Chapter 8 Chapter 8

"Is that so?" Willow meowed thoughtfully when Windwalker, with frequent interruptions by Hedge, finished her story.

"More o' less," Hedge squeaked, shrugging his shoulders.

Windwalker rolled her eyes and nipped at one of his ears. "You can be so irritating."

Hedge ran a paw over it and then leaned against her muzzle. "Yeah, but ya still keep me around."

"What you've told me is pretty unbelievable," Willow meowed. "If I hadn't seen you fighting with Boss and his lackeys with my own eyes, I would never have believed you." She paused. "I don't mean to sound cynical, but are you sure that you can go on alone?"

Hedge strutted up to the gray kittypet before Windwalker could say anything. "Oh yeah? Well what am I?" he challenged her.

"Lunch?" Willow replied hopefully.

Windwalker grabbed Hedge by the tail and dragged him back. "Shut up," she hissed at him. "What are you proposing, Willow?" she asked the she-cat, looking up. "You want to join us?"

Willow shook her head. "No way. I like my home too much. But there's a she-cat who lives out there in the forest somewhere. I've only seen her a couple of times, and she's pretty old, but she's managed to live this long alone. She might be able to help you. Maybe she knows where it is your supposed to be going."

Windwalker considered it for a moment. Finally she nodded. "Thanks for the tip. Are you sure you don't want to come?"

Willow nodded. "I have a good life here. I can torment my 'Twoleg' and she still feeds me."

"Very well." Windwalker stood up and stretched her back out, feeling all the kinks in it straightening. She stood up. Come on, Hedge. It's time to go. Thank you, Willow, and farewell."

Hedge sprang up onto her back and peeked out at Willow from behind his friends white neck. "Toodles!" he squeaked, waving a paw at Willow.

"Good luck. I hope you find whatever it is that you're looking for." Willow escorted them to a window and watched as they climbed down to the streets.

Windwalker started for the forest, only pausing to look back up at the window of the Twoleg nest. Willow waved her tail in farewell before turning away.

Windwalker padded into the cool shade of the trees. "Ya know what?" Hedge asked, scurrying up to her ears. "She's nice, but I'm glad she didn't join us. I think she had it in for me."

"Ever observant, eh?" Windwalker purred.

"Yep! Wait, was that an insult?"

--

Windwalker scented the air. There was another cat nearby. She padded carefully past an old tree. A twig snapped. Windwalker's head snapped around to see what had made the sound. In between the trees gnarled old roots two silvery eyes were watching her. Windwalker raised her head, forcing the fur to lie flat along her neck. "Who are you?"

A heavy sigh answered her. The owner of the eyes stepped out of the shadows. It was an old she-cat. Her chocolate colored pelt was tinged with gray, and a thin white line ran down her face starting from her forehead and ending at her nose. "I'm Slivermoon," she rasped. "Who are you?"

"My name is Windwalker."

The old cat flicked an ear in interest. "So, you're a Wanderer."

Windwalker's blue eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know?"

Slivermoon smirked. "I'm the daughter of one. Let me explain. My father, Rainstride, had been chosen to be a Wanderer, but his mate refused to let him go off on his own. So she followed him as he set out. Along the way, he was bitten by a snake and died. But instead of returning back to her Clan, my mother stayed with her fallen mate, having his only kit, me, out here. She taught me how to survive and told me of the Clans, and schooled my in the Warrior code. When her time came to join StarClan, I continued to live out here alone. She had told me about what my father was. I decided that I would do so until another Wanderer came, and it was my resolve to do my best to help that cat complete the journey.

"And now you're here." Slivermoon blinked at Windwalker, smiling.

Windwalker regarded the she-cat with surprise. "Are you sure you want to come with us?"

Slivermoon's eyes narrowed. "You think this old timer won't be able to keep up? Let me tell you something: I may be gray around the muzzle, but I still have plenty of fight left in me." She leaned towards Windwalker. "So, shall we go?"

Windwalker took a small step back. "Uh, sure. Do you know where we're supposed to go?"

Slivermoon's self-satisfied smirk vanished. "You don't know? But you're a Wanderer. I thought you knew."

Windwalker shook her head. "No. I don't know, and I don't think that those who came before me knew. We're all just traveling by instinct. It's almost like our paws know where to go and the rest of us are just along for the ride. Are you sure you still want to join us even though we don't know where we are going?"

Slivermoon thought for a moment. "No, I'll come with you. I made that vow that I would help the next Wanderer the day my mother died. I'm not going to go back on my word. Can I just ask you something? Why do you keep saying 'we'?"

"'Cause of me!" Hedge said suddenly, popping up between Windwalker's ears. Slivermoon looked at the little chipmunk, amused. Hedge placed his mouth next to Windwalker's ear. "Windy, why does every cat we meet look at me like I'm food?"

--

After traveling for some time, it was Windwalker who had to ask Slivermoon to stop so she could rest. That cat could move surprisingly fast for her age. She half expected the she-cat to tease her, but Slivermoon made no comment and was currently curled up taking a nap. Hedge was doing likewise, curled up next to Windwalker and resting his head on one of her paws. Only Windwalker was awake. Her mind wandered back to MysticClan. Had Ivypaw received her warrior name yet? And her brother and sister were certainly old enough to be apprenticed. Who were their mentors? And who was the new deputy, since Hawkwing had died trying to find her? Windwalker felt responsible for his death. If only she hadn't left…No, this is what she had to do. Windwalker knew this. She had come to far to turn back. What was done was done, and she couldn't change that.

