Leadership ceremony

A leadership ceremony takes place when a deputy receives their nine lives and their leader name with the suffix -star.
==Origins of the ceremony==
:Secrets of the Clans tells that when the early warrior ancestors promised Shadowstar, Riverstar, Windstar, Thunderstar, and Skystar that if they found other cats like themselves, chose a home in the forest, and set down borders in the forest, they would reward the five cats with eight more lives, so that they may lead their Clans for many more moons to come.
:However, in Moth Flight's Vision, Moth Flight receives a vision to take Wind Runner to the Moonstone as the leader is severely injured. Wind Runner loses her original life, but by then StarClan has already bestowed her additional eight lives, also renaming her Windstar. After this, Moth Flight tells the other medicine cats to take their leaders to the Moonstone for their own leadership ceremonies. All four other leaders are given new leader names as well.
==Process==
:The new leader goes to the Moonstone (or Moonpool) with the Clan's medicine cat. After touching the stone (or drinking from the pool), the new leader cannot move for a short period of time, because their old life is being ripped away so they can receive nine new ones. Upon awakening, cats of StarClan come down from Silverpelt. Nine cats, normally ones who were significant during the new leader's life or the Clan's history, although this is not always the case, give them their nine lives with these words:
:Life giver: (Touches nose to the top of the new leader's head) With this life, I give you (gift). Use it well (to, in, as, for, etc.) (use of gift).
:When all of the lives have been given, normally the previous leader says these words:
:Previous leader: I hail you by your new name, [original prefix]star. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of [the Clan they lead]. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity.
:Often, after all the lives are given, the previous leader usually conducts the coronation for the new leader. However, sometimes the previous leader does not speak at the ceremony, or it is unknown if they are actually present, and another cat will conduct the coronation for the new leader - often the last cat to give them a life, but it also can be performed by the entirety of the amount of StarClan cats known to be present in the ceremony.
:Just as the forest-cats would call a warrior by their new name, the StarClan cats acclaim the new leader. After the ceremony, the new leader is not allowed to tell any cat what happened during the ceremony, with the exception of the medicine cat.
:Each of the lives normally give the new leader a great deal of pain as a sign to ready them for the hard work it normally will be to lead their Clan. However, certain lives, depending on the gift, such as Spottedleaf's life with the gift of love to Firestar, do not cause pain and instead give the new leader a much better feeling.
:Getting nine lives does not necessarily mean that a leader will live longer, but they can survive certain accidents or injuries that would normally claim the life of a cat. However, they cannot survive if they have major injuries such as the injuries Scourge gave Tigerstar.
:If a leader no longer wishes to be the leader, they must go to the Moonstone/Moonpool to revoke all but one life, so their deputy may receive their full nine lives. Sunstar only had eight lives because Pinestar never officially retired at the Moonstone.
:In rare cases, a cat chosen to be leader that has already died may be taken to the Moonstone/Moonpool to be revived by StarClan. The only example of this phenomenon to date is the resurrection of Tigerstar. The revived cat only receives eight lives, as they had already used up one of their lives prior to the ceremony.
===Lives===
:During the leadership ceremony, nine lives are given to the new leader. Those lives are virtues or traits that the leader might lack in or need more of and aims towards making their leadership fair to all cats they lead.
