Faded Hope [Shadowclan Finale]

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The stars have appeared in the sky! StarClan is coming down to the forest to assist. All sacrifices have been notified, and are given one post for their transformation into ghosts. When the sacrifices have turned into ghosts, StarClan cats are allowed to post and lead the charge against the Dark Forest.

As a reminder, Dark Forest stats can be found here and the StarClan stats can be found here. Medicine Cats with the appropriate rank will give their allies a Defending Buff. Please keep all battle rules in mind during the fight.

Additionally, given that May 8 is Mother’s Day, we are granting a special continuance for posts around that time. Any posts made from 9PM EST Saturday (May 7) to 9PM EST Sunday (May 8) will have a 48-hour continuance for responses rather than the typical 24-hour rule. Any posts made before or after the allotted time will still have the 24-hour response rule in place.

OOC: Posted this earlier when some of us were moving too fast. It belongs here.

Snowfoot was stunned. After several moments of silence, she let out a primal yell. Seriously, no words, just a joyous scream. StarClan!

Fuzzypaw kept his eyes on Duskflight, walking towards him. The inky dark was demoralizing to say the least.

He stared at the full moon, whispering to himself. StarClan, please, you told me that it was possible, that we could be free again…

Then, before his very eyes, the sky became spotted with light. Feeble at first, but growing and growing ever broader, ever brighter.

“You’ve come back…”

He was frozen in place, jaw open. He knew Basilbloom told him about starry skies at night, but he never lived that experience. And then, blinking at them underneath, a show of support. That the sky wasn’t meant to swallow the Clans whole, but to be lead by stars instead.

He noticed his son's paw steps, and he briefly smiled, greeting the medicine cat apprentice in response. Then, out of the blue, as if a miracle has happened — something was changing. The sky began to morph into lighter, sparkling shades of blue — and... StarClan? He blinked.

His eyes opened, and he wasn't dreaming. StarClan was returning. Immediately, he rose, head now gazing up at the stars in relief — and a mix of emotions spiraling in him. Would Ratrunner, Loudnose, and Ivycreek all see this, too...? There was a soft gasp at their sudden return, but he was glad they were. He'd nearly given up hope.

A warm grin spread across his maw as he stood closer to Fuzzypaw, spirits now lightened with sparks of hope. "StarClan. They're back."

Deerleap sat down beside Sootwhisker, licking his cheek softly. her heart drummed loudly in her chest as she waited...

suddenly, fatigue tugged at her and she stumbled back, shocked. wariness dragged her eyelids down. using all her efforts, Deerleap starred at the starry sky. Starclan, don't waste this sacrifice. her amber eyes dimmed as her white fur faded slowly to match the starry night sky. "Sootwhisker," she murmured, her pelt shimmering like stars.

Thud.

Instinctively, his head turned — just on the brink of the moment, enough to see his daughter fall and collapse down to the ground.

What?
Was this what StarClan wanted?

It was as if the world had slowed down. The stars no longer mattered to him, not at this moment. His teeth gritted, ears flattened down as he ran to his daughter, Deerleap. "No, no no no—" He gasped, lowering himself down. And he watched as he helplessly saw her fading away in front of his eyes — her pelt becoming starry and clear, her body no longer so alive and well as it was before.

Why?

They've taken his friends away from him. His mate — and now his daughter. What were they going to take next? Bittersweet, overflowing emotions took the best of him as he sobbed, burying his face into what had disappeared. Into thin air — as his daughter had just faded into the stars, becoming one of them. He'd never thought this was possible. He shivered, a numb, yet so overwhelming sense of grief, fear, and anger opposing each other all at once.

If StarClan were truly so-called 'saviors', why hadn't they taken him instead of Deerleap? Why pull out others from his world — one by one?
"Goodbye, Deerleap," He managed to whisper, his head lowering down before he gave a bittersweet glance at the stars. At StarClan. Would things ever go back to normal? He wasn't sure.

Snowfoot also turned when she heard the thud. Her heart pounded in her chest. “No no no no Deerleap! Deerleap, what’s happening?” She remained dry-eyed as Deerleap faded away, in too much shock to cry. “Guide her, Mother,” Snowfoot whispered.

Sootwhisker felt an odd sense of calm surging through him as he stared at the sky. It was time. He'd already accepted the reality that he wouldn't ever see his clan again, but it would be worth it if he could do this one last thing for them. If he had to give his life in order to grant the clans freedom, then so be it. He gave a long sigh, the warmth of his mate at his side already starting to fade. Starclan, take care of them... He pleaded silently.

He went down shortly after Deerleap, grief slicing through him like razor sharp claws at the sight of her body slumped beside him. No, not you too.. He wanted to yowl, but it was too late. He shuddered one final time before going still, his eyes closing slowly, his body fading.

Snowfoot gasped. “No, not you too! What about Leopardsun and Vixenpaw! You two have KITS!”

Deerleap was dead, as surely as her corpse now lay on the ground, cold and unmoving. For a moment, the air around her was just as still. Then, it stirred. A light wind picked up, and from it, a shape began to form. Slowly, what looked like a wispy spirit became solid, seemingly drawing power from Deerleap's immobile form. It was a cat. A fluffy russet she-cat, dappled with dark red, her pelt gleaming with the same stars that were now beginning to appear all over the sky. Her forest-green eyes opened after a moment of contemplation. "And now I complete the cycle... Firestone gave his life for the Clans. Now, I will accept Deerleap's sacrifice and give up my eternal rest, to save my Clan from eternal darkness. It is only right." Her voice was low for a moment as she looked down, accepting what had to be done.

