Thunder's Flash

[{Echo}]

The moon was just beginning to rise. Stars dotted the sky, hard to see as the sunset was still happening on the other side of the horizon. It was quiet, just crickets waking and chirping their greeting to the moon. The moon itself was almost half full, the half-moon was quickly approaching. It was getting late, but the camps were active, getting ready for the night to begin, having their last pieces of prey, saying goodnight, going to their dens. Not many cats were out of camp, besides the night patrol. In the ThunderClan territory, there was a bit of an intrusion. It was a bewildered tom, of a darker color. He had a stocky build, looking built for fighting. He had a sort of mixture of Tortiseshell and Tabby in his fur, darker stripes jutting through the orange and white. His eyes were a lighter green, and he had a surprised and fearful look on his face. The tom was Thunderstorm, the RiverClan warrior. Or, so he had been. He was going to the Moonpool to become a leader, by a dream from his medicine cat. Thunderstorm was afraid, he didn't feel ready for this! Ever since Rainstar had died, the clan had been uneasy and afraid. They had been without a leader, and the medicine cat had looked to StarClan each day. Thunderstorm had been chosen. The young warrior looked up, seeing he was close to the Moonpool. He followed the stream, padding with silent paws. Thunderstorm deeply wished to see his mother, and Brambletail. He stopped at the entrance, taking a deep breath as he walked in to the edge of the water.

What do I do? Oh, Right, Drink the water. Taking another deep breath, Thunderstorm lapped up a few drops before he lay at the edge, getting comfortable. Almost immediatley, it became dark. Dark, and colder than he could remember ever feeling. His eyes squeezed shut, then he suddenly opened them. Immediatley he gasped. Cats were standing infront of him, in a clearing of four trees. A few were standing on a rock in the middle, and Thunderstorm couldn't stop staring. Cats, cats with stars in their fur. It was StarClan. The tom took a few steps back, afraid. But immediatley, he realized these were the cats of his clan, and others, past. The tom relaxed, then moved forward.

"I'm ready."

Word Count: 395, Woo~!
Character: Thunderstorm, RiverClan Warrior/Leader
Comments: Yay, The moment of truth.

[&Willow]

