Post by SOOTSTAR on Mar 27, 2015 23:36:24 GMT -5
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[break] sootstar [break] [break][break] black and white cat, green eyes, distinctive arrow-shaped nose marking. |
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[break]
Sootstar is a physically deceptive feline. At first glance, she seems fairly petite, being roughly the size of an older apprentice, but not quite as large as your typical warrior. Many assume that with this, she would also be frail and weak, but that could not be further from the truth. Her build is quite the opposite, being incredibly toned, with dense muscles disguised under her medium-length coat.
[break][break]
Sootstar main power comes from her large haunches and muscled front legs. She has large paws, though compared to her stocky body and mass, they seem well-balanced and almost average in appearance. Her tail is slightly shorter than the average cat of her age, and she typically lets the fur of her tail fluff out to make it look bulkier and more well-balanced to her body proportions.
[break][break]
Sootstar’s eyes are a soft two-toned olive green, and her fur is black and white throughout in a standard tuxedo pattern. Her body is mostly black, with a white belly and chest. All four paws, and the fronts of her forelegs, are also white. Her head is divided, with a white chin, cheeks, and eyes, up to a point on her forehead. Her ears, back, and tail are all a sleek black. She has a small stripe on her chin which mostly goes unseen. Perhaps most noticeable is Sootstar’s nose. A stripe running down the bridge of her nose, connecting with her nose, all black, makes an unusual and naturally-occurring black arrow shape, which is the source of her name's suffix.
[break]
[break][break]
personality[break]
Sootstar was born with the gift of great intuition. As a young kit, she was always able to make connections rather quickly, and was unusually mature for her age. Many said that it was simply luck in her young age, but as she grew older, they saw it as something more. However, her general intelligence and maturity led to becoming rather alienated from the other kits and cats approximately her age, and as she grew, this did not change.
[break][break]
Sootstar’s lack of relatable friends, and the constant teasing she faced as a child, led her to become both rather serious and almost heartless on her exterior, and incredibly frail inside. While she was marked as brilliant and extremely capable by those around her, inside, her self-esteem was damaged, for she knew others talked behind her back, and she was powerless to stop them. Logical things might have always made sense to her, but Sootstar could never understand what drove cats to the cruelty of gossip.
[break][break]
Sootstar is a responsible cat, and though she is nowhere near perfect, she does try her best. She has a tough, mature exterior when she has to act like a leader, but inside, Arrow is mostly very afraid. She does not mind time alone, as it gives her freedom to think, and it is what she knows to be most comfortable. Without the social experiences of others, she grew into quite an independent cat, and continues to this day to seem like a loner in some aspects of her personality.
[break][break]
One of Sootstar's best hidden, but strongest, traits is her powerful anxiety. Being as intuitive and aware as she is, it leads to an unnecessary amount of self-evaluation, especially when she is on her own. Many things make her nervous, and though she puts on a very strong exterior, she still cannot contain all of her fears and doubts. She works hard to overcome her anxiety by pushing herself to try new, daring experiences, but it is hard to combat something as deeply-rooted as fear.
[break][break]
Sootstar's fears typically go unannounced, and though her feelings help lead and guide her, she is always struggling to combat the anxiety and uncertainty that come with feeling different, and undesirable. She has a big heart, though, and is willing to fight to the death for what she believes or for those that she cares most about. She is wildly selfless, and would give her life for anyone else’s in an instant.
[break]
[break][break]
history
[break]
Snowstep and Blacktail were two loyal and well-loved WindClan cats. They had been mates for a long time. Snowstep was the proud mother of two toms, named Ashclaw and Redstep, from a previous mateship with a tom who had lost his life to disease. Snowstep had always longed for a daughter, and though it took many moons for her to fall in love again, she was finally granted that wish with Blacktail.
