Gabudex's Procrastination Corner

For context, Lakeclan is my main clangen clan I play. Riverstar is the current leader and because of how much I love the characters I created a short story about it. That's about it. See ya -

"This is the place?" Fringepaw asked tentatively, staring at the entrance to the tunnel.

"It is. I escorted Streakdream here moons ago." Riversplinter explained. A pang of sorrow rang through him as he remembered the old medicine cat. One of the founding members of Lakeclan. A childish tom who had also been very wise. Streakdream taught him how to swim, how to play mossball, how to stand tall in the face of doubt. He was dead before Fringepaw could become his apprentice. Fringepaw was learning quickly, being guided by the other clans, but it could never replace the bond mentor and apprentice fostered. The bond fostered during Riversplinters own apprenticeship with every cat in his then new clan.

"Do you not attend the half-moon meetings here?" Riversplinter asked. Fringepaw shook his head.

" I can't risk it, leaving the camp without a medicine cat." He said thoughtfully. "I usually have another medicine cat deliver my news for me."

Riversplinter shook his head. There would be time to argue back at camp. For now, it was time for his ceremony. Without another word they stepped into the cave, being careful as to not stumble down. They eventually reached a small clearing, weird looking rocks jutted from the walls while a small one grew from the middle. Laying down Riversplinter prepared himself for what he would find, his claws unsheathed into the hard ground as his anxiety grew. What if Starclan didn't accept him? He had been a part of the clan for far less time than someone like Chervilrumble, She deserves this leadership far more than me He thought. Suddenly with a flash of light, he fell into a deep sleep.

Riversplinter awoke to a clearing, slowly coming to his senses a wave of familiar scents crashed over him. Jolting upright he saw starry figures coming to watch him. An unfamiliar shape stepped out from the crowd.

"Are you ready? This is a momentous task, not one for the fainthearted." The cat spoke. Suddenly a wave of courage flowed through his body and to his mind. He nodded.

"I uh, I..." Riversplinter dug his claws in the soft ground in frustration.

"I am!" Riversplinter exclaimed. The strange cat nodded.

"You may back out at any time, but when it's done, you cannot undo." The cat spoke cryptically.

"May I?" Another cat joined them. Riversplinter immediately recognized them as Shrewspirit, a young she-cat whose life had been unfairly taken by her own clanmate. The unknown cat stepped aside. Padding up she smiled and quickly touched noses with him.

"With this life, I give you courage. Use it to face your enemies, even when all hope is lost." She spoke firmly. Riversplinter had pain run through his body, his claws instinctively unsheathed as he relived the she-cats last moments. A warrior's death. She backed away, her eyes warm, and without another word, stepped back into the sea of cats. Another cat padded up, dipping her head in greeting. Sproutbreak!

"With this life, I give you mercy. Use it well." She said briskly. A wave of anguish crashed over him, remember when Sproutbreak took in kits that hadn't been her own. Feeling her restraint at every glance her clanmates took at the kits. Their guardian angel. Sproutbreak stepped back.

"Don't worry," She said, seeing Riversplinters legs grow shaky from pain "This won't take long." with that, she stepped into the crowd once more.

A familiar ginger tom arose next. Stemdusk, the deputy before him, retired due to old age and was found inexplicably dead next to the fresh-kill pile. Riversplinter expected to see warmth in the old toms eyes now that he had no battles to fight, but his eyes were nothing but cold. As the tom grew nearer Riversplinter noticed the unmistakable scent of fear. Stemdusk shook his head and quickly touched noses with Riversplinter, the force almost knocking him back.

"With this life, I give you foresight. You'll need it." He rasped. No visions came to Riversplinter, but no pain either, only the heavy feeling of dread. Before Riversplinter could ask what he meant, Stemdusk slinked away into the crowd.

"How is Fringepaw getting along?" A voice asked from beside him. Startled Riversplinter looked beside him to meet Streakdream's gaze. Streakdream touched noses with the tom before he could respond.

"With this life, I give you wisdom." Pain shot through Riversplinter like a monster on the thunderpath. His mind was filled with memories, not just from Streakdream, but from all of his clanmates. Some he wished he could unsee. "You must understand every change of the wind if you wish to make it through." Streakdream stepped away as Riversplinter's pain slowly ebbed. Looking over his shoulder he muttered. "Tell him I'm proud. Won't you?" Before disappearing into the crowd

Another cat bounded into the clearing, Mallowfeather, an elder that had passed not long after Riversplinters warrior ceremony. Mallowfeather didn't act like he used to, now he was bouncing around the clearing like a restless kit. Riversplinter let out a purr of amusement, which caught Mallowfeather's attention.

"Sorry," He started " With this life, I give you grace." Energy pulsed through his bones, but he stay standing there, not wanting to ruin the ceremony. Without another word Mallowfeather raced back into the crowd.

Riversplinter waited for what seemed like moons for another cat to step forward. While he waited he thought about the lives he had currently, until a meow broke his train of thought.

"Are you going to keep me waiting?" an impatient voice called. Looking around, Riversplinter spotted Palekit, who died not long ago, waiting in front of him. With a sigh of exacerbation he touched noses with the deputy.

"With this life, I give you protection." A fiery conviction shot through Riversplinter. His mind was filled with the memory of Palekit protecting his sibling from a hawk, at the cost of his own life. The pain soon ebbed but the conviction stayed as Palekit walked past the next cat.

A familiar cat stepped in front of him. The she-cat adorned a collar, tipping her head to one side she questioned. "Do you remember me?" Riversplinter wracked his brain before a faint memory came into view, a vigil. "Peanutbreeze?" He asked. The she-cat nodded her head. She touched her nose to his.

"I know you are an ambitious young cat, but don't let that consume you, you must use your ambition for the whole of the clan if you wish to survive." She warned, giving him no time, she continued, "With this life, I give you sympathy. Use it to better understand everycat, even those outside your clan." Riversplinter nodded in understanding. She quickly moved into the crowd once more.

The unfamiliar cat came into view once more. He nodded respectfully. "I am Pumpkinheart. Medicine cat of the clans before Streakdream." He introduced himself. Pumpkinheart touched noses with the deputy, "With this life, I give you devotion." A wave of feelings washed over Riversplinter. No matter what, he knew the clan was the most important thing in his life. More important than even Starclan themselves. Pumpkinheart nodded in understanding before walking back.

A tom stood up beside Stemdusk and padded over to him. Warmth swelled in Riversplinters chest as he saw his old leader, Lotusstar, once again. Only those closest to him were allowed to bury the body after he had been mangled, Riversplinter was relieved to see him in such a youthful state now. Lotusstar looked up in pride.

"My loyal deputy, you have earned this." He stated. "With this life, I give you leadership through the darkest times. Use it well." A readiness swept over Riversplinter, as if any threat that stood in his way was going to have a tough time keeping him down. Lotusstar stepped back a few paces.

"You're old life is no more, with these nine lives you have been granted guardianship of Lakeclan, use this power carefully. I now name you, in the eyes of Starclan, Riverstar!" Lottusstar exclaimed.

"Riverstar! Riverstar! Riverstar!" The crowd cheered. Before Riverstar could speak he thrusted back to the tunnel.

A surge of energy rushed through him. Remembering his ominous warnings, he nodded to Fringepaw, and started back to the clan, to prepare for the worst.