BrightStar's Lives

The moon rose from the ground and light fell under the earth. The moonpool glowed as the moon reflected its light.
BrightHeart padded to the moonpool and JayFeather sat beside her. The she-cat bent down and drank the water of the pool. As she did, she froze. It felt as if the water had caused BrightHeart's body to numb. She felt light-headed, but sat up as the numbing stopped.

Nine cats appeared, specks of starlight sprinkled in their fur. A silver tabby she-cat stepped forward. She touched BrightHeart's nose. It felt cold, and it gave BrightHeart a chill. She recognized her immediately; FernCloud.

"With this life, I give you courage. Use it well to protect your clan and sacrifice." FernCloud meowed.
"Thank you, FernCloud." BrightHeart purred.

The silver she-cat faded. Another cat hesitated, but stepped forward. The she-cat had ginger and black patches on her pelt. This cat was SorrelTail. She had died long ago as she hid her injuries from her clan and her kits.

"With this life, I give you mother's love. Use it well for your kits, to guide them and your clan."

BrightHeart touched SorrelTail's nose, and the multicoloured she-cat faded. Next, a white tom stepped forward. BrightHeart's eye widens. It was her mentor, WhiteStorm. He touched noses and purred.

"With this life, I give you faith. Use it well to look to the good in dark times, and to be confident that ThunderClan will thrive again if it falls apart." He mewed simply. Before BrightHeart could say anything, she hesitated, and WhiteStorm faded.

BrightHeart had counted three lives. Six more to go, she thought. She nervously dug her claws into the ground, as she felt like her paws were fluttering. A shiver down her neck.

Another cat stepped forward. This cat had gray fur, blue eyes and a crippled hind leg. "CinderPelt!" BrightHeart gasped. The she-cat purred, and touched noses. The two cats' eyes gleamed.

"With this life, I give you wisdom. Use it well to understand and seek your clan's needs." CinderPelt said. Quickly, she licked BrightHeart's cheek fondly before fading.

BrightHeart's eye widened. "Wait, CinderPelt!" She yowled. But there was no response.

This cat was recognized from a distance away. His shoulders held high, his flame coloured pelt filled with the most specks of starlight. He touched noses with BrightHeart. The she-cat was sure happy to see FireStar.

"With this life, I give you selflessness. Use it well to take care for your clan, despite how it could cost your last life."

BrightHeart looked into his eyes as he faded. That's five, she thought.

Next was a dark gray she-cat with amber eyes. She had scars in between her eyes. BrightHeart didn't seem to recognize her.
"Do you know who I am?" The she-cat asked dryly as she stepped forward. BrightHeart shook her head.

"I'm YellowFang. I was once a medicine cat of ThunderClan. I saved you from BlackStar when you were a kit." The she-cat replied. BrightHeart hesitated, then swished her tail. BrightHeart gasped softly.

"With this life, I give you protection. Use it well to strengthen and take care of your clan, when danger strikes." YellowFang meowed.

The she-cat faded and another stepped forward without hesitation. His shoulders were also held high, his amber eyes and dark brown, tabby fur, made BrightHeart almost make her think it was TigerStar. He touched her nose.
"BrambleStar!" BrightHeart purred excitedly. JayFeather was happy to know BrambleStar was there.

"With this life, I give you hope. Use it well in your dark times, when your clan is troubled."

BrambleStar faded slowly. BrightHeart's eye widened. The life took control of her. Her fur bristled, and her headache grew. She bent down in pain. "Agh..!" BrightHeart yowled. JayFeather's ears perked up.
"BrightHeart, are you okay?" He asked. BrightHeart nodded, sheathing her claws as the pain eased. JayFeather wondered why he didn't hear a response. "BrightHeart?"

Right, JayFeather's blind, BrightHeart thought. "Yeah, sorry," she meowed.

The cat that soon stepped forward had only died a moon ago in battle. He was now walking with his mate, kit, and his own sister. It was BrightHeart's brother, BrackenFur. The brown tom touched noses proudly.

"With this life, I give you justice. Use it well to fight with your clan by your side. I am so proud of you, BrightHeart." He purred. BrightHeart purred back as he faded.

Finally, now one more life, BrightHeart thought. But she had almost forgotten the last cat. He was her friend from long ago, black and white fur, amber eyes glowing. He was a small cat.

The tom touched noses with her. BrightHeart hardly recognized him. "SwiftPaw...?" She meowed in disbelief. The tom nodded and purred.

"With this life, I give you curiosity. Use it well to explore in your lives. I miss you, BrightHeart." SwiftPaw meowed. BrightHeart gasped, feeling sorry.

"SwiftPaw, please don't go!" BrightHeart mourned. SwiftPaw sighed and faded.

BrightHeart sighed, but it turned to a sharp breath as the life took control. Her eye widened, and she nearly collapsed. She didn't yowl this time, but the pain grew in her neck. Her fur bristled and a shiver ran down her back. She unsheathed her claws, and felt as if a cat was drawing on her with their claw, breaking the skin like a deep wound. Finally, BrightHeart yowled and JayFeather whipped his head around. He padded towards her. "BrightHeart!" He meowed.

"She will be fine." BrambleStar meowed as he appeared.

Finally, BrightHeart sheathed her claws and her body stopped shaking, but she sat uneasily. She looked up at the old leader. The other cats appeared beside them, and SwiftPaw looked at BrightHeart, proud of what she had become.

BrambleStar lifted his head, and spoke.
"I hail you by your new name, BrightStar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of ThunderClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

The StarClan cats cheered. "Good luck, BrightStar! BrightStar! Goodbye! And good luck!"
BrightStar purred and the StarClan cats faded. She looked at JayFeather.

"We should go back to the clan." JayFeather mewed. "Let's go." BrightStar agreed.
It was a new day for ThunderClan. Very new. The new leader climbed to the top of highrock and looked down on her clan proudly. She called a clan meeting, to appoint a new deputy. Many cats sad under the rock and perked their ears up to listen.
"I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of ThunderClan is..."
BrightStar paused. She didn't know who, but suddenly she remembered.
"LionBlaze."

A ginger tabby looked up. "... Me?" He muttered in disbelief. He didn't know how to feel about being the deputy of ThunderClan. He climbed to the top of Highrock and sat beside his new leader.

So ThunderClan starts again.