The River of Misery

Quailsong stood silently, feeling a mixture of confusion and shock. Blood flowed slowly from the corpse in front of her, turning the water around it red. Goldencreek, Shadowbriar, and Redtrack had been the ones to find their Leader. Their cold, dead Leader whose stomach was now sliced open brutally. Another animal couldn't have done this. This was intentional. This was murder by one of their own kind.

"What.. what should we do, Quailsong?" Redtrack asked quietly. Quailong remained silent for another moment before answering. She was the Deputy. This was her responsibility, even if the sight of her mentor slaughtered filled her with nausea.

"Goldencreek and you need to carry her… we need to bring her back to Camp." Redtrack and Goldencreek did as she said immediately, and the four cats began to walk back to Camp in complete silence. Shadowbriar didn't even have any smart remarks, Redtrack didn't have any jokes to crack, nothing.

The cats entered the Camp, which was buzzing with conversation. But as soon as they entered, the noise turned into gasps of horror.

"Quailsong, what in all of StarClan happened?!," called Deeredge.

"Oh StarClan, why have you taken her so early?," Houndprance cried. More comments spilled in from every cat.

"Quiet! Quiet, everyone. Now!" Quailsong yelled. Quailsong limped onto High Rock to address her Clan. She ignored Honeydew rushing up to her, trying to tell her something. Goldencreek and Redtrack placed their Leader, Bearstar's, body in front of the High Rock. Whimpering and sobbing echoed throughout the Camp.

"There has been.. a terrible tragedy this afternoon.." Quailsong paused as if she was struggling to find the words to say. Her throat felt like sandpaper, each word scraping painfully out. "Bearstar.. has been murdered." The cats once again started yelling. Tears came to Quailsong's eyes as she watched her Clan's distress. Seeing Roundears trying to comfort Treekit as he too cried hit her hard. Quailsong spoke again.

"We will find out who did this, I swear that on my life. Bearstar was the best Leader SummitClan could have ever asked for. I hope I can be at least a fraction of the Leader she was. With a murderer on the loose, I must immediately gain my lives. I fear what may happen if I dont.. We will hold vigil for her tonight, and burry her in the morning. Be safe. Clan dismissed.." Quailsong jumped down from the High Rock and approached the Medicine Cat, Greymint. The Clan Medicine Cat must always accompany Deputies when they are to gain their nine lives.

"We need to leave now. Are you ready?"

"Yes, Quailstar." Quailsong winced.

"Dont call me that.. at least, not yet." The two cats began to trudge through the long trek to the Moonstone. Neither of them said a word.

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"Are you nervous?" Greymint asked as the pair approached the glowing, blue stone. This was their ticket to visiting StarClan.

"Uhm, kind of.. I wish Honeydew were here.." Greymint smiled kindly.

"You'll be okay. Now, just press your nose onto the stone and close your eyes." Quailsong did as Greymint told her. As she did this, she fell instantly asleep. When she opened her eyes, she was in a completely new place. This landscape was full of rolling hills and baby blue skies, and patches of spruce trees littered with delicious berries. Greymint was besides her, as well as a cat that Quailsong didn't recognize.

"Hello, Quailsong." The cat said, approaching her more directly.

"Uhm, hi. I'm, uhm, y'know, here to receive my nine lives?" The cat chuckled at her nervousness.

"I know you are, Quailsong. We all do." Cats started emerging from over the rolling hills. Generations of passed SummitClan cats came to watch the ceremony. Quailsong recognized some faces, but not many. "I am Cowstar. You dont know me, but I know you. I always knew you had leader potential, Quailsong. Your father was very proud of you when he watched you become Deputy." Quailsong couldn't help but feel happy, despite the recent tragedy.

"T-thank you, Cowstar." Cowstar smiled, placing his nose against hers.

"I, Cowstar, grant you the life of responsibility. Leading a Clan is quite the ordeal for any cat. Make wise choices, Quailsong. You never know what may happen." Quailsong's mind was instantly full of flashing images, scenes of stuff she had never seen before, as well as past memories of her life. The flashing images stopped once Cowstar moved away. Quailsong lifted her head up to see the next cat, another cat she didn't recognize.

This cat's spirit form was barely visible, indicating that she must have been dead for a very, very long time.

"Greetings, Quailsong. I am Cricketstar, the first ever leader of modern SummitClan." Quailsong was shocked. She couldn't believe that she was about to receive a life from one of the most important cats in SummitClan history.

