The moon high above illuminated the path as the clan made their way to the holy ground. The ground was soft and wet from the rain the forest had earlier. It cleared up by sunset, a gift from Dark Forest to ensure a great red moon. Or perhaps a curse.
Robinpaw stared down at her, the mud had turned her dark brown fur even darker. She and the other she-cats took the back. Today, had been a horrible day. Sure, she and her sister got to finish the territory tour and even fit in a hunting lesson, the sudden flashes of Cloudheart coming throughout the afternoon ruined it.
Robinpaw wasn't even sure why she was having flashbacks of her mother. The easy answer would be that she was worried about Red Moon, but that couldn't be the case. Robinpaw was at a point of her grieve where she didn't get shivers at the thought of Red Moon. And it wasn't like she cared for Shadowclaw anyway. So why do I have this feeling of regret that grows as we approach the grounds.
In a pine, some an owl let out a hoot as the cats disturbed the peaceful night. Dewpaw jumped at the sound, her tan fur lifted on the back of her neck.
"Are you alright" Robinpaw asked as she licked her sister's ruffled fur.
"Huh?"
"Well you've been a bit jumpy today" saying she was jumpy was an understatement. Dewpaw awoke this morning shrieking in her sleep. The whole day she would jump at every little noise and she seemed so out of it. Now she was even worse, she walked like she was in pain. Setting each paw down slowly and carefully.
"Yeah I'm fine"
"Well you better be fine, we're at the stepping-stones" Robinpaw purred "You well enough to cross"
Dewpaw looked at the ground and scraped her claws along the mud.
"Hey I was just kidding, come on tell me what's wrong"
Dewpaw turned her head to Robinpaw "I just" she lowered her voice "I just wish there wasn't a Red Moon".
Robinpaw gasped and looked up to their mentors who were right in front of them. Luckily, they were to busy gossiping about some tom.
Robinpaw hissed "Do you want to get in trouble!" Her hiss was louder than she meant, many cats turned to them.
"If anyone finds out that your afraid of the stepping-stones you'll be the biggest joke in the clan" Robinpaw covered.
The she-cats around us gave out a laugh and Robinpaw thanked Dark Forest that nobody said "Hey didn't you already jumped these stones?"
"Oh Dewpaw" Frozenlily ,Dewpaw's mentor, chuckled "Do you want to go with me, the toms are almost all over."
Dewpaw nodded without turning her gaze away from the ground. Foxpaw padded over to her and put her tail on her shoulders.
"Don't worry, its scary the first few times. You'll get used to it eventually."
"No" Dewpaw meow was sharp "I'll be fine Foxpaw, you don't have to treat me like a kit. I just.. .want to go with Frozenlily" Dewpaw then ran over to the brown she-cat.
Once all the toms were over, Frozenlily and Dewpaw were the first she-cats to cross. Robinpaw held her breath as she watched her sister leap onto the first stone. Even though Robinpaw knew her sister could make it, the thought of her sister being eaten by the river was still a huge fear.
But, as expected, the two made it to the island without any problems. Once Dewpaw made it over, Foxpaw bumped into Robinpaw's side.
"What's wrong with you, announcing your sister's fear like that?" Foxpaw hissed at her.
"Huh?"
"It obviously made her upset"
Robinpaw didn't care if she hurt Dewpaw's feelings with the cover up. Frankly, she was more worried that Dark Forest would send her misfortune for wishing the Red Moon didn't exist.
Me? I thought it was you Dewpaw was giving a sharp mew to"
Foxpaw only narrowed her eyes at Robinpaw. Then she dashed away and crossed the stepping-stones. As much as Robinpaw hated that she-cat, she had to admit that she impressed that she was able to cross at such speed.
"Come on Robinpaw you're next" Redwillow said then guided Robinpaw to the edge of the land. Robinpaw was able to cross, not as fast as Foxpaw but at least safely.
Once on the island she waited for her mentor instead of catching up to the others. She had a feeling that her sister wanted to be alone. Redwillow made it to the island and thanked Robinpaw for waiting up on her.
"Of course, now come on or we'll miss the entire gathering" Walking in the ground, Robinpaw realized, was much easier than jumping tree to tree. She looked up to see a black bird sitting on a branch. She wondered if was the same one she stumbled upon last time she was here.
The two she-cats walked in silence until they emerged into a huge clearing. It was same as last time. Two boulders. One tall and pointy, for the leaders, another big and flat, for the arena. The difference this time was that Robinpaw was apart of the swarm of cats that sat in between them.
Robinpawdidn't really care where she sat, as long as she didn't sit with any Snowclan cats. Not only were they responsible for Cloudheart's death, but they were the most brutal of cats. The rumors were true, Robinpaw realized, nearly half of the clan had huge scars running across their face, even some of the she-cats. Robinpaw didn't know what happened in that clan and she didn't want to know.
