Shrikestar's Leader Ceremony

Heading to the Moonstone, Shrikestorm walked confidently, but inside he felt like there was a weight atop his heart. Goldenstar had fallen too ill to continue being leader, and it was his turn to take on the mantle. He was ready, but he was also nervous. There was that inkling in the back of his mind: what if StarClan didn't accept him? He couldn't think like that, though. His clan was depending on him as their next leader. They couldn't be let down.

Shrikestorm touched his nose to the Moonstone and immediately fell asleep. When he woke up, he was standing on a long stretch of moor, the grass going out as far as the eye could see. The stars were shining bright overhead, as if they were getting closer. The deputy gasped as the stars indeed got closer, raining down to the ground and forming the shapes of a group of cats. They stood in a semicircle around Shrikestorm, and he could only look at them in awe. It had been awhile since he had come face to face with StarClan.

“Hello there, Shrikestorm.” One cat stood out from the rest, greeting him with a smile. “My name is Hawktalon.” I roamed these moors many, many moons before your time, and now I get the honor of welcoming you to your ceremony. But first, the not so fun part.” Suddenly he was right in front of Shrikestorm, slicing claws across the deputy’s throat.

Shrikestorm gasped, but no blood flowed from the wound. In fact, there was no wound at all. The claws just went right through him, but at the same time something felt different. It was as if his life had been stripped away from him, and he was just… there. “Prepare yourself for the lives we’re going to give you, Shrikestorm. Brace yourself for any pain or sorrow you may feel. You will come out of this a stronger cat.” He then returned to the other cats, disappearing in a shimmering of stars.

“Greetings Shrikestorm.” A lone cat came out from the mingling of stars, his pelt the same shade of brown as Shrikestorm’s. He already knew who this cat was: Falconstar, the leader they still spoke of generations after his leadership. He felt a sense of awe surround his body, but he made sure to stand tall. “I’m glad to see you here, though I wish it were under better circumstances.” It didn’t need to be said what Falconstar meant. Ever since Shrikestorm could remember, WindClan had churned through leaders like freshkill. Hopefully he could bring some stability to the position.

“Are you ready to receive your lives?” Shrikestorm nodded, as prepared as he could be. He was ready, though: he could feel it deep in his bones. He had thought about being leader ever since he was a kit. Wasn’t that what all kits dreamed of, though? Now he was about to live that dream, and he was excited, nervous, and more emotions than he could name. “With this first life I give you loyalty. To your clan, to your clanmates, to the code. I know how loyal you’ve been through these troubling times, Shrikestorm. Make sure not to falter now.”

He gently touched his muzzle against Shrikestorm’s head, and he felt like his entire body was being stretched out. He gasped as he blinked, then saw the entirety of WindClan beneath him. Every cat he had to protect, every speck of land he needed to defend. It was all there within his grasp. He held on tightly, or at least he felt like he was. He would protect everything that was WindClan, and he would not sway from his dedication to them. Then Falconstar pulled away, smiling as he stepped back into the menagerie of stars.

“Stay loyal, Shrikestorm.”

The next cat to step out looked very similar to Falconstar, another child of the great leader: Eaglethorn. Stars shone across his muscles as he walked towards Shrikestorm, and his mere presence gave the deputy pause. “With this life, I give you strength. When I was alive, I let nothing stand in the way of protecting WindClan. If that meant using my strength to take a life, then that life would have to be taken.” He touched his muzzle to Shrikestorm’s head, and he was nearly driven into the ground with the feelings of power and vengeance that were coursing through his veins. He could see the Dark Forest again, the Asylum, all manners of evil cats that had plagued the forest. And he saw himself clawing his way through them, each slice only increasing his power. When Eaglethorn moved away, it took all Shrikestorm had to stay on his paws. “Do not hesitate, Shrikestorm. WindClan is the clan you serve, and you have sworn to protect it. Do not let anything else get in your way.”

