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Post by perfectlypink♥ on Mar 12, 2017 8:03:43 GMT -5
☁ MOONWISH'S JOURNEY
☁ - prologueDewdrop shuddered as another convulsion pulsed throughout her body. Her mate, Whitebelly, a ginger tom with a bright white chest and belly, licked her smooth gray fur and murmured encouragingly. The whispers of cats surrounded the nursery, concerned for the young queen. It had been a long, breezy night and Dewdrop was still not finished with her kitting. Two of the kits had already been born, but not named; a fiery sunshine colored tom, and a smaller tortoiseshell she-kit.
"Will Dewdrop be okay?", Crabkit whined to his mother, Goldenspirit. She nodded her head in an attempt to calm down her concerned kit, but her eyes betrayed how worried she was as she licked her yellow tabby kit. A chilly wind swept through the camp, and Crabkit and his mother had to leave the comforting nursery earlier due to Dewdrop's kitting. The soft sand cushioned all of the cat's paws, and the occasional splash or scurry sounded from the tide-pools surrounding their camp. The ocean's waves always provided a soothing background noise to the clan.
Smallecho, Tideclan's medicine cat, was intently focused on delivering the last kit, and blew out a relieved breath as the last kit was finally born. As the final kit, a dark smoky gray she-kit was born, Smallecho felt a strange shiver of unease. Something strange has occurred to him, but he couldn't quite place it. He uneasily licked the long midnight black fur on his chest and gave a polite nod to Dewdrop.
"The last kit was born!", Smallecho announced to Tideclan, leaving the stuffy nursery. Mews of relief spread throughout the clan, and cats began to spread out to their dens, the oldest heading to the elder's den, and the more eager, younger cats heading to the apprentice's den.
Meanwhile, Dewdrop began to name her healthy kits, licking them all fiercely before saying, "The golden one will be called Sunkit", she purred softly, "and I will name the tortoiseshell Fishkit, and the dark gray she-kit is Moonkit." Whitebelly's pale green eyes shone with pride, and nodded in approval of his kit's names. After giving Dewdrop one last lick behind her ears, he turned to leave to join the others in the warrior's den.
As the cats settled down to sleep, they had no idea what this litter of kits would mean to the future generations of not only Tideclan, but for all the four clans.
-----
The cats of Starclan looked down among the living from Silverpelt, the stars that sparkled across the calm ocean. A stunning bright white she-cat with one teal, and one pale green eye called out to the deceased cats of all clans, "Starclan, gather around, for the chosen one has been born!"
Pelts brushed against each other as cats from all the clans gathered to hear Splashstar's words; Tideclan, the cats that lived peacefully among the tide pools, Cliffclan, who lived on the rocky stones and boulders surrounding the ocean, Sandclan, those who burrowed among the warm sand, and Boatclan, the cats that had taken shelter in a ship-wrecked boat among the seashore.
Starclan went silent, as tension and anticipation sparked like wildfire throughout the cats. "The moon will shine light on the clans for many generations, but there is an echo that hides secrets and lies from all four clans." Although Splashstar, former leader of Tideclan had only barely whispered the prophecy, every cat that had gathered around the ocean had heard.
A heartbreaking wail erupted in the silence, coming from a creamy long-furred caramel colored she cat, her eyes glittering with confusion. "This will be the end for all of the seaside clans!", a dark tabby tom yowled. The rest of Starclan's cats gathered into large huddles and voiced their fears and concerns. The sandy clearing was filled the worry and doubt.
Splashstar's eyes glazed over with a mix of frustration, desperation, and determination. She let out a single hiss, and the cats around her hushed down to a few fretful whispers and moans. Her eyes scanned the crowd coldly. "Do you have no faith in our clans? We must guide the chosen one, and believe that the moon will light the way." The she-cat's mysterious words echoed around the clearing and the cats of Starclan began to spread out, some utterly terrified, and others had a new sense of hopefulness.
☁ - chapters 1-5chapter 1:
A large grey striped tom with a pale white chest hopped smoothly from the ground to a small rocky outcrop in the middle of large tidepool. A small snail scuttled across the sandy clearing and nestled into a small pocket of warm sand. Several warriors poked their heads out of the warrior's den, a miniature cave outlined with moss. Elders, apprentices, and queens began to show interest and padded out of their nests, gathering to surround the tidepool.
"Mom, I'm fine!", Crabkit scowled from the other side of the camp, scampering away from his mother's insistent licking. Even with his complaining, excitement and pride shone in his eyes as he got ready to become an apprentice.
Meanwhile, Dewdrop huddled her kits together and gently nudged them towards the clearing. Sunkit rushed ahead of his kin, pushing his way through his clan to very front, eager to get the best view of his friend's ceremony. Fishkit gave a longing look at her mother, begging with her bright green eyes to follow her brother. Dewdrop gave a small nod and watched her kit's tortoiseshell pelt disappear as she scampered away to sit with Sunkit. Moonkit shied away from all the eyes that seemed to follow her every move, and cuddled close to her mother as she took a seat, tail curled around her paws.
As Ripplestar looked among his clan, he beckoned to Crabkit with a flick of his tail to gather near the edge of the tidepool. Tideclan's deputy, Morningsky, a silvery-blue she cat, nudged Crabkit encouragingly, whispering something unintelligible into his furry yellow ears. Goldenspirit's eyes were shining, as well as Crabkit's father, Frogstep, a light brown tom.
"Crabkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Crabpaw. Your mentor will be Eelstream. I hope Eelstream will pass down her courage and intelligence onto you", Ripplestar announced to the Clan, jumping down from the Tidestone, the place where leaders held their meetings.
Eelstream, a dark brown tabby she-cat, pranced over happily to Crabpaw and touched noses with her new apprentice. "Crabpaw! Crabpaw!", Goldenspirit called out, and the rest of the clan began to cheer out his name in unison. Sunkit and Fishkit ran over to congratulate him excitedly.
"In a few moons, you'll be up there too, becoming an apprentice!", Dewdrop whispered to Moonkit, who had still not left her mother's side.
"Won't it be scary though?", Moonkit whimpered, looking up at her mother with her icy blue eyes, "What if I do something wrong? What if my mentor doesn't like me?"
"No, no, it's nothing like that! Trust me, you'll be excited, young one. Any cat would be excited to be your mentor", Dewdrop mewed soothingly. "Why don't you go ask the elders for a story? You know they'd never refuse!"
Moonkit nodded, suddenly excited at the thought of a story. She bolted across the clearing to nuzzle Coralbreeze, a creamy white and silver tabby she cat. Coralbreeze purred and laid down, tucking her paws neatly underneath her body, beckoning Moonkit to curl next to her. As the friendly elder began to share a story, Whitebelly walked over to Dewdrop, giving her a swift lick behind the ear.
Dewdrop turned to face her mate, but with concern flashing in her eyes. "Do you notice anything different about Moonkit?", she whispered, so that no other cats could her voicing her worries.
"I think....she's just quite timid, that's all. Moonkit is very shy, compared to her clanmates, but hopefully she'll grow out of it", Whitebelly murmured into Dewdrop's ear.
"Whitebelly! We need you to lead a hunting patrol!", Morningsky yowled, flicking her tail to signal him over.
Dewdrop gave Whitebelly a knowing look and turned back to the nursery, her tail swishing behind her. Seagullswoop, a bright white tom, Tinystep, an unusually small tortoiseshell she cat, Rainsong a dark black she cat, and her apprentice, Dawnpaw, a light yellow she-cat followed Whitebelly to leave camp.
Smallecho, the long-furred black medicine cat, had been staring at Moonkit with a mixture of interest and a strange feeling he couldn't shake off. "Smallecho? Brokentooth has been complaining of sore paw pads", Shellpaw, a beige colored she cat spoke to Smallecho, breaking him out of his trance.
"Hmm, oh yes, wait outside of the medicine den, I'll be back in a moment", Smallecho muttered, going into his den to retrieve coltsfoot for Brokentooth, a white tom with ginger patches.
-----
Moonkit was walking through the seemingly endless seashore, the ocean's waves lapping gently against her small paws. She could see rocky cliffs and boulders in the edge of her vision, outlining the beach. Her mother and siblings were nowhere nearby as she explored. Suddenly, a small bright orange crab scuttled across the beady sand in front of her, it's two large front claws clicking together as the little creature walked.
Instinctively, she crouched down, her hind legs wiggling as she attempted to stalk the small animal. Moonkit took a large pounce and her claws slammed into hard outer shell of the crab, who whirled around and grabbed her delicate gray paws toughly. Yowling, she hopped around, flailing her captured paw, trying to fling the creature off. At last, the crab loosened and took off into the sand.
She felt eyes on the back of her pelt, and turned around with a surprised mew. A black long-furred cat had been standing, watching without making a move. "What's Smallecho doing here?", she pondered to herself.
"Smallecho? My paw hurts? Do you have any herbs?", Moonkit begged, still shifting around her bleeding paw uneasily. Smallecho had not said anything, but just gave the kit a sinister glare.
"Smallecho, why aren't you talking to me? You're a medicine cat, you have to help!", she added.
"How do you know? How do you know?", the tom snarled, stalking towards her with his long claws unsheathed. Moonkit shivered and squealed, turning around and squabbling on her hind legs, trying to run away from the terrifying chanting.
Moonkit heard a loud hiss, right on her tail. She felt herself being flipped over, and a large black paw was pressed firmly against her chest. "I don't know about anything! What do you mean?", she yowled helplessly, shaking uncontrollably. "Let me go!" Large teeth grabbed her scuff, and threw her into the strong navy blue waves.
"You can't tell anyone!", Smallecho yelled, raising his head to the early morning sky. Moonkit was being swallowed by the ocean, her terrified wails being swallowed by the tide's song.
"Moonkit! Shush!", a high-pitched whine sounded from the nursery, urging her to keep quiet. Moonkit blinked her eyes, opening and closing several times before finally being able to focus on the space around her.
"Sunkit?", she meowed drowsily, her throat still feeling raw from screaming. Moonkit felt her mother leaving the nest, the comforting warmth from her side disappearing.
"Dewdrop is getting you herbs", Sunkit grunted to his sister, trying to find a comfortable spot to sleep again. "For the past half moon you've been yowling every night! Not a cat in the nursery can get a good night's sleep in anymore", he added, but still shot a sympathetic glance to Moonkit.
Dewdrop returned a few moments later with a wad a seaweed in her jaws. She set it down gently beside Moonkit, and the leaves uncurled, revealing a small black poppy seed. "Eat the seed, dear. Smallecho says it will calm you down and help you get a good rest", she whispered, nudging it towards her kit.
Moonkit glanced at her mother uncomfortably at the mention of Smallecho, but still swallowed the seed obediently. She laid down once again, soothed by the rise and fall of her mother's stomach. She closed her eyes, and dreams overtook the young she-cat's senses.