--

It was getting close to the time that the medicine cats made their pilgrimage to Fire Mouth. Frostbite awoke that morning, knowing about the journey ahead. She wondered who would speak with her: her ancestors, or the spirits of the Wanderers. She made her way out of the den and stretched. It was very early, and a light chill in the air warned of the coming of leaf-fall. She was surprised to see Wolfheart, sitting alone in the center of the camp, watching the moon slowly dissolve as the sun rose. She padded up and sat next to her sister in silence.

Finally, Wolfheart spoke. "Twilightpaw has been doing well as Ivyvine's apprentice, and I think Sunpaw is learning a lot from Nightrain. I'm highly impressed with Ivyvine, especially since she was given her apprentice so soon after receiving her warrior name. But…" Wolfheart's voice trailed away and loss replaced the pride in her eyes.

"You're wondering if Windwalker would have done as well," Frostbite mewed softly. Wolfheart nodded. "Wolfheart, I know you miss her and you are worried about her, but you have to move on. You have two other beautiful kits still here. You need to stop wallowing in the past and live in the present."

"I know," Wolfheart meowed, but she didn't look at Frostbite. She sat looking at the ground. She raised her head as she heard soft meows coming from the apprentices' den. "They're awake." She said nothing else and padded to the den's entrance and sat down again with her tail around her paws, waiting to say good morning to her kits.

Frostbite, wondering if she had been a bit harsh on Wolfheart turned back to the medicine cats' den in time to see Solarwind pad out. Frostbite narrowed her eyes. Something was wrong. She came quickly to her mentor's side. "Solarwind, you don't look too good. Are you alright?"

Solarwind glanced up with a sad smile. "The only illness I have is old age. It is time I retired to the elders' den. I have already discussed this with Aquastar and she agrees." Frostbite stared at her mentor, shock in her eyes. "Don't be so surprised, Frostbite. You knew my time was coming. You'll do fine without me. And if you ever do need help, I am only a few paw steps away. But my time as the Clan's medicine cat is over. It is now your turn."

Frostbite wanted to protest, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to change Solarwind's mind. "I understand. Thank you for teaching me to be a medicine cat, and thank you for trusting me so much."

Solarwind placed her muzzle on Frostbite's head. "Just believe in yourself and you'll be fine."

Both of them turned and watched as Aquastar exited her den and made her way up to the top of the Great Rock. She summoned the Clan with a yowl. As soon as all the cats had gathered, she motioned with her tail for Solarwind to step forward. "Today a cat who has been of great service to our Clan has asked to retire and to join the elders." She waited for the murmurs to die down before speaking directly to Solarwind. "Solarwind, is it truly your desire to step down from your post as medicine cat and to join the elders?"

Solarwind dipped her head. "It is, Aquastar."

"Then I and the rest of MysticClan honor you and all that you have done for us. I ask now that StarClan will give you the seasons of rest that you deserve." Solarwind nodded again and padded over to sit beside Mistmoon. Aquastar then summoned Frostbite to stand before her. "Frostbite, now that Solarwind has stepped down from her position, it is time for you to move up and take on the full responsibilities as MysticClan's medicine cat. I now affirm you, Frostbite, as our medicine cat. I hope StarClan continues to guide your paws just as well as before."

Frostbite dipped her head and Aquastar ended the meeting. She accepted the meows of congratulations from the other cats silently. Solarwind padded to Frostbite's side and touched her tail to the medicine cat's shoulder. "It's almost time to go to Fire Mouth. Good luck on your first solo time."

Frostbite flicked an ear in response. "Thank you." She caught Aquastar's eye and nodded before heading out of the MysticClan camp and heading for the crooked tree.

Frostbite was the first to arrive at the meeting place. The other medicine cats arrived shortly after her. Although they were surprised that she came alone, they didn't push her for any explanation. They traveled in companionship to Fire Mouth. As nervous as she was about going solo, the warmth of the cave never failed to comfort Frostbite. In the heart of the cave, she curled up close to the Onyx stone and awaited the dreams.

Frostbite opened her eyes to be greeted by ferns surrounding her. She uncurled herself and looked around to find herself standing in a forest. Her ears pricked forward as the ferns moved and a skinny gray tom came out from them. He stood there blinking at the blue-furred medicine cat before sitting down.

Frostbite's ear twitched. This cat certainly wasn't from StarClan, she could feel it. "I presume you are a Wanderer."

The Tom smiled. "Right you are. My name is Rainstride. Windwalker has reached the point where I lost my life. It also seems that my daughter has joined her in the search for the other Clans."

"I have to ask, do you know where these Clans are?"

Rainstride tilted his head and thought for a moment before answering. "When I was alive they were further inland. But now, they have traveled to a new home. Their old territories have been destroyed by Twolegs. They are safe for now in their new home."

"You mean they're in danger?"

"They might be, and they might be perfectly safe. I can't see that far into the future," Rainstride meowed.

"Will Windwalker be able to find her way to the Clans now that they've moved? How will she find her way?"

Rainstride purred lightly. "Absolutely. She won't even know that they once lived somewhere else. To answer your second question, it is difficult to describe. Wanderers just seem to know where to go. It's almost ingrained into us where we have to go. Kind of like migrating birds."

"Thank you, Rainstride," Frostbite mewed, dipping her head respectfully.

"Think nothing of it. And to answer the question you are too afraid to ask, Windwalker will make it. Whether she will return is up to her, but she will complete the journey."