Post by BlooRey DVD on Feb 28, 2013 23:00:45 GMT -5
[smear:996600]Hawkwing[/smear:663300]
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He didn’t recall entering the cavern. One moment, he’d been standing with his escort party – Eagletalon, his brother in everything but blood; Frozenrain, his love, his soul; Blackeagle, the medicine cat of StoneClan; and Umberpaw, his apprentice. The next, amber eyes were opening, with no recollection of ever going to sleep. Amber gaze blinked against the change in lighting. Hawkwing noticed a sort of glow that seemed to be coming from before him. His eyes slowly focused, adjusting to this light, and he was suddenly able to make out shapes. Familiar faces. Starry figures walked towards him, their paws skimming the earth. They strode with a pride that could not be matched on earth. Their pelts glittered with the strength of the stars. Their eyes glowed with recognition. And each one brought a new pang to the StoneClan cat’s heart.
He knew them all.
A flood of emotions took over him, annihilating any chance of him being able to say someone’s name, anyone’s name. He was left standing in the center as the nine cats who approached formed a half circle, sprawling before him, their gazes each focused upon him. For a moment, no one stirred. And then, the first stepped forward.
Hawkwing immediately recognized the muscular gray tabby that stepped out of rank. Boulderstar, the leader of StoneClan when Hawkwing had been Hawk-kit. The gray tom had been there when Hawkwing was injured, when he lost everything. A respect welled within him, and the sandy tom found himself bowing slightly, keeping his head below the gray tom’s. Boulderstar chuckled slightly. “Hawkwing. Raise your head, there is no need for that. Welcome to StarClan.” Hesitantly, the StoneClanner lifted his light brown head, focusing amber eyes upon the intelligent, deep blue eyes of Boulderstar.
Moving forward, the old StoneClan leader touched the top of Hawkwing’s head. “With this life, I give you the gift of belief. May you believe in the cats that roam StoneClan, the ancestors who roam the stars. May you believe in the future that will always stretch before you. And most importantly, may you always believe in yourself.”
As Boulderstar began to back away, Hawkwing found his voice and was able to speak briefly. “Thank you, Boulderstar. For everything.” The large slate-colored tom dipped his head, but didn’t say a word as he seemed to simply vanish and materialize in the spot he’d left in stepping toward Hawkwing. As Boulderstar’s movements stop, another cat stepped forward, breaking rank to reach Hawkwing. Amber eyes met green ones and slowly, recognition set it. “Wrenstep…” The last time Hawkwing had seen the medicine cat had been before her death. She’d died of old age, but now, she looked as young and healthy as ever. Wrenstep had been the cat to save his life after the fox killed his mentor and nearly killed him. A pang of sadness struck him at the thought of his old mentor, but it was washed away as Wrenstep’s sharp, yet oddly comforting voice met his ears. “Hawkwing, it’s good to see that you’ve yet to damage yourself recently!” She chuckled, before stepping closer to him. Hawkwing lowered his head slightly, giving the she-cat easier access to his head. He was much taller than her, after all. “With this life, I give you inspiration. May you not only be inspired by the strength present within your Clan, but may your Clan find inspiration within you. You have the ability to bring them hope, assurance and a sense of togetherness. Awaken it and let inspiration run its course.” The flecked brown she-cat backed away, joining the ranks once again, without letting Hawkwing speak at all. She offered him a dip of her head as she settled, however, that same, smart smile upon her lips. He suddenly didn’t feel the need to say anything. She knew.
A white shape stepped forward, and a pang of familiarity hit him once more. “Cloudfall…” The white she-cat dipped her head with a gentle smile, moving forward to touch her nose to his for a brief moment. “Hawkwing… You’ve grown since I last stood beside you." A pang of emotion swelled within him as he gazed down upon the long furred white she-cat. Cloudfall had been the first she-cat he’d felt something for, something stronger than friendship. She’d been older than him, becoming a warrior during his last moon of apprenticeship, but she’d lost her life to a fall, of all things, before he could reach warriorhood. He still felt for her, though his heart was split now, his love for Frozenrain clear.