*Acceptance – Blackstar, Leopardstar, Tigerstar
*Appreciating medicine cat's companionship – Pinestar
*Adventure – Tallstar
*Bravery – Leopardstar, Mistystar
*Certainty – Firestar
*Clear judgement of character – Bramblestar
*Clear sight – Brokenstar
*Compassion – Pinestar, Crookedstar, Bluestar, Brokenstar, Tigerstar, Firestar, Blackstar, Onestar, Tigerstar (AVoS)
*Confidence – Windstar
*Courage – Riverstar, Pinestar, Tallstar, Crookedstar, Bluestar, Firestar, Mistystar, Bramblestar, Tigerstar (AVoS), Icestar
*Curiosity – Mistystar
*Empathy - Leopardstar
*Endurance – Bluestar, Leafstar
*Exploring beyond the borders – Tigerstar (TPB), Bramblestar
*Determination – Windstar, Leafstar, Onestar
*Devotion - Leopardstar
*Duty – Brokenstar
*Faith – Tigerstar (TPB), Firestar, Leafstar
*Fairness – Riverstar
*Farsightedness – Tigerstar (TPB)
*Forgiveness – Windstar, Tallstar, Leopardstar, Tigerstar (AVoS), Icestar
*Friendship – Windstar, Leopardstar, Onestar 
*Happiness – Mistystar
*Healing – Leafstar
*Honesty – Riverstar, Harestar
*Honor – Brokenstar
*Honoring old traditions – Tallstar
*Hope – Crookedstar, Bluestar, Leafstar, Tigerstar (AVoS)
*Humility – Riverstar, Crookedstar, Icestar
*Humor – Bluestar
*Initiative – Riverstar
*Instincts – Cloudstar, Heatherstar, Tigerstar (TPB)
*Integrity – Blackstar
*Intuition - Icestar
*Judgement – Pinestar, Brokenstar, Blackstar
*Justice – Crookedstar, Firestar, Onestar, Mistystar, Bramblestar
*Kindness – Riverstar
*Knowing when to fight and when to choose peace – Pinestar
*Leadership – Blackstar
*Listening to elders – Bramblestar
*Love – Windstar, Bluestar, Brokenstar, Leopardstar, Firestar, Leafstar, Onestar, Tigerstar (AVoS)
*Loyalty – Windstar, Pinestar, Crookedstar, Firestar, Blackstar, Onestar, Tigerstar (AVoS)
*Making difficult choices – Pinestar
*Mercy – Tigerstar (TPB)
*Mentoring/Training young cats wisely – Tigerstar (TPB), Firestar 
*Mother's love – Heatherstar, Tallstar, Crookedstar, Mistystar, Bramblestar
*Nobility – Firestar
*Offering second chances – Bramblestar
*Patience – Riverstar, Tallstar, Crookedstar, Bluestar, Leopardstar
*Persistence – Tigerstar (AVoS)
*Perspective – Riverstar, Blackstar
*Pride – Bramblestar, Bluestar, Tigerstar (TPB)
*Protection – Pinestar, Firestar
*Putting their Clan above all others – Raggedstar
*Remembering StarClan – Windstar
*Resilience – Windstar, Riverstar, Icestar
*Selflessness – Leafstar
*Sense – Onestar
*Sensing danger to protect themselves and their Clan - Icestar
*Strength – Brokenstar, Onestar, Mistystar, Tigerstar (AVoS)
*Strength to act without fear or judgement – Tallstar
*Strength to resist evil influences - Icestar
*Strength of a nursing queen - Pinestar
*Stubbornness – Windstar
*Survival – Pinestar, Onestar
*Sympathy and Understanding – Leafstar
*Tireless energy – Firestar
*Tranquility - Icestar
*Trust – Windstar, Crookedstar, Bluestar, Blackstar
*Truth – Brokenstar
*Understanding not only warriors protect the Clan – Bramblestar
*Understanding that size isn't everything – Tigerstar (TPB)
*Unity – Leopardstar, Blackstar
*The warrior code – Brokenstar, Tallstar
*Wise, nurturing heart – Riverstar
*Wisdom – Tallstar, Leafstar, Mistystar, Icestar
====Notes====
*Bluestar gives Firestar a life that has three virtues: nobility, certainty and faith.
*Crookedstar gives Mistystar a life that has two virtues: wisdom and strength.
*Mistystar is given the life of justice twice, just worded differently. Stonefur gives the life of equality and battling injustice and Bluestar gives the life of doing what is right however hard that may be.
*Windstar receives two lives that have two virtues: Petal gives her the life of friendship and loyalty, and Branch gives her the life of confidence and trust.
===Life givers===
The following is a list of cats who have granted lives to specific cats.
