I took in a deep breath and could feel the mouse's warm scent fill every corner of my mouth. I could hear it vaguely as it rustled in the brush, searching for any kind of seed. I dropped into my hunter's crouch and took a soft, tentative step forward. I was the best hunter in my clan, all thanks to my personal hunter's crouch I made myself. I can't explain how I do it, it's like my body just knows how to hunt. My paws were precisely spread apart and my body was balanced to perfection. I drew closer to the unknowing prey and stopped. It was still looking for the seed when I pounced on it and quickly killed it with a slash of my paw. I hoped I was quick enough for it not to know what was coming.
I sat down on the ground and set the prey before me. It was so plump and juicy-looking, mice like these only came in New Leaf. I bowed my head and silently thanked StarClan. Thank you StarClan for this prey that will feed my clan. I tried to imagine StarClan looking down at me right now, listening to my words. Then I wondered how StarClan cats felt looking down at us. Did they ever feel helpless? No, they were StarClan!
"That's not true," a voice said, causing me to nearly jump out of my fur. I looked up and saw a sleek white she-cat with bright green eyes. She looked so familiar, but why? "We often feel helpless, watching the fight and battles. Seeing all can be so infuriating. Often times, the death of a cat could have been avoided by a simple conversation. Feeling helpless is a daily thing, especially during times of war."
That's when I realized that this cat was of StarClan, but why was she here? And what was she saying about being helpless? They were anything but helpless, they were invincible!
"Wrong again," the cat said in a sing-songy voice, "StarClan in only strong when we are believed in. We are only powerful when we have people to listen. If no one believed in us, then we wouldn't exist. You see, cats can only see and hear us when they believe in us. If no one believes in us, all we can do is watch from the sky." I guess she had a point there.
"But everyone does believe in you," I said simply, confused why she was even here.
The cat shook her head, "No, they don't. And you will soon see. There isn't anything any cat can do to drive the Clans off the path their going right now. If we had seen it sooner, we would have warned the medicine cats, but now not even that will work."
My head spun with confusion. She was kind of talking in circles here. I didn't get a word she said. "I don't get what you mean, but, what are you doing here anyway? I'm not a medicine cat and I'm not a medicine cat apprentice. I think you're talking to the wrong cat."
She blinked and gave me a soft smile, "No, I'm talking to the right cat. You're Foxpaw, right?" I nodded slowly and she continued, "Yup, I'm Wingpaw." She sat down a few feet from me and swished her tail back and forth. "I'm going to be your guide."
"My what?" I asked, then I blushed, realizing how disrespectful I must be sounding.
"Your guide. I'm going to guide you through what is yet to happen. Oh, and don't worry, you don't sound disrespectful, you sound like you're talking to any other cat. Some StarClan cats might think it rude, but I like it. I hate it when cats try and talk respectful with big words and such." She wrinkled her nose and flashed a big smile.
"Okay, I'm still confused." I said, "What do you mean that I'll know soon enough?"
The smile vanished from Wingpaw's face and her face grew sad, "You'll see. It's not something I can explain right now, or you might try and change it. If you try and deter things from their paths right now, a worse event may happen." So, all I got out of that she can't tell me the big secret because I might screw things up.
"So why do I have a guide again?" I asked.
"You and three other cats are getting StarClan guides to help them through what's coming. Each cat is from a different clan and all the cats with guides have strong bonds with StarClan. They are to help keep StarClan in contact with the other cats in the clan." She explained.
"Uh, that sounds a lot like the job of a medicine cat," I said. Strong bond with StarClan, talking with StarClan, letting the other cats know what StarClan says.
"Yes, well, that's the point. In what is to come, the medicine cats may be... unable to get through to the other clan cats." Wingpaw looked like she was having a hard time answering my questions and keeping information disclosed at the same time.
I sighed. So I can talk to StarClan now? I'd have to ask Honeyeyes about this one.
"No," Wingpaw said quickly. "No telling your medicine cat about this, if she found out, the clan might find out. You must keep quiet about this, the results of FireClan finding out about this could be disastrous."
All right, I wouldn't tell anyone. Just like that, Wingpaw was gone.
"What the..?" I said.
Don't worry, I'll always be around in your head. I'm always going to be there to guide you.
I jumped in surprise and frowned. Yay, this was going to be fun.
"Foxpaw! Foxpaw! Wakeup already, it's time for patrol."
I was jostled awake and found Cloverpaw waiting above me. She was a small yellow she-cat with brownish patches and clover-colored eyes. We grew up in the nursery together and were both oddly small for our size. Thankfully, our small sizes benefited us when hunting.
I got up slowly and shook moss from my fur. I looked around the den and noticed the two sleeping figures of Battlepaw and Dawnpaw. I sighed, Brightpaw and Waterpaw must be on hunting patrol already.