[break][break]
On a cold and snowy Leafbare night, young Sootkit was born. She was the only kit in her litter, which came as quite a surprise, but it only fueled the love Snowstep had for her the more. Another queen, Bluebell, was also a queen in the nursery at the time, with two toms and two she-kits to her large family. Snowstep and Bluebell became friends, and hoped that their kits would do the same.
[break][break]
However, Sootkit was very different, almost from the moment she was born. She was unusually clever, and very mature. Instead of playing games with the other kits, she would often sit and listen to the warriors chat about their most recent patrols, or ask the elders to tell her stories of sunrises long since past. This, unfortunately, would fuel a very long future for Sootkit.
[break][break]
Bluebell’s kits, as well as the Clan’s apprentices, did not take kindly to Sootkit. Some were jealous of the attention she got from the older cats, while others found her socially inept, and simply refused to be her friend. She became more and more of an exile, which she began to notice as she grew closer to the age of her apprenticeship.
[break][break]
Sootpaw was given the rare honor of becoming the current deputy’s apprentice. She then began to try and win favor with the other cats her age, but was unlucky in this pursuit. Hoping to seem less like an oddity, she stopped all socializing with the older cats of the Clan. This did little to help, though, and it became apparent to Sootpaw that she may never be able to be accepted by her fellow Clanmates. Not even having a prestigious mentor seemed to gain her any respect, and so she was left on her own much of the time in cautious observance.
[break][break]
Sootpaw eventually lost all desire to become liked as a feline, and instead chose to ignore the taunting and ridicule that she would receive when the older Clanmates were not looking. She concentrated on her studies, primarily on her fighting abilities, and began to show great promise as a fighter. At last, Sootpaw reached twelve moons, and after a rigorous test, she was deemed worthy of becoming a warrior.
[break][break]
Sootnose was named for the mark upon her nose, and she wore that name with pride. As a young Warrior, she was always the first to volunteer for patrols, and the last to eat from the freshkill pile. Many thought it was her responsible and compassionate nature that drove this, but it was in fact mostly due to her strong denial of her status as a social outcast. The more she escaped the camp, the more she went out and worked, the less time she had to feel anxious of what others thought, or watch them whisper behind her back.
[break][break]
Sootnose continued to work hard, and was given an apprentice when she reached eighteen moons of age. Many believed she would impart her diligent nature on the young tom, Briarpaw. She was a wonderful mentor to the tom, and was very understanding, but kept him working very hard, and it showed.
[break][break]
When the old Deputy, and Sootnose's old mentor, Dustfur, joined the ranks of StarClan, she was chosen as his new second in command. Some of the Clan were shocked, especially the younger cats, for she was still somewhat young herself, and was still mentoring her own apprentice. However, the position was given to her under the assumption that many moons would pass away and she would grow into a very talented Deputy, which in a way, did happen. She exemplified what it meant to lead and take charge, and the Clan quickly forgot how strange it seemed to have her in charge.
[break][break]
Briarpaw grew into a very strong Warrior, and Sootnose was an exceptionally proud mentor. In a way, he was the first young cat she had known who she could also consider a friend. He was given the name Briarfoot, after his quickness and fast-paced fighting skill. Sootnose was the happiest of all to see him blossom into a real Warrior, and the two remained good friends.
[break][break]
When an unfortunate accident involving the Talon Cliffs led to the death of Duststar, Sootnose was thrust into a position of great fear and doubt once more. Becoming a young Deputy was one thing, but being a young leader was a different thing entirely. The Clan once more began to whisper about her, and that weighed heavy on her mind. She felt isolated, but more than that, she feared that something strange might be coming. Something that would alter her course forever.
[break]
[break][break]
nine lives
[break]
Sootnose walked slowly, laboriously, toward the Rock Pool. She could feel the tremble in her whiskers with every step, and longed to turn back and hide herself from the world forever in the shelter of her den. All that weighed down upon her was the thought of every stare as the cats of the Clan heard the news. Sparrowstar is dead. That's what Briarfoot had told her. Sparrowstar is dead. She hadn't been in camp for the news, and even when others retold what they had heard, it seemed that there were details missing.