Shrikestorm’s body already felt full and weighed down. Could he really take any more of this? He had to, though. This was for WindClan. So he stood tall, awaiting his next life. That life would come from a familiar face.

The she-cat who sat with her tail curled around her paws was lean and wiry, with long legs suited to running the moors though what little there was of Windclan blood flowing through her veins was beyond diluted and may as well have been lost to time for all that the living knew about it. Starlight shimmered across her pale fur that darkened slightly to soft, warm gray tabby markings at her extremities. Rising from where she sat with a fluffy black and white she-cat and a long-furred marbled apprentice who resembled her father more than either her half-sister or mother, Swiftspirit approached.

White paws made no sound as she stepped forward, greeting Shrikestorm with a wave of her tail and a small, sad smile. Strange how the Asylum-born she-cat had come to view Windclan as home after all. She’d fought for them, bled for them, and only regretted that she had died before she could help drive off the Dark Forest. Her daughter had sacrificed herself for the clan, and Swiftspirit couldn’t have been more proud. She would have done the same, given the chance. Instead she’d haunted Windclan’s camp as a ghost for the better part of a moon. She had hoped that Goldenstar would give Windclan the stability they desperately needed, but her friend hadn’t recovered from losing a life while the Dark Forest ruled. And now Windclan would claim another leader. Their, what, fourth, fifth since she had joined them?

“Can’t say I envy you, Shrike.” Her whiskers twitched in grim amusement. Had Eris told her that this was where she would wind up as a kit all those moons ago, giving a life to a Windclan leader after spilling her blood, sweat and tears for the very cats the Asylum had tried to take over, she might have called her mother crazy.

“You were one of the few who were actually wary of me when I joined Windclan, Shrikestorm, but you also gave me a chance despite the origin I kept hidden for so long. I thank you for that. You were always willing to put the clan first, no matter the situation.” She mewed, coming to a stop in front of the brown tabby. “With this life I give you clear judgment.” Perhaps if she’d been more careful, she would have been alive rather than standing here, reaching forward to touch her nose to Shrikestorm’s.

The life she gave was one of pain, of experience. Bitter regret for allowing herself to be drawn in by Raisha’s words, rather than holding her tongue and de-escalating the situation as she should have done instead. The agony she had felt as teeth had ripped through her throat faster than even she could move. Her grief as she’d risen a ghost days later, unable to hear as two of her kits earned their warrior names and unable to interact with or comfort her beloved clanmates. The pain she’d felt knowing that Mistysky haunted the camp with her. All she could do was watch as they suffered, watch as they fought. Shrikestorm felt it all, barely able to keep his muzzle shut as the pain and grief flowed through him. It was overbearing, but he bore it all the same.

“Good judgment is born of experience and watching the poor decisions of others. Always consider your options before you act blindly. Don’t let anger cloud your thoughts.” Don’t make the same mistake I did at the end, her gaze seemed to implore.

“You’ll lead them well, Shrikestorm. I better not see you here in a few moons, you hear me? Now more than ever Windclan needs some sort of stability.” With those words, she gently flicked him with her tail and turned away, padding back to her daughters.

Through icy blue eyes, Silentstrike watched from the sidelines as Shrikestorm began receiving his lives. Wise words spoken from various cats reminded Silentstrike of when he was still a warrior, and even an elder, and used those very principles to guide him through life. Now, just as he had done several times in the past, he’d be bestowing a bit of wisdom upon the soon-to-be leader before him. Once it was his turn, he slowly approached the tom and dipped his head respectfully. ”Shrikestorm, you never knew me in life, but I have spent moons watching you from above. Your qualities of leadership will lead WindClan into a new era, and I can only hope that it will be a good one. The Forest has never gone easy on anyone- new things will be thrown your way constantly. Do not try to control them, because you will find nothing but failure. Instead, control your reactions, the way your Clan responds, and think carefully about how you will proceed. If you take the time to focus on how you will learn and grow from these setbacks, you’ll find more success than if you simply dwell on them. So, with this life I grant you adaptability. Use it so that your Clan may never fear the unknown. Remember that progress is not true progress, if it does not honor tradition. You will do great things, Shrikestorm. Don’t doubt yourself or those who support you.”