The white she-cat smiled gently, giving him one last, brief nuzzle in his chest as she whispered. “Frozenrain is lucky to have you. Stay with her, Hawkwing. She’s made you happy, I can see it, and I approve. Live your life with her. I’ll be here in StarClan when your time comes.” She stepped back then, a seriousness wrapping around her, and he instinctively knew to duck his head to allow her to touch the upper part of his head.
“With this life, I give you integrity. May you use it to stay true. To your Clan, to your beliefs, and to yourself. Loyalty must remain strong if StoneClan is to survive. Without honesty and integrity from you, your Clan will not follow. Use it wisely.” And then Cloudfall turned, regaining her place among the starry cats.
His legs quivered slightly as a black shape stepped forward. The powerful sand-colored tom felt weaker than a newborn kit, as though he might collapse. His voice cracked and he barely managed to croak out. “V-Viper..paw. I… I’m so sorry… You… You w-were… So young.” Hawkwing’s voice was a broken rasping sound as he watched his sharp-eyed brother approach him. The smaller tom had died young, an apprentice victim to a sickness that won him over in the end. The pain it had caused Hawkwing was suddenly torn open again, and he felt as though his heart had been ripped from his chest.
Viperpaw stepped forward, pressing his head to Hawkwing’s chin, his voice stronger than Hawkwing had ever heard it. StarClan was treating him well; it had healed his illness. “Brother, do not mourn for me. I have accepted my place here. We all have."
Wasting no time, the black eternal-apprentice stepped back, reaching as high as he could, but letting his larger brother fill in the gap by bowing slightly. “With this life, I give you vision. May you use it to see the potential that lies within every cat, within every moment, within everything you see. Opportunity will come to those who can spot it.” With one last grin of reassurance to his older brother, the apprentice padded away, leaving the stage to another cat Hawkwing recognized.
A deep, golden colored she-cat with tabby markings that appeared more like spots moved forward, confidence radiating from her every move. Hawkwing and the she-cat gave each other a brief nod, and a warmth passed between their gaze. “Leopardstrike…” His sister had never been one for physical affection, he knew. He also knew that he meant the world to her, just like the rest of her family. It had been Leoparstrike to find him first, leading his two parents in to stop the fox from killing him. He could still remember that slight panic in her voice as she begged him to hold on. He also remember the crushing blow he’d felt when he’d lost her to a battle he hadn’t been able to attend.
Reaching for his head, the she-cat pushed on. “With this life, I give you the gift of bravery. Never fear the unknown, Hawkwing. May you use this gift to lead your Clan in a way to make them all proud.” She stepped back, and the tom could have sworn he felt her cheek brush against his slightly. His heart swelled, and the tom found it hard to stay standing once more. He was reminded yet again the strength of her love, even if she pretended it wasn’t there.
His sister was replaced by his mother, a slim black she-cat. The two touched noses, and the huge tom found himself leaning slightly against her touch as they pressed together. He hadn’t felt his mother’s touch for moons, and it suddenly made him feel like a helpless kit again. And he didn’t mind.
His mother, Dawnshadow stepped back to gaze at him with healthy amber eyes. “Mom… Your eyes… You look great.” His mother smiled back at him, her voice gentle, just as he remembered, when she spoke. “And you… Hawkwing, my kit… You’ve grown into a fine warrior. You’ll be a great leader.”
Hearing his mother say it seemed to suddenly make it real. The realization struck him, and he had to brace himself to ensure he stayed standing. Moving out of habit now, he lowered his head slightly, allowing his black pelted mother to reach up and touch his head. “With this life, I give you the gift of optimism. May you never lose hope, and never lose your belief. Use this to see the best in every situation. With optimism on your side, StoneClan will rise.”
And then she was gone, casting a final glance over her shoulder at her son, before rejoining the ranks of the StarClan cats.
The easily recognizable, large framed, brown tabby form of his father moved next. Green eyes met his and the older tom grinned slightly at his son. His head was high as he approached, the image of a proud father. “Hawkwing, I couldn’t be more proud of you, my son.” The sand-colored tom nodded his head slightly, briefly touching noses with his father. “Thank you, Craterstorm… Thank you dad…”
Craterstorm was able to reach the top of his son’s head without Hawkwing having to bow at all, and the brown tabby continued. “With this life, I give you the gift of strength. May you use it to stand as the pillar beneath your Clan. They will need you to be strong, A strong leader brings a strong Clan.” The StarClan tabby stepped back, giving his son one last proud nod before rejoining the ranks beside his mate.
