The Starcave

[Madelaine]

[ @wnder; ]

Willowrose stepped forward and looked at Sootflare with her good eye. The molly had once resided in Windclan and until she joined Riverclan before she died. She wouldn't go through all of that with him. The molly looked over at Lionstorm, remembering when he took her into his clan. It was odd to see him like this, but she knew he knew what he was doing. Willowrose turned back to Sootflare.

"My name is Willowrose and I have come to give you the life of Father's love. I want you to love all of your clanmates as if they were your own. They need you more than anything and they need t be able to trust that you care for them. In life I didn't have a caring mother and those who don't need your very guidance and love.", she meowed. Willowrose took one more glance at Sootflare and Lionstorm before stepping back.

[-Ash-]

@wnder

A starry kit stood in the crowd, but didn't step forward. Ashkit had no life to give to Sootflare. Instead, a ginger elder walked forward. "Sootflare. Good job on not failing, I'm glad Lionstar- er, Lionstorm- finally managed to pick a good deputy." She smiled a little. One moment she had been asleep on the floor of the medicine den, and the next she was here. "I'm Mapleleaf, an elder you probably don't know. With this life, I give you trust. Place trust your Clanmates, Sootflare, and in yourself. A good leader should be able to count on every single one of his Clanmates. Trust them until you you are given a good reason not to." The skinny elder touched her nose to that of the to-be leader. "Good job coming this far, and good luck." With that she walked back to the crowd of cats.

[vellichor]

// @wnder

Windystar
________

It had been seasons since he had seen, let alone spoken to Lionstorm. The yellow tabby had been loud and brash and reckless, and annoying. Oh, so annoying. But he had proven himself a good leader for RiverClan, and earned his respect. He was unsure of how Lionstorm felt about him, but it probably wasn’t great. He wasn’t here for Lion, though. He was here for Sootflare.

the fluffy cat stepped forward, amber eyes meeting the deputy’s. "Sootflare. I’m going to cut right to the chase: I’m giving you the life of confidence. More specifically, self-confidence. You’ve been deputy for seasons, you’re going to do great as leader. You start to doubt yourself, and you’re done." With a quick glance at Lionstorm again, he half-joked, "Maybe you could steal some of his self-confidence. Stars know he has enough to go around." With that, he touched his pale nose to the black and white cat’s head, and stepped back. Waiting for another cat to go.

[plum]

A shimmering pelt comes into sight from the band of stars that formed their miniscule portion of the night sky. She had the lithe build of a WindClanner and walked very confidently, and at her heels was another- A kit who only casted looks from behind their mother’s legs. When the she-cat stops before Sootflare, she offers him a gentle smile. Although they hadn’t yet touched noses, StarClan seems to feel a little warmer. “Greetings, Sootflare,” she meows, her tone low in pitch, soothing. Sootflare probably would not be able to place his paw on what exactly it was, but there was something that might have seemed familiar about her- if he were in the place to even notice it.

“I have had my eyes on you for some time now,” the she-cat goes on. “You are a formidable tom with much promise for the future. I am glad Lionstar saw this in you, and I am pleased to be here to grant you a life tonight.”

Behind her, the little kit’s expression grows overshadowed with something akin to mischief. They crouch and begin to play with their mother’s tail, which had been brushing the starstained grass. The mother pauses and looks down at her kit, frowning momentarily before giving herself a befuddled shake and returning her attention to Sootflare.

“You’re a good, dedicated tom. And your Clan thanks you for it, I am sure. But in striving to be everything you can be for those who look to you for shelter and guidance and strength, you can lose yourself. You can lose sight of everything going on around you in this moment as you concentrate on your goals, on your future. You musn’t allow your worries and ambitions to blind you to the rest of your life- The sunshine, the sea breeze, the passing looks of your Clanmates. Some of whom you may have been fond of but have passed up those opportunities in the moment,” she adds slyly.

“Stop, Sootflare, and take note of these little things in your life when they show themselves to you. The life I give to you, a gift I pass along now that I no longer need it, is my sense of respite. Remember to sit back and take notice of the beauty you often look past in pursuit of sometimes needless hard work. Let your Clan show you what they can do, and discover what it’s like to see your world while at rest for the first time.” With another warm smile, Starkpelt leans forward to enact the time-old tradition of touching noses with the tom. When they touch, Sootflare is filled with the very warmth that seemed to spread around the two. It grows warmer, fuller, and finally seems to burst into a bright blooming sun. At his back, he may get the sense of a gust of wind that surrounds him and almost seems to push him forth with strength like a tidal wave- it is a feeling that would fill every one of his senses with desire and, at the same time, immense peace. The concept of relaxing was oddly exhilarating, huh.