But it was required to get to know cats from other clans so Robinpaw went to sit next to two apprentice she-cats. By their piney odor, Robinpaw could tell they were from Pineclan. Robinpaw wouldn't hanging out with cats from the most peaceful clan, but they seemed to ignore Robinpaw as she joined. Robinpaw didn't care, if any thing she was glad they weren't talking to her.
"I guess I'll start" came a yowl from above. Looking up Robinpaw saw Goldenstar, leader of Snowclan. By first glance, you'd have no idea why he was called Goldenstar, his pelt is white as snow, perfect for his clan. His mother must have waited until his eyes were opened before naming him. His eyes were bright and golden, like two little suns rested in his skull. It was rumored that his gaze could burn a cat alive, but of course this was a kit-tale.
He went on to talk about prey and the incoming green leaf. Robinpaw didn't care what was happening in his clan, so she turned her attention to the arena behind her. In each corner a warrior tom from each clan. Looking at the far left corner, Duskclan's corner, she saw Shadowclaw. His smokey pelt was fluffled outand he was shaking head to claw. He looked like a cat in the middle of a snow storm, but it wasn't a cold night. Could Shadowclaw be perhaps, scared? Out of all the things Robinpaw imagined Shadowclaw to be scared wasn't one of them. Determined, strong, scary, and cougagous, yes. Scared, no.
His icy gaze wasn't on the leaders, but instead he was staring at a cat in the crowd. Following his gaze, Robinpaw spotted Morningdew. Morningdew returned the stare, her eyes wide with grief. Robinpaw remebered how pained she looked as Morningdew annouced that Shadowclaw would be going to the Red Moon. Maybe there was a friendship between them that Robinpaw didn't know about.
"Robinpaw and Dewpaw" The yowl came as a surprise to Robinpaw. It took awhile for Robinpaw to register what was happening. Turning she saw her sister stand up further up in the crowd. Robinpaw realized that Bonestar just announced two new apprentices. Clumsily, Robinpaw stood up, trying to not look off guard.
A few cats let out yowls of triumphant to welcome us, but not many cats cared. It wasn't like two she-cats was anything of importance, even some Duskclan toms were too distracted talking then to congratulate them. Robinpaw sat back down and waited for the next leader to go, but instead ever cat turned to the arena. Bonestar must of been the last to go. Robinpaw cringed, waiting for the battle to begin, but for some odd reason the stared up at the sky, unmoving.
"What are they doing?" Robinpaw asked the Pinclan apprentices.
"Oh yeah, this is you first time isn't it? Well their waiting for Dark Forest to send them a sign. A sign that says begin"
Robinpaw looked up but could only see the bright moon.
"Is the moon gonna turn red?" Robinpaw asked.
"Possible, we won't see it through only they can see it, its kinda li-" the apprentice was cut off by a high-pitched battle cry. It's begun.
Turning back she saw Snowclan's warrior lunged straight into battle. Aiming at Shadowclaw, the warrior plunged his claws into his throat, not giving a chance to fight back. Shadowclaw fell to the ground, coughing and choking on his own blood. Shadowclaw died before he was able to do anything.
"Excuse me!" A squeal came from behind. Turning, Robinpaw saw her sister making her way through the crowd and into the forest. Robinpaw sunk away from the cats and followed her sister, wondering what she was up to.
Robinpaw found her hunched over beside a tree. She was vomiting hot green liquid onto the roots. She made horrible wailing sounds as her stomach emptied itself. Robinpaw noticed bits of swallowed mouse meat dripping in the vile liquid. Looking back at the day, Robinpaw realized that one measly mouse was all that Dewpaw had eaten.
The walk back seemed longer than the way there. Robinpaw was numb with pain and weariness. She wanted to get home as possible but she was forced to a painfully slow pace beside her sister. They took the back, Dewpaw insisted that she was fine and didn't need help, but Robinpaw wasn't going to leave her she just didn't understand, her sister ate barely anything and then tossed it back up. Robinpaw didn't smell any fever on her, plus Dewpaw didn't have any symptoms. No stuffy nose, no cough, and Robinpaw didn't hear a single complaint of a bellyache, and not to mention the moods swings she had all day, it just wasn't adding up.
What finally got Robinpaw going was a yowl from up ahead. Robinpaw abandoned her sister and ran to the front to see what was happening. Near the entrance of the camp there was a cat, a small she-cat. Her pale brown fur was muddy and stuck out in a million directions, it was like she hadn't groomed her whole life. Her body was so skinny that Robinpaw could easily count her ribs, her muzzle carried a long red eyes were open wide with fear and she gasped for breath. Her scent carried a forest scent, not pine though. that must mean:
"You're from Snowclan" Bonestar hissed "What are you doing here".
It took a few more gasps before she could say "My name is Wind, and I have to find the cats with the stars in their pelts!"