Longstar's Nine Lives

One-shot about BrookClan's leader.

WARNING!
Contains major spoilers for Cruelty (the second BrookClan book).

Chapter One
Longleg took a deep breath and stepped forward. Soon, a starry cat appeared.

"Tigerpelt," she whispered. "Father..."

She barely remembered Tigerpelt. He had died when she was just a half-moon old.

"With this life," Tigerpelt began. "I give you courage. Use it to defend your Clan in battle."

He touched noses with his daughter. The new life hurt, and yet at the same time it felt so good...

Tigerpelt walked away and out came Pinepool, the cat who uncovered the truth behind his death.

"With this life, I give you justice," meowed Pinepool. "Use it to judge your Clanmates fairly."

She and Longleg touched noses. This life was different from the other one; it hurt less.

Pinepool left. Next came an apprentice-aged cat.

"Stormpaw!" squealed Longleg. "Stormpaw, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault you died. If I had warned you that there was a monster coming--"

"Shh," shushed Stormpaw. "With this life, I give you loyalty to what you know is right."

Stormpaw and Longleg touched noses.

As the apprentice left, Longleg whispered "I named the kit after you." Stormpaw nodded.

A very small tom kit came forward.

"Lightkit," Longleg meowed. "I remember you, my son. I'm sorry you died."

"It's fine," assured Lightkit. "It's not your fault I was stillborn."

Longleg licked him on the cheek.

"With this life, I give you the gift of tireless energy," stated Lightkit. "Use it to serve BrookClan to the utmost."

The grey she-cat felt a strange tingling sensation, then it stopped and Lightkit left. A she-cat stepped forward.

"Willowear," said Longleg. "You're the queen who fostered my daughter. She, Deerpaw, and Mouseflight miss you."

"With this life," Willowear told her. "I give you the same desire to protect your Clan that a queen has for her kits."

Longleg expected it to be a warm and nurturing feeling, but instead it was rage burning in her. She felt like she would do anything to protect her Clanmates.

A tortoiseshell cat stepped forward. Longleg recognized the cat as her former mentor, Emberwhisker.

"With this life I give you the gift of mentoring."

After Longleg received her sixth life, a dark grey tom stepped forward. She didn't recognize him.

"My name is Crowpelt," he explained. "I was your grandfather's brother. I used to be BrookClan's medicine cat. I can still remember Poppyleaf when she was a kit...sorry for trailing off."

"It's fine."

"With this life, I give you compassion like the compassion a medicine cat for all those who need their help."

After Crowpelt, a very dark grey (almost black) cat came.

"Is that you, Nightstar?" Longleg meowed. "Mother?"

Nightstar nodded.

"With this life, I give you love."

Longleg braced herself for pain, but she felt one of the best feelings ever.

"Thank you."

Finally, a silver tabby she-cat stepped forward.

"Hi, Minnowstar," said Longleg.

"With your last life, I give you nobility, certainty, and faith."

"Your old name of Longleg is no more," announced the silver cat. "From now on you shall be known as Longstar."

"Longstar! Longstar!" the StarClan cats chanted.

The End