Blazedawn's 9 Lives
Blazedawn threw once last glance over her shoulder, gazing over her clan as she exited. Her new deputy, Slatefur, gave her a solid nod. Bluelight's body laid stiff in the clearing, Greyclaw and Flaxclaw buried in his fur. Flaxclaw's eyes met her's, and there was a brief gleam in them of something dark, before it was gone in an instant. Blazedawn shook out her pelt.
Emberstar should be here. At least her body so I can pay respects. She thought sadly, her mind wandering to her daughter Pipitstorm rushing into camp claiming the leader had tripped and fallen into the gorge.
"Should I come with you?" A small voice squeaked behind her. She turned to see Nightpaw, Lightleaf's new apprentice. Lightleaf certainly gets over death quick. Blazedawn gently shook her head.
"You should take care of your clanmates. I'll be ok." She ruffled his head, waving her tail as she continued on. Her paws scaled the familiar rocks, strength rippling through her pelt. The moon hung high in the sky, bathing the territory in brilliant light.
The stars are calling. The wind tickled her ears as she scaled the cliffs. Finally, she arrived at the Moonhollow. Her paws dipped into the ones that had been left before, heart pounding. This was everything she ever wanted.
Welcome. Welcome. She heard the wind. Steeling herself, she lowered her nose to the cool stone, plunging into darkness.
When she awoke, she was in starry landscape.
"Welcome, Blazedawn." One voice and several voices spoke at once.
She was surprised that Bluelight appeared first. He smirked at her.
"So, you made it." He chuffed, like he was talking to a kit.
"Troublesome kit." Blazedawn chuckled warmly at him. He stepped forward, stretching up to touch his nose to her head.
"With this life, I give you patience. Look before you leap, would ya?"
Blazedawn's claws slid out to ground herself as white hot pain filled her bones. She was left gasping and panting as Bluelight stepped away.
"My turn, my turn!" A little white apprentice bounced up. Blazedawn recognized him as Egretpaw, Willowpaw's brother. His face was scrunched with focus as she leaned down.
"With this life, I give you perspective." He said seriously. "Look beyond your own borders." He recited before stepping back.
"Alright, fuzzball, my turn." A cocky voice said as the starry form of Mintstorm stepped up.
"I always looked up to you, ya know." He grinned. Blazedawn thought back fondly of showing off her moves to him as an apprentice.
"With this life, I give you strength. Use it to serve your clan well." Blazedawn felt a rush of energy through her, harsh winds blowing through her fur. She felt like she could fight a pack of wolves, if it meant keeping StrikeClan safe.
Blazedawn cocked her head as a black tom stepped up.
"I don't know you." She gazed at him. The tom smiled.
"My name is Flintstorm, but StrikeClan knew me as Flintpaw. I lived and died shortly before your time." He explained.
"You don't look like a -paw." She commented. He dipped his head.
"Those of us who die young are allowed to age and train as if we were alive." He said solemnly.
"How did you die?" She blurted out. Flintstorm shook his head, instead stepping up to touch his nose to her head.
"With this life, I give you instincts. Trust your gut, it will guide you in the right direction." Flashes of her clanmates faces played in her head, Flaxclaw's gleaming gaze, Silverstorm's bloody claws. She trembled as he stepped back.
A black tortieshell tom stepped up, dipping his head.
"Greetings, my name is Strikestar." He mewed. Blazedawn's breath caught in her throat. The Strikestar? Founder of StrikeClan?
"I have been watching you closely, which is why I am here to bestow you two lives." He stepped forward.
"With these lives, I give you mercy and ruthlessness. These two go paw in paw, a delicate balance, a dance of life and death. Use them well." Blazedawn felt the slash of claws on her throat, before the cooling pressure of cobwebs and herbs. She gasped, eyes snapping open as Strikestar stepped away.
There was a pause where no cat stepped up. Blazedawn glanced around, confused.
"I'm sorry, you'll have to follow me for your final lives." Strikestar waved his tail. Curiously, she followed him, gazing with awe as they passed the greenery. She paused.
