Bloodstrike's Leader Ceremony

The implication of what would happen tonight had weighed on Wolfstar for over a moon now. Since the most recent fight with Dawnhawk and his weird companion, and the loss of two lives in a single night, he'd been... torn... torn between his loyalty to StarClan, and to SkyClan. In his (what felt like) many, many moons within the forest, the dark tabby tom had never felt quite so alone, but it wasn't the cats around him, the cats who made up his clan, and his family, who instigated that feeling. No, SkyClan had supported him through a dozen bad decisions and even now, even with his practically nonexistent leadership, they were there. But the cats above him, who made up generations and generations of previous SkyClanners, who looked upon them with a watchful, deliberate eye... the cats he'd trusted to guide him as he championed their cause: SkyClan... those were the cats whose gaze he could no longer stomach being within.

His gut churned with anxiety as he lay there, curled beside Juniperlight, who was both his brother and his dearest friend, and half-closed, amber-gold eyes watched the entrance of the den as the sun began its descent. Eventually, he rose, suppressing a shiver that was more nerves than actual cold. "Juniperlight," he said softly. It would be enough to wake him, Wolfstar knew, but as he padded towards the den's exit, he added, "it's time."

Bloodstrike would be waiting for him, he knew, because Bloodstrike had always been loyal to him, even when he hadn't deserved it. That very thought, combined with the heaviness in his heart - a precursor to what he had planned for this night - dragged the leader's ears to the sides of his head. Could he really do this? Could he shift the weight of this burden to Bloodstrike's shoulders? Face it, you've already done that, a cruel voice told him. At least give him the power that goes along with it. Bitterness coated his tongue, and the gust of wind that whipped at his fur once he was outside came as a welcome respite to the anxious heat that filled his core.

His son was framed in the last of the sun's rays, sitting obediently where Wolfstar had told him they'd meet, near the camp entrance. For a moment, Wolfstar stared at him, guilt flooding his mind. His gaze strayed to the medicine den, where he knew Beechface to be resting, but he forced his paws to move away from it, and towards the deputy who had served him faithfully for far longer than he deserved. "Son," he greeted, tone level. He butted his head against the massive tom's shoulder, leaving it there just a moment longer than he usually would before continuing. "We'll be leaving as soon as Juniperlight joins us."

Bloodstrike had hardly been able to sleep after Wolfstar had requested to meet him in the morning. The deputy had followed Wolfstar to the moonstone before, but this time it felt different. When the first bit of light spread across the sky, he was on his feet and out of the warrior's den. A few cats approached Tallbranch out of habit, but then blinked in surprise as Bloodstrike walked beyond it. His heart hammered in his chest as he plopped down where Wolfstar asked him to be.

The instant he saw Wolfstar approaching, he was on his feet. At the news that Juniperlight would be coming along as well, Bloodstrike nodded and put his haunches back onto the ground. The giant tom was nervous. He kneaded at the ground beneath his paws so hard it left deep gouges in the earth. Today felt surreal... as if he was only dreaming this moment. He'd thought about this moment several times over, but now that the time had finally come he felt like he was covered in ants. He had a difficult time holding still and even a more difficult time keeping himself calm.

He kept his mouth shut and forced himself to be patient, but waiting on Juniperlight was making his anxiety worse. Didn't lives hurt to receive? He flicked his ears at the thought. Had he not endured horrendous pains in the Asylum prisons? How would that compare? Would it be worse? What if Starclan refused him and turned him away?

He hadn't exactly been a devout cat...

He took a breath and steeled his nerves. Everything would play out as it must and there was no point in worrying over it. He would deal with whatever was about to happen and endure it like a tom.

The solid black warrior awoke at his brother’s voice. His sleep had been shallow and restless. He knew of Wolfstar’s plan; he had for some time now. He would follow Wolfstar on his final journey to the Moonstone without a moment’s hesitation. Thus, when the tired leader called him to go, Juniperlight stretched his tired limbs and exited into the crisp night of camp.

Juniperlight shook the heaviness from his pelt and joined his leader and deputy close to the camp entrance. Wordlessly he stood, knowing that sitting would be pointless as they were about to set off anyway. His nephew appeared nervous. It was understandable, really, considering the responsibilities he was about to take on: a literal responsibility of paying for SkyClan’s endless crimes, among other duties such as dying multiple times. Jumiperlight’s opinion of his Clan had deteriorated. He loved them as much as the next SkyClanner, but he wasn’t fully blind yet. He could see that they would not change. What Bloodstrike chose to do with them was his business.

