DEVIL TOWN — nine lives ceremony

[PITCHSTAR]

With his aunt at his side, Pitchsun hesitates in front of the Moonstone. The cynical part of him expects nothing to happen. StarClan hadn't kept their promise of gifting Briarstar nine lives, so why would they bestow that gift upon him?

But another part of him hopes that something does happen; that he would wake to see his mother and father's faces once more. No blood, no monsters both metaphorical and physical to tear them apart. They would be a happy family once more; no matter how brief it may be, Pitchsun wants just one more moment of happiness. One more heartbeat where he doesn't feel as if the world is coming to an end, crumbling around him.

Pitchsun inhales sharply, his own mind at war with itself, as he leans in and brushes his nose against the cool stone.

The ground falls from beneath his paws. When Pitchsun opens his eyes, he is no longer in the cavern, but in a starlit marsh. Nine cats stand in a line before him, their fur glittering with stars. Pitchsun, elegant as he is, gapes at them with a slack jaw. His widened eyes rove over each cat, hoping and seeking, until he sees her. "Mom-" The rosette tabby starts towards his mother with bittersweet tears building, only to be intercepted by the first star-speckled feline.

Pitchsun glowers at them, his expression an unspoken question of, why are you in my way?

[ @Jay @marquette @Wolf_ @ABRI @ava @Rinaroo @saeyoung @Regina ; lives can be given in any order, with the exception of briarstar, who will be giving the final life! ]​

 

[LEOPARDCLIMB.]

Cotton candy skies​

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The first to approach Pitchsun was a small white and cinnamon molly seafoam eyes glittering with warmth as she looked up towards the other. "Hello, Pitchsun" she started, her voice accented as her fluffy tail swished in gentle greetings, stars dancing in her fur as she let a gentle chuckle out. "I am sure you're wondering who I am" she started off, blinking a bit, she felt honored to be one of the nine cats to give the new shadowclan's leader a life, and yet she understood the pain that they were going through... Dipping her head she kept a gentle warm smile on her face. "I am Leopardclimb, a warrior of skyclan...I feel honored to be able to give you a life" she said gently before approaching closer.

Pausing she would wait till the tom would bend down to her level before she continued. "With this life, I give you understanding. Know that there will be hard times ahead but understand in your clan and help guide them through these troubled times" she said to him before pressing her nose onto the other's forehead and with that the small she-cat would step back still warm with a gentle smile as she went to join the others. "You'll do an amazing job Pitchsun, I believe in you" she spoke softly before the next cat would approach the new leader of Shadowclan to give the second life.​

"speak""Thoughts"​

Congrats love!! <3))

 

[Sparkkit]

A young body moved from behind that of Leopardclimb, nose no longer crusted over and their yellow eyes where bright with life. The once sickly and weak kittened seem to be cured of all ailments. There was even a smile upon their maw as they approached the blackened tomcat with a wave of their fluffy tail, "Hai Pitch! Or well Pitchsun," The young kit gave little butt wiggle before bounding up closer to the young tom, pressing their head into his leg, "I give you the life of innocence! Never forget to have fun, never forget where you came from," Sparkkit then lifted their head up and looked up at Pitchsun happily, "Tell the others I am okay, I know Granitepaw is most affected by my passing," They gave a small dip of their head before bounding back over beside Leopardclimb, eyes sparkling with wonder. [/color]​

 

[LEAPING TOAD]

It's Leaping Toad that is next.

Though so young, this isn't the first life he's given to a leader. To a ShadowClan leader, even. The apprentice-aged tom steps forward after Sparkkit finishes their piece of the ceremony.

"Hello, Pitchsun," the brown tabby greets the new leader, a bow of his head following suit. "With this life, I give you curiosity. Your drive for learning will be important, as you gain your footing as ShadowClan's leader. Wanting knowledge of all that's before you - beyond that, even - will help you become a great leader and help guide your decisions, as the seasons pass."

The tom reaches up to press his nose to Pitchsun, a transfer of energy between the two. He steps back when all is said and done, one more bow of his head.

"You will do great!" he promises the new leader of ShadowClan, before a request of his own is uttered - one similar to what he once asked of Briarstar, now extended to her son: "Keep watch over Ribbitpaw and Geckoscreech for me, yeah?"