-----
Tideclan was bustling with the activity of day to day activities. Crabpaw was fetching a wad of soaking seaweed for one of the elders, Snailfoot, a dark black tom with white muzzle and paws. Icestorm, a gray and white patchy tom, was leaving on a patrol with Minnowsplash, a pale grey she-cat, Coppershine, a dark rusty red tom, as well as his apprentice, Shellpaw. Seagulls swooped harmlessly over the beach, their wings fluttering against the strong breeze.
Meanwhile, Dewdrop's kits were splashing in the shallow part of the tide that surrounded the Tidestone. Fishkit was chasing Sunkit and Moonkit, their paws thumping against the mixture of mud and sand that layered the bottom of the pool.
"If you Boatclan warriors ever set your paws in my territory again, I'll rip you to shreds!", Fishkit squealed, take a playful nip at Moonkit's tail. Moonkit shrieked and turned around to face her tortoiseshell sister. Sunkit ran over to defend Moonkit, taking large clumsy swipes with his tiny paws. Fishkit avoided her brother, and jumped on top of Moonkit, accidentally knocking her over in the process.
For a few seconds Moonkit was taken back to her terrifying dream that had haunted her for almost a half a moon now, the waves that lapped her up. Spitting and kicking, her tiny gray head bobbed above the water, and she swam deeper into the tidepool, desperately trying to find a place to dig her claws into.
"My kit!", Dewdrop shrieked from the nursery, running out as soon as she heard wailing. Sunkit and Fishkit ran to their mother, urging her to help Moonkit.
Moonkit attempted to scrabble up the Tidestone, her claws digging into small marks within the large rock. Suddenly, her father's scent wafted around her, and his teeth grabbed her scruff firmly. She went limp with relief, and was soon placed on the sandy ground. Dewdrop ran over to check on her kit, both of her parents licking her carefully.
"I'm fine", she whispered, not sure if her kin had even heard her
"I'll get Smallecho, just in case", Whitebelly murmured, padding across the clearing to find the medicine cat. Shimmerdrop, a silver tabby she-cat, pressed her muzzle against Dewdrop, assuring the worried queen.
Smallecho bounded across the clearing a few moments later and sniffed the soaking wet kit. "I think she'll be fine, but I'll bring her to my den just in case", he muttered, flicking his tail to signal Moonkit to follow.
Moonkit stood up feebly, shaking her fur, drops flinging across the sand. She padded after Smallecho, being lead to the medicine den with his bushy black tail. The medicine cat was nosing through his store of herbs near the back of the den, searching for herbs. Moonkit took a good look at his den, taking everything in. There was a very small tidepool in the middle of the cool cave, and the ledges in the walls were where the heaps of herbs and berries were stored.
Smallecho came back with two small bright blue colored berries held in between his teeth.
"What are those?", she asked curiously, all fear of Smallecho gone as she wondered about all the names and uses for the different kinds of medicine.
"Juniper berries, good for calming and giving cats strength", he murmured, a subtle gleam of affection in his eyes for the young kit. Moonkit nodded as he set down the berries in front of her, and she chewed them up obediently. No more than a few seconds later she bounded over to his stores of herbs and nosed through everything.
"What are those? Oh, and these leaves! What about that? Why does it smell so bad?", words spilling out of Moonkit's mouth.
"Well, you're definitely not sick", Smallecho muttered, reorganizing the pile of berries she had knocked over. "Go back to your mother, tell her you'll be fine."
Moonkit stopped talking, but her tail drooped as she left the medicine den to report to her mother. Smallecho didn't stop staring at her until she disappeared into the nursery. He had no idea how to feel. Half of him knew she would make a great, curious apprentice, but his intuition told him to be suspicious, that she would interfere with his...plans.
chapter 2
It had been almost six moons, and Dewdrop's litter was maturing. Sunkit was becoming a sturdy, brave tom, Fishkit was growing into a caring, supportive she-cat, and Moonkit was ready to discover things she never knew about herself, and her clan.
Moonkit's lucid dreaming had not faded, but her dreams had begun to change and develop left and right. Tonight, she was surrounded by shining cats with a silvery glow. "This must be Starclan!", she thought to herself, her pelt bristling with excitement and nervousness. The elders of Tideclan had told her stories and legends, but she had never been face to face with any of Starclan's cats.
At first the cats around her were nothing but a dull shimmer of light, but with every second passing by they grew more into focus. She spun around in circles, taking in the view. A beautiful long furred silver she-cat was to her right, and on the left was a large muscular orange tabby with gleaming green eyes. There were cats of all ages and ranks; kits, apprentices, warriors, medicine cats, deputies, leaders, and elders.
"Welcome, young one. You have been chosen", a cat beckoned from behind Moonkit, her voice sliding like honey against the hushed whispers of the mystical clearing. Moonkit turned around, her eyes wide with surprise. In front of her stood a magnificent white she-cat, glowing like the stars. One of her eyes was pale green, like Moonkit's father, but the other was a sparkling ocean blue.
"You must be Splashstar!", the small gray kit gasped, remembering all the wonderful stories told about her loyalty to Tideclan. Moonkit almost stumbled over her own paws, wondering why she was here with one of the seaside clan's greatest leaders.
Splashstar took a few steps towards Moonkit, and took a good look at the surprised she-kit. A black and orange tabby calico was no-more than a paw-length behind her, and she was looking down kindly at Moonkit. All of the cats of Starclan were watching intently, but not a peep of noise was coming from them.
"Who are you?", Moonkit asked, flicking her ears toward the calico she-cat.
"I am Sweetfern, Tideclan's former medicine cat", she replied, dipping her head to Moonkit. Splashstar whispered something into Sweetfern's ears, and the medicine cat nodded.
"Come with me, Moonkit. I would like to share a message with you", Sweetfern said, her calico tail swishing behind her as she walked away from the group of cats without looking to see if Moonkit had followed.
Moonkit scampered after Sweetfern, running to keep up with Sweetfern's pace. There was a path going through the sand where thousands of cats had walked before them, their paws had dimpled the ground throughout countless moons. They walked together for a few minutes in silence, until they were well away from all of the curious eyes and ears. Sweetfern soon came to an abrupt stop and sat down, her amber eyes gazing at Moonkit with a mix of uncertainty and sympathy.
"The next few moons of your life will be a huge shock to you", she began, taking a deep breath before continuing, "you will feel betrayed, you will feel extreme grief, but you can't give up. Every cat is depending on you to fulfill your prophecy."
The kit's bright blue eyes gazed up at Sweetfern with fear, her body trembling with shock. "I don't know if I can do this. I'm so sorry, Sweetfern. How will I know what to do?", she whispered, hoping that this wasn't really happening.
Sweetfern's eyes glazed over as if she wasn't in the moment, lost in her her thoughts. Suddenly she stood up, her back straight up, in a hushed whisper, she said, "The moon will shine light on the clans for many generations, but there is an echo that hides secrets and lies from all four clans."
The world began to fade out, blackness overtaking Moonkit's vision.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Smallecho! Please come to my den", Ripplestar called from across the camp, his voice echoing around the clearing. The black medicine cat's pelt prickled with suspicion and nervousness, but stopped organizing his herbs to leave the medicine den. He padded across the sand, which was getting hotter and hotter as newleaf transitioned into greenleaf.
"Ripplestar?", Smallecho called into the small but cozy den. The leader's den was relatively small, but the hollow underneath the rock was very cooling, and moss surrounded the roof and walls. Ripplestar beckoned the medicine cat to sit down with a flick of his tail.
"I'd like to speak with you about Moonkit. I've been observing her these past few moons, and she seems to have an interest in being a medicine cat apprentice", Ripplestar began, searching Smallecho's green eyes.
"A-are you sure?", Smallecho stammered, unsure of how to reply. He very well knew that Moonkit had an interest in herbs and healing cats, but he wasn't sure he wanted an apprentice. "I should've known this would happen! But every medicine cat must have an apprentice at some point!", he thought to himself, shifting around his paws uneasily.
"Do you disagree? I mean, you are the medicine cat, and I'm sure you know more about choosing a medicine cat apprentice than I do, but I truly believe that Moonkit has potential. I've spoken with Dewdrop and Whitebelly about this, and they agree", Ripplestar replied smoothly, guarding his emotions carefully.
"Yes, yes, of course. I will take her as an apprentice", Smallecho replied awkwardly, dipping his head respectfully before turning to leave the leader's den. Ripplestar gazed after him as he left, confusion clouding his thoughts. Why wouldn't Smallecho want Moonkit as an apprentice? She was quiet, curious, and obviously cared about learning how to use herbs to help her clan.
Ripplestar left his den and crouched beside the large tidepool, then leaped onto the Tidestone, his paws sliding against the cool stone.
"All cats old enough to swim, gather beneath the Tidestone for a clan meeting!", Ripplestar yowled, his fur gleaming in the bright sunlight. The Tideclan cats began to gather beneath their leader, and Dewdrop's kits were bristling with excitement.
"It's our apprentice ceremony!", Fishkit squealed excitedly, her eyes bright with pride. Sunkit was being groomed by his mother, but he muttered complaints underneath his breath.
"Mom, I'm fine", he moaned, as Dewdrop took one last stroke down his back. Even Moonkit, usually reserved, was sitting beside Fishkit, her gray fur puffed up so she looked bigger. "I hope I'm a medicine cat!", Moonkit thought to herself, a whirlwind of excitement and nervousness in her mind. Although she was slightly scared of Smallecho, she knew that this was her place in the clan, and no cat could stop her. Besides, it was just dreams that made her suspicious. It wasn't like the long furred medicine cat had actually done anything harmful in real life.
"Today we are gathered to make three brave kits into apprentices. Sunkit, please step forward", Ripplestar called. Sunkit bounded forward, practically shaking with excitement. Fishkit and Moonkit stood nearby, happy for their brother.
"Sunkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sunpaw. Seagullswoop has proven himself time and time again as a loyal warrior, and I hope he passes on his bravery and loyalty to you", Tideclan's leader finished.
Sunkit ran over to Seagullswoop, and touched noses with his fluffy white mentor. Ripplestar beckoned to Fishkit with his tail, and her tortoiseshell pelt bristled with pride.
"Fishkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From now on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Fishpaw. Morningsky is willing to pass her strength and honesty onto you", Ripplestar mewed. Morningsky walked over to her new apprentice, her silvery-blue fur shining in the bright sun. Fishpaw seemed in awe of her mentor, who was also the clan deputy.
"Moonkit, you have shown great interest and promise in learning about herbs and you have a willingness to help your clanmates. You will be known as Moonpaw-", Ripplestar began, but cut off abruptly as a sharp tang hit his tongue. A low growl came from his throat, and he jumped off of the Tidestone. The scents of strange cats wafted into all the cat's noses, and Dewdrop's kits all looked at each other with shock. Their ceremony had been interrupted!
