Firestar's Death

"No! Squirrleflight, Get Back!" Brambleclaw yowled as he saw the ground at the edge of the cliff beging to slide down into the Thunderclan camp. Suddenly a streak of orange fur shot past him. Brambleclaw realised that Firestar had pushed Squirrleflight out of danger. Brambleclaw watched helplessly as the ground continued to slide away, and Firestar slid closer to the cliff edge. Brambleclaw noticed Sandstorm tensing her muscles, she was going to try and save Firestar. "No!" Brambleclaw yowled, and jumped onto the pale ginger warrior's back. If she tried to resque Firestar she risked falling as well. Sandstorm sqirmed beneath Brambleclaw - trying to escape, "Think of your kits!" Brambleclaw growled into her ear. Sandstorm stopped struggling, Sandstorm's second litter had only recently been born, this was the first time she had been out of camp since they had been born. The two of them watched helpleessly as Firesar plumeted into the camp. Brambleclaw cast a glance at Squirrleflight. They both knew that this was Firestar's last life, and no cat could survive that fall. Brambleclaw jumped off Sandstorm, and ran back to the camp.1

By the time they returned to the camp, The whole clan was gathered around where Firestar lay. Brambleclaw sholdered his way through the crowd to stand by Firestar, along with leafpool and Squirrleflight, Sandsorm headed strait for the nursery. "Leafpool, are you there?" Firestar's voice was strained. "I'm here Firestar" She mewed. "You're a great Medicine cat, The clan needs your skill more than ever now." Sandstorm pushed her way through the crowd to stand beside Firestar, her four kits trailing after her. "Sandstorm, Look after my kits." Sandstorm pushed her muzzle into Firestar's fur, "I love you" She murmured, "I love you too" he rasped. Turning to Squirrleflight he continued "Squirrleflight, Although you can be stubborn at times, you've always been a loyal warrior." Firestar's gaze finaly fell on Brambleclaw "Brambleclaw, i've always known you'll make a brilliant leader leader. Remember, you're not alone, you've got the whole clan to help you" Firestar, took one last breath, before closing his eyes.2

Brambleclaw bowed his head, his throat choked with greif. Brambleclaw looked up and realised that the whole clan was looking at him expectantly. With a jolt he realised that the was their leader now, he took a moment to calm himself. "Hunting patrols have already been organised. Thornclaw, Brackenfur round up a patroll each. Thornclaw, you take the Shadowclan border. Brackenfur, you take the windclan border. If you see any other cats tell them nothing about what happened, am i clear?" "Yes Brambleclaw!" they answered quickly.3

With nothing else to do, he Joined Leafpaw and Squirrlefight in vigil over Firestar's body. "Can you do anything for her?" brambleclaw mewed quietly to Leafpool, nodding towards sandstorm "She needs to keep her strenght to look after her kits." Brambleclaw watched as Leafpool gently nudged sandstorm back towards the nursery. Brambleclaw pressed himself against squirrleflight, Trying to comfort himself as much as her. Brambleclaw remembered every time Firestar lost a life: The battle with bloodclan, saving shadowclan from the Twolegs...4

Brambleclaw stood up and strectched, his muscles were stiff from the long night spent kneeling by Firestar's body. Brambleclaw gently flicked Squirrleflight with his tail "Come on we need to go warm up." Brambleclaw started to lead the way towards the Warriors den, then stopped "I guess i'm meant to sleep in there now" he said, nodding towards the Highledge. Dustpelt was emerging from the Warriors den, "Dustpelt, We need a dawn patrol, could you organise one, and send out a few hunting patrols." Brambleclaw turned and padded towards the highledge without waiting for a reply. Brambleclaw noticed that Squrrleflight was still folloing him, he turned to face her "I dont want to be alone" she explained, Brambleclaw gave her a gentle lick "Me too" Brambleclaw bounded up the pile of rocks onto the ledge before dissapearing into Firestar's den. Firestar's scent still hung ominously in the den, Although one of the aprentices had changed the bedding. Brambleclaw aranged the moss to make sleeping places for both of them. He curled up next to her, Although he didn't expect to sleep, eventualy his eyes closed.5

