--in a {l i f e t i m e}

[sablesong]

The once strong wind that had buffeted ShadowClan's territory had died down to a mere caress that pulled at their fur but was hardly uncomfortable. Dark clouds loomed on the horizon, shrouding the setting sun and blowing a frigid breeze over the land. Stars were dotted here and there in the sky, illuminating the earth below with small puddles of light. So typical of ThunderClan territory. Sablesong shivered delicately, the fur along her spine rippling in waves as she shook out her pelt. It felt so enclosed, so suffocating. How could they stand so much trees? It was like an endless puzzle out here. Why, the tabby wouldn't have been able to find her way if it wasn't for the clearly marked path; generations and generation of scents, overlapped into such a array that she wasn't able to discern RiverClan from WindClan. The warrior's nose wrinkled in disgust at the foreign scent. She much preferred the sweet, homely fragrance of ShadowClan.

Said she-cat felt a thrill of excitement coarse through her body. Of course, it was a stupid and idiotic choice to even tag along, no doubt she would be stuck on guard duty while one of them earned their nine lives. Was she even fit to be a leader? Sure, she was brave and honest, but also stubborn, over-determined, and not to mention hypocritical a lot of the time. The dream is always lying there, tucked away into a small corner at the back of your mind. It may be closer to the surface in a lot of cats, even more shrouded in some, but it was always there. What cat wouldn't want to have a clan behind them? To have both their support and the support of StarClan? Now that was a thought she could dream peacefully on. Her fur bristling and her eyes wide, she looked back from her place at the top of the rag-tag group of felines. The tabby cleared her throat self-consciously, slowing her pace to fit herself into the middle of the band. Now they probably thought she was over-achieving, too.

"So, when do you think we'll get there, Miragesoul?" The she-cat asked, wincing at the gale's sudden bite at the tender skin under her pelt. If she couldn't handle this, then the warrior couldn't imagine what WindClan could feel like. How could they enjoy the weather like this? Now Sablesong, bright, sunny, but not too hot days were for her, with a gentle breeze to caress your fur whenever you got too warm. That said, she looked up at the calico again. The she-cat would make an amazing leader; even when she was on the twisted branch, she managed to regal, like she belonged. Sablesong believed that ShadowClan would be a great place with a cat like Miragesoul around to lead it. She couldn't help but feel a tremendous surge of respect for the feline. Even if she wasn't fit for leader, deputy would be a great choice. The tabby closed her eyes, trying to picture sharing dreams with StarClan. She imagined it would be ethereal, translucent and beautiful. She could see all the amazing leaders of the past; maybe even Blackstar. Oh, how she would love to see his familiar face again.

Her thoughts were shattered as a loud yowl came from their right, and although she managed not to jump a fox-length into the air, her hackles bristled. The sudden intrude upon her senses was both unwelcome and violating. "What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?" The voice was calm, controlled, yet it seemed to make it all the more irritating. Angered and exasperated, the pushed through to the front of the group and faced the white cat. "We're making our way to the Moonpool. All clans have free passage." Sablesong swore that she had almost seen a smirk flicker across the other feline's face, she listened quietly as he spoke again. "And why, pray tell, would ShadowClan want to travel to the Moonpool?"

[Silvercloud]

The heat of the day was dying away and quickly being replaced by the cool of night. He would train now while the rest of the clan gorged themselves on fresh kill and shared tongues. He could careless if the clan missed him or even noticed he was gone. Among his clan mates he knew that he resided as the lone cat on the totem pole. He didn't mean to always be so prickly, its just that well there was a lot of things going on and he was trying to sort them out.

The cold breeze felt refreshing but rain was coming as a storm was beginning to brew. Icepaw tasted the air and was met with the swampy tang of ShadowClan. What one earth were they doing here? Icepaw quickly picked up the pace and headed for the border, quietly slipping through the thick undergrowth.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory? And why, pray tell, would ShadowClan want to travel to Moonpool?" Yes he wanted the answer to his questions. Why were ShadowClan traveling here? He was well aware that they got safe passage but they were the second clan to bring a patrol to Moonpool. What was going on? Were ShadowClan and WindClan forming an alliance? Were they just saying 'were going to Moonpool' so that they could spy on ThunderClan?

Even though his cloudy blue eyes were useless to him he could feel the growing tension in the air as a storm was brewing. He heard a large she-cat come to stand before the first. She seemed ready for battle. Would they dare to attack him? Instinct told him to unsheathe his translucent claws in preparation for battle. His own hackles had risen and his lips quivered upward and back into a snarl. Gleaming, ivory fangs were revealed as his lips rolled back. A low warning growl began to vibrate in his chest and his body smoothly transitioned into a battle stance. He would not make for an easy target.

