Leadership ceremony

A **leadership ceremony** takes place when a deputy receives their nine lives and their leader name with the suffix -star.

## Process

The new leader goes to the Moonpool with the Clan's medicine cat. After 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, 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.
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.
In rare cases, a cat chosen to be leader that has already died may be taken to the Moonpool to be revived by StarClan. 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
* Appreciating medicine cat's companionship
* Adventure
* Bravery
* Certainty
* Clear judgment of character
* Clear sight
* Compassion
* Confidence
* Courage
* Curiosity
* Endurance
* Exploring beyond the borders
* Determination
* Duty
* Faith
* Farsightedness
* Forgiveness
* Friendship
* Grace
* Happiness
* Healing
* Honor
* Honoring old Traditions
* Hope
* Humility
* Humor
* Instincts
* Judgment
* Justice
* Listening to elders
* Love
* Mercy
* Mentoring/Training young cats wisely
* Mother's love
* Nobility
* Offering second chances
* Patience
* Pride
* Protection
* Putting their Clan above all others
* Resilience
* Selflessness
* Strength
* Strength to act without fear or judgment
* Stubbornness
* Sympathy and Understanding
* Tireless Energy
* Trust
* Truth
* Understanding not only warriors protect the Clan
* Understanding that size isn’t everything
* War and peace
* The warrior code
* Wisdom