[break][break]
Sootnose was under the assumption that he had still possessed several of his lives, and she did not know how or why he had lost them. She grappled and wracked her brain for answers, but nothing came. As she continued on, she felt her steps drawing ever-nearer her fate. She was at least at the Rock Pool, and gave herself up to sleeping there. Her body curled, motionless, she as set to dream with her ancestors.
[break][break]
The dream pulled her into a reality that was not unlike her own. Stars glistened among the leaves of perfect trees, and she could see an infinite horizon in all directions, through the woodlands, extending into foreverness. Smiling, she sat herself down and waited. A moment passed, and she felt the breath slowly pulled from her lungs. This was, in fact, the loss of her life. It spiraled into the unknown, and in its place, many cats appeared, ethereal and beautiful.
[break][break]
One cat stepped forward, a feline she did not recognize but could guess from his appearance. He had reddish-brown fur and big, intimidating orange eyes. On his rump was a singular patch of darker tabby brown, which had been what had granted him his namesake.
[break]"I am," he spoke with great, booming power, "Russetpatch."
[break]"I know you. You're Ashclaw and Redstep's father. My mother's first love."
[break]"But not her last," Russetpatch said sweetly. He walked forward and touched Sootnose's black nose with his own pink one. She radiated with a strange, uncomfortable warmth. "With this life, I grant you the gift of love. May your heart be opened, to pour out your own kinship to those of your Clan." With that, he stepped back into the throng of gathered cats, and the radiating warmth faded. Sootnose let out a little sigh at its loss.
[break]"I am Littletail, your own grandmother," a dainty she-cat said as she stepped forward. She was a silver tabby, with icy blue eyes. Her little nose was cold to the touch, and it sent a wave of deep emotion over Sootnose. She shuddered and shook with the power of all the many feelings that poured out upon her like heavy rain. "With this life, I give you the gift of compassion, that you may always be able to understand those around you, and comfort those who stand in need of comfort." She backed away quickly, leaving Sootnose to shake with weakness.
[break]"I, Brownfire, give you the gift of great strength." The tom that stepped forward was a deep chocolate brown with soft yellow eyes. He touched Sootnose, and she felt every muscle in her body tense up. "May you legs never fail to carry you when your Clan is in need."
[break]"Gorseheart, your grandmother on your father's side," the next cat introduced herself. "And the life I give you is one of wisdom, not to understand with your mind, but with your heart." This one caused a great rise in Sootnose's heart rate, as if it had become a bird trapped under a cat's paws, trying desperately to free itself.
[break]"I give you the gift of a healing tongue," said Fennelfall, a past medicine cat. "May your words quell arguments and raise spirits through inspiration." Sootnose felt her mouth become enflamed, and though she could not, she wished terribly to spit out the pain.
[break]"I am Thistlestar, a past ancestor of yours from long ago, and one of the Clan's leaders from many moons past," spoke a black and white tom who looked very similar to Sootnose in appearance. "With this life, may you be given great fearlessness when confronted. May you use it to become a driving force in doing what is right." Sootnose felt empowered with this life, a feeling like she could throw herself off of the Talon Cliffs and fly, which in a way, terrified her.
[break]"I, Ravenspirit, mother to many a generation, give you the gift of parental understanding with this life. May your Clan be both kit and kin to you, and may you care for and guide them as you would your own offspring." The burning from this life was similar to that of love, but far more powerful and less warm. Sootnose felt as if she were a bear, ready to defend her cubs at an instant.
[break][break]
Up stepped the Clan's last Deputy, Dustfur. As he stepped forward, Sootnose could not keep from beaming.
[break]"It is so good to see you, Dustfur," she said kindly to her old mentor.
