GRAVELPELT.
leader of thunderclan?
He'd been silent the whole trip to the Mooncave, which might have made for an awkward atmosphere if he weren't so absorbed in his own thoughts. He was surprised Peachblossom had offered to make this trip with him, but also relieved, even if she hadn't exactly been very receptive of the news he'd shared yesterday. It was likely a good idea to have someone along with him, especially someone else who could communicate with StarClan so easily and was well-respected within ThunderClan. That way, whatever news they received, when they returned to camp and he told everyone what StarClan said was going on, they'd have no choice but to believe him when Peachblossom backed him up.
It'd been a long trip, but one he wasn't already used to due to the fact the Clans held Gatherings above the Mooncave. In fact, he'd daresay they arrived long before he was ready to face whatever was waiting for him in their ancestors' realm. He'd been raised to be a staunch believer in StarClan, but he'd never had a personal experience with them yet. He also wasn't excited to know what news they had to share, because it likely wasn't anything he'd want to hear.
"It would seem we're here," he mumbled, breaking the silence at last. Standing before the Mooncave's gaping black entrance, he really couldn't muster the courage up to take the first step inside. It was probably made obvious by how he lingered outside, shifting his weight from paw to paw.
GRAVELPELT.
warrior of thunderclan?
While he had always believed in the ancestors and their power, he had never put blind faith into them. He doubted there was such thing as a truly benevolent god, and the cats of StarClan most certainly weren't. They gave, lives to leaders and visions to medicine cats, but they also took- loved ones, the very lives they gave to leaders, chances a cat had been looking forward to. They ruled with a soft but firm paw. One just had to believe they did what they did to keep the Clans alive and thriving, even if they didn't agree.
He drew comfort from Peachblossom's experienced presence, even if her smile wasn't very bolstering. Drawing in a shaky breath, he gave her a resolved nod before settling onto his belly, tucking his paws beneath his chest, and reaching forward to gently lap at the water. It was cold and crisp, and would have been refreshing, if it didn't feel like it had settled into his very bones themselves and lit his whole body on fire with chill. One second he was gritting his teeth, blinking his eyes, and the next he fell into darkness.
Light exploded all around him, swirling about in the form of stars starting to condense into more solidified objects; trees, rocks, flowing water, and there, a cat. It was disorienting, and it felt like he was walking on nothing. He didn't dare move a muscle, watching the StarClanner come closer.
"Gravelpelt, welcome. You have been expected," the voice spoke, soft and melodic. The she-cat painted a beautiful vision as she shimmered into better view, the stars making up her features seeming to constantly shift with a wind that the ThunderClanner couldn't feel himself.
"Uhm, hi. Sorry it took so long, I wasn't- wasn't really expecting this, ya know?" He chuckled nervously, ducking his head to avoid the other's starry, slightly unnerving gaze.
An amused but not mean purr emanated from the StarClanner. "Things moved faster than even we expected, young one. I am Fawnheart, past medicine cat of ThunderClan. We don't have much time, I'm afraid. Wildstar was indeed-" "W-Wait!" The mottled brown tom blurted, looking mortified after the words had slipped out so forcefully. He hadn't even really meant to spoke up, planning on simply listening to her, but something had been nagging at him. She was the only cat present, and from what he understood, leaders received their lives from multiple cats. So where was everyone else? "Sorry, sorry- uhm, but, it's on-only you?"
"It's okay, you're understandably confused and anxious, Gravelpelt. But, as I was saying- Wildstar was sent away, she was meant to leave ThunderClan in your capable paws. StarClan willed this. But," Fawnheart paused, looking away in an almost guilty manner. Or what Gravelpelt would assume was one, seeing as her expression was hard to gauge. "But you will not be receiving nine lives. Wildstar still has all of hers, and while StarClan might have power, we do not have the power to grant eighteen lives to two different cats of the same Clan."
Silence settled between the two as Gravelpelt soaked in this news, clearly not knowing what to say or how to respond.
"So- So I'm not actually leader, then? I'm just a stand-in deputy until Wildstar returns," he surmised, looking a bit relieved. Wildstar would be back eventually, and then everyone would be happy again. All he had to do was-
"No," Fawnheart stated. "You are meant to be Gravelstar. You will be Gravelstar as soon as you awaken from this meeting. You will just have to be wiser than any leader yet, as you won't have nine lives to go tossing around as you please. ThunderClan is under your care now, young one. StarClan is certain you will do great things for the Clan, once everyone accepts you." Her whiskers twitched in amusement, silently speaking of her knowing how everyone had reacted so far. "Now, our time is up. StarClan blesses your leadership of ThunderClan, Gravelstar." The starry cat gave a dip of her head before fading into the background before his very eyes. The stars around him lingered before suddenly shooting up, disappearing into inky darkness and leaving him falling into the depths below as the ground was ripped from beneath his paws.
He awoke beside the Moonpool with a gasp, shooting up into a sitting position but not daring to get to his paws because his stomach was queasy and his sight was spinning. The tom could hardly get his head to turn towards Peachblossom, wondering if she was done yet herself. How much time had passed during his chat with Fawnheart, why hadn't a past leader come to speak with him? Were they too embarrassed to meet him face to face?