Wolfcall's Leader Ceremony

Bloodstrike was SkyClan's new deputy. It felt weird to Wolfcall that the role no longer belonged to him... he'd been deputy for so long, far longer than he'd ever been a warrior, or even an apprentice. It was hard to remember a time when he was anything else. But his son filled that position now, and Wolfcall would be Wolfcall for only one more night. By this time tomorrow, StarClan willing, he'd be Wolfstar… and truth be told he had very, very mixed feelings about it. He'd always known that this day would come. Obviously, with the role of deputy, came the responsibility of taking over as leader, eventually... but Spottedstar was so young, and his time as leader should have been moons and moons longer than it had been.

Still... his father was gone. It didn't look like he was coming back. And that meant that it was up to him now to step into those pawprints.

Wolfcall's brow was furrowed as he made his way slowly to the medicine den. Just like him, Beechpaw's predecessor had been stripped away from her, and it would be her, rather than Sagelight, who accompanied him tonight to the Moonstone. In a way, SkyClan now felt brand new. They'd lost so much, and so many, but it seemed like the hard times were, at least for now, over. SkyClan's past was a wound that was now covered by fresh, new skin. Healed, but changed. Forever altered.

"Beechpaw?" He'd paused at the entrance of the medicine den, his voice low and quiet in the gloom. "Are you ready? I... I'd like to stop at Sagelight's grave on the way out. If you don't mind."

After Bloodstrike had been named deputy, Beechpaw had retreated to the medicine den, putting together two bundles of travelling herbs. Part of her was reluctant to call it her den still, even now it felt wrong, as if she were playing a game of pretend.

She wasn't, no matter how she wished it were true, of course, and Wolfcall's arrival brought the large tabby out of her thoughts. He was to be Skyclan's next leader in truth, now, though the thought didn't seem so foreign to Beechpaw. Maybe it was because he'd been deputy since before she was born, and as such had always had a paw in leading the clan. Then the fire happened, and he'd lead the clan in full. Spottedstar had returned, and just as quickly was gone again. For most of Beechpaw's life, Wolfcall had been their de-facto leader, and now it would be official.

Beechpaw placed the travelling herbs in front of her former mentor before turning to lap up her own. Their bitterness was unchanging, but she'd grown used to them after taking over moonstone journeys from Sagelight. First it had been necessity with Adderpaw, and then Sagelight had been exhausted and overworked. He'd been old, ailing, and Beechpaw hadn't minded taking her fellow apprentices in his stead. Still, it felt odd to be taking her former mentor there now, if only because it was her former mentor. Leaders weren't made nearly so often.

On the other paw, Bloodstrike being named deputy seemed only natural. No matter how he might not have been expecting it, he'd wanted it, and had worked his tail off for the clan. Few options were better with Wolfcall now becoming leader, as far as Beechpaw could tell.

Wolfcall's voice drew her from her thoughts once more. Visiting Sagelight's grave... And didn't that feel just as wrong as Beechpaw the medicine cat? He should've been the one taking Wolfcall to the moonstone. He should've been the one among the living, still.

"Best get going, then." Her voice hadn't cracked at the mention of Sagelight's name, that was an improvement, right? Turning, the Beechpaw lead the way out of camp.

There was no protest from Beechpaw, but he saw the grief that passed over her features when he mentioned his uncle's name. Stars knew he shared that grief, but Wolfcall didn't have time to mourn. Not with SkyClan still in its infant stage of recovery. The dark tom trailed Beechpaw out of the camp, leaving SkyClan in Bloodstrike's paws until his return.

They turned once they were in the forest, towards the place they had buried the medicine cat. The earth was still fresh and overturned, but the edges of the grave had begun to heal already, and soon, like the many other SkyClanners who rested here, Sagelight would be lost to the forest. Wolfcall bowed his head, eyes falling shut with the weight this place carried. He didn't know if this place truly held any significance... after all, Sagelight was with StarClan now... but somehow, it felt right to be here.

"Please, watch over him, wherever he is," Wolfcall's voice was barely a whisper, but it felt like a shout in the stillness of this boneyard. However many cats greeted him when he touched his nose to the Moonstone tonight, Wolfcall prayed that his father would not be one of them. Spottedstar had rarely been at rest within the clan, even less so in his role as leader, and with everything in him, Wolfcall hoped that his father had simply left for greener pastures.

Tears pricked the tom's eyes when he finally forced them open, and he let them fall, unabashed, for the briefest of moments. Murkpelt lay here, somewhere, and Mistrain too. Wolfcall hoped that his words reached them, too. Spottedstar needed all the guardian angels that StarClan could spare. Finally he turned away from the grave, ambergold eyes falling on Beechpaw. "Okay, I'm ready," he told her. "But I can wait if you want to..." he inclined his head towards the spot where he'd just stood. He didn't think his granddaughter had taken the time to properly grieve, either. Maybe a "word" with Sagelight would help her cope for the time being, too...

