Darkflight's Leader Ceremony

She hadn't slept a wink the night Spottedstar died. It had been so sudden, so unexpected. She'd assumed that the former leader had a few more lives ahead of her, but that had been wrong. And now Darkflight was to be the next leader- her name Darkstar? It would have been an exciting prospect when she was an apprentice, but she hadn't really thought about how it would come about, or even when. Tonight was the night. The sun hadn't set yet, but it still was a long trek to the Moonstone. The deputy waited at the entrance for their medicine cat, Dreamleaf, licking down the fur she'd cleaned four times already. She had no idea what she was supposed to do. Was anything expected of her?

Dreamleaf made her way out of her den and set down two bundles.
"Eat that. It'll sustain your hunger during the trip,"Dreamleaf mewed, quickly lapping hers up. Dreamleaf found this very exciting, she was going to witness the most amazing journey of all... a deputy becoming a Leader. Dreamleaf cleaned her fur and waited for Darkflight.

Darkflight glanced at her bundle for a moment before eating it. It didn't have much sustenance, but it was filling. Which was the purpose, she supposed. "Let's go." The deputy glanced up at the sky to check the time. The sun was beginning to graze the tops of the trees now, making flickering shadows across the dirt. They needed to leave, lest they be late.

ooc-time skip?

OOC- Ya

IC: Dreamleaf stood in front of MotherMouth, awaiting for the time to go in. The medicine cat's ear flicked patiently and she studied the deputy.
"It's time," Dreamleaf announced quietly and she moved toward the cace's mouth, then was engulfed in the darkness.

The trip had somehow seemed shorter and longer with Dreamleaf by her side.

Never before had she wished her hind leg worked properly instead of being tied up to her stomach. It had been a long and arduous task getting here. Now the time had come. She padded through the gaping maw of Mothermouth, the name not lost to her. It did feel like she was going into the belly of some huge beast, forever slumbering. ‘The path is straight. Do not turn back.’ Darkflight told herself, keeping her yellow eyes focused on the unlit path, trying not to listen to the sounds in the dark. It felt like seasons until light shined ahead. Had she been too slow? When would dawn come?
No. It was the Moonstone. A grand, rough edifice to Starclan. Wasn’t Starclan defeated by the Dark Forest? A seed of dread sprouted in her heart as she approached the glittering rock pawstep by pawstep. As she drew closer, the instinct, the need to crouch before it grew ever stronger, until she gave in. The shock of cold on her wet nose shot away in an instant as she went unconscious.

A soft breeze in her ears caught her attention. Her eyes darted open to see a sea of starry pelts standing around her. They looked harshly beaten, some parts of their fur much more silver than the rest. ’They’re here.’ She wanted to ask why they had been defeated, by who, how. But the question died in her throat. At that same moment, a huge, fluffy tabby she-cat stepped forward, no smile evident on her familiar face.
Specklefur spoke without hesitation. “With this life I give you perseverance. Through battle or time.” The deputy’s mother leaned down to touch her nose, and Darkflight’s legs buckled under the growing weight of something unseen. Barely able to stand, she forced herself to stand straight, she had to take the painful straining with dignity. And as she did so, it faded. When the last of it was gone, she locked eyes with her mother with a shaky smile.
“I told you I’d make it, mother.” With that Specklefur stepped back to allow another cat to pass.

Her mentor stood before her. It hadn’t been long since the black warrior died, but this felt much better than burying his bloodied body as a last goodbye. Oliveheart gave her a slight smile. “I give you a life of certainty. Make decisions that you will regret the least.” As they touched noses, a sense of cold calm washed over her, a feeling of absolute certainty. She would make the correct decision, whatever it may be. They broke apart and he faded back into the throng of cats.

A tiny ball of light bounced forward to replace him. She appeared to have only just been born, but here she was, bounding up to the deputy with cheer. Before Darkflight could ask who she was, the kitten mewled cheerfully, “I was supposed to be your sister, Antkit!” The red-brown kit stood on her toes to reach her sister’s nose. “And I give you this life to not take anything for granted. Make do with what is given.” At Antkit’s touch, weakness took sharp, unexpected hold, almost forcing her to crumple. As she still stood, the load did not get lighter, she only grew stronger, stronger until she could throw it off. The she-kit pulled back and grinned. “Do what you can with your life, for all of us who couldn’t,” Then went back into the crowd.

