Quillstar's Nine Lives Ceremony

**THIS IS THE ARCHIVE FOR Quillstar's LEADER CEREMONY!**

The black-and-silver flecked tom slowly stalked in the direction of
the sacred willow, his ears twitching at every single sound. He was
anxious, no doubt. But who could blame him? His leader had disappeared,
left him feeling unprepared for becoming leader. His time spent as her
deputy had been incredibly short. "...Is this the place?" Shadowchaser
whispered in the direction of Ripplepool. -- Shadowchaser

“I believe so.“ Ripplepool murmured. “Ill be right next to you
though. So don’t worry. Also, be aware I’ve herd that lives can do
something to you after their given. But, don’t worry.” He tried to help
though didn’t seem like it.—Ripplepool

He nodded slowly and stepped forward to fall asleep beneath the
tree. When he awoke, it as as if he was in a land of dreams, standing on
 rolling peach clouds with the form of starry cats before him. "Welcome,
 my brave little Shadow," the voice made his heart melt, the smooth
vocal cords of the cat that he had known for many moons as his mother.
"Mom," he breathed, embracing the massive she-cat's starry form before
she paused to gently press her muzzle against his head. "I am overjoyed
to welcome you to your leader ceremony, Shadow. I'm so proud of you, and
 I know that WillowClan is in safe paws now. I'm sorry I couldn't be
with you any longer." His mother drew in a breath, stepping back to
raise her chin.

"With this life, I give you love. Love does not exist just
between mates. Love is felt by a mother and her kits, by an apprentice
and his best friend, and by the cat who reveres his clan more than
anything else. Only the greatest cats may feel this love." Shadowchaser
did not want his mother to leave, but he had no choice. Already she had
stepped back, disappearing into the soft clouds before whispering her
goodbyes, promising to be with him always. A raggedy spotted she-cat
replaced Shadowchaser's mother.

"Hello, young leader. My name is Seastar, I founded SeaClan. I
believe you are quite familiar with my clan." She blinked her pale eyes
calmly before pressing her nose against the grizzled tabby tom's
forehead. "I made some mistakes in my leadership that I am still too
ashamed of to admit. But in the end, I chose the correct path: I picked
my clan. With this life, I give you loyalty. Loyalty not just towards
friends and family, and no, not just towards your clan...but towards the
 truth, towards honesty, towards what is right." Seastar disappeared,
leaving Shadowchaser to slump over in exhaustion. This life had not been
 as sweet and as warm as his mother's gift. This life left him feeling
painful, tired. **-- Shadowchaser**

Ripplepool sighed as he watched everyone give him lives. Shadowchaser was meant for this.—Ripplepool

(do I RP my entry’s?))—Willow

((I'm assuming yes?...)) -- Whiteout

Cola padded out of the shadows. She smiled at Shadowchaser in a
more passive way of Morningglade's grin. "Hello Shadowchaser." She
mewed. "It's nice to see you again. You've come a long way from that
skittish warrior you used to be." She gently pressed her nose against
Shadowchaser's forehead. "I give you a life for understanding not only
warriors protect the clan. Queens play a vital role in the future of the
 clan; they have kits that will soon be apprentices, warriors, and
medicine cats. Elders can help you remember old tradition, and give you
wisdom in dark times." Cola smiled again, and stepped back. "I'm sure
you'll do great as a leader." - Cola

His paws were tingling after he received the life from Cola, and
drew in a deep breath. Some of the weight that he felt bearing down on
his shoulders had been lifted. "Thank you," the grizzled tabby tom
murmured. "...Some day I'd like to have kits of my own." He admitted
shyly before slouching over to take a break while he could. -- Shadowchaser

Cola smiled. "You'd be a great father." She wished she could go back to *her* kits, but she couldn't. She stepped back into the ranks of StarClan. - Cola

(Crooked is next right?)-willow

(Ye) - Whiteout

Crookedflower was kind of afraid to move. It was weird
communicating to living cats from the dead. After all she’s don’t in her
 lifetime she knew exactly what to do. “Shadowchaser...” she stepped
forwards out of the dark. “In my lifetime.... too many sacrifices where
made for me. And not for them. I trust you with this life of Sacrifice
to not make my mistake. Though as a leader, you must do all it takes to
protect your clan and clanmates from harm.” She stepped forward and
rested her muzzle on his forehead. “Thank you for finding the cure.” And
 she released and took a step back. Wishing she could still spend time
in WillowClan.... she wished she hadn’t died. But she finally made a
Sacrifice for someone other than her. Which made it all worth
it.—Crookedflower

