A single figure could be seen moving across the lands that lead to Highstones, her small stature struggling against the wind. Mapleglow let out a huff as she push through the unpleasant weather. When she had initially left for the journey it hadn't been nearly as bad, but a terrible windstorm had kicked up soon after she had left. Really, the only thing she could do is go one pawstep at a time. The worst part about the wind wasn't it's strength, but instead the small plant debris that was blown into her eyes. She had to keep her eyes constantly squinted in order to see, and even then she had to stop to get something out of her eyes every few moments.
It seemed like she would never make it to Highstones, but her mood quickly changed when she saw the cave opening ahead. With a newly-found strength, she picked up her pace and moved toward Mothermouth.
~~~
It took much longer to reach the cave than she had expected, and it took much more of her energy climbing there than she was willing to use. Flank heaving, she cast a glance into the blackness of the cave, unsure of whether or not it was safe to go in. She vaguely remembered visiting the Moonstone when she was an apprentice, but she didn't remember the cave being so intimidating. Taking a deep breath, she stepped in, disappearing into the darkness.
It felt as if the walls were closing in on her, and she knew that they truly were when she felt the ends of her whiskers began brushing the sides of the cave. She shrunk into herself, trying to rid herself of the claustrophobic feeling. When the cave finally opened up, she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. It was then when she realized what a beautiful scene she had walked in on. The moonstone sat proudly in the center of the cavern, it's shiny surface softly reflecting the light that poured in through the hole above it, creating an almost glowing effect. The rest of the moonlight filled the air around it, making the floating dust and particles seem like sparkles.
Her gaze softened and her heart felt warm as she walked forward, but at the same time she felt nervousness jab at her stomach. She had come all the way here, why was she just now having doubts? As she waited for the moon to reach it's peak, she sat before the stone, taking her spare time to think about how she truly felt about this. She made it seem like she was okay with it all to everyone else, but in reality it was much different. She was scared. Of course, she was happy to be helping her clan in such a way, but what if she messed up? What if she made Shadowclan seem like the stereotype? The slinky, ominous cats that they were made out to be. Her face twisted into a frown at the thought, knowing that Shadowclan cats were so much more.
A bright flash of light interrupted her thoughts when the moon reached it's peak, it's light focusing on the moonstone. In response to the sudden light, Mapleglow back away, shielding her eyes from the brightness with her tail. When her eyes had finally adjusted, she stepped forward again, taking a deep breath. "I guess... this is it." Her words echoed around the cavern as she pressed her nose to the stone, falling into an instant slumber.
Eyes flicking open, Mapleglow sat up, marveling at her sudden change in surroundings. She knew that she would be waking up somewhere different, but she still found herself surprised. Her current surroundings seemed to be something between Windclan territory and Shadowclan territory. The land was long and flat, but instead of the dirt being solid, it felt soft underpaw. The grass was long, but softer than the moss that laid in her empty nest back in camp. The sky was dark, but was lit by the brightness of the stars. A soft, warm wind rushed through her bi-colored fur.
Caught in the moment, she didn't even notice the cat that stood behind her until she heard his voice. "Hello, Mapleglow." Ears raised in alarm, the molly jumped around to face the tom. Analyzing who she was talking to, she soon saw that this cat must be Starclan, as his pelt was freckled with stars. Despite that, she could still tell that the tom was tall and sturdy, and his pelt was a grey tabby pattern. "Oh, hello there!" She smiled, eyes sparkling with delight. "Sorry about that, i-" She was soon cut off by the tom's voice. "There isn't any time for useless chatter. My name is Runningwater, and i was once a Riverclan deputy." A puzzled expression crossed her face, but she quieted down and listened. "I've seen much tyranny, brutality, and blood lust from rulers, leaders, and normal cats alike in my life, more than i'd like to admit. In a desire for power, my own leader killed the leader before him, and ruled Riverclan with an iron paw. Cats were treated like Crowfood, while others were treated like Starclan themselves. It really was sickening, to watch my kin be treated like prey carcasses when i was treated with respect."
His eyes were focused on something in the distance, something that wasn't there. When the she-cat stirred, his attention focused back, realizing what he was originally there for. "You probably didn't need my whole life story, but the point was that Tyranny and Blood-lust is no way to lead, and no way to be in general. With your first life, i gift you justice, to treat all cats with respect and fairness." The older tom took a step toward, touching his nose to her forehead. Mapleglow thought it was a bit hypocritical how Runningwater had seemed so hurried to start the ceremony, but ended up trailing off himself, but she quickly forgot about it all as she realized how many cats stood behind him. She couldn't tell whether or not they had been there since she arrived or not, but she looked down the line of cats as the next stepped forward.
