"Let's go," Horsemoon mouthed, rising to her paws. She arched her back in a stretch as Crowpelt rose stiffly. They padded cautiously into Mothermouth. Horsemoon forced her fur to lay flat, and she tried to contain that she was afraid. She didn't want Crowpelt to smell her fear; she was the medicine cat so she was supposed to know what she was doing.

The tunnel was dark, so the she-cats had to use their whiskers to guide them. Horsemoon could barely breathe; she was feeling claustrophobic. But she was no kit. She wasn't afraid of everything.

Soon they entered a small cavern. It was still dark. "Where's the Moonstone?" Crowpelt asked. Horsemoon was a little worried herself. She didn't see it. Was the whole trip for nothing?

Suddenly, the moon shone through a jagged hole in the roof. Its glow landed on a tall stone in the middle. It instantly lit up, shooting colors everywhere. Crowpelt and Horsemoon had to turn to avoid being blinded.

They turned back hesitantly, and Crowpelt gasped. It was beautiful. The Moonstone was an assortment of blues, whites, yellows, and every other color. This is one of the joys of being a medicine cat. Horsemoon thought.

"Now we touch our noses to it," Crowpelt explained softly. They padded up to it, and Crowpelt touched her nose to it. She laid down, and her eyes closed. Her dreams were beginning. Horsemoon followed her actions, scared. She touched it with her nose and was shocked how cold it was. She shivered and tucked her paws underneath her. She shut her eyes and was immediately taken to another world.

She was standing in a clearing. It wasn't anywhere in WindClan territory or any other clan territory. Horsemoon smiled, knowing that she made it.

Horsemoon turned and saw Crowpelt. She was twitching her tail nervously and her fur was standing up. Crowpelt looked at Horsemoon, her yellow eyes gleaming with fear.

"Don't worry, Crowpelt," Horsemoon soothed. She still wasn't used to her voice that she had in StarClan. "It's okay."

Crowpelt's mouth opened. "Y-You can talk!"

Horsemoon nodded and smiled. She was about to reply when a noise came from up ahead. They switched their gazes and saw a cat emerge from the bushes.

"Only in StarClan can she speak." Stormstar meowed.

Crowpelt was astonished, not moving. "Stormstar," she breathed with wonder.

Stormstar smiled, his gray pelt filled with stars. There were joy and laughter in his eyes, something that Horsemoon knew was missing when she returned with the flowers. His pelt was sleek, and he was standing up taller. He was muscular, looking like a young warrior. He wasn't the weak and frail cat she saw on his last life.

Horsemoon cleared her throat. "Stormstar," she greeted, leaning down in a bow of respect.

Stormstar shook his head. "No, Horsemoon. Stand up." He protested. He looked her over. "You've grown into a fine medicine cat." He looked at his paws. "I'm sorry for what I did to you when I was leader."

Horsemoon sighed. "You're forgiven. Thank you for what you've done. I thought being a medicine cat would be terrible, but I'm glad I became one. It is my duty to protect my clan."

Stormstar nodded. "I knew you'd love it."

More cats streamed into the clearing. There were lines of starry cats of every rank and clan.

Horsemoon leaned towards Crowpelt. "It's your leader ceremony!" She whispered.

Crowpelt nodded but said nothing.

Stormstar raised his muzzle to the sky. "Today is an important day. The making of a new leader is always a wonder." He padded up to Crowpelt. "With this life, I give you courage." He touched his nose to Crowpelt's head. "Use it to stand up for what's right."

Crowpelt jerked and shut her eyes tightly. She dug her claws into the ground, tipping the grass. She started shaking for a heartbeat, then opened her eyes. There was determination in them.

Another cat stepped out of the ranks. Her hazel pelt shone, and she looked like a new warrior, not the elder she used to be. Hazelpelt stopped in front of Crowpelt. "With this life," She began. "I give you love." She touched her nose to Crowpelt's head. "Use it to love your clan, even when one disobeys you." Crowpelt had the same reaction as the other life touched her. Soon it was over and another cat came forward.

The young warrior came up to Crowpelt. He smiled his toothy grin and nuzzled her. "Hi, Crowpelt." Snakestrike meowed.

Horsemoon heart ached for the young warrior. He never really had the life every cat wanted. He died too early, but now he had the privilege to give life to a leader.

Crowpelt returned the greeting. "Snakestrike," she dipped her head.

Snakestrike looked at her, his blue eyes soft. "I give you the life of patience. Use it for when times get tough." He touched his nose to Crowpelt's head. She shuddered, and closed her eyes, facing towards her paws.

Another cat padded forward. Horsemoon immediately felt anger when she saw him, but it ebbed away to sympathy.

"Barktooth!" Crowpelt hissed. "Traitor!"

