Luckyheart waited nervously for Jayfeather and Firestar to be ready. Firestar had to come so he could revoke his leadership before Luckyheart entered.

It was finally sunset. The sun cast golden rays over the camp as Luckyheart shifted from paw to paw.

She was going to travel to the Moonpool with the medicine cat to receive her nine lives and her leader's name. Luckyheart had heard tales that a leader would meet with nine StarClan cats who would give them their lives. She wondered who'd she meet if that rumor was true.

"Let's go." Jayfeather nodded to Firestar before setting off at a brisk pace towards the Moonpool. Luckyheart had never been there, so she was surprised when they headed towards WindClan territory.

"They'll understand." Firestar murmured softly.

"Hopefully." Luckyheart muttered.

They were in luck. No WindClan patrol met them on their way to the Moonpool. Firestar took them through the gorse bushes, and they stepped towards the Moonpool. Luckyheart was mesmerized by its beauty and she let her jaw drop still. The pale blue water shimmered underneath the sky, a pale reflection of a moon reflecting on the water, and Luckyheart could sense the spirits of her ancestors calling to her. There would be a Gathering soon.

"Dip your head to the water and lap a few drops then sleep," Jayfeather instructed.

Luckyheart copied the other two and drifted into dreams.

She was standing in a grassy field. Firestar stood beside her and Jayfeather on the other side.

"Greetings, Firestar, Luckyheart, Jayfeather." Bluestar stepped forward.

"I renounce my leadership!" Firestar yowled, his green eyes sad and tired.

"We accept your spare lives back, Firestar. Let you be a proud and noble elder for seasons to come." Bluestar mewed formally.

Eight cats stepped forward.

"These cats are the cats who gave Firestar his lives." Jayfeather explained. "Greetings, Lionheart, Redtail, Silverstream, Runningwind, Brindleface, Swiftpaw, Yellowfang and Bluestar. Spottedleaf is with us no more; she was killed in the Great Battle."

Bluestar started at the mention of Spottedleaf. Luckyheart remembered that Spottedleaf had been Bluestar's medicine cat.

"We will leave your dream now," Jayfeather spoke on Firestar's behalf. "Good luck." He and Firestar shimmered and disappeared.

Nine cats stepped forward. Luckyheart gasped as she recognized the cats.

Flowerkit was the first cat to step forward. She leapt onto her hind paws to touch Luckyheart's head. Touched, Luckyheart bent down to make it easier.

"With this life, I give you mentoring. Use it well to mentor the young cats in your Clan. They will always become great warriors."

Luckyheart felt a surge of pain so bright she gasped and collapsed to the ground. She felt Flowerkit's agony as she died and her trust in her. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you." She bowed her head solemnly.

Heartpaw was the next cat to step forward. "With this life, I give you suffering. You have suffered deaths and tragedy. Use it well to teach your kin and Clanmates how to accept grief and learn from it.

Lightning flowed through her. Luckyheart let out a yowl of pain as she felt Heartpaw's suffering. She felt multiple cats' suffering. Luckyheart guessed it was all the cats who had ever suffered in the Clan. She identified Brightheart when the dogs ravaged her face. It felt like she had been clawed on her face, yet when she touched her face, there was no blood and the fur was unblemished.

Mousefur stepped forward as Heartpaw stepped back. "With this life, I give you strength. Use it well to defend your Clan, but make sure to ask others for advice as well. Do not be foolish.

The pain from this life wasn't that bad. She felt the strength of Mousefur's courage and energy as she saw her Clanmates perish and retire to the elders' den. "I will be able to see Longtail very soon," Mousefur murmured.

Swiftpaw came next. Not the Swiftpaw from Firestar's time, but the Swiftpaw that Luckyheart had mentored, if only briefly. He showed determination in his eyes. He portrayed no feeling that he blamed Luckyheart for his death. "With this life, I give you compassion. Use this to understand the feelings of your Clanmates and follow the warrior code accordingly."

Luckyheart felt Swiftpaw's compassion for other cats and his faith in his mentor wash over her.

Stormkit bounced forward.

"Oh...Stormkit!" Luckyheart felt the grief for her dead son pierce her.

"With this life, I give you forgiveness." Stormkit purred. "Use it to forgive the cats that have unknowingly betrayed you."

"D-do you forgive me?" Luckyheart mewed.

"I do." Stormkit replied clearly.

Stormkit's life had no pain. Only a warm happy feeling warmed her bones.

"I wish I could see you again," Luckyheart mewed hopelessly. "I miss you. Lightningpaw too."

"You cannot speak to Lightningpaw about me," Stormkit mewed solemnly. Somehow, he wasn't a kit anymore. "And the ceremony must continue. I love you, mother."

Lovepaw came in front of her. "With this life, I give you love. Use it well to take another mate and love your only surviving kit. Use it well to love all the members of your Clan."

