"Treestar's dead!" A StormClan cat shouted. The fighting stopped, and the StormClan cats fled.
Nightfall buried his muzzle in Hollystar's flank as the clan gathered around her body.
"The wound was too deep," Dawnsky meowed with sorrow, "She lost all of her remaining lives."
He looked up, "This is my fault."
Fireblossom sat beside her father, "The only cat to blame is Treestar."
"I should have been fighting by her side!" He protested.
No cat wanted to start an argument, so Blackpelt meowed, "We will sit vigil for both her and Snowstorm tonight, but for now, Nightstar, you have to choose a deputy before the sun sets."
Nightfall realised he was their leader now, "I'll think about it in my den, "he murmured.
He padded to his den with his head down. When he entered, he could smell the faint scent of his mate. He sat in the nest and put his head on his paws.
***
Nightfall jumped on the highbranch and called, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here for a clan meeting!" The cats were already in the clearing and they gathered around, "I say these words before StarClan so the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve my choice. The deputy of LightningClan is Stripefur."
As the clan cheered Stripefur's name, Nightfall jumped down from the highbranch and padded over to Dawnsky.
"I have to go to the Moonstone," he meowed.
She nodded, "I already have the travelling herbs ready,"
They went to the medicine den. Nightfall ate the travelling herbs and him and Dawnsky headed for the Moonstone after telling the clan. After this trip, I'll be leader of LightningClan. He thought. And no matter what, I know Hollystar and the rest of StarClan will always be with me.
