Warrior Cat Clans 2 (WCC2 aka Classic) is a roleplay site inspired by the Warrior series by Erin Hunter. Whether you are a fan of the books or new to the Warrior cats world, WCC2 offers a diverse environment with over a decade’s worth of lore for you - and your characters - to explore. Join us today and become a part of our ongoing story!
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11.06.2022 The site has been transformed into an archive. Thank you for all the memories here!
Here on Classic we understand that sometimes life can get difficult and we struggle. We may need to receive advice, vent, know that we are not alone in our difficult times, or even just have someone listen to what's going on in our lives. In light of these times, we have created the support threads below that are open to all of our members at any time.
The night sky was not clear tonight, scored by the long, velvet claws of approaching storms. Amid the rolling waves, tumbling ice floes sparkled, awash in shy, silver light from mischievous stars peeking through the slits between the clouds. Salt and frost swirled in the air as Sunstar- not yet fornally ordained, but taking upon her 'star had come so naturally, she felt amiss when she did insist on going by her given name- drank in her surroundings, seemingly starstruck by the sight of this same, familiar sea unraveling deeper into the night.
Ahead of her, an imposing blot that seemed to absorb all light around it and reflect nothing back, Watermouth yawned. Inside it, there would be unmarked sands, gems an unimaginable variety of colors, and a wide, unmoving, crystal clear pool that emanated an otherworldly glow. It would look as it did moons ago when she last ventured inside, hunting for treasure, as an apprentice, far more careless and irreverent and intrepid than she was now. Sunpaw was always a braver cat than Sunstar. Sunpaw marched in, righteous and owed; Sunstar hesitated outside, powerless and still.
She and Watermouth gaped at one another for long, deafening minutes.
Then, finally, and with aching care, she crossed the wet, white sand, sea foam lapping at her paws, and slunk through Watermouth's jaws, swallowed up into the darkness beyond.
Watermouth was utterly silent. There was no wind, no swelling sea- all sound stopped at the doorway, as if entering it was to enter a new world.
It was kind of eerie, and Sunstar, repressing a shudder, wanted no more than to turn around and procrastinate this encounter for another moon or two. As much as she had wanted this day to come since the very moment she opened her eyes, standing on the precipice of truly achieving it instilled a deep and profound sense of fear in her. Fear that she could be so close, close enough to peer into the pool and imagine her ancestors swimming within it, and could still fail. She had her clan's support, but how much would it mean if her ancestors denied her?
She couldn't dwell on these thoughts for long, as a movement on the other side of the pool snared her attention. A cotton ball shivered at the edge. Squinting, she leaned forward more until she could discern that it wasn't just debris blown in during a storm; Sunstar was looking at herself.
"Are you coming?" Sunkit asked her.
"W-wha-" Sunstar started to ask, but before she could, Sunkit faded in an instant, as if she were never there in the first place. Frozen, only the sound of her own breathing replied, and then with grudging slowness, she turned her gaze back to the water, now hazy and swirling, and bent down to touch her nose to it.
When Sunstar pulled away from the water, she was crushed to realize she was still in Watermouth. The world was still hushed. The sea was still black and churning against its sides. She was still here, with just as many lives as she came with.
Then, the earth began to shake; slowly, and then violently, and Watermouth began to fall down around her, ancient stones lost to the deep. Standing across from her, hovering above the froth, a being of radiant light sauntered towards her, formless, but as it stood before her, Sunstar realized with sudden, complete certainty that this spectre was comprised of the souls of every SummerClan cat to have ever lived and died. "We are Watermouth." The spectre said, and when it spoke, its voice emanated from everywhere and nowhere. It was both deafening and completely soundless. "We have come to ordain you as SummerClan’s leader. Are you ready to receive your lives?"
"I'm scared."