"Cliffclan!", Goldenspirit yelled, and instantly Tideclan lined up to protect their camp. Ripplestar and Morningsky stood at the entrance, while all the warriors lined up behind them. Crabpaw was standing beside his mentor, Eelstream, and was lashing his tail fiercely. Shellpaw was narrowing her eyes, her creamy beige fur bristling. Dawnpaw stood beside her sister, ready to spring into battle. Smallecho was already gathering piles of herbs with Moonpaw, urgently explaining how to use each concoction. Sunpaw and Fishpaw were protecting the elder's den where Coralbreeze, Brokentooth, and Snailfoot were hiding.
Suddenly, Cliffclan warriors streamed into camp, following their leader, Stonestar, a dark gray tom. "You've had extra territory for much too long! We're here to claim the ocean shore!", he yowled, swinging his head to the sky.
"Tideclan, attack!", Ripplestar yowled, jumping onto Stonestar's back, his claws fiercely gripping into the Cliffclan leader's shoulders. Dewdrop and Whitebelly were fighting side by side, their paws batting fiercely at a light ginger she-cat, Sandytuft.
Tinystep was fighting off Cliffclan's deputy, Flintpelt, a light brown tom, mercilessly, despite her unusually small size. Her speed and nimbleness made her a she-cat you did not want to mess with. Shimmerdrop was already limping, her front left paw bleeding heavily from a bite. Her mate, Icestorm, was nipping and striking every cat who dared to take a step towards the beautiful silver tabby she-cat.
"Shimmerdrop! Come here!", Smallecho yelled through the screams and screeches of the battle. Moonpaw grabbed a mound of cobwebs between her claws, and she was chewing comfrey root into a poultice for wounds, ready to apply it to the she-cats wounds. Shimmerdrop seemed reluctant to leave the battle, but Icestorm nudged her flank towards the medicine cat and apprentice. Moonpaw's nose shriveled as she applied the tangy smelling poultice onto Shimmerdrop's paw, where blood welling up the most. Smallecho finished off by applying cobwebs to the wound.
"Stay in my den", Smallecho ordered firmly, guiding her towards a comfortable mossy nest, despite Shimmerdrop's yowls of protest.
Morningsky spinned and kicked her hind legs at a black and gray she-cat, snarling and spitting. The Cliffclan warrior fought back fiercely, leaping onto her chest and ripping out chunks of fur, but Morningsky clawed at the she-cat's eyes until she screeched with regret. Blood was splattered across the shining sand, and the sun beat down on the cats.
Coppershine and Shellpaw, mentor and apprentice, circled Stonestar, taunting and confusing him, before lunging on him from both sides. Shellpaw took long swipes down his dark gray stomach, while Coppershine was holding him down, teeth at the leader's throat. Stonestar was hissing angrily, his eyes gleaming with fury.
Crabpaw was battling against a light gray Cliffclan apprentice. Jaggedpaw took a huge bite on Crabpaw's ear, latching on and not letting go. Crabpaw screeched and slashed until Jaggedpaw let go, and his fiery orange fur was fluffed out to make him look huge.
Goldenspirit gasped in horror as she saw her son's shredded ear, and screeched with fury at Jaggedpaw. She chased him out of camp, nipping at his tail as he left. Two Cliffclan warriors followed the apprentice, wailing with terror and despair. Eelstream's dark brown tabby pelt had streaks of blood running through it, but she was still fighting loyally for her clan, despite her pain.
Meanwhile, not many cats had ventured as far as the elder's den, but Sunpaw and Fishpaw had still taken their fair share of swipes and hisses at the attackers. Frogstep just sliced his claws down a Cliffclan warrior's muzzle, and made the cat scream with pain. Frogstep's light brown chest was puffed out with pride, and Tideclan began to realize that they were winning this fight.
"Cliffclan, retreat!", Stonestar yowled, hobbling over to lean on his deputy. Cliffclan warriors and apprentices followed their leader, heads hung down, tails drooping against the sand as they left the damaged camp.
"Don't back come to visit anytime soon!", Crabpaw called after them, his ear stinging, and blood was dripping down the side of his face from the injury.
Moonpaw took a long look around the camp, her jaws opening and closing with shock. She had never seen a real battle before, but it was so much scarier than she'd imagined. There we so many cats to treat, and she didn't even know where to start. Not to mention how wrecked the clearing was. Smallecho sensed her doubt, and pointed his nose towards Eelstream.
"She needs dock leaves and cobwebs for her wounds. Remember, dock smells really tangy, it's bright green, and it is chewed up then applied to scratches", he reminded her, nodding towards his herb store in the back of the medicine den. Moonpaw scampered away and grabbed two large dock leaves, then walked over to the dark tabby she-cat, chewing up the leaves as she went.
"You're doing great on your first day as apprentice!", Eelstream murmured through gritted teeth as the poultice stung at her scratches. Moonpaw gave her a small smile at the praise, flicking her tail with happiness. Smallecho was treating Crabpaw's ear, and seemed busy enough, so she walked back over to the medicine den, wondering what she should use for Morningsky's deep, gaping wound.
"Moonpaw, Moonpaw!", Fishpaw yelled as she ran over to nuzzle her sister, Sunpaw right on her heels.
"You already seem like a real medicine cat! How can you remember the herbs?", Sunpaw added, giving her a few licks. Moonpaw felt herself becoming embarrassed with all the compliments. She wasn't even really doing much!
"I saw you guys fighting, and you looked as fierce as any warrior!", Moonpaw replied, nosing through the herb stocks. She found tormentil, a bright yellow flower. She vaguely remembered Smallecho mentioning it when she was a kit, and knew that it was good for preventing infection. Fishpaw and Sunpaw gave her once last glance before leaving the medicine den.
Morningsky peeked through the den, nodding at Moonpaw as she entered. "Do you have anything for my tail?", she asked, wincing everytime she had to move it.
"I was just about to look for you!", Moonpaw replied, her voice muffled from holding the tormentil. Moonpaw gestured towards a mossy nest, next to Shimmerpool. As the apprentice came closer she could smell something bad coming from Morningsky's wound. She wondered if it was infected, and made sure she would remember to mention it to Smallecho tomorrow. Moonpaw chewed up the bright yellow flowers until they were a sticky paste, and she then rubbed it into Morningsky's tail.
Moonpaw could tell it was hurting the deputy to stay still, but was glad that it made her job easier. "Almost done!", she muttered, and ran across the den to fetch cobwebs. She wrapped the cobwebs around the wound, tying it off tightly with her teeth.
"Thank you, Moonpaw", Morningsky whispered, before setting her head down on her paws and closing her eyes. Moonpaw felt a small flutter of excitement! She was doing a good job!
Smallecho entered the medicine den, taking a deep whiff of the air. Moonpaw paused nervously, wondering what he was going to say.
"Tormentil, good choice", the black tom commented, looking around at his patients. "You deserve to sleep. The rest of the cats only have minor injuries, but I've already treated them", Smallecho added, walking over to his nest near the herb stores.
Moonpaw gave him a nod of acknowledgement and curled down in the nearest nest, curling up and tucking head in between her stomach and tail. She drifted off into a land of dreams, reality escaping.
chapter 3
"The gathering is tonight! I hope we get chosen to go!", Sunpaw mewed excitedly, his tabby pelt the same color of the sand he was laying in. Fishpaw and Moonpaw were crouched beside him, the sisters sharing a large fish from one of the tidepools outside of camp. Sunpaw rolled over onto his back, basking in the setting sun.
Moonpaw had been so busy the last quarter-moon after the battle with Cliffclan that she had forgotten the gathering was tonight. She had so much to learn, and it didn't allow for much free time. Dawnrise and Shellcloud were gossiping beside the warrior's den, both recently made warriors. Eelstream, Crabpaw, Coppershine, and Tinystep just returned from a border patrol, and they were panting from the run back to camp.
Ripplestar and Morningsky were sharing tongues outside of the Tidestone, discussing who would go to the gathering at tonight's full moon. Suddenly, Ripplestar stood up, stretching his light gray hind legs.
"Morningsky, Minnowsplash, Rainsong, Icestorm, Whitebelly, Seagullswoop, Dawnrise, Shellcloud, Smallecho, Moonpaw, Sunpaw, and Fishpaw will be going to tonight's gathering", he yowled loud enough so the whole clan could hear. A few mutters of disappointment came from the cats that weren't invited, but otherwise everyone was prepared.
"It's your first gathering! Are you three excited?", Whitebelly said, pride gleaming in his eyes at his three kits. He purred at the three apprentices, rubbing his muzzle against theirs. His ginger pelt was glowing in the sun, and Dewdrop came over to intertwine her gray tail with his.
"I can't wait!", Fishpaw replied happily, bouncing from paw to paw. Moonpaw nodded in agreement, her tail flicking from side to side. Sunpaw's mentor, Seagullswoop, came over and whispered something into his ears.
"Seagullswoop wants me to do a short battle training session before the gathering", Sunpaw announced to his kin, scampering away after his mentor to practice fighting moves outside of the clearing.
Dewdrop and Whitebelly left to eat, grabbing a plump fish and settling down next to each other to eat.
"Hey, Fishpaw! Want to hang out?", Crabpaw called, running over to sit beside the beautiful tortoiseshell apprentice. Her licked her behind the ears affectionately, and Fishpaw gave him a smile. As they walked away, Fishpaw gave Moonpaw one last glance, mouthing "I'm sorry!"
Moonpaw nodded goodbye to her sister, and glanced around at the camp. Everybody was talking, enjoying themselves, but Moonpaw always found herself to be alone. She was the shyest cat in the clan, and her loneliness made her jealous of everyone's obliviousness. It dawned on her that she would never know what it was like to intertwine her tail with a mate that she could truly love, or fall asleep with her own litter of kits. It made her want to wail out loud, and it kept her up on warm greenleaf nights.
But, she knew, somewhere deep inside, that this was her destiny. Moonpaw took a deep breath and padded into the medicine den, her nose instantly engulfed in the tangy scent of herbs, and the sweet smell of berries. Her soft gray fur brushed past the herbs, and gave Smallecho a small nudge, who was snoozing. He blinked several times, and shook out his dark black fur.
"What do you need?", he muttered distractedly, gazing at her with his emerald green eyes.
"I'm going to search for some herbs around the tidepools", Moonpaw replied quietly, looking down at her paws. Smallecho always seemed to be cross with her, no matter how much she attempted to please him.
"Be quick, the gathering is very soon", he snapped, laying back down again. She nodded and walked out of the medicine den, and headed towards the camp entrance, enjoying the soft breeze that went through her fur as she left the clearing. All she wanted to do was clear her troubled mind.
