Edited! 👌

Chapter 7: Be Wary

Twistedclaw

Twistedclaw nodded to Lovepool as she lapped up the herbs. He knew he couldn't eat anything, so he waited outside. He watched his medicine cat walk out, and they began their long journey.

"We will pass DarkClan and MoonClan territory. At least it's not LightClan." Lovepool mewed in relief. The two cats padded in a companionable silence until they reached the DarkClan border.

"We are traveling to the Star Tree. We should be allowed to pass." Twistedclaw flicked his ears. The two cats advanced forward. After a while they were met by a DarkClan patrol.

"Intruders!" Hissed a black and white apprentice, her fur bristling.

"No, Crowpaw. Look, that is the SunClan medicine cat. What happened?" A dark brown and white tom asked, concern sparking his eyes.

"Quickstar is dead. We are traveling to the Star Tree." Twistedclaw explained, shifting his paws uncomfortably.

"Oh no. What happened?" The warrior asked.

"LightClan attacked. When you see me next I shall be Twistedstar." Twistedclaw padded away with Lovepool after the DarkClan warrior gave a curt nod. As the sun went down, the two cats reached the tall tree. MoonClan was like DarkClan, but easier to pass. Lovepool nodded to Twistedclaw, and the the two cats began to climb. Once they reached the top, they fell asleep on the dark branches.

Twistedclaw blinked open his eyes. He saw a flat area, with shining stars above. They began to swirl down and molded into the shape of cats. Twistedclaw recognized many.

"Twistedclaw." They spoke, with many voices, yet it was one. A small white kit with light gray flecks approached Twsitedclaw first.

"Whitekit!" Twistedclaw realized. The kit that was killed.

"With this life I give you smart judgement. Know who truly did something and the innocent don't get punished." Twistedclaw had to bend down to touch noses. Twistedclaw fought the urge to yowl in pain as lightning like pain flashed through him. He remembered Wispycloud's confrontation with Berrygaze, and he knew the ginger tom was not to blame. Twistedclaw saw Grayleaf approaching next.

"With this life I give you friendship. Treat your Clan like your friends and your friends like your family." Grayleaf touched noses, and a softer pain enveloped Twistedclaw, but it lasted longer.

"With this life I give you observation. Look around you and notice what others don't usually see." Wildpaw ran up. She touched her nose gingerly to Twistedclaw's, and he felt like an eagle watching the small specks below, noticing every little detail. Wildpaw padded away, and Curledtail took her place.

"With this life I give you the ability to move on. Grief and shock may strike you, but the Clan still needs you. Don't let death faze you." She touched her nose to Twistedclaw, and grief flashed through him, but it ebbed away soon enough. Curledtail was replaced by Leafstripe.

"With this life I give you bravery. You may be on the brink of death, but you will remember your Clan and find a way to pull through and fight for them." Leafstripe touched her nose to Twistedclaw's, and fear ran through him and chilled him to the bone. But images of his Clan made the fear ebb away. Twistedclaw saw his mother come forward. She died as she gave birth to Twistedclaw. Lilyfur. Twistedclaw remembered her name.

"With this life I give you trust. Trust your Clanmates, trust yourself. Trust that you can do what you need to do to help your Clan." Lilyfur touched noses with her son, a saddened look in her eyes. Twistedclaw felt like he knew that his Clanmates would tell the truth, and if his Clanmates could not be trusted, he would trust them anyway. He had to. Twistedclaw saw a soft, fluffy golden she-cat approaching, the cat that trained his best friend, Lovepool.

"With this life I give you humor. When all seems dark for your Clan, use this to power through." He touched noses, and Twistedclaw felt a weight being lifted. He remembered the medicine cat's name-Sparkheart. Twistedclaw saw Quickstar coming to give him his eighth life.

"With this life I give you the ability to speak up. If you know something is wrong, speak against it." The slender blue-gray she-cat touched noses, and Twistedclaw felt wrong, like something was not right. But he also felt the courage to find out how to rid of it. Twistedclaw saw a strange tom, a bright orange cat coming forward.

"You don't know me but I know you. My name is Sunstar. For your ninth life, I give you the ability to accept your destiny. No matter what, you know that if you find what will happen, accept it." Sunstar touched noses, and Twistedclaw felt a fire burning through his pelt. Sunstar stepped away, and Twistedclaw managed to ignore the pain.

Quickstar stepped forward once more. "I hail you by your new name, Twistedstar. Your old life is no more. You have received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the leadership of SunClan. 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." The StarClan cats began to cheer.

"Twistedstar! Twistedstar! Twistedstar!" They cheered. Their looks of pride and happiness quickly changed to looks of horror. Blood covered their pelts, and dark, forest green eyes stared at Twistedstar with a sadistic malice.

"Be wary of the one who is not what she seems. Be wary of the one who fights like none seen. Be wary of the one with stained blood on her fur. Be wary of the one where her loyalties blur. Be wary, Twistedstar. Be wary. Be wary of darkness and crimson blood." A voice hissed. It was the voice of a she-cat, an older one. Twistedstar didn't recognize the voice. The green eyes stared at him the whole time, and as blood welled up from the ground, they stared. Twistedstar's vision went to black, as words continued to whisper in his ear.

"Be wary."

Twistedstar blinked open his eyes again. The tang of blood was still in his mouth. Lovepool blinked at him.

"I can only recount one time where something like that has happened. With the Clans of a far off land..." Lovepool mewed, a distant look in her eyes. She shook it off, Twistedstar shakily jumped down the tree, and they traveled back. Twistedstar picked up his pace once he realized it was almost moonhigh. They returned to camp when the moon was almost at its highest.

"Twistedclaw! Er, Twistedstar!" Ashfern mewed once the new leader returned, not used to his new name. Twistedstar nodded to his Clanmates. He leaped onto Two Rock, ready to name the new deputy. I already have someone in mind... He thought.

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath Two Rock for a Clan meeting." Twistedstar yowled. Cats gathered, as Twistedstar took a breath.

"As you know I am now Twistedstar." Twistedstar began.

"Twistedstar!" The Clan cheered.

"And now we need a new deputy. I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve my choice. The new deputy of SunClan is Featherstone." Twistedstar saw the surprised look on the she-cat's face.

"Featherstone! Featherstone!" The Clan cheered. I am a true leader! Twistedstar thought. His happiness turned to fear when the same voice from his ceremony whispered in his ear.

"It has begun."