I suppose I can't put this off any longer. Crowsky thought as he watched the elders carry Cloudstar's body away. The moonstone awaits. Crowsky noticed that Ravenheart was approaching him. "Badgerstripe wants me to escort you to the moonstone." He explained. "He wants me to experiencing the making of a new leader."
"I'd be happy if you joined me." Crowsky replied, he looked around for Frostfire. He wanted to let her know that he was leaving. "I'll be ready in just a moment."
"Take you time." Ravenheart encouraged.
Crowsky approached Frostfire and Icestorm. "Is it time?" Frostfire questioned. Crowsky nodded. "Good luck." Frostfire pressed her muzzle to his.
"Come back with nine, shiny new lives." Icestorm purred loudly. With their support behind him, Crowsky met up with Ravenheart.
"Ready?" Crowsky agreed and the two of them ventured out into the forest.
"Would you mind if we took the long way?" Crowsky questioned, he wanted to take in the forest one last time as a normal warrior.
"Of course, lead the way." Crowsky walked across the moor, he found his pawsteps leading him to the SunClan border. He wanted to see the river, he recalled when he had first gone fishing here, and when he had taken Ebonywing to fish here.
As they walked along the river bank Crowsky spotted a SunClan patrol, led by the deputy Flowerpelt. "Greetings." She dipped her head kindly.
"Hello." Crowsky returned her greeting.
"Where are you going." Flowerpelt questioned, adding quickly: "If you don't mind me asking."
"Cloudstar lost her last life." Ravenheart explained. "Crowsky is on his way to earn his nine lives."
"It's sad to hear that." Flowerpelt dipped her head. "But I know you'll be a great leader, Crowsky."
"Thank you, Flowerpelt." Crowsky mewed, he noticed Ravenheart looking slightly impatient. "But we should really get going, thank you for your kind words."
"May StarClan light your path." Rowanfall mewed.
"Yours as well." Ravenheart said in return and they two of them went on their way. They reached the Spirit Woods without any more interruptions and as they approached the Spirit Tree, Crowsky froze in his tracks. He realized that he had never seen the Moonstone before, he left before ever getting to go as an apprentice.
"Wait--" Crowsky stopped Ravenheart as the medicine cat prepared to enter.
"I have no idea what I'm supposed to do." Crowsky admitted.
"Once the moonstone lights up," He began explaining. "You will touch your nose to the stone's surface and you will fall asleep. From that moment on, it is up to StarClan to give you your nine lives."
Crowsky took a deep breath and followed Ravenheart into the tree. The cavern was pitch black, he could sense his medicine cat ahead of him but the tunnel got tighter and tighter. He could feel his pelt brushing the side of the tunnel and his heart began to pound inside of his chest. Oh StarClan I don't know if I can do this. Part of him wanted to turn tail and run out of the tunnel, but he knew he couldn't.
The tunnel finally opened up and Crowsky could tell that they were now in a large cave. "W-where is it?" Crowsky's voice echoed off the walls, he felt so trapped and terrified. Cats don't belong underground!
"Just wait."
In an instant a blinding, silver light filled the cavern. Crowsky jumped back slightly as he faced the moonstone, a brilliant silver stone with stars trapped in side. The sight of it took his breath away. Oh my stars. He thought. This is really is. He took a timid step forward and looked at Ravenheart who gave a small nod.
Crowsky took a deep breath and laid down before the stone, tucking his paws underneath his chest. Just do it. Crowsky forced his muzzle forward and as soon as his nose touched the cold surface, he was plunged into darkness immediately.
Crowsky couldn't move, it didn't even feel like he was breathing. His body was as frozen as the forest above him. What is happening? He struggled to find his breath, and for a moment wondered if StarClan had rejected him. As the thought crossed his mind, warmth filled his body and he felt grass beneath him.
At long last Crowsky was able to open his eyes and he found himself in the gathering hollow alone. Where is everyone? He stood up and looked around, confused until he saw that the stars above were moving. He tensed slightly as the stars fell from the sky and started to form in front of him. Nine cats appeared, cats he knew and loved throughout his entire life.
The first cat he spotted was Ivy, her beautiful eyes and pelt filled his heart with grief and loss, he opened his mouth to speak but another voice interrupted him. "Welcome, Crowsky." Countless voice spoke from an unseen location. "Are you ready to receive your nine lives?"
"Yes." Crowsky's voice trembled.
"Then let us begin."
The first cat to step forward was Owlstar, it had been so long since Crowsky had seen the old leader. He faced the bold white tom with his head held high. "I always hoped you would return to MoonClan, and now that you have I am proud to give you one of your nine lives." Crowsky waited, trying not to show his fear. "With this life I give you loyalty, never forget where you heart lies. Your loyalty should be to your Clanmates above anything else, for you are nothing without them."
Owlstar touched his nose to Crowsky's, the pain was completely unexpected. Crowsky felt the guilt he had felt when leaving MoonClan, the way he had turned his back on them. It slowly faded away with the satisfaction of serving his Clan."
"That--that hurt."
"Not all lives with feel the same, young one." Owlstar walked away and returned to the ranks of StarClan. The next cat to approach him was a tiny black kit with eager, blue eyes. Is that..?
"I've waited a long time to meet you." The tiny kit squeaked. "My name is Ravenkit, I am your sister."
