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“Let the ceremony begin!” Firestar’s voice rang commandingly around the starlit hollow as the ranks of StarClan cats formed a ragged circle around Squirrelflight.
Squirrelflight’s pelt prickled with anticipation, and she raised her chin proudly. She was about to receive her nine lives from her starry ancestors, and pride coursed through her veins like a swift stream.
This was the second time she’d traveled to the Moonpool to receive her nine lives. The first time Squirrelflight had come, clouds had obscured the moon, preventing her from contacting her ancestors. But this time, as she gazed up at the swath of sparkling stars above her head, the air warm with the scents of prey, the nature lush and beautiful, Squirrelflight’s head spun with wonder. What an honor to be here, among her ancestors, and to be given her nine lives! She relished the sensation with every hair on her dark ginger pelt.
After the ceremony was over, the leadership of ThunderClan would be hers, and every cat in her Clan would depend on her to make the right decisions and lead them on the right path.
Squirrelflight forced her paws not to tremble with excitement as Firestar was the first cat to step forward out of the circle. Behind her, Alderheart and Brambleclaw were watching intently, their eyes sparkling with pride and love for her. Squirrelflight swung her gaze around and dipped her head fondly to them, her gaze resting on her mate, Brambleclaw. The brown tabby seemed so much happier and relaxed since he’d given the leadership to her, more like his old self, and Squirrelflight knew how hard it must have been for him to admit that his experiences as a spirit trapped in the Dark Forest had haunted him deeply.
Squirrelflight drew her gaze back to the scene in front of her as Firestar stopped a muzzle-length in front of her. The soft, cool green grass of StarClan’s sunlit and beautiful territory tickled her pads, and her ears filled with birdsong from branches arching high above her head, and the comforting whispers of her ancestors. Her father’s emerald gaze shone with love and admiration as he blinked at her fondly.
“My dear daughter, I could not be prouder of you and everything you have achieved,” Firestar told her warmly, his voice steady. “The path forward won’t be easy, but I know ThunderClan will be safe in your care, and never forget that StarClan will always be by your side. I’ve been watching you from among the stars, and I know you’re ready for this.”
Squirrelflight’s pelt fizzed with wonder, and she dipped her head respectfully to him. “I am honored to be here, Firestar, and I will do my best to uphold each of the lives I’ll be given. I will take good care of the Clan that was once yours, I promise.” Her voice rang with meaning, and her heart welled with emotion.
Firestar’s gaze flashed with grief for a moment. Squirrelflight knew how hard it must’ve been for her father to watch his Clan from among the stars, powerless to help them apart from visions and warnings. But the former ThunderClan leader quickly shook his head; his orange pelt glowed like fire and starlight swirled around his paws and ears as he stooped to rest his muzzle on top of his daughter’s head.
“Squirrelflight, with your first life, I give you fairness and honor. Your Clan and your Clanmates must come above all else, but never forget that the other Clans are just as important as ThunderClan. As leader, it will be your duty to take care of ThunderClan, but you must learn how to be fair towards the other Clans by the lake, as well.” Firestar’s voice rang strongly and clearly across the hollow as he spoke.
At his touch, Squirrelflight felt her head burn like wildfire, her fur stinging and her pelt bushing up with alarm. She fought to urge to let out a wail of agony, clamping her jaws shut. The burning sensation spread from her head to her belly and down her legs, until it felt like her whole body was tingling with fire. I never thought receiving my first life would be so painful!
As the feeling ebbed away like icicles in newleaf, Squirrelflight regained her calmness. As Firestar padded away and took his place among the StarClan warriors, Squirrelflight sought another familiar ginger pelt and green eyes as her mother, Sandstorm, padded up to her next.
Sandstorm purred as she drew to a halt in front of Squirrelflight, and she reached out with a paw to touch her daughter on the shoulder, a gesture of welcome and love. “Squirrelflight, I can’t express the joy I feel at seeing you become leader. I always knew my daughters would be special one day; I just wish your sister was still with you, to share the responsibility of leading the Clan and taking care of every cat.”
Sandstorm turned her head, her starlit gaze seeking Leafpool in the crowd of starry cats, and with a rush of joy, Squirrelflight knew her sister would be the next cat to give her a life. My whole family is here! She thought, happiness bubbling up inside her belly until she thought it would burst.