Love for her mother and father, her kits and Rainfall gave her a comforted feeling. She gave a sigh and she felt love emerging from her body in small bubbles.

Spiderleg was the next to approach her. "With this life, I give you hope. Use it well to lead your Clan through bad times. You must never give up."

The life that flowed through her blood shook her. She felt hope to survive and hope that she would be a great leader.

The next cat to approach her was Brambleclaw. "Oh...Brambleclaw. How will we survive without you?" Luckyheart murmured softly.

"With this life, I give you truth. Use this well to uncover truths, but even you must know when you reach your limit." Brambleclaw meowed solemnly.

"Oh, thank you." Luckyheart purred. Brambleclaw's life showed her images of the Great Journey, his futile attempts to make peace, not being trusted for his father's dark heritage, fighting twice as hard to be trusted, his shock at finding the truth that Jayfeather, Hollyleaf and Lionblaze were not his own kits.

She had now received 8 lives. Who would give her last life?

Firestar appeared again. "Luckyheart. I may not be dead, but I can still give you a life. With this ninth and final life, I give you leadership. Use it well to lead our Clan."

Luckyheart felt Firestar's struggles to fit in as he was a former kittypet. She felt his determination to make sure the Clan was well-fed and his frustration when other leaders were mouse-brained. She felt his determination that there should be four Clans in the forest. She felt his grief at losing his loved ones, over and over again. Then the pain ended.

"We hail you by your new name." Firestar continued. "Luckystar! Luckystar! Luckystar!" the other cats joined in.

"Here is a warning." Firestar said in a low voice. "Be careful of what hides in the dark. Only one flying bird will save the Clan."

"Thank you, all of you. I won't forget any of you." Luckystar promised. Then, she woke beside the Moonpool. She remembered her dream with a shock.

"Are you Luckystar now?" Jayfeather stirred.

"Yes. Now let's go back to the Clan."

The ominous warning rang in her head as she travelled with Jayfeather. Firestar had already gone ahead.

"She's back!" Goldenperch yowled with joy and relief. "Luckyheart's back!"

"Luckyheart!" cats cried.

"I'm Luckystar now." Luckystar purred.

"Luckystar! Luckystar! Luckystar!" Goldenperch led the call.

Still purring, Luckystar entered the camp. Suddenly, she realized how tired she was. She hadn't slept peacefully at all and hadn't eaten in a sunrise. Brackenfur seemed to realize her condition. He gently guided her to the leaders' den and summoned Thunderpaw, Echopaw and Snowpaw.

"Thunderpaw, fetch her some fresh bedding please. Snowpaw, fetch some prey for her. And Echopaw, please fetch some wet moss." Brackenfur directed.

"Thanks," Luckystar managed to mumble before scrambling to her den to rest.

Luckystar woke up in her den later. She sniffed the bedding underneath her body. It was fresh, and there was a pile of wet moss beside her. A rabbit lay in the corner. Gratitude welled inside her and she licked the moisture off the wet moss eagerly. After drinking, she gobbled the rabbit. Luckystar didn't know the last time she had felt so hungry. Perhaps it was in the tunnels? Then, she licked the bones clean.

Luckystar was about to leave the den to see her Clan again, but with a glance to her fur she shuddered and decided otherwise. Luckystar's fur was smudged with dirt and leaves were falling from her pelt. Moss stuck to her fur in messy clumps too.

Luckystar groomed herself quickly before padding out of the den. Beetlenose and Birchfall were sharing tongues in a shaded clearing. Echopaw and Demonpaw had just entered camp with their mentors, Hollyleaf and Poppyfrost respectively. Each apprentice had a rabbit dangling in their jaws, Hollyleaf was dragging two mice by the tails into the camp and Poppyfrost was hissing in annoyance. She carried nothing.

"Poppyfrost! What happened?" Luckystar bounded down from the ledge connecting to her den lightly.

"This a-apprentice! This dunghearted apprentice!" Poppyfrost snarled in the most hostile tone Luckystar had ever heard her use.

"Calm down," Brackenfur came back from the warriors' den where he had been resting. "Explain it." Brackenfur ordered the upset mentor.

Poppyfrost growled. "Firstly, he questions my leadership. Then, when we go hunting, I was stalking the fattest bird ever! But this fox-hearted apprentice pushes me, quite on purpose, and the bird flaps off. That bird could've fed all the elders, and that's rare, this deep in leaf-bare!"

"Demonpaw. Care to explain yourself?" Luckystar mewed coldly.

Demonpaw growled back at his leader. "No! I don't have any need to explain myself." He lashed his tail angrily.

Luckystar froze. She hadn't met any cat that spoke back to their leader, except for Cloudtail who was a big exception.

"Demonpaw!" Goldenperch clouted her kit on the head with her tail. "How many times do I have to teach you respect? Even a kit could do better, you stupid furball!"