The setting sun caused long dark shadows to appear. They were like tendrils of darkness, looking for something to snag and seal their doom. The darkening sky and gather clouds only emphasized this thought. A shiver raced down an elegant frame. Perhaps it was from the wind or from a prick of fear.

Incredibly unique blue optics watched the trees wearily, it was a wonder ThunderClan caught anything in this undergrowth. It would be easy for a cat to scare it all off by brushing against all of this foliage. Leaf-Fall must be a nightmare with all of the dead, crunchy leaves. It made the tiny apprentice appreciate their dark pine forest that much more.

For a she-cat and for her age Nightpaw was tiny and looked more kit than apprentice. Despite her size she was very attractive with her heart shaped head and fine, elegant build. Each paw step was fluid and full grace. Her fur shimmered with a healthy gloss to rival those of RiverClan cats. As the dying rays of the sun struck her midnight black pelt it seemed to have a blue sheen to it. Nightpaw was completely black though, she had what two-legs would call a tuxedo marking. This meant that her paws, chest, belly, and neck were snow white. Her markings didn't stop there however. A tiny blaze adorned her face along with a crescent moon.

Nightpaw was proud of her unique marking thinking often that it meant that she was blessed by StarClan themselves. Her mother, Mothfrost used to tell her that anyway. Excitement made her steps bouncy as she remembered that she was going to escort and guard the cats going to Moonpool to be blessed by StarClan too. What was it like to meet with their starry ancestors? She could only imagine. It was a shame her sister wasn't going to accompany them. The large warrior had opted to stay and guard the camp. Was it because she was lazy or her lack of faith in StarClan?

Well what ever the reason Nightpaw didn't have to dwell long as an angry snarl jerked her back to reality just in time to prevent herself from blowing into someone's rear. Hastily she took a step back and tried to peer under the patrol to see what was happening. Sablesong had left her place to confront the cat.

Her pale rose quartz nose rose into the air as she tried to identify their enemy. The scent of ShadowClan proved to overwhelming for her nose alone so she opened her mouth and took a deep breath with her pink tongue hanging out slightly. She was trying to taste and draw the scent over her sensitive scent glands in the roof of her mouth. ThunderClan. What did they want?

((Blah that was all over the place.))

[Fernpaw]

Russetfur padded away from the ShadowClan camp lost in thought. Memories of the bright young tom still swum around in her head. The she-cat had been so, so very wrong to kill him. The cat was probably the only one to have loved her apart from her mother. Hawkpelt had always been proud of his little boys and Toadpaw had never missed an opportunity to rub it in her face. Ratpaw had been nice to her about that, but he was always so weak and so cunning. Memories of the brown and black tom made her slide her claws out. Ratpaw had never been the nicest cat, sure he never taunted her about being father's favorite, but the little cat had done far worse. He had teased her and taunted her with every pawstep about how pathetic she was, well who was the stronger cat now?

Russetfur shook herself back to the present as a strong breeze slapped her across the face, then it died down to barely a whisper, gently pulling on her fur. The patrol had left the shelter of the pine trees and was now approaching the ThunderClan boarder. The short furred warrior quickly sheathed her claws again and settled her thoughts so that she could focus on the present.

As the traveling cat reached the ThunderClan boarder and white cat leaped out from behind some ferns barring their way.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?"

"We're making our way to the Moonpool. All clans have free passage," Sablesong replied calmly.

"And why, pray tell, would ShadowClan want to travel to the Moonpool?"

"It's none of your business!" Russetfur hissed. "All cats are allowed free passage to the Moonpool as long as we stay a tail length from the lake, which we are. So step aside or we'll move you ourselves."

Russetfur's long hooked claws slid out and her yellowing teeth gleamed faintly in the light of the setting sun. The red warrior's hackles were beginning to rise, but she forced them to lie flat against her back. Her amber eyes closed for a second as she tried to still the anger that was beginning to rise in her. As a leader she needed to work on her self control a little more, her flashbacks were unsettling her deadly calm.

The she-cat stood up straighter and sheathed her claws and said more calmly, "ShadowClan's business is their own, you have no right to demand a reason from us." This time Russetfur stepped forward to stand beside Sablesong.

[Heathclaw]

Lightheart, scatterbrained as he was, was having the time of his life out on ThunderClan's territory. He didn't know exactly what was making him so happy, whether it was going out of camp on an adventure, heading to the moonpool, or the fact that as long as they stood within two tail-lengths of the lake, they were technically safe from any ThunderClan attack.

