take a breath )) && take a chance.

[KURI. (happy birfday to me :D)]

grainpelt. heads or tails; you and I

This was it.

A shiver rippled down the golden tom's pelt, and although leaf-bare was setting in he didn't think that was the reason. He cast a worried eye at his daughtor, trying to get the image of a broken Briarpaw out of his mind. What had come over Ghostlystar? Grainpelt knew that he had always been unstable, especially before he had become leader, but this... He could respect Ghostlystar, remember Ghostlystar, hope to be like Ghostlystar. But until he had an explaination, he could never forgive him. The thought of becoming Grainstar seemed far away in his mind but he knew that each step brought him closer to that fate, and possibly to seeing Briarpaw again.

The caverns came into veiw and soon he was at the entrance to the cave that led to the MoonShard. Glancing at his companions, Grainpelt stared seriously at Eastfrost and Tumblingpaw. "I'm going in now. Watch her for me," he said, giving Cinnabarpaw a lick over the ear. He had lost one daughter within the last day. He sure as heck wasn't losing another.

Grainpelt finally pushed himself through the tunnel, blackness surrounding him, and he marvelled at how the medicine cats came here every moon to meet with StarClan. He had no idea what to expect but when the MoonShard came into veiw he knew exactly what to do. Hesitating only a bit, the tomcat pressed his nose to it, swallowed by a blackness thicker than the one of the cave. It was time to share with StarClan.

ooc: Okay, this is going to be one messed up leader ceremony. I need to post this now because Aurora leaves tommorow, so if everyone hasn't posted by tommorow I give Aurora permission to post with Ghostlystar before anyone who hasn't posted, then we'll just fill in the rest of the ceremony and pretend that Ghostlystar's post was last. (Either that or he got impatiant and gave Grainpelt his lives out of turn, leaving Lastfalling to give him his leader name. Whichever works best for Aurora / Kee).

[x.Jolly.x]

I feel the bond,
I feel the love,
I know I can always lean on you,
To always make sure that I am fine.

Cinnabarpaw

[/font][/size]

Cinnabarpaw followed her father to the Moonshard. Shock still enveloped her. She had lost her sister just that day. She had lost her friend. She had also lost her leader and grandfather. She blinked up at Grainpelt as he licked her on her head. 'I love you, Papa.' She mewed quietly, then huddled up against Eastfrost. She was scared of what had happened. It was all too soon. One moment, she was happy, then the patrol came home bearing the bodies of her relatives. It was too fast. She had never gotten to say goodbye to her sister. The pain of the memories made tears well up in her eyes. She watched as her father left her. She wanted to follow him and never leave his side. Tears fell down her little face as she saw her father leave her to become the leader of Brightclan.

[/sup][/blockquote]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

You never left me
_{Gentle tendrils swooped down suddenly like a sea tumbling at the edge of the world. Hued ivory, they swirled around Grainpelt affectionately, only to have blackness suddenly coil around them. "You...you were my son's friend, weren't you?" The voice sounded tired but wise. Auroradance's frame suddenly appeared, the smoke sifting around her elderly pose. She smiled kindly at him. "He's spoken of you to me." She chuckled softly and shook her head, turning to the dark shape not far from her that was hardly visible in the darkness that encompassed the two of them. "Ghostlystar will talk to you. Explain what happened... But now, it is time for you to take his place. Grainpelt, I will give you determination. You must have the will to keep on going or else you will falter and take your Clan with you. You are a strong one. I want to see you as the greatest leader." She smiled lovingly as the smoke shot toward Grainpelt and filled his soul with cindering spirit.}
Auroradance
The rising sun
Will always speak your name

[KURI. (happy birfday to me :D)]

grainpelt.

Grainpelt breathed in sharply as the dusty smoke surrounded him, his blue eyes wide as it took the form of Auroradance. The tomcat looked confused as she spoke of her son but he could tell that this wasn't the time to ask. He listened intently to her promise, and suddenly his paws itched for each of his other lives to be finished so that he could only know what really happened to his daughter. He knew he had to go through seven other cats, though, before he could see the former leader, so he tried to take each life as it came. And now that the first life was flowing into him, he knew why leaders were able to stay strong for as long as they did: this determination and will to keep going coursed through his veins, and although it didn't come without pain, he felt ready for the eight gifts that awaited him.