Almondpaw looked at Crookedflower to make sure it was his turn,
and, after receiving a curt nod, he bounded up to Shadowchaser. He
bounced up and down excitedly. "Hello there!" He exclaimed. "My name's
Almondpaw! I'm from ThornClan!" He sidled up to Shadowchaser and
whispered loudly in his ear, "I was killed by my mentor, his name is
Lostwhisper, watch out for him!" He then stepped back. "I get to give
you a life! It's super exciting! But I'm supposed to be really formal,
so..." He pressed his muzzle against Shadowchaser's forhead, squeezing
his eyes tight. "I give you a life you judging cats fairly and well.
Some cats out there will get in trouble for something they didn't mean
to do. Other cats will keep a secret something they did that was really
bad! A good leader knows the difference, and when the right time to
punish someone servery is." Almondpaw then stepped back. "Did it work?
Do you have your life now?" He asked, grinning. - Almondpaw

Graystar stepped forward. Her short blue-gray fur glimmered pale
silver in the starlight, and her eyes were like chips of ice as she
stared at Shadowchaser standing before her. The former WillowClan leader
 gently nudged Almondpaw's back to the ranks of StarClan and padded
toward the black-and-silver tom. She stood almost a whisker length above
 her, her flat, broad face creased in admiration and pride as she
observed Shadowchaser--the new leader of WillowClan. Then, she touched
her muzzle lightly against the tom's forehead, feeling her power and
strength flow from her into Shadowchaser. "With this life, I give you
justice," Graystar breathed. "Judge cats from right and wrong. Help the
weak, and destroy the evil. The world is a cruel place, so use this life
 wisely." Then the blue-gray she-cat took a pawstep back, studying the
tom, before padding slowly back to her place on the dewy grass. - Graystar

Almondpaw stubbornly refused to go back to the ranks of StarClan
and decided to stay next to Graystar to make sure Shadowchaser got his
life. - Almondpaw

Things began to blur together, one cat after another, and
Shadowchaser was eager for the pain and exhaustion to end. Mistystar
hadn't warned him of this- but then again, she had warned him of
nothing. She didn't utter a single word about leaving up until the very
end, where she mentioned it so fleetingly that Shadowchaser had been the
 only one to note it. He thanked each cat quietly, although he pited
Almondpaw. Killed by his own mentor? And then here was the new
WillowClan leader, a hybrid cat of incredible size that towered over
each life-giver. He was probably the tallest cat in the clans. Did
Almondpaw ever regret not getting to...grow up, to live? Taking in a
deep breath, he waited for the next cat. -- Shadowchaser

Crookedflower sighed whispering to Almondpaw. “I think he got
it.” She liked the idea of having kits. This tom was great. She took
care of him as he died after her.—Crookedflower

"You sure?" Almondpaw whispered loudly to Crookedflower.
"Shouldn't he tell us? Oh! Oh! Or say 'Thank you.' That would be polite,
 right?" He exclaimed. - Almondpaw

Crookedflower purred. “Getting lives takes most of your strength.
 You feel them through you. It might be hard to speak
after.”—Crookedflower

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Almondpaw said, amazed. - Almondpaw

Willowstar padded up. Dipping her head, the gray tabby she-cat
rumbled, "Greetings. I am Willowstar- I founded WillowClan. With this
life I give you wisdom, to guide your Clan to success. Use it to discern
 when a battle is worth fighting, when to keep going, when to give up."
-- Willowstar

((Alright now Shadow's dad, then name, then can Willowstar hint
that Quillstar hasn't seen the last of Mistystar, and to choose his
deputies carefully ('cause Wolfshade)? If not, no worries!)) -- Hawkblossom45

((Cavestar, then Shadow's dad, and then Willlowstar can warn him.))