There were five main tidepools in Tideclan territory. The first is Stonepool, the smallest one. There are very few plants and animals in this pool, and there are many stones and rocks inside and outside of it. This is the best tidepool for drinking and gathering water from. Next is the Fishpool, which seemed to be full to the brim with fish and other animals like crabs and starfish. This tidepool was their main source of prey. Third, is Mosspool, where there is a huge amount of fresh moss and other herbs useful to the clan. Also, there is the Oysterpool. The Oysterpool has many small creatures, and of course, oysters, which Tideclan cats eat when there isn't enough prey from the Fishpool. Lastly, there is the Oceanpool. The Oceanpool is between the border of Tideclan and Boatclan. It is commonly fought over, but the Oceanpool currently belongs to Tideclan. There is a decent amount of prey, and occasionally useful herbs can be found there.
Moonpaw set off to find the Mosspool, the tidepool that had the most plentiful amount of herbs and plants. The sand was beginning to burn her soft paw pads, so she started to run as fast as she could possibly could, her paws barely touching the ground. She began to slow down as she approached the Mosspool, and took a deep whiff of all the scents gathered inside a tiny tidepool. Moonpaw rested on a large cool stone that surrounded the pool, and was relieved that her pads had stopped burning.
She stuck a fluffy gray paw into the water, that was slightly warm from the sun. Moonpaw slowly submerged her whole body into Mosspool, relishing the feel of the water against her pelt. Moonpaw was in the narrow part of the tidepool, and the water went up to about her shoulders. She scanned her surroundings and smiled to herself as she found a large clump of fennel near the other side of the pool. Her strong legs kicked the water as she swam across the Mosspool to retrieve the fennel. She grabbed the thin, spiky leaves with her teeth and pulled them out of their roots, setting them aside on the stone.
Since she was feeling quite adventurous, and wanted to know what it looked like underneath the waves, she took a deep breath, and plunged underneath the soothing water, allowing her senses to be overtaken. A few colorful starfish clung to the side of a wet rock, and unfamiliar plants swayed from side to side, moving with the gentle current.
A few bubbles floated around in front of her, and she reached at them with her paws, but a huge a splash knocked her backwards. The bubbles grew and grew into a large, foaming spiral of water. Moonpaw urgently scrabbled against the side of the Mosspool, trying to find any claw-holds that she could use to get back to the surface, but an unknown force was dragging her down. She tried to scream, but she couldn't be heard against the powerful, foaming storm that was occurring inside the tidepool.
"The moon will shine light on the clans for many generations, but there is an echo that hides secrets and lies from all four clans!", a cat screamed, piercing Moonpaw's hearing, and she could hear a ringing noise from inside her ears. A large, long furred black tom emerged from the funnel, hissing and steadily growing larger, until he overtook her vision.
Everything disappeared, and Moonpaw was finally free. She weakly scrabbled up to the surface of the tidepool, coughing and sputtering up salty water. She collapsed against the rock, her flank heaving up and down. Moonpaw could hear pawsteps thrumming against the sand, and could scent her brother racing to her, along with his mentor, Seagullswoop.
"Moonpaw! Can you hear me? Moonpaw?", Sunpaw shrieked, his voice trembling with fear. Seagullswoop was pressing his pale pink nose along her fur, sniffing for injuries, concern glistening in his light blue eyes.
"I'm fine, Sunpaw. Let's get back to camp. The gathering must be soon", she rasped, her body shaking with another rattling cough. Moonpaw struggled to her paws, leaning against her brother. Seagullswoop supported her from the left side, and Moonpaw took slow, shaky steps. Her pelt was soaked, but the last rays coming from the setting sun would warm her. The trio hobbled back to camp, unsure of what to say to each other, and the clan.
They soon arrived, and cats swarmed around them, voicing their questions. Smallecho was one of the first to come up to Moonpaw, and although he was keeping it together in front of the clan, his eyes told her that she had some choice words to unleash upon her.
"Moonpaw, come to my den", Smallecho hissed, turning around and stalking to the medicine den. Moonpaw's head hung down as she left the huddle of cats, fearful of what he would say.
"Smallecho, I-", she started, but was silenced by his stony glare.
"The clan is about to leave for the gathering, and you just came into camp looking a like a disaster. To think I could trust you! All I expected from you was to was gather a few herbs, and you return sopping wet. You're an embarrassment to Tideclan, and now cats from all four clans will know you're my apprentice", Smallecho growled, sheathing and unsheathing his claws into the pale sand.
"I'm so sorry I've disappointed you", Moonpaw replied softly, her voice nothing but a whisper. Her paws were still trembling with the shock of almost drowning, but she was determined to go to the gathering tonight. She was ashamed of herself, and avoided the piercing gaze of her stern mentor. She just blew her chance to please him by gathering much needed herbs, and now she felt he would never forgive her. Smallecho was seething, so she turned and left the medicine den before he could say anything else.
Fishpaw ran over to her, butting her head against Moonpaw's shoulder. The tortoiseshell apprentice gave her sister quick, fretful licks down the side of her face.
"Are you okay? The whole clan is worried!", Fishpaw said, suddenly frightened at how depressed and lack-luster her sister looked. She knew that Moonpaw wasn't known as a social butterfly, but she had never seen such sadness in her icy blue eyes.
"I don't know about the whole clan", Moonpaw muttered cryptically.
"It is time to leave for the gathering!", Ripplestar yowled, flicking his tail to signal the cats he had chosen. Smallecho bumped past Moonpaw purposely, running ahead to talk with Morningsky. Crabpaw pushed his way towards Fishpaw, making a barrier between the sisters. The patrol began to leave camp, and Moonpaw stayed in the back, her head down.
Rainsong giggled at something Dawnrise had said, the two friends were walking alongside each other and laughing. Seagullswoop was dicussing something with his apprentice, Sunpaw, both of them deep in conversation.
"Is everything okay?", a sweet voice called out to Moonpaw, snapping her out of her daze.
"What? Oh, yes, I-I'm fine", she replied, looking over to see Shellcloud walking along beside her.
"Is it something Smallecho said? I know he can be harsh, but don't take everything he says to heart. He often doesn't think before he speaks", the creamy beige colored she-cat said, rubbing her muzzle against Moonpaw. Although she was a young warrior, her words were filled with wisdom.
"Thanks!", Moonpaw meowed, glancing up at the full moon. Her heart was warmed by the soothing comments from Shellcloud. It felt good to know there were cats who truly cared. The soft sand turned to stone underneath their paws as Tideclan traveled across a large wedge of rock, curving steeply upwards in a swirl, and at the very top was the ledge of a small cliff, where the cats gathered.
Moonpaw's claws dug into the stone as they inclined quite steeply.
"Don't worry. Just don't look down, and keep on going", Shellcloud murmured encouragingly from behind her. Tideclan had formed a line as they traveled up the slope. The smoky gray apprentice nodded, gulping with fear. She refused to look down on the ground, and focused on Whitebelly's ginger tail in front of her.
They were almost on top, and Moonpaw took a deep sniff. She could smell the familiar scent of Cliffclan, who had attacked them earlier that moon, and an almost dusty, wooden smell, which she assumed was Boatclan.
She gasped as she set her paws on the top of the cliff. Cats swarmed around her, all different colors, shapes, and sizes. Wind ruffled through her fur, which was now almost dry. Moonpaw saw Smallecho walk over to lean black tom with a dark brown under-belly. Since her relationship with Smallecho wasn't great at the moment, she decided not to follow him.
"Shellpaw!", a cat exclaimed, running over to greet the she-cat.
"Starrysky! How have you been? I'm Shellcloud now", Shellcloud purred, giving her friend a quick lick on the cheek.
"Do you have an apprentice already?", Starrysky replied excitedly, flicking her silvery blue tail towards Moonpaw. Moonpaw felt her cheeks grow hot as Starrysky stared at her.
"No, I don't have an apprentice yet! This is Moonpaw, she's Smallecho's apprentice. I can tell she'll be a great medicine cat", Shellcloud mewed, her eyes sparkling.
"I can smell Sandclan!", Starrysky meowed suddenly, lifting her nose up to the sky. Moonpaw did the same, and a salty, ocean-like scent hit her nostrils.
A large group of cats emerged from the bend below the cliff, and a large dark blue she-cat pushed through the cats, her sleek muscles rippling underneath her pelt.
"That's Oceanstar", Shellcloud whispered, nudging Moonpaw. The gray apprentice was in awe of the leader's grace and power, her jaws hanging open. She wanted to be like that went she grew up; strong, but had an aura of beauty.
Starrysky hurried back to the Boatclan cats, and Moonpaw followed Shellcloud back to the Tideclan cats. The four leaders gathered around a large pointed rock in the middle of the cliff, covered with moss and dents made from generations of claws. There was only room for one leader at a time on the tip of the stone, the Sharprock. The leaders whispered to each other for a few moments, the whole crowd silent. Oceanstar crouched down on the ground and wiggled her tail, preparing to pounce. She scaled over the rock gracefully and landed on top, then sat down and curled her tail around her paws.
"Sandclan territory has been peaceful this past moon. We have three new warriors; Palefoot, Heronclaw, and Oystershell. One of our elders, Shiningsun, has joined Starclan after eating bad prey. Otherwise, we have no information to share", Oceanstar mewed smoothly, her voice ringing around the cliff.
Ripplestar jumped up onto the Sharprock next, giving a small narrowed glance towards Stonestar. "We were attacked by Cliffclan this last moon, for no particular reason. It was unfair and uncalled for", he announced loudly, his light gray tabby fur bristling.
Yowls of protest came from Cliffclan, and a dark brown tabby tom hissed at Tideclan, his tail twitching side to side as if prepared to spring.
"You're a bunch of shark-hearts!", Icestorm yelled at the Cliffclan warriors, baring his teeth. Cats murmured their agreement, and Moonpaw felt her fur puffing up. Gatherings were supposed to peaceful!
"Quiet!", Stonestar yowled, quieting down most of the cats. "You know very well, Ripplestar, that we attacked for a reason. You have always had more than your fair share of territory, and all the clans know it. We came to reclaim hunting rights along the ocean shore", he added, chillingly calm. Murmurs of unease spread throughout the clans, and cats glanced at each other worriedly.
"Well, you didn't succeed. The ocean shore will always belong to Tideclan. Anyway, we have three new apprentices this moon; Sunpaw, Fishpaw, and our new medicine cat apprentice, Moonpaw", Ripplestar replied, moving onto clan news.
"Sunpaw! Fishpaw! Moonpaw!", Whitebelly started the chant, his eyes welling up with happiness for his kits. The rest of Tideclan starting cheering, and it spread to Boatclan and Sandclan.
Sunpaw and Fishpaw had their chests puffed up with pride, and Moonpaw tried to copy them as cheers came from the clans. Well, three of the clans was more like it.