"We know. That is why we have made different arrangements." Was one of its eyes twinkling? With mischief? Sunstar wasn't sure- and wouldn't be- because she was immediately enraptured by the presence of nine new entities- ones she knew well. Sunpaw, Cinderflower, Rosethorn, Fisherpounce, Weevilspike, Ratstar, and three iterations of herself. "These cats are most important to you. We have brought their souls here to you so that, under the eyes of Watermouth, they may ordain you: their new leader. They will remember nothing of this ceremony; treasure these moments."
With that, the spectre, and it's all encompassing light, vanished, and in its place stood the small Sunkit. "I'm first, 'cuz I'm obviously the best." The proclamation made Sunstar want to laugh, the sting of pleasant tears in her eyes, but she didn't, only stooped her head forward as the kit reached up. "I give you the life of child-like wonder. We had a lot of fun fighting the sky ants, didn't we? Not every moment will be fun, but SummerClan will need you to remind them that brighter days are always ahead. Remember to play sometimes, even when it's hard to, okay?" The surge that flooded her was like a warming sensation, like she had just come in from playing in the snow and was snuggling into Poppymask's fur. She smiled down at herself as they separated, then watched as Sunkit bounced back to the others, weaving through Weevilspike and Rateye's legs.
"Alright," she drew in a deep breath, her worries easing away, "who's next?"
Post by achromatic on Feb 12, 2022 12:29:58 GMT -5
Sunpaw wasn't sure where she was. Was she in a dream? There was nothing familiar about this place, but she could smell it, the familiar scent of her clanmates. Who was up ahead? She moved towards the light, only to see Sunpetal. A sigh of relief left her mouth. For some reason, even though she was lost here–she had no idea what she was doing at all–she knew exactly why they had called her forward.
Was she ready? Could she really do this? Blinking, she stepped forward first, tentative, looking back at the other cats who had arrived here, only to turn to Sunpetal once more. A smile appeared on her face, reminiscent of her own name. "Sunpetal," she greeted with a purr, trotting forward to touch noses with the other cat. She was supposed to be giving the new leader a life, but what kind of life would she give?
Courage.
Suddenly, Sunpaw could see flashes of her life, like watching a skipping tape, of going on that adventure with Sunpetal and how she had saved her life, of her own defiance at Phantomfox hurting Foxpaw, of them in the meadows, watching the fireflies float in the air with a wide-eyed look of breathless wonder.
"With this life, I give you courage," she spoke, her hazel eyes shining so brightly, "you've always been brave, and that's what I looked up to about you, how you were the one who stood up first and got us to where we are now, but...sometimes bravery is like a lion, it's loud and it's bold, but sometimes it's quiet. Sometimes it's about being afraid and still being able to take that small step forward."
She gave the cat a grin.
"I know you'll be a great leader, Sunpetal," she purred, pulling the older cat into a hug, before letting go, turning around and returning to the ranks of the others.
As Sunpaw approached her from the crowd, the older of the two reflected the smile she displayed, just as radiant as the one the apprentice sported. There was no exchange of words between them before their noses touched, and along with Sunpaw's message, the life of courage ebbed into her. It was a roaring, vicious presence that resonated from the center of her chest, curling through her veins like thick strains of ink, and her paws curled into the sand underfoot, a hiss trapped behind her teeth, until it finally relaxed, releasing itself through a breath that she slowly, gratefully exhaled. In its place was a quiet, comforting lull.
Sunstar leaned into Sunpaw's embrace, digging her muzzle into her ginger fur. "Thank you, Sunpaw." Though the apprentice would wake up in the morning, with no memory of this moment clear in her eyes, it was an experience the new leader was etching deep in her soul. Her eyes shone fondly at her friend as she watched her retreat, but her expression rapidly turned bashful at the next to step forward.
"Hey, Sunpetal! Oh, wait a moment- is it Sunstar now? When is it official?" Cinderflower sprang forward eagerly, almost tripping over her own paws as she stopped a few steps away from her friend, crush, and former mentor. The gray garden keeper gave Sunstar a wide, energetic smile, glancing around at their surroundings. "This sure is a weird place to wake up in. You could've warned me, you know." She reached out to nudge her shoulder, before steadying herself to complete the task she knew she'd been given.