Squirrelflight nodded to Sandstorm, her eyes rounding with love for her mother. “Thank you, Sandstorm. Rest assured that ThunderClan is in good paws with Jayfeather and Alderheart as medicine cats, and I will do my best to care equally for every cat.”
Her mother twitched her whiskers approvingly, touching Squirrelflight’s nose with hers. “With your second life, Squirrelflight, I give you love. Use it to defend the cats you care most about with teeth and claws, and always remember that there is nothing more powerful than the force of a mother’s love.” Her voice shook with meaning on the last few words.
At her touch, Squirrelflight’s sight was blotted out by a blinding white flash, and she was plunged into a vision. Sandstorm was lying on her side in a nest of feathers and moss, the protective walls of the nursery enfolding her and her kits protectively. At her belly, two tiny kits suckled and mewled, one a brown tabby with a white chest and paws, the other dark ginger with a bushy tail and one white paw.
Sandstorm’s gaze rested lovingly on the kits as if they were the most precious thing in the world, and the entrance to the nursery shook as a large flame-colored tom padded in. Firestar leaned down to nuzzle his mate and kits, whispering, “They’re the most beautiful kits in the whole world.”
As quickly as it had come, the vision winked out as another white flash engulfed Squirrelflight’s vision and brought her back to StarClan’s territory. Squirrelflight’s whole pelt was tingling with a warm feeling; it trickled down her spine and her legs, all the way to her paw tips. She shivered. If only all my lives could feel as good as this! She thought, exhilaration making her mind whirl.
As Sandstorm retreated, Leafpool stepped forward from the crowd. Squirrelflight fought down the urge to run to her like an excited kit and nuzzle her. Instead, she forced her paws not to shake with excitement as Leafpool reached her. Starshine was dancing in the depths of Leafpool’s beautiful amber eyes, and her voice was warm as she addressed Squirrelflight.
“Squirrelflight, we both knew this moment would come one day. I am so proud of you, my dear sister, and I will be watching over you from the stars, I promise.” Leafpool flashed her a glance full of meaning, and Squirrelflight simply twitched her whiskers, a sign that she understood. With a single glance, memories flashed between them like minnows in a swift-flowing stream: every moment they’d spent together, every adventure, every lie and secret to protect the cats they cared most about…
“Thank you, Leafpool. I miss you everyday, and I hope you’re happy here in StarClan.” Squirrelflight’s voice shook, and her eyes brimmed with emotion.
In response, Leafpool took a step forward that brought her closer to Squirrelflight, touching her muzzle to her cheek. “With this life, I give you endless determination. Use it to protect ThunderClan fiercely and to make sure that your strength in doing what you know to be right never fails you.”
This time, a bolt of lightning blazed down on Squirrelflight like a beam of pure agony, and she let out a wordless screech of pain. She dug her claws hard into the soft ground, gasping for air. I wish determination didn’t hurt so much! How many more of my lives will hurt like this?
As the feeling slowly subsided, Squirrelflight’s pelt prickled with an icy certainty that no matter what challenges lay ahead, ThunderClan would always survive. Breathless and panting, she watched Leafpool retreat, and a dirt-colored brown tabby tom stepped from the ranks and padded toward her.
“Dustpelt!” Squirrelflight exclaimed, joy flaring in her belly. “I’m so happy to see you again.”
Her old mentor had lost none of the fire in his amber eyes as she reached her and dipped his head. “It’s good to see you too, Squirrelflight, and I’m glad you’ve finally learned to be a proper leader after all your mischievous acts as an apprentice!” He let out a good-humored purr.
Squirrelflight joined in the purring, her eyes rounding with mock indignation. “Hey, I wasn’t that bad! But I had a pretty stern mentor who always wanted to keep me in line.”
Dustpelt shook his head, letting out a soft mrrow of laughter. “Enough of this now. I have a life to give you, Squirrelflight!” The usually serious warrior’s eyes were glinting with excitement as he leaned down to press his muzzle to Squirrelflight’s head.
“With this life, I give you strength. Let it guide you in dark and challenging times, but you must find it within yourself, too.”
Squirrelflight felt as if agony had hollowed out her belly, and she shuddered. She felt sharp, vicious claws rake her pelt and slice her ears, and as blood pulsed in her veins, she wondered if this was what strength felt like. As leader, would she have the energy to fight every enemy, protect all her Clanmates, and keep out all the intruders?