That last point was huge for Lightheart, who secretly hoped that a ThunderClan cat would challenge them, just so he could wave that immunity in his or her face. Of course, that would just be asking for trouble. Again: What else was new?

To pass the time along the trip, Lightheart checked out his surroundings, neck swiveling in every direction except for down at the path under his paws. ThunderClan's trees were so wierd! Not only did they fail to cover up the dark and bleary lightning struck sky, but there wasn't a single pine cone among them. Really, what could these ThunderClan cats do for fun without pinecones? Truly horrifying.

He looked around for someone to share this discovery with, and his eyes lit immediately on Miragesoul. Mysterious Miragesoul, whose mood and appearance was ever changing. What had she been doing all by herself for these past few leaderless moons? Time to find out, Lightheart decided, sliding through the group of cats to walk beside her.

"Say, Miragesoul," mumbled Lightheart as he crept into earshot. "I know what you've been up to." It was a complete bluff of course, but it might just startle her into saying something. However, he didn't get a chance to continue this investigation, because at that moment the patrol slid to a halt.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?" A ThunderClan cat? Excellent! Lightheart pushed his way up to the front of the group, but not before Sablesong and Russetfur replied first.

Russetfur was as snappish as usual, which made Lightheart's whiskers twitch in amusement. "Now now, Russetfur. We cats of ShadowClan mustn't be rude to our neighbors. Besides, this cat's not going to shut up unless we give him our reason."

He turned to the ThunderClan cat, eyes bright with amusement. "We're heading to the Moonpool to ask StarClan a very important question: Whether or not white-furred cats like you and I should use berry juice to dye their fur a darker color," he said, uttering the outrageous lie in the most serious of tones. "However, looking at you, I'd have to say the answer is yes. You stick out like a gorged tick right now," said Lightheart with a snicker.

"Anyway, we can't keep StarClan waiting, so we'll be going now. Also, please note that ShadowClan is following the rules, and ThunderClan will too, unless it has devolved into total lawlessness. Have a miserable day!" Lightheart finished cheerfully.

[Fernear!]

ThunderClan territory was its usual self. Hardy trees with canopies barely reaching the sky, compared to their high-flying neighbours. Miragesoul would have normally been in a sour mood, but today was reason enough to bring a smile to the table. The monotone environment enhanced her senses; her hearing was sharp enough to catch the rustle of grass from the cats in front of her and her scent surpassed their previous level. Although the pair of senses were enlightened with the storm, her eyesight could have been better. The rate the rain was falling had limited the distance she could see; the grey scale of the land and sky didn't help, either.

Miragesoul had been mute on this trip until a white pelt flashed into her view. A ThunderClan cat, no less; if her scent wasn't enough to give it away her mildly hostile inquire would. The feline had appeared before Miragesoul had the chance to reply to Sablesong. The question she had asked was simple enough, Miragesoul figured. Nightpaw and Russetfur had joined the party before they left the camp, and had had the chance to reply to the ThunderClan warrior before her. She listened intently to each cat's reply, each of them a reflection of his or her personality. The calico couldn't help but leak hushed giggles after Lightheart ended their conversation. Her tail flicked in amusement when her eyes caught the female's face after Lightheart spoke so cheerfully rash with her. Being the only cat who hadn't spoken to the cat, she felt inclined to say something herself, but kept her lips buttoned for the fear of overdoing it.

"We're almost there," Miragesoul purred. The sacred pool was looming over the horizon, much more closely than Miragesoul assumed. The clouds gave way to show defined constellations. The she-cat drew her head to sky slowly to take in the moment; it had been moons since she had felt so close to her warrior ancestors. The infinite significance of the path they tread was obvious; she could almost feel the ancient imprints along the pool's shore. A disguised emotion was vacant in each of the cats tonight; it had already begun to bloom in the hard she-cat.

On this half-moon night, Miragesoul admired the cats around her. Sometimes this respect was tried, but it always lay dormant in the feline. Lightheart was the second cat to speak to her within a few minutes, and she had yet to reply to him, "Well Lightheart, you do, do you?" A grin was growing on her as she sensed his boisterous personality kicking in again. If you wanted to laugh or just generally let go of your valor for just a little while, he was the cat to go to. Miragesoul liked being around him lately, old feelings of Blackstar had sparked and scratched her and his positive attitude flushed her negativity away. Lightheart was a friend to many, herself included.