Stepping back then, Starkpelt observes the to-be leader of RiverClan for a moment. She nods to him curtly, then turns to move away. The kit behind her stays, however, and peers up at Sootflare inquisitively. It is the first time that he hasn’t followed his mother when interacting with others.

“You know my sister!” The little kit exclaims. Although fully alert and capable, he was small. Very, very small. If he hadn’t been a StarClan cat, he’d still have his eyes shut and be incapable of walking alone. “You’ve talked to my sister!” Now aware that the kit hadn’t come away with her, the she-cat stops to watch the interaction. “I’m going to talk to her, too!”

The tom-kit proclaims. He never says anything more than that, and before the she-cat can move to prevent it, the StarClan kit dashes away through the undergrowth and leaves the ceremony. Stunned for another heartbeat, Starkpelt says nothing, but looks again at Sootflare and dips her head one final time before stepping back among the others who had gathered for this wonder of life.
[ @wnder ]

[Cobra]

Echobreeze sighed.

It had been too long - too long since she'd died. She had disappeared.. what was it? Five moons ago? It seemed too long to be possible. Echobreeze couldn't believe it. Five moons since she'd been with Blazeclaw. Five moons since she'd been pregnant. Five moons since she died.. And now she was walking with two cats she'd known in her life. Lionstar - Lionstorm now - and Sootflare.

Sootflare.

Sootflare was the one who wouldn't let her swim. She'd been wanting to her whole life, and she'd finally gotten the chance to. Echobreeze had been so excited. Then Sootflare pushed her down, told her she couldn't cause she was pregnant. That was the first time she'd wished she wasn't, the first time she wished she could be free of kits. Wished she could run, learn to swim without those "burdens" that they called beautiful.

Anyways, she had a life to give and she had to do it now. Echobreeze knew that this was the perfect chance - tell Sootflare what he had done wrong, give him a change, gift him a life to try to fix it.

Here we go.

"Sootflare," she announced, stiffening. "My name is Echobreeze, and I'm almost positive you don't know me. Or remember me. But anyways. I have places to be and cats to see." Echobreeze stepped forward staring solemnly into Sootflare's eyes. "I give you a life for temperance, for holding your rage back. Use it well, Sootflare." The silver she-cat walked back into the shadows, giving Sootflare a nod.

@wnder @BILL.

[marshy]

Another leader? Are the clans serious? Pebblepool was a bit baffled on how many leaders there had been recently.. Twilightstar, Dawnstar(ew), Buckstar and now Sootflare? I mean, he seems like a perfect pick from how he acts. But she would miss Lionstar as leader.. well not really. Its not like she knew him or anything but Sootflare.. Sootflare seemed cooool. Anyway She was definitely just gonna sit back and relax for this one. She'd already given Twilightstar a life and told Dawnstar to buzz off. And could she even give a life to a Riverclan cat? She was a Windclanner after all. Maybe she could and just was too dumb to realize. She watched as different cats gave Sootflare his lives. All of them seemed useful enough. She wished she had a rabbit or something but nevertheless she kept watching.

[Abyssopelagic]

Halfstone padded foward. Lionstar wasn't among them, so he must have stepped down. He was glad the leader would get a chance to live his life without it being cut short. Or former.
He approached Sootflare.
"As Lionstar has been good to RiverClan, so have you and you will continue to do good for your Clan. I grant you the life of integrity. I've seen what's going on with Shadowclan, and now more than ever should you hold to your morality and judge as you see fit."
He leaned foward to touch his nose to Sootflare's forehead to transfer the life. He hoped it was a good one, and that it would serve him well.

@wnder

[Starfall]

Foamflower
Life #8
@wnder
She watched as each cat stepped forwards and gave a meaningful life. The chubby molly had thought long and hard about which life she would want to give, and whether or not it would be takin into account with the new Leader. After a long drawn in breath she stepped forwards. The mottled feline flicked her tail, star dust fluttering every which way.

"A new leader. It really is a surprise, but a welcome one." she hummed. "Hello Sootflare...it took me a second to think about the life I want to give you, and how you may take it, accept it or otherwise." she trailed off and looked down, shuffling her paws.