"This mange-ridden flea-pelt is a horrible apprentice and mouse-hearted cat!" Poppyfrost snapped.

Most of the Clan had came out from their dens or stood up from where they had been resting or eating to view the scene.

"Poppyfrost, I believe you," Luckystar dipped her head to the warrior. "But I cannot punish Demonpaw with only one witness."

Poppyfrost let out a wail of distress and anger and stormed to the warriors' den.

"Demonpaw. I'll give you one more chance." Luckystar looked at the apprentice sternly.

"Why would I want a chance?" Demonpaw retorted.

"Demonpaw, go get something from the fresh-kill pile and give that to Poppyfrost." Goldenperch urged.

"Yes," Luckystar agreed. "Do that."

"Why should I?" Demonpaw snorted. He swept towards the pile behind Luckystar, banging into her as he passed. Demonpaw also batted Luckystar hardly with a powerful forepaw, although his claws were sheathed.

Luckystar was knocked back into the ground, sprawling. She stood up slowly, spitting out dirt. Anger filled her mind as she vowed revenge on the spiteful apprentice. I swear that I will never let this apprentice make a fool of me again, I swear I shall get revenge on him. Luckystar let out a low growl. Luckystar would not let this go so easily. Hissing with fury, she stalked to her den, her tail-tip bristling.

"Luckystar, wait up!" Goldenperch caught up to her. "I'm sure Demonpaw didn't mean it..." she trailed off as Luckystar gave her a look of pure fury.

"Your son is the most rude and ungrateful cat I've ever met!" she hissed before unsheathing her claws and bounding into the den.

Goldenperch followed her. "Demonpaw is my son. I know. But he is also another cat's son. I'll do this for you, but it'll break my heart. Luckystar, do you wish I give Demonpaw to his father? Do you wish I give Demonpaw so that he can be trained cruelly and become another Tigerstar?"

"No. I suppose you're right." Luckystar grunted noncommittally.

Thoughts swirled around in her mind like a rushing stream. Every time she thought about that snake-heart her fur bristled and her pride hurt.

"But there is something that I must tell you." Goldenperch continued. "I caught Demonpaw sneaking food."

"What?" Luckystar turned around, roaring.

"He hunts and breeds rabbits. And feeds them our catmint so he becomes fat and full, while the Clan starves. Thought you'd want to know." Goldenperch murmured.

"I hate him!" Luckystar screeched.

"I can't say he's a good kit either." Goldenperch dipped her head. "I'll leave you now."

Luckystar was determined to put a stop to this nonsense at once. She left the den angrily and stomped past the apprentices' den where Demonpaw was resting.

"Luckystar!" Lightningpaw called to her. "How are you?"

Luckystar's heart warmed at seeing her daughter so well in leaf-bare. Her ribs barely showed now. "I'm good," she cooed in a sweet voice, her rage evaporating. Luckystar really wanted to tell Lightningpaw about Stormkit but alas, she couldn't.

"Have you thought about Duskpelt's kits yet?" Lightningpaw mewed. "They're 6 moons already!"

"StarClan!" Luckystar cursed. "I forgot!" Leaving Lightningpaw at the den, she bounded up onto the Highledge and yowled the summons.

"Dawnpaw! Frogpaw! Sunpaw!" The Clan called eagerly.

"Congratulations!" Duskpelt rushed out to greet her kits. "You're apprentices!"

"Foxleap shall mentor Frogpaw, Rosepetal shall mentor Sunpaw and I shall mentor Dawnpaw myself." Luckystar declared. She wasn't sure why she wanted to mentor an apprentice, but maybe it was because she still felt as if she had failed Swiftpaw.

Murmurs and mutters of shock met her statement. A Clan leader usually only mentored the kits of deputies or senior warriors.

"There is more. I'm sure most of you have heard about Demonpaw. He is trouble-making, greedy and selfish. I have found out that he has been sneaking food." Luckystar recounted what Goldenperch had told her.

"He must be punished!" she yowled. "I shall blind him."

"No!" Goldenperch wailed. Luckystar blinked at her in surprise. She was the one that had told her, after all.

"I must do it." Luckystar mewed quietly. "There's better news!" she caught the Clan's attention quickly. "I will select the cats going to the Gathering right now."

Luckystar read off a list of cats. "Brightheart, Bumblestripe, Cherryheart, Dovewing, Hazeltail, Hollyleaf, Echopaw, Goldenperch, Leafpool, Lionblaze, Molewhisker, Poppyfrost, Rosepetal, Squirrelflight, Snowpaw, Sunpaw and Thornclaw."

"Whitewing, lead a hunting patrol with the cats that are left behind. Brackenfur, organize some border patrols. I want the fresh-kill pile full when we get back." Luckystar ordered. "We'll leave now."