[atrb=border,0,true][bg=white] Various shapes moved around, their pelts full of starlight and mist. Nine cats stood before this torbie tom, staring at him with bright eyes. They were welcoming him with open paws. The first cat traveled up, he was oh so familiar to this tom. He was Redeyes, his father, his loving gaze was filled with pain. The dark colored cat stood in front of his son, pride radiating off of him. Redeyes opened his muzzle, "With this life, I give you courage. Use it well to defend your clan." With that he leaned forward, touching his nose to his, giving her the life, and the pain of his death. Redeyes seemed to bit his lower lip trying to hold back the painful emotions, with that he turned away, rejoining the cats that surrounded the clearing. Another familiar cat came forward, Minnowclaw. He was a warrior who had fought along side Brambletail, and had died in the act of duty. "With this life, I give you justice. Use it well to judge the actions of others," he like Redeyes, lowered his head, touching his nose to the tom, filling him with the life, and the pain of loosing his last life. The old warrior turned and rejoined the group. A not so familiar cat came up, his pelt silver and spotted with black stripes and spots. His body sleek, foreign. This was Taintedstorm, a Thunder and River born warrior, he had left RiverClan to join his father in ThunderClan. The silver warrior had died from falling off a ledge in the camp while battling enemy warriors. "With this life I give you loyalty to what you believe to be right. Use it well to guide your clan in times of trouble," he spoke, his voice strong, nearly bellowing. The black cat lowered her head to touch her nose to Thunderstorm's, filling him with the life and the pain of his death. Taintedstorm gave a final look at the torbie tom, before turning and rejoining the others. Coming from the group was a much younger cat. A light brown tabby, who looked happy to see Thunderstorm. "With this life I give you tireless energy. Use it well to carry out the duties of a leader," the young cat said, she was only a kit. Leaning up she pressed her nose against the she-cat's before trotting off to rejoin the group. The kit looked back at her with soulful blue eyes before disappearing within the crowd. Another cat came forth, her pelt white and fluffy, her eyes pink, she was albino. Chamomileleaf, the daughter of Frosteyes, mother of Taintedstorm, she was an older cat, her line still somewhere in RiverClan. "With this life I give you protection. Use it well to care for your clan as a mother cares for her kits," the white she-cat said softly, touching her nose to the tom's nose, not only was her pain given, but a vision of the white she-cat's death. She had been asleep, while a tom had brutally murdered her. Chamomileleaf pulled back, pink eyes wide with pain. Turning she rejoined the group, sitting beside her son. Another not so familiar cat came forth, eyes blazing, a calico. This was Moonshine, she was a RiverClan warrior, but died in battle. She had mentored quite a few apprentices in her lifetime. "With this life I give you mentoring. Use it well to train the young cats of your clan," Moonshine spoke softly, her aged eyes filled with pride. Lowering her head she touched her nose to Thunderstorm's, filling him with the life and the pain. The calico gave a sort of sad smile as she pulled away, backing up into the crowd. There was a hush, and the cats parted, revealing a very old siamese she-cat, her blue eyes still bright with life. She had been killed by a traitor long ago. She was Willowstar, once the leader of ShadowClan. "With this life I give you compassion. Use it well for the elders of your clan and for all cats weaker than you," Willowstar spoke, her voice booming, full of life, though she was so old. Ninety moons. Only a few more and she could have died peacefully of old age. No, her last life had been taken by force. Willowstar lowered her head, touching her nose to Thunderstorm's, a vision came with this life, along with pain. The fight she had lost with a large ginger tabby, Tigerfang. Pulling away Willowstar bowed her head, muttering prayers that were mere whispers against the wind. Looking up Willowstar gave her one last look before joining the cats. A slightly known gray tabby she-cat came forth, her mother was not here, in this ceremony, but she was. "With this life I give you love. Use it well for the cats in your care," she spoke softly, Appletree was her name. Touching her nose to Thunderstorm's she gave the life, the pain came as well. Appletree shivered against the touch, moving away quickly she sat down beside Chamomileleaf and Taintedstorm. Again there was a hush, the cats moved into a circle, bowing their heads. A large furry gray tom came forth, his blue eyes staring down at Thunderstorm. "With this life I give you noblilty and certainty and faith. Use it well as you lead your clan in the ways of StarClan and the warrior code," his voice boomed, this was Torrentstar, one of the famous RiverClan leader's that ruled before Thunderstorm's time. He bent down to give him the life, pain filling it. Torrentstar stepped back, his eyes full of pride. "I hail you by your new name, Thunderstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine live of a leader and StarClans grants you the guardianship of RiverClan. Defend it well, care for young and old, honor your ancestors and the warrior code. Live each life with pride and dignity." The cats gathered close behind the gray tom. "Thunderstar! Thunderstar! Thundestar!" The brown little tabby kit from before bounded up as the crowd dispersed. She smiled, leaning up to rub her muzzle against Thunderstar's. "Young tom, leader of RiverClan, darkness has been fought away, Abaddon's soul has gone to the Dark Forest...yet there is so much darkness hidden beneath the beneath...something...stronger, something powerful...they wish to see you, yet, only when you have seen the sent, shall you see them, death, birth, and life, shall intertwine with the clans as they once did before, beneath the beneath, shall the four elements survive this time? Shall theeey? Hehehehehehehe!" Her mystifying blue eyes seemed to be captivating, dreamy, as the starlight glittered in them, she pranced about, skipping lightly about her paws, giggling as she moved away from him, into the realm of the holy stars. With that, ended the ceremony... ------ Words; 1125. whooot!

[{Echo}]

[atrb=border,0,true][bg=black] Going through the ceremony, a tiny thought remained in the back of his mind, throughout the pain that pulsed throught him. ..What of Brambletail? He was genuinely worried, but he quickly awoke, thinking of what the brown kitten had said. He was still alone. "Abbadon is gone. But..How could there be something worse coming? That murderous group is gone. But..Are they gone for good?" Thunderstorm-No, Thunderstar stood up, feeling strange after being curled up for so long. He flicked his tail nervously, biting his lip. Too much dashed through his mind mulling over what had happened. But I have other duties now. To my Clan. He thought, trying to reassure himself. My Clan comes first, and I won't do a thing until I know there is a threat. Thunderstar vowed it to himself and his clan. If a greater threat was coming, RiverClan would need a strong leader now more than ever. It was important enough for him to desperatley hope what the kit had said wasn't true. But StarClan wouldn't lie. Would they? We walk in their pawsteps, why would they? Thunderstar walked out quietly, paws making hardly any noise as they moved over the dying grass. A few leaves crunched under his paws, and he was beginning to wish he had gone through WindClan territory. It would have been better. Enough about the kit, think about the clan. He screwed up his face unhappily, staring at his paws. What do we need when I get back? Fresh-kill..patrols..Hm, I guess I think about it then. --- Character; Thunderstar, Leader of RiverClan Words; Completion; Comments&OOC;

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