"We also have two new warriors; Shellcloud and Dawnrise", Ripplestar finished, jumping off of the stone. More cheers erupted on the clifftop, as they both were quite popular among the clans as apprentices.
Stonestar leaped on the Sharprock with ease, used to living among rocks and cliffs. His eyes glittering with distaste as he looked over at the Tideclan cats, and took a deep breath before starting.
"As you already know, Cliffclan was involved in a battle. All our warriors and apprentices have healed nicely, and are becoming stronger each day. We have two new apprentices; Jaggedpaw and Boulderpaw. That is all I wish to share", Stonestar said, jumping down as quickly as he had come up.
A tortoiseshell she-cat jumped onto the Sharprock last, her patchy pelt glimmering in the moonlight.
"Our former deputy, Streamripple, has joined the elders den. I would like to welcome our new deputy, Sagefern", she mewed, glancing down at she-cat with long rich russet red fur. "We have also seen twolegs and their dogs on our territory, but they don't seem to be doing much harm at the moment. We have also had a relatively peaceful moon", Drizzlestar called out, climbing down and signaling her clanmates to follow.
As Moonpaw turned to follow her clan, she felt a sharp nudge on her flank. She turned around quickly, and came face to face with a midnight black apprentice. "He looks just like Smallecho!", Moonpaw thought to herself, her pelt prickling.
"You're Moonpaw, right? Smallecho's apprentice? I'm Beetlepaw, the medicine cat apprentice of Cliffclan. My mentor is Quickblaze", the small tom mewed quickly, gesturing with a flick of his ear at the black tom with a brown underbelly she had seen Smallecho talking to earlier.
"Hi! Are there any other medicine cat apprentices?", she replied, her ears pricking with interest. It would be nice to get to know other cats like her.
"No, it's just you and me. I've only been an apprentice for two or three moons now", he looked over his shoulder to see two cats approaching him and added, "that's Fallenleg, the light brown tabby. He's the medicine cat of Sandclan. Beside him is Ashcloud, the medicine cat of Boatclan."
"Nice to meet you, Moonpaw", Ashcloud nodded, her light gray head bobbing up and down. She had slightly darker flecks of gray all up and down her pelt, and she had dark blue eyes.
"Nice to meet you too, A-Ashcloud. Have you seen Smallecho?", Moonpaw said shyly, gazing around the cliff for her mentor.
Fallenleg began to mutter something about Smallecho, but Ashcloud silenced him by flicking her bushy tail across his mouth. Fallenleg frowned and limped after the Sandclan cats that were leaving.
"Beetlepaw, let's go!", Quickblaze yelled from across the cliff, his amber eyes flicking over Moonpaw. Beetlepaw rolled his eyes at his impatient mentor and gave Moonpaw a quick nod of farewell. "He seems nice!", she noted to herself, reminding herself to talk to him again at the next gathering.
"I should be leaving too. I'll see you again when we visit the Saltstone at half-moon", Ashcloud said, then scurried away to join her clanmates.
Moonpaw instantly got excited at the thought of visiting the Saltstone. It was a place were medicine cats from all four clans gathered at the half moon to share dreams with Starclan, and it was right in between the territories of the clans. Sometimes Moonpaw could see the sparkling stone when she gathered herbs, and always longed to go there. Smallecho had told her you had to lay down next to the stone and lick it, and that it tasted of pure salt, hence the name; Saltstone.
Minnowsplash suddenly beckoned for Moonpaw to leave, and she realized that her clan was already halfway down the path they had come from to go to the gathering. She followed the Tideclan cats down the slope, and stars sparkled above her; always watching.
chapter 4:
"Is there anything more you can do for Ripplestar?", Morningsky begged, her voice cracking with concern. Her silvery-blue tail was drooping, and she looked exhausted. Ripplestar had got bitten by an eel not long after the last gathering. The bite had gotten infected, and he only had two lives left. Moonpaw had stayed up all night giving him countless herbs and attempting many remedies; yarrow and nettle leaves, juniper berries, watermint, poppy seeds. Nothing she did seemed to work. Their leader was drifting in and out of consciousness, and when he was awake, he could only moan of belly-aches and fevers. His body started to convulse, and he groaned, his eyes groggily blinking open and closing.
"I'm not sure", Moonpaw replied, her voice shaking. "I've tried everything I know, but Smallecho is trying to come up with one last concoction", she added. A spark of hope was lighting up in the deputy's eyes. Morningsky laid down beside Ripplestar and began licking him behind the ears and on his forehead, desperate to comfort him in his weakening state.
Moonpaw left the leader's den to check up on Smallecho. She padded into the medicine den and sniffed around. Smallecho's back was turned to her, and he didn't know she had arrived. A sharp, unfamiliar scent wafted into her nose, and she wondered what herbs he could be using. She thought Smallecho had taught her all the names for herbs already, but now she was unsure.
"Smallecho? What are you making?", she called out, taking a few cautious steps forward.
The furry black tom whipped around, carefully wrapping his tail around the mound of seaweed he always used to carry poultices and mixtures. His green eyes were blazing, and Moonpaw couldn't tell what he was thinking. She could sense nervousness coming from him but something else she couldn't quite place; secrecy? Shaking off her suspicions, she waited for a response.
"Just something for Ripplestar", he replied coolly, grabbing the wad of seaweed in between his teeth and started walking off quickly, narrowing his eyes. As he walked out of the medicine den her eyes caught a flash of bright red hidden in the dull greenish-gray seaweed.
As soon as he left Moonpaw scurried over to the area he had been preparing the herbs. She could still smell the pungent scent, but she couldn't see anything. The fragrance was especially strong in one clump of sand. Moonpaw unsheathed her claws and began to dig up the sand, her paws nothing but a flurry as she struggled to unearth whatever was hidden underneath the sand before Smallecho came back. Suddenly, she saw what her mentor was trying to hide; bright red berries, the color of blood, were crushed up, their juices staining the pale sand.
Her ears swiveled backwards as paw steps approached from behind her. Moonpaw froze in fear, her eyes wide like moons. She already knew who it was.
"Found anything interesting?", an icy cold voice called, his midnight black pelt coming into view as he padded in front of her.
"W-what a-are these berries?", she asked, trying to sound as innocent as she could possibly muster. Moonpaw truly had no idea, but she had a feeling they weren't good.
"They're called yew-berries. Good for healing infections", Smallecho replied smoothly, his glare challenging her to disagree.
"O-oh. Okay", Moonpaw mewed swiftly, nodding her head up and down several times.
"I don't want you snooping around in my den ever again. Do you understand?", he demanded, glancing up at the moon.
"Yes, Smallecho", she whispered, her beautiful blue eyes filled with fear. Moonpaw walked across the medicine den and settled down in her moss nest, which suddenly didn't feel so cozy anymore. Smallecho did the same, pretending that nothing had ever passed between them.
-----
Moonpaw woke up at the rise of dawn. The sky was a breathless view, millions of different shades of yellow, orange, and red. Smallecho was snoozing peacefully on the other side of the medicine den, and not a cat stirred in the whole camp. She walked into the clearing carefully, making sure not to make a peep of noise.
The sand sunk underneath her paws as she tried to quietly scurry across the camp. She stopped in her tracks as she heard shuffling come from the nursery. After several long moments, she decided that Shimmerdrop was just sleeping uncomfortably. The she-cat had recently started sleeping in the nursery after she found out that she was expecting Icestorm's kits.
Her fluffy gray pelt brushed against smooth stone as she entered Ripplestar's den. Her heart fluttered quickly in her chest as she saw her leader's chest moving up and down. As she drew closer to him she could see how shallow his breathing was. Morningsky was curled up next to him, her lungs pumping air out and in, much more steady.
"Will he make it?", Morningsky suddenly asked, her dark blue eyes wide with fear, making Moonpaw jump with surprise.
"I can't say anything for sure", Moonpaw replied honestly, dipping her head in respect to the deputy.
Ripplestar began to move, his body convulsing uncontrollably. He was vibrating, and Moonpaw instantly pressed herself against the other side of his body, noticing that felt extremely weak. The leader began to speak, muttering nonsense, but with horror, Moonpaw began to piece his words together, the meaning becoming clearer.
"M-moon shines l-light, e-cho hides secr-", he stuttered. Morningsky was licking him soothingly, whispering into his ears, but his lungs couldn't possibly take in any more oxygen. He went limp, growing cold and lifeless.
"The moon will shine light on the clans for many generations, but there is an echo that hides secrets and lies from all four clans.", the prophecy was repeating over and over again in her mind, making her feel dizzy.
"Morningsky, I have to tell you something", she whispered, breathing quickly with nervousness.
"What it is, Moonpaw?", she replied, sounding drained of energy.
"I think that Smallecho-", Moonpaw began, pausing as Morningsky stood up and looked over her shoulders.
"Greetings, Smallecho. Ripplestar...he's.... he's lost his eighth life", Morningsky said solemnly.
Moonpaw jumped up, her fur ruffled at Smallecho's sudden appearance. Smallecho's eyes were filled with sadness, and he sounded choked up as he began to discuss something with Morningsky.
"Maybe he really was trying to help Ripplestar. After all, I don't know every herb and berry in the territory", Moonpaw thought to herself. She just knew that something was suspicious about the black tom, but she couldn't accuse him if she didn't have definite proof.
Ripplestar began to stir slightly, his paws twitching, and the white fluffy fur on his belly was rippling.
"I promise I'll find out the truth", she whispered, almost silently.
chapter 5:
Stars were sparkling in the ebony sky, casting an eerie glow over the clans. The half moon was hardly visible through large, threatening clouds. Large gusts of wind swept burst through camp, and pale sand was being swept off of the ground, stinging the eyes of cats who weren't careful.
"Ready for the Saltstone?", Smallecho asked, looking at his apprentice with his green eyes narrowed against the whirlwinds of gritty sand. They stood near the camp entrance, bracing themselves for the windy weather with their fur fluffed out protectively.
"Yes", Moonpaw replied confidently, her light gray head bobbing up and down as she nodded firmly.
"Let's go!", Smallecho yowled in response, giving her once last glance before running off, his strong hind legs pumping him forward as he ran.
Moonpaw blindly dashed off after him. Her eyes were crinkled against the wind, and she felt her fur press back against her skin as the wind attempted to push her backwards, as if urging her to go back to the cozy medicine den. She could only detect Smallecho by scent, and occasionally felt the tip of his bushy tail touch her nose as she got closer to him.
Her muscles rippled underneath her pelt as they neared the border between Tideclan and Boatclan, where all the medicine cats met before going to the Saltstone. A large rumble of thunder made her freeze, mid-stride. She looked up, and saw storm clouds swirling overhead, looming over her and hiding the stars.
