Warriors: Mapleshade's Return.

Chapter 7

Hi! I know this took waaaaaayy too long to post, but it was haaaaarrrddd. And I was being lazy. Anyways, hope you like it! (Even though it's not mine!)
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of this chapter except for the author's note. This chapter is directly from The Ultimate Guide, Bramblestar's Nine Lives.
The water in the Moonpool was so cold that Brambleclaw gasped in shock when it touched his nose.
"You'll get used to it," Jayfeather meowed beside him. "Either that, or your nose will go numb."
"Great," muttered Brambleclaw, trying to lie more comfortably on the stones. Inside, he was quivering with excitement as well as exhaustion for making the long journey to the pool so soon after doing battle with the Dark Forest. Grief for Firestar dragged at his pelt and stung his eyes, but this was a moment that Brambleclaw had always known would arrive some day: his own ceremony of nine lives and the start of his leadership of ThunderClan.
"Stop wriggling," Jayfeather hissed. "Close your eyes and wait for StarClan to come to you."
Brambleclaw tucked his forepaws under his chest and let his muzzle fall a little deeper into the Moonpool. The shock of icy water briefly did battle with a heavy wave of tiredness that washed over him. He let himself slip into sleep, but almost at once the sound of whispers made him sit up and look around. What was disturbing him? He was supposed to be sharing tongues with Starclan! He was still in the rocky hollow that held the Moonpool, round and silver in the moonlight comma but now the slopes were filled with rows and rows of cats, glowing and murmuring. StarClan! Brambleclaw felt himself gaping as he saw cats so familiar they tore at his heart: Sorreltail, Ferncloud, and his mother, Goldenflower.... soft footsteps sounded beside him, and he turned to see Jayfeather. The medicine cat's blue eyes were clear and bright and focused on Brambleclaw.
"You can see!" he exclaimed.
Jayfeather nodded. "In my dreams, yes." He flicked the tip of his tail. "Not that it makes much difference. Now, are you ready?"
Brambleclaw nodded, trying to ignore the nervous moths that had started whirling in his belly. Jayfeather seemed so old and calm, as if being among the ancient, long-dead cats was as natural as being among his living Clanmates. Brambleclaw looked at the medicine cat and felt a flash of pride. I raised you as my son, he thought. You have done so well, in spite of everything.
There was a flicker of orange on the far side of the shore, and a cat stepped out of the ranks of StarClan. His eyes shone as green as the forest, and his fur was the color of flame. Brambleclaw felt his eyes fill. "Firestar!" he breathed.
The orange cat trotted lightly over the stones to meet him. Firestar looked young and strong, with no sign of the terrible, bloody battle he had fought until his dying moments. "Welcome to StarClan, Brambleclaw!" he announced.
"It is an honor to be here," Brambleclaw croaked, hardly able to speak through the lump in his throat.
Firestar lightly rested the tip of his tail on Brambleclaw's flank. "Do not grieve anymore," he meowed. "We always knew this time would come."
Brambleclaw winced. "But not so soon!"
The orange tom shrugged. "StarClan chooses the moment it wishes us to join them. My lives were long and full, and I had so much happiness. And I chose the best deputy I could have, knowing that you would one day succeed me." He stepped closer and touched his muzzle to Brambleclaw's head. "I give you a life with the courage to make the hardest decisions, not just for ThunderClan, but for all the Clans. The lake needs four Clans; with this life, serve them all well."
A bolt of lightning seemed to shoot through Brambleclaw's bones, rocking him on his paws. Was this how difficult it would be to honor all of the Clans? He fought for breath until the searing force eased and he was able to open his eyes.
Firestar had stepped back, and in his place stood a cat with fur the color of ripe barley. She smelled of milk and warmth and safety, and Brambleclaw fought down an urge to curl up at her paws and whimper like a kit. "Goldenflower," he whispered. "Is it really you?"