As the anguish faded away like mist in greenleaf, Squirrelflight suddenly felt strength seep into her legs. Her whole body tingled with tireless energy, and she felt as if she was ready for any challenge as the next cat approached her.
Cinderpelt’s dark gray pelt glowed in the starlit hollow, and her blue eyes were pools of wisdom as she addressed Squirrelflight. “Congratulations on everything you have achieved, Squirrelflight. As leader, you will need much patience to lead your Clan, but I have faith that you are up to the task.”
As she finished, Cinderpelt stretched her neck and touched Squirrelflight’s forehead with her nose. “My gift for you is patience, so that the burden of leadership will weigh lighter on your shoulders. Patience is the key to everything; never forget that.”
Squirrelflight’s ears rang with the sound of gurgling water as the life flowed through her limbs like an endless stream. An icy feeling of calm and peace enfolded her like a warm pelt, and she had to suppress the urge to curl up in the grass and let herself drift into a relaxing sleep.
“Wake up, you sleepy dormouse!” An amused voice chimed in, startling Squirrelflight. She’d closed her eyes without meaning to, and she snapped them open to see a prickly black she-cat pad purposefully toward her. Her sharp green gaze bored into Squirrelflight’s as she halted a few paces in front of her.
“Hollyleaf!” Squirrelflight exclaimed, her tail trembling with joy. She walked up to her daughter and nuzzled her cheek affectionately, drinking in her sweet scent, a mix of warm winds and star-flecked skies like the one high above their heads.
Hollyleaf purred, draping her tail around Squirrelflight’s shoulders. “I’m so happy to see you again, Squirrelflight. Are you well? It’s been quite a while since we’ve last seen each other.”
Grief sliced Squirrelflight’s heart with vicious claws, threatening to tear it out of her chest as she gazed into Hollyleaf’s eyes. Squirrelflight’s eyes misted over with longing to be with her dead daughter, but she quickly pushed it away.
This reunion was a bittersweet one, especially as Squirrelflight’s mind flashed her back to the Great Battle with the Dark Forest, when Hollyleaf’s body had been splayed out in ThunderClan’s clearing, wounded and bleeding to death. Anguish filled her mind like the hoot of an owl as she remembered the raw grief she’d felt when Hollyleaf had died in the battle, and before that, when she had believed her daughter to be dead when she’d run into the tunnels.
But that prey was eaten now, and Squirrelflight needed to focus on the present if she was to be a good leader. Shaking her head as if to chase away dark memories, she meowed, “I’m fine, and so is all of ThunderClan. What about you, Hollyleaf? I know it’s quite a while since you’ve joined StarClan, but I think of you all the time, and my heart is always with you.” She couldn’t stop the tremor in her voice.
Hollyleaf narrowed her eyes as if she could read Squirrelflight’s thoughts, or perhaps her grief had been too evident in her eyes. “Everything is okay in StarClan, Squirrelflight, but you need to stop grieving for me and focus on the present. It was my destiny to die defending my Clanmates against the evil forces of the Dark Forest, and I had a good life.”
Squirrelflight’s fur bushed up with shock. She’d forgotten how clever Hollyleaf could be, and how her daughter always seemed to be able to read the minds of other cats. Before she had a chance to reply, Hollyleaf leaned over to touch her cheek to hers.
“With your next life, I give you endurance,” her daughter announced, her voice ringing clearly in the cool night air. “Let it give you strength in tough times, and may the force of this life flow through you for all the moons to come. Life in the Clans has never been easy, but a true warrior who follows the warrior code will always endure all the challenges the future holds.”
Squirrelflight felt as if she’d plunged into an icy stream as the life flowed through her limbs. An icy cold sensation made her pelt bristle, freezing her paws to the spot until she thought she’d become a cat made of ice. She stiffened, willing the uncomfortable sensation to stop as the cold penetrated her heart.
After a few heartbeats, any cold she might have felt from Hollyleaf’s life vanished as if a burst of warm sunshine blazed down on her as she saw the next cats padding forward. Squirrelflight’s eyes grew wide with wonder and longing as two small kits, their pelts sparkling with starlight and their steps turning into little bounces of excitement, halted in front of her.
“Mother!” they cried as one, rearing to nuzzle her and brush their pelts against hers. Squirrelflight’s heart welled with emotion, her throat feeling too choked to speak, as she felt the touch of her dead kits.
