[Deleted]

The sight of the cavern of the Moon Tree, rising on the horizon, was a welcomed sight to the weary LightningClan Deputy. Suddenly feeling a rush of determination to keep moving, she picked up the pace a little.
They had been travelling for what seemed like moons and Redwind was pleased to discover they were nearing the end of their journey. The sooner she received her nine lives, the better.
Right now, LightningClan needed a strong leader to help them move on from the recent death of Blazestar, well, Blazehawk. Feeling the grief for their lost leader welling up inside her, Redwind quickly pushed the thoughts of him away, concentrate on the future, Redwind, not the past.
The red-ginger tabby was actually a little unsure of what to do when they reached the Moon Tree. She knew, of course, that she had to go to sleep amongst the roots, but would StarClan come to her? Did she have to find them?
Redwind glanced sideways at Rookfrost, deciding to ask the medicine cat, ”When we get to the Moon Tree, do StarClan come to me, or do I go to them? In my dreams I mean,” she asked the black tom, amber gaze a little anxious.
The rest of the party, she noted, had been fairly quiet for the duration of the journey. She glanced behind her briefly to check they were still following, just in case somehow they had gotten lost, which, with great relief, she discovered they were all still there.
Returning her amber gaze to the path ahead, she concentrated on putting one paw in front of the other. Her whole body ached with exhaustion from a lack of food over the past few moons and the long journey to the Moon Tree.

[Fawn]

The trip itself had been uneventful both on the level of an average warrior and that of a detached Medicine Cat with a penchant for grotesqueness. The skies echoed full of distant birdsong, but he neither cared to listen hard enough to identify the species or the closeness, the purpose of this trip neither a hunting excursion or a bird-watching club. Rather than set his thoughts on the approaching ceremony, however, the shadowy tom marched on soberly through the snow with thoughts wrapped tightly around the conversation he had had with Swanfeather.

A risky gamble, conspiring with one another at StarClan's Claws, but to go beyond the divine reach of StarClan would mean traversing into the farthermost reaches of the forest, where a half-starved lynx would surely be waiting for them. Besides, Rookfrost feared no such celestial ire or punishment. Short was the reach of dusty, ancient cats long dead. Rookfrost could not decide if he truly believed or disbelieved; because he had no other explanation for how a leader receives their nine lives, for example, there is some part of their being that holds a certain power, logic and reasoning he cannot deny.

However, StarClan appears, for the most part, to have only the ability to give life, not take it away. The cats of the forest held their ancestors accountable for far too much, always seeking to blame or praise, blaspheme or thank for their supposed involvement.


”When we get to the Moon Tree, do StarClan come to me, or do I go to them? In my dreams I mean,”

The soft voice of doubt spoke aloud and not at the back of his mind, as it occasionally did in a few fleeting instances, Rookfrost recognizing the dialog as belonging to Redwind, and he responded with a subtle pricking of the ears. Angling his muzzle slightly in her direction, his understanding of discretion lowered the volume but heightened the sureness of his voice, though he did not earnestly know the answer to Redwind's question.
"StarClan will guide you as they see fit. You need only be present."

Rookfrost could not bring himself to utter further false faith in StarClan, not when he'd rather deadpan that he knew nothing of their ways and did not care, that she would find out when she got there. He would not be walking beside her in the ageless realm of memories and stars. He would keep silent watch over her body, desiring to neither take part nor stand before a tree covered in ice and more mystery than the dawn of the Clans, but was chained to his duties as much as any Medicine Cat was.

[Deleted]

rootstride.

I'm not the one to admit it's helpless
I have a sense that we will be alright
I wish for peace with electric silence
To keep our hearts beating on our minds

Green gaze trailed from his paws occasionally as the small LightningClan group padded through the Moon Tree. Roostride glanced only to be sure that he didn't stray from the group (or, more likely, they hadn't strayed from him). The LightningClan warrior was old enough that he had seen the expanse of the warrior cat's world and had long since realized that it was about the same, save for the changes in scent. His green eyes did not need to take heed to his environment. If the senior warrior was ambushed, he would certainly be taken by surprise.

But StarClan was on his side on this never ending, tired day. The quiet sounds of his deputy meowing to his odd, taciturn medicine cat caused the tan tabby to raise his head and view their destination before them. Whiskers twitching with pleasant feeling, the green eyed tom glanced at his apprentice, the only cat that he felt a connection to in the party, and gave a small smile. While Rootstride was only tired out from the journey, he could assume that the much younger, lively cat was quite excited. For once, the maine coon would not try to stifle emotions so strange to him.

"Shall we?"