"With this life, I give you the life of Clarity." she paused. "Stand out. Show the star's who you are and what you stand for. Be different and be different with honor. Listen to those who give ideas that are different, and listen to those who believe in different beings. It's how we grow." the Alabaster feline took a breath.

"Diverge yourself from your opponents. Live each moment like it's your last. I'd joke that you only have one life...but that's not the case anymore is it?" She giggled. With that, the Queen propped herself up, and touched the tom's forehead. Once finished, she hopped down, bowed her head, and stepped back towards the circle of Starclanners.

[Madelaine]

[ @Rainquail; @:Grimmlin:; @elysian; @Zesty Mango; @Rani; ]

Ebonyfang padded out of the shadowclan camp alone. He really missed Irisflame beside him, but he was confident that he would do fine. The shadowclan medicine cat looked up to see that the sun wasn't almost down. The half moon was almost visible. He found it quite beautiful, but he soon got rid of the thought.

The large black tom knew exactly where he was going. It wasn't his first time, so he followed the right path. Ebonyfang found himself getting closer to the starcave. It had a different feeling, but he didn't mind at all. Once he got there he sat down, seeing that none of the others were here. Oh well there was no rush. Not yet anyway.

[duckie]

Sootflare
__________

Standing there and waiting for the first StarClanner to step forward felt like an eternity. Seconds stretched out into infinity - the only sound his heart pounding in his ears. He barely noticed Sweetkit shifting towards him but he gave her his full attention as she began to speak. Faith and hope. A positive outlook. Something he could use, he supposed. Sootflare bent down to allow for her giving-of-lives to go a little smoother and would have laughed at her little tumble if it weren't for the jolt it sent through his body. A shocking sort of pain that felt like it permeated every fiber of his being.

Was this what every life was going to feel like? Was this what Lionstorm felt as the lives were ripped from his body?

Before he had time to recover, Willowrose stepped forward. Life of a father's love. Great. Now Lionstorm would have even more reason to call him Sootdad. Another jolt. This time - worse. Incrementally more intense. This was going to be a long process.

The next cat was familiar. Mapleleaf. An elder in RiverClan. Had they not... been living not too long ago? How had he not heard of this passing? Had it only been this morning? He didn't have time to contemplate those questions before he was, yet again, rocked to his core. It felt like a fire was burning in his chest and yet he felt... calm. Like this was the right choice. The right path to be on.

Self-confidence. Certainly, something he lacked on the trip leading him here. Now, however, it seemed to subside. There would be slip-ups. Mistakes made. But he had practice, support, and friends. Lionstorm, Fawnsqueak, Aspensky, ... Dayheart. They would all see him through.

The next cat was not someone he knew but... oddly familiar all the same. As she talked, Sootflare scanned the molly's face, body, movements. Who else carried that gaze, that disposition? This life was not so painful. Instead, he felt warmth. Comfort. For a moment he was left in a daze, but snapped back to reality as a kit ran forward to address him. His sister? A glance thhe StarClanners and realization dawned upon him. The warmth, the breeze - it all gave visions of the moors. WindClan. And who did he know in WindClan? Eldersky.

"Wait-" he meowed, the word coming out strangled, but before he knew it she had retreated and the next warrior was stepping forward. He sighed. Perhaps they would have time to talk later.

His mood sank further as he recognized the molly in front of him Echobreeze. The dim-witted molly who had nearly drowned in shallow water. He knew in her manners that she was not pleased with him. The feeling was mutual. He took her life in stride, and made a point to straighten himself up as she moved back and another took her place. His breathing was ragged now and he was glad this was soon to be over.

Halfstone. A life of integrity. Some of the cats in their clan could do with that. He hoped it wouldn't ever come to a point where he would ever become so twisted as to have to rely on that life. But he was glad to have it.

Life number eight. Second to last. A life of clarity. He gave a curt nod after the life was given and resisted the urge to crumple to the ground and sleep for the next couple of moons.

There was only one more to give and he turned to face his former leader. He had no idea what Lion would give him but he was ready.

"Lionstorm." he mewed, closing the distance between them. He let out a shaky sigh and offered a smile, "I'm ready when you are."

[ @Daisy the Icewing @Siren Bliss @Trouble @elysian @implimm @Cobra @Rainquail @Starfall @BILL. ]