The she-cat's eyes softened. "Yes, my son, it is. I am so proud of you, my love. And so honored to give you this life." She leaned against him, and Brambleclaw flashed back to the nursery, tiny and mewling at Goldenflower's belly, with nothing more sinister than a game of moss-ball ahead of him. "I give you a life for understanding the love of a mother," she meowed. "But then, you have already known what it is to love as a father. Keep that knowledge, feel its power, and use it to keep all of your Clanmates safe."
Warmth filled Brambleclaw from nose to tail-tip, making his legs tremble and a fire blaze in his belly that roared with the sound of tigers. Yes, he had known what it was to love this fiercely. He pictured Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather, and knew that he would still give his life in a moment to protect them. Now that is how it must be for all of my Clanmates.
Bluestar took Goldenflower's place; Brambleclaw felt a pang of sorrow as he watched his mother walk back to the starry rows on the far side of the hollow. Bluestar followed his gaze. "She will be watching over you, always," she murmured. She took a deep breath. "Brambleclaw, you have walked a long and difficult path to reach this point. But you have proven your loyalty to ThunderClan more times than I can count. I am proud to see my Clan pass into your care." She reached up and touched his nose. "I give you a life for clear judgement of character, for the ability to see the value of some cats, and the threat posed by others." Her eyes clouded. "It is a gift I did not always possess myself," she admitted.
"But you found Firestar!" Brambleclaw reminded her.
The she-cat's gaze softened. "So I did." She pressed her muzzle against his. "Tread carefully in whom you trust," she whispered.
This life washed through Brambleclaw's mind like an ice-cold river, making his ears ring and dazzling his eyes with light. He felt a stab of loneliness, as if the life was reminding him that some decisions would be his alone, and the fate of every cat in his Clan would depend upon him making the right choice.
The next cat to walk forward was a dusky brown she-cat with eyes the color of sunlit ice. Her pelt was glossy and the muscles rippled on her shoulders as she padded over the stone. For a moment Brambleclaw didn't recognize her, then his heart leaped and he gasped, "Mousefur?!"
The she-cat's eyes gleamed. "Indeed. Did you think I would always be old and patch-furred, even here? You never knew me when I was young and strong, Brambleclaw. But this is how I will be for the rest of memory." She stretched up to touch his cheek. "I give you a life for listening to your elders, for taking advice even when it is not expected. The oldest cats have seen the most, and there is precious little that is new, even beside the lake. Trust their wisdom, learn from their mistakes, and remember that without them, you would have no Clan to lead."
Brambleclaw's mind filled with countless murmurs and he was buffeted by unseen cats brushing past him on all sides. The hollow was overflowing with cats! He strained to hear what they were saying, but the whispers were to quiet and to numerous to pick anything out. Brambleclaw felt his legs start to tremble from all the memories that swirled around him, and he was grateful when a cat put its shoulder against him to steady him.
"It's all right," said a deep voice. "Receiving nine lives is always hard, but you are fresh from a battle as well. Stay strong, it will soon be over."
Brambleclaw opened his eyes and looked up at the gold-striped tabby in front of him. The tom's shoulders were even broader than Brambleclaw's, and the way he held his head made Brambleclaw think of the lions that were described in nursury tales.
"I am Lionheart," rumbled the huge tom. "I died in a battle with ShadowClan before you were born, but I have watched you grow, and I know you will make a great leader for my precious ThunderClan. I give you a life to have the greatest pride in your Clan, to honor the legacy that has been left by the leaders who have walked this path before"-he paused and nodded to Bluestar and Firestar-"and to have the courage to lay down your own paw prints over theirs. This is your chance to shape ThunderClan's destiny. Use it wisely and make us proud."
Lionheart had to stoop to rest his muzzle on top of Brambleclaw's head. Brambleclaw was filled with a warm energy that made his fur stand on end. He pictured all the ThunderClan cats around him, felt their support like a blast of wind that could power him upward, higher than the treetops, to do whatever he wanted to do. "Thank you, Lionheart," he whispered breathlessly.
