Hi, everyone! Here's chapter six! It's pretty long, but things are starting to get more interesting. (It's not exactly what I said it would be in my author's note (part of chapter six will be added to chapter seven). Just to let you all know, I changed some things in my story (Flamepaw, Tigerpaw, and Dawnpaw have been apprentices for awhile now, and Sol said to meet with him in seven moonrises, not two, just to let you know). Enjoy!
Chapter Six
It was time for the medicine cats to go to the Moonpool, following the tradition of travelling there every half-Moon, and, for once, Flamepaw didn't want to go. Normally, he couldn't wait to go, as the night approached he would grow more and more anxious to go share tongues with his ancestors and hopefully receive the prophecies or omens that would one day save his clan. But he was supposed to be meeting with Sol to discover secrets that even StarClan couldn't tell him, and, because of this, he was desperately trying to think of an excuse to stay back at camp.
"Flamepaw, it's time to be going," Littlecloud mewed from where he was sorting through some herbs that had been scattered when some of the kits decided to play ThunderClan attack in the den when his mentor had taken him out for some battle training.
"Uh…Littlecloud?" Flamepaw started, trying to find the right thing to say. He knew his mentor would be very disappointed; he had, after all, waited seasons to finally have an apprentice to share the journey and experience with and always stressed how important the visits to the Moonpool were. But what if Sol can tell me something important that even StarClan can't? I need to find out what he knows about our future. And, besides, if I find out something important from him, Littlecloud will be proud of me anyway… Right?
Littlecloud padded over and stared at him, his blue eyes filled with concern. "What's wrong, Flamepaw? Are you feeling sick?" he questioned anxiously.
"No, it's just…Shouldn't one of us stay behind with Blackstar? He did just go back to his den, and he's still recovering," Flamepaw mewed, trying not to betray that wasn't the real reason why he wanted to stay behind. He can't say no to that! he thought triumphantly, knowing that soon he would know the truth behind his existence because Littlecloud would definitely agree with him, thinking of his leader's safety.
To his surprise, Littlecloud sighed, very relieved apparently, and meowed, "Is that all? I think Blackstar will be fine without us for a little while. Let's get going."
Disappointment tore through Flamepaw like a thorn, but he knew he couldn't argue with his mentor. He didn't want to make him anymore suspicious than he already probably was, so he just kept quiet and padded slowly after him, wishing that Sol hadn't decided that they must meet tonight.
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Littlecloud sat, his tail curled around his paws, in the snow, his apprentice at his side, waiting for the other medicine cats to arrive. Barkface, the WindClan medicine cat, and Kestrelflight, his apprentice, were already there but were so engrossed in their own conversation they didn't even seem to know that the two ShadowClan cats were sitting there beside them. Flamepaw was fidgeting, apparently anxious to get going, and Littlecloud had to suppress as smile, knowing the surprise he had in store for his young apprentice. I remember when I was as excited as he was, he thought. I wish things could be simpler…
He scented the fishy scent of the RiverClan medicine cat, Mothwing, and her apprentice, Willowshine, before he saw them, and, when they emerged, he called out a greeting. Shortly after, Jayfeather, the lone ThunderClan medicine cat, arrived. Littlecloud could almost feel the resentment cracking off the younger tom's pelt but he couldn't guess at the source. He had figured out long ago that it didn't have to do with his being blind but still couldn't understand why he didn't seem to like any of his fellow medicine cats.
When traveling to the Moonpool, they fell into a familiar procession. One of few things that never changes, Littlecloud thought as he padded beside Barkface. Right behind them walked Mothwing and Jayfeather, with Jayfeather padding slightly behind, not wanting to talk as usual—there's a cat that only opens his mouth when he wants something. Last of all came the three apprentices, chatting quietly among themselves. With a start he realized that after only Barkface, he had been a medicine cat the longest, and he suddenly felt very old. He knew that Barkface was probably nearing the end of his long life, gray flecked the fur on his muzzle, and he walked with a slight hitch to his step, and he prayed silently to StarClan that he would live long enough to see many more moons and maybe even hold the honor of being an elder.