[/color] Rootstride suggested, vibrant gaze still locked with the mysterious, well known cave in sight. The tom wondered if the herbs Rookfrost gave him were significantly stale, or something. He felt a slight pang of hunger claw at his belly already and the pebbles that had pressed up against his paws during the journey had started to make his pads hurt. The LightningClanners had travelled far and still had a long way to go before he could rest once more in the warrior's den.[/size][/blockquote]

[Deleted]

"StarClan will guide you as they see fit. You need only be present." Rookfrost explained. Redwind nodded, amber eyes not quite meeting the medicine cat’s gaze. Pushing her nerves to the back of her mind, she put all her efforts into walking.
The cavern of the Moon Tree drew ever closer, and Redwind with her head hung low only just realised that they had almost reached the cavern entrance when Rootstride spoke.
”Shall we?”
Redwind looked up at the senior warrior’s comment and acknowledged his mew with a friendly dip of the head instead of words, instead looking to Rookfrost. Did the black medicine cat come into the cavern of the Moon Tree with her or did she go alone?
The red-ginger tabby knew that the rest of the escort party would wait outside during the ceremony but the rest she was unsure of. Taking a deep breath, Redwind stepped forward and peered into the dim of the cavern entrance.
Glancing behind her at Rookfrost to see whether he would be joining her, she carried herself in a more dignified way, You’re going to be clan leader, be proud!
Trying to concentrate on thinking positive, she waited to find out whether Rookfrost would be accompanying her into the cavern.

[Fawn]

→ROOKFROST←

_{Medicine Cat of LightningClan}

---

"You are to wait inside the cavern, but no further."

How many times would he have to enter this sacred place? How many more days of his lifetime would be spent on the long traipse here and back, of waiting, of participating and observing frivolous ceremonies and other melodramatic moments these cats always insisted on performing? It was reaching cult-proportions, the way so many of the Medicine Cats looked to StarClan for guidance, as though it really was up to their long-dead ancestors to decide who lives or dies. It was sickening, sometimes, and made the contents of his stomach curdle like bad milk. It was a matter of perspective, really – one would think that, after taking the time to learn all they could, to see the horrors of war, to know what it feels like to have a life slip through your paws despite everything, they would soon realize that StarClan had very little to do with it.

The actions and desires of dead cats would never dictate his life choices, and he'd be damned if they ever would.

Meeting Redwind's uncertain gaze, Rookfrost gave a subtle dip of his muzzle, brushing lightly past her to lead her the rest of the way inside. He supposed he could understand her anticipation and her nervousness. For those who truly believed, having such a deep, spiritual encounter and later a connection with the ancestors they revered so much would be an experience well worth remembering. Well worth getting nervous over. Once more bathed in the awe-inspiring light of the crystal white tree through which their ancestors communicated, Rookfrost's black fur seemed to swallow up any of the light that touched it, the pitch pit of his heart unaffected by the wave of surrealism likely about to envelope Redwind.

He gestured to the roots of the tree with his tail, turning ice-gray eyes upon her with an expression of controlled blankness, wanting neither to scare her nor give her the impression that what she was about to see was going to be wild and fantastic beyond her dreams. He personally did not, and would never know what a leader saw when they received their nine lives, their nine 'get out of jail free' cards whenever they did something reckless. His connection with StarClan had been severed a long time ago. For the briefest of seconds, he wondered if StarClan might say something to Redwind – soon to be Redstar – about him, the student of death and gore who answered no such higher authority.

No. Why should they?

"Lay down just under those roots, StarClan will be with you soon."
He looked as though he would stand guard there, silent and forever, with his seriousness wrapped with a cloak of omnipotence, as if he need not accompany her into the realm of dreams – he would already know the outcome of her meeting with StarClan. She would become Redstar, and the world would keep on turning, just as they always did.

[Deleted]

Redwind had never really known what to expect when she finally met StarClan and received her nine lives, but she certainly hadn’t expected this. Stepping into the cavern of the Moon Tree was like being an apprentice all over again; totally unsure of herself and her actions.
The stone walls of the cavern were bathed in the dim, eerie light of the Moon Tree. The stone beneath her weary paws was cold to touch. This place has never seen the light of day.
Her amber eyes just narrow slits; she stepped forward, closer to the great roots of the glowing tree. What makes it glow? that question had been asked many a times by medicine cats and warriors alike.
Privately, Redwind supposed it was the fungi that clung to the thick and twisted trunk of the Moon Tree, but there was no way to prove her theory.
Taking a deep breath of the still, cool air, she glanced behind her briefly at Rookfrost, hoping to get a supportive nod or something. But that was probably too much to ask from the LightningClan Medicine Cat.
When I return to LightningClan, I will no longer be Redwind, but Redstar. The thought scared her in many ways that words could not explain.
Summoning all the courage left in her exhausted body, she took her place beside the Moon Tree.