He accepted Willowstar's life with a quiet grunt of thanks, limbs
 shaking from all the effort and expsure to powers beyond their
understanding. Cavestar was next, weaving his way through the other cats
 and casting Seastar a glance, and the gleam that was in his eyes...one
really couldn't describe. It vanished when he glanced away from
SeaClan's founder and instead focused on Shadowchaser. "Three founders?
You're awfully special." The red tom grumbled before roughly forcing his
 nose against the new leader's skull. "I grant you patience with this
life. What will be tossed your way are things that not all of us can see
 and predit, not even StarClan sometimes. We don't see all." That
sounded...awfully suspicious on Cavestar's part. "Use patience to guide
your clan, to approach each situation with a calm sense of mind.
Patience is rewarding, impulsivity will only lead to more trouble and
more frustration." With that, Cavestar stepped back and left the clouded
 atmosphere.

Shadowchaser found himself in an even greater dream-like trance,
especially with how surreal the next cat had felt. He was a large black
smoke, although naturally no larger than Shadowchaser himself. This cat
was not a hybrid like Shadowchaser, but...he was still his father. The
former SeaClan deputy's fur smelled of seawater and brine, and the tom
carried himself with fluidity and confidence. Yet his voice, while as
deep as the ocean's reaches, was as gentle as a lamb. "...I never got to
 see you." The SeaClan tom's voice was filled with surrow, although his
eyes glowed with a sort of admiration for Shadowchaser. "I'm sorry about
 your half-brother, I-...I could only ever love your mother. I wish I
could have been there to raise you. I have so much to say to you, but so
 little time, so I suppose I must keep this brief: I'm very, very proud
to be your father, Shadowchaser. You've done well- you've made your
mother proud as well." The tom had a warm smile when he mentioned his
mother. It was clear that he loved the hybrid with all of his heart.

"...It's nice to finally meet you, father." Shadowchaser murmured
 weakly, although finally seeing his father seemed to give him
incredible strength. Before he could say much more, the black smoke
lovingly pressed his muzzle against the forehead of his son.

"My dear boy, with this life, I give you morality. You must
always pick right from wrong and follow your heart, promote kindness
among your clan and treat all like a brother or a sister. They may not
be related by blood, but they are your family." The tom smiled warmly.
"We all are, my son. We all care for you, just as much as you care for
us."

"Thank you." Shadowchaser felt strong again, like his family had
supported him and brought him back among his stuggling. With that,
Shadowchaser's father slowly backed away with one last firm nod before
he rejoined with Shadowchaser's mother. His father raised his muzzle,
calling out heartily.

"I never got to know my son, Shadowchaser, but I always wanted to
 name my son 'Quillkit' if I could ever see him...Currently, Shadowstar
leads ThornClan- this will not do. We cannot have two." The SeaClan
deputy rested his affectionate gaze on Shadowchaser. "So it is my
greatest honor to reward you with your new name. From this day forward,
you shall be known as 'Quillstar', leader of WillowClan and my son. You
will do them great justice, and we will all be very proud of you." **-- Shadowchaser & his parents**

Ripplepool purred. “well, that’ll be a name that’ll need some
getting used to.” He chuckled. Though respectively. Though then the
vision struck Again, why? He didn't know. Something was still not right,
 as he saw Shadowcha—Quillstar again. Crookedflower stared at him and
dipped her head. She was the one who shown him it. But why? He was still
 silent though.—**Ripplepool**

"YAY, SH-QUILLSTAR!" Almondpaw yowled. - Almondpaw

Crookedflower covered his mouth. “We cheer after we are done
Almondpaw. Willowstar has a message for Quillstar.” She meowed. “And
keep it down. That was an uproar” Though she might have regretted
showing a Ripplepool as he was still confused.—Crookedflower

"Wait." For second time that night ((is it nighttime...?))
Willowstar stepped foward. "I have a message. There is a great danger
coming, a shadow even StarClan cannot stop. Choose your deputies wisely,
 Quillstar. You are deciding the fate of our Clan." ((There- I think
that is ominous and imperious enough XD)) -- Willowstar

With the agony being replaced by a sensation of power and relief,
 Quillstar hadn't expected anything so...dark and depression. Willowstar
 definitely ruined his temporary "high-on-life" sensation that stemmed
from his happiness. Now, she had reawakened his sense of uncontrollable
anxiety. "U-Uh, what...?" Why, why did StarClan always want to make him
suffer? He was their prophecy cat, and he had fulfilled their prophecy-
let him retire! "Wait, I have a whole giant stinking clan to pick from,
you don't understand!! Who do I pick-" Before Quillstar could ask, he
was pulled from StarClan and awoke panting at the base of the
Moonwillow. -- Quillstar