[break]"It is, my dear," he responded, sounding almost fatherly. "I present to you a life of self-awareness. May you see your weaknesses as strengths, and your strengths as the assets of your entire Clan." Oddly enough, Sootnose felt as if she could scream or cry out with this life, being overcome with a great weight of sadness. She shook away the feeling as the tom backed away into the group of cats. She had counted eight lives up to this point, and knew she had one left. Out from the crowd drew a very large and powerful tom. She smiled sweetly upon seeing the leader who had instilled so much trust in her. Sparrowstar stopped before her and smiled, his eyes alight with pride.
[break]"Sootnose, my dear, you are such a special cat. You do not understand the good you can do for this Clan. Do you remember what I told you on the day that you received your warrior name?"
[break]"I think so, Sparrowstar."
[break]"I told you, you must always look forward. You must always fly straight and true in your course." He paused, chuckling to himself. "Fly straight like a mighty sparrow."
[break]"Yes, you did."
[break]"And you have always done so. I am so very proud of you for that. With this life, may your gaze always look to the future. May you always see what could be for your Clan, and use your best judgement to guide them. Fly straight, and true, dear Sootnose. Fly straight and true." Sparrowstar touched her nose, and at once Sootnose felt a strangeness overcome her. It was powerful and beyond description, as if every ounce of emotion, and pain, and very previous life, had been packed together into one mighty feeling. As she was struck and paralyzed by it, a strange warning came to her in Sparrowstar's voice. "There is darkness ahead, Sootnose. Be prepared for the course of your life to change forever." The feeling did not subside for a long time, and Sootnose was left motionless.
[break][break]
[break]"I hail you by your new name, Sootstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of WindClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity." Sparrowstar said, but the newly named Sootstar could not see, or feel, or move. The words seemed to echo through her as if her body had become a chasm.
[break]"Sootstar! Sootstar!" The crowd cheered. Her watery eyes cleared, and she watched the vision fade away to hazy nothingness. A moment before she woke up, she heard Sparrowstar's words once more. "Be prepared for the course of your life to change forever." Sitting bolt upright, Sootstar looked about, the morning sun rising steadily in the distance. She sat for a long while, shaking, her body weak with terror. However, she had work to do, and a Clan to care for, so she set her course straight for home once more and left the Rock Pool's visions behind as a distant memory.
appearance
[break]Sootstar is a physically deceptive feline. At first glance, she seems fairly petite, being roughly the size of an older apprentice, but not quite as large as your typical warrior. Many assume that with this, she would also be frail and weak, but that could not be further from the truth. Her build is quite the opposite, being incredibly toned, with dense muscles disguised under her medium-length coat.
[break][break]
Sootstar main power comes from her large haunches and muscled front legs. She has large paws, though compared to her stocky body and mass, they seem well-balanced and almost average in appearance. Her tail is slightly shorter than the average cat of her age, and she typically lets the fur of her tail fluff out to make it look bulkier and more well-balanced to her body proportions.
[break][break]
Sootstar’s eyes are a soft two-toned olive green, and her fur is black and white throughout in a standard tuxedo pattern. Her body is mostly black, with a white belly and chest. All four paws, and the fronts of her forelegs, are also white. Her head is divided, with a white chin, cheeks, and eyes, up to a point on her forehead. Her ears, back, and tail are all a sleek black. She has a small stripe on her chin which mostly goes unseen. Perhaps most noticeable is Sootstar’s nose. A stripe running down the bridge of her nose, connecting with her nose, all black, makes an unusual and naturally-occurring black arrow shape, which is the source of her name's suffix.
[break]
[break][break]
personality
Sootstar was born with the gift of great intuition. As a young kit, she was always able to make connections rather quickly, and was unusually mature for her age. Many said that it was simply luck in her young age, but as she grew older, they saw it as something more. However, her general intelligence and maturity led to becoming rather alienated from the other kits and cats approximately her age, and as she grew, this did not change.
[break][break]
Sootstar’s lack of relatable friends, and the constant teasing she faced as a child, led her to become both rather serious and almost heartless on her exterior, and incredibly frail inside. While she was marked as brilliant and extremely capable by those around her, inside, her self-esteem was damaged, for she knew others talked behind her back, and she was powerless to stop them. Logical things might have always made sense to her, but Sootstar could never understand what drove cats to the cruelty of gossip.