The knowledge of what life she would give came easily. "I give you a life of love," Cinderflower said, touching her nose to Sunstar's. "Love is what sustains us, what makes life worth living. When things get overwhelming, remember to turn to the cats that love you- and don't be afraid to give love in return." This life was a much easier one to receive. It was warm and full and soft, teeming with fond memories of friends, family, and a glimpse of Sunpetal through Cinderflower's eyes- witty, beautiful, strong. It ebbed slowly, like the lingering notes of a melody, before Cinderflower stepped away.
Her aunt was the next cat to step forward, her amber eyes glittering with her ever-present amusement. "I'm not sure how you pulled this all off, Sunstar, but color me impressed. I didn't expect to bestow any lives after I died, let alone before." The soft gray and cream tabby extended her neck, brushing noses with her former apprentice. "I give you the life of adaptability. Life is difficult and ever-changing, and no one knows that better than I do. Adapting to our circumstances, overcoming the most crushing situations by bending instead of breaking, is a crucial part of leading. Learn it well."
The life that flowed into Sunstar was colored around the edges with pain, but the core of it glowed bright and strong. It held tints of optimism and a determination, and settled into her bones as Rosethorn stepped away with a proud smile.
A mixture of emotions she didn't voice flared into Sunstar's chest, her relief at how easily their friendship still felt splintered by guilt that Cinderflower was here, that she was offering her a life that was warm and poignant and promised an eternity of love- one she could easily fall into if she let herself-, and that ultimately these feelings that were flush within her now were ones she couldn't reciprocate. "Thank you," she murmured, raising her eyes to let her friend see that the gratitude in them was truly, wholly genuine. A note of sadness, of that seeping guilt, lingered, but she shoved it away before it could cement itself in the new life curled warmly in her chest.
She was more prepared when Rosethorn replaced Cinderflower. Her reservations became but an undercurrent, swept away in the tides of a true, visceral sensation of love she felt for her former enemy, mentor, and current advisor. "I told you," she interjected when Rosethorn paused, the teasing apparent in her voice, "I was chosen by StarClan. I have privileges you commoners don't." The jest lilted high on her laughter, but Sunstar fell quiet again, closing her eyes to feel the fullness of Rosethorn's life. Throughout all their differences and the one-sided feud waged by a haughty Sunkit and stubborn Sunpaw, she had witnessed every hardship Rosethorn had been forced to overcome. Only now, she could see it in a new light, untainted by vitriol. Before her mentor could fall back, she brushed her head low into the soft ivory fur of her throat and whispered, "Thank you. I couldn't have done any of this without you. I- I love you."
There was a certainty blossoming in her heart that, even if Rosethorn would not recall this event in the morning, the sentiment would still be harbored in her soul. It would glow there, steady and true.
Sunstar gave a misty-eyed smile as they separated, watching her mentor rejoin the masses only for a mirror image of herself to come forward. Sunpaw was hardly more than an oversized snowshoe hare, with her fur even denser than it'd been as a kit, but she was ferocious and she moved with a powerful saunter. She didn't need anyone to tell her what she was because, Sunstar realized now, she already knew. She was cunning and strong and, at her core, wholly earnest with good intentions. Her younger self held her eye with a bold stare, shoulders set back and chin lifted. "I give you the life of ambition." Always direct, no preamble. "You made it. You achieved what we always dreamed of, but don't think it stops here. Keep striving. Strive to be better. Strive to be the best. Strive to live with passion and purpose. Strive to die with honor. Strive to always be yourself. Ambition pushed you this far; if you lose it now, you'll lose yourself, too. Don't disappoint me."
