A Moonless Night

[noctemq]

Blackmoon breathed out, a small puff of visible in the chilly LeafFall night. He moved forward at a casual gait to keep pace with Shadowfall. They were headed to the Moonstone for his leader's ceremony. The tunnels were silent, excluding the occasional drip of water from above and the sound of their pawsteps below. Blackmoon felt a nervous itch behind his ear. He could recall the day he was named deputy: it was a warm Greenleaf day and the cats around him sat close to each other, whispering about Feathercrest's disappearance. Blackmoon sat there, with brighter eyes and minor worries in his mind. He also remembered how cocky he was when Screechstar called out his name, almost not surprised that he was picked for the position. The recollection almost made him smile out of amusement as he continued to walk forward. Time brought strife and strife brought humility; now Blackmoon realized how he truly didn't understand much of what was going on in their modest cut of the woods. Things were simpler for a young home-guard that was only worried about helping the prey-hunters down from trees. Little did he know how much would change since then. 

He turned to face the medicine cat, quietly asking if he was still going the right way with his unsure expression. This side of Rootclan's territory was more or less unfamiliar to him. He never really had to come to this side for a patrol since it was so secure, and usually the cats that trekked here meant no harm. Every step felt heavier, as if his body was telling him to resist. Being a leader meant so much more responsibilities, and he felt nowhere close to being ready. Doubts crossed his mind and left as quickly as they came. No, Screechstar- Screecheagle, prepared him for this. Blackmoon didn't want to become leader, if he could be deputy forever he would, but Rootclan needed him now more than ever. The larger tom stifled a hesitant sigh. The two approached a soft glow, his usually white paws now a gentle haze of blue.

It was time. 

Broadwaykat

[Broadwaykat]

For all the hardship they had been through lately, at least they could be thankful for one thing; at least the rats had not desecrated their most holy of places. It stood as it always had, and always would; and while they remained relatively quiet after they had passed on their prophecy, he felt like there was still some sort of connection between them and their ancestors. Even though he would never forget his homeland, and the sacred stones that had raised him into the cat he was, being in the presence of the soft blue glow made him feel as if everything would settle itself. It had a comforting effect for sure - and the closer he stepped towards the glow the more he felt the tension in his shoulders easing ever so slightly.

"Alright then, Blackmoon?" Shadowfall nodded his head towards the stone. "I know you're ready for this; though I understand if this seemed strange." He shifted somewhat himself, realizing that this, too, would be his first official witnessing of a leadership ceremony. Screechs - Screecheagle's ceremony had felt more like a dream to him, as he barely knew what was happening or what it truly meant to become a clan cat at that time. Still, he did his best to quell his own nerves and remain a calming presence. "This last task as Rootclan's deputy will seem relatively simply; you are to simply settle down as best you can, and prepare to open your mind and will to meet with that of our ancestors." Easier said than done, but of course - Shadowfall had faith.

"Whenever you feel like you are ready..." Settling back on his own haunches a few tail-lengths away from the stone, he nodded his head at the softly glowing surface. "We will begin."

[noctemq]

Blackmoon looked at the stone, then to Shadowfall, then back at the stone with a blink. He had never really felt a strong connection to Starclan before; there was never any weird dreams, strange intuitions, or even gut feelings that he didn't recognize as his own. The tom furrowed his brows, obviously in thought, but he was feeling too fuzzy to have clear thoughts. This would be his first time having an unadulterated encounter with those that were alive so long ago. "It is strange." He meowed, only offering a few flat words. As the realization of what was happening hit Blackmoon, he had a hard time identifying which emotions he was feeling. Was it fear? Not really, he had an idea of what to expect, though it was different when he was experiencing it for himself. He'd probably never identify that feeling.

He slowly bent down towards the Moonstone, extremely aware of his surroundings and how his body was moving in the moment. His head was pulled back as he settled right in front of it, then he relaxed forward so his nose touched the stone without having to crane forward.

And so it began. Blackmoon felt as if his self was being torn out of his body and being pulled towards the blue light. The sensation was warm and familiar... yet uncomfortable, as if he could no longer control his own movements. It was like his brain was no longer connected to his limbs when he struggled to move, every impulse telling him to flail in search of some ledge. His heart rate picked up for a bit as he tried to orient himself in the unknown, then failed miserably as he continued to float. Right as he felt like he was going to be falling into an endless abyss for the rest of the night, Blackmoon felt the ground beneath his paws and could see again. He looked down. His fur was speckled with little stars that flowed up and down his paws like they were alive, and the dirt below was hazy in a way such that he felt like his eyes were out of focus and refused to be brought together. He exhaled shakily, clearly not enjoying this out-of-body experience at all.