Juniperlight shivered.   “Shall we leave?”

Wolfstar hadn't told Bloodstrike his plans, but it was clear to him that the deputy had, to some degree, guessed at what was going on. It was, of course, no secret that Wolfstar was at the end of his rope, and had been for some time now. He'd gone to WindClan a warrior, and returned a shadow of himself, leaving the clan - and mostly Bloodstrike - to pick up his slack in the process. SkyClan's for-now Leader sat beside his son, gaze in the direction of the den that Juniperlight would exit... and he did, not long after. Wolfstar dipped his head, rising quickly to his paws and half-circling his brother, briefly curling his tail around the other tom's neck.

"Yes, let's be off."

Without waiting for a response, Wolfstar led the other two from the camp, casting one last, sorrowful glance over his shoulder. There was so much he wished he could say, so much he wished he could do, but he'd wasted enough of SkyClan's time and resources on his whims, it was time for them to have a fresh start.

* * *

The Mothermouth loomed ahead of them as dusk settled down like a blanket over the surrounding territory. Wolfstar paused, exhaling a breath that frosted in the air in front of him, and turned to watch Bloodstrike with soft eyes. "I'm not going in with you," he said gently. "But they know." He tipped his chin towards the mouth of the cavern. "We'll be here when you're done." Wolfstar - no, Wolfcall, he should get used to that name again - settled down beside his brother.

Bloodstrike swallowed once Juniperlight joined them and got to his feet to leave. He was at a loss for words and it felt like he shouldn't be. He silently followed after his father and his uncle towards Highstones. Every doubt he'd ever had resurfaced in his mind and threaten to drown him tenfold. The anxiety was suffocating. He was glad for the silence along the way, because he couldn't find it in him to speak. Bloodstrike was never one to be afraid but this was different. His one true fear was that of failure... and he was on his way to shoulder the most crushing weight of responsibility he'd ever have to endure. The weight of that failure, should he fail, would no doubt destroy him.

***

Bloodstrike had had to look eye level or lower to most cats for most of his life... yet standing before the Mothermouth made him feel small. He swallowed hard, his throat having gone dry. Was it Starclan he feared? He searched inside himself for an honest answer to the question... and the answer was sort of. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it meant he wasn't the pile of crow-food so many others thought he was. Wolfstar told him that he wasn't coming... and the deputy took in a deep breath to steel his nerves. What pain could they give him that he hadn't endured in the Asylum prison already? He needed to pull himself together!

"You've lead us well, dad. I hope I turn out to be a suitable replacement." He gave his dad a nervous smile and butted his head gently. He gave a look towards Juniperlight and gave his uncle a long stare, but one of gratefulness that he'd come along. "I'll be out soon." He turned away and entered the pitch black of the Mothermouth. He felt his way around, just as he had in his moonstone journey, and his eyes set on the moonstone once more.

The last time he'd touched his nose to that stone he'd been a very different cat... how would Starclan receive him now? He lie down in front of it and took in another large breath. His fur bristled as he leaned in... and he touched his nose to the stone.


Bloodstrike took in a breath to steady his racing heart. The stars swirled around the bottomless and topless void that he now traversed. The invisible ground that held him up nearly made him nauseous. He was nervous being in a scenario that he had literally and utterly no control over… and his typical reaction to nervousness was anger.

Then a shimmering form appeared and approached him… one that immediately banished away any ability to feel anything other than a bittersweet joy. Copperfox, his son, approached him fearlessly with a smile. His fur looked like a true precious metal bathed in a breath-taking starlight.

“Hello, father.” His eyes were like warm copper and his voice was rich and strong. He was no longer that scared, mute apprentice that Bloodstrike had trained with Dawnhawk so long ago. “With this life I grant you patience. It is a virtue for every day life, as well as an important trait for a leader to possess. Use it often.” He gave his dad the warmest smile Bloodstrike had ever seen. His sight blurred but he blinked it away stubbornly.

Then a burning pain tore through Bloodstrike that forced him to his belly. He grit his teeth and growled as he accepted the life that his son had given him. Slowly the pain ebbed away and Bloodstrike found himself taking long, deep breaths. Another starry form appeared to him and he focused his eyesight on it.