Beechpaw led them to Sagelight's grave, steps faltering as she allowed Wolfcall to pass her and approach where the former medicine cat was now buried. The ground still showed signs of having being disturbed, but soon enough those marks would fade, eventually the spot would only be known to the cats who had been there, the meaning lost to future generations of cats. Soon enough Sagelight's memory among the living would fade too.

Was Sagelight looking down on them, now? Despairing at what Skyclan had gone through? Or was he relieved to be among the stars, no doubt reunited with his own loved ones from seasons past? She hoped the frail old medicine cat was at peace now, wherever he was.

Tears stung Beechpaw's eyes, and as her vision blurred she blinked them away rapidly, a ragged breath escaping her. A shoulder was pressed to Wolfcall's, though even she wasn't sure who she was trying to comfort more.

Eyes shining with unshed tears gazed up at the sky for a moment, before Beechpaw turned to her mentor with a sigh. She found herself wanting to linger, but they couldn't. Not tonight, at least.

"Thanks, I-" Beechpaw began, voice ragged. "I- I think I'm ready. Let's go." If they stayed much longer, what little was left of her composure would be shredded completely.

The leader-to-be twined his tail with Beechpaw's for a brief moment, the touch meant to console her but giving him just as much comfort. He didn't say a word about her tears, like she hadn't said a word about his, and together they just shared a moment of silence before, finally, he nudged her shoulder with his own, and they moved off towards their destination.

It had been some time since Wolfcall had made the journey here, and had it not been for Beechpaw's guidance, he probably never would have made it. But her expertise and experience was clear to him, and the apprentice's sense of direction was absolute. The sun had already fallen by the time they arrived, and the darkness of the tunnel was almost intimidating. Wolfcall paused near the gaping mouth, long tail twitching ever so slightly. "Before I go in... Is there anything you want me to say if..." Wolfcall left the 'I see Sagelight' part unspoken, but he turned to meet her gaze, and knew that his meaning was clear.

With a tight smile, Beechpaw turned and led the way across the territories to highstones. She could appreciate how much shorter the journey had been from Riverclan territory, but overall they kept a brisk pace and made good time. Her tears had dried, and the younger of the pair felt a bit better about things as they made their way up the rocky path to mothermouth.

At Wolfcall's question, Beechpaw's ear flicked thoughtfully. "I know I was... more of a brat than I should've been about... everything, really. I wish I had the chance to apologize before..." Before the foxes. It should've been a simple scouting mission, but instead it had turned deadly. Still, Sagelight had gone down defending his clan, from what had been said, and Beechpaw didn't doubt that for a second.

"I still think it was senile to choose me, but you're stuck with me now." She added, lips curving in a wry smile. Whatever her regrets, her conversations with Wrenspring and her father had made her realize that she wasn't quite as alone in this as she'd once thought. She'd ask the other medicine cats for help, and do the best that she could, just as she knew Wolfcall would do his best to fill his position as leader.

Beechpaw paused at the entrance of the tunnel, making sure Wolfcall was following as her paws took the familiar path down to the moonstone. Once in the cavern, she stepped aside, motioning the soon-to-be-leader forward.

It was short and sweet, the message that Beechpaw had for his uncle, but he found that the words pierced his heart, and there was an unexpected surge of sorrow and pity for his granddaughter. Wolfcall knew that she had taken the chance from warrior apprentice to medicine cat apprentice badly, but clearly the guilt of not being more amicable was something she was taking to heart. He stood there for a moment, staring after her as she preceded him into the tunnel. Oh, Beechpaw. She was one of the good ones and she didn't even know it.

Lengthening his stride to catch up, Wolfcall followed, his eyes transfixed on to the Moonstone when finally it came into view. His heart hammered in his chest with rapid, nervous energy, and it took considerable effort for Wolfcall to force his paws forward. Please, don't let me see him. Don't let him be dead. The iciness of the stone spread through him as he leaned in, touching his nose to it. Before Wolfcall realized what was happening, he was asleep.

When he came to, the chill of Leaf-fall had disappeared, and crickets sounded in his ears. The grass beneath him was lush and warm, and a gentle breeze stirred his fur. Wolfcall opened his eyes, and found himself in a similar place to where he'd ended up during his Moonstone journey so many moons ago. He blinked a few times, shaking his head to clear the dizziness. He didn't know if he'd ever get used to this.