The next cat was very fluffy, and her fur color was was a yellow-cream color. Her pelt was littered with darker spots, giving off the appearance of a fluffy leopard. Her expression was cheerful, and she seemed to have a nature much like her own. "Ello' there! I'm Goldendapple! I was a Skyclan warrior, although i never lived long enough to be called experienced." The words the molly spoke made it seem as if she died young, but Mapleglow found it hard to believe, looking at how large Goldendapple was. "I died because i wasn't able to think quickly enough to save myself. Ironically, i fell from a tree, even though i am Skyclan, the clan who prides themselves on climbing. If i were able to think of a way to save myself, i'm sure i would have been able to live. With this I give you a life of resourcefulness, to not only save yourself from tight situations, but your clan in their time of need. Use this life to think quick on your feet so you can keep your clan out of trouble." She draped her fluffy tail over Mapleglow's shoulder and let out a giggle, her green eyes sparkling as much as the Shadowclanner's were.
An average sized figure appeared from the midst of Starclan cats, his fur much darker than those who stood around him. His yellow eyes watched Mapleglow as he grew closer, never letting go of her mismatched gaze. The molly felt intimidated, but something in the tom's eyes felt comforting, in a way. "I hope you don't mind me being short, i was never very good at making speeches, but i'll try to make my words meaningful." The black tom seemed to take a deep breath before continuing. "My name is Darkmoon, i was a Shadowclan warrior, much like you are. Something i learned in my lifetime is that owning up to your mistakes is very important. It will help you stay true to yourself and to others, and will help you become overall a more trustworthy person. Don't think super highly of yourself, as you're no better than any other cat in your clan." The tom stepped backwards and slightly lowered his head to meet the chimera's gaze. "I give you the life of humility, to always stay humble."
The tom stepped away, his yellow gaze leaving an imprint on Mapleglow's mind. Something about it held experience, a sense of trustworthiness. She almost wished she could have an actual conversation with Darkmoon, but alas, this would probably be the only and last time she would ever see him until she joined Starclan herself.
A small cat was the next to come forward, one even shorter than Mapleglow. Her pelt was orange and hey eyes were blue. Even though she was a kit, instead of having a joyful look on her face, she had a serious expression. It almost surprised her, so see such a serious kit. Paying attention, she watched as the ginger she-kit opened her mouth to speak. " You may be thinking, 'what is a kit doing at a ceremony like this?' The answer is that i have something very important to tell you. Your cheerfulness can bring joy, but being serious is far more important. I'm not saying to not be happy, it's just that you must know when to put that side of you away, and when to bring out solemnity. That's what this life is. With this life, i give your solemnity. Use it in situations when you need to get a point across or need to take control." The kit walked a circle around Mapleglow as if she were accessing the warrior. "If you're cheerful all the time, cats will take advantage of that. Keep your clan in line."
The kit walked away, tail high in the air. After a few steps, she turned around and faced Mapleglow. "My name is Owlkit, by the way." She said the words while holding her maw in the air, as if in a dignified way. Watching the kit march back to the group, she focused her attention to the next cat. It was a larger tom with medium length fur. His face and tail were black, with occasional striped down his flank and back. His eyes were a soft baby blue, and they lightened as they met hers. "I am Beestripe, and i am here to tell you a story."
Mapleglow listened to the tom like a kit listening to an elder's story. "There was once a tom, a young tom, who faced many problems in his life. Ever since he was a young cat, he was inconvenienced. He found himself in the medicine den almost every day for one thing or another. He was in border skirmishes almost every time he went out, just because he "strayed too close" to the border. He became a warrior despite all of this, and he was very proud of it. Despite that, he still faced more challenges. These challenges were easier to face and get through, but it was then when his mother died. It felt as if there was nothing to live for once she was gone, yet he pushed on. He pushed on and became a great respected cat, one who cats looked to for advice and help. This cat... was me. I want you to have the same persistence as i had throughout my whole life, the will to push on. So with this life, i gift you perseverance." The tom touched his large nose to hers before briefly resting his head on her shoulder. "Good luck." He whispered before turning away.
A grey tabby immediately rushed up to Beestripe as he walked back, he speed almost twice as much as the larger tom's. "Howdy there! My name is Greenbean, and if my thin body and speed didn't make it obvious, i was a warrior of Windclan." A large smile spread across her maw, matching the one Mapleglow often found herself displaying. "You know, caring for your clan is one of the most important jobs you will have. They will constantly be counting on you time and time again to make the right choice, almost as if you were a mother to them. I give you a life of thoughtfulness, to take care of and look after your clan. Each individual cat is just that, a cat. Make sure you care for each one of them."
The she-cat touched her nose to the deputy's forehead to gift her the life. Just after, she darted back toward the group, just as quickly as she had stepped forward.