Shrikestorm could feel the sting of anxiety tugging at his heart. It made him feel as if everything was going wrong at once, but there was something else there. Something that made his heart strong enough to overcome that anxiety. It was the knowledge that his clan relied on him to make the tough decisions. It would be up to him to guide them, to lead them through the unknown. He would have to toughen up to make those choices, and he knew that he could do it.

The next cat seemed partially faded, as if she had been there for a long time. Stll, her existence commanded respect. ”I never expected to be here again.” The gray she-cat said. ”To be chosen to give so many lives in this time period.” Racconstar said, studying the future leader in front of her. ”I have watched you for a while now, and you remind me of someone I know, someone who was strong, and willing to help his clan however he saw fit. Of course he wasn’t without his faults. Everyone has them, even you.”

The former leader stood taller, finally realizing she needed to introduce herself once again. ”My name is Raccoonstar, leader after Stormstar, and leader before Falconstar. It’s been moons since I have been alive but I watch over Windclan all the same, and I hope Windclan will be as strong as it can be under your guidance.”

She had done enough talking. It was time to get to the actual reason why this tom was here. Carefully she placed her muzzle on the tom’s head. [color=firebrick]”Without more delay.. With this life I give you faith, just as I gave him. To have faith in us as we guide you through the hardest times, to have faith in those around you to help keep the clan in shape.”[color] She said. ”Most importantly to have faith in yourself, to choose the best for your clan.”

Shrikestorm could feel it: the faith in himself as well as his clanmates. As long as he held that faith, he - and they - could do anything. He felt stronger knowing that, and he couldn’t help but smile as the life was given to him.

After the life had been given, she stepped back. Ice blue eyes taking in his form once again. ”Lead them well. They need you now.” She told Shrikestorm before joining the others once again.

Sagepaw watched silently as cats much older than her, most of whom she’d never met in life, came forward to grant Shrikestorm his lives. She wasn’t quite sure how to feel about being in Starclan, something she’d once thought was confined to her mother’s stories. It was familiar and unfamiliar all at once, but she felt a strange sense of comfort being able to watch over her clanmates from a distance. While the thought of never becoming a warrior stung, when she thought about the alternative, giving her life so that her clan could be safe was worth it. Another starry warrior stepped back, and finally, it was Sagepaw’s turn. In the presence of such noble cats with wisdom to spare, she felt inexperienced in comparison. Still, she trotted forward with quick steps, her head held high.

”Greetings, Shrikestorm. I may not have known you well in life, but any cat could see how much you care for our clanmates. Never let go of that.” She met Shrikestorm’s gaze with unflinching brown eyes, pausing only for a heartbeat before continuing.

”With this life, I give you selflessness. Use it well, as sacrifice is sometimes necessary for survival.” Shrikestorm had to bend down so she could touch his head with her muzzle, but when she did, he felt as if he could do anything. The strength to give up his own lives for his clanmates went through his body, until he felt a surprising surge of power. He couldn’t think of himself: he had to put his clanmates first, and beyond everything else, he knew that he would do so. With that, she slipped back among the other warriors, her pelt glinting with stardust as she went.

Burningwolf watched the cats before her carefully through her multi-colored eyes. Her once bright, fiery pelt riddled with scars was now duller in the sense it was muted by the stars. A tiny golden kit played at her paws happily, oblivious to the importance surrounding her. With a soft paw, Burningwolf settled the kit as she leaned down to whisper some directions. Standing back up, the kit settled into a nap against her paws and lower stomach, finally settling. She twitched in her sleep, but was no longer even the minor disturbance she was before.