With that, a sharp, pretty pink nose plunged forward against her own, and the life that followed was wild and demanding. It felt like more was being absorbed from her than what was supposed to be flowing in, her paws digging further into the ground to stabilize herself against the push. It was deep, and it was heavy, and it anchored deep inside of her.
She was weary by the end, when Sunpaw drifted back with that same steely glint and the blazing tension let her body release, painfully, into a looser stance.
Post by Whitemuzzle on Feb 19, 2022 14:21:14 GMT -5
This dream was like none other Fisherpounce had ever experienced. It started with him rising to his feet and looking down at his still sleeping form in the warriors’ den. There was a tugging of sorts deep inside his chest causing his legs to move almost under their own power and out into the camp. Then all of a sudden he was flying! Wow, he thought. This is the best dream ever! Familiar landmarks passed quickly beneath him until he saw Watermouth.
After swooping in through the entrance, he slowed down and saw a few of his clanmates already here. He quietly landed on a cold, flat rock and watched. And there was Sunpetal standing in front of Cinderflower. It wasn’t long until he realized this was Sunpetal’s nine lives ceremony and he was called here to give her one. The next one was Rosethorn and then he was surprised to see a younger version of Sunpetal standing face to face with herself. Well, this is a dream after all, he thought.
Somehow knowing it was his turn next, Fisherpounce rose to his paws and padded over to his long-time friend. Freshly healed scars that were crisscrossed on his side proclaimed his part in the recent battles against NightClan. “You are my first true friend,” he meowed. “And will always be among my closest friends. We were inseparable as kits and had lots of adventures together. I believe the great battle against the sky ants was to prepare us for the biggest and most recent battle we just had. And do you remember Graythorn’s prophecy that greatness was in your future? That prophecy was for this moment in time. It is fulfilled here and now in you. This life I give you is for friendship. Always remember that friendship is a gift you can receive only if you give it in return. Use this gift wisely as I know you will, Queen Sunstar. Your trusty knight, Sir Fisher, will always be ready at your service.” He bowed low before rising again to touch his nose to hers.
Suddenly he felt a great wave of energy flow over and through him. Visions of ant shaped snowflakes swirled around him then mingled with images of screeching cats locked in battle. Then all at once the fierce energy slowed down into a gentle flowing stream. The images of snowflakes and cats melded into cheerfully colored flower petals softly drifting along on a gentle breeze with a radiant sun shining brightly through them.
When Fisherpounce came forward, Sunstar's smile was broad and genuine. Of all the cats in SummerClan, barring her brother, this was her nearest, dearest friend- the one she could always rely on, who'd be honest with her, and who she could be herself around. He'd been the first to see her and accept her for who she was and not the front she erected.
She purred when he got close but didn't speak, waiting to feel the life flood her senses. It was energetic and determined, but there was nothing harsh in it; it was much gentler, more supportive, and understanding than the last. It was Fisherkit laughing when Sunkit slid into a snowbank. It was Fisherpaw and Sunpaw training side by side. It was Fisherpounce protecting Sunpetal from harm and trusting Sunstar to do the same. The life, as it melded into her, left her feeling warm and safe, and by the end of it, she was beaming brighter than her namesake.
"Thank you, Sir Fisher." Suddenly, she stood much straighter, though she still didn't come close to matching his height, and lashed her tail violently. Joy danced in her eyes. "Fall back, soldier."
“Oh. My. God. Cut the cameras.” Weevilspike emphasised each word with a small jerk of his paw through the air in front of him, a great, loving, teasing grin on his face. “Is that the Sunstar?”
Padding forward from the semi-circle of nine cats, stepping over Sunkit as he passed, he met his waiting sister and almost knocked her over from the force of his affectionate headbutt. “How’d you fool StarClan into this, Sun?” he purred, still rubbing his forehead against hers, eyes closed. “More importantly, how rude is it that I’m gonna,” he made a zipping sort of sound, “back into my sleeping body or whatever after this and not remember a thing? Like, not remembering giving my sister a life? This is the most cruel and unusual punishment for whatever sins I’ve committed that I’ve ever heard of — I must’a done something real bad. Kinda sexy.”