A different pang hit him as a lithe, gray she-cat approached him. His old mentor, Breezeflight. The pang was filled with the sense that he’d failed her. He hadn’t been able to save her, even after she’d taught him so much. He’d never gotten a chance to say goodbye. The reality of it all struck him hard and he nearly collapsed.
He hadn’t had the chance to say goodbye to any of them.
The sand colored tom was certain that he would have fallen if it hadn’t been for the figure that pressed against him, keeping him standing. At first, he thought it was Breezeflight, but she was still standing before him. He glanced beside him and was startled to see what appeared to be himself. He opened his jaws to say something, or at least attempt to through his shock, but his mentor’s soothing voice beat him to the chase.
“Strength. The life your father gave you.” And then he understood. It melted away, joining with him, and he could almost feel himself grow stronger. Breezeflight stepped forward, and Hawkwing nuzzled her shoulder slightly. “Breezeflight… I’m so sorry… I should ha-“ He was cut off by a soft tutting sound. “Quiet now, Hawkwing. It was not your fault. It was StarClan’s will for me to join them that day, just the same as it was StarClan’s will for you not to join them.”
The gray she-cat didn’t give the tom another chance to speak. Instead, she stepped back, reaching up, waiting for him to lower his head. When he did, she touched as high as she could, her comforting mew bathing him with a different strength. “With this life, I give you the gift of patience. May you continue to teach, both young and old, and may you understand each cat is different, and requires something from you. Offer them this gift, and success will be one step closer.”
She backed away from him, leaving the space empty for yet another cat. As he ran through the lives he’d been given, he’d counted eight, and matched the gift with one of the cats who sat before him. There was only one life left. His gaze landed upon the final cat, a tabby who stood tall and thin. She looked healthy, even though the tom knew her death had not been something anyone should go through. She’d lost more than one life, losing her final one long before she should have to a falling boulder; the leader he’d served as deputy for, Fallingstar. The she-cat gazed evenly at him, before touching her nose to the top of his head. “With this life, I give you the gift of responsibility. Responsibility over your Clan, as they are your family now, more so then ever before. It is your duty to lead them with the guidance that a father would give their kit. Be strong, Hawkwing.”
She stepped back, but did not join the ranks with the others. She remained before him, head held high as she spoke once more. “I hail you by your new name, Hawkstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of StoneClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity.” The sandy tom stared back at his leader for a moment, before giving a dip of his head, to acknowledge that he would do exactly as she’d said. The tom straightened slightly as his ears caught a rising chant, spoken by each of the cats he’d just seen, and possibly many more, hidden in the shadows. Their voices chanted one thing, one name.
“Hawkstar! Hawkstar! Hawkstar!”
Their voices began to merge together, joining with what sounded like echoes of ancient voices, spoken long ago. He suddenly felt as though he had meant to spend his time here all along, as though this had all been planned. As the voices began to fade, and the light of the StarClan cats began to dim, Hawkstar found it hard to swallow. He couldn’t figure out what it was, but he found it hard to continue breathing. He had missed saying goodbye to each when they’d passed away, but he suddenly felt as though they’d each forgiven him. Still, it didn’t stop him from whispering, just before it all disappeared.
“Thank you… And goodbye… I will join you soon, when my time comes…”~~~
A silence filled his ears, the chanting having died completely. All he could see was blackness. He blinked his eyes open, letting them adjust to the world around him, the world where he belonged for the time being. Rising slowly to his paws, the new StoneClan leader stretched his sore muscles. It felt as though he’d been asleep for moons, but he knew such wasn’t the case.
This journey marked a new chapter in his life. He’d entered the cavern as Hawkwing, deputy to the leaderless StoneClan, and he would exit it as Hawkstar, the leader of StoneClan. He’d entered a tom who’d never once seen a StarClan cat with his own eyes, but had always hoped the tales were true. He was leaving a tom who’d seen StarClan cats, cats who meant the world and more to him. He’d actually seen them, with his own eyes. It cemented that hope, turned it into something stronger. The journey not only marked the new chapter, but it had given him…
[smear:996600]Hawkstar[/smear:663300]