Wind Series/Graystar's Leadership Ceremony

This is a Bonus Scene of The Wind Series.

This is told from Graystar's point of view.

I held his paw, and holding it tighter than ever. Robinfur stood next to me. Starlingwing was muttering, "Time. It's time." "No, it isn't," I retorted. I gaze at Volestar's eyes. "Don't leave," I growled softly.

"It is my time. The stars are calling me." His eyes were far away and already look glassy.

"No! Do something, Robinfur!" I shouted.

"All I could do is give him more poppy seeds to make him sleep his way to StarClan. The rat bite was already infected. I can't do anything for the rat bite without burdock root. And… that storm… destroyed them all," Robinfur choked out.

I pushed Robinfur away, my desperation rising. "No, Volestar. Don't leave."

Volestar stared intensely at my eyes again. His amber eyes were fixed on my eyes. "Grayfrost… I was happy to be your mate and leader. I am sorry that your kits will not have a father. I love you. But please…"

Mate? Kits? Number one, I wasn't ever his mate. Two, I never got the word from the medicine cat that I was pregnant.

Starlingwing stiffled a laugh. "You should see your face. Volestar is muttering nonsense."

"Starlingwing, you know better. Grayfrost, you are pregnant. Very early stage though," Robinfur warned.

Me? Pregnant?

I focused my gaze on Volestar who was gasping for breath.

"NO!!" I screeched. "DO SOMETHING!!"

A spasm shook him. His breath slowed and shallowed. A rattle was forming from his throat.

The death rattle.

Then a cough wracked his body. "He can't fight greencough and the infected rat bite at the same time," Robinfur whispered, gravelly.

Suddenly a huge spasm shook him again and I knew it was his last. I could catch two last words in the air. "Grayfrost… please." The great Volestar was stilled.

"How did he lost his lives?" I whispered softly, trying not to cry.

"Lives? He was a young leader and died young. His first life, he died when he got caught in a rock fall thing from the stones. No one died other than him. The second life, he died from battle. Third, he was killed in a flood to save Mousekit, now Mousefire. Fourth and fifth, when he fell from a tree. The fourth one was the impact and the fifth was the broken bones. Sixth, was from battle again. You know the last three lives. The infected bite and greencough killed the last three," Robinfur murmured.

"He was a great leader. I am not ready for leadership."

I saw the stars twinkling in my eyes. They are coming for my nine lives. Too many deaths recently. I elected Smallpebble as deputy, because not only is he my brother but he is someone I could trust, fully.

"Hi, sis! Sorry that I died." I looked around, not seeing who said the little chirp. Then I glanced down, seeing a small kit with black stripes jagged through her small silver fur.

It was my dead sister, Mossykit.

"I should have saved you." A cry formed in my throat.

"Here, have a life! Literally and non literally. I am going to give you one!" Mossykit chirped.

"I am giving you a life of playfulness. Even though you are leader doesn't mean that you have to be all serious and hard working. Sometimes you can be playful and like normal other cats," she purred, more seriously. Her muzzle touched mine and I felt a searing urge to play but my feet were stuck to the ground. But as Mossykit walked away, the temptation stopped.

"Bye, sissy!"

A agile black tom with the clearest bright blue eyes I ever saw walked up towards me. I knew exactly his name. "Wow… Volestar died already. He was pretty young." It was Snakepaw.

"Why did you have to drown?" I asked him carefully.

"Drown? Did you want… let's say Smallpebble to drown with me? Better to make only one cat drown than five hundred," he growled.

"But it is time for me to give you a life. I will give you a life of wariness. Even if you expect your enemy to be everywhere, it might be on you. It might be in your clan. It might not even be a cat. But you will be wary of your surroundings." This life felt like I was in the dark forest with enemies and shadows around me. My ears perked up slightly and I moved back. But then something was on me. It's red hot claws scarred my fur. But when I glanced back, it was gone.

Two lives done, eight to go.

Another cat that looked similar to Snakepaw walked forward. Nightpelt. I never knew him that well but we were denmate, him being a little older than I was. "Welcome to StarClan, Grayfrost, or should I say Graystar?"

"What if StarClan will change my name to Maggotstar? Then it won't be Graystar," I muttered, sarcastically.

"Sharp tongued, as always, Grayfrost. I am always honored to give any leader a life. And it is you. I will give you a life of defiance. Fight for what you believe in. And fight it 'till you die. That is the correct way instead of living in fear." His muzzle felt wet and I felt clumsy with him. A feeling of fight came within me but then an overbearing feeling of pain came with it too. I stumbled to my knees. "Not many did this well as you," Nightpelt whispered as he disappeared into the stars.

Seven lives to go.

TBC