As he gathered himself together in what he assumed to be Starclan's territory, a feeling along his spine signaled him that he was not alone. Blackmoon whipped his intangible body around, which seemed to lag behind his intentions by a good few seconds. There, standing behind him, he saw a slender cat with large, wide-set ears and a whip for a tail. He'd recognize this cat anywhere. "Firstspeaker," Blackmoon said softly, a lump quickly forming in his throat. "It's me, Black of Moonless Night. I-" His jaw trembled. Blackmoon never was able to get close to Firstspeaker and only shared a few interactions in his distant memory. He was too young at the time, much too young to understand how valuable these shreds of a distant past would mean to him now. Too young to understand that he had to treasure every moment he had in the Tribe's original, true home, before everything just seemed to tumble downhill. His ears flattened against his head, a bittersweet sadness slowly travelling through his veins.

Ringtail

[Ringtail]

"I know who you are, as I know of you, Black of Moonless Night. But now is not the time for greetings..From what I have been told." The slender starry cat that had appeared behind the much younger tom. "You have done well for our Tribe, but this is not the end of your journey to keep our ways safe. Many cats like us will be following upon your footsteps."
It too, was odd and unfamiliar for Ash of Last Sun, the Last Firstspeaker of the Tribe of Ancient Roots, to be called upon by the cats if both the Endless Tribe and Starclan. Was it that both afterlives seem to connect?
"Blackmoon, Black of Moonless Night. Both are your names that you have come to become known as. You have been chosen by the cats of all eras of our time, and from these new cat's ways. I am here to give you 'a life', from what I am told from the Clan Cats of the Stars. The life I am here to give you is the one of healing. As you know, Firstspeakers like myself and the past were taught to heal with herbs and words of thy Ancestors. You will be given the life's knowledge on to heal those around."
With a swift flick of his whip of a tail, the older tribe leader padded to seat himself in front of Black. "In healing, there is hardship, the loss and the gain of new and old life. I, Firstspeaker, Ash of Last Sun, grant this life to the new tribe, Rootclan, that was birthed from the very seed that was The Tribe of Ancient Roots. I will know you now as Blackstar, along with Blackmoon and Black of Moonless Night in this presence. I honor you, Blackstar, to use this life well." The tom took a step forward to press his nose against the young tom's forehead, keeping it there for a few moments. Pain, sorrow, and grief could be felt from the pains that the life had been given, symbolizing the hardships of many of the loss that come with the ways of Healing. The pain would last a few moments, before the warm feelings of welcoming, like one would experience during the birth of one's kit, a lick of a mother's soothing tongue over a cut.
"Blackstar, do not forget the past, but bring what is known to the future. You are now the first Clan 'Firstspeaker', and I congratulate you. I will walk in your steps, and be among the crowd. Your Ancestors and I are proud of you."

With his final words, Firstspeaker closed his bright eyes, ones as bright as the sun, before slinking back to allow the next cat to give the next life to Blackmoon, Black of Moonless Night.....Blackstar.

noctemq

[noctemq]

Blackmoon listened intently, not daring to interrupt. His gaze moved only when Firstspeaker settled down and was otherwise still. The presence of this ghostly cat was more that just a previous leader, but a symbol of what he had try to push back away in his mind for so long: the past.

He bowed his head in response to Firstspeaker’s approach, not knowing what to expect. Not many words were spoken about the leader’s ceremony, and he had no idea what was to come. The sensation that abruptly arrived made him want to flinch back; Blackmoon’s expression tightened up and he frowned deeply. His heart felt heavy with the fall of those he loved dearly, the feeling of every death vigil held out in the rain fresh once more. He could smell it, the caked blood mixed with herbs and tears, but then the smell suddenly transitioned into one of moss and milk. He relaxed his face in relief as he heard a kit reach out for their first breath with a cry. Blackmoon could hear murmurs around him, joyous meows hushed in respect for the kit-mother. He had always heard the saying ’With death comes life’ but it had not carried any real meaning to it. It was simply the cycle of life, he thought, and how everything in life was always fluctuating. Now he understood.

Firstspeaker’s words were like sweet closure to Blackstar. All he had wanted to hear for so long was that he was doing the right thing, that somewhere out there, his ancestors were looking down at him with satisfaction filling them like a good morning hunt. He opened his eyes slowly once the strong emotions faded out of him and could only manage a nod in response. Blackstar wasn’t one to be sentimental, yet he swore that if he responded, their would be a sob accompanying his meow.