Moonshine appeared next, though her expression wasn’t as warm as Copperfox’s had been. She looked suspicious, reluctant even, but she finally began to speak.

“I haven’t forgotten that you nearly sent me to Starclan when you mistook me for my father…” She paused, but she didn’t appear to be waiting for any response from Bloodstrike. If anything she seemed to be thinking, debating within herself whether or not she truly wanted to grant him a life. Bloodstrike said nothing, though a part of him wanted to apologize. Maybe she saw it, because her gaze softened just a little before she spoke again.

“With this life I grant you Discernment. After that incident, I believe it is something you need. Judging situations, cats and even moral decisions quickly and correctly are important to being a good leader. I trust you’ll take better care of Skyclan with this life.” Another blast of electrifying pain had Bloodstrike gritting his teeth and squirming. As his pain faded away, so did Moonshine. After giving him only a moment to catch his breath and recollect himself, another starry form appeared.

Like Copperfox, this one too tugged at his heartstrings. A surge of pain came forward at the sight of Tigersong. The tom gave him an encouraging smile, but the guilt had resurfaced from his death and Bloodstrike struggled to put it behind him.

“With this life I grant you forgiveness. Not from me, though you have that, but forgiveness of others just as much as yourself. Bloodstrike, no matter how strong you are or believe you should be, you are only one cat. You make mistakes, like everyone does, and to forgive yourself is even harder than forgiving others. I want you to take this life and learn to let go. Learn to forgive.”

Another wave of pain and Bloodstrike’s eyes screwed shut. He didn’t know how much more of this he could take… but he knew he still had six lives left to go. Was three enough? Could three be enough? He thought… probably not… but still.

The next cat appeared, a she-cat he didn’t recognize. Her shimmering form stopped before him and she at least appeared to be friendly.

“I am Bright-Eye of Shadowclan. We never met, Bloodstrike, but I have followed you with interest from Starclan. With this life I grant you Inner-Peace. You’ve gone through a lot and you have a lot of reasons to feel troubled. However, your inner turmoil clouds your judgement and causes you to lash out unnecessarily towards others. I hope inner-peace helps you find your feet in life again and grounds you so that you are steadfast and strong during your leadership.” Bloodstrike braced for the pain, but it was just as bad as the first. Bright-eye faded away into the starry landscape just moments before another form appeared.


A lithe black and white warrior stepped forward. His skinny frame was reminiscent of his Windclan heritage. However, moons spent on the rough terrain of Skyclan had made his pelt less wiry, and laced it with hardened muscle. Despite being a good size smaller than Bloodstrike, he stood with his head high and the true confidence of a leader brimmed from his pelt. Rippedstar hadn't much time as the head of Skyclan, but he'd lived to serve it, and bore the burden of loss and mistakes across his shoulders during that time. It had shaped him into something drastically different from the skinny little lost apprentice who had found himself wandering Skyclan territory, battle wounds still healing on his pelt.

Now, the tom was covered in scars, his own face clawed and marred with nicked ears and crossed blemishes across his pelt. The blue eyes that regarded Bloodstrike now had been narrowed but softened slightly. This cat was his kin, one that would soon take up the mantle and carry the weight of Skyclan on his back. Bloodstrike had already faced many challenges in his moons, and this would be no different. Many coveted the position, longed for the many lives that came with it, but this was not a role for the faint of heart. Each life would be stripped away, whether deservingly so, or sacrificed in honor of the cats who had given them - the choice would be up to the dark warrior before him.

"I am Rippedstar, former leader of Skyclan before Poplarstar. I stand before you now to offer you this life... the life of humility. May you use it to remember your own place in the world, what you're here for, and who you serve." He padded forward and lifted his head to touch their noses together. This life came with a certain euphoria, an endless confidence and self assurance. Bloodstrike was made to feel as if he was the most powerful being in even the afterlife. But it was fleeting and instantly came crashing down, a crushing defeat... helplessness. Then understanding, and peace. It slowly subsided, becoming one with it's host.

"Never forget, Bloodstrike, that in order to lead, you must understand how to follow."

Bloodstrike hardly had time to recover from receiving the life from Rippedstar before another starry form approached him.