"Oh, wow." Quailsong said this under her breath. Cricketstar smiled.

"I, Cricketstar, grant you the life of loyalty. Loyalty is one of the most important qualities a Clan cat can possess. Do not falter, Quailsong." Cricketstar touched her nose with Quailsong's. Quailsong's body felt like it was being mauled by a badger, and her mind was flooded with images full of bloodshed and terror, and cats choking on prey with their mouths foaming. This torture ended once Cricketstar stepped away. Quailsong breathed heavily, relieved that the pain was over.

"Stand strong, Quailsong." A squeaky voice spoke up. Quailsong looked down to see a familiar face.

"Owlkit.." Tears came to Quailsong's eyes. She vividly remembered the death of Owlkit. Images of the anguish on Quietmoon and Silkbear's faces, Owlkit's parents and her friends, were still ingrained in her memory.

"Dont be sad, Quailsong. I'm not in pain anymore, and watching my family recover from their loss makes me very happy." Owlkit smiled widely at Quailsong. "You're gonna have to bend down; I'm a bit short!" Quailsong laughed, wiped the tears from her eyes, and obliged.

"I, Owlkit, grant you the life of family. Hold the family you have close. There's not many things more important than family." Owlkit touched her snout to Quailsong's. This filled Quailsong with feelings of warmth and comfort.

Quailsong went on to receive the rest of her lives. She received the life of leadership from Rubblestar, as well as the lives of compassion, mercy, and knowledge from cats named Pumaleaf, Stalliontree, and Dogleg. This left her with just one more life to receive. Quailsong recognized the cat about to give it to her.

"Bouldermane!" Quailsong rushed forward to embrace the tom.

"It has been so long since I've seen you, my precious daughter. And I'm so glad I am able to give you this life." Quailsong began to sob from joy. Her father, Bouldermane, had died when she was just a Kit. She had only known him for one moon, but the stories her Clanmates told of him were legendary.

"Are you ready to lead this Clan, Quailsong?"

"I didn't think I would be Leader so early.. I dont know if I'm ready." Quailsong confided. Bouldermane smiled.

"You will be a great Leader, Quailsong." Another voice spoke up. It was Bearstar, coming to stand next to Bouldermane. "You know how high my standards are; I would not have chosen you if I didn't think you had the qualities of a Leader. Turn your limitations into strengths. I trust you with leading my Clan, Quailsong." Beartstar dipped her head, turning back to join the rest of the cats watching the ceremony. Bearstar's words filled Quailsong with more confidence.

"Are you ready now, daughter?" Bouldermane asked.

"I am ready to lead SummitClan." Quailsong's heart was pounding. This had just become very real.

"I, Bouldermane, grant you the life of love. Love is not a weakness, but rather, a strength for any Leader. Love your Clan, and you will succeed. I know you will." Bouldermane touched his snout to Quailsong's forehead. Quailong instantly started purring. She had never felt so happy in her entire life. She felt warm, as if she were a newborn nursing at her mother's belly once again. Even once Bouldermane had removed his snout from hers, some of this warm feeling remained. Bearstar came forward once more.

"We, StarClan, welcome you as the newest Leader of SummitClan!" Beartstar called this as Cowstar, Cricketstar, Owlkit, Pumaleaf, Stalliontree, Dogleg, Rubblestar, and Bouldermane surrounded Quailsong.

"Quailstar, Quailstar, Quailstar!" All of the cats attending started chanting Quailsong's new name.

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Quailstar and Greymint woke from their visit to StarClan.

"How do you feel, Quailstar?" Quailstar pondered a bit about Greymint's question.

"I feel happy, but angry at the same time. I forgot to ask Bearstar who murdered her; I'm so selfish!"

"Bearstar would not have been able to tell you whether you asked or not, Quailstar. They are forbidden from saying such things. We have to find them out on our own; they can only guide us in the right direction."

"I know.. I just wish it was a bit easier. Is that wrong?"

"It's completely natural to want life to be easy. All of us have that same wish. But, unfortunately it never is easy." Quailstar nodded.

"I know you're right, Greymint. Speaking of life not being easy, we must return to Camp. I hope everything is alright." The pair once again began to make the long trek between Camp and the Moonstone. But as they did, Quailstar couldn't help but feel as if someone was watching her. She couldn't help but wonder one thing.

Was she next?