The molly had patiently waited her turn, amber eyes rounded with kindness and a hint of relief to see a female leading her former clan once more. As the cat before her stepped down, a nervous smile crossed her maw and she stepped forward, the whites in her calico pelt shining brightly as the light caught her fur. "Welcome Mapleglow," the molly dipped her head in respect, voice moderate despite her own overwhelming excitement at being able to attend the ceremony. "My name is Poppyfur, and I was once a Shadowclan warrior. In my life, I accidentally earned the title of being a good hunter," the warriors voice began to soften a little, and she met the new leaders gaze with a wistful amber one of her own, memories of her time in the clan flooding back momentarily.
"Who'd have thought right? With all these different colours I'd do a good job providing for our clan? But that was because I had a neat little trick, one that I'll share with you," Her whiskers twitched in amusement, preparing to reveal her big secret that she had never shared with any cat while alive. "I was just patient. Instead of throwing myself through bushes chasing after a mouse, or falling in the mud attempting to catch a toad, I waited for it to come close to me and made my move then." Poppyfur had to fight to keep the pride out of her voice, remembering a particularly big haul she had done using this method.
"Of course, you're probably wondering what this has to do with you and your ceremony." The calico shook out her pelt, in preparation of the events that were about to come. "While patience for hunting and patience for life are two different things, they are rather intertwined, and I found myself becoming a more patient cat the more I practised patience while hunting. When hunting, I had to stave off the thoughts about how it'd be quicker to chase the prey, despite the risk of injuring myself or not even ending up with the prey in the end. Patience granted me the prey and a lack of thorn-in-pad related injuries, and being patient with other cats often meant my relationships were stronger and I was able to think more clearly about situations."
"With this life, I give you the gift of patience. Use it to take time to make your move, and to wait for opportunities to come to you. You will make a great leader," Poppyfur's voice was full of admiration, and she gently pressed her nose against the new leader's head, taking a step back to rejoin the cats partaking in the ceremony.
From the mass of Starclan cats, a tiny, wisp of a cat padded up next after what seemed like a brief hesitation. Their grey tabby coated glinted unusually dull as though cast from only the faintest of stars. They couldn’t have been much older than an apprentice. They looked up at Mapleglow with flat blue eyes, glimmering with a distant, unreadable emotion. After another long moment they spoke, “Mapleglow, I am Fogpaw,” their voice sounded worn and exhausted, like it belonged to a far older cat than the apprentice before her. “With this life I give you forgiveness. Let go of old mistakes and grudges, they will do you no favors.” They seemed to hesitate, figure slightly trembling before speaking again, “Letting anger and resentment to fester will only cause those around you to suffer. Allow your clanmates to grow and mature, even those that may seem hopeless. Allowing it to build and ferment like old crowfood will cause more pain than you can possibly imagine.” Fogpaw bowed their head briefly before looking Mapleglow dead in the eyes as they stretched their neck up to press their nose to hers.
Thunderstar, a lean, white and black bicolored tom was the last StarClan cat to speak. His starry pelt shimmered like the others that stood around Mapleglow; each of their lives being taken by some unfortunate instance and now, they existed among the stars like their ancestors before them. StarClan was certainly a wondrous place and while some found themselves mourning their own deaths, Thunderstar had found himself content with this eternal fate that they all shared. He’d lived a good life below and now, he got to watch the clans from above.
Stepping forward, he gave the younger molly a nod of greeting, a soft smile resting on his muzzle. ”Greetings, young one,” Thunderstar began in a comforting tone, his stature proud and confident as he stood before the deputy. ”With this life, I give you devotion and loyalty, so that you may stay true to your family and clan for moons to come, even if they’re the ones to betray you,” he finished. Mapleglow, although young, he had faith that she would take to his teachings and put his advice to good use, as it was something that might just save her pelt in the future.
”Mapleglow, you've received your nine lives and have earned your title as leader of ShadowClan. From now until your last life is taken, you will be known as Maplestar. StarClan welcomes you as leader of ShadowClan and we pray that you lead your clan with the wisdom we’ve shared. Good luck and may StarClan light your path,” Thunderstar finished with a reassuring dip of his head. Stepping back so he stood among the others, he joined in their chanting of her new name.
Mapleglow- now Maplestar, stood back after Lightningstar had gifted her the final out of the nine lives. She really didn't feel much different from when she had arrived, but she felt one difference. She felt more confidence in her future, she felt as if she would do well leading her clan to greatness. Looking at the cats, she called a goodbye before the world quickly turned dark...
With a gasp Maplestar awoke, the moon no longer shining through the hole in the ceiling of the cave. The light instead was casting through from the side, signifying it had been some time since she had started the ceremony. Picking herself up from the rock floor, she quickly stretched out her hind legs before stopping. She had to admit, she felt a but different than when she first came in. Not physically of course, but it was as if she had found a new confidence, a new urge to push forward.
Facing the tunnel again, she puffed out her chest and walked through, beginning her journey back to Shadowclan.
(Thank you to Ice, Sleepykitty, and Oryx for helping me write this! You guys are the greatest <33)
Fri Nov 20, 2020 7:37 pm