He wasn't alone for long. From the starry background came the lithe figure of a small framed tom, and Wolfcall watched him approach. His black and white pelt was speckled with shimmering dust, the usual cloak of a Starclan cat. A tail-less rump and bright orange eyes complimented the appearance. Few scars slashed his pelt. He didn't know this cat. The SkyClan warrior looked up to the dark tabby with a warm smile across his maw. He padded up without hesitance, “My name is Mumblefoot, a former warrior of Skyclan. In life, I struggled to find my strength and learn to face my fears.” There was a flicker across his features as he remembered the many things he had endured, the life he had shared with Poplarstar that had helped him to grow into a true warrior. What had briefly been a frown quickly shifted into the hint of a smile, and Wolfcall found himself returning it before he really had the chance to think about it.

“With this life, I give you courage. Use it when the situations you face threaten to leave you quivering like a kit.” He leaned forward to touch his little nose to the leader’s much larger one. A bolt of lightning shot through the tom receiving the life, causing his limbs to shake and pelt to twitch, and Wolfcall inhaled sharply at the feeling. Once the sensation resided, the former SkyClan warrior gave their new leader a final nod before turning to fade back into the realm of StarClan.

He got little time to recover before the second cat appeared.

Rippedstar was disappointed to see Spottedstar leave Skyclan behind, even if his leadership had been lacking in recent moons. He hoped the best for his kin, his descendant… but ultimately, it was the clan that mattered. Skyclan would always come first. The former leader padded forward, bright blue eyes measuring Wolfstar as he approached. As deputy, the tom had done well, albeit dividing the clan when it came to protecting his mate and disobeying his leader. This was one of the many difficult decisions he’d had to make so far, and it would only be much more challenging in the future as the head of the clan.

“I am Rippedstar, a former SkyClan leader.” He wasted no time in tipping his head in a nod before continuing on, “As leader, you need to make tough calls, but at the core of leadership is committing yourself to the wellbeing of the clan. Before yourself and your kin, is the whole of your clan. I wasn’t born into SkyClan, my blood was WindClan. But this goes deeper than blood… so with this life, I give you dedication. May you use it wisely and direct it in the way that you wish to go.” The slender leader leaned his head forward to touch their noses. Once again, Wolfstar was met with a bolt, but this one surging and consistent. There was no room for anything else. He pulled back, allowing their gaze to meet for a moment before he dipped his head and then turned away for the next cat to take his place.

There were questions Wolfcall wanted to ask, advice he sought from the former leader, but he found himself unable to speak as the next cat materialized before him. The familiar brown, speckled pelt and troubled yellow eyes. Wolfcall fell to his haunches as his brother, Deerfrost, materialized before him. The small brown tom padded over to his older brother, nodding his head to him. "Hey Wolfcall. Long time, no see," the deceased warrior said almost sadly, before straightening his back. Wolfcall nodded sadly. He blamed himself for his brother's death, and truth be told had not expected to see him here. He wasn't sure where he thought Deerfrost would go, and had tried not to dwell on it, but he found himself relieved that he was with StarClan. He was snapped out of his reverie by the other tom's voice. "With this, I give you the life of duty. The duty to keep your clan safe and to make sure that no one breaks the code. Use it well." Deerfrost then lifted his head and touched noses with Wolfcall.

The SkyClan leader-to-be let the contact linger, and even moved forward, to brush his cheek against his brother's. "I'm sorry," he whispered, but Deerfrost didn't reply, and the tom's eyes were the last part of him that Wolfcall saw as he faded away.

In the starry forest that the former SkyClan cats in StarClan called home, a fawn-colored she-cat strode forward with confidence, her long pelt brushing with the similarly-colored pelt of Deerfrost. The stars in the she-cat's pelt cascaded off of her with every jaunty step that she took, and with a great, wide grin on her face, she stopped in front of Wolfcall. The brown she-cat cleared her throat, and with a tail flick that sent a couple stars on their way, and as they winked out shortly after, she opened her mouth to speak. Wolfcall's eyes were wide and curious as her voice tickled his ears.

"You won't know me, as I come from long before your time, but my name is Fawnspirit. My mate was the one-and-only Breezestar, and as he too has joined me in the stars, he watches this ceremony as I watched every other before this one, where I was given the honor to stand before you. Truth be told, I despaired at how isolated and cut off from the other Clans that SkyClan had gotten, and that's my segue into the life I'm here to give you."

Fawnspirit's playful gaze turned a little more serious, and the grin thinned as she took a deep breath before continuing.
"I'm here to give you the life of humility. Not only does it mean taking compliments and well-wishes without letting them over-boost your ego, but it also means learning when to step back and make the choice to accept outside help. No cat can stand alone with ease, which is why we have the Clans. Additionally, Clans themselves, while made of many cats, do best when they can turn to the other four for help in their darkest hours. It is not a sign of weakness to need help, nor is it a terrible thing to have to ask for."