"I might just know what you have been doing, too!" She let out a mrrow of laughter before pushing towards the head of the group, passing Lightheart and stepping off on her own. The river bordering the WindClan territory began to broaden and provide the cats with weaker breezes and open air. The moor was within full sight; the view of such open land forced Miragesoul to subconsciously back up into the group for comfort. The openness of the moor left her heart longing for the forest, even if it didn't sustain the rustic conifers she preferred. With her determination flaring, she continued on, hopeful and excited to see who will become the new leader.

The Moonpool was close. They were in such proximity to the waterfall that they were able to hear the feeble movements of the water. This was it; the moon was high, its light so bright it shone through the clouds. The rain didn't bother her now, her mind in awe of the sublime chapter beginning in front of her.

[/blockquote]

[sablesong]

The ThunderClan's response to her reply both surprised her and made her all the more irritated. Who was he, to ask such a question? Every Clan's business was their own, she believed, and this tom had no right to probe like that. Sablesong opened her mouth to snap back a retort, but clicked it shut when Russetfur beat her to it. Her visage still marred with a frown, she nodded in agreement to the she-cat's speech. The tabby felt her own hackles bristling as the other spoke, wordlessly warning the ThunderClan cat of what she could do. She wasn't one to start a fight needlessly, but if he kept it up like this, the tabby didn't know if she'd be able to restrain from giving him a hit he wouldn't forget. She saw him open his mouth to talk again and her muscles tensed in preparation for a jump. Yet she couldn't help but break out in a smile once Lightheart began speaking. She purred as Miragesoul ended the little exchange, and, after a last glare back at the ThunderClan cat, she turned to follow.

"Escort us home, if you wish." She called over her shoulder once she was at a respectable distance, a smirk pulling at her lips as she turned again. She sped up the pace, trotting fluidly at the rear of the group, a gentle smile plastered on her face. The earth below her paws, littered with leaves, and pine cones, slowly changed into a wide-open expanse of WindClan. She cast a glance behind her shoulder apprehensively, suddenly taking notice of the distance away from ShadowClan the group was. She suddenly felt both homesick and awkward. What was she doing here anyway? She didn't know if would even be able to take on such a role. So quickly, she could be thrown into a place where everyone looked to her for guidance. What if she wasn't even able to guide herself? She had only the relieving thought that someone would be around to support her, along with StarClan. That is, if she was chosen. She couldn't help but feel expectant, but she knew she had to resign herself to the fact that she might not be eligible. The tabby just hoped that she wouldn't be made a laughing stock.

The hadn't noticed the sudden calm that washed over her, yet when she looked up, she had to blink to take in the sight fully. It was stunning, the glow of the half moon illuminated on the Moonpool, the gentle waves lapping at the riverbank. She was stunned at the sheer beauty of the place, her mouth agape for a moment. She registered the pawsteps set in stone upon the rock, and the tabby took two hesitant steps forward before pausing and looking around her. The area was faintly recognizable, she had been here when she was but an apprentice, as all were, yet it was still so foreign, so beautiful, that she had to take it in again. She stood wordlessly for a moment, basking in the faint silver incandescence. The soft trickle of the waterfall was music to her ears, and the many, ancient stones that surrounded the place seem to give guidance. Sablesong could hear the occasional rustle of leaves as creatures move about, and the soft breathing of the others around her. The scent was strange, of all the Clans, yet it was somehow comforting to know that many, many cats had went through the same thing.

"What now?" She managed to ask, having been unwilling to be the one to break the quiescence of the area. She wondered briefly, while on her strange high of simply being in such a beautiful place, how this would take place. No doubt one of them would be sharing dreams with StarClan, and the sand colored tabby shivered slightly with anticipation. It would no doubt be a memorable experience, in she was chosen, but the feline had to question herself. Would she be able to face those from her past? Moreover, was she ready to? Something like this was not a simple task, and she had no idea of how it would even begin. Sablesong could only wish that, if she was the one to share tongues with them, that StarClan would support her through the whole ordeal. After a moment's hesitation, she took the other's felines' words to heart and crouched down, suddenly feeling both apprenhensive and unsure. Closing her eyes, she tentatively lapped at the water, revelling at the feeling at created when it ran down her throat, and drifted off silently.

[Fernpaw]

"Now now, Russetfur. We cats of ShadowClan mustn't be rude to our neighbors. Besides, this cat's not going to shut up unless we give him our reason."

Russetfur's amber eyes narrowed into slits as she scowled at him, but said nothing to the black spotted tom.

