Warriors: Broken

Chapter 17

⠀⠀ Lockwing walked down the spiral trail, her paws slipping into the prints of those moons before her. She closed her eyes, inhaling the mist of the small pool that awaited her at the bottom. With cautious steps, she picked her way into the center, a slow yet chilling breeze piercing her skin. Hollytail gave her a knowing look and sat by the edge of the pool.

⠀⠀ "Does it hurt?" Lockwing asked quietly.

⠀⠀ "No," Hollytail replied with a chuckle. "It's just cold."

⠀⠀ "How cold?"

⠀⠀ "That's for me to know, and you to find out," she mewed, touching her nose to the water's surface. Lockwing watched as the silvery she cat shuddered and her eyes drooped shut. Hesitantly, the golden feline repeated what she had just seen. Her rosy pink nose came into contact with the rim of the pool, a shutter seeping through her spine. She closed her eyes, reopening them to an expanse of uninterrupted moorland.

⠀⠀ Hollytail gave her a slight grin as nine starry silhouettes appeared and advanced towards them. The first cat to approach was the cat that she'd always thought to be her father, Boulderclaw. He dipped his head before speaking.

⠀⠀ "Lockwing, I've watched you grow for many moons, some on the earth, the rest in the stars. For your first life, I give you courage. Use it to chase after what needs to be finished, and don't back down when times are tough." He touched his nose to hers, sending a jolt of pain spiraling through her body. As it ended, she sighed in relief. Another cat padded forward, this one a small, pure gold kit with eyes green enough to question the color of Greenleaf grass.

⠀⠀ "I'm your sister, Amberkit. For your second life, I give you compassion. Use this when your clan mates feel as if nothing in the power of Starclan could help them," she squeaked, touching noses with her sister. This time, the pain was not nearly enough to match what she had felt the first time. The next cat was one that she had expected, warm smile and all. Hiddenfrost padded up to her daughter, eyes gleaming.

⠀⠀ "I knew that you'd be a leader," she mused, "I just didn't know it'd be of this clan. Lockwing, for your third life, I grant you the gift of wisdom. Don't be afraid to say that your answer is right when all others would fall short of the goal." They touched noses, a dull, throbbing pain developing in her head. She gasped as they released each other. Violetstar approached her next, her tabby pelt newly dappled with stars.

⠀⠀ "For your fourth life, I give you leadership. Use it to direct your clan down the correct path, and don't let anything stop you from taking charge." A burst of pain erupted within her legs and ears. Next, another tabby approached, this one much more reluctantly. Timberwing gave his sister an apologetic glance.

⠀⠀ "Lockwing," he began, "for your fifth life, I give you the power of quick thinking. Know what to do when chaos breaks loose." The tom touched his sisters nose with his own, a warm sensation developing in her head. She inhaled fighting the urge to cry. The cat to follow him was one that she'd forgotten about. Sparrowcry padded up to her, eyes shining.

⠀⠀ "Lockwing, for your sixth life, I grant you the ability to see through lies. Use this often, as you never know which cats to trust," she mewed, giving her a pointed smile before touching her nose. This time around, her eyes felt frozen. She squeezed them shut and took a deep breath in. Sparrowcry dipped her head and backed away, making room for Voleclaw.

⠀⠀ "For your seventh life, I give you skill in battle. You'll always know what strategies are the best, and how to win a fight if it's possible." He touched her nose to his, sending an electrified shock through her claws and teeth. She grinned weakly at him as he backed away. Surprisingly, Willowstar stepped forward next.

⠀⠀ "Lockwing, for your eighth life, I grant you the power of correct instincts. Use it when you're in trouble, or you simply must save a kit from a fast moving adder," she mewed solemnly, touching her nose with her own. The pit of her stomach felt heavy, and it burned until finally the past leader glanced back to the final cat. Ashfang.

⠀⠀ "Lockwing," he began quietly, almost silently, "for your final life, I give you the ability to convince others of the right choice. Use this when clans are about to crumble into war, and only you can save them. Use this to stop kits from wandering out of camp. Use this to convince others that you are, in fact, innocent," he mewed, whispering the last part. With a final glance he touched her nose. The pain was sharp, and throughout her entire body, but it gradually subsided as she opened her eyes to see the violet light of sunrise.

⠀⠀ Hollytail stood, nodding towards Wrenflight. As if on cue, the ginger feline slid her emerald eyes open. However, instead of attempting to challenge her, she shook her head and padded up the spiral entrance, vanishing into the foliage of Thunderclan territory.

⠀⠀ Lockstar sighed and padded up the trail, grinning a bit each time her paw slid into one of the ancient prints. The silver medicine cat followed by her side, smiling when they reached the top of a large hill overlooking the territory.

⠀⠀ "Welcome to your clan, Lockstar," she mewed.

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⠀⠀ "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Tallrock for a clan meeting!" Lockstar yowled as she scaled the large rock. She watched her clan mates, some excited, some worried, most solemn as they were still mourning over the loss of their leader and deputy, gathered around her.

⠀⠀ "We've suffered a great loss," she began quietly. "Losing both the deputy and leader in the same night is very difficult, and we will mourn them for moons to come. However, today I must also choose a new deputy," she mewed, eyeing the cluster of felines beneath her. To her, it was an obvious choice.

⠀⠀ "Coalfoot, would you like to be Windclan's new deputy?" the tom tilted his head, smiling a bit.

⠀⠀ "Of course, Lockstar," he purred. Several cats frowned and shuffled their paws, reluctantly joining in the excited chanting erupting from the others.

⠀⠀ "Coalfoot! Coalfoot! Coalfoot!" they cheered, the cats nearest to the smokey tom congratulated him. Lionkit and Emberkit scampered forward, their paws uplifting a faint cloud of dust.

⠀⠀ "Can we become apprentices yet?" they pleaded. Blossomfall trotted after them, her eyes filled with amusement.

⠀⠀ "Be patient, kits," she mewed with a chuckle. "Why don't you go play some mossball? I happen to have a fresh clump waiting for you in the den," she purred. They nodded in unison and bolted into the nursery.

⠀⠀ "You know, for not being related at all, they sure make good brothers," Ciphercry mewed with a chuckle from behind her. She nodded and licked his ear.

⠀⠀ "Almost makes me want kits," she mewed with a grin.

⠀⠀ "Almost?" the black tom asked.

⠀⠀ "Yes. Almost."

⠀⠀ Ciphercry laughed and licked her nose before padding out with a group of two others for a hunting patrol. She watched him go and sighed. Everything had calmed down. Maybe, just maybe, she did want kits.

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