Leopardstar's Leadership Ceremony

Leopardstar's Leadership Ceremony
Leopardfur proudly walked up to the Moonstone. It was true that she missed Crookedstar, but it was impossible not to be excited about becoming leader. Mudfur was standing behind her as the gem glittered, sending light bouncing off the walls. Leopardfur felt the rocky ground of the cave rubbing against her paws, as she took brisk steps up to the stone.

Mudfur followed her, and there was some excitement in his eyes as well, to be standing beside her while she received her nine lives.

Taking in a deep breath, she pushed all her doubt behind her and pushed her nose against the rock. She looked deep into its sparkle and started to notice how starry the little crystal reflections looked. As she gazed at the little dots, she felt them growing into stars and when she pulled her nose away, she was facing those stars.

She looked around her at the glittering stars; amazed at the gorgeous sight in front of her. The night was brightened by the shimmering of too many stars for her to count.

Suddenly, the stars began to speak, “Leopardfur, are you ready to receive your nine loves from Starclan?”

So this is Starclan, she thought with excitement. She took in a deep breath and tried to hide all uncertainty, “Yes,” she called, “I am ready!”

“Then let’s begin,”

Leopardfur nodded, and tried to maintain her confident posture as a cat suddenly appeared in the skies and began to walk towards her. It was a cat Leopardfur easily recognized.

Oakheart had been the deputy before her, and he had died in a battle against Thunderclan. She hadn’t been there then.

The approached her, until they were face-to-face and he put his nose against hers, closing his eyes, “With this life I give you joy,” A wonderful feeling surged through her and she felt as if she were flying, “Use it to make you life a treasure, not a burden.”

She couldn’t help wishing the tom would stay forever, so that she could continue to suck in the wonderful feeling he had to offer to the world. But, he didn’t. Instead he slowly drifted back to his place in Starclan and was replaced by Hailstar, who was now almost right in front of her.

Leopardfur gazed at the tom who had been leader before Crookedstar as he leaned forward to give her next life.

“With this life I give you honor,” Pain infiltrated Leopardfur’s body and she struggled to stay in place. This life also contained pride but it was buried under all of the pain which she felt she was being buried under, “Use it to make your clan thrive and be respected.”

Leopardfur nodded and dipped her head with thanks and the tom paddled back to his place in Starclan.

His place was taken by a she-cat this time; perhaps one of the most beautiful she-cats Riverclan had. Leopardfur sighed, still confused as to why she would pick Graystripe when she had so many cats that she would be able to choose from.

Answering her question, Sliverstream put her nose against Leopardfur’s forehead and murmured, “With this life I give you love,” This life was soft and painful and Leopardfur felt as if she was being split in half, “Use it on whoever it calls you to, you cannot defeat that call.”

As she walked away, leaving Leopardfur panting, she realized that she wasn’t as prepared to receive these lives as she thought. She had just received three lives and she felt ready to shatter.

While she tried to regain as much of her composure as she possibly could, the next cat walked up to her. He was staring at her proudly, looking very honored to have once been her apprentice.

“Whiteclaw,” she murmured, “You died a very honorable death. I remember your sacrifice which was in vain every day and I regret attacking that patrol.”

“Don’t” he whispered, “That wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was just my time to join Starclan.”

Leopardfur nodded as they touched noses. “With this life I give you courage,” this life sent a wonderful feeling spiraling through her body, but it came along with pain, which bruised her bones, “Use it to become a great leader. All great leaders must be brave and take the risk which they must.”

As her former apprentice walked away, she silently dipped her head towards him. If he noticed, he made no sign to show it, as he dissolved into the stars and clouds, becoming one with them.

When she looked back down, he had already been replaced by Crookedstar. Leopardfur purred at the sight of her old leader. He had been sick and frail, physically as well as mentally, from the recent deaths of his brother and daughter, but he seemed in great health now.

“It’s good to see you here, my loyal deputy,” he purred, “I always knew you were to stubborn not to let me outlive you.”