It was odd to Burningwolf. If one would have asked her in life, back when she was in SkyClan, she would never have told them she would be giving a WindClan leader a life. Even when she was accepted into WindClan full-heartedly by Finchstar, she would have never believed she would be so accepted by the clan to be bestowed this honor.

The warrior would never have turned it down. Justice was something so deeply ingrained in her, was the guiding force of her entire life, that she simply needed to pass it on to Shrikestorm, soon to be Shrikestar, so perhaps he too would accept a cat such as herself and her mate, Lightfang.

It was finally her time and she carefully picked her way over Flickerkit to face the future leader head on. As she walked, her SkyClan-given back legs were evident, and her strong shoulders were a stark reminder she wasn’t born to his lineage. But she had died for WindClan, and she claimed WindClan as hers.

”I stand before you as SkyClan born, yet WindClan claimed. Before you were born, I was faced with giving up the life I knew for what was right. When Starlingpaw, the apprentice killed by Tinystar in their own camp for his father’s crimes, came to me in my dream I had to stand up for what was right. Guided by StarClan, I brought justice upon Tinystar by taking a life of his for the one he took. Fearing for my mate and I’s safety, I fled to WindClan for refuge. Finchstar recognized the injustice done, and took us in.”

She paused her speech, vividly remembering those moments. And feeling the emotions she was about to give the future leader. ”With this life, I give you the life of justice. Use it to guide your paws to make the right decisions in your politics, and recognize those who stand up for it no matter the cost.” She reached up and pressed her nose to his, closing her eyes as she did so. This life would not be one of comfort. The pain she felt when making the decision would flow through him. A piercing one, and yet one that felt like his muscles were being torn apart from the chest down. It left her panting before, she wouldn’t doubt it would happen to him.

Shrikestorm shut his eyes tight as piercing, blinding pain hit him like a monster on the Thunderpath. Justice was not a pleasant thing: it was harsh, and it was absolute. He took it just as he took his other lives, though, forcing his eyes open. He knew that he would bear the pain of the decisions he made in the best interests of WindClan, for the sake of justice.

After a brief moment, Burningwolf stepped back with a head dip out of respect. The starry warrior turned and headed back to her stirring kit. After giving Flickerkit some soothing head licks, Burningwolf resumed her seated position to watch the rest of the ceremony.

It had been so long since Ashstar walked the moors that the she-cat was beginning to fade slightly around the edges. Not as much as Raccoonstar, who was far older, but barely enough to be noticeable. Either way, this was her duty as leader, and something she would continue to do; giving lives to those who would take charge of her beloved Clan was one of her favorite parts of being in StarClan. While she enjoyed spending time with Icestorm, Lightfoot, and her posterity, she often spent time gazing down restlessly on the world below... and never moreso than when the Dark Forest returned once more. She had thought they were well and truly defeated, after they were driven out of the forest for the first time. However, they had returned, including one of her old enemies Lionfur, and nearly torn her Clan to shreds. The lives lost made her want to weep. Yet, all was now as well as it could be, despite Goldenstar’s untimely death. Now, it was time for the cycle to begin anew, and another leader to receive their lives.

The regal gray she-cat stepped forward, stars burning through her pelt more vibrantly than ever with StarClan’s return to power. Her light green eyes crinkled in a familiar smile. ”Hello, Shrikestorm,” she began, a motherly warmth radiating from her voice. ”My name is Ashstar. I led WindClan long before your time... incidentally, the first time that the Dark Forest attempted to take over the Clans. I never imagined that they would return and attempt to wreak havoc once more.” Face falling for a moment, she shook her head. ”Thanks to the valiant efforts of your Clanmates accepting our help, however, all is once again right. While the lives that were lost cannot be regained again, those spirits who have been banished should stay so for a very, very long time-- if not forever.”