[/blockquote]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

x__cinnabarcloud__x

[/font]
Hush now baby, don't you cry
Rest your wings, my butterfly
Peace will come to you in time
And I will sing this lullaby[/center][/size][/font]

<sup>From the smoke, there had to be flames. Sparks shattered in the distance and then they grew, doubling in size until the area became bathed in such warm, delicious heat, like the heat of a mother curled around her kittens. Wings beat the air hotter as one of the guardians landed down by Auroradance. Cinnabarcloud's grin was wide; the flaming red tom beamed as he hugged Grainpelt roughly. "My boy, I have longed to see you take this stand," he murmured proudly. "We are all here to give you your lives." He lifted his majestic phoenix-like wing. "Auroradance, myself, Ryefang, Stormprowler, Kestrelfeather, Murdercalling, Lastfalling, Briarpaw, and...Ghostlystar." The last one named had his eyes closed tightly. He was writhing in his sleep, as if nightmares were tormenting him.

Cinnabarcloud cleared his throat as attention became directed onto him again. The phoenix's burgundy eyes brightened and glittered like rubies as his deep voice resounded with his gift. "I give you the life of mentoring. You are not only the mentor to one apprentice, but you are the mentor to your Clan. You are their teacher, their shepherd, their guidance through thick and thin. Your ability to teach and also learn from others is essential to being a leader." The flames surged around Grainpelt and then disappated as the life was bestowed.</sup>

[all out JINX ♥]

. Eastfrost .
. Angels cry when the stars collide .

A silver pelt brushed sadly against a pale tabby brown pelt as he followed Grainpelt up to the Moonshard, his sapphire blue orbs glowed with sorrow and protectiveness for both apprentice's. The silver warrior nodded to his new leader as he watched Grainpelt be swallowed up in the darkness. Eastfrost put his raccoon ringed silver tail on Cinnabarpaw's shoulder when she huddled against him, he knew that Grainpelt and his family were grieving for their lost daughter. He couldn't get the picture of Briarpaw, Patriotcross, and Ghostlystar's body from his mind every time he closed his blue eyes. Eastfrost shook his pale silver head so the memories would leave his mind as his tail patted Cinnabarpaw's small shoulder.

[KURI. (happy birfday to me :D)]

grainpelt. xx briarpaw.

Grainpelt smiled when Cinnabarcloud appeared, happy to see his brother's guardian and the tom who had changed his own outlook on changes. The tom's grandfatherly figure, his warm blue eyes and his strong frame brought back memories from his apprenticehood, and Grainpelt felt nostalgia gnawing at him as Cinnabarcloud spoke. He nodded along with each name up until the last two. His daughter... he couldn't imagine a better way to receive a life. Ghostlystar's name still brought a frown to his face, but what could he do? It was tradition. He received the life well, Cinnabarcloud's warm presence swelling around him as the tom dissapated.

And then she came. Briarpaw's fur shone with stars, her eyes were bright, she was happy to see her father. Grainpelt smiled, fighting back tears as she sat in front of him and meowed in a strong voice, "With this life I give you fearlessness. Dad... you've always been a courageous cat, but now you have to be a leader. You must never back down, you must always be a role model." She touched her nose to his, and the life coursed through him. It was as if she was reliving the last moments of her life, ripping, tearing, ready to face anything to protect what was right. With a twinkle in her eye, Briarpaw stepped back, whispering in a low voice, "Make me wish I had lived."

"Briarpaw..." he whispered, not wanting her to leave. But she did, stepping back into the darkness, back to her hunting grounds in StarClan. Grainpelt watched her go, sadness in his gaze and weighing down his heart as he waited for the next life.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{ooc;// I don't know if I'll be able to post this tomorrow so I'm posting this now. Please act as if Ghostlystar is the last cat to give Grainpelt a life.}

Seven kings will ride on the wind up towards the mountains high

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Ghostlystar

<sub>Now that it was his turn, he stirred and lifted his eyes. "They told ya, did they?," he murmured softly. Ghostlystar stood up with a soft sigh and rubbed his face. "I can't believe that happened."

He winced and stared down. "They have forgiven me...here...in StarClan...but I'm a sinner, Grainpelt."

He let out a cry and a sharp pike shot from one of his shoulders. The weird appendage contorted and folded, then forming tattered gray leathery skin between the fingers to form a shredded draconic wing. Ghostlystar tightened his eyes shut as he dealt with the pain. He eeriely resembled his son, Hollowstripe, the phantom who had haunted the shrine and killed Lastfalling and Auroradance.