Grinning more softly now, he drew his head back to look down at her. “Sun, you’re my best friend. More than that, you’re my hero. I know, I know — total cringe, right? But you are. Every day I look at you and I think,” he let out a disbelieving breath, cheeks blowing out like he was intimidated or overwhelmed, “I came out’a the same womb as her? Sorry, mom, for the gross imagery. His expression softened further, earnest pride filling his eyes as he smiled down at her. “I love you. You’re the other part of my soul, Sun — living without you would be like walking around with my heart missing. So, it’s a good thing you’re gonna have eight extra lives to make sure you’re still looking like a total mamacita by the time I’m ugly and old. Speaking of…”
Stepping closer, Weevilspike lowered his voice to a loving murmur, his lopsided smile settling into damp-eyed earnestness. “With this life, I give you cunning. You’re already a boss babe, but a little bit of fierceness can never go amiss. Trust your mind. It’s a brilliant one. Look at the cracks, the splinters, the things no one else sees — that’s what you do best. Think the thoughts no one else even thinks to think. Cunning doesn’t have to be cruel. It can be kind.” Now his gaze turned sombre. “You overcame the hardest battle SummerClan has ever had to face. You killed, and you didn’t even give yourself time to heal before you became the thing our Clan needed you to be. You tried to hide it, Sun, but I saw how you were breaking. And you did that for SummerClan. You did that while you were grieving. You are the leader it needs. You are the leader I will follow to the ends of the earth — or at least to the SpringClan border.” He grinned. “You are the strongest person I know.” He stepped closer, and just before he touched his nose to his sister’s forehead, he murmured, “from now on, take time for yourself. You don’t have to be invincible all the time. You don’t have to hold onto guilt. You can let it go. That will be your first test of cunning. Use it on yourself.”
With that, he gently touched his nose to Sunstar’s head, parting her soft fur. The life was sharp like a surge of crackling electricity, enough to gasp at, enough to make fur stand on end, but it wasn’t painful. And rather than memories of the NightClan invasion flashing between them, it was memories of Sunstar’s cunning during their childhood — every time she’d led him on an adventure; every time she’d conspired to separate themselves from their other siblings; every time she’d flashed a princess’ smile and lied to their father about some mishap or petty bullying; every time Sunpetal had known everything someone would do before they did it through pure sharp-eyed observation, like someone brilliant enough to use a gossip column like a bible. And through it all, her brother’s love for her. Don’t lose Sunkit, it said. Don’t lose Sunpaw or Sunpetal. They didn’t have to tear themselves apart thinking to be cunning. They could just be.
And they were pretty wonderful.
Stepping back, Weevilspike gave his sister a lick on the spot he’d granted the life, looking down at her with a smile. “You made it, Sunstar.” With a last, lingering glance and another touch of their foreheads, he padded back to rejoin the other life-givers. Then, totally breaking the mood because even in a dream he had to uproot emotionally intense moments, he shouted, “NOW HURRY UP, PRINCESS, I’M TIRED.” With a loving grin to show he was joking, he sat down to watch the rest of the ceremony. He wouldn’t miss this for the world.
If she'd been close to crying before, by now Sunstar was a wreck. Weevilspike had hardly a chance to get the first syllable out before the waterworks started. She was a hiccuping, tear-streaked, blubbering mess by time he craned his head down to her level, that familiar wave of relief washing away the residue of muddled emotions she'd been wading through for so long, alone, at the sight of him. He waited, patiently, for her to get her sh!t together long enough to continue, though it was clear that SummerClan's princess-turned-queen was never far from the edge of another slobbering breakdown, her head pressed to Weevilspike's.