The noble cat stepped back and dipped his head. "It is always an honor to bestow a life," he meowed.
A lightly framed cat whose pale gray fur was dotted with darker flecks trotted forward. Her green eyes were wide and earnest. Brambleclaw stared at her with a swell of grief. "Ferncloud!"
The she-cat nodded. "Oh, Brambleclaw, this is a bittersweet moment for both of us. I am so sorry to have left you all behind. Please look after Dustpelt for me, and all my precious kits."
"I will, Brambleclaw promised. "They're miss you so much."
"Ferncloud's eyes darkened. "And I miss them. But tell them I am watching over them and will be waiting for them always." She gave herself a shake. "I have a life to give you, Brambleclaw!" She sounded almost kitlike with excitement. She reached up and nudged his chin with her nose. "My life is for understanding that it is not only warriors who play a part in protecting the Clans. She-cats who choose to live in the nursery do just as much as those who patrol borders and stock the fresh-kill pile. We raise every new apprentice, feed every small mouth, teach every kit the importance of the warrior code. Without us, the Clan would be as rootless as an upturned tree. Honor the mother the mother-cats, Brambleclaw, for we give you all life."
Brambleclaw was plunged back into the nursery, his nose filled with the scent of milk and warm fur, soft moss enclosing him while his mother licked his ears. The small, shadowed space seemed full of more cats than he could recognize, all bending over him, watching him with warmth in their eyes and purrs rumbling in their bellies. Brambleclaw's chest swelled with gratitude for for everything these she-cats had done for his Clan, bringing new lives into the world and nurturing them until they were strong enough to hunt and fight alone. "Thank you, all of you," he murmured, and the cats around him nodded and carried on soothing him until he felt an urge to drift off to sleep.
"Wake up, Brambleclaw!" said an amused voice.
Brambleclaw blinked open his eyes and saw a dark gray she-cat standing in front of him. Her blue eyes reflected the stars as she watched him. "Cinderpelt!" Brambleclaw exclaimed.
The she-cat dipped her head. It took me a while to reach StarClan, but I am here now," she meowed. Brambleclaw wanted to ask her what she meant, but she went on before he could speak. "I give you a life for offering second chances," she announced, pressing her muzzle to his. "If a plan fails, if a Clanmate disappoints you, if destiny seems the wrong way around, never dispair. Have the faith to try again, learn from what happened before, and success may come. The best things come to those who wait, Brambleclaw. Trust me." Again amusment bubbled up in her voice, and Brambleclaw relaxed into the flood of energy that raced through him. Suddenly he felt strong enough to fight every battle twice, double the size of the fresh-kill pile, and apprentices for twice as long as usual, until they had every skill, every battle tactic perfected.
Cinderpelt brushed her tail lightly along his flank, glanced at Firestar, then padded back to the ranks. Another gray she-cat walked forward, paler than Cinderpelt, with eyes the color of a dawn sky in newleaf. Brambleclaw's breath caught in his throat. This was not a cat he had expected to see.
The she-cat nodded as if she new what he was thinking. "I walk with the Tribe of Endless Hunting now," she meowed, her voice echoing as if she was still among the vast mountains and tumbling waterfalls where the Tribe cats lived. "But tonight I have come here with my StarClan friends to give you one of your lives."
Brambleclaw bowed his head. "Oh, Feathertail, not a day goes by that I don't think of you. I am so sorry we left you behind."
Feathertail flicked her ears. "But I was part of the Tribe's prophecy, remember? The silver cat who would destroy Sharptooth? The mountains are where I belong, but I have never forgotten the Clans. I watch over you still, and I am so, so proud of you, Brambleclaw." She reached up and pressed her soft, stone-scented cheek against his. "I give you a life for exploring beyond the borders of your Clan, for seeing the possibilities that lie in unexpected places, and the untrodden paths waiting to be discovered. You are not trapped by your invisible boundaries. If you cannot find the answers within them, then look farther off. There is always hope somewhere."