[break][break]
Sootstar is a responsible cat, and though she is nowhere near perfect, she does try her best. She has a tough, mature exterior when she has to act like a leader, but inside, Arrow is mostly very afraid. She does not mind time alone, as it gives her freedom to think, and it is what she knows to be most comfortable. Without the social experiences of others, she grew into quite an independent cat, and continues to this day to seem like a loner in some aspects of her personality.
[break][break]
One of Sootstar's best hidden, but strongest, traits is her powerful anxiety. Being as intuitive and aware as she is, it leads to an unnecessary amount of self-evaluation, especially when she is on her own. Many things make her nervous, and though she puts on a very strong exterior, she still cannot contain all of her fears and doubts. She works hard to overcome her anxiety by pushing herself to try new, daring experiences, but it is hard to combat something as deeply-rooted as fear.
[break][break]
Sootstar's fears typically go unannounced, and though her feelings help lead and guide her, she is always struggling to combat the anxiety and uncertainty that come with feeling different, and undesirable. She has a big heart, though, and is willing to fight to the death for what she believes or for those that she cares most about. She is wildly selfless, and would give her life for anyone else’s in an instant.
[break]
[break][break]
history
Snowstep and Blacktail were two loyal and well-loved WindClan cats. They had been mates for a long time. Snowstep was the proud mother of two toms, named Ashclaw and Redstep, from a previous mateship with a tom who had lost his life to disease. Snowstep had always longed for a daughter, and though it took many moons for her to fall in love again, she was finally granted that wish with Blacktail.
[break][break]
On a cold and snowy Leafbare night, young Sootkit was born. She was the only kit in her litter, which came as quite a surprise, but it only fueled the love Snowstep had for her the more. Another queen, Bluebell, was also a queen in the nursery at the time, with two toms and two she-kits to her large family. Snowstep and Bluebell became friends, and hoped that their kits would do the same.
[break][break]
However, Sootkit was very different, almost from the moment she was born. She was unusually clever, and very mature. Instead of playing games with the other kits, she would often sit and listen to the warriors chat about their most recent patrols, or ask the elders to tell her stories of sunrises long since past. This, unfortunately, would fuel a very long future for Sootkit.
[break][break]
Bluebell’s kits, as well as the Clan’s apprentices, did not take kindly to Sootkit. Some were jealous of the attention she got from the older cats, while others found her socially inept, and simply refused to be her friend. She became more and more of an exile, which she began to notice as she grew closer to the age of her apprenticeship.
[break][break]
Sootpaw was given the rare honor of becoming the current deputy’s apprentice. She then began to try and win favor with the other cats her age, but was unlucky in this pursuit. Hoping to seem less like an oddity, she stopped all socializing with the older cats of the Clan. This did little to help, though, and it became apparent to Sootpaw that she may never be able to be accepted by her fellow Clanmates. Not even having a prestigious mentor seemed to gain her any respect, and so she was left on her own much of the time in cautious observance.
[break][break]
Sootpaw eventually lost all desire to become liked as a feline, and instead chose to ignore the taunting and ridicule that she would receive when the older Clanmates were not looking. She concentrated on her studies, primarily on her fighting abilities, and began to show great promise as a fighter. At last, Sootpaw reached twelve moons, and after a rigorous test, she was deemed worthy of becoming a warrior.
[break][break]
Sootnose was named for the mark upon her nose, and she wore that name with pride. As a young Warrior, she was always the first to volunteer for patrols, and the last to eat from the freshkill pile. Many thought it was her responsible and compassionate nature that drove this, but it was in fact mostly due to her strong denial of her status as a social outcast. The more she escaped the camp, the more she went out and worked, the less time she had to feel anxious of what others thought, or watch them whisper behind her back.