When he leaned back to speak, the pair of them with tears quivering in their eyes, she almost broke again- but didn't. Sunstar listened, enraptured, and etched every sentiment onto the stone walls of her heart. Though Bubbie was more giving with his love, it was always cut through with humor. This, this, was the genuine, real adoration between them- the god's honest love between the Prince and Princess of SummerClan, inseparable since birth.
So, it’s a good thing you’re gonna have eight extra lives to make sure you’re still looking like a total mamacita by the time I’m ugly and old. Ah, there it was. Sunstar gave a wet laugh. "You're already ugly," she assured him, then silenced herself, drawing in the strength of his life. Every scene that played out in her head, she remembered as if it were just yesterday. By the end, when the life petered down and all that remained was the warming sensation of Weevilspike's true, honest love, his partnership and loyalty, a loud purr reverberated through the young leader. She brushed their cheeks together before he could withdraw, gave his antics a much deserved eyeroll, and then watched as Sunkit bounced back over to take claim over one of Bubbie's front paws, just the right size to fit on her self-proclaimed oversized throne.
For the next cat to step forward, her impassive sapphire gaze softened impossibly, and Sunstar reached up to nose against her father's cheek lovingly. "Hi, Papi."
For what it was worth, Ratstar didn't appear to be fazed in the slightest from suddenly being transported to Starclan in his dreams. Perhaps it was just because he had been here several times before, or maybe the now-former leader had an inkling of what his eldest daughter would request from their ancestors. Regardless, his lean form stood proudly between his family and the ocean of starry specters - serving as almost a bridge between the two - the magic of Silverpelt having restored him to the prime of his health, despite his less than stellar condition in the waking world. The tom would certainly have a long road to recovery, but that was a concern for another time.
When it was his turn, Ratstar stepped forward and padded slowly towards Sunpetal, only to unexpectedly pause a few steps in when a pair of ghostly tabbies - one grey, and one brown - broke free from the crowd to meet him. When he noticed, her father greeted both of them warmly, as if he knew them personally. Sunpetal couldn't hear what they were saying, but they appeared to be talking about her - if the two she-cat's occasional glances towards her were any indication. Ratstar looked surprised for a moment, before grinning and saying something that caused all three of them to laugh. With that, the Starclan warriors turned to take their place back with the others, tails intertwined.
"Sorry fer the wait, darlin'." Ratstar meowed as he finally reached his baby girl, meeting his gaze with a loving smile. "Those two were my Mama an' Grandmama; wanted t' tell me how proud they were of both o' us. They also had a recommendation fer the life I'd give ya, but wouldn't ya know it, I had already beatin' 'em t' the same idea!" He laughed again, the sound joyful and almost musical in Sunpetal's ears. When he had finally gotten his chuckles out, the leader let out a sigh, and an unreadable expression of fondness crossed his face. "Gosh..." he breathed, "Look at 'cha, darlin'. I remember the day ya were born...barely any bigger than my paw. You've grown so much...I can barely believe my eye...where has all the time gone?"
"Remember what I used t' tell ya, about where I came from? I wasn't born in Summerclan, or any clan really. I didn't know nothin' 'bout them, an' didn't care; all that mattered t' me was findin' a meal an' a warm place t' sleep. That's what I believed for most o' my life that my paws were perfect for. It took Starclan themselves intervening t' show me differently-" he paused to glance over his shoulder at the starry tabbies: his grandmother Beautifulgift and his mother Dream, who were beaming at them. "An' even then I was still far, far older than you are now when I discovered what my paws were really meant for." When Ratstar turned back to face Sunpetal, he was crying in joy. Really, truly, crying; something Sunpetal had never ever seen him do before.
"Sunpetal...you found it."
Before she could respond, Ratstar suddenly surged forward, and pressed his nose to his daughter's forehead.