Then, fully solid now, the she-cat stepped away from Deerleap's corpse, and leapt onto the Jaggedrock beside Frostgaze. "My name is Redwing," she proclaimed, her voice sounding far more assured than she felt. "I was deputy of ShadowClan many moons ago. We have heard your prayers, Frostgaze... StarClan has clawed our way out of the shadows to return. Fight with us now, and free yourselves." She touched her nose to the fluffy white tom's, and then leapt off of the Jaggedrock and into the center of camp. Redwing had died fighting before... and now she would do so again. Where were these Dark Forest scum? She would tear every last one of them out of her precious Clan so that all the others could rest in safety. Deerleap and Sootwhisker's sacrifices would not be in vain.

Nightstalker's head whipped to see Deerleap drop to the ground, as well as Sootwhisker his apprentice, sink to the ground. Nightstalker's heart sank, was this the price to bring back the stars? Nightstalker bounded and cleared the span of camp in an instant as he hovered over his apprentice's fading body, his jaw clenched in grief as he saw his clan-mates perish before his eyes. Nightstalkers misty-eyed gaze followed the Starclan cat as she rose from where Deerleap lay dead. "We will make every one of these lives count, no matter." He swore, vengeance the only thing on his mind now, the thoughts and awe of Starclan's return, turning bittersweet.

As his mate's voice floated up to him, Frostgaze looked down, finding his gaze. "...Hi." He wasn't sure what to say. What could he say? He knew what was about to happen, yet was duty-bound to hold his tongue and prevent any preemptive strikes against their oppressors. His tail smacked against the Jaggedrock as he laid there, watching his clan.

Then there was light. Beautiful pinpricks of light. The stars.

The deputy looked down once again, having been distracted. The two sacrifices, his clanmates. They had died, crumpled to the ground and taken on the shimmering appearance of the dead... of the proper dead. Starclan was back. Rising, Frostgaze looked around, trying to figure out what to say. Suddenly, a reddish cat with stars in her pelt appeared near the dead body of Deerleap. Soon enough, she had leaped upon the Jaggedrock with him. Jaw set, he listened to every word.

Redwing's nose touched his, and he closed his eyes for a moment. He had figured out what to say now.

"Shadowclan!" Frostgaze moved to the edge of the Jaggedrock as Redwing leaped down. "Fight! Fight to be free of our oppressors! Follow our ancestors into battle, and we will be the victors!" Leaping down from the Jaggedrock himself, Frostgaze positioned himself near Webshadow, awaiting the first blows to be struck.

Murkystar's spirit had lingered, padding around camp and watching silently as her clan had struggled more and more against the cruel claws of the dark forest. She had tried to communicate, but nothing came, and she could no longer hear those she loved. Something was different tonight though, the air in camp charged. In a sudden burst, the stars appeared once more, and as her sight flooded with the light from them she was filled with a sudden grief at the realization of what needed to happen. When she became leader, she had sworn to do everything to protect her clan, to defend them with all of her lives. Now, more than ever before, was the time to do that. Deerleap fell, and soon after Sootwhisker followed. Both warriors she had watched be born and grow, and had named herself only a few moons ago. Lowering her head to briefly mourn their sacrifice, she mewed, slightly surprised to hear her voice echoing after Redwing. "I accept Sootwhisker's sacrifice for his clan, and I make my own. I forfeit my remaining lives and eternal rest among the stars to rid my clan of the darkness that grasps it." As her body solidified, whiskers twitching with unspoken grief, she opened her eyes and looked to Frostgaze. "I fight alongside you for a final time." She mewed, stepping towards him and taking a defensive stance next to her deputy... ShadowClan's next leader. Her heart longed to search for Mistyfalcon, Batglow, her kits... But she knew they would see each other before it was over.

Murkystar:
80/80 HP
170/170 SP

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Webwhisper sighed as things seemed to take a turn, growling as the stars emerged. Those pesky mousebrains didn't seem to understand that they had lost, just like the clan the died for. Two cats fell immediately, and she scoffed. Still taking from the living to suit their own needs... What a joke. As two cats formed next to the sacrifices, she couldn't stop herself from cackling. What a twist, StarClan had used the sacrifices to bring back some of their own ranks... This would be a treat. As the clan was called to battle, just charged forward, claws finding their target in Frostgaze's pelt.

Webwhisper used Dishonorable Charge, dealing 12 damage and costing 20 SP. Frostgaze is stunned for two turns.

Webwhisper:
100/100 HP
160/180 SP

Frostgaze: Stunned 2 Turns
58/70 HP (-12)
160/160 SP

Swiftheart saw her old apprentice deerleap fall to the ground and right after sootwhisker as well... Her stomach dropped as she ran over to them "noooo.... deerleap... sootwhisker" she cried standing beside them hoping that this was not real somehow.

All at once the stars all were back and there was her mother Murkystar!

"Mom!?" there was so much going on and she didnt even know what was happening