Post by longfang on Aug 4, 2009 10:18:22 GMT -8
LongFang-Longstar
LongFang hesitantly approached the Starpool, pawsteps uneven and faltering. She glanced nervously around, hoping that no cats would creep upon her unawares. She took a frightened gulp and walked forward.
As she reached Starpool, she glanced down, down deep into its starry depths. She could see the stars reflecting in it and her ancestors looking down on her. She knelt down, Her tongue shot out once, dipping into the water for less then a second. Slowly, her eyes drifted shut, closing her to the world, and opening her to another.
She stood in a small clearing, the moon glowing down on her and lighting the shadows around her, slowly, she could make out nine other cats, all in a circle around her. She gulped, trying to see, but it was impossible. Suddenly, one of the cats moved forward, and she recognized her former leader, Foxstar. She drew in a large breath, bowing her head lightly, and when she looked back up, Foxstar said, "You have made it a long way, LongFang, and now it is time to follow your destiny,"
Foxstar stepped forward to give her her first life. She murmured his name, her heart unhappy at her disappearence. She walked up to him however, and stood towering over her, "My deputy... with this life, I give you the power to lead," He said, she gripped the ground with her claws, for a pain stronger than badger claws exploded in her chest. Her eyes wild and seeing nothing for a what seemed like a moon, but then they cleared, and there was a new glint to them.
Her former leader had moved back, returning into the dim blurriness, and now stepped forward and new cat, her caregiver, and a cat she knew and loved, her mother. Her mothers face was curved to form a smile, and LongFang took a deep breath, so happy to see her. She opened her mouth to say something, but her heart told her not to, so she closed it to listen. Her mother stopped, standing over her, suddenly looking strong and bold, "With this life, I give the ability to love, if its with another cat, for just your clan, or for all the cats in all the clans." This time, instead of pain, there was a weightlessness feeling, like she wasn't attached to her body any longer. She sighed, relieved it wasn't pain, but when she opened her eyes, her mother was gone.
Oddly, there was an apprentice in front of her. She did not recognize the grinning enthusiastic, yet tall and strong cat that was standing there. "Hello LongFang! Don't you recognize me? I am Shortpaw, your lost brother? I give you the power to see and to feel, because you will need it for ElmClan to survive! Pain shot through her body, and before she had a chance to call a good-bye, he disappeared into the crowd and another came forward.
Almost instantly, she recognized Runningthunder, who smiled up at her, still looking as an apprentice. Before she could say anything, Runningthunder was speaking, “LongFang, my kit-hood friend, with this life, I give you speed and boundless energy, the speed and energy so that you may always run with your Clan, and never will be left behind,” For many moments, the wind rushed around her, as if she was running at a great speed, and she felt her heart beating, caused by her adrenaline. Then it was gone, she gasped, not sure if she could take four more lives. She looked up to see her sister, Emberpaw, approaching her, and her throat clenched.
She couldn’t help it, she blurted out, “Emberpaw! You left the clans! What are you doing here?” She asked, and sadness glinted in her amber eyes, “I left to find our father, the father we never knew. But I found him dead... But I had always believed. Silkfur, with this life, I give you a life to believe, and see the truth." For a second, her mind was numbed, and she couldn’t think of anything, panic rose in her, but then, like a giant wave had washed through her head, she was able to think again, and relief washed through her.
Next thing she knew, NightShade was approaching her, her fur glinting like a million stars. LongFang dipped her head, and NightShade gave one of her rare smiles. “LongFang, with this life, I give you’re the power of loyalty, so you will always know what's right and to do it.” For this life, a tingling spread out through out her whole body, moving through her line a wind might gust by you for a second. Then it was gone, and NightShade was gone, returned back to the spot where she had been standing before.
Cloudheart, Nightshade's brother, came forward smiling as he always did, “With this life, I give you the power of no hesitation, to always be firm and always do what you believe in, no matter if it is defying the Warrior Code,” She gripped the ground, and when she opened her eyes, an unknown cat was approaching her.
He stopped in front of her, his eyes holding all the wisdom in the world, and she braced herself, unsure of what was about to come, “LongFang, I am the father you never knew… with this life, I give you the ability to fight, even more than you have now, for you shall need it in the times to come,” and for was seemed moons and moons, all of the feelings that she had had with her former life’s came back to her in one giant wave, almost pushing her to a crumpled heap. Slowly though, it faded away, and she found herself back in the clearing, and Foxstar was still in front of her.
“LongFang is no more, from now on, until you join us here, you shall be known as Longstar. Embrace your new life, lead your clan well, and never forget who you are, for you are now the Leader of Elmclan, and it is your destiny!” His voice rang out, and cheers broke out around her, crying out her new name. She gasped, belt bristling. Longstar! Longstar! They cheered out, and then, slowly, the noise faded, darkness pushed in on her vision, and she found herself back at the Starpool, the power of Starclan seeming to be in her limbs.
She pushed herself to her feet, turning towards the horizon, ready to take on this path of leadership.