Cloverpaw and I exited the Apprentice Den together and I recoiled in shock as the icy cold wind lashed into my fur. NightClan was a little ways up the White Mountain, so our Bare Leaves were always colder than some of the other clans got. Even SnowClan, which was on the very top of the mountain, was used to the snow and cold. I took in a deep breath and continued into the middle of the camp, snow crunching under my feet. At least once the patrol started, I'd feel a little bit warmer.
Cloverpaw dashed in front of me, bouncing with excitement. In the little time we'd been apprentices, she and I had been on very few patrols around the borders. It was probably due to our poor fighting skills. Hey, it's really hard to knock down a full-fledged warrior cat when your two times smaller than them! And whenever we did free-for-all battle training, I was always the first to go down due to my bright red fur and the fact that I'm so small, you could sit on me and I'd be defeated.
I sighed, and smiled back at her, trying to share her enthusiasm. If I were even the slightest bit awake, I would have been bouncing around just like her. Unfortunately, I'm the complete opposite of my usual self in the morning, when I'm tired I'm sullen and quiet.
Cloverpaw lifted a paw and batted me on the ear. "How long are you going to be like this?" She asked me, confronting my gloomy attitude. "Wake up and be happy already!" She ran a circle around me and began bouncing again.
Cloverpaw and I were so alike. We both were hyper fur balls of joy, but certain situations or times of the day could make us grumps. For me, early morning and cold changed me. For her, it was whenever she became hungry. You can see why we aren't very popular during Bare Leaf.
Just then, three large warrior cars padded up to us, lost in deep conversation. I recognized them immediately by scent, even before I could make out their shapes. One was my mentor, Flarefur, and the other was Cloverpaw's mentor, Silentdrop. The last one was a sleek black she-cat named Nightsinger for her dark fur and soft, luring meow. Once they came within earshot, it was evident that they changed the subject.
"How is Silverripple doing? Are her kits due anytime soon?" Nightsinger asked curiously, her voice was like the soft chiming of bells. Nightsinger, although breathtakingly beautiful, had no mate. Even though she and Stonetail had an obvious thing for one another, they were both too stubborn to admit it. Nightsinger had always adored kits and longed for a litter of her own, but her dream has been yet to be fulfilled.
"She's doing great, actually. I'll tell her you asked. Honeyears says that the kits will be due before Bare Leaf is over." Silentdrop puffed his chest out proudly and flicked his tail in delight. He and Silverripple both had soft grayish silvery fur that shimmered like water in the moonlight. Many cats in the clan we gorgeous. In fact, NightClan was known for having beautiful cats.
"I went to visit her yesterday," my mentor, Flarefur, chimed in. "She looks so big, I'm sure you'll have some pretty strong kits." Flarefur has bright red fur, just like me and a claw mark scar on his left eyebrow. He was bigger than me, but compared to the other warriors, smaller in size. Rosestar paired him with me in hopes that he could pass down fighting techniques easier due to our similarities. So far, he turned me into a superb hunter, but could still help me improve a bunch with my battle skills.
Silentdrop seemed to grow even taller at the praise and raised his head high.
"Woah there, Flarefur! Give him anymore compliments and his head will burst." Stonetail meowed playfully as he trotted up to join the group. Stonetail was a white tabby with a tail the color of a gray stone. He was the deputy of the clan. Silentdrop grinned at his friend's arrival and nudged Stonetail merrily. The two had been best friends since kithood. "I see everyone's gathered together, eh? Well then, the borders aren't going to protect themselves. Let's get going!"
I smiled at Stonetail's eagerness and imagined what it would be like when he was leader. Then I froze, shocked, and forced the thought from my mind. Stonetail will only become leader once our current leader, Rosestar, dies. Then he will climb Star Tree as far as he can and sleep on its branches with StarClan. If StarClan accepts his leadership, he will return as Stonestar. But all of this will happen only after Rosestar's death.
Stonetail lead the patrol through a snowy hallow log and out of camp. As was excited the log, I looked around me in awe. "Great StarClan! When will this dreadful snow go away? And the light is blinding my eyes…" Someone muttered.
No matter how many times I saw the forest during Bare Leaf, it never took from the breathtaking beauty of it all. The tall pine trees were blanketed in a fluffy white snow. The sky was white in some places, deep gray in others. The snow under our paws was hard as rock and icy to touch. As the sun began to rise between two mountains in the distance, it cast pastel colors over the snow and clouds like paint to canvas.
I knew now that I was awake and ready for the struggles and complications of daily warrior life. I would fight the biggest enemy and die in battle, just to ensure that someday my kits, and other cats kits, no matter what clan, could gaze upon the same view that I held with such awe. This here was the portrait of my life, shaded with warming yellows, happy oranges, mysterious greens, bloody reds, and loyal purples. And in the corner of this portrait, where the clouds parted just a bit, was a single shining star that continued to glow brightly even as the rays of the sun chased its surrounding friends away.
Your ability to see with fresh eyes, was one of the reasons you were chosen, a familiar voice echoed softly in my head.
-to be continued-