Giver 	Gift 	Receiver
Gray Wing 	Determination 	Windstar
Gray Wing 	Unknown 	Thunderstar
Gray Wing 	Perspective 	Riverstar
Gray Wing 	Unity 	Blackstar
Petal 	Friendship and loyalty 	Windstar
Turtle Tail 	Stubbornness 	Windstar
Branch 	Confidence and trust 	Windstar
Willow Tail 	Forgiveness 	Windstar
Morning Whisker 	Resilience 	Windstar
Emberkit 	Love 	Windstar
Half Moon 	Remembering StarClan 	Windstar
Storm 	Unknown 	Thunderstar
Storm 	Wise, nurturing heart 	Riverstar
Quiet Rain 	Kindness and humility 	Riverstar
Moon Shadow 	Patience 	Riverstar
Jackdaw's Cry 	Resilience 	Riverstar
Hawk Swoop 	Initiative 	Riverstar
Rainswept Flower 	Honesty 	Riverstar
Frost 	Fairness 	Riverstar
Flutter 	Courage 	Riverstar
Darkstar 	Faith in instincts 	Cloudstar
Maplestar 	Unknown 	Cloudstar
Thrushpelt 	Courage to trust instincts 	Heatherstar
Daisytail 	Force of a mother's love 	Heatherstar
Doestar 	Survival 	Pinestar
Oakstar 	Judgement 	Pinestar
Hollypelt 	Courage 	Pinestar
Harepounce 	Loyalty 	Pinestar
Stagleap 	Knowledge of war and peace 	Pinestar
Pearnose 	Trusting wisdom for protection 	Pinestar
Hawkfoot 	Strength of a nursing queen 	Pinestar
Thunderstar 	Making difficult choices 	Pinestar
Morningstar 	Compassion for weaker cats 	Pinestar
Cedarstar 	Unknown 	Raggedstar
Cedarstar 	Living by the warrior code 	Brokenstar
Cedarstar 	Farsightedness 	Tigerstar (TPB)
Lizardfang 	Unknown 	Raggedstar
Lizardfang 	Judgement 	Brokenstar
Sagewhisker 	Unknown 	Raggedstar
Sagewhisker 	Compassion 	Brokenstar
Sagewhisker 	Persistence 	Tigerstar (AVoS)
Plump black-and-white tom	Unknown 	Raggedstar
Plump black-and-white tom	Strength 	Brokenstar
Dawnstar 	Putting ShadowClan above all others 	Raggedstar
Dawnstar 	Honor 	Brokenstar
Dawnstar 	Determination 	Leafstar
Stonetooth 	Duty 	Brokenstar
Skinny gray tom 	Truth 	Brokenstar
Hopekit or Wishkit 	Love of kin 	Brokenstar
Small brown tabby she-cat	Clear sight 	Brokenstar
Mole 	Courage to do what he believes to be right 	Tallstar
Palebird 	A mother's love 	Tallstar
Finchkit 	The strength to act without fear or hesitation 	Tallstar
Moth Flight 	A sense of adventure 	Tallstar
Moth Flight 	Unknown 	Harestar
Heatherstar 	The power to judge wisely 	Tallstar
Woollytail 	Honoring old traditions 	Tallstar
Dawnstripe 	Patience 	Tallstar
Shrewclaw 	Commitment to upholding the warrior code 	Tallstar
Sandgorse 	Forgiveness 	Tallstar
Hailstar 	Courage 	Crookedstar
Hailstar 	Bravery 	Leopardstar
Duskwater 	A mother's love 	Crookedstar
Troutclaw 	Justice 	Crookedstar
Mossleaf 	Trust 	Crookedstar
Lilyflower 	Compassion 	Crookedstar
Lightningpaw 	Humility 	Crookedstar
Brightsky 	Hope 	Crookedstar
Brightsky 	Love 	Leopardstar
Sparrowfeather 	Patience 	Crookedstar
Shellheart 	Loyalty 	Crookedstar
Pinestar 	Compassion 	Bluestar
Pinestar 	Being aware of what goes on beyond Clan borders 	Tigerstar (TPB)
Mumblefoot 	Endurance 	Bluestar
Larksong 	Humor 	Bluestar
Sweetpaw 	Hope 	Bluestar
Sunstar 	Courage 	Bluestar
Goosefeather 	Patience 	Bluestar
Mosskit 	Trust 	Bluestar
Moonflower 	Love 	Bluestar
Snowfur 	Pride 	Bluestar
Littlebird 	Compassion 	Tigerstar (TPB)
Badgerfang 	Training young cats wisely 	Tigerstar (TPB)
Badgerfang 	Perspective 	Blackstar
Whitetail 	Understanding that size isn't everything 	Tigerstar (TPB)
Sedgestar 	Pride in ShadowClan 	Tigerstar (TPB)
Flowerstar 	Placing faith in StarClan 	Tigerstar (TPB)