"What is that?" She asked, as they stood in front of a swathe of dark trees.
"Your next life." Strikestar said, stepping back. The shrubs rustled, and Blazedawn felt fury.
Silverstorm stepped out, her pelt swathed in darkness and mud.
"Why are you here?" Blazedawn snarled, tail lashing. Instead of getting angry, her mothers eyes shimmered with regret.
"Oh...oh my precious kit..."
"Don't." Blazedawn hissed. Silverstorm stepped closer, hissing as her paw accidently crossed the border, pulling back.
"Blazedawn...i'm sorry. I'm so, sorry." She whispered. "If I knew what I was doing to you...to StrikeClan....I would have changed."
"You killed Mintstorm and Bluelight!" She snarled. Silverstorm winced.
"I thought...I thought what I was doing was right. You have to understand, It was like I woke up, for a moment. I'm sorry. I did not fight StarClan when they sent me here. This is the fate I deserve. Just please...let me do one thing for you." Silverstorm begged. Blazedawn gritted her teeth, before she glanced at Strikestar.
Mercy.
Mercy?! She doesn't deserve....
She's your mother.
The argument played through her mind. Her gaze slid back to her mother. Her paws carried her forward.
"With this life, I give you forgiveness. Forgiveness is just as sharp as a claw." Silverstorm shook as she touched her nose to Blazedawn's head. Blazedawn stepped back, gazing at her, before she dipped her head. Silverstorm gasped, gaze sliding behind her. Blazedawn turned, seeing a cat who looked exactly like her.
"Dawnfoot." The name rolled off her tongue like she had been saying it for years. Here was the cat that had caused her so much grief before she was even born, who's legacy she had been trying to escape for so long.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Blazedawn." Dawnfoot stepped forward.
"I'm so proud of you. I'm sorry you felt like you had something to prove. It should have never have happened. If you'll allow me, i'd like to give you a life."
Blazedawn had pictured this moment many times. She had expected to yell, to be angry, to cry. But all she could do was nod.
"With this life, I give you ambition. Do not lose your spark." Fire blazed through her veins, heart pounding with determination.
"Thank you." She whispered. Dawnfoot smiled as she stepped back.
"Mom." She added. Dawnfoot purred.
"I look forward to getting to know you when you join us here." She said, stepping away and towards Silverstorm.
"I said everything I needed to say at your trial. But...i'm happy you've showed up for our kit today." She murmured.
"Ready for your last one?" A familiar voice rang out.
"Emberstar!" Blazedawn purred as she bumped her head against the smaller leader.
"I'm sorry that you lost all your lives that...that couldn't have been easy." She mewed sympathetically.
"My death was no accident." Emberstar mewed evenly. Shock coursed through Blazedawn.
"What?! Were...were you murdered??" She gasped. Emberstar didn't say anything, merely stepping forward and stretching up to touch her nose to her forehead.
"With your last life, I give you a life for endurance in the face of hardship. You will need it in the coming moons." Emberstar's words were ominous.
"Congratulations, Blazedawn, your old life is no more. You shall now be known as Blazestar, and StrikeClan is now in your care. Serve them fair, and serve them well."
Blazestar.
It felt so right. She almost cried.
"But wait Emberstar please...were you murdered? You need to tell me!" Blazestar pleaded. Emberstar shook her head, her eyes beginning to glow.
"Long ago, we delivered a prophecy." She spoke with multiple voices.
"Beware the son with a pelt of black."
"W...what? You mean Nightpaw?!" Blazestar replied incredulously.
"We were wrong. This prophecy caused Flintstorm's death and Lightleaf's breakdown. We will speak to her." The stars spoke.
"The savior with the pelt of black will quell the rising river."
"Wait! Wait! What does it mean? River? Emberstar??" Blazestar called out before she was plunged back in front of the Moonhollow. Her mind swirled with everything she had learned. She shook her head. She could worry about that later. StrikeClan needed her, their leader.
Their Blazestar.