“Juniperkit, Dandelionkit, I’ve missed you so much, my darlings. How are you? Who is taking care of you here?” her voice trembled. Even though she had seen them when she’d traveled to StarClan many moons before when she’d almost died, Squirrelflight still felt a bittersweet feeling swell in her heart.
The kits drew away from her, their tails flicking with excitement. “Hollyleaf and Leafpool take care of us, mama!” Juniperkit announced happily, his white chest glowing as he puffed it out.
“Yes, they’re the best! We’ve even learned how to catch squirrels!” Dandelion kit chimed in, her ginger tabby pelt bristling with pride.
Squirrelflight felt as if she would drown in emotion as she gazed down at her two lost kits. Behind her, she heard Brambleclaw gasp in wonder as he spotted his daughters, and spinning around she saw that Alderheart’s eyes were round with shock and joy at seeing his dead littermates, who had died a long time ago.
Squirrelflight dragged her attention back to her kits as Dandelionkit flicked her stubby tail against her cheek. Her fur prickled with grief at seeing them again, and her mind flew like homing birds to the too-soon deaths of these kits.
“We’ve both come to give you lives, to help you lead ThunderClan for many moons to come!” Dandelionkit announced, snapping her out of her dark thoughts.
“Yes, we want to be part of ThunderClan’s future!” Juniperkit added, his eyes narrowing seriously although his voice still betrayed his kit-like excitement.
Squirrelflight purred, happiness making the hairs on her pelt stand on end. She had seen so many familiar faces during her ceremony, and she knew that one day, she would be reunited with all the cats she loved, here in StarClan.
“Okay, little warriors. What lives do you have for me?”
Dandelionkit stepped up first, and Juniperkit retreated a pace or two to give her space. The pale ginger kit, whose glossy fur glowed with starshine, reared and nudged Squirrelflight’s chin with her tiny nose. “I wish to give you perseverance with this life, so that you may never give up, no matter how hard things get. Always be persistent in leading your Clan, and have the courage to pursue your own path.”
This life trickled down Squirrelflight’s spine like honeyed water, and she relished the sensation. Relaxing, she let her fur smooth and steadied her trembling paws. Her ears filled with the sound of Clanmates chatting, purring contentedly and sharing tongues, and a vision flashed in her mind of her Clan safe and happy, with no dangers threatening them, the sun beaming down into the stone hollow from a clear blue sky and the fresh-kill pile full.
I hope my next two lives won’t be too painful, Squirrelflight thought as Dandelionkit stepped back and let her brother take her place. Juniperkit reared on his hind legs like his sister, and touched his muzzle to Squirrelflight’s jaw. “With this life, I give you ambition, so that you’ll make ThunderClan into a strong and respected Clan,” he squeaked, his voice still young but steady. “But beware: ambition for the wrong reasons may lead you down dark paths, so be careful. Use this quality only to serve your Clanmates and to preserve all the Clans by the lake.”
An agonizing shudder made Squirrelflight almost lose her footing, and she dug her claws hard into the soft grass to steady herself. She suppressed an anguished scream as excruciating pain lanced through her body like the cruel fangs of a fox, and she felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck her straight in her head.
StarClan, make it stop! Squirrelflight wailed inwardly, panting rapidly, feeling as if she might burst from the agony at any moment. As if her ancestors had heard her unspoken prayer, the feeling subsided into a faint pain which made her pelt bristle and pricked her belly, and after a few heartbeats a sensation of icy determination settled in her chest like a light stone.
“Thank you, my darlings,” Squirrelflight let out a shaken purr, exhaustion threatening to sweep over her like a dark wave. “I’ll always remember the gifts you gave me. I promise.” The last few words had a twinge of deep meaning.
Her kits gave one last thrilled flick of their short tails, which were gleaming with starlight at their tips, and then they walked back to the ranks of StarClan ancestors. Squirrelflight’s eyes rounded with sadness and regret as she watched them go. The line of starry warriors surrounded Squirrelflight from all sides, filling the hollow with an intense glow which radiated from their starlit pelts.
She frowned, puzzled. Didn’t she have one life left to receive? As Squirrelflight scanned the row of cats, wondering which one would pad up to her next, a huge ginger tom with big white paws stepped out of the ranks. Starlight swirled around his ears and paws, leaving a trail of starshine as he walked confidently toward her. With a gasp of amazement, Squirrelflight suddenly recognized him.