Just close your eyes. That’s what Redwind had been told to do, but even so, she was still a little unsure of herself. Do StarClan just come to you?
The yellow-ginger tabby waited a little, though impatience got the better of her and she opened her eyes after a few minutes to find she was no longer amongst the roots of the Moon Tree. Blinking in confusion, Redwind rose to her paws and tried to identify where she was.
She was standing in a wildflower meadow and by the looks of it, dawn had recently broken. Other than the gentle sound of the breeze through the grasses, all was silent.
Redwind frowned; Where are StarClan? She stared ahead into the mist, but there was nothing to be seen. Wherever StarClan were, they certainly weren’t here, or at least they didn’t appear to be.
That was when she spotted the shadows.

Straining her eyes, Redwind peered into the mist; where the shadowy, silver silhouettes slunk about, heads bowed. Could it be StarClan?
Fortunately, there was a gentle breeze about and soon the mist began to roll back towards the dark grey of the mountains. StarClan!
The silhouettes began to merge into the bodies of cats; though they weren’t quite the cats Redwind was used to. Their pelts were glistening with starshine, despite it being early morning, and their eyes glowed with wisdom beyond all their moons combined, ”StarClan,” she whispered, amber eyes wide with awe.

It was only as the cats of the stars stepped forward that Redwind began to recognise some of them. A certain dark ginger and white tabby pelt quickly caught her eyes.
Her eyes met with the pale green eyes of the StarClan warrior before the dark ginger-and-white tabby looked away, unable to hold Redwind’s strong gaze.
”Redwind, my apprentice.”
The yellow-ginger tabby dragged her amber gaze away from the eyes of the StarClan warrior to see she was being approached by another cat.
”P-pebblefrost,” Redwind stammered, quite unable to believe her eyes. The mottled brown she-cat that stood before her was her former mentor and she looked quite different to when Redwind had last seen her.
Pebblefrost was no longer a withered old elder, but a young warrior again; pelt glossy and glittering with starshine. Her former mentor brushed pelts with Redwind, muttering softly”You have come far, Redwind, I always knew you were destined for something great.”
Clearing her throat, Pebblefrost spoke again, ”With this life I give you determination,” she meowed, ”Use it well; a cat that doesn’t give up can be stronger than even the fiercest warrior who does.”
The mottled brown she-cat touched noses to the red-ginger she-cat and Redwind suddenly found a whole new emotion coursing through her veins. The she-cat felt like she could run around the whole world and back, she felt like she could reach silverpelt in one leap, no one could stop her! She could do anything!

And then the feeling faded. Redwind became aware that she had been clawing at the soft, meadow grass beneath her paws and there was a small patch where it had been completely shredded. Feeling a little embarrassed, she didn’t speak and just watched as Pebblefrost slunk back to join the other StarClan warriors.
The next cat to step forward Redwind recognised a lot quicker. This StarClan warrior was a little bigger than Pebblefrost and rather than being slender, was large with well defined muscles. His eyes were the warm green colour of green-leaf and filled Redwind with joy. The cat’s pelt was a dark brown tabby and seemed to glow and shine with starlight. It was her brother, Oakstrike.

Redwind raced forward to greet her brother, completely forgetting her time and place, though it seemed that Oakstrike wasn’t as happy to see her. He took a step back from the red-ginger tabby, though regret swam in his leafy-green eyes, ”I’m sorry,” he whispered, ”I’ll visit you in dreams sometime, we can talk then.”
Redwind swallowed the intense feeling of joy she was feeling and nodded whilst remaining mute. Oakstrike smiled and touched noses to her, ”With this life I give you loyalty,” he meowed, his voice crisp and clear, ”Your whole clan is your family now, use it to defend them.”
It was hard to describe the rush of feelings that flooded through her when Oakstrike touched noses to her. The force was so strong that Redwind was a little worried she would fall over.
It was only when the burst of emotions faded that she could begin to reflect over how it had felt. She had felt so protective over her clan it was almost as if they really were her family.

She smiled gratefully at Oakstrike, dipping her head to him as he trotted back to join his StarClan clanmates and the next cat stepped forwards. It took a while for Redwind to identify the mottled grey tom as it had been moons since she’d last seen him, but when she did, she greeted him just as she had done to the two previous cats.
”Hailstorm,” she meowed, amber eyes warm as the former elder approached her. He had been an elder when Redwind had been a kit and she had loved going to see him in the elder’s den to listen to his stories.
”Redwind,” he rasped, touching noses with her, ”With this live I give you wisdom, use it to guide your clan onto the right path.”
The emotions that overcame Redwind when she touched noses to the former elder were a little less intense that the previous two lives. Letting her gaze sweep over her surroundings, she could feel wisdom rushing through her veins and found herself able to identify many of the flowers and trees in the area. It felt like a whole new world had been opened up to her, and then it was gone.