"We're heading to the Moonpool to ask StarClan a very important question: Whether or not white-furred cats like you and I should use berry juice to dye their fur a darker color," Lightheart said. "Anyway, we can't keep StarClan waiting, so we'll be going now. Also, please note that ShadowClan is following the rules, and ThunderClan will too, unless it has devolved into total lawlessness. Have a miserable day!"

As Lightheart started to speak again she was ready to claw his ears off. How dare that cat let ThunderClan know that ShadowClan was particularly vulnerable to attack! However, as the warrior continued she felt her hostilities ease with the energetic tom. Even Russetfur could barely contain a soft mrrw of laughter that made her lips twitch into a half smile. Perhaps it may not hurt to let the mask go for a little bit so that she could really get to know these cats. After all, they really were not such a bad lot of cats.....Russetfur quickly shoved the thought away. She had vowed to never open her heart up again to any cat, no matter what. The red she-cat growled inwardly at herself for being so foolish.

As the patrol padded away from the ThunderClan boarder she heard Sablesong reply to the white furred tom that he could escort them home if he wanted to. Russetfur was also happy to note that the tabby she-cat had shared her same hostilities with the ThunderClan warrior. The patrol continued on in silence as they reached the open moor of WindClan. Russetfur's keen ears heard Miragesoul and Lightheart talking softly to one another behind her. The breeze died away as the cats began to follow the stream toward its source.

When the waterfall was at last in sight the warrior's guard fell away completely as she stared in awe at the Moonpool. In it's depths the brilliant glitter of Silverpelt was reflected back at her and the half moon bathed the hallow in a soft milky light. A shiver passed through her body as the she-cat started her descent down to the scared pool. Her paws slipped into that paw prints of ancient cats left long ago over the course of many moons.

When at last she reached the bottom she walked quietly away to a spot along the edge of the Moonpool where she sat down with her tail curled neatly around her paws. Russetfur dipped her head to her clanmates and said: "Now is the time for us to share tongues with our warrior ancestors of StarClan so that our new leader may receive their nine lives. After that our new leader will also appoint a new deputy. Good night and I wish all of you the best of luck. May StarClan light our paths."

Russetfur's amber eyes gleamed with some emotion that was hard to identify, was it ambition, pride, or happiness? It was hard to say, but Russetfur certainly was happy for her clanmates and confident in StarClan as well as herself. Was she ambitious? Yes, Russetfur was ready to strengthen her Clan and lead them through whatever challenges presented themselves in front of her Clan, but would StarClan decide that her ambitions were too great? The she-cat had to admit that all of the cats who made the journey were certainly capable for the position.

Russetfur laid down beside the and tucked her front paws underneath her and bent her head to the star filled water. Her pink down slid out of her maw and lapped up some of the frosty water. The temperature of the water sent a shock through her body as sleep enveloped her.

[c e d a r *]

Colored paws heavily made their way across the moor and into ThunderClan's territory without making a sound. Smallfoot kept herself quiet, listening to the others talk about things that, quite frankly, she had no intention on listening to. She was focused on the journey ahead. What would become of the clan, and who would become the new leader. There was not a smile upon her face, just a look of quiet and thoughtful seriousness, and her head was slightly craned downward, as if she were looking down at her paws.

They were making their way quickly, after the small run-in with a stupid ThunderClan apprentice and she wanted to swipe unhappily at the rue comment Russetfur had made. She smiled briefly over what Lightheart had meowed to the apprentice, but after a small while, she went back to thinking about various things.

Her head was pounding rhythmically and her paws slightly moved to the droning buzzing that seemed to be constantly in her ears. There were no bugs bothering her, but she was quite nervous about the whole situation and thinking about it made her head spin more. Then, like a flash of lightning across the sky, she was there at the edge of the moonpool, meanwhile, no words had been uttered from her mouth. Tiredly, and paws as heavy as lead, she placed herself wherever she wanted, and took a few laps of the icy water before falling into a deep sleep.

ooc; sorry it's so short..I'm mentally and physically exhausted.

[STARCLAN]

Her view on the world was spiraling, and soon the she-cat was standing in a patch of land, where only a few trees were visible through the thick mist and fog that cloaked the rain-soaked ground. The stars shone brightly, and that was when she knew she was in the land of her ancestors. But where were the others? “Miragesoul..?” came the she-cat’s voice, echoing softly through the barren lands. The wind was cold, and it was raining in StarClan, her pelt getting wetter as each second passed. “Sablesong? Lightheart?” she muttered, her voice soon turning annoyed. Where were they? If she was in StarClan, shouldn’t they have been? They drank the water from the moonpool, just as she did. A rather foul scowl was placed upon her different coloured head, her ears twitching as she listened for others approach. All was eerily silent, apart from the muted sound of rain hitting the ground. Nothing, absolutely nothing and the silence coming from the skies…or wherever she was were starting to get to her. Paws kneaded the ground anxiously, as she saw herself and the others sleeping peacefully near the pool, herself as close to the quietly falling waterfall as she could get. Their bodies all rose and fell, and nothing seemed out of place. Then…why was she the only one here? Where were the others dreaming? Who was in their dreams? And why was she all alone?