Leopardfur tried to smile, but she was really scared. She knew that Crookedstar had lost a lot, and she already knew that his life would be the most painful of the whole ceremony. She took in a deep breath as he approached.

“With this life I give you sacrifice,” It was ten times more painful than Leopardfur could have ever dreamed it might be. Had her feet not been glued to the ground, she would have gone flying from the pain, “Use it to help your clan gain. For everything you lose you win something in return.”

Leopardfur watched him walk back into Starclan and the next cat approached.

She immediately recognized her mentor; Whitefang. She purred as he approached, “With this life I give you Wisdom,” Leopardfur absorbed this pain, wanting more and more of it, “Use it to teach your cats how to survive,”

She watched him sadly as he slowly dissolved into thin air. She counted how many lives she had got, and realized that she only had three left.

One small kit approached her; the other one hung a little behind; just to watch the life being given. Leopardfur quickly realized that this was one of her sisters who had died at birth. It made her feel sad to see them again but she also felt happy that they were healthy in Starclan.

“With this life I give you endurance,” she murmured and pain, which Leopardfur could not seem to grow used to, swept over her body making her want to screech, “Use it to overcome all of the obstacles life had to throw at you.”

Leopardfur licked her sister, before she bounded off into Starclan.

Tears brimmed along the edges of her eyes when Leopardfur saw her foster mother, Shimmerpelt appear.

“Mother,” she croaked and she walked up to sooth her daughter.

“It will be all right,” she murmured, “I am so proud of you to have made it this far. I never regretted taking you in so long ago.”

Leopard fur held her body close against Shimmerpelt’s as she murmured, “With this life I give you loyalty,” pain went straight down her spine, but Leopardfur was too busy looking into her eyes, “Use it on everything that you care about; that’s the only way they will stay with you.”

She nodded as her mother licked her again, and paddled back into the shadows.

This is the last one, Leopardfur thought, as the final cat approached. Leopardfur didn’t even recognize the cat; but there was an eternally happy look in her eyes.

“Leopardfur, my sweet daughter,” the cat purred and Leopardfur finally realized who it was; she was going to receive her last life from her mother, Brightsky, who had died giving birth!

Slowly, her mother pulled her nose up, so that it pressed against her forehead. Leopardfur felt it burn where she touched as she murmured, “With this life I give you hope,” Leopardfur would have collapsed if her mother’s nose wasn’t holding her up. She felt her knees shake and willed herself not to yell, “Use it, my daughter. Do not fear it, but always keep it at your side. It is the only thing that will shine in darkness.”

Her mother slowly pulled away and Leopardfur panted quietly, as her mother took a could steps back, “Under the powers of Starclan, we take your old name and give you the name of Leopardstar; leader of Riverclan!”

The cats began to chant and she lifted her head with pride. But suddenly, a pile of bines appeared before her and she began to hear a prophecy, but it wasn’t coming from the cats of Starclan, “Four will become two, Lion and Tiger will meet in battle, and blood will rule the forest!”

Leopardfur stared in horror as blood started oozing out of the bones, “Four will become two, Lion and Tiger will meet in battle, and blood will rule the forest!”

She saw a dark figure standing over the bones, a menacing look on his face, when Leopardfur looked a little closer she noticed another cat standing behind him; and she automatically realized that it was her!

“Four will become two, Lion and Tiger will meet in battle, and blood will rule the forest!”

“No!” Brightsky shrieked, “This isn’t your prophecy! You have to wake up Leopardfur! You have to wake up!”

“Four will become two, Lion and Tiger will meet in battle, and blood will rule the forest!”

Leopardfur wanted to stay, but she couldn’t control it as the world started to spin, blood tainting it; and she woke up in front of Mudfur.

“Did you get your nine lives?” he asked.

She nodded, deciding not to tell him about the prophecy that wasn’t meant for her. She was obviously supposed to ignore it, so that’s what she would do.

She would soon realize what a mistake that was.