"Ravenkit..." Crowsky stared at his sister, he never thought he would meet her. "I wish I could've known you."
"Me too, but I've been able to watch your journey." She trotted forward. "With this life I give you joy. When times get hard, never forget to find joy and happiness in your life." Crowsky head to bend touch to touch his muzzle to Ravenkit's. Her life flowed through his body, the pure joy inside of his chest almost made him laugh, he was sad when it faded away.
"Thank you, Ravenkit." Crowsky purred and Ravenkit trotted away to where she was sitting beside Riverlight, who was the next cat to approach him. He was a little shocked to see that Riverlight was here to give him a life.
Riverlight bowed her head. "It's an honor to see you here, Crowsky. With your forgiveness I was able to find my peace here in the stars, and I am finally reunited with my beautiful daughter, and while she is in the stars I am happy to watch you lead the Clan. You may not need this life, but it's something I don't want you to forget it. With this life I give you forgiveness, use it to forgive the mistakes of others, because forgiveness is better than hatred, I wish I had learned that when I was alive."
Riverlight touched her muzzle to Crowsky's and pain rocked his body. The anger and pain he felt from the way Riverlight treated him, seeing Elmstar after he murdered Blacksky and Cooper who banished him from his old home. After a moment, the pain faded. "You'll do great, Crowsky." Riverlight returned to Ravenkit and Crowsky waited for the next cat in line which was Skyclaw.
"I'm happy to see MoonClan under your leadership." Skyclaw said. "With this life I give you wisdom, use it to guide your Clan and make choices based on thought and intellect." Skyclaw touched his nose and Crowsky was met with the frustration of struggling to make a hard choice, but it soon faded as well. Skyclaw dipped his head and returned to the crowd.
Emotion filled Crowsky's heart as he saw the next cat to approach, it was Blacksky. "I am so proud of you, my son." Blacksky said, his voice shaking with emotion. "And I'm even prouder to give you one of your nine lives."
"I couldn't have done any of this without you, father." Crowsky admitted. "I miss you."
"I miss you too, but you have a long life ahead of you. So with this life I give you determination, use it to never let your spirit get dragged down. Use it to never give up, even when you feel like your world is crumbling." As Crowsky touched noses to his father, he felt the raging fear of failure, the desire to give up only to be overcome by the satisfaction of winning.
"I'll always be with you, Crowsky." Blacksky bowed his head and Silverpool took his place. She was back to her strong, agile self, Crowsky was overjoyed to see her.
"Just as your father, I am so unbelievably proud of you." Silverpool purred. "It's been such a wonderful honor to watch you grow up. With this life I give you a mother's love, you may not have kits of your own but I want you to care for all of your Clanmates as a mother cares for her kits." Silverpool touched Crowsky's nose with her own and the pain that followed shook him to his core. He felt the pain of wanting to do anything to protect his Clanmates, no matter the cost to him.
"That--" Crowsky trembled.
"A mother's love is unlike anything." Silverpool mewed. "Never lose sight of that feeling." Silverpool returned to the crowd and next was a young white she-cat that Crowsky had never seen before.
"Greetings, Crowsky." She bowed her head. "My name is Snowpaw, I am the sister of Lightningwing and Pigeonpelt. I died to yellowcough before you arrived."
Crowsky's eyes widened a little bit. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't get home in time to save you."
Snowpaw shook her head. "There's no need to apologize, I'm glad my sister got to live. With this life I give you a sense of adventure, life will get hard but you should never forget to find adventure within it, even though you may never travel beyond the borders again." Snowpaw's life felt similar to Ravenkit's, it was welcoming and calming.
Snowpaw returned and pain surged through Crowsky's heart as he watched Ivy approached next. "Oh, Ivy." He breathed out. "It's so good to see you."
"It's good to see you too, Crowsky." Ivy purred. "And I'm so excited to give you this life, living in StarClan has been such an amazing experience, and I've gotten to know the cats who love you so much, just as I do."
"I miss you." Crowsky admitted, though he loved Frostfire, Ivy never left his heart.
"I miss you too, but you have a long life ahead of you. Keep loving Frostfire, I will be waiting for you when it's time." Ivy touched her nose to Crowsky's. "With this life I give your curiosity, never forget the joy of finding new things and always be willing to learn more." Ivy's life flowed into him, it was warm and welcoming, the pull of curiosity. He breathed in her sweet scent for as long as he could.
Ivy was finally forced to step back, he held onto her loving gaze for as long as he could before Ivy returned to the crowd and Cloudstar stood up in her turn. "I'm excited to see what you will bring MoonClan, Crowsky. You will be a great leader."
"Thank you, Cloudstar." Crowsky bowed his head.
"With this life I give you pride, have pride in yourself and your Clanmates. Never forget the pride of being a MoonClan cat." Cloudstar and Crowsky touched muzzles for the last time and Crowsky felt a surging feeling of pride for his Clan, the Clan he would lead into a brighter future.
Cloudstar stepped back and raised her voice. I hail you by your new name, Crowstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of MoonClan. 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."
"Crowstar! Crowstar!" The cats of StarClan cheered his new name and he felt the power of nine lives flowing through his body, part of him now. He was truly a leader now, and he was ready to lead MoonClan.