The Moonstone glittered like a beam of pure white sunlight against the choking darkness of Mothermouth. Anxiety crawled over Beepaw's skin, prickling her pelt like a horde of angry stinging ants. Her whiskers shivered in the damp darkness.
Ahead of her, Tallshade twitched his ear. "Do not be afraid Beepaw. Nothing can hurt you here, for StarClan watches." As nice as the gesture was, to try and assure her of her safety, Beepaw wasn't too sure about the hulking mass of darkness around her.
It was tradition for new apprentices to travel to the Moonstone and share tongues with StarClan. Perhaps it was a good idea to the older cats, but Beepaw couldn't help but disagree. The moment her nose passed through the mouth of the giant cave, blackness swallowed her whole. She felt she would drown in the dark, and no cat would ever find her bones.
She tried her hardest to remain calm, but the sour tang of her own fear scent made her heart quicken its pace. Beepaw nearly mewed with excitement when the Moonstone's light illuminated her paws. Finally! She could see where she was going.
Tallshade beckoned her over with a wave of his long sleek tail. "Come. Sit here and touch your nose to the Moonstone. From there you will meet StarClan." Beepaw obeyed, curling up next to the older cat.
She watched as the tom stretched his nose out to gingerly tap the huge sparkling rock, then he fell still, nose still pressed against the Moonstone. Is he… asleep? Beepaw blinked. I guess I have to sleep to meet StarClan. Here goes…
Above her head, clouds parted in the sky, allowing moonlight to dip into the cavern. Beepaw pressed her nose to the Moonstone just as moonlight made contact with the cold stone, and white exploded in front of her eyes. She squeezed them shut, and felt the cave fall away from her paws, and she plummeted straight down.
Beepaw didn't even get to let out a yowl of alarm before soft grass sprung up underneath her paws. Surprised, Beepaw stumbled forward and onto her side.
This wasn't Mothermouth. A wide rolling plane of soft green grass blew in a pleasant breeze all around her. Not a touch of the Leaf-bare chill she'd arrived from lingered. It was like she had entered a new world.
Perhaps this was StarClan territory? Beepaw gazed up at the sky, which was a beautiful dark dusk. No clouds or stars inhabited the sky, but there was light all around. Prey scent wafted delightfully through the air.
The grass parted behind Beepaw, and she was alerted to the presence of another creature. She whirled around, hackles raised and lips drawn back in a snarl instinctively.
A pale cream she-cat dipped her head to Beepaw and blinked slowly. "I mean you no harm little one." She said, her meow light and calm. Beepaw twitched an ear. "Who are you? Are you a StarClan cat?" The she-cat walked past her. "That is not important. Come, I must tell you something."
Beepaw followed after the she-cat, slightly irritated. Was she wasting her time? If this she-cat didn't belong to StarClan, then why even listen to what she had to say? However, she was also curious. Why was she here? What did she want?
The she-cat lead Beepaw to a small pool of crystal clear water. The she-cat sat on one end of the pool and locked eyes with Beepaw. Unsure of what to do, Beepaw gave her chest a lick of discomfort. "It's just water." Beepaw mewed. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"
Looking up, Beepaw noticed that the she-cat was gone, and that she was alone. "What the?" She started, rising to her paws. Beepaw scanned the area, but couldn't catch a glimpse of the she-cat anywhere. Beepaw growled in frustration, her fur prickling. Was she just supposed to stay here until she woke up? How absurd!
Beepaw glared down at the water below her paws. She dipped her paw in out of boredom, wiggling her toes. She was surprised to feel a slight thickness in her fur, as if her paw had been soaked in blood. Anger turned to curiosity as she noticed the water begin to change.
Before Beepaw's eyes, the pool had begun to churn, a slow process at first, but then it had become violently quick. Alarm shot through Beepaw as she tried to yank her paw back, but found it was extremely difficult. A sucking sensation pulled Beepaw in. With every whisker she was freed, the water quickly captured twice the length. The water seemed to darken, and a horrid stench of death arose from the depths of the pool, choking Beepaw and making her drool.
Beepaw felt her forepaw slip underneath the surface, and with a jolt of terror, Beepaw realized she was falling in. She could see and feel it now, the substance that was eating her alive- blood. The thick, scarlet liquid thickened and lapped thirstily at her fur. Beepaw felt her belly fur become moistened with blood, and soon the blood had reached her chin. The image of herself choking to death in a pool of blood, her nose, mouth and eyes sealed shut flashed across her mind.
Beepaw screeched in terror as she was claimed by the waves.
Beepaw shot up suddenly, the darkness of Mothermouth stealing her sight once again. Her eyes adjusted slightly, and she could just make out Tallshade's grey frame. "Tallshade, I saw-" The older cat grunted an interruption. "No Beepaw. You must not reveal what you have seen, for it is only for you to know." The tom turned to leave, walking back up the path the two came from, and silently exited the cave.
Beepaw returned quietly, slightly miffed. I wish I could share what I saw, it was a bit odd. I haven't seen that she-cat before, and she doesn't smell like MapleClan, who is she? Beepaw felt her stomach clench. She wanted so badly to groom herself, and couldn't wait to lap greedily at the water outside. She tried to brush off the events as a bad dream, but couldn't help but feel totally disgusting. Drool lingered at the corners of her mouth, and though it was subtle, Beepaw felt her shoulder fur was sprinkled with the slightest hint of blood.
The stench followed her beyond Mouthermouth, and clung to her tongue despite all efforts to wash it away.