[break][break]
Sootnose continued to work hard, and was given an apprentice when she reached eighteen moons of age. Many believed she would impart her diligent nature on the young tom, Briarpaw. She was a wonderful mentor to the tom, and was very understanding, but kept him working very hard, and it showed.
[break][break]
When the old Deputy, and Sootnose's old mentor, Dustfur, joined the ranks of StarClan, she was chosen as his new second in command. Some of the Clan were shocked, especially the younger cats, for she was still somewhat young herself, and was still mentoring her own apprentice. However, the position was given to her under the assumption that many moons would pass away and she would grow into a very talented Deputy, which in a way, did happen. She exemplified what it meant to lead and take charge, and the Clan quickly forgot how strange it seemed to have her in charge.
[break][break]
Briarpaw grew into a very strong Warrior, and Sootnose was an exceptionally proud mentor. In a way, he was the first young cat she had known who she could also consider a friend. He was given the name Briarfoot, after his quickness and fast-paced fighting skill. Sootnose was the happiest of all to see him blossom into a real Warrior, and the two remained good friends.
[break][break]
When an unfortunate accident involving the Talon Cliffs led to the death of Duststar, Sootnose was thrust into a position of great fear and doubt once more. Becoming a young Deputy was one thing, but being a young leader was a different thing entirely. The Clan once more began to whisper about her, and that weighed heavy on her mind. She felt isolated, but more than that, she feared that something strange might be coming. Something that would alter her course forever.
[break]
[break][break]
nine lives
Sootnose walked slowly, laboriously, toward the Rock Pool. She could feel the tremble in her whiskers with every step, and longed to turn back and hide herself from the world forever in the shelter of her den. All that weighed down upon her was the thought of every stare as the cats of the Clan heard the news. Sparrowstar is dead. That's what Briarfoot had told her. Sparrowstar is dead. She hadn't been in camp for the news, and even when others retold what they had heard, it seemed that there were details missing.
[break][break]
Sootnose was under the assumption that he had still possessed several of his lives, and she did not know how or why he had lost them. She grappled and wracked her brain for answers, but nothing came. As she continued on, she felt her steps drawing ever-nearer her fate. She was at least at the Rock Pool, and gave herself up to sleeping there. Her body curled, motionless, she as set to dream with her ancestors.
[break][break]
The dream pulled her into a reality that was not unlike her own. Stars glistened among the leaves of perfect trees, and she could see an infinite horizon in all directions, through the woodlands, extending into foreverness. Smiling, she sat herself down and waited. A moment passed, and she felt the breath slowly pulled from her lungs. This was, in fact, the loss of her life. It spiraled into the unknown, and in its place, many cats appeared, ethereal and beautiful.
[break][break]
One cat stepped forward, a feline she did not recognize but could guess from his appearance. He had reddish-brown fur and big, intimidating orange eyes. On his rump was a singular patch of darker tabby brown, which had been what had granted him his namesake.
[break]"I am," he spoke with great, booming power, "Russetpatch."
[break]"I know you. You're Ashclaw and Redstep's father. My mother's first love."
[break]"But not her last," Russetpatch said sweetly. He walked forward and touched Sootnose's black nose with his own pink one. She radiated with a strange, uncomfortable warmth. "With this life, I grant you the gift of love. May your heart be opened, to pour out your own kinship to those of your Clan." With that, he stepped back into the throng of gathered cats, and the radiating warmth faded. Sootnose let out a little sigh at its loss.
[break]"I am Littletail, your own grandmother," a dainty she-cat said as she stepped forward. She was a silver tabby, with icy blue eyes. Her little nose was cold to the touch, and it sent a wave of deep emotion over Sootnose. She shuddered and shook with the power of all the many feelings that poured out upon her like heavy rain. "With this life, I give you the gift of compassion, that you may always be able to understand those around you, and comfort those who stand in need of comfort." She backed away quickly, leaving Sootnose to shake with weakness.