"Moonpaw, hurry up! I can see Ashcloud, and Fallenleg", he called, looking back at her urgently. She snapped out of her daze and followed him to the meeting place.
"Greetings, Smallecho, Moonpaw. The weather is outrageous!", Fallenleg mewed, his creamy fur bristling. Ashcloud nodded in agreement, her eyes screwed up.
"I think I smell Beetlepaw!", Moonpaw announced, lifting up her nose and taking another deep whiff. Sure enough, a small black shape was hurdling straight towards them, limbs nothing but a blur as he raced forward. Beetlepaw crashed awkwardly in between them, sand exploding all over them as his hind legs scrabbled for a grip. Ashcloud began to sneeze, Fallenleg's eyes were watering, and he was blinking them open and closed quickly to flush the sand out.
"You fish-brain!", Quickblaze growled angrily, his tail twitching as he trailed after his apprentice angrily. "Excuse my apprentice, he doesn't think", he added, an annoyed growl rumbled in his throat.
Smallecho rolled his eyes and joined his friend, whispering something into his ears. The two toms began to chatter busily, and Beetlepaw's ears were flattened with embarrassment.
"I suppose we should get going!", Ashcloud announced, beckoning towards the medicine cats with an ashy gray paw. Big, fat drops of rain began to fall from the sky, splattering onto their whiskers and fur.
All of the cats nodded in agreement, and began their trek towards the Saltstone.
-----
The Saltstone glittered in the midst of the storm, the salt crystals shining no matter how sunny it was. The large slab of stone rose as high as a large cliff, and no cat had ever dared to climb it. It had a strange aura; even from far away, it drew you closer, beckoning you, controlling your very own pawsteps.
Moonpaw gasped as she drew close to the Saltstone, bending her head back in attempt to view the very top. Her eyes were wide with surprise, and her jaws hung open.
"Pretty cool, isn't it?", Beetlepaw chuckled from behind her, shaking his soaking pelt.
"It...it's stunning", she replied, her breath taken away.
The medicine cats began to settle down, despite the horrendous weather. Moonpaw noticed they had grown quiet, except for the whistling of the wind, and the howl of the storm. Smallecho was facing all of them, and beckoned Moonpaw forward with a flick of his tail. She padded over to sit beside him, looking up at him expectantly.
"Moonpaw, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of Starclan as a medicine cat?", Smallecho asked, his voice hardly audible over a large boom of thunder.
"It is", Moonpaw replied, a determined look glazing over her eyes.
"Warriors of Starclan, I present to you with this apprentice. She has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom and insight so that she may understand your ways and heal her Clan in accordance with your will", Smallecho stated loudly, dipping his head at his apprentice.
She quivered with excitement, and Beetlepaw gave her a small murmur of congratulations. They all stepped closer to the Saltstone, in sync, as if their medicine cat duties connected them as one. Ashcloud was the first to lay down, her light pink tongue scraped against the rough rock, and she fell into a deep sleep, her chest moving up and down slowly. Quickblaze and Beetlepaw were next, and their dark pelts appeared meshed together as they dozed. Fallenleg gently tucked his lame leg underneath his body as he settled down and licked the Saltstone, and his eyes shut peacefully.
Smallecho gave her one last meaningful glance before he bent down to lick the stone. Moonpaw was buzzing with a million thoughts and emotions, and shaking, she reached forward to lick the sacred Saltstone. Her tongue was bathed with an overpowering salty sensation, and she felt her thoughts drift away from her. Her small legs buckled underneath her, and her head pressed against the sand.
"It's good to see you once again. I believe you are called Moonpaw now?", a soft voice beckoned from the darkness. A gentle tail brushed past Moonpaw's shoulders, and a familiar scent engulfed her senses.
"S-Sweetfern? Is that you?", Moonpaw called out, her eyes re-adjusting as she got used to the sudden dizziness that had overtaken her. She saw the tell-tale splotchy orange and black fur of Tideclan's former medicine cat.
Beautiful turquoise waves lapped against the ocean shore, and bright white seagulls flew overhead, their powerful wings flapping up and down against the breeze. The salty tang of fish wafted through her nostrils, and she saw the bustle of Starclan life in the distance. Two small kits tussled in the sand, so far away that they only appeared as tiny dots against the massive beach. Large cats were crouched beside the tidepools, their paws swiping through the water to catch fish. Elders groomed each other on top of a small cliff, their pelts sleek, their eyes gleaming.
"I've come to show you something, something that you must see. Remember this for the future", Sweetfern responded mystically, flicking her black and orange blotchy ears in a signal to follow.
Moonpaw tipped her head to the side with confusion, but followed the mysterious she-cat anyway. They skirted a large outcrop of tremendous cliffs and boulders, and she was thankful for the cooling shade that the rocks provided from the sun.
Sweetfern came to a sudden stop, her tail swishing from side to side. Moonpaw stumbled clumsily, almost falling over into the calico's flank. They were right in front of an opening between two cliffs. There was a tail length of width inside the tiny path, and the opening went on for longer than Moonpaw could see. The apprentice stuck her head inside, and she gasped and how dark and cold it was. The sand was cold and slightly damp underneath her paws.
"Do you expect me to go in there?", she squeaked nervously, carefully backing out of the opening. Moonpaw longed for her siblings and her parents, or somebody she actually knew!
"It's okay, young one. I'll go in first, and you can follow me. Just keep your nose to my tail, and you'll be fine; I promise", Sweetfern soothed, her amber eyes showing through how genuine she was.
"I trust you", Moonpaw replied earnestly, meaning every word. She sensed that Sweetfern had something truly important to show her, and she couldn't get hurt; it was just a dream, right?
The medicine cat nodded, and stepped in between the cliffs, her whiskers brushing the cold stone. She seemed confident, unafraid of what was to come. Moonpaw took a deep breath and followed, her paws trembling with every step. She pressed her nose against Sweetfern's tail, using it to guide the way.
She looked up at the tiny sliver of sky through the crack between the rock above her. The sky was brilliant blue, and skinny clouds drifted slowly. The sun shine brightly, but it's warmth didn't reach her, and it made her uneasy.
Sweetfern stopped abruptly, and flicked her tail silently in a signal to be quiet. The calico she-cat crouched down, as if she was ready to stalk a mouse, and gestured with a tip of her head to do the same.
Moonpaw did the same, and let out a small gasp of suprise as she leaned over and noticed a wide hollow that had formed in the pathway. It opened up to the left, and was the size of a small den; it would only fit one or two cats. From what she could see, there was hardly any light. Sweetfern rested her tail over Moonpaw's muzzle, and gave her a warning glance.
"Good job, Smallecho. You have done well; we just have to knock out his last life, and then it will be easy to convince that mangy she-cat to do whatever you say", a deep voiced snarled, his voice raising with every word.
"Thank you, Shadowmask. What should I do about Moo-", Smallecho began, but paused as a tiny sneeze erupted from outside of the hollow. His mossy green eyes flashed with a mixture of emotions. A large tortoiseshell tom stood up, but his face was midnight black, blending in the with the eerie shadows of the mini cave.
"Who's there?", Shadowmask boomed, his voice echoing across the stone.
Fear flooded Sweetfern's eyes, and she turned and fled down the tiny passageway between the cliffs, her fur bristled as big as possible. Moonpaw followed suit, yowling with her terror. Shadowmask was hot on her heels, his yellow teeth snapping at her tail.
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Post by perfectlypink♥ on Mar 12, 2017 8:04:15 GMT -5
☁ MOONWISH'S JOURNEY
☁ - chapters 6-10
chapter 6
"Fishpaw? Wake up!", Moonpaw whispered in her sister's ear, nudging the tortoiseshell she-cat with a nudge of her paw. The sun was just beginning to rise, and the two medicine cats had just returned from the Saltstone. The weather had calmed down considerably, but it was still extremely windy, and gusts of sand were still blowing around camp. The ground was damp beneath her paws, and felt soothing against her rough pads, which were acclimated to the scorching dry sand and rock.
Sunpaw stirred from across the apprentice's den, his light green eyes flashing in the darkness. He slowly sat up and stretched silently, carefully slinking around Crabpaw's nest as not to wake up the tom.
"Moonpaw, what are you doing in here so early?", Sunpaw asked quietly, his tail flicking with confusion and curiosity. He tipped his head to the side as he waited for a response.
Moonpaw gave a sigh of relief as her brother came over, and she gratefully nuzzled his cheek, the color of the sunshine.
"I came in here to wake you and Fishpaw. I have to tell you something", she replied hurriedly. Fishpaw opened her amber eyes slowly and groaned, glancing up at the dawn sky.
"This better be good", Fishpaw muttered, her ears twitching with annoyance. She rolled her honey amber eyes but got up stiffly, her tail lashing. The apprentice was definitely not an early morning cat.
Moonpaw gave her a pleading look with her ocean blue eyes, and gestured with her paw for her siblings to follow her. Sunpaw and Fishpaw exchanged worried glances, but followed their sister.
They ended up sitting near the Stonepool, which was three whale-lengths from camp. The tide's waves lapped gently against the smooth light gray stone, and the rock felt cool against their fur as they laid down to relax.
"I-I need to tell you two something...it's really important. It's about Smallecho", Moonpaw began, taking a deep breath for the confidence to continue.
Sunpaw was looking at his sister with complete focus, nodding for her to continue on. Fishpaw narrowed her eyes and seemed distacted, but remained silent.
"Well, I...I think that Smallecho is trying to kill Ripplestar. On the night that Ripplestar was sick with an eel bite, Smallecho brought him a bundle of bright red berries. They were really unfamiliar and strange, and smelled...weird. Ripplestar died soon after eating these berries, and when I asked Smallecho about it, he started acting different. And...and when I went to the Saltstone tonight, a cat from Starclan took me to a place where Smallecho was speaking to a mysterious cat, his name was Shadowmask, and they were talking abo-", Moonpaw explained, suddenly interrupted.
"You can't be serious!", Fishpaw scoffed, rolling her disbelieving amber eyes. Sunpaw's jaw was still gaping wide open, and his pale green eyes reflected his shock.
"Fishpaw, what do you mean? Why would Moonpaw lie to us?", Sunpaw mewed quietly, glancing at his two sisters back and forth, as if he didn't know what to believe.
"Moonpaw, honestly, what are you thinking? This sounds like a story that elders use to scare kits. Why would Smallecho want to kill Ripplestar? Smallecho is the medicine cat, and he wouldn't benefit or even be able to become leader if Ripplestar died. You don't know every herb and berry, for Starclan's sake, you just started your training. Ripplestar would have died if he ate these herbs or not", Fishpaw ranted, flexing her claws in and out. "I can't believe you woke me up at dawn to tell me a stupid story for attention!"