Redwind shook her head clear briefly before acknowledging Hailstorm’s leaving with a flick of the tail. She felt a little dizzy with all these new emotions, but she guessed that was normal.
Her amber gaze raked through the remaining cats, hoping to identify a few more whilst she waited for her next life to be given to her. A black-and-white pelt quickly caught her eyes. Bramblethorn!
”Redwind,” a soft voice interrupted her thoughts and the LightningClanner looked up to see a slender, white she-cat had approached her. She looked rather dainty and fragile and had the most beautiful blue eyes.
Redwind smiled warmly, it was her former apprentice, Icestrike. There was a sad story behind Icestrike’s death; she had only been a young warrior and quickly took a mate, whom she loved very dearly. It was announced that she was expecting kits, but when the time of the birth came, it was all too much.
The gentle young queen died of losing too much blood and left behind her mate and three tiny kits.

”With this life I give you a mother’s love,” Icestrike meowed, blue eyes filled with sadness, ”Use it to care for your clan as if they are all your kits.”
Redwind had expected this life to be soft and pleasant when the white she-cat touched noses with her, but in fact, it was quite the opposite. The feeling that rushed through her veins was so intense; Redwind felt like no-one could stop her, no-one could get between her and her clan, and if they did, they would pay the price of their life.
It was certainly the most draining life yet and Redwind was quite glad when it was over.
As Icestrike walked back to join the others Redwind couldn’t help but feel proud at her former apprentice; she would’ve been a wonderful mother.

As Redwind recovered from her fourth live, the fifth cat began to step towards her. A dark brown tabby, this cat stood out from the others. He was evenly muscled and rather large in size with dark green eyes that attracted Redwind’s attention. He went by the name of Leafclaw, but it took a while for Redwind to realise this for it had been many moons since she had last set eyes on the tom.
When she finally did recognise him, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed. As a young warrior, she’d had a crush on Leafclaw, but she had never dared told him.

The tom’s dark green eyes were deep with regret, but he didn’t let that show when he spoke in his deep, gentle voice, ”Redwind, with this life I give you courage,” he touched noses to the to-be leader, ”As a warrior you must be prepared to take risks if you want to succeed.”
Redwind wondered whether he was referring to her crush which she was too shy to admit to him; perhaps things would’ve been different if she’d told him? Perhaps they would’ve become mates?
She could’ve kept thinking of ‘what ifs’, but her thoughts were cut off by an intense feeling of bravery; her next life. All of a sudden she felt on top of the world, she could take on all the cats and twolegs and the world and win! Standing tall, she puffed out her chest to make herself look more intimidating and stepped forward, her new found courage rushing through her veins and certainly showing in her body language.
Redwind wished she could’ve felt like that forever, but as with all the other lives, there came an end and all of a sudden the red tabby was herself again.
Heart sinking, Redwind watched as Leafclaw walked away. If only. There were so many words unspoken between her and the StarClan warrior.

The next cat Redwind hadn’t spotted among the StarClan cats as it seemed she had been hidden in the mist. This cat she recognised instantaneously as she was the only ginger and white cat there.
Immaculately groomed, her pelt was short and neat just like Redwind’s and she had eyes of warm golden amber and were filled with pride as she stood before her daughter.
Runningbreeze.
How much Redwind longed to press her nose into her mother’s soft ginger and white pelt and breathe in her sweet scent, but she managed to stop herself. Only just.

”I’m so proud of you,” the former LightningClan she-cat whispered, touching noses to her, ”With this life I give you faith. Remember, I will always be there for you, watching over you, you just have to have faith in me and I’ll be there, in your mind,” she glanced over her shoulder, ”The whole of StarClan watches over you now.”
And before Redwind could reply, she was whisked away by her sixth life. It was one of the least intense lives so far, at least in her opinion.
She felt like she could just breathe. There was someone beside her to lean on, to carry the weight of her troubles, but when she looked to see who it was, there was no one there.

Already the feeling was fading, but what she had felt was still fresh in her mind, as if she was still living it. By the time she came to, Runningbreeze was leaving.
”No, wait! Please, don’t leave me again!” Redwind called desperately, but her mother took no notice and took her place amongst the StarClan warriors, unable to meet her daughter’s pleading gaze.