He steps back, glancing down the line at the next StarClan resident meant to give their piece.
​

 

[ASH]

Leaping Toad joins the line, and a small black and white tom who had been his denmate in the waking world as well breaks away. Ash, like the rest of those who had grown up in what would eventually be ShadowClan, had known Pitchsun while they lived, had never expected him to be forced into his mother's position so soon.

But the ways of the universe, he knows now, are strange and not always benevolent. A lesson he knows Pitchsun is coping with, even if it is with anger against StarClan.

Ash's steps are soft, glittery with starlight, and his eyes are pale and golden, limpid with feeling. "Pitchsun. Welcome to StarClan."

The small tom, as he had to do for Pitchsun's mother, tips forward on his speckled paws so he can brush his nose against the ShadowClan leader's. "With this life, I give you courage. You are grieving, and you may feel you have nothing left to give ShadowClan, but remember those who depend upon you and look up to you. It will take every ounce of bravery in your reach, but you will pull through."

As flesh touches flesh, an electric bolt of pain and adrenaline would flash through the two toms. Ash pulls away, giving Pitchsun a small, sad smile before joining the ranks of his brethren again. "StarClan believes in you, Pitchsun. Even if you lose faith in us."

With that, the young tom pads back to the others. He does not tell Pitchsun to give Twilightfall a message. He knows her own time is coming.
​

PENNED BY MARQUETTE​

 

[Rain]

Sad green eyes would land on the dark pelted tom, watching with a melancholy expression as he receives lives from the other cats with stars glimmering in their fur. When it is his turn he steps forward with grace, gently lowering his head in greeting to the new leader. "Pitchsun" he rumbles, thunder before the storm. "It is much too soon for you to be here and for that I am sorry" he knows what it is like to lose the ones you love, maybe almost a little too well. His mind flashes to his own kits, the ones he had left behind. Their faces, agonized and marred by grief. At least Pitchsun will get this opportunity to see his mother again, to say goodbye. He is jealous, though he does not hold it against him.

Rain skips the introductions. He is certain Pitchsun knows who he is, recognizable from the four seasons he had been at war with his mother. He skips right to the business end of things, why they are here. "I know this is hard, and you now have a long road ahead of you to face. You may often find yourself angry at us, may find yourself cursing at the stars for doing such a thing to you. I promise you though, everything happens for a reason" things he wishes he could tell his own sons when he had passed spill from his lips. He had seen their anger, seen the way that his death had affected them and he sees them when he looks into Pitches eyes. A boy whose mother was taken from him too soon. "With this life, I give you forgiveness. Use it to forgive your enemies, for one day they could become friends, allies and it takes much more strength to forgive than it does to hold a grudge." he thinks of Cicadastar, of River Clan. Of Redstorm and Haze and Squallmist. "And forgive us" he adds quietly, barely a whisper. It was not in their power to determine who lived and who died but he knows some see it that way.

He bows his head and touches his nose to the top of Pitchsun's skull, giving him his life. "Use it wisely" he warns before he steps back, rejoining the other star clan cats in their ranks. ​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[SOOT CLAW]

"Pitchstar." A raspy voice greets after Rain departs back into the crowded StarClanner's. Replacing the fallen Pine leader is a small blue smoke, and despite his stature... something about him still felt intimidating. Perhaps it was his scowl, his narrowed gaze, or perhaps Pitchsun remembered him.

"I was there for your birth, watched you grow from kit to adolescent before I died. Names Soot Claw, I was a loyal soldier to your mother." Now in the stars he was free from loyalty to a leader, here all he answered to were the signs the cosmos gifted to them. "Wouldn't be shocked if you didn't remember me, was a long time ago now. Lots has changed." For both the good and the bad.

He presses his ebony nose to Pitchsun's forehead, "I gift you the life of remembering StarClan. Do not let your assumptions of us fool you... StarClan has not abandoned ShadowClan, and we had never abandoned your mother. Some cats fates are embed so deep in the stars, that even we cannot do anything to save them." He pulls his nose away, looking the soon to be ShadowClan leader straight in the eyes. "We will never forget ShadowClan, do not let your cats forget about us."

The clans would be nothing without StarClan, and what a pity it would be for ShadowClan to tumble so soon...
"Lead fearlessly." He advises with a dip of his head, and with that, the grouchy tom takes his place back amongst the crowd.​

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