Turning her head, the she-cat let out a quiet gasp of surprise as she realized she was surrounded by cats. Nine cats, to be exact, and the number sent her heart going. Blood rushed through her head, and her breathing increased, her vision seeming to only focus on the nine cats before her. She noticed many of them, but none of her family. She narrowed her eyes on one average looking she-cat, with similar markings to hers. An image of her mother flashed through her mind. Was that cat Lasana? The StarClan she-cat took a step forward, her pale green eyes shining with happiness. The ShadowClan she-cat’s eyes brimmed with confused tears as she sized the she-cat right in front of her. It was definitely her mother, but one important question flashed through her head. If she was a loner, why was she here? Her heart fluttered in her chest, as she watched the beaming she-cat open her mouth to speak, but Smallfoot beat her to it.

“Lasana, you’re a loner. You shouldn’t be here!” the she-cat meowed, taking in a sharp breath. “Hush, my daughter.” The gentle voice that Smallfoot easily recognized was definitely that of her mother’s. “Your sister and I found a clan,” she meowed. “After you left, we followed your scent during the night,” she purred softly, flicking her tail-tip. “I must congratulate you first, you’re finally becoming a leader,” came the soft words from her mother’s maw. Smallfoot inhaled sharply, shooting a wild glance at the eight other cats that formed a small but loose semi-circle around her. She swallowed back a squeak. She needed to stay strong for her clan and for ancestors that were spread around her, silent, but still breathing and moving, as if they were still alive. “Smallfoot, I am here to present you with your first life. May this life show you the love a mother gives her kits, to fiercely be able to protect your clan in any danger.” And with that, Smallfoot closed her eyes, relaxing, as she allowed a powerful feeling overcome her heart and her body. Her heart was warmed, feeling love and another emotion she could not figure out. Her body, on the other hand was still, but she felt as if she were on the ground, squirming in pain, for a mother would easily die or get injured for her kits, just as she would with her clan. And then, it was gone. The scratched she thought she had acquired were gone, as she inspected her pelt with wild eyes. Her mother had stepped back into the semi-circle, but she had so many more questions to ask!

Another cat stepped forward, the pelt easily recognizable. It was her good friend as an apprentice, Dawnpaw! Smallfoot purred eagerly, as she met her friends scratched face with gentle eyes. They had gotten together so well, but one badger attack in the territory one day when they were messing around obviously didn’t end well for one of them. “Dawnpaw!” Smallfoot purred, twitching her tail happily. She stayed still, wanting to lurch forward to rub her head against her neck in a gesture of friendliness and eagerness, but unsure of what would happen, she merely smiled joyously. “Smallfoot, my good friend,” purred Dawnpaw, smiling softly, almost sadly. They had agreed as apprentices that Dawnpaw would be Dawnfeather and then Dawnstar, but that dream was ruined after Smallpaw had to leave her friend at her death. Why Dawnpaw was there, giving Smallfoot her second life was beyond her. How could she not forget? “Now, it’s time for you to receive your second life, my friend,” the she-cat meowed in front of Smallfoot. She opened her mouth, and her eyes glinted sadly as she recited her speech. “May this life give you physical strength, for when you’re hurt but you need to continue on,” she purred. The last part seemed incoherent, for a severe pain engulfed her body, a mix of battle wounds, what seemed like flames spreading greedily though her body, and…did she scent a little hint of badger? She was sure her eyes were teary with pain, but when the pain stopped, and her body seemed soothed, she was completely fine. Her body was not burned black and she was not covered in scratched, nor was there a badger standing right in front of her. She sighed, closing her eyes. She still had seven more lives, and already, she was exhausted.