The other tom’s glittery frame seemed to flicker away one by one before Blackstar was left alone again, though no longer truly alone now that he held the weight of one more life in him. He stood there for a moment to take in what just happened, except he could already feel the company of another being was approaching him as quickly as Firstspeaker left.

LupTacco

[LupTacco]

A pair of mismatched eyes emerged from the glittering fog, followed by a pale, mottled pelt. "Tsh, looks like I just missed the old man, eh?" the starry-furred queen smiled tiredly, padding up to meet Blackmoon face to face. "Ah, I remember you, Black of Moonless Night- do you remember me, old Frost Creeping Over the Ground? Though I am sad to see Screech of Mighty Eagle has passed the gift along so soon, I am proud to greet another 'star'," Frost spoke in a light clip, seemingly in spite of the important atmosphere, though her eyes were intently focused on the to-be leader. "We may not be the Tribe of Ancient Roots any longer, but we have a rich history. Do you remember Stonehome? The saplings kittens and to-bes would climb. The stone den where Firstspeaker rested and healed the sick. Do you remember out stories? The gemstones in the walls? From each of these, there is peace to be found in the memory- and wisdom to be shared with the young." She stepped a little closer, pressing her nose to Blackmoon's forehead.

The life would be bittersweet and warm; the passing of beloved story-telling elders, of the Firstspeakers before the last, and the retirement of aging hunters and guards. And yet, at the same time, the birth of new kittens to tell stories to; the training of to-bes in the warm moons. Around every vision and feeling, the old forest hemmed it all in protectively like a kit-mother around her new litter. The ancient stones with the vines and trees growing in and around them held everything together and sheltered the cats from even the worst storm, the gemstones embedded in the walls catching hints of sunlight. It was nostalgic, an unattainable thing that no longer existed- but it was carried in the heart of every RootClan cat.

"Carry the lessons of our past with you, and keep your heart true to the spirits of the dead and the living. Memory without change is stagnation; change without memory is aimless. You must carry both with you in equal measure- this is the life of heritage," Frost spoke in the commanding voice of a mother as she leaned back, but when she could catch Blackmoon's eye again, she offered him a kind smile before drifting away. A tail-length behind where she'd been, another cat of the old tribe lingered- Flower Hiding Between Ferns.

The smaller tom padded forward, circling Blackmoon once and examining him perhaps a little too long. Humming an approval, Flower cleared his throat and sat before the RootClan deputy. "You have the look of a leader, and a heart to match. You're absolutely radiant- can you see it? Or..." the tabby tom shook his head, smiling to himself, "Maybe that's the secret, huh? Seeing your own beauty might just get to your head. But nobody said anything about seeing it in others." As quickly as he'd stopped speaking, he craned his head forward to grant a third life to Blackmoon.

This one was... a little all over the place. Faces of cats, their pelts shining in the sunlight or glowing in the moonlight- every two-moon infatuation of the prey-hunter was shared. One cat had a cute spot right under their eye; another had a little curl they always carried the end of their tail in. Diving deeper, though, each cat revealed their true self; some were cruel, others kind, some carried secrets they wouldn't share.

"Hah, sorry. That one was a little personal, I suppose," Flower rolled his eyes, shuffling in place, "but such is a life. That one stands for beauty- not just physical, but of the heart and soul. Those who are truly beautiful have a strong heart to guide them." As Flower began to disappear into the mists, he flicked his tail along Blackmoon's nose, looking back over his shoulder, "Never lose what you've got." And with that, it was time for the next cat to appear.

noctemq

[noctemq]

Blackstar’s expression mellowed out as he recalled with Frost. Ah yes, the good times. Maybe they just seemed good because he was more naive then. Every memory brought another until he found himself in a peaceful state of recall. Is this what being an elder felt like? If so, he was looking forward to retirement. He gladly dipped his head down to Frost, a whirlwind of flashbacks, some not even his own, washing over him. Blackstar was able to handle this life much better than the other ones. ”Thank you,” he said softly in reply, finally not beaten up enough to be polite.

He watched Frost leave and another cat come. Blackstar was about to greet him, but the cat quickly moved around his flank. He sat patient, somewhat amused by Flower. Every life given to him so far had been deeply personal and reflected each giver’s character, and this was no different. What Blackstar saw wasn’t recognizable to him; he had never been in a relationship before, free time eluded his paws more so now than ever. The unfamiliarity is what made this life so special, though. Lessons of love and admiration swelled over him, ones that he would have taken moons and many failed exchanges to figure out. He opened his eyes, a shimmer of gratitude obvious in his dark amber orbs. ”A little personal isn’t bad. It was actually refreshing,” he purred as Fern was leaving.