A soft rustle brushed through the trees, sighing in a tone that echoed of things lost and discovered as a streak of stars swirled up to form paws padding quietly across the ground. Pale blue eyes glowed in a softly furred, silver-and-white tabby face, her gaze holding that of the large tom’s thoughtfully. It seemed as though she knew him, even the cat he was now, rather than the younger warrior he had been when she lived.

She came to a stop before him, seeming even smaller and lithe than usual compared to his size. ”Bloodstrike. It has been quite some time since I saw you face-to-face.” A soft smile pulled at the edges of her maw, and she dipped her head. ”You have changed much, as we all do. But in some ways, you stay the same. We never knew each other well, but what I saw from afar was a strong, courageous warrior. Headstrong. Perhaps too courageous, in that he often got into battles even as an apprentice. Those battles have scarred you; your enemies have attempted to cut you into something savage and cruel. It’s your choice whether you let them, no matter your appearance now.”

A tinge of sadness touched the deep pools of her gaze, and she stood taller. ”Bloodstrike, the life I give you is one of understanding. Not just of your Clanmates, to see them and into them as they truly are, but of yourself. Understand that the heart beating within you is molded by your choices, and not those of others - that your emotions are your own, and you are the only one who can see the reflection of why they are the way they are. Understand who the tom behind the scars is, and see him for who he truly is, behind the experiences that made him.”

Reaching up, she touched her nose to his, letting the piercing light of the life burn from her veins to his - ears to tail-tip.

When it was over, she stepped back and faded once more into the crowd of StarClanners.

Bloodstrike was struggling to get his breathing under control. The only reason he wasn’t yowling and trying to fight back (aside from the fact he couldn’t move) was because he knew it would be over soon. The starry she-cat he didn’t expect to see was next. Adderflare. He blinked in surprise, and she only stared at him with her same neutral expression that he’d always seen her have. Her burn scar was gone, all replaced with how she looked before the fire and now shrouded in stars.

“With this life I give you the gift of Self-Preservation. Ironic coming from me, maybe, but my time in Starclan has given me a chance to realize a lot of things. Self-preservation is important, Bloodstrike. What rational thought was in your mind when you charged the Asylum army? None. So here, have this and live for your clan, not your irrational pride.” It was odd hearing Adderflare have a voice, her being mute since birth.

...Thanks Adderflare… Leave it to her to be blatantly honest, though on some level it was still appreciated. More pain as the life entered his body, just as agonizing as the first. Just two left… two left…

The eighth Starclan cat appeared… and his eyes opened wide. He couldn’t stop the tears from falling this time. Blossomstep approached him… and it bothered him greatly that she wore an expression of disappointment. How he wished he could press his face into her fur…

“I hold you to a high standard, Bloodstrike, and you have not been meeting it as of late.” She paused, and Bloodstrike squirmed in place, desperately wanting to speak but unable to do so. Blossomstep sighed after a moment and her face softened. “With this life I grant you empathy. It is something you reserve only for your closest family members, but in order to be a good leader, you need it for everyone. What you did to Lilacsong, Daystar and the Windclan kits in the nursery wasn’t acceptable. I want you to know that. Take this empathy, and apply it to everyone you meet, not just Skyclan. You might find you have more allies than enemies if you do this.” Blossomstep disappeared as the pain set in, this time hitting Bloodstrike what felt like was bone deep. Slowly that pain was cleared away…

The last one… A small kit... Bloodstrike didn't recognize this one at all.

"I remember kithood dreams of how great and brave my father was," a voice piped up, dark silken fur surprisingly satisfying against the navy backdrop of the stars. Twin pools of hopeful blue light landed on the massively starred tom, who looked shockingly small in the vast expanse of the stars. The she-cat smiled, something about her frame was reminiscent of the tom before her. Perhaps it was the squareness of her shoulders or the strength in her step, regardless their shared blood was instantly evident. She smiled, "and it seems that sometimes such dreams are more than the whimsy of a kit."


A purr rumbled in her chest as she padded forward, dipping her head to press it into her shoulder. Featherfall had watched him from above for so long but seeing the time who'd brought her into the world, no matter how short, prompted a wholeness that not even the peace of the afterlife had to offer. It was with these brief moments that she would bless him with a gift irreplaceable by any other thing - another life, another chance to protect innocent lives from being cut short. Bloodstrike would use it well, she trusted him to with every fiber of her being..

