Shadowstar's Life/Chapter 1

Chapter description

 * Shadowstar tells Skystar he should wait and see what will happen as the cats at Fourtrees leave to go back to their Clans. She is momentarily distracted as she orders Pebble Heart to take her Clan home as she and Sun Shadow stay behind to speak with Skystar. The latter says Twolegs are invading his territory, and the leaders aren't sure there's any threat with them. Shadowstar asks why they would want his land, but Skystar sighs she's not getting the point of the situation and she should just stand with him to convince the Clans to work together. She and Sun Shadow say their farewells to the SkyClan leader and race through the night to ShadowClan's camp, while Shadowstar notes her deputy reminds her of Moon Shadow.


 * She remembers how the black tom died many seasons ago in a fire, and she feels part of her left with Moon Shadow gone. Shadowstar wishes he were here to see the progress the Clans have made in working together, and how he never got the chance to see Sun Shadow. As she wonders on how her kin will make a great leader someday, he stops and points out dogs are heading their way. Sun Shadow worries their Clanmates may have run into them, but Shadowstar states there's no signs they were attacked. More barking becomes audible and the pair decide to walk near the Thunderpath to mix their scents with it to trick the dogs. They run, and as she hesitates to look at a pine tree, Shadowstar tells Sun Shadow they must keep a lot of distance between the dogs and the camp. For a moment, she feels as if someone is watching her, but shakes the feeling off and runs as the dogs encroach on them.


 * As she and Sun Shadow approach the Twoleg bridge, another dog appears from the shadows and blocks their path. An attempt to backtrack fails, and Shadowstar informs Sun Shadow they must fight in order to escape the dogs, and both slash violently at them. The dogs yelp in pain, and as Shadowstar stands on one dog's back, she sees amber eyes staring at her. The dog pulls the leader back down, and Sun Shadow runs back to help her. She pleads for him to run back to ShadowClan, but he stays and she fades into blackness. She wakes up in StarClan, furious that the dogs killed her. The black she-cat recounts how she originally thought if a leader lost a life, they would die forever, unlike how Moth Flight took Windstar to the Moonstone and revived her. Shadowstar remembers how she lost her other lives, and tells herself she will be fine with one life left.


 * She hopes Sun Shadow escaped, but to her sorrow he walks up to her, proving the dogs killed him as well. Gray Wing and Moon Shadow are with him, and Shadowstar tells Sun Shadow that Moon Shadow is his father. The latter tells his son he's always been watching over him, and that he can now join him in doing so. Shadowstar wonders what she'll do without her deputy, and sees the outline of herself in the distance. The leader asks Gray Wing what she should do now, and he admits he's concerned that ShadowClan will fall apart if they lose her. Shadowstar is shocked, fully realizing how vulnerable her Clanmates are beside herself.

Deaths

 * Shadowstar and Sun Shadow die from the dogs, leaving ShadowClan without a deputy.