Squirrelstar's strange twist

The new leader

Squirrelstar tip-toed towards camp, Alderheart and Jayfeather were waiting for her. "You deserve this, even though I hated you, it wasn't your's of Leafpools fault" Jayfeather meowed, "you must choose a deputy now". She nodded looking towards the sky "But who, perhaps Lionblaze?" The medicine cats stood for a moment in silence, Jayfeather sighed then padded away. Alderheart glanced at Jayfeather, then back to Squirrelstar, "It's your decision to make, even us medicine cats can't guide you, just choose wisely. Think about how they would act when they receive nine lives." Squirrelstar looked hopefully at Alderheart "I hope I choose correctly then." Squirrelstar entered the camp, Lionblaze looked at her with a smile. I think he's the one.

Squirrelstar leaped gracefully onto highrock, "all those old enough to catch their own prey gather around highrock" she yowled trembling with nervousness as it was her first meeting call. The cats gathered around her in the blink of an eye. Who do I choose, oh Starclan help me. She dipped her head in sorrow "Bramblestar, our former leader has moved to the territories of Starclan. He was my mate although we had rough times, he still stood strong and kept going." Brackenfur emerged from the elders den limping "he was a great leader, I wish Shadowclan hadn't killed him." he snarled. Those fox-hearts. Squirrelstar shifted her paws uncomfortably eyeing Lionblaze, "Lionblaze, will you serve the clan with honour as Thunderclan's deputy until your last breath." His gaze met hers as he stood up and dipped his head, "I do, with my life." Thank Starclan. Squirrelstar smiled "Then take your place on the rock and serve Thunderclan for many moons to come, clan dismissed." Lionblaze padded up to Squirrelstar, "thank you, I wish Leafpool were here to see it." She nodded remembering her sister "I miss her." If only she hadn't died, if only..

Squirrelstar padded around camp nervously. I could go visit the elders. The elders den wasn't in the worst condition at the moment but it was pretty full. Brightheart poked her head out of the den, her one eye searching the clearing. "Ah! Squirrelstar, congratulations on becoming leader." Cloudtail, Brackenfur and Thornclaw crept out and congratulated her too. "Thank you, it means heaps." Squirrelstar purred. Cloudtail sighed, "I miss Bramblestar." The other elders dipped their heads, "me too" Squirrelstar meowed, "we should set some patrols, just in case Shadowclan come back." The elders went back inside their den, "Yes you should for sure" Thornclaw rasped as he sat in his nest.

"Lionblaze!" Squirrelstar yowled. He came sprinting through the camp entrance, getting twigs caught in his fur. "What- what do you need" he panted, giving his fur a quick lick. "Organise some patrols, we need to make sure Shadowclan doesn't cross our borders.. again." Lionblaze nodded, "Nightheart, Mousewhisker and Cherryfall! Patrol across the Shadowclan borders!."

The patrol had returned, no Shadowclan warriors had been spotted thankfully. Lionblaze was doing great as deputy, she had chosen well. But have I been a good leader? Surely she had, it hadn't even been a moon, that reminded her. Oh no gathering is this moonhigh. She had to pick cats to go, this was her first gathering as a leader, hopefully the other clans don't pick a fight. Especially Shadowclan, they had killed their beloved leader Bramblestar, her mate.

She stumbled around camp, Lionblaze just behind her. "We should leave" Lionblaze meowed. Squirrelstar tilted her head, "where..?" Lionblaze giggled, "the gathering of course, i've already organised the warriors that are coming." She laughed "ah yes, yes we should definitely leave."

Squirrelstar gestured her tail for the warriors to follow her. I can't wait! I hope it all goes well.

She led her Clanmates through the trees until they caught scent of Windclan's territory marks. "Alright, you know the drill, stay a few tail lengths from the lake and we'll be able to get to the meeting unscratched." Squirrelstar ordered. "YOWCH!" a voice screamed, it was Birchfall. Jayfeather padded next to him, twitching his nose in frustration. "It was just a thorn you fur ball, don't panic us like that!" Jayfeather snapped. Squirrelstar sighed "calm down, we're here anyway." She pointed her tail tip to the tree. The tree connecting to the island was slowly falling apart, moon by moon. What will happen if it snaps one day? How will we have gatherings? She wondered.

Thankfully Squirrelstar got her clanmates across the tree safely and they were on the island. She gazed around the clearing, Thunderclan was the first clan to arrive. Suddenly she scented cats, Windclan was here. Crowfeather led his clan onto the island, puffing out his chest fur. Where was Harestar? Had he died? Who would Crowfeather choose as deputy? Maybe Breezepelt.. Shadowclan scents surrounded her, she was too lost in her thoughts that she forgot she should be watching for the other Clans. Soon after she recognised Lizardtail from Riverclan, they must've arrived too. She scented faint rogue scent among the Riverclan warriors, could they have accepted a rogue into their clan? Skyclan arrived soon after too, but Leafstar wasn't anywhere to be found.

Squirrelstar leaped onto a branch of the tree, the full moon meeting was about to begin. Crowfeather clawed his way up to a branch too. A ragged brown-furred tabby brutally gnawed his way up the tree digging his sharp teeth into each bit of bark until he got to the top branch. "Who is this!" A cat from Windclan yowled. "A rogue probably!" Another tom from Shadowclan yelled. "Hush hush" the strange tom settled them, "I am Duskstar, the new leader of Riverclan. Yes I used to be a rogue, but I have changed." Tigerstar sighed, "strange times it is, this will be a long meeting i'm guessing." The leaders nodded. "New leaders from every corner" Squirrelstar meowed "I mean.. except for Tigerstar." Tigerstar stared at his paws, embarresed. Crowfeather dipped his head respectfully, "a few sunrises ago, Harestar died to the fearsome claws of a fox" He continued "I travelled to the moonpool and received my nine lives and name, Crowstar." Squirrelstar gazed below to the cats watching. Crowstar must've made Breezepelt his deputy, he's sitting below the trunk. Above her, she heard the faint snarling of Duskstar and the scraping of wood. I don't trust him.

Hawkwing shifted his paws "Leafstar, Skyclans former leader has unfortunately moved onto the ranks of Starclan" he switched his gaze to the glimmering of silverpelt, "I, Hawkstar have taken over her role of leader." Hawkstar nodded to Squirrelstar. Great Starclan, what will I say? The noises of Duskstar were infuriating her and what her clanmates think of her. She stood to her paws, "Bramblestar, my mate and Thunderclans loyal leader has passed down to Starclan" Squirrelstar sighed, "I have taken over his role with great honour and I am proud to have Lionblaze serve as my deputy." Unsheathing and sheathing his paws over and over, Duskstar made himself look bigger as he stood up. "My new clan Riverclan chose me to be their leader, even though I was a rogue" He stretched his neck slowly, "I did receive nine lives, and i'm proud to be Riverclan's leader." Hawkstar yawned, "nonsense rogues can't become leaders." Ah yes theres not a gathering where we don't argue. Jayfeather stood up, gasps behind him, "Hawkstar, you were once a rogue, every leader must stick together at these times, not argue." Crowstar nodded, "yes at these times, with so many new leaders we must stick together." Duskstar leaped off the tree, "stick together!" The clan cats repeated as they forwarded out. What is Duskstar trying to do?