Chapter 5: Lionheart: Bravery From Above

Lionheart's fur was clotted with drying blood, his head was spinning even though he was lying on the ground, and he could feel his energy ebbing away by the second. He was dimly aware of a calico cat bending over him, inspecting his body with her pink nose. Lionheart was only able to recognize her from the scent she emitted.

Spottedleaf, he thought, I must be very close to death if she is here.

A hair-raising wail reverberated across the clearing of ThunderClan and the next moment Lionheart realized his apprentice was crouching besides him, his wide eyes brimming with shock and sorrow.

"Graypaw," Lionheart managed to choke out, "you will be a wonderful warrior."

"Don't talk like that," the gray tom whispered, "it sounds like you're-"

"Dying," Lionheart finished for him, "well I am. Listen to me, Graypaw. You are an amazing cat. I am proud to have mentored you."

Lionheart saw blackness creeping in from the corners of his eyes. He let out a long and final breath. He knew it was time. Lionheart forced himself to look once more into Graypaw's pained eyes and then slowly withdrew into himself, his heartbeat stopping completely. For a moment, everything was black, surrounding and engulfing Lionheart like a blanket of heather.

When the blackness cleared away, Lionheart was standing above Highrock, looking down at the scene below him. Bluestar's drooping tail and Graypaw's silent yowl told him that the other cats knew he was gone. Strangely, Lionheart could not hear anything from the ThunderClan cats beneath his paws. The world was quiet and although the clearing below was obviously bustling with sounds and cries, Lionheart could hear none of it.

"Lionheart," a familiar voice called out.

The golden tabby turned around, unwillingly to take his eyes off his mourning Clan. He was unsurprised but pleased to see his old friend and deputy, Redtail, standing before him, his bushy scarlet tail glittering with all the stars in the sky.

"Hello Redtail," greeted Lionheart softly.

"I had hoped I wouldn't see you so soon," Redtail said slowly, casting his eyes upon the empty tabby body next to Highrock, "your Clan will miss you."

"I can only hope they'll hold me in their memories like they did with you," Lionheart responded sadly, noticing that his golden pelt was starting to become coated in a light sheen of stardust.

"Lionheart, trouble is coming to ThunderClan," Redtail said quickly, "a dark presence will rise to claim the forest and this Clan must prevail."

Lionheart's hackles bristled warily. "Can I do anything to help?" he asked.

"No, we can't do anything," Redtail sighed, "it is up to the cats in the forest to overcome this evil themselves."

"So are we to sit back and do nothing?" Lionheart demanded, anger burning inside his stomach. He couldn't watch the Clan he loved fall to ruin.

Redtail shook his head and meowed firmly, "We will not abandon our Clanmates. There has been and always will be, five Clans in this forest. StarClan will stand by their side."

Lionheart stared at Redtail, measuring his words. The truth rang out around him. He knew that he would have to trust himself, Bluestar, and all of StarClan. Lionheart dipped his head in agreement and stepped towards Redtail, his paws making no indentations on the invisible floor he was standing on.

"I must have faith in StarClan," he murmured, "after all, I am a member of it now."

Redtail licked his friend's shoulder warmly and waved his tail in a series of planned movements. Lionheart watched with wide eyes as a silvery slope appeared in the sky, leading right up into the blue expanse above them.

"Is this the way to StarClan?" he asked, his voice trembling a little.

"Yes," Redtail said, looking sympathetically at Lionheart, "do not be afraid."

Lionheart nodded and placed one golden paw on the inclined slope running up into the air, breathing a sigh of relief that it held his weight. With an encouraging glance from Redtail, Lionheart began his long ascent into the sky, only looking back once at the forest that held the Clan he loved more then life itself, the Clan he'd died for.

Goodbye Graypaw, Lionheart thought, I will see you again someday, far ahead in the future.

With that, Lionheart began to run, his strong legs pounding noiselessly against the star-studded path, a cool breeze blowing into his face. He was ready to join StarClan.