"Like you would know anything about my training! How dare you accuse me of making this up? All you care about is that stupid fish-brain, Crabpaw! You hardly know what's happening around you when you're looking at him", Moonpaw hissed angrily, arching her back with her fur fluffed out.
Fishpaw screeched and jumped on her sister's sleek gray back, pinning her to the ground.
Moonpaw yowled and twisted around, confusing the tortoiseshell. She slashed at Fishpaw with her fore-paws unsheathed, hissing and spitting with fury.
Sunpaw ran in between his two quarreling sisters, bursting through their claws.
"Stop it, right now! You two look like kits!", he scolded, sounding as if he were moons older. His eyes were glistening with concern; he had never expected anything like this to happen on what seemed like any ordinary morning.
Fishpaw gave Moonpaw a furious glare, her eyes blazing.
"I hate you!", Fishpaw screamed, running off angrily, her tail lashing from side to side as she dashed off somewhere into the massive territory.
"I hope I never have to look at you again!", Moonpaw yelled back at her, her pelt bristling with anger. She was trembling with the energy of their fight, and she wasn't sure what to do with herself; she had never been involved in such a huge quarrel with one of her own clanmates, or anyone, for that matter.
Sunpaw was staring at Moonpaw, and his mouth moving up and down, but no words came out. He turned his back on Moonpaw, and calmly padded back to camp, not looking back to see what would happen.
Moonpaw was alone; once again.
-----
"Moonpaw, check to see if we have enough borage. Shimmerdrop will be kitting soon enough, and we need it for her milk", Smallecho called from across the medicine den while sorting out herbs for the elders.
"Okay, Smallecho", she replied obediently, casting an uneasy glance at her mentor as she padded over to the clefts of rock where they stored their medicine.
It was noon, and the sun was shining high in the sky. All signs of the massive storm had almost disappeared, and the sand tingled with heat. Even the seagulls hadn't come out due to the temperature. Crabs and snails hid deep inside the tidepools, struggling to find somewhere cool to settle. Prey from the fresh-kill pile had to be eaten immediately, or else the fish would rot quickly. Everyone was hiding in their nests, and only left if forced to go on a patrol.
Suddenly, a cat ran into camp. There was a strong fear-scent coming off of him, and Moonpaw set down the borage leaves gently and left the medicine den, her ears pricked. She recognized the russet red fur of Coppershine. He was panting uncontrollably, and was struggling to get words out of his mouth.
"W-we were patrolling, ne-ear the Oceanpool, and there were B-Boatclan scent markers. They a-attacked...and we are being b-beaten", Coppershine mumbled, obviously dizzy from the heat and battle. He collapsed into the hot sand, his pupils rolling back.
Ripplestar jumped up from beside his den, his eyes gleaming with fury. His gray tabby fur was bristling, and his white paws were kneading the ground, claws unsheathed. Anger was radiating off of him, and he snarled fiercely.
"How dare those filthy shark-hearts! I'm leading a battle patrol; we must leave right away. Goldenspirit, Tinystep, Dewdrop, Rainsong, Eelstream, and Crabpaw will come with me. Icestorm, Seagullswoop, and Sunpaw, protect the camp", he yowled , beckoning to his patrol with a flick of his tail. All of the cats popped out of their dens immediately, forgetting about the heat as they got prepared to fight. They raced out of camp, churning up sand with their thrumming paws.
Smallecho had already raced over to Coppershine, who was still lying unconscious in the clearing. He prodded the tom with a paw, and he racked his brain for herbs that would help.
"Feverfew!", Smallecho burst out suddenly, looking at Moonpaw with such intensity that it made her startled; she had to look away from his burning gaze.
"I'll get some!", she responded quickly, turning and running to the herb stores. She grabbed a large stalk of the flowers in between her teeth and ran over to her mentor.
"He has heat exhaustion, so this will help. It's also good for his aching joints", Smallecho thought out loud, panic stricken. "Chew it up, because he can't eat it himself", he added, his voice slightly cracking.
Moonpaw nodded and began to chew up the small bush flowers urgently. "Why is he so panicked? He deals with injured cats all the time", she thought to herself, slightly confused. She watched Smallecho nuzzle the tom gently, his eyes clouded with pain and memories.
"They must be siblings!", she thought to herself with shock as she gave her mentor the chewed up feverfew. They shared the same dazzling green eyes, and unusually long sleek fur.
"Hold open his mouth with your paws", Smallecho commanded, his green eyes blazing. Moonpaw did as he said and used one of her fluffy gray paws to prop open his jaws as he slid the feverfew down his brother's throat.
Smallecho gently grabbed Coppershine's scruff and dragged him to the cool medicine den to place him in a mossy nest. Moonpaw followed him, but slid past Smallecho to start preparing poultices for the returning patrols.
-----
A long, grief-stricken wail filled with pure agony and heart-break was heard from the camp entrance, and Moonpaw could recognize that voice from anywhere.
"Mother?!", Moonpaw screamed, dashing out of the medicine den and rushing to her mother's side.
Dewdrop's dark ocean blue eyes were wide as moons, and her legs were trembling, almost buckling beneath her own weight. Her whiskers quivered, and she had an aura of desperation. She leaned against her daughter, fear and desperation pulsing from her body. In fact, the whole camp seemed to be in a state of exhaustion.
The camp trailed into the camp, all depressed and defeated. Goldenspirit's eyes were glistening with sadness, and she looked over at Dewdrop, emotion traveling in between the two mothers.
"The Oceanpool now belongs to Boatclan. A-and...well, um", Tinystep trailed off, the small she-cat stopping uncomfortably as she glanced at Moonpaw and Dewdrop.
Rainsong's dark gray and black pelt came into view as she entered camp, oddly facing backwards as she walked into the clearing. Moonpaw caught a glimpse of her father's bright ginger fur entering in near Rainsong, and his green eyes were filled with same intense sadness as Dewdrop. The two cats were carrying a limp bundle of tortoiseshell fur in between their teeth solemnly. The rest of the remaining cats entered camp, all with their heads bent down. Moonpaw froze, her mind unable to process anything that was going on.
Time seemed to go by in slow-motion in the next few moments. Sunpaw came running over. His shriek pierced her ears, but she felt numb. Ripplestar bent down to talk to her, and he spoke to Moonpaw with deep grief; but she couldn't understand a word he had said.
Fishpaw's small body was placed gently in the middle of the clearing, and it seemed as if she was curled up, sleeping peacefully. If it wasn't for the large streak of blood and matted fur going down the side of her flank, dark and dried up from the relentless heat.
"The last thing I told her was that I never wanted to see her again. She died thinking I despised her", Moonpaw whispered hoarsely, sinking down to the ground in front of her sister's body. She closed her eyes, and felt Sunpaw's warm body cuddle beside her; giving silent support, and sharing her grief.
Crabpaw was yowling with distress, and he ran over to Fishpaw's body, burying his nose into her fur. "We h-had so many plans. You would've been my mate. We could've hunted together, every single day. There will never be another she-cat as beau-beautiful or gracious as you", he whispered, his voice cracking with sadness. His eyes were glazed over with pain and sadness, and memories flickered through his brain.
Moonpaw blinked open her eyes as she heard Crabpaw's quiet message. She was touched by his dedication to their relationship, and realized she should have never spoken negatively about him to Fishpaw.
"S-she, she really did love you. You could see it in her eyes every time she looked at you, and I know that in Starclan, she will wait for you", she said, feeling a small connection to Crabpaw, in their love for Fishpaw.
They locked eyes, and looked at each other for quiet awhile, but both apprentices knew that nothing more could be said; nothing could and would ever be said to make up for the tortoiseshell's death.
Chapter 7
The elder's emotions were carefully guarded as Moonpaw padded into their den the next day, her eyes distant as if she wasn't there at all. She was scuffling around with a wad of seaweed hooked in her claws, saturated with the disgusting stench of snail bile, but she didn't seem to notice the smell. Snailfoot exchanged a glance with Coralbreeze, a hidden conversation flickering back and forth across their eyes.
"Hello, dear! I don't have any ticks or fleas, if that's what you're here for. I think Brokentooth has one on his shoulder that he can't reach though", Coralbreeze mewed, in an overly-cheerful tone. Nobody knew how to react to Fishpaw's death, or how to treat Moonpaw, who had seem the most affected.
Moonpaw completely ignored the creamy white and silver tabby, and wordlessly came over to Brokentooth, her posture downcast. She took a piece of seaweed and firmly pressed it against his shoulder, digging her paw hard into dark ginger fur
Brookentooth winced, his chipped canine tooth showing through his grimace. Moonpaw continued to stay mute, and she grasped the large, swollen tick in between her teeth and cracked it, spitting the dead creature into the sand with distaste.
"Do any of you know of a cat called Shadowmask?", Moonpaw asked suddenly, looking at all of them for any sign of recognition.
Coralbreeze gasped and shifted around in her nest uncomfortably, her mouth forming a deep frown. Brokentooth looked lost in deep thought, licking his chest fur awkwardly.
"How did you hear about such a cat?", Snailfoot asked, his voice raspy and deep with age. His dark brown tail flicked with curiosity, but his amber eyes revealed nothing.
"Um, I'm not sure, I...can't remember. Perhaps a cat mentioned the name at the gathering", she lied, looking down at her paws, unable to meet his piercing gaze.
"Just tell her the truth", Brokentooth muttered, resting his head onto his paws as he settled down. Coralbreeze remained silent, but she seemed obviously uneasy, her tail lashing from side to side.
"Well...how shall I start?", Snailfoot began, pausing as he racked his memory, "Shadowmask was born into Boatclan, and was just like any other normal kit. He often mentioned wanting to be the leader of his clan one day; but what kit never dreams of becoming leader of his clan one day? His sister was Drizzlekit, obviously now known as Drizzlestar. They grew up together as apprentices, had a very close bond, and they both trained to become warriors. They both were warriors for six moons when he found out that she had been seeing a cat from another clan; to this day, nobody knows what tom she was seeing, or if he's even still alive. Shadowmask had kept it a secret, but a few moons later, Boatclan's deputy died, and Drizzlestar, or Drizzleleaf as she was once called, was made the new deputy. Boatclan's former leader, Brightstar was becoming elderly, and died not too soon afterwards. Shadowmask was filled with rage that his sister, who he felt had formerly betrayed her clan, was interfering with his plans and becoming the leader instead of him. When she went to receive her nine lives at the Saltstone, Shadowmask had stalked her the whole trip and waited until she was dreaming to attempt to kill Drizzlestar. He failed, and was exiled from Boatclan. If you didn't already know, if a cat is exiled and they return to their former territory, the cats of the clan have permission to kill him or her. Shadowmask tried a moon later to murder Drizzlestar, and a patrol found him and killed him. Shadowmask's body was dumped into the ocean, and nobody has mentioned him since", he finished, eyes solemn.