The next cat to step forward Redwind had never met before. He was a reddish tabby tom with rippling muscles. The red-ginger tabby couldn’t help but admire him.
His voice was rough, but soft around the edges sort of, Redwind thought. ”My name is Redstripe,” he meowed confidently, ”I am your mother’s sister, I died a few moons before you were born,” he explained.
So that’s why Redwind had thought she recognised him.
Used to the drill now, they touched noses, ”With this life I give you sacrifice,” he meowed, Redwind could sense from the way his eyes danced around restlessly that this was touchy subject, ”Remember, your clan come first, sacrifices will have to be made, you must have the courage to do so.”
Redwind remembered the tales from her mother about Redstripe, whom she had been named after. He had died protecting two kits from a fox if she remembered collectly.

But there was no time to ask if this was right as she soon found her next life rushing through her veins. This life was very different to the others; there was a sense of loss, a great loss, but an even greater gain, not just for her, but everyone. By the time her head was cleared, Redstripe had already returned to the group.
Redwind noticed that there were only two cats left to give her lives and the sight of both of them filled her heart with such an intense feeling of joy.

The first cat was a black-and-white tom, rather broadly built with a battle scarred pelt. Despite all the scars, the way he carried himself suggested that rather than being aggressive, he was quite the opposite.
”Bramblethorn,” Redwind couldn’t quite believe her eyes that she was seeing her father again. It had been such a long time since she’d last seen him like this. His coat was glossy and shining with starshine and his pale green eyes twinkled warmly.
”My sweet daughter,” he meowed, brushing against Redwind, ”With this life I give you love,” he touched noses to Redwind, ”Use it well for all the cats in your care and especially for the ones you hold dearest.”

The next thing Redwind knew, her heart was thudding against her chest and she felt like she was falling. But there was someone there to catch her, she knew there was. And if there wasn’t, she would just have to pick herself up and dust herself off. It was like love really, she realised.
And then, the feeling was gone; like every other life. Bramblethorn began to walk away and Redwind was left staring at the last cat to give her life. Blazehawk.

Or was it Blazehawk?
The warrior in front of her scarcely resembled the small, weak tom, hunched in the medicine cat’s den, coughing away. His fur was no longer a dull brown, but a glossy red colour and his eyes were the green of new-leaf.
He walked confidently, striding towards Redwind easily and carried himself in a dignified way.
”Redwind,” he meowed deeply, touching his tail to her affectionately, ”My loyal deputy, I know things have been hard for you,” Redwind assumed he was referring to the fact she had only been deputy for three moons and now she had suddenly found herself taking the helm of LightningClan.
Smiling she meowed, ”I’m sorry you had to go so soon,” she wasn’t quite sure why she was apologising for his death, seeing as it was greencough, not her who had caused it.

Blazehawk didn’t seem to mind however and touched noses to Redwind, ”With this life, I give you dignity,” he meowed, his words ringing out through the clearing ”Remember, they can never take your dignity, take pride in yourself and your clan.”
The final life was rather like her first life, Redwind thought. There was that same feeling; no-one could stop her, sticks and stones may break her bones, but words would never hurt her. They could never stop her being proud of her clan; never.
Taking a deep breath as the burst of emotions began to disappear she met Blazehawk’s green gaze equally, suddenly feeling a whole lot stronger and braver. She felt totally different to before receiving her nine lives, now she actually felt able to lead her clan.
Dipping her head to her former leader, she meowed quietly, ”Thank you,” amber eyes swept over the gathered StarClan cats. She had missed each and every one of these faces in LightningClan, they all had something to give to the clan, no matter what others may say.

It was Blazehawk’s deep voice that snatched her thoughts away from her, "I hail you by your new name, Redstar,” he touched the tip of his tail to Redstar’s shoulder, ”Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of LightningClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honour your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."
Blazehawk took a step back and the red-yellow tabby was left in the limelight, quite unable to believe that she no longer went by the name of Redwind, but Redstar. She was LightningClan’s leader now.

”Redstar! Redstar! Redstar!
Here she was, the leader of her clan, the cats she had loved most chanting her new name, she couldn’t help but feel proud. Redstar, I am Redstar.
The chanting began to fade and Redstar cast a final, wistful gaze over the StarClan warriors, before everything began to disappear. Huh?
She stared down at her paws to see the grass slipping away, everything around her was vanishing into thin air. Redstar let out a yowl as she began to fall...

The next thing the new leader saw were the glowing roots of the Moon Tree. She smiled; she was back.
Yawning, she got to her paws, new-found strength surging through her muscles. I am Redstar, leader of LightningClan.