Once more, another cat was before her, and again, Smallfoot knew who it was. It was her old mentor Dovesong. Dovesong had been there to comfort Smallpaw when Dawnpaw had been killed. They had formed a strong bonded friendship, and when her mentor died just a few days after the warriors ceremony, Smallfoot believed that her whole world was coming to an end. She disliked the fact that her two closest friends had passed away, one right after the next. She was never made a warrior with Dawnpaw, and her mentor never saw her grow into who she was now. But Smallfoot was sure of one thing; they were watching her, just from the sky and not in her life. They were probably always watching her; why else would they have been the ones to choose her to be the leader? I mean, of all of the cats of ShadowClan, she had to have been doing something right, correct? Her mentor sighed, snapping the warrior into the world of StarClan again, her eyes scanning the faces that were glancing curiously at her figure. Her lone figure. Why couldn’t Miragesoul be there with her? “Ahem,” purred Dovesong, clearing her throat once more, was allowing Smallfoot to glance in her mentor’s direction. “Sorry, Dovesong,” muttered Smallfoot, a sly smirk on her face. “I was always like that as an apprentice, remember?” Smallfoot purred. Dovesong merely nodded, getting ready to say what her next life was. Smallfoot closed her eyes, readying herself for some kind of pain. “With this third life, I give you hope. Hope to carry on when things seem wrong and you don’t think you can get through them. Trust me, this will happen in the very near future, so use this life wisely,” she meowed, stepping back. Finally, Smallfoot felt warmth spread through her pelt, some sadness and stran tinged in there, but the warmth easily carried it off. Smallfoot was left smiling dumbly as another cat approached her to take Dovesong’s place.

The next cat that stepped forward allowed Smallfoot to glance curiously in her mother’s direction. It was Dustpelt, her foster mother, for when Smallfoot entered the camp as an older kit; this queen stepped up to the challenege, and accepted Smallkit into her paws as one of her own. Smallfoot remembered, the day she arrive, that everyone was mourning the loss of two kits, those whose names she could not remember. The odd thing was, even though Smallkit was older than both the newbords, she ooked quite similar to the one she-kit who had gone to join the ranks of StarClan. Now that she looked harder at the cats gathered in front of her, she saw two larger cats standing near Dawnpaw, looking eagerly at her. She noticed how the resemblance between her and the much younger she-kit was so startlingly realistic. “Smallfoot. I’ll always remember you as my child. I miss you much, but I must hurry and give you this life. With this fourth life, I give you compassion to love, even those you believe you do not love. Compassion to love others, your clan, and your new life, no matter how unexpected this seemed to be happening to you,” she meowed softly. And with that, Smallfoot was engulfed with a numbing feeling, allowing herself to relax, before a few sharp pains worked their way into her heart. She squeezed her eyes shut, and waited for the pain to ease. When she opened them, one cat was once again in her viewpoint.

And here was another one of her apprentice friends, and oh! How he had grown, in both size, and in his handsome features. His large ears now looked normal on his massive head, and his muddled tabby stripes were now evenly spaced and slickly groomed. It was her apprentice crsh, Bramblepaw. Oh, how she missed him. Her eyes glazed over with pain, as she remembered watching her friend die in a battle with ThunderClan. She wanted to forget it, but as much as she wanted to, the images kept flashing into her mind. “Bramblepaw,” Smallfoot sighed softly, dipping her head. She was sure as an apprentice, that the tom loved her as much as she cherished him, but he was gone now. Another small sigh escaped her parted lips, and she frowned sadly. “I miss you,” she whispered, flattening her ears to her head, trying to stay strong. It wasn’t easy this time, to see the one you loved so much as an apprentice to look much like a grown warrior. Her heart ached, and her eyes had moved to look at her paws, sure her mother and foster mother, and also Dawnpaw were looking at her with interest. “I miss you too, Smallfoot, but look at you, and look at how far you’ve come, how much you’ve accomplished,” the tom purred. Smallfoot merely shook her head, at loss for what to say, wanting to spill her heart out. But what was the use? The tom was dead, nothing could ever happen. And what did she ever accomplish…she only wanted the best for her clan, and now she was receiving her fifth life. She closed her eyes as Bramblepaw slowly and sadly recited his words. “For this fifth life, I give you courage. You will need courage to lead your clan through rough times. Use it well, my friend,” he meowed softly, stepping back, as fear and strength pulsed through her body. She dug her claws into the ground, as she felt the thrill of a battle call in her mind. Then she felt pain, terrible, terrible pain. She wanted to yowl out, but her whole body was unmovable, her eyes clenched shut. And just like the others, the pain was gone, as was the fear and strength. She opened her eyes and cast a longing glance in the direction of Bramblepaw, closing her eyes slowly and painfully, before looking the next cat that had taken her loves place.