[break]"I, Brownfire, give you the gift of great strength." The tom that stepped forward was a deep chocolate brown with soft yellow eyes. He touched Sootnose, and she felt every muscle in her body tense up. "May you legs never fail to carry you when your Clan is in need."
[break]"Gorseheart, your grandmother on your father's side," the next cat introduced herself. "And the life I give you is one of wisdom, not to understand with your mind, but with your heart." This one caused a great rise in Sootnose's heart rate, as if it had become a bird trapped under a cat's paws, trying desperately to free itself.
[break]"I give you the gift of a healing tongue," said Fennelfall, a past medicine cat. "May your words quell arguments and raise spirits through inspiration." Sootnose felt her mouth become enflamed, and though she could not, she wished terribly to spit out the pain.
[break]"I am Thistlestar, a past ancestor of yours from long ago, and one of the Clan's leaders from many moons past," spoke a black and white tom who looked very similar to Sootnose in appearance. "With this life, may you be given great fearlessness when confronted. May you use it to become a driving force in doing what is right." Sootnose felt empowered with this life, a feeling like she could throw herself off of the Talon Cliffs and fly, which in a way, terrified her.
[break]"I, Ravenspirit, mother to many a generation, give you the gift of parental understanding with this life. May your Clan be both kit and kin to you, and may you care for and guide them as you would your own offspring." The burning from this life was similar to that of love, but far more powerful and less warm. Sootnose felt as if she were a bear, ready to defend her cubs at an instant.
[break][break]
Up stepped the Clan's last Deputy, Dustfur. As he stepped forward, Sootnose could not keep from beaming.
[break]"It is so good to see you, Dustfur," she said kindly to her old mentor.
[break]"It is, my dear," he responded, sounding almost fatherly. "I present to you a life of self-awareness. May you see your weaknesses as strengths, and your strengths as the assets of your entire Clan." Oddly enough, Sootnose felt as if she could scream or cry out with this life, being overcome with a great weight of sadness. She shook away the feeling as the tom backed away into the group of cats. She had counted eight lives up to this point, and knew she had one left. Out from the crowd drew a very large and powerful tom. She smiled sweetly upon seeing the leader who had instilled so much trust in her. Sparrowstar stopped before her and smiled, his eyes alight with pride.
[break]"Sootnose, my dear, you are such a special cat. You do not understand the good you can do for this Clan. Do you remember what I told you on the day that you received your warrior name?"
[break]"I think so, Sparrowstar."
[break]"I told you, you must always look forward. You must always fly straight and true in your course." He paused, chuckling to himself. "Fly straight like a mighty sparrow."
[break]"Yes, you did."
[break]"And you have always done so. I am so very proud of you for that. With this life, may your gaze always look to the future. May you always see what could be for your Clan, and use your best judgement to guide them. Fly straight, and true, dear Sootnose. Fly straight and true." Sparrowstar touched her nose, and at once Sootnose felt a strangeness overcome her. It was powerful and beyond description, as if every ounce of emotion, and pain, and very previous life, had been packed together into one mighty feeling. As she was struck and paralyzed by it, a strange warning came to her in Sparrowstar's voice. "There is darkness ahead, Sootnose. Be prepared for the course of your life to change forever." The feeling did not subside for a long time, and Sootnose was left motionless.
[break][break]
[break]"I hail you by your new name, Sootstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of WindClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity." Sparrowstar said, but the newly named Sootstar could not see, or feel, or move. The words seemed to echo through her as if her body had become a chasm.
[break]"Sootstar! Sootstar!" The crowd cheered. Her watery eyes cleared, and she watched the vision fade away to hazy nothingness. A moment before she woke up, she heard Sparrowstar's words once more. "Be prepared for the course of your life to change forever." Sitting bolt upright, Sootstar looked about, the morning sun rising steadily in the distance. She sat for a long while, shaking, her body weak with terror. However, she had work to do, and a Clan to care for, so she set her course straight for home once more and left the Rock Pool's visions behind as a distant memory.
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