When Brambleclaw woke, the sun was streaming into the den. The Sun landed on Squirrleflight's Dark ginger pelt, in this light she looked so much like her father. Brambleclaw watched her flank slowly rise and fall as she slept. She was more important to him than any other cat, including his sister, Tawnypelt. her eyes opened, she turned her head to look at brambleclaw, her green eyes glowed. "Morning Brambleclaw" she mewed "Morning Squirrleflight" he aswered, gliving her a freindly lick on the ear. A shadow fell across the mouth of the den. Leafpool was standing at the entrance of the den. "Brambleclaw, it's time to travel to the moonpool" She meowed. "Squirrleflight, I want you and Stormfur to accompany me as far as the stream. I'm not allowed to eat but you should have some fresh-kill before you go."6

"Brambleclaw! over here!" Brambleclaw turned to see Crowfeather standing on the other side of the river. Leafpool looked down at her paws, brambleclaw knew how hard it must be to meet Crowfeather after what she had run away with him. Crowfeather gave Leafpool a long stare "What's the news in Thunderclan?" he asked. "It's bad news im afraid, Firestar died yesterday" Brambleclaw replied. Crowfeather bowed his head "I'm sorry, He was a great leader, every cat respected him. I know you'll be just as good as Firestar. You were the natural leader on our journey, I know you'll do well" The Praise from the usualy prickly Windclan warrior suprised Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw realised that four of the six cats who made the journey to Sun-Drown-Place were there, "If only Tawnypelt was here, then the five of us would be back together." The other cats nodded their agreement "How's Brook?" Crowfeather asked. "She's Fine" Stormfur replied. "Come on! it will be getting dark soon" leafpool meowed. "Good luck Brambleclaw, i better be going if i'm going to catch anything before it gets dark." crowfeater mewed before turning away and dissapearing back into Windclan territory. "I'm sure you'll be fine" Stormfur mewed before padding back towards the thunderclan camp. Squirrleflight pressed herself agaisnt brambleclaw, twining her tail with his, Offering wordless support and encouragement. "I love you Brambleclaw" she mewed "I love you to" he replied. Reluctanly Brambleclaw stepepd away from Squirleflight "Dont worry, i'll be back by tommorow, and i'll still need you." 7

Brambleclaw followed Leafpool upstream, The sun was starting to sink bellow the trees when they reached the entrance to the stone hollow that contained the Moonpool. "we'll wait here until the moon rises she meowed, sitting down on a rock. They waited in silence until the moon was visible. "It is time, when you get to the pool, lie down and drink some water from the pool." she meowed. she stood up and led the way towards the pool.8

Brambleclaw emerged from the wall of brambles into the stone hollow that contained the Moonpool, even if he was allowed to speak, he wouldnt be able to find anything to say to discribe this place. Leafpool took the lead again, Brambleclaw felt his paws slip into the imprints left by ancient cats. Leafpool sat down on a rock near the water's edge. Brambleclaw crouched at the water's edge and lapped up a few drops of the water. The icy cold of the water spread throughout his whole body, but no dreams came. Brambleclaw opened his eyes a fraction. At once his eyes shot open, he was no longer in the small moonlit hollow that held the moonpool, he was standing on the island, near the roots of the tree where the leaders sat to adreess the gathering. he lookeed up, the stars of Silverpelt were much brighter than he could ever remember seeing them. Suddenly he realised that the stars were moving, in a few moments all the warriors of starclan had decended to the island. Brambleclaw noticed that the warriors standing closest to him were fammilar. There was Firestar, on his left was Bluestar, and on his right was an unfamilar Tortoiseshell She-cat. Brambleclaw guessed that this must me Spottedleaf, although she had died long before he was born, he had heard stories about how she visited Firestar in his dreams.9