---

Blackstar took a deep breath, held it for a second, then slowly released it. How much time had passed since he first touched the Moonstone? It had felt like half a day ago, though knowing the mystics shrouding Starclan, he had probably been still for just a second. All of the cats that have greeted him so far felt familiar, yet none as familiar as the large unearthly figure in front of him now. He looked up and suddenly felt like a kit again, with paws too large and a tail too short to balance by. Facing Blackstar was his father, Peak That Touches Sky. Peak was a big tom with a long, sweeping tail. His face was long and kind. When Peak was alive, he had a long set of scars running down his body and torn ears, and those were no longer present on his starry body. Blackstar, abandoning any formalities, quickly ran forward to embrace his father. It had been so long since they last met; Peak died when Blackstar was only a to-be so many moons ago. Peak chuckled and allows his son to bury into his abundant chest fur.

“Black, settle down, I’m here,” the dead home-guard chuckled, embrace him for a second more ahead of getting down to business. Blackstar open his mouth to address Peak, a multitude of questions and concerns threatening to spill out. Peak quickly hushed him like he did as a kit by flicking his tail.

“Do you remember when we called you Bwack of Moonwess Night? You couldn’t pronounce your name correctly yet,” Peak’s gaze was soft and full of endearment. “You’ve grown up so much since then. And you’re handsome! Youget that from your father’s side, y’know.” Even in the afterlife, he was as cheeky as ever. He was here not to reminisce, but to complete a duty. Peak puffed out, allowing his majestic fur to flow to its fullest potential. “You’ve gone by many names, and now you have another one to add to your collection, but you’ll always be my Bwack. I regret not being by your side since I’ve disappeared, or at least visibly so. I want you to know that I’m proud,” Peak’s expression changed into one of mixed woe. “So, so proud.”

“The life I have to offer you is my own, one of honor. Choose what is right, no matter how hard it may be. Be confident in your choices, as they are not one of just your own, but mine as well. The next time you hear that little voice in your head, think of me. And you can’t say no to your dad!” he grinned, keeping the usual seriousness of the situation lighthearted. Peak approached Blackstar and touched his nose to the “M” on the leader’s forehead.

Blackstar staggered back, immediately breaking contact with Peak. He felt like his whole body was burning. Judgmental murmurs surrounded him, each word seeming to only fan the fire until the flames were unbearable. He turned around himself, unable to see Peak from the smokes of his own fur. The fire moved slowly, as if it was only half-alive. Shadows flashed in the rising cinders; Blackstar wasn’t able to identify who they were since they disappeared so quickly. Right as he thought he was going to pass out, it suddenly stopped. He fell onto his side, gasping for fresh air. The smoke instantly rose and ceased to be. Peak was still standing there, and he helped his son stand up with a wobble. Blackstar coughed a few times before realizing his lungs were already clear. Once he was standing, he shook out his fur, exhausted from his fourth life.

“Stand strong with your values and make ‘em count. That’s all I’ve got to say,” Peak modded firmly. Just as it seemed like he was going to leave in a haze of sparkles, he embraced Blackstar one last time. He didn’t want to ever let go. “Take care, okay? Don’t be mouse-brained and skip your first meal of the day. That one’s the most important.” Peak found himself repeating what he used to say when he was alive, as if he was just trying to buy time. “Okay, okay.” He somehow managed to pry himself off of Blackstar, who seemed just as blue.

“I’ll see you later, Bwack.” Peak flashed his usual wide grin. He turned around to leave, and with a gesture of his fan-like tail, dissolved into the glistening starscape beyond.

Blackstar wanted to reach out; the newfound warmth left in his fur kept him from doing so. He turned his head upwards and closed his eyes for a generous second. Three more lives to go.

Miss Tactical

[Ringtail]

Taking the lead, the queen made a swish of her tail, the long furred appendage idly swaying from side to side as she headed towards the warriors' den. And a little flirting was just too good to pas up. Swanfur made a soft purr before setting her nesting material in front of the entrance of the warriors' den. "Maybe you can come help me build up my nest? You do that, and I'll join you with building the elder's nests too. Sound fair?" Two birds with one stone, right? She had nothing better to do besides lay around and wander the camp for the evening.

"What do you say, Jaggedstream? Does that sound like a fair deal or no? If not, I'll just leave you alone and go about your day."