Book Two, Chosen

Chapter Eight

A few days later, StormClan was doing great, all the dens were built and so was the camp, everything was right. Except for one thing. They had a leader, but that leader didn't have her nine lives yet.

Batheart was traveling in the tunnel of Mothermouth with Moonpaw at her tail following her. Batheart recalled when they recruited Meadowheart, there had been some push back from ShadowClan but even old Ashstar wouldn't go behind the back of StarClan.

They then reached the cave and the blinding light hit them. Nervously, Batheart laid down and touched her nose to the Moonstone and instantly was greeted with many cats.

"Welcome, Batheart. Are you ready?" it was Acorntail. Had he died?

"Y-Yes. I'm ready." she looked up to Acorntail who bent his head down to touch Batheart on the head. "You have completed half of the prophecy, unfortunatly the other half will come later, but you will have others to aid you." spoke Acorntail, encouraging Batheart to keep going.

"Yes, Acorntail.. When did you die?" she asked him, shifting away.

"That does not matter now. You need your lives." he smiled warmly to her, bending his head on hers.

"With this life I give you strength. You must be strong when life gets tough, because I know you'll get through it." Batheart felt a wave of unimaginable pain flow through her body, she had to hold back a mewl of pain.

The next cat came up to her. Lemontail! He went up to her and put his head on Batheart's. "With this life I give you courage. Use it when you're more terrified than ever and know that StarClan will be with you the whole way."

Batheart prepared herself for another wave of pain, and it came, stronger than the first. Lemontail backed away and another cat filled his place. No way, Soarstep?!

Soarstep placed his head on hers. "With this life I give you compassion. Care for every cat coming into your new Clan with love and care." instead of pain, Batheart felt the warm fuzzy feeling she felt around Skywing.

Soarstep backed away and Brushfeather took his place. I guess it was their time to go..

Brushfeather placed his head on hers. "With this life I give you leadership. I was never able to be a leader but I hope I was able to pass something onto you." another wave of pain rolled though Batheart, but she prepared for it.

Brushfeather backed away. "Hello, young one, I am Streamwish, Skywing's mother." Streamwish put her head on Batheart's. "With this life I give you honesty, never keep things from your Clan as it drives everyone apart." more pain went through Batheart, she didn't know if she could take much more of this.

Then, Goldenwing padded up to her. Batheart was unimaginably happy to see her. "With this life I give you gratitude. Be grateful for everything in your life and never take things for granted." This time, Batheart didn't feel pain, she felt a wave of certainty.

Then an unknown cat took Goldenwing's place. "I am Waterskip, Brambleheart's father." he placed his head on hers. "With this life I give you confidence. You need to be confident in your future decisions as leader of StormClan." A large roll of pain flared through Batheart again, but at this point she was used to it.

Another unknown cat took Waterskip's place and she placed her head on Batheart's. "Hello. I am Snowwish, Meadowheart's mother. With this life I give you peace. When you see kits playing or you warriors doing their duties, that's true peace."

And once again, Batheart felt a wave of pain, although this time it wasn't as bad. The last cat to take the previous cat's place was another unknown cat. "I am Featherstar, the leader before Acorntail. I give you your last life, I give you hope. Never ever give up on your Clanmates and always give them a chance to speak for themselves." Batheart felt an extreme amount of pain roll through her again.

Featherstar backed away and Acorntail then came forward again. "I hail you by your new name, Batstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader and StarClan grants you the guardianship of StormClan. Defend it well; take care of young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

Batstar dipped her head to all nine cats and she slowly begun to wake up. She stood to her paws and shook her pelt. "Bathear- I mean Batstar!" exclaimed Moonpaw. "Hello, Moonpaw. We should probably head back now." Batstar led the way through Mothermouth and back to the camp.

They entered the tightly-woven camp entrance to a well-stocked fresh-kill pile. "Wow, you folks have been busy!" exclaimed Batstar.

"Yep! The prey here is plentiful, almost like its new-leaf already!" Skywing rushed over to meet Batstar.

"I made your den nice with some fresh moss." Skywing said. "You're so sweet, thanks so much!" Batstar went over to the den with Skywing and into her nest and quickly fell asleep. It seemed to be the next day already, she woke up, stretched and got out of her den.

"I suppose I'll need a deputy.." she muttered to herself. I hope StarClan wont be angry with me for not choosing now! I must wait until we can get more apprentices.

She then heard a rustle at the den entrance. "Who's there?" she asked. "Its me." The voice sounded so familiar.

"Come inside." the cat stepped inside. It was Sweetwish with Oakpaw. "Sweetwish! Oakpaw! What are you doing here?" Batstar asked them.

"Well Batheart, we were wondering if we could join your Clan. Oakpaw misses Moonpaw like crazy, and I miss you so much." Sweetwish replied.

"It's actually Batstar now, Sweetwish, and of course you can join. Just give me a moment.." Batstar hopped up onto the Greatledge.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join beneath Greatledge for a Clan meeting." Batstar announced. Brambleheart, Meadowheart and Skywing came out of the warriors den, followed by Moonpaw out of the apprentices den.

They all sat down beneath the Greatledge. "These two cats, Sweetwish and Oakpaw, originally from ThunderClan will be joining StormClan as a warrior and an apprentice. Meadowheart will train Oakpaw.

Batstar leaped down from the Greatledge and down to meet Sweetwish and Oakpaw.

"I'll show you around the camp. So to your left was the entrance, obviously. Next to that is the warriors den, then next to that is the apprentices den, then the nursery, elders den, medicine cats den and then my den is just below the Greatledge." Batstar explained.

"Oh and then in the center is the fresh-kill pile." Batstar finished.

"Wow, it seems like prey has been plentiful!" exclaimed Sweetwish. "Yep."

"Now let's go see the territory.."