Alas, this cat she did not know, but by the looks everyone gave her, she seemed highly respected, and she looked quite ancient. She certainly got straight to the point. “Now, I will have no silly nonsense involved with this,” she complained, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "This is all taking too long,” she meowed, her voice curt. But her eyes softened, as she caught the longing look in Smallfoot’s eyes, which were still placed on the starry form of Bramblepaw. Yellowfang knew what that was like. “Come on, you should be excited. You’re going to be the new leader of ShadwoClan, and I expect you to lead it well. With this sixth life, I give you Guidance from StarClan, so that they may guide you in troubled times. Always remember this, we’ll always be here in your time of need,” she purred comfortingly. And with this life, she felt almost nothing. A cold wind seemed to be swept up, moving her short fur around, and she seemed to see starts everywhere she looked. Apart from that, it was all black, but there was a soft and comforting feeling in her heart, pulsing all around her, which calmed her and relived her fears for a few quiet moments. And then the scene changed and a new cat had stepped forward.

Her eyes were once more focused on Bramblepaw, but she let out a surprised squeak as her foster father’s eyes looked right into hers. “Gorsetail!” she gasped, a small smile fighting the edges of her lips. Whenever she had free time as an apprentice, her foster father would always take her on runs to help build up her endurance. He smiled right on back, his winning crooked, amusing smile that he always did to cheer up Smallfoot. Gorsetail died not much after Dustpelt, becoming sick with grief. He was probably happier up in StarClan with his mate, now. And their foster daughter was becoming the new leader. They had to be proud of her, but she wasn’t quite sure if she was proud of herself. He got straight to the chase, even if her gaze wasn’t focused on him. His voice was almost muted as he spoke because the she-cat wasn’t paying much attention. “Smallfoot, with this seventh life, I give you endurance, so you’re able to get everything you’d like to get done, done,” he meowed softly, backing away as a tiring spasm rocked her body. She closed her eyes as a strong wave of exhaustion hit her like it was running into a wall. And just before she was about to collapse from tiredness, the she-cat was awakening, still standing, another cat taking her place. Once again, she did not know the name of this next cat.

This cat who was standing before her limped heavily, and she did not smell of ShadowClan, she smelt strongly of ThunderClan and the natural reaction was for her lip to curl up in hatred. The smoky colored she-cat merely smiled at Smallfoot, and waited for her to calm down. “My name is Cinderpelt. I was the medicine cat of ThunderClan much before you were born. I, like your friend Dawnpaw, was attacked by a group of badgers while protecting a kitting mother. I must congratulate you on soon becoming the newest leader of ShadowClan,” she meowed softly, a smile still soft upon her thick muzzle. Smallfoot tilted her head and listened eagerly as the medicine cat spoke once more. “With this eighth life, I give you patience to lead your clan well, so that you have the right mindset for many different situations. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you, my dear,” the medicine cat purred softly. With that said a soft feeling of warmth and calmness spread through her body, like nothing was wrong. All negative feelings were wiped away and she was left there, looking around with a warm smile on her face. Nothing else seemed to bother her, not even the fact that, in one life she would be named the newest leader of ShadowClan.

And her eyelids fluttered open, but thankfully, she still felt peaceful. Exhausted, truly exhausted, but very peaceful. Like she was a different cat. She had a feeling something like that would happen. A new cat stepped up, a beautiful cat. “Hello there," the cat meowed, dipping her head gracefully, her green eyes shining happily. “I am proud to give you your last life, Smallfoot. I am Shadowstar, the first ever leader of Shadowclan. With this ninth life, I give you wisdom to lead your clan with a bright mind and to easily see the right sides of all things,” she purred. Smallfoot took a deep breath, this last life seeming to knock her breath out, and she soon received a headache, her head beginning to fill up with something. Closing her eyes, she grew dizzy, but as she opened her eyes, her strength was built up and she was gazing up at the first ever leader – the founder of ShadowClan. She grinned happily at the leader and listened for her final words. “With your ninth life, we grant you your new name. Allow yourself to be seen and known, for you are now Smallstar, leader of ShdowClan!”

Cheers went up all around him. “Smallstar! Smallstar!” She could clearly hear Bramblepaw’s voice mixed in between the other cats’ voices, but she couldn’t find him. Oh, but…everything was disappearing! She let out a silent wail, her eyes searching frantically for the lithe body of Bramblepaw, before everything disappeared, spiraling into darkness once more. She woke up with a jolt, rain sliding off her pelt, bouncing off her fur, just as a crack of lightning sliced through the sky, both beautiful and terrorizing at the same time. It was dark out, and she looked blankly into the pool, not even noticing if the others were awake. She closed her eyes. She was dizzy; her head hurt, her mind was filled with vivid images of the dream and, finally finding exhaustion, wanting the dream to come back just once more, she sighed, waiting for something to happen.