"How's the prey running?" Barkface asked finally after a moment of prolonged silence.
"Fine," Littlecloud lied, knowing that his protruding ribs probably told more than his words, and quickly changed the subject. "I'm going to make Flamepaw a full medicine cat tonight."
Barkface nodded slowly and then replied, "He's a good cat, Littlecloud. Reminds me a lot of you. He deserves this."
There's a cat who knows what he's talking about, Littlecloud thought happily. He knew it was time to make Flamepaw a full medicine cat when he realized that he had very little left to teach him. Sometimes, he seemed to know more than even him, and he was far more authoritative than Littlecloud could even dream of being. Maybe, when he's older, and I'm certain that he's ready, I can move to the elder's den like Runningnose did and finally have a chance to live without worrying about things…
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Flamepaw still couldn't believe what he was hearing, and excitement pelted through him. A full medicine cat! he thought. I'm going to get my name! And the respect I deserve! Littlecloud stood before him, his blue eyes filled with pride, and slowly mewed the age old words, "Flamepaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from the rivalry between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," he replied, trying to sound calm and composed even though he was so thrilled. He knew that this had to be the feeling that his siblings, Dawnpelt and Tigerheart, felt when they received their true names as warriors only two moonrises ago. He had never imagined that Littlecloud would give him his medicine cat name so quickly, thought he still had many sunrises to wait.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Flamepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Flametail."
Almost quivering with his excitement, Flametail barely felt Littlecloud lick his shoulder, hardly even heard the other medicine cats chanting his new name. He lay down beside the Moonpool and awaited his first dream as a real medicine cat, not some lowly apprentice, almost completely forgetting about Sol.
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Runningnose hesitated at the sight of his former apprentice. The undersized tabby was even smaller than usual, his thick winter pelt not coming close to hiding each protruding rib. Even his spine was visible, and Runningnose felt a pang of sympathy that he could not do a thing to help this poor cat when he believed so fervently in them. Why must I hide the truth from him? he wondered.
Littlecloud nodded respectively to him, and Runningnose could sense his unease. He must not understand the sign, he realized. Not wishing to waste time asking trivial questions like "how's the prey running?"—which it clearly isn't—Runningnose said hesitantly, "Flametail will be a great medicine cat, Littlecloud. You trained him well."
Littlecloud nodded and sighed, "He'll probably do a better job than I've done."
"Littlecloud, you've done more for your clan than you probably realize. Don't sell yourself short," Runningnose ordered, feeling even more sympathy for the young cat. I have to do something to help him. I can't tell him directly but I can…
Staring into his former apprentice's bright blue eyes, not dulled by his suffering, he delivered part of the prophecy that Yellowfang had ordered him not to, "The sun will drown out the shadows, and one will betray all…" With that, Runningnose padded away, trying to ignore Littlecloud's desperate call to stop, hoping that he had helped and knowing that he was going to have to answer to the rest of StarClan for what he had done…
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Flametail was standing in the starry forest, but, for once, no other cats were there. He shivered as an icy wind whipped over him, and he wondered where all the other were. Is StarClan rejecting me? he wondered, fear coursing through him at the thought. What's happening?
As if to answer his question, a dark gray cat with a flattened face emerged from the shadows. Her orange eyes were staring at him, and Flametail realized with a start that they were not filled with pride or happiness for the new full medicine cat; rather they were filled with a mixture of sorrow and anger. He didn't recognize her, the only medicine cat who had ever visited him in his dreams was Runningnose, and finally he asked, "Who are you?"
She snorted and replied tartly, "I am Yellowfang. Did your mentor teach you anything?"
Flametail bit back a biting retort and replied, "It's just I haven't seen you before, that's all."