"No words will ever suffice, so take this instead. The life of justice is yours, Bloodstrike. Use it to bring what is right to those who threaten the sanctity of your clan's lives." Featherfall spoke clearly, and yet her voice was soft as she pulled back to meet the eyes of her father. She held his gaze for only a heartbeat before pressing her nose to his. The resulting sensation was like that of striking lightning, ripping through the muscular leader's frame and threatening to never stop. It was relentless. sure, and swift before snapping away and leaving him with a sense of relief, peace.


"Skyclan is in your paws, hold it well." With that, she slowly dipped her head, as if not wanting to drag her paws away. Featherfall faded into the backdrop to allow the next cat to take her place. Her tail whisked as she did, a hint of sorrow touching her joyful features. Perhaps she and her father would meet again someday. Eventually, they would share an eternity.

That kit... that had been the one Dawnhawk killed in the nursery... Once the pain had subsided... he was all too aware of the hot tears that rushed down his face. What a beautiful soul Featherfall had been... For her to have had her life cut short so early was more tragic than Bloodstrike could handle at this given moment. The stars receded.... and he was once again in the Mothermouth. He jerked his head away from the moonstone and sat up quickly, heavily breathing. A new kind of energy surged through his veins. He was no longer Bloodstrike...

Bloodstar had taken his first breath as the new leader of Skyclan.



Bloodstar stepped out of the mouthermouth into the light of the stars and the moon above. His eyes landed on Juniperlight and Wolf...call. "It's finished. It went... better than I expected it to." Well, in terms of Starclan not striking him down and sending him to the Dark Forest at least. The pain was still fairly... horrible. "Let's go home." He probably should rest when he got there, but he had at least one announcement to be made when he arrived at camp. Hopefully he would begin leading Skyclan into a positive light and build comradery. Hopefully he could make the other clans think twice about ever tangling with Skyclan.

He would do anything to keep them safe and thriving... and he would let the whole forest know.

It had been some time since Juniperlight made the journey from SkyClan camp to Highstones. He was not as young as he was then, just a ‘paw who was on the cusp of warriorhood. His muzzle and paws were sprinkled with silver hairs. Still, the tom dutifully kept up with Wolfstar and Bloodstrike, taking quicker steps with his shorter legs but not letting the difficulty be betrayed by his breath.

His yellow eye followed the future leader after they approached the Mothermouth. Juniperlight returned Bloodstrike’s stare with a slow blink. “You have already made us all proud.” He murmured to the tabby’s back in his soft voice. Unbeknownst to Bloodstrike—Bloodstar soon—this night would not end the way he thought. Even Juniperlight did not know what to expect; the massive tabby’s reaction to the brothers’ news would be… unpredictable.

—

Curled close to Wolfcall, Juniperlight’s bones didn’t feel so cold. The rock beneath them had warmed up considerably. His eye was half-lidded. An onlooker would be unable to tell if the black tom was stone or flesh if it weren’t for the slow, steady breaths that visibly furled around his nose in the dimming moonlight. The darkness of Mothermouth stirred. The mighty leader, fresh with the vigor of unknown power, was lit in pale silver fire. The old warriors rose to greet him, and he announced that their journey home was to begin. A yellow eye slid from Bloodstar to Wolfcall and then back.

“Well met, Bloodstar. You have my love and admiration. But we will not be returning with you.”

Wolfcall felt it, the moment that Bloodstrike became Bloodstar. He'd expected that... to somehow feel heavier, with the threat of mortality returned to him, but to the contrary, he felt... lighter, so much so that it drew a near-silent gasp from the aged tom. His ears flicked back, and worry plagued him suddenly. What if StarClan rejected him? Bloodstrike had never exactly been devout. What if SkyClan just, didn't have a leader anymore? Those thoughts kept him awake, and reluctantly alert despite the exhaustion dragging at his limbs, and the feel of Juniperlight resting beside him suggesting he do the same. They had a long journey ahead of them, and it did no one any favors for Wolfcall to be needlessly weary, but he couldn't force himself to relax... until...

When Bloodstrike rejoined them, it was clear he'd been, blessedly, incorrect. There was an aura about the tom that spoke power, moreso than usual, and when he spoke, confirming that he had in fact received his nine lives... then Wolfcall allowed himself to sag in relief. "I am proud of you. More so than you could ever imagine."

