that split in the Clan was a bad idea…" I began to shake my head and then purred at my deputy, "Thank you Tawnypelt!" And I walked away, heading straight for camp, eager to speak with my Clanmates.

Inside the camp, it was busy with activity. Tigerheart, Spikefur, and Yarrowfur were working on the nursery, reinforcing it while Strikefang, Cometmoon, and Slateleaf worked on the warriors den. Whiteeyes, Shadowpaw, Lightpaw, and Cloudsong were working on the apprentices den. Flowerstem, who was moving to the nursery soon due to having Tigerheart's kits, Dawnpelt, and Sleekfeather were working together on the medicine den, Birchwing, Grassheart, and Pinenose worked on the elders den and the warriors left, Lionfur and Junipernose were assigned to help Puddleheart and then hunt.

They were split in two, working as two groups and not speaking to one another. It was disappointing to me.

Kinkfur and Rowanstar were talking outside of my den, sunning themselves happily.

No one looked at me as I entered, my paws itched to stop the split in the Clan but I didn't want to interrupt their working. The camp hadn't looked this good since before RiverClan had destroy it. The thought prickled at my pelt.

I watched Featherkit, Stonekit, and Clumsykit raced up to me, bouncing up and down. They knew it was only a matter of time before I apprenticed them.

"Beestar!" Stonekit mewed, bouncing up and down. "We missed you!" His eyes shone.

I had lost Nightfur, Strikefang, my parents, one of my kits, dear friends and yet, somehow, I couldn't be more happier than I was right.

My Clan was my happiness.