Willowstar's Nine Lives

It was a chilly night, and the sky was covered in darkness, however the stars were glowing brightly along with the moon, which was in the shape of a looming claw. There was an unsettling breeze that seemed to wrestle with the enchanting trees of the Spirit Garden, which brightened the surrounding area.

A pair of large paws pushed through the long, thick grass that rested below the trees, it had been turned silver from the brightness. Everything was silent, except for the rustling of the wind and the occasional sound of crickets that were hidden in the undergrowth.

There was another cat that walked behind first, with smaller paws and more grace to her step. Her fur was soft and patched with a mixture of gray and white, as opposed to the other she-cat walking ahead of her, who had a scruffy pale brown pelt.

❝Are we almost there yet, Pebblestep?❞ the larger she-cat asked, sounding impatient and bothered by the fact that the journey to receive her nine lives was taking this long. She turned her head around and stared intently at the medicine cat, waiting for a response.

Pebblestep simply nodded, and pointed her muzzle toward the distance, however she did not completely meet eyes with the other she-cat. ❝Yes, Willowthorn, the Spirit Tree is only a couple of tail-lengths ahead.❞

Willowthorn turned her head back around, and sure enough, she could make out the tall shape of the Spirit Tree as they neared toward it. At that moment, she could feel a strong surge of energy flowing inside her. Ever since she was a kit she had dreamed of becoming leader, and now, after all the battles she had fought and everything that she had proved to her clan, the moment had finally come.

After awhile of continuing to walk in silence, at last they made it to the base of the Spirit Tree. It was quite a magnificent site, with thick roots that had implanted themselves into the ground, and to Willowthorn, it seemed to radiate with unmistakable power.

❝This is where I leave you on your own,❞ Pebblestep announced, bowing her head, ❝I will wait for you a short distance from the Spirit Tree, and you are to come back after our ancestors have performed the ceremony of giving you your nine lives and welcoming you as the new leader of SunClan.❞

Willowthorn understood, bid farewell to the medicine cat, and without a moment to lose she entered the Spirit Tree. She soon found herself standing in a long, narrow passageway which easily touched the top of her head.

The she-cat quickly made her way through the tunnel, her whiskers brushing against the smooth walls, trying not to bump her head against the top. It wasn't long before she had left the tunnel and was now standing in a large cavern, where her eyes locked upon the glowing Moonstone, which stood in the center.

Willowthorn approached it, standing as tall as she possibly could with her chest puffed out. She didn't seem to care, nor appreciate, the beauty of the Moonstone, she was too busy thinking about everything it could possibly offer her. She lay down next to it, observing it for a few moments longer, before touching her nose against it and closing her eyes.

Afterwards, Willowthorn found herself unable to move, and she still couldn't see anything. However, she wasn't going to give in this easily, and she forced herself not to panic. Soon enough, she was indeed able to move, however she was no longer at the Moonpool.

Instead, she found herself standing in the center of the Gathering Hollow, and she stared around, waiting for something to happen. ❝Hello?❞ she called out, her voice loud and clear, despite how imposing it was for her to be standing alone in the middle of the night, without any clear sign of what was to happen next. ❝Is anyone there?❞ she demanded, standing her ground and digging her claws into the soil beneath her.