It was time.
A few sunrises has pass since Mapleclaw had knocked Reedstar into the gorge, and there had been so sign of the leader since then. While RiverClan was grieving for his loss, this news made Mapleclaw bubble with excitement. It was time for her to become leader now. She paused as she stepped from the leader's den, glancing toward the medicine cat den. She wanted Lichencloud to be with her for this moment, but he had come down with something so she was left to her own accord. No matter, it wouldn't change a thing. With a flicker of her tail, she headed toward the exit of the camp.
Walking into the territory, she paused as she tried to decide how she would reach Highstones. Taking the bridge that served as the crosswalk between RiverClan and WindClan could work; then she could stick close to the WindClan and ShadowClan border, the Thunderpath, until she got close enough to head to Highstones. She didn't want to risk running into any other cats. Finally, she nodded to herself and picked up her pace. She had to reach Highstones before sundown.
***Time Skip***
Finally the entrance to the Moonstone loomed before the to-be-leader as she flickered her tail, swallowing. She may have been ready when she left the RiverClan camp, but now she was a bit nervious. However, she quickly shook her head and told herself she was being silly, before stepping into the darkness of the cave. Her steps were light and brisk as she walked blindly down the cave, letting her whiskers do the leading as they gently brushed against the sides of the cave. She walked for what felt to be forever until she found herself in a lit cavern thanks to a large hole in the roof.
The Moonstone loomed over the she-cat as she caught her breath, her heart almost stopping. This was it...However, as she drew closer she paused as the joy in her chest started to fade, being replaced with a faint fear. However, she quickly shoved the fear back down. This as going to go perfectly, but she still shifted from paw to paw before she finally took a step forward and laid down next to the large stone, before swallowing and placed her nose against the cold, hard surface of the Moonstone. In seconds she already found herself drifted off, and she finally let herself go into the sweet embrace of sleep with a smile upon her lips. It was time...Finally.
Mapleclaw opened her eyes, a faint shiver running though her body as she found herself in Fourtrees. Everything seemed to be cold, but that didn't cause any worry in the she-cat. She was going to get her lives finally...Today, she would become Maplestar.
However, all she found was silence. She lifted her head toward the heavens with a faint frown, but said nothing as she waited...And waited, until the stars finally started to shift on what seemed to be their own accord, and started to spire down toward the she-cat. The brown deputy grinned as the stars started to take shape, and finally StarClan stepped out to greet her.
She wanted to throw herself down at their paws, as she was standing infront of
the StarClan now. She felt as excited as a kit as she shifted her gaze from cat to cat, trying to put a name to all of the faces that stood before her.
Finally one cat stepped forward from the stary mass, and this one was quickly given a name by Mapleclaw.
"Froststar!" she said in an excited breath of air, dipping her head to the once leader of RiverClan, who had died when Mapleclaw wasn't far into her warriorship.
The calico paused as she fixed her icy gaze on the deputy, and a faint burning hate could be seen in her eyes, but she quickly cleared her throat.
"Mapleclaw...We all know why you are here. But I am afraid that reason is in vain."The brown she-cat's smile quickly fainted, as she shifted her gaze from cat to cat with a look of confusement.
"I-I'm sorry...What?""You will not be getting your lives, Mapleclaw. You are not the rightful leader of RiverClan."The deputy took a step back, her eyes widening as she shifted her gaze from Froststar to the other cats that surrounded her, before her ears went flat on her head with a hiss.
"N-No! This has to be some kind of mistake! I am the rightful leader of RiverClan! Reedstar picked me to be his deputy! Reedstar is dead, so I am leader!"A small flicker of amazement appeared in Froststar's eyes as she looked at the other StarClan cats around her, as if asking some unsaid question. There was silence in the air until one of them shook their head and Froststar returned her gaze to Mapleclaw.
"That may be, but you have gained your leadership under horrible terms, Mapleclaw. You killed Reedstar with your own paws and th-""I killed him for you!" Mapleclaw quickly snarled, taking a step forward as she fixed her gaze on Froststar. Hate was burning in the brown she-cats eyes as she dug her claws into the ground.
"You thought he was unfit for leadership! That is why you sent the flood! You wanted me to be leader!"Froststar narrowed her eyes, a hiss escaping her.
"How dare you!" she suddenly growled as she fixed her gaze on Mapleclaw.
"You dare accuse us of wanting Reedstar for dead? We had no power over that storm! You took everything into your paws, but you did not do the right thing at all!" With a lash of her tail, Froststar turned and stormed toward the rows of StarClan cats before finally pausing at the tip, a cold tone in her voice as she turned back to the she-cat.
"You will not be gaining your lives here, Mapleclaw. You will never be Maplestar, at least never in our eyes. Now leave us, and send us a new cat to be leader...Don't even think of yourself as deputy of RiverClan after this!" With that, Froststar disappeared into the large crowd of StarClan cats, and together they all turned and started to return to the heavens.
Mapleclaw beared her teeth as she took a step forward, clearly not happy how this turned.
"No! I am the rightful leader of RiverClan! I will make you see that! Even without your blessing, I shall be Maplestar! Nothing will stand in my way! NOTHING!" At that final howl, a swarm of black clouds covered the retreating cats of StarClan, and cast the lone she-cat into pure darkness.
Mapleclaw awoke with a start, quickly rising her head as she stared at the large glowing rock infront of her. She wanted to let out a yowl of rage, but she kept herself under control as she got to her paws. She felt like she was going to explode in sheer angry as she tried to get control of her rapid breathing. Her claws dug into the ground, but as a single thought floated to the top of her mind, she found herself relaxing as she turned and left the cavern.
So what if she hadn't gotten StarClan's blessing? No one else would know that, and it would easy to play along as if she had until StarClan saw their error. She was the rightful leader! Yes...She would be leader of RiverClan even without her lives, she could easily do so. From this moment on, she would be known as Maplestar...
For now and forever.