Wolfcall couldn't help but frown at that. Asking for help was not something he was used to, nor something he enjoyed doing, but this she-cat left no room for deliberation in her mannerisms, and so he stayed quiet - that was a bridge he'd burn when he got to it. Fawnspirit's signature grin returned to her face, and her eyes regained the playful twinkle that it had before, as she touched her nose to the leader-to-be's. The life she gave was full of aches and pains, both dull and sharp, both internal and external, and Wolfcall grunted at the sensation, but refused to pull away. The pain mounted and mounted until many more sensations joined the pain, a tail brushing against his flank sweeping some of the dull ache away, the sensation of a Clanmate sharing tongues dulling the ache of a stinging cut, and the feeling of laying next to a Clanmate easing the emotional ache deep within his chest, until the pain was gone, all swept away by the future actions of his Clanmates around him.

With the life received, Fawnspirit turned, brushing her plumed tail under Wolfcall's chin, looking back at him with a gaze that sparkled good-naturedly, and she knew that SkyClan was in good paws, as she brushed against the next cat that stepped forward in her stead.

He let out a long breath once she'd gone, wincing with the memory of the pain that was so fresh but already seemed a distant memory. In among the starry cats, a blue and black mottled she-cat stood still and silent. While other cats spoke, her green eyes didn’t seem to blink. This new leader… another new leader. So soon, and once more because a leader had left the clan. Black ears twitched and flattened, the idea that her father had some points in his ridiculous rage filled her throat with bile. She was stronger than him. Her pale throat flashed and head lifted when the cat before her returned, and she strode forward. Stars flickered in her pelt like the night sky.

If only she had a better life. She could have been beautiful. Instead she had grown up with a father that was so full of hatred it made her ache. Drove her away, broke them both, and by the time she had died, she was only a hollow shell. Full of nothing. It was Starclan itself that had healed her. Being among cats who cared, her mother… ones who had suffered as she had. In all of that, there was one thing she had carried in life.

"Wolfcall. I am Sparrowpaw.” Her voice was calm. Steady as her gaze on his tabby form. Not quite as tall, but definitely not the size of a true apprentice. She was a full queen’s height, and Wolfcall found himself troubled that she had made it to StarClan before receiving her warrior name. "You won’t know me. Neither do you know my father, Sedgestrike.” Her gaze narrowed at his name. Voice sharpened. Wolfcall noticed, and his ears flicked back in concern, but he said nothing. "What I will tell you, is that life is not easy. It is not always kind… and it can be terribly unfair.” Those green eyes relented. Her posture relaxed from tension it had held. She hadn’t known quite what to say to the young leader, but her experiences in life flooded to mind. The trials he may go through, not with just one life, but nine… "in some ways I pity you. Once you leave this place, you will no longer be the cat you were. The entire clan will depend on you. Every action, every choice.”

She padded forward, staring directly into his own amber eyes with a cutting gaze. He returned it with one just as fierce.
"It will not be easy. It will wear you down to your bones, then further. Nothing is more vicious than life itself, because it does not feel… and there will be times you want to give into it. Times you wish you could run, or hide.” she paused to let the weight of the words sink in. "A leader needs determination to face all of these things. The strength to not only not give in, but to never give up.”

Wolfcall nodded slowly. These were things he knew. Things that had troubled him long before Sparrowpaw's declaration. But they were things that he had already come to terms with. He would die for SkyClan - and probably would. The dark tom lowered his head as she approached.

"With this life, I give you determination. The strength to keep going, even when all feels like it’s the end.” her nose pressed to his, and memories flooded. Of the times she tried to please her father, the anguish of losing her loved ones, then disowning him. The determination that kept her in the clan, working endlessly to provide, even when she herself did not eat as she should. Even when the leaders never gave her the warrior name she deserved. The looks of discontent. The self-hatred of who she was. The cats who were her clan, who hated her because of her father. Under it all, the sheer determination to be with her clan. To defend and care for it, without reward. She stepped back from him. Gaze solemn with regret. Then padded back to the line without a word. Hoping SkyClan would feel it’s glory days again.

The sixth cat was a light ginger tabby, her starry pelt shining. It was her turn to give a life to Wolfcall. She was supposed to give a life to Spottedstar, actually, but she backed out at the very last second.  She stepped forward towards the tom, her amber eyes gazing into his. "You may not know me, since I died about a moon before you came out of the nursery. My name is Acornfall, a former warrior of SkyClan. With this life, I give you perseverance. Even when things look the bleakest, you have to keep on going, for SkyClan." Stepping forward, she touched noses with the former deputy. The power of the life transferred from her body to Wolfcall's, with the she-cat making sure that he received the entire life as he went along. Once the she-cat believed that the deed was done, she stepped back to make room for the next cat.