Code of the Clans/Code 9

:Below contains in-depth information for code nine of Code of the Clans. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.
==Chapter description==
:Redscar watches as Brightwhisker coughs violently and declares that the she-cat cannot travel to the Moonstone that day as she wouldn't be able to reach any further than the Thunderpath in her condition. The deputy insists that she must go to receive her new name and nine lives from StarClan. The medicine cat tells her that StarClan will know that she isn't fit enough and her Clan needs her to be healthy. He continues that they had already accepted her as their leader. Brightwhisker expresses her sorrow regarding Snowstar's death. Redscar agrees that the Clan will grieve for him for moons to come but that their mourning must not disrupt their duties, and Brightwhisker's duty is to recover from her whitecough. The brown and white she-cat questions if Redscar is certain that she has whitecough and not greencough like Snowscar, prompting Redscar to reassure her that it is whitecough and tell her to rest. Brightwhisker protests that she must appoint a new deputy between bouts of coughs. Redscar tells her that it can wait and goes to retrieve some tansy and poppy seeds. When he returns, he finds Brightwhisker asleep in her nest and so decides to leave her with the herbs and some soaked moss before making his way to his own nest.
:Redscar is awoken by a cat calling for him, and he bursts out into the clearing. He finds Flowerstem wailing that she cannot wake Brightwhisker up. Redscar pushes his way into the leader's den and silently begs StarClan for her to be alive as he prods her neck fur with his nose. He feels no throbbing under her fur, and her pelt is cold. He shakes his head to Flowerstem, and the she-cat erupts into another yowl. Mossfire enters the den and asks what had happened, to which Flowerstem replies that Brightwhisker is dead. Redscar adds that her whitecough must have turned into greencough during the night and that she passed in her sleep. Mossfire questions who will lead ShadowClan now, and the medicine cat decides that he will call a meeting.
:Redscar chooses to stay on the ground rather than standing on the log where Brightwhisker had spoken from only once before erupting into coughs and being ordered to her den. Redscar regrets not realizing it had been greencough and wonders if he could have done anything else. A part of him answers that he could have allowed her to appoint a new deputy. He ignores it and announces Brightwhisker's death before requesting a volunteer to lead ShadowClan. The cats murmur among themselves until, finally, Jumpfoot pads forward to offer himself to the role. Many cats agree but others are uncertain. A queen yowls that she believes Mossfire would be better suited, as Jumpfoot often resorts to battle, and she wishes for peace for the Clan's kits. Mossfire steps forward to stand beside Jumpfoot and expresses that she is willing.
:Jumpfoot hisses that she would turn the Clan into cowards, and Mossfire argues that she could easily match Jumpfoot in battle. The tom tells her to prove it. Flowerstem protests that this is not right, but Jumpfoot replies that whichever cat is favored by StarClan would be victorious. Redscar watches on in disbelief as the two viciously battle each other. He turns away and hears hissing and ripping before the thud of Jumpfoot collapsing, accompanied by gasps of horror, followed by another thud from Mossfire. Flowerstem calls out to her littermate, and when the medicine cat turns to face the sight, he finds the two warriors lying eerily still on the ground.
:Three elders were already approaching to prepare the bodies for their vigil. Redscar silently wonders what will come now while his Clanmates stand still and avoid each others' gazes. The medicine cat muses that they were all responsible for Jumpfoot's and Mossfire's deaths. Flowerstem comforts her Clanmates and urges them to stay strong. She sends out two senior warriors hunting patrols with all of the apprentices, explaining that it would do them good to stay busy with training, although battle training would be inappropriate. Flowerstem finally approaches Redscar and evenly asks if she can be of assistance. Redscar shakes his head and tells her that he will be in his den. He goes to his nest feeling older than he really was.
:Once again, Redscar awakes to a voice calling out to him. The cat, which he identifies as Snowstar, tells him that he must select a new leader. The former leader mourns for his Clanmates and urges the medicine cat to set things right. Snowstar announces that he must choose a leader and that a deputy should be picked at once so that the Clan is not left leaderless again. He continues that at the next Gathering, a new addition to the warrior code should be suggested: deputies are to be chosen by moonhigh so that the leader will not be alone for longer than half of a day. He then asks the medicine cat who he believes fit to lead. Redscar begins to protest, but instead tells the gray tom that he would choose Flowerstem as the she-cat witnessed her sister's death and her first thoughts were the safety of the Clan. Snowstar approves and instructs him to tell ShadowClan such. Redscar is bewildered and wonders why they would listen to him, but Snowstar argues that he is their medicine cat. As he begins to fade away, Snowstar tells him once again to appoint Flowerstem as ShadowClan's new leader.
:When Redscar wakes up, he decides actions would be more convincing than words. He slips out of camp and makes his way to an oak tree, near where Jumpfoot and Mossfire would be buries. He picks a stalk of a white snowdrop and nips off the petals, so all that was left was the stem. He hid it in a clump of moss and headed back to camp with the belief that no cat would question a medicine cat carrying moss.
:By the time he returns, more cats have awoken, and the hunting patrols have been and gone with prey. As Redscar pads past the fallen log, he lets the snowdrop stem fall out. The medicine cat quickly kicks the swath of moss underneath a nearby hawthorn bush and loudly points out the thin stem. An apprentice identifies it as a snowdrop stalk and points out that they only grow by the oak tree. Redscar trembles as he announces that it is a sign from StarClan about ShadowClan's new leader. When a queen asks who it is, Redscar replies with Flowerstem. The Clan expresses their agreement as a surprised Flowerstem pushes her way to the front. She says that she is lost for words and the medicine cat replies that she must only accept the post in accordance with StarClan's will. Flowerstem agrees to honor the memory of Mossfire and Jumpfoot, and their Clanmates erupt into joyous yowls. Redscar reflects that he will instruct the she-cat to select a new deputy before the bodies of Brightwhisker, Jumpfoot and Mossfire, so that they may hear and approve from StarClan. Quietly, the medicine cat thanks Snowstar.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
==Important events==
*The ninth rule of the warrior code is added: After the death or retirement of the deputy, the new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh.
===Deaths===
*Brightwhisker; greencough
*Jumpfoot; killed by Mossfire
*Mossfire; killed by Jumpfoot
==Notes and references==
de:Das Gesetz der Krieger/9. Gesetz
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