Brambleberry's Path

Chapter 33:

Brightface opened her eyes and blinked. The stars glittered and shone brightly in the sky, illuminating the grass around her. She glanced around as small, yellow fireflies floated around her and blinked in shock when one landed on her nose. As it flew away, she spotted cats with starry pelts making their way towards her.

"Greetings, Brightface." Wetstar mewed. Brightface glanced around at the other cats that surrounded her. Pebblefoot, Snowyfeather, Petalfur, Pondfrost, Ripplewave. Her breath caught in her throat as a familiar white and light grey tabby kit bounced up to her with wide blue eyes.

"Mom!" Snowkit squealed as he nuzzled his face into her stomach fur. With tears in her eyes, Brightface bent her head down and touched noses with her son.

"I've missed you!" Snowkit squeaked up at her. She let a small sob escape her throat and licked her tiny son's head.

"And I've missed you. Oh, Snowkit. I'm so sorry I wasn't there to save you in time." Brightface whispered painfully. Snowkit licked her cheek reassuringly.

"It's not your fault! We shouldn't have been playing on the ice in the first place." He mewed. Pebblefoot cleared his throat and Snowkit bounced over to him. Wetstar padded forward until he was a whisker-length away from Brightface. He touched his nose to her forehead gently and spoke.

"With this life, I give you leadership. Use it to lead your clan through hard times and rough battles." He mewed. Brightface could hear distant cries and wails of cats, seemingly in pain, and her eyes widened as Wetstar backed away and the noise faded. Snowkit padded up to her and stared up at his mother with gleaming blue eyes.

"With this life, I grant you strictness. You'll need it to reinforce the warrior code, which we deliberately disobeyed and in return my life was taken." He mewed as his mother craned her neck so that the small tabby kit could lick her forehead. Brightface purred and licked her kit's cheek before he bounded back to Pebblefoot. Petalfur padded over to her and purred warmly.

"With this life, I give you peace. You'll need it to keep the clan from fighting any unnecessary battles." She mewed before touching her nose to the silver tabby she-cat's head. Brightface felt a free, gentle feeling inside of her and heard birds chirping and the wind swaying through the grass. She opened her eyes and the sounds and sensations were gone. Pondfrost padded up to her.

"With this life, I give you caution. Because I wasn't cautious when crossing the thunderpath, I was hit by a monster." He mewed, touching his nose to her forehead. Brightface dipped her head to him as he padded away and Mistcloud padded over.

"With this life, I give you wisdom. Use it to get out of sticky situations by thinking things through." She mewed to her former apprentice before touching her nose to Brightface's forehead. Rockwater appeared and Brightface's sapphire eyes widened.

"Rockwater! It's good to see you again. Hawkwing misses you so much." Brightface mewed sadly. Rockwater purred and flicked his tail.

"I know she does. But she'll just have to wait to see me until she becomes leader or she joins Starclan." He mewed sadly. Brightface nodded her head with sympathy.

"With this life, I give you courage. I had enough courage to help Moonclaw when she was in trouble and that warrior was more advanced and stronger than I was." Rockwater mewed and touched his nose to her forehead. Brightface dipped her head as the dark grey tom padded away. Snowyfeather was the next to go up to Brightface.

"With this life, I give you love. Love can do wonderful things, but it can also do very horrible things too." She mewed softly as she touched her nose to Brightface's forehead. The silver she-cat nodded her head as the light grey she-cat padded away, brushing against Pebblefoot as she passed him. Ripplewave was the next to go up to his daughter.

"With this life, I grant you family. Your kin is one of the most important things to you, so make sure you are there when they need you." He mewed as he touched his daughter's forehead with his nose. Brightface licked his shoulder before he padded back to his spot in the semi-circle of cats before her. Pebblefoot was the last to go up to his sister.

"With this life, I grant you strength. Use it to fend off the most vicious predators and to protect the ones you hold dearest." He mewed as he touched his sister's forehead with his nose. Brightface let out a small mew and Pebblefoot looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Don't be sad about us, or Pebblekit. He's still alive, but Sandclan has manipulated him into thinking that he is Sandfang's son. His name is Pebblepaw now." Pebblefoot mewed, and Brightface stared at him with wide sapphire eyes.

"He's alive?! That means there's still a chance I can get him back!" She mewed, her eyes gleaming with determination. Pebblefoot stared at her sadly.

"It might not be easy, but there is a slim chance that he will believe you and go back to his birth-place." Pebblefoot mewed cautiously. Wetstar let out a stern mew and Pebblefoot backed away into his place amongst the gathered cats.

"Brightface, from this moment on, you shall now be known as Brightstar, leader of Waterclan. Guide them well." The previous leader mewed, dipping his head.

Then everything faded to black.