Yellowfang padded up to him and slowly, almost hesitantly, touched noses with him. Why's she acting this way? Flametail wondered. Shouldn't she be happy for me? And yet she's acting like I'm a crazy old badger, ready to spring at her at any moment. What's going on? And then he remembered Sol's prophecy, and he blurted out even though he didn't mean to, "Do you know about the prophecy? The one that Sol told me about my littermates and I controlling the fate of ShadowClan?"
To his surprise, Yellowfang bristled and hissed at him angrily, rage in her orange eyes. "Sol! I should've known that that crow-food eating, fox-hearted liar had something to do with this!"
"To do with what?" Flametail asked aloud even though, once again, he didn't mean to. Then he growled, trying to sound fierce to make her tell him what she knew, "You know something about it, don't you?"
The old she-cat glared at him and snarled, "Flametail, if you are truly loyal to your clan you will not go down this path."
"I am loyal to ShadowClan!" Flametail protested, rage filling him at Yellowfang's accusation that he wasn't loyal to his clan, "That's why I want to know!"
Yellowfang paused and then replied, her mew void of any emotion, "I cannot stop you from doing this. Just…examine your true motives before you go any further…"
Flametail woke with a start, Yellowfang's message ringing in his ears, "Examine your true motives before you go any further…" He didn't realize it, but he had unsheathed his claws and was digging them into the stone. He wanted to yowl with frustration, "Why can't anyone give me an answer?!"
Beside him, Littlecloud was stirring, and, when he sat up, Flametail noticed that his eyes were filled with worry and fear. What's wrong with him? Flametail wondered. Does it have something to do with what Yellowfang told me? But, whatever his mentor was worried about, he didn't let on to it when he mewed, "Come on, Flametail, let's get back to camp."
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Littlecloud raced into camp, Flametail close behind. He now understood the sign he had received—only because Runningnose spelled it out for me, he thought bitterly—and he needed to tell Blackstar about it as soon as possible. Just what we need, more trouble, he thought. But…I can't be right in my interpretation of it, can I? StarClan wouldn't let that happen, would they?
Before he could go into Blackstar's den to tell him that, yes, he finally had received a prophecy; Flametail stopped him by grabbing his tail with his teeth. Littlecloud yowled in pain, his frustration and fear changing to pure anger, and turned to face his apprentice. "What in StarClan's name was that for?" he snarled, not even trying to be patient.
"Why won't you tell me what's going on?" his apprentice growled. "Why won't anyone tell me anything?"
To furious to try to be sympathetic to his apprentice's problems—Welcome to my life, Flametail—he responded harshly, "How many times do I have to tell you that StarClan won't tell you everything? How many times?! What makes you think you're so special?"
Flametail glared at him and answered, "Oh and you are? You're just a cat who couldn't cut it as a warrior and were forced into the medicine den so you wouldn't be completely useless. Pathetic, absolutely…"
Before Flametail could finish, Blackstar emerged from his den and yowled, "Can't a cat get some sleep around here? Littlecloud, I need to talk to you now. And, Flamepaw, show some respect for your mentor, why don't you?"
"It's Flametail now," his apprentice growled, not even taking into consideration that he was speaking to his leader. What's gotten into him? Littlecloud wondered. Why is he acting like this? StarClan, didn't I train him better than this?
Littlecloud was about to correct his apprentice, but Blackstar beat him to it. "Flamepaw, go back to your den now. I need to speak to your mentor alone."
Flametail shot a nasty look at Littlecloud, and then, with his tail drooping, padded away. Littlecloud felt a pang of regret—if it's any cat who knows what it's like to feel unwanted and lost, it's me—but Blackstar had ordered him to come speak with him, and he needed to tell him the prophecy anyway. Slowly, he followed his leader into his den, but not before looking over his shoulder and seeing his ginger apprentice slip dejectedly into the medicine den. I'll talk to him later, he thought, wishing that their argument hadn't happened. Why does ever cat have to remind me of my past?