The sharp, slicing wind that Brambleclaw remembered from his stay in the mountains whipped around him, buffeting his fur and rocking him on his paws. He heard the keening cry of an eagle far above him, and his pelt felt damp from the mist thrown up by the waterfall. A pang of longing shot through him, for all the cats he had known and lost, for the long path he had followed in search of a new home for the Clans, for the sights he had seen far beyond the lake and hills.
"I will be with you, always," Feathertail to him as she faded away to sparkling, empty air.
Brambleclaw looked around. There was just one more life left to receive. Who would give it to him? What more did his leadership need? The starlit cats lined around the hollow were still and watchful. Even the ripples on the surface of the Moonpool had stilled. Everything seemed to be waiting.
Paw steps sounded behind Brambleclaw. He spun around and saw a small, black figure descending the spiral path that led down to the edge of the pool. Brambleclaw tipped his head on one side. Could it be. . . ? Surely not! "Ravenpaw?" He croaked. "Is that you?"
The tom stepped into the light cast by the StarClan cats on the other side of the hollow. The tip of his tail twitched nervously, and his blue eyes blinked several times before he answered. "Yes, it is I," he meowed. He took a deep breath. "Wow. I never expected to see those faces again." He stared at the starry cats, mouth open.
"It's pretty extraordinary, isn't it?" Brambleclaw agreed. He shifted his paws. "So, are you here because. . . well, because you're in your own StarClan now?
There was a flicker of amusment in Ravenpaw's eyes. "You mean, am I a living cat, or like them?" He nodded at the StarClan ranks. "Oh, I'm one of them," he meowed. "But also not, because my life in the Clans was so long ago. I was so happy with Barley, and I miss him so much." His gaze clouded. "But I see him still, in our home of hay, and I know it won't be long before he is with me once more."
"I remember Barley," meowed Brambleclaw, picturing the sturdy, welcoming, black-and-white cat who had given him and his Clanmates shelter at the start of the Great Journey. "He must miss you too."
Ravenpaw blinked. "I should hope so! Now, Brambleclaw, it is a long time since I set eyes on you, but I see why Firestar chose you to be his deputy. I am honored to give you your ninth life, and I am humbled to be part of the new leadership of ThunderClan." He looked at Firestar. "Your Clan will grieve the loss of my dear friend for countless moons," he murmured. "But I know his spirit will be with them all forever."
Lifting his head, he stepped forward and rested his muzzle against Brambleclaw. His voice rang out clear around the rocks of the the hollow. "I give you a life for speaking out against injustice, for pursuing the truth above all else. Lies bring shadows in which darker things can hide. Never fear the truth Brambleclaw, however blinding it may be."
A jolt of light shot through Brambleclaw, shaking him on his paws. His mind cleared as if all his thoughts had been out by the wind, then filled with sunshine so bright he thought his head might blow apart. There was a sharp, dazzling pain before a sense of peace descended on him, all the way down to the end of his tail. Brambleclaw took a deep, shuddering breath.
"It is over," Firestar whispered in his ear. "You have done well." He raised his voice. "Welcome, Bramblestar!"
His new name echoed around the hollow, picked up and cast aloft by every cat that watched him. "Bramblestar! Bramblestar!"
Bramblestar drew himself up and dipped his head to them. "Thank you all," he meowed. "I will do my best to lives each of these lives according to the gift you have made. Firestar, your Clan will never forget you." He held the gaze of his green-eyed mentor. "And if I can be half the leader you were, I will be proud."
Firestar nodded in return. "Go well, Bramblestar," he ordered. "I will be with you always.
Sooooo, that was 3219 words, if you include the A/N. I'm pretty sure this was the longest chapter in Mapleshade's Return, even if it isn't mine. I really don't have much to say, except that hopefully the next chapter will be up by next week, and that I'm so sorry for the long wait. Bye, everyone, and may StarClan light your path, may the force be with you, may the gods of Olympus watch over you, hail cloak, and all that jazz. : )