Who next? Darkflight wondered for a moment when no other cat came forward. Then the cats ahead begin to part, and a huge ginger tom came forward, her father, Foxfang. He held a similar expression as her mother, but there was a hint of pride in his grey eyes. He did not hesitate to continue with the ceremony. “Darkflight. I give you a life of unquestionable loyalty. Always put your clan first, as well as to the cats in it. In the end they will return the favor.” As they touched noses, the she-cat felt her whole body become as still as stone, unmovable, unwavering. But she also felt trapped in this position, unable to move her head or even twitch her tail. She felt vulnerable in her frozen state. Once the moment passed and she could move her legs again, they felt like young saplings barely able to hold their own weight. How many more lives were left?

A young cat padded forward, barely recognizable since so much had happened since her death. Her former denmate Mothpaw stood before her. Before she could apologize, the apprentice spoke. “I do not envy you for living on when the rocks fell.” Darkflight felt as if something was stuck in her throat. “I just wish I’d been able to live out my full life. Do not take anything for granted.” She didn’t have to say what this life was about. As it flowed into her, countless possibilities clamored for room in her head. It felt like she was about to explode from the great tide of memories that never were. Her eyes were wide open as she saw flashes of cats that had never or hadn’t been born yet here, in Starclan. Others were missing. At some point, she’d seen herself there, whole, but still the age of an apprentice. She didn’t notice that her denmate had left until another cat came forward.

There was a cat she didn’t recognize coming towards her, a pale cream she-cat with kind eyes. She appeared rather faded, but still glittered with celestial blood. “I am Sandstreak. I was a warrior long before your time, but I still love for my clan as if they were my own kits. I give you this life to love your clan unconditionally.” Darkflight had expected softness, warmth, the scent of milk, but an all-consuming fire had been lit inside her, engulfing her with conflicting emotions. Someone dear to her was in grave danger; she had to do something about it! Untargeted fury filled her until she could barely breathe. She’d never felt so passionate about anything in her- the moment was gone. The deputy felt somewhat cold as the fire died and the old queen returned. What was that?

Another unknown cat came forward, dim, but not as much as the former. It was a black and white tom who still smelled faintly of herbs. “I am Swiftnose, a medicine cat from many seasons ago. I give you a life of tradition, to remember the old and establish the new.” She paws began to ache and grow weak as she seemed to age rapidly, soon almost unable to stand out of weariness. They something unseen began to support her, held her stay upright, but it began to age too, and this cycle continued over and over until the tom left.

She should be glad that there weren’t that many dead cats she knew, but meeting cat after mysterious cat left her uneasy. Another approached, but he had a knowing grin on his face, a stark contrast to the reserved and sometimes grim looks on others’ faces. He looked her over for a moment before he spoke. “I could have been your father. I am Tigertooth.” Darkflight gazed at him in surprise, and spotted her father giving the tom a strange look. “And I give you a life of dispelling hostility, may you use it in your own clan or in the heat of battle.” Invisible walls began to close in on her, and the she-cat instinctively tensed up against the pressure. However, a small voice spoke up in her head, telling her to relax. At the exact moment when she felt she would be crushed, she forced her muscles to relax. The pressure immediately lifted. Surprised, she opened her mouth to speak, but the cat was gone.

There was one life left. Her heart trembled in her chest. Who would be the last? After a moment, a familiar face pushed through the crowd and towards her. It was Spottedstar, no longer old as she had known her, but youthful, and yet still covered with silvery blood, maybe even especially so. Before Darkflight could speak, Spottedstar continued on with the ceremony. “With this life I give you confidence in your and other’s abilities.” As they touched noses, the she-cat felt a surge of pride and happiness, a happiness that could possibly be contagious, if her living clanmates were around. She could do anything. They could do anything. Thunderclan could do anything.

No more. She had all of her nine lives. Spottedstar stepped back and spoke, ”You have received your nine lives, and earned your spot as leader of Thunderclan. For here on you will be called Darkstar, Starclan welcomes you as leader of Thunderclan, and hopes you will lead your clan and the rest of the forest to greatness.” The chanting voices faded slowly, and Darkstar woke with a jolt.

The Moonstone had stopped glowing, dawn would soon come. “To greatness.”