The others had gone. He could confess everything to him. "Grainpelt, I have lots o'things t'say before I give ya y'ar life. I fell in love wit' Dragonfl'dance when I was deputy o'th'Clan. She had one kit, Kitekit, and we drifted away. We were sinners. I couldn't believe I put her through that because o'm'selfish behavior." He shook his head. "Then, even after I met Stormfeather, I still longed fer her. I think that's why StarClan gave me Hollowstripe. I murdered him, Grainpelt. He killed Lastfallin'; he stopped bein' m'son!" The panic and remorse in Ghostlystar's voice grew louder and louder.

"Don't b'like me, Grainpelt. B'better. I'm a murderer, a cheater, a liar, a fool. Y'ar not like me." The older tom hung his head.

"I ask y'ar forgiveness as I give ya y'ar life and y'ar name. I give ya responsibility. Handlin' th'Clan is more than handlin' y'arself. You have t'separate private life with leader life. I give ya self-restraint, th'ability t'keep y'ar cool. They will taunt ya and dare ya. Ya must not stoop t'thar level. Finally, I give ya judgment. In th'Clan, th'rule o'th'leader is law. Ya must have th'common sense t'see what is wrong and what is right, and not make personal judgments, even if it throws ya out o'favor with close bein' t'ya. It will earn ya respect." Ghostlystar hesitated before touching Grainpelt's nose, expecting the tom to slap him.

He paused. "Y'ar ready t'go on now. Use y'ar lives well, m'loyal Grainstar." He bowed his head as he gave the title to his successor.</sub>

And the only sound that will break the air is the warrior's bitter cry

[SHADE. :D]

kestrelfeather

With the rest of the spectral cats, Kestrelfeather came. Her darkly-patched tortoiseshell pelt was threaded through with sparkling stars. The she-cat looked renewed, she looked young again. Her green eyes were bright as she looked at her grandson. He had grown so much from that tiny fluffball of a kit. The she-cat waited for her turn to come, then padded forward. Her black paws caressed the grass. Kestrelfeather stopped before him. "My sweet boy," she mewed, her mouth creasing in a smile. She then carried on. "With this life I give you compassion. Use it to understand you're clanmates mistakes and to know when second chances are appropriate." The tortoiseshell pressed her chocolate brown nose to her grandson's bracken-coloured brow. Then, with a sad smile, she turned and joined the rest of the crowd.

[FIREH!!]

Stormprowler&&Murdercalling[/font]

<sub>Once, old, now looking younger and stronger, Stormprowler emerged from the crowd, following his mate, Kestralfeather. "My grandson, I am so proud. You have grown so quickly, and now you are leader. I'm so proud. And with this life, I give you wisdom so you can teach." The tom touched his muzzle to Grainpelt's head and smiled. "ive my regards to Runespell, Birdfeather and your siblings." He licked the tom's ear before joining Kestralfeather in the crowd.

Now came a younger tom, a tortoiseshell, prowling across the clearing towards the new leader. "My nephew. I never got to see you be born, or grow up. I only saw you at the tribe battle, and for that, I'm sorry." He bowed his head, before lifting it, a new light in his eyes. "With this life, I give you strength, so you can stay strong in the moments of pain, and the moments where you feel yourself failing, stay strong. Brightclan needs you." The tom smiled at him, before turning and joining his parents in the crowd.</sub>[/color]

[kee :]]

Lastfalling
xxxxxxxxxxxx

The next cat to appear from the shadows of darkness surrounding the brightly lit clearing was a visible black and white tom, his markings very similar to those of Auroradance, the one she-cat that had given Grainpelt his first life. He had been glad to see his mother finally after the years he had spent away from her. Lastfalling was also so proud to hear of what she had done and of course he had told his mother about the experiences he had in BrightClan and the friends he had met... Smiling brightly, his golden yellow eyes were smoldering in the night light. Those eyes perfectly matched those of his son. "You were a much better Deputy and friend, I give you that," he murmured, his face grave. Ghostlystar was the only one waiting and he already knew. Sighing, he continued. "I was in love with Astralhaze, a CloudClanner. I couldn't stop seeing her... We had kits. That little Albatrosskit is my son and I want you to watch over him for me Grainpelt. You were a great friend, a best friend I could ever have and I'm sorry I kept that from you. I always trusted you." He was looking past Grainpelt now, at the darkness, at nothing that was beyond his head. He snapped back suddenly.

"But anyway, I did come here for a reason, not to just confess my secrets," he smiled slightly before touching his tail lightly to Grainpelt's shoulder." "With this life I give you loyalty to what you know to be right. Follow what you believe and keep loyal to yourself and your Clan." With that he touched his nose to Grainpelt's and backed into the crowd.


[ooc];; OMG this took me so long. SOORRRYYY!!