Moonpaw's eyes grew wide, and she backed out of the elder's den, forgetting her duties. She remembered her first gathering, seeing the tortoiseshell leader represent her clan. "Drizzlestar was with a tom from another clan! And...and Smallecho was planning something with a cat as crazy as Shadowmask! Why would Smallecho want anything to do with him?", she wondered, her heart racing.
"Moonpaw, could you collect some watermint from...", Smallecho began, coming over to Moonpaw.
"Leave me alone! My sister just died and you expect me to go back to my regular duties? You have no idea how it feels to lose somebody close to you!", Moonpaw hissed, her eyes flashing with anger. She dug her claws into the sand, and resisted the urge to pin him down and command him to tell her the truth; about everything. "Why don't you collect some watermint? I'm not your servant, doing whatever you please!", she screeched.
The camp went silent, glancing at each other with shock. Moonpaw was always timid and obedient; now she was raging at her mentor, a respected medicine cat? Shimmerdrop stooped grooming herself outside of the nursery and looked over at Dewdrop, giving each other horrified glances. Crabpaw and Sunpaw stopped mid-way in their conversation, both of them looking extremely confused. A hunting patrol returned and looked around with curiosity as everyone was silent, and quietly dropped the prey on the fresh-kill pile awkwardly, exchanging shrugs.
"What's going on?", Ripplestar asked, stepping out of his den with Morningsky following behind him. Ripplestar's dark blue eyes scanned his clan, silently demanding an answer.
"Well, Moonpaw was just-", Sunpaw started. Moonpaw gave him a furious glare, and ran out of camp, feeling eyes burning into the fur of her flank, watching, just watching, as she dashed away.
-----
"Greetings, Drizzleleaf. I am beyond proud to have you represent Boatclan as their new leader. You have shown your loyalty and strength countless times, and we are here to give you your nine lives", an elderly, sunny yellow tabby she-cat mewed, her eyes shining with pride. Although she was old, muscles rippled underneath her pelt, her fur was smooth, and she had an aura of power.
"Brightstar!", Drizzleleaf exclaimed, a rush of emotions blasting at her with full-force. Happiness, excitement, joy, sorrow, nostalgia, and nervousness. Her green eyes were gleaming, and her tortoiseshell pelt was fluffed out.
Brightstar padded over and touched her nose to the new leader's head gently. "With this life I give you the ability to speak out against injustice and stand up for what's right, no matter the situation. Use this well for making decisions in your clan", she said, stepping away.
Drizzleleaf felt a wave of dizziness; she dug her claws into the sand to keep her balance, her body wavering from side to side. Memories and scenes of cats she had never seen before flashed through her mind; a dark gray tom standing up for a scrawny tabby rogue, two small apprentices protecting their friend being teased by a larger cat.
A tiny tom approached next, with dark russet fur, his green eyes bright and healthy. His long fur seemed to shimmer with the stars, and he purred as he approached, his whiskers twitching in a friendly mood.
"R-Redpaw, we have missed you so much", Drizzleleaf whispered, agony of her best friend's savage death filling her mind. A fishing net had captured him on the ocean shore, strangling his neck and mangling his body.
His bushy tail flicked across her mouth in a signal to keep quiet, and he took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to focus.
"With this life I give you the ability to never take your kin, life, or clan for granted. You must be grateful for every breath you take, and I hope you use this life to enjoy every moment you have", Redpaw mewed, his voice filled with sorrow.
Drizzleleaf had to resist the strong urge to wail, as a flashback from Redpaw's mind was shared with her; she could see the small tom struggling, blood clogging the thick rope of the fishing net. His hind legs kicked desperately against the current, but his sopping wet fur was weighing him down. He was choking, and another wave crashed over him, foamy water throwing his body from side to side. She then remembered finding his body washed up on the coast the next day while on patrol, scarlet blood staining the sand.
A black and white Persian she-cat came up next, her nose smushed into her face. Her amber eyes were wise with age, and she was still stiff; even in Starclan. She touched her wet nose onto the soft fur of Drizzleleaf's head. Her name was Tideswirl, and she was an elder of Boatclan before dying peacefully in her sleep.
"With this life I give you good judgement of character. Always be wise about who you trust, and use this to the advantage of your clan", Tideswirl croaked, giving Drizzleleaf once last long glance before walking back to the other cats.
Drizzleleaf was transported to another memory; Tideswirl was much younger, and she was nestling four newborn kits in the nursery. Warm, milky scents surrounded her. The sun had barely risen, and the lighting was dim. All of the other nests in the nursery were empty, and it was silent. A large, muscular handsome ginger tom was intertwining tails with dark black she-cat, love filled in both of their shining irises. Tideswirl buried her head in her paws, sobs shaking through her body. Her kits shifted around, confused and mewling for milk. Drizzleleaf's heart wrenched, feeling the same sorrow the queen did for her unfaithful mate.
The fourth cat came up, her eyes sparkling. A large smile graced her face, and every step she made was elegant and beautiful. She had white fur with bright ginger patches, one particularly large spot covering her left eye.
"Gingerspots! I-", Drizzleleaf said, suddenly interrupted. This was her mother's sister, who had died due to an unknown sickness at a fairly young age for a warrior. Drizzleleaf was only a kit when in happened, but she remembered that Gingerspots visited her constantly, and showered them with games and affection.
"Shh, young one! I must give you your next life, and quickly so that you can get to your camp soon. With this life I give you the ability to forgive. Don't hold grudges, and give everyone a second chance", Gingerspots meowed, her voice smooth and sweet, like honey. She gave Drizzleleaf a quick lick behind her ear before leaving.
A vision of Gingerspots as an apprentice showed up, and several scenes of her hissing and snarling at a large white tom, on different occasions. They had the same pale, icy blue eyes. Then, Gingerspots was sitting in front of Brightstar, receiving her warrior name. The white tom was the first to congratulate her, his eyes shining with fatherly pride, and it was apparent that they had forgiven each other.
Next, a dark brown tabby tom with with sharp, piercing blue eyes appeared out of the circle of cats, his tail high and confident. She had never met this tom, but she instantly knew who he was, as elders had passed down the story of Frogjump for many moons. This was Brightstar's first deputy, and was known for being a bit harsh and critical of the clan, he was known as taking all his duties extremely seriously. But he died an honorable death; there was an attack on camp by an unruly pack of rogues, and he was murdered defending the nursery, as his mate was one of the pregnant queens. Many vulnerable kits were saved, and he was known as a hero ever since.
"With this life I give you the courage to face any of your enemies. Use this life to defend your clan without hesitation, and let the clans know you as an honorable leader for generations", Frogjump said, dipping his head as he left to join the rest of Starclan.
Drizzleleaf's breath was taken away as she felt herself surrounded by the scent of blood and fear. Snarling, ragged cats were attacking him from all sides, and the smell of his clan-mates was mixed throughout with the rogues. He struggled against the nursery walls, the smooth wood of the abandoned boat pressing into his fur. The sounds of wailing kits and hissing queens were pulsing in his ears, and he yowled with fury as he heard the screech of Nightbreeze, his mate. He jumped onto a sturdy gray-brown tabby who was cornering Nightbreeze, grabbing fiercely onto his shoulders. Frogjump was flipped around and pinned down, his back slamming into the ground. Frogjump felt his enemy's claws scraping down his chest, and rich, thick blood was gurgling in his throat. The nursery went black, and Drizzleleaf was back to reality.
A small kit scrambled over to Drizzleleaf, his whole body vibrating with energy and happiness. She didn't recognize the kit, but she admired his contentment, and he was quite adorable; he had fluffy, smoky gray fur, while one of his eyes was blue, the other green.
"Hello! I'm Puddlekit!", he introduced himself excitedly, his tail flicking with anticipation.
"Nice to meet you Puddlekit", she mewed gently, a purr rumbling from her throat. Puddlekit was attempting to reach her forehead, swaying from side to side as he tried to stand on two legs and balance.
She laid down, tucking her paws underneath her chest as Puddlekit lifted his tiny, pink nose to reach the top of her head.
"With this life I give you faith. You must always know that there will be a brighter future for you and your clan in the darkest of times", he squeaked, rubbing his small cheek against hers before running off to join his mother.
Drizzleleaf was suddenly in another memory, now in a much smaller body. A soft, warm tongue scraped against Puddlekit's flank as another cough racked through his body. There was a strong tangy scent of herbs, and he was growing weaker by the second. "Is Puddlekit okay?", a voice squeaked, and he recognized it as his one of his litter-mates.
"DRIZZLESTAR!", Brightstar yowled, all of her fur standing on end. Her eyes were as big as moons, and her tail was lashing side to side fiercely. Panic was obvious in her stance. "You must leave this dream, right this moment! You're in great danger", she screeched, running off as fast as she had appeared.
Drizzlestar woke up, wild with fear. She glanced around in all directions, paranoid and afraid of what was to come. "I've only received six lives!", the new leader remembered, her heart pulsing quickly in her chest. As she was wailing with defeat, a sly shadow stalked up from behind her, crouching down low to the sand. His hind legs wriggled from side to side as he got prepared to pounce, as if killing a small, unsuspecting mouse.
His claws scraped against her cheek as leaped up and over her, and blood was welling up all over her nose.
"How dare you-you, filthy-", Drizzlestar began, stepping back and flattening her ears as she realized who it was. "S-Shadowmask? Why-wait...what are you doing..?"
"You are nothing but a traitor to Boatclan. Drizzleleaf, you do not deserve to be the leader of my clan, and you never will", he seethed, hissing with rage. His amber eyes blazed with such extremity that it alone could knock a cat off of their paws.
"It's Drizzlestar now, you shark-heart. Take one more step towards me, and you will regret it", the leader threatened, unsheathing her claws and flexing her muscles.
Shadowmask snarled and dove underneath her stomach, his sheer force throwing her off and slamming her into the sand. She pretended to act stunned, remaining still. He yowled with victory and pressed one of his large, black and ginger patched paws into her chest.
"Too easy", he smirked, jaws snapping up and down as he got ready to make the killing bite
While he got ready to further attack, she lurched upwards and managed to grab onto his right shoulder with her teeth, refusing to let go. Shadowmask screeched with agony and shook his body back and forth, but couldn't get rid of her. Blood filled Drizzlestar's mouth, and his wound gaped deeper and deeper.
She let go, but immediately pressed his limp body into the ground, her teeth pressed close against his neck. He was shaking with fear, and his blood spilled into the sand.
"If you ever step foot in my territory again, every cat in Boatclan has the permission to murder you with hesitation. Consider yourself lucky I didn't kill you on the spot", she whispered, but was so close to his ear that Shadowmask could hear every ragged breath.
"Don't be quick to forget me, Drizzleleaf. You will suffer", Shadowmask cackled, his pupils narrowing.
☁ - chapters 11-15
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