With this life," he meowed, "I give you Perseverance. Against all odds, against everythin' everyone said you could an' couldn't do, could an' couldn't be, against the might an' malice of Nightclan an' Aspenstar herself...you made it here. Day by day as Summerclan's leader, I had t' learn how t' overcome the obstacles ahead o' me. But you...you've already torn those walls down t' rubble with your own claws. The road ahead won't be any easier, but you are already far greater than I will ever be. I believe you can take the seeds of what I've planted an' grow Summerclan into a blossom more beautiful than anything around it."
"An' t' prove my trust in you, darlin', this life ain't one created for you...it's one of my own. The first life I ever received. It belongs to you now, and with it, our family's future is in your paws."
For once, it wasn't Sunstar that was crying. All throughout her life, when her emotions ran too rampant for her to control, it was her father she sought comfort from. If she tried to quantify the amount of times she fell asleep, curled against Ratstar's side, in the safety of his beech tree den, she would need six extra paws to do so. There was nowhere she felt safer than when huddled in that den. There was no one that filled her with the same treasured warmth and security than Ratstar. And there was no one she was more delighted, more perfectly thrilled, to see among her friends and family than him, and she'd watched with expectant impatience as he was distracted by two unnamed she-cats. Her eye may have twitched. But by the time her father made it over to her, she was all misty-eyed enchantment all over again, and when his eye filled with unrestrained tears, she was beneath his chin, the fur between her ears slicked down by the ones that fell.
Sunpetal...you found it.
She looked up. Impossible pride expanded in her chest- pride for where she was, how far she'd come- at the words, and she glanced briefly back at her paws, which also seemed to be larger than they'd been moments before, filled with purpose. They were large enough to fill the imprint Ratstar's left in the dirt, perfectly fit to walk along the path he'd carved out for her and for SummerClan until now.
Receiving this life was unlike any of the others. The moment Ratstar nuzzled her forehead, his nose cold against her skin, it ebbed in and looped around her soul. There was nothing painful about it nor any musical notes fluttering through; it felt like guidance. It was as familiar to her as weaving flowers into a bouquet, and it bespoke of life lessons and heartfelt talks, Ratstar teaching Sunkit humility and Sunpaw teaching her father how to make a crown. While most of the other lives became vibrant images in her head or songs to be strung on her heartstrings, this one settled into her paws, rooting her to the earth and illuminating the path ahead of her.
When the brightness of it began to subside, she was left buzzing with a completeness. If she'd never received any other lives at all, she'd have been okay with that.
"I love you too, Papi," still pressed against him, she almost forgot there was still an ongoing ceremony, still one cat waiting in the wings. Sunstar was content, buzzing with a soft purr, and it was only when Ratstar broke their embrace first that she recalled there was an audience. Straightening up and fixing herself, smoothing down her pelt- like these weren't the same cats who saw her at her worst- she was all business again.
Sunpetal's eyes were unburdened by trauma or newfound horror. They were bright and brimmed with authority, a devilish smirk at play. This was her at her brightest- no clouds, no darkness, no troubles. No growth. This was a Sunpetal who would have resisted the changes in her life if they had come gracefully, and one that would have withered at the first sign of winter.
Sunstar, forged through adversity, could now respect the difference that had developed in her over just a painful of moons. She looked softly at the mirror image of herself, and before Sunpetal could take the initiative, she moved first. Her nose pushed through the soft orange fur and her whiskers trembled on an unfelt wind, grazing the other's face. "From you I accept a life of renewal. I understand now that the trials I had to go through yesterday were necessary for me to excel today. I am you but I am transformed, and this life will honor the parts of you that were sacrificed to become me. I promise I'll never forget you," she vowed, and rather than feeling a surge, what she really felt was tired. The quiet, contented type of tired- an exhaustion that came not from hard work or strife, but one that followed happy days. This sun had to set for another to rise.
The last gift StarClan gave her was a fitful rest.
When Sunstar's eyes next opened, tracing the reconstructed walls of Watermouth and hearing the waves lap gently outside, she felt vitality in her limbs and nine hearts beating in her chest.