Her smile returned. ”But as always, I digress. Forgive me... it is nice to speak with the living. Still so young and full of the vibrancy of physical existence.” Ashstar stepped closer to the deputy, her starry gaze looking deeply into his. ”I am not here to chat-- I am here to give you a life. My gift to you is the life of compassion. While it is easy to judge others based on what they say and do, nothing is simply black and white. Remember that all cats have just as many nuanced thoughts and opinions as you, and no one can be reduced to a single character trait. Life has been hard for every single kit, apprentice, warrior, and leader during these past few moons. As you ascend to your new position, please remember to have compassion for those who may seem vengeful or despairing. After all... it is our compassion that makes us truly alive.” The leader bent down and touched Shrikestorm’s nose with her own.

Shrikestorm thought he had gotten through the toughest parts of his ceremony, but there was still pain to come. Compassion was not warm either: it was tough, and it was painful. He could feel seething rage, betrayal, to the cats who had taken the lives of his clanmates. To the clanmates who had betrayed them, to the other clan cats who had disrespected his clan. At the end, however, he felt a relief of kindness warm him like a mother’s fur. His eyes widened at the feeling, taking away all the pain and anger he had just experienced.

With the life transferred, Ashstar stepped back. It seemed like ages ago that she had stood in that position, nervous and shaky, but determined to lead her Clan. Now, it would be Shrikestorm’s turn. ”Lead them well, Shrikestorm,” she said softly. ”They will need a strong, decisive leader... but be gentle with them.” And with that, she vanished into the crowd of stars.

Life 9) Ivystar (Maple) - Dignity

Though slightly out of place among the many star-speckled cats around her, a regal silver tabby stepped out from the line of StarClanners awaiting their chance to give a life. This was an opportunity for those who had an important message, something the up-and-coming leader needed to hear, to deliver their words in the form of a life. So, despite her stark lack of WindClan heritage, Ivystar made her way toward Shrikestorm, emerald green eyes sparkling. She simply nodded briefly, although not quite curt, in greetings to the tom. ”In your time as a warrior, I’m sure you saw me enough to recognize me now, Shrikestorm. In case you don’t, though, my name is Ivystar, second of my name and from a long line of RiverClan leaders. To say that I have significant experience in leadership, as the daughter of a leader and as a leader myself, is an understatement. You’ve received a myriad of excellent lives and wisdom today, Shrikestorm, but I implore you to use this final one in everything that you do, including executing the gifts from lives prior.”

Stepping forward slightly, Ivystar made unwavering eye contact with the tom. [color=#33cccc]”With this life, I give you dignity. No decision you ever make will be respected, by your Clanmates nor the rest of the Clans, if you do not have confidence and respect in yourself. Not everyone will agree with everything you do, but that matters not - as long as they respect what you do, you’ll find that you will be successful in your efforts, no matter what they may be. Stay steadfast in your beliefs, but remember that you serve your Clan, not the other way around. I trust that you will do well in leadership, Shrikestorm, so long as you abide by the qualities and wisdom that have been bestowed upon you today.”[color] Ivystar then stepped forward, touching her nose to the tom’s gently, feeling the power flow from herself and into WindClan’s new leader.

Shrikestorm was ready for his final life. Though his body felt heavy, he knew he could handle the pain and anguish that came with this life. Dignity was something he always strived for, and he could feel it through the pain. His decisions may not always be popular, or loved by every member of the clan, but as long as WindClan was safe, he would stand by them.

After a brief moment, Ivystar lifted her head and took a step back to view the new leader. ”Shrikestorm, you’ve received the nine lives of a leader, so I may greet you by your new name. From this day onward, you shall be known as Shrikestar, Leader of WindClan. Go on, now, you’ve got a Clan to lead.” With that, Ivystar begrudgingly joined the gathered cats behind her in celebration of the new leader.

A chorus rang out among the group of star-speckled cats. “Shrikestar! Shrikestar!” They cheered his name, and he felt warmth surging through his body. He was the leader of WindClan now, and he knew what he had to do. He promised himself, and every clanmate and every ancestor, that he would lead WindClan to more prosperous times. That he swore on his nine lives.

And then he woke up.