“Thunderstar!” she exclaimed incredulously, reverence filling her mind and rooting her paws to the spot. The legendary leader in front of her had once been the founder of ThunderClan, back in the early days of the Clans. She dipped her head respectfully. “It is an honor to meet you, and to be passed on the leadership of ThunderClan.”
Thunderstar nodded his acknowledgement, his amber eyes glowing with wisdom and experience. “Squirrelflight, I have watched you since you were a kit, and I’ve seen how you went on the journey to find Midnight, fought tirelessly for your Clan, raised brave, strong kits, and served your Clan as deputy for many moons. I am honored to watch you take over my Clan, and the last life you need to receive is mine to give.” His deep voice rang clearly to every corner of the hollow, the other StarClan warriors watching with intent, glowing eyes and twitching tails.
Thunderstar leaned down to touch his nose to hers, stars glittering in his orange fur. “Squirrelflight, your last life is faith. Let it guide you when all hope seems to have drained away, and let it be your light even in the darkest of times. A strong, honorable leader always needs to have faith in the cats under their care, and in themselves. Have faith in yourself to lead ThunderClan safely for all the moons to come.”
Squirrelflight felt as if a huge, heavy rock had been plunged in her belly, and agony seared her insides. It felt as if wildfire was burning her whole body, and anguish flared in her legs and tail. She let out a blood-curdling scream, excruciating pain making her stiffen, until she couldn’t feel her limbs anymore.
Squirrelflight could feel the ground shaking under her paws, and her vision blurred for a few heartbeats. She was in so much agony that she could hardly gasp for air, and it took a few moments for her to regain her breath.
As the pain from her last life dimmed to nothing more than a slight tingle in her fur and her gaze cleared, Squirrelflight realized that Thunderstar was still in front of her. The first-ever leader of ThunderClan dipped his head respectfully to her. “You have received all your lives, Squirrelflight, and a new star will rise as ThunderClan’s leader. From now on, you shall be known as Squirrelstar.” His eyes flashed proudly and he gave a single lash of his tail as he finished speaking.
As Squirrelstar relished her new name and nine lives, she puffed her chest out proudly, raising her head and tail, her stance as mighty and independent as that of the leader of LionClan. The StarClan warriors all around her burst into loud cheers and acclamations, yowling her name to the dark, star-flecked sky above. Each star in Silverpelt seemed to shine even more brightly, as if a new star had already floated to join the wide swath of glittering points of white light, and the air seemed to tremble.
“Squirrelstar!”
“Squirrelstar!”
“Squirrelstar!”
After a few heartbeats, the voices and faces around Squirrelstar seemed to fade into a sparkling blur, and the ground under her paws opened up into a wide, endless dark void. Rushing air raised all the hairs on her pelt as she was plunged into its dizzying depths, and for a few heartbeats the new leader of ThunderClan could do nothing but flail around desperately while letting out a scream of shock and fear. Darkness surrounded her from all sides as she fell, her pelt bushing up with terror, and she closed her eyes, her heart thudding wildly in her chest.
As Squirrelstar thought her heart would burst, she felt hard, cold stone under her paws and icy water touching her muzzle. She blinked open her eyes, her pelt smoothing and her paws steadying, to find herself back in the starlit Moonpool hollow with Brambleclaw and Alderheart crouched over the pool on either side of her, a cool wind blowing through her pelt and ruffling her whiskers.
Squirrelstar stood up tall and mighty, awed by the dazzling beauty of the Moonpool as her gaze got lost in its magnificence. Countless sparkling stars swirled in the water a muzzle length in front of her, and the scent of stars and wind and cool air wafted into her nostrils. Her tail trembled as her mind flashed her back to the magical experience of being in StarClan’s hunting grounds, and the exhilarating experience of being bestowed nine lives.
ThunderClan was hers now. Every apprentice being made a warrior, every skirmish, every battle, every death- those all lay heavy on her shoulders now, responsibilities she would have to carry until the end of her last life. But she knew she would never be alone, and she could count on her warriors to support her every decision.
Stretching her neck to touch her muzzle to Brambleclaw’s as her beloved mate woke from his trance, she announced determinedly, “ThunderClan is mine now. Let’s go home. My Clan will be waiting for me.” Brambleclaw’s gaze was glittering with pride and affection as he nuzzled her back.
Squirrelstar’s ThunderClan.