Juniperlight relayed his congratulations as well, and then dropped the news that the two of them would not be returning to SkyClan. Wolfcall closed his eyes briefly, but before his son had the chance to react, he attempted to explain. "Bloodstar... my son..." The grief in his expression was clear as day, and every fiber of his being wanted to wind himself around Bloodstar and plead for understanding, and even for forgiveness, but he hung back, unwilling to encroach on the new leader's space.

"I told you I'd never abandon you, the same way Spottedstar abandoned us," he said quietly. "And I hope that my being here, that this..." he looked around, finally letting his gaze linger on the stars as he continued. "...is proof enough of that." Tears stung his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He'd cried enough for a lifetime, already. "But I can't stay here. Not after..." he trailed off, shaking his head. "Not anymore." The truth was, Dawnhawk haunted his every waking moment... every time he closed his eyes, he could feel teeth snapping on his throat, could picture those icy, indifferent eyes watching him die, over and over... and every time the scent of blood carried to him on the wind, he immediately wondered which of his loved ones Dawnhawk had killed, this time.

"The forest has never been kind to SkyClan," he told him, voice barely above a whisper. "I used to think there was a reason for it... bad leadership... bad luck, perhaps. But now I know the truth. SkyClan doesn't belong here, and never will. So Juniperlight and I are leaving. And if we find a place, any place, where SkyClan can thrive... I will return for you, for our family... I love you, my son... and I know you will lead the clan better than I ever did. So I beg of you, don't hate me for this. But I understand if you do."

Bloodstar blinked in surprise when Juniperlight spoke. "You... what? We?" Wolfcall began to speak then and Bloodstar just listened. He was normally very good about not showing his emotions, but to see the pain so clear in Wolfcall's eyes, his father's eyes, made him feel as if his chest had been crushed by a stone. Wolfcall continued to talk, and Bloodstar had no intention of interrupting him until he'd finished. To hear that he agreed Spottedstar's leaving was a clear sign of abandonment wasn't something he was prepared to hear. It drew a breath from the giant tom.

"But I can't stay here. Not after..."

Bloodstar understood. He didn't need to finish. Once Wolfcall and stopped speaking, Bloodstar approached him and set his chin atop his father's head. A purr rumbled in his throat, though it was borne more from sorrow than happiness.

"We've had our disagreements, but I could never hate you. I only got here because of you, and I don't mean because you named me your deputy. I know how to hunt because of you. I know how to fight because of you. I know how to be a Skyclan cat because of you." He gave a soft, sad chuckle and his eyesight began to blur. "I am alive because of you. Mom too, obviously."

He pulled away and breathed until the knot in his chest settled.

"Just... come back. No matter where Skyclan ends up, there will always be a spot for the both of you." He looked at Juniperlight again and approached him. He butt his head gently against his uncle's and held it there for a few seconds. He understood why they wanted to go, and he was happy that they were going to keep each other company.

So why did it feel like thorny vines were constricting his breathing?

"Good luck on your search. If you happen to run into Spottedleap along the way... let him know he can come back too, if he ever wanted to." He had no idea if his grandfather was even alive, but on the off chance they saw him, he hoped the message would be passed along.

Bloodstar backed away from his uncle and his father to give them their space. If there was anything else either of them wished to say, he would wait. If not, then they would say their goodbyes and Bloodstar would be on his way.

Alone.

Wolfcall sank into Bloodstar's touch, his eyes closing briefly in relief. His biggest fear was that the new leader would hate him... and the assurance that he didn't was another weight off his now-frail shoulders. As the scarred tom moved away, Wolfcall followed half the distance. "Son, wait..." he paused, searching for the words before continuing. "I'm leaving you with a decision that I shouldn't be... but it can't be helped. I know Briarthorn hurt you by lying, I know she put SkyClan in danger, but don't make a rash decision because you're in pain." He fell silent again, long tail twitching softly.

"Minkstar and I agreed, tentatively, to surrender Briarthorn to ThunderClan... not for execution, but for... a sort of work... order? To make amends." He shook his head. "It doesn't matter, though. Don't do it. We owe them nothing, and neither does Briarthorn. She was protecting her kits. Your kits. And I'd have plunged my fangs into the neck of any warrior who threatened you, my son. Without a second thought." He moved forward, pressing his forehead against Bloodstar's briefly. "You are my greatest legacy... you are SkyClan's future. I know you'll do what you believe is right, and that's all I can ask."

Pulling back, he returned to Juniperlight's side, brushing his tail across his brother's flank. "I am ready."