Without pausing to catch their breath, she and Raggedpelt plunged into the darkness of Mothermouth. The tabby warrior was so eager that Yellowfang was left behind. By the time she reached the cavern, Raggedpelt was sitting on the ground, gazing in awe at the glimmering crystal. “Now it’s my turn,” he whispered.
“Lie down with your nose touching the stone,” Yellowfang instructed him, gesturing with her tail. “Close your eyes, and StarClan will call you to them. And remember,” she added, “you may not speak to any cat of what happens to you now. Except to me, if there’s something you need to discuss.”
Raggedpelt gave her a brief nod and stretched out his nose to touch the Moonstone. Yellowfang settled down beside him. The cold of the stone seeped into her bones. Heartbeats later she opened her eyes and found herself in the marshy space where she had met Silverflame. Now it was shrouded in mist, through which she could hear the piping of birds and the soft lapping of water.
Raggedpelt was standing beside her. The mist began to clear, and cats appeared all around Raggedpelt, nine of them, with Cedarstar at their head. Yellowfang recognized Lizardfang and Sagewhisker, but the others were unknown to her, although she had spotted them in the distance in StarClan on previous visits.
As the cats of StarClan gathered around Raggedpelt, Yellowfang heard her name being called. “Yellowfang! Yellowfang, over here!”
She scrambled up to a clump of pine trees on a rocky bluff overlooking the marsh. To her horror, Molepelt was waiting for her there.
“The time has nearly come!” he hissed. “Darkness lies ahead! Beware the cat with blood on his paws!”
Yellowfang let anger surge through her, driving away her fear. “Go away!” she snapped. “If you can’t give me more detail, what use is this prophecy?”
Molepelt leaned closer. “The truth lies in your heart,” he hissed. “You cannot be blind to it for much longer.”
Yellowfang bunched her muscles and sprang at the black cat as if he were a piece of prey. But her paws thumped to the ground, her claws digging into earth instead of into Molepelt’s body. A swirl of mist blinded her eyes, and when it cleared again he was gone.
Turning back, Yellowfang saw the circle of StarClan warriors still surrounding Raggedpelt. As she padded across the marsh to join them, she saw the last of the nine cats step forward to speak to the new ShadowClan leader. This was a graceful she-cat with creamy brown fur who carried herself with the authority of a leader.
“My name is Dawnstar,” she meowed, her brilliant green gaze resting on Raggedpelt. “I was leader of ShadowClan many seasons ago. I give you a life for putting ShadowClan above all others. There are four Clans in the forest, but ShadowClan will always be the greatest.”
She touched her nose to Raggedpelt’s; he flinched and staggered a little, as if the pain of receiving his nine lives was becoming too much to bear.
As Dawnstar stepped back into the circle of cats, all the StarClan warriors threw back their heads and let out a howl of triumph that echoed across the marshes and rose to the glittering stars.
“Raggedstar! Raggedstar!”
Yellowfang jerked awake, shaking with cold. Raggedstar was awake too, pacing across the cavern with powerful strides. “I have nine lives!” he declared in the pale light of dawn that seeped down from the hole in the roof. “I am Raggedstar, leader of ShadowClan!”
When Raggedstar and Yellowfang returned to the camp, Yellowfang’s first duty was to go with the elders as they carried the body of their former leader out for burial. She looked up at the stars as she spoke the ritual words, wondering which of them was Cedarstar, and whether he was looking down on them now.
“May StarClan light your path,” she meowed, and added in a whisper, “Burn bright, dear friend, and watch over your Clan.”
By the time she and the elders returned, dusk was falling. Raggedstar was standing on the Clanrock, with the rest of the Clan gathered around.
Runningpaw rushed over to Yellowfang. “Raggedstar is going to appoint the new deputy!” he mewed.
Raggedstar’s gaze traveled over his Clan. “I say these words before StarClan,” he announced, “that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve my choice.” Once again his gaze swept around the clearing, and Yellowfang wondered if he was deliberately trying to draw out the tension. “Foxheart,” Raggedstar meowed at last, “will you do me the honor of being my deputy?”
Foxheart dipped her head, her eyes shining. “I will, Raggedstar.”
Murmurs rose up from the crowd of cats, not all of them approving. “I
“Great StarClan, she’ll be insufferable now!” Amberleaf muttered.
“Foxheart! Foxheart!” The murmuring was drowned out as the Clan obediently called out Foxheart’s name, and Raggedstar bowed his head.