Redscar 	Trusting instincts 	Tigerstar (TPB)
Mossheart 	Mercy 	Tigerstar (TPB)
Riverstar 	Tranquility 	Icestar
Riverstar 	Acceptance 	Leopardstar
Whiteclaw 	Empathy 	Leopardstar
Frogleap 	Devotion 	Leopardstar
Oakheart 	Unity 	Leopardstar
Oakheart 	Courage to follow her heart 	Mistystar
Silverstream 	Forgiveness 	Leopardstar
Silverstream 	Loyalty to do what is right 	Firestar
Silverstream 	Finding happiness where there seems to be none 	Mistystar
Whitefang 	Patience 	Leopardstar
Sunfish 	Friendship 	Leopardstar
Lionheart 	Courage 	Firestar
Lionheart 	Greatest pride in ThunderClan 	Bramblestar
Redtail 	Justice 	Firestar
Runningwind 	Tireless energy 	Firestar
Brindleface 	Protection 	Firestar
Swiftpaw 	Mentoring 	Firestar
Yellowfang 	Compassion 	Firestar
Yellowfang 	Forgiveness 	Tigerstar (AVoS)
Spottedleaf 	Love 	Firestar
Spottedleaf 	Healing 	Leafstar
Bluestar 	Nobility, certainty, and faith 	Firestar
Bluestar 	Judgement 	Blackstar
Bluestar 	Doing what is right despite adversity 	Mistystar
Bluestar 	Clear judgement of character 	Bramblestar
Blizzardwing 	Acceptance 	Blackstar
Raggedstar 	Trust 	Blackstar
Raggedstar 	Loyalty 	Tigerstar (AVoS)
Rosetail 	Compassion 	Blackstar
Stonefur 	Integrity 	Blackstar
Stonefur 	Equality and battling injustice 	Mistystar
Nightstar 	Loyalty 	Blackstar
Shadowstar 	Leadership 	Blackstar
Cloudstar 	Endurance 	Leafstar
Skywatcher 	Hope 	Leafstar
Leafstar's mother 	Love 	Leafstar
Redstar 	Wisdom 	Leafstar
Birchstar 	Sympathy and understanding 	Leafstar
Swiftstar 	Selflessness 	Leafstar
Birdflight 	Faithfulness 	Leafstar
Tallstar 	Judgment 	Onestar
Stagleap 	Strength 	Onestar
Wrenflight 	Love 	Onestar
Sorrelshine 	Loyalty 	Onestar
Brushpaw 	Friendship 	Onestar
Windstar 	Survival 	Onestar
Windstar 	Unknown 	Harestar
Gorsestar 	Sense 	Onestar
Gorsestar 	Unknown 	Harestar
Gorsepaw 	Compassion 	Onestar
Mudclaw 	Determination 	Onestar
Graypool 	A mother's love 	Mistystar
Feathertail 	Acceptance of fate 	Mistystar
Feathertail 	Exploring beyond the borders of the Clan 	Bramblestar
Crookedstar 	Resilience 	Icestar
Crookedstar 	Wisdom and strength 	Mistystar
Rippletail 	Curiosity 	Mistystar
Perchkit 	Bravery 	Mistystar
Firestar 	Courage to make the hardest decisions 	Bramblestar
Goldenflower 	Understanding the love of a mother 	Bramblestar
Mousefur 	Listening to elders 	Bramblestar
Ferncloud 	Understanding that not only warriors play a role in protecting the Clan	Bramblestar
Cinderpelt 	Offering second chances 	Bramblestar
Ravenpaw 	Speaking out against injustice, pursuing the truth above all else 	Bramblestar
Onestar 	Honesty 	Harestar
Rowanclaw 	Strength 	Tigerstar (AVoS)
Kinkfur 	Courage 	Tigerstar (AVoS)
Pinenose 	Compassion 	Tigerstar (AVoS)
Dawnpelt 	Hope 	Tigerstar (AVoS)
Littlecloud 	Loyalty 	Tigerstar (AVoS)
Flametail 	Love 	Tigerstar (AVoS)
Jayclaw 	Intuition 	Icestar
Reedwhisker 	Sensing danger to protect herself and her Clan 	Icestar
Harelight 	Forgiveness 	Icestar
Leopardstar 	Humility 	Icestar
Mudfur 	Wisdom 	Icestar
Willowshine 	Strength to resist evil influences 	Icestar
Mistystar 	Courage 	Icestar
==See also==
*Leader
==External links==
*
* 
==Notes and references==
cs:Velitelský ceremoniálde:Anführerzeremoniees:Ceremonia de líderfi:Päällikön seremonianl:Leiders ceremonieru:Посвящение в предводителиpl:Ceremonia przywódcy
Category:Ceremonies