Barktooth hung his head. "I am sorry for betraying the clan. But now I am here." He looked up, and Horsemoon saw hope in his eyes. "With this life, I give you compassion." He touched his nose to her head. "Use it to forgive cats even when they make a grave mistake. That is one thing I've learned in my time." He stepped back, and watched as Crowpelt crumbled under pain.

A small cat came forward, and Horsemoon gasped. She felt pain in her heart as she saw the cat who saved her life. Quickpaw smiled and slowly approached Crowpelt.

Crowpelt's hackles raised, and she bared her teeth. She knew that he smelled like another clan, so she was wary.

"Don't worry," Horsemoon hissed. "He's friendly."

Crowpelt nodded and swallowed nervously. What could a cat from a different clan give her?

Quickpaw cleared his throat. "I'm Quickpaw. I gave my life for Horsemoon and Creamleaf when they were attacked by a ThunderClan patrol while on their journey to the Twolegplace." Crowpelt exchanged a worried look with Horsemoon. Horsemoon sucked in a breath, knowing that she forgot to tell Crowpelt about it. "I give you a life for loyalty." He touched his nose to her head. "Be loyal to you're clan, but save others when there's no point in bloodshed." Crowpelt jerked and spasmed. Then she was still.

He stepped back, and a new cat came forward. Horsemoon couldn't suppress a cry of anguish. Crowpelt couldn't either.

"Whiteheart!" She gasped, nuzzling her mother. Whiteheart's death was extremely hard on Crowpelt, being part of her oldest litter.

Whiteheart smiled. She padded up to her kit and sighed. "I miss you." She breathed. "Anyway, with this life, I give you understanding. Use it for realizing that every cat in the clan has an important role." She touched her daughter's head and Crowpelt shuddered and closed her eyes.

Another cat walked up. Why did every cat that Horsemoon saw hurt her heart?

"Redkit!" Horsemoon cried. She felt the tears roll down her face, and she realized just how much she missed him.

"Horsemoon!" He replied. He nuzzled her, and whispered, "Stormstar told me that it was to become a warrior, my name would be—"

"Redkit," Stormstar warned. "You're here to give a life to Crowpelt, remember?"

Redkit smiled. "Sorry," he giggled. Horsemoon noticed how small he was. He'd never grow up. He'd always be a kit.

He padded up to Crowpelt. He grinned. "Hi." Then he shook his head. "Getting distracted," he muttered under his breath. "Crowpelt," He turned suddenly serious. "I give you a life for wisdom." Crowpelt had to crouch down to let the kit touch her head. "Use it to make choices that wouldn't harm other cats." Crowpelt had the same reaction as the other lives given to her. But this time, she was getting weaker. Horsemoon could tell.

Another cat stepped out of the ranks. It was Scarletnose. She sighed happily and looked at Crowpelt. "Whiteheart was my best friend. And when you were born, I knew you'd do great things." She motioned to everything around them. "And look at you now! You're going to be the leader of WindClan!" She chuckled. "With this life, Crowpelt, I give you motherly love." She touched her nose to Crowpelt's forehead. "Use it to love your clan like a mother loves her kits."

Crowpelt's reaction was worse than the others. This life looked more painful than other lives. So when she collapsed on the ground, it made sense for Horsemoon to help her up.

Crowpelt refused. "I can do this," she said through gritted teeth. She stood up shakily and took a deep breath. "I'm ready," She whispered.

"This is your last life to receive." Stormstar meowed. "It will hurt the most,"

Crowpelt nodded solemnly.

A cat came forward that Horsemoon or Crowpelt had ever seen. The she-cat looked important though.

"I'm Petalpelt." She mewed. "I was a medicine cat before Creamleaf and I was her mentor." She hesitated. "I died because of grief for not saving a cat."

Horsemoon's eyes widened. She remembered Creamleaf telling her about Petalpelt!

Crowpelt's eyes widened. "You're a legend!"

Petalpelt nodded. "I was. And now you will be." She smiled. "With this life, I give you strength. Use it for the strength to protect your clan, but if one thing bad happens, don't remain on it. Clan life goes on. Remember that." She touched her nose to Crowpelt's black fur.

Crowpelt hissed in pain, and dug her claws into the grass, ruining it. It was the worst pain yet. When it was over, she opened her eyes. They were brilliantly bright yellow, and she looked nothing like the sick she-cat she was when they traveled to the Moonstone. Her pelt was sleek and glossy, and her shoulders rippled underneath her fur. She looked like a cat from LionClan.

Stormstar bowed, and so did the remaining cats. "You are now Crowstar." He licked her forehead. "Go, lead our clan!"

The other cats started to fade. "Crowstar! Crowstar! Crowstar...!" they cheered and soon StarClan disappeared into nothingness.

Horsemoon awoke next to Crowstar. The leader looked fierce. She smiled and rose quickly to her paws. "Let's go, Horsemoon. We will serve our clan for many moons yet." And then they padded out of the Moonstone, and Horsemoon finally understood that her path as a medicine cat was the right choice.