Gah, a day late. I'm so sorry guys! It's half term now, a week off school (Yay!), so I should be updating more often. I'm going to try and write LOADS so that I can start updating twice a week rather than just once.
Oh, and If you want to see what some of the characters look like, check out this link: photos/94073797 N07/sets/72157633645699177/
Anyway, interesting fact time! Originally, in Cinderheart and Lionblaze's litter, there was to be no Mosskit, instead Thrushkit. He was a golden brown tabby tom, but I decided that I wanted to add another she-kit to the litter, so Mosskit replaced him. Poor Thrushkit. Don't worry about him though, there will be another Thrushkit appearing, in a long time though... A long, long time. xD
Anyway, I do not own Warriors. If I did, why on earth would I be writing a fan fiction?! XP
Review Replies:
Spottedmoth123 - Aww, thank you! -hugs- I love writing it!
Silverlightning97 - xD Yay!
KND Operative Numbah 227 - Wow, that is the longest username I've ever had to type. xD And thank you, so much, for the sweetest review I've ever read! It was your review that motivated me to make this chapter super awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you! That comment brightened by day. :3
Moonlight Demise - Aww, thank you! A feathery writer. xD Are you suggesting I'm a bird? xP I'm kidding.
Raggedstar 3 - Agreed, Amberpaw's a little confused at the moment. xD
icefire - xD Go Molespots! Love him! Oh, and yeah, I have no idea why I put freaked out. I couldn't think of anything else to put I guess... Oh and that doesn't sound pushy at all. :3
Well, read away, enjoy! Remember, the quote I live by here on Fanfiction: "Live, Love, Read, Review." xD
Snowpaw
Words couldn't describe how excited Snowpaw was feeling. We've reached Highstones. We've really reached Highstones. Well, they hadn't quite reached Highstones; several fields of green and thick hedgerows separated them from their next milestone, but they were nearly there.
Even from here, the white tom couldn't help but marvel at the majestic beauty of the tall, steep, stone slopes that jutted up towards the cloudy sky. At the peaks of the great mountains was a thin covering of, what appeared to be, snow? Snowpaw frowned, how was it that it was snowy at the top, yet not on the ground here, or even the lower parts of the mountains?
Before he could wonder any further, Dewpaw's urgent mew cut through his thoughts, "Snowpaw, Amberpaw? What are those?"
Snowpaw stood on his paws, craning his neck to try and catch a glimpse of what the dark grey tom was referring to. From his left, he heard Amberpaw mutter, "StarClan knows."
But when the snowy-furred apprentice caught sight of what Dewpaw had pointed out, he couldn't help but grin knowingly. Creatures with fluffy white pelts and short black legs were grazing in the next field. In Snowpaw's eyes, they were the most unassuming creatures he'd ever seen.
"They're sheep," he meowed confidently, a glimmer of amusement dancing in his bright amber eyes, "Mudpaw, a WindClan apprentice, told me about them," he strode ahead of his brother, who had completely stopped in his tracks, "They're harmless."
Amberpaw gave him an unconvinced looks, "If you say so," she mewed cautiously, eyeing the fluffy white creatures warily. Snowpaw smiled, giving a nod before taking the lead of the group again.
Dewpaw didn't complain and just fell in behind Snowpaw, alongside Amberpaw. The snowy-coloured tom let his eyes wander to the path ahead, quickly spotting some twoleg posts jutting out of the ground, a thin strand of tendril stretched between them.
Snowpaw frowned, it looked like something they'd seen in twoleg place, except there had been no thin tendril there, a wooden plank taking over the role of the tendril. It appeared to be keeping the sheep in their field, but what would twolegs want with sheep?
I guess we'll never understand twolegs. Glancing over at his littermates, Snowpaw bounded on ahead, trying to look as confident as he possibly could. If his estimations were correct, they'd be able to creep under the thin tendril without getting caught and be able to walk out the other side, perfectly fine.
"And with luck," he muttered under his breath, "The sheep won't give us any bother."
He gave a sharp flick of his tail, beckoning for his littermates to follow, before dropping low and slithering under the tendril. Sharp silver 'thorns' that Snowpaw hadn't noticed before began to tug at Snowpaw's pelt, but he managed to squeeze out before he got too caught up.
Shaking himself free, he noticed several tufts of long white fur had now attached themselves to the tendril. Oops.
It was Dewpaw's turn next. The dark grey tom looked perfectly calm, in fact a little amused by the strands of white fur that now made up the thin tendril.
Pressing his belly against the ground, he slid under the tendril easily, like a fish through water, and stepped out the other side looking pleased with himself.
Now just Amberpaw left. The grey-and-white apprentice looked a little nervous at the concept, not the silver thorny tendril, but the fact that awaiting them on the other side were sheep. Despite Snowpaw having told her they were completely and utterly harmless, she still seemed a little wary.
Dropping into something similar to a Hunter's Crouch, Amberpaw wriggled under the silver tendril. Emerging from the other side, her amber eyes stretched wide when she spotted a nearby sheep, grazing behind Snowpaw.
Stiffening, she flicked her tail in the sheep's direction. Snowpaw gave a calm nod, he'd already noticed the creature nearby and was perfectly aware of its actions. Right now, it wasn't doing anything other than munching away on the grass, but the white tom wanted to be alert, just in case.
"Come on," he hissed in a low voice, "We should get moving," he flashed Dewpaw a look, checking to see whether the dark grey tom wanted to resume his position as leader of the group, but his brother quickly shook his head.
"Oh no, you can lead for this bit, I don't mind," he smiled. Snowpaw gave a nod of respect. Dewpaw had changed a lot since the beginning of this journey. Yes, he still had his grumpy moments, but his leadership skills had really developed and he'd learnt to hold his tongue, well, most of the time.
Smiling to himself the white tom began to pad ahead, treading the path for his littermates behind him. Dewpaw walked confidently, whilst Amberpaw seemed a little nervous, her eyes wide and her emotions guarded. The grey-and-white she-cat wasn't acting quite as strangely as she had been earlier, thankfully, but she was still acting really weird. Snowpaw had considered confronting her, but had decided against it.
It was then that a strange sort of bleating sound came from directly behind them. Snowpaw froze, fur bristling and eyes narrowing to slits. StarClan's kits, what was that?
The white apprentice turned to see Dewpaw and Amberpaw staring right at... A sheep. What? A sheep made that noise? He gave his littermates a confused look. Dewpaw grinned smugly, "It's just a sheep," he jeered, amusement dancing in his dark amber eyes, "I thought you said they were harmless."
Snowpaw managed to smile. It was a sheep. Of course. Mudpaw hadn't mentioned the strange noise that sheep made, he'd only told him that they grazed on the moor sometime and wouldn't harm a fly.
"They are harmless," Snowpaw managed, "I just didn't realise they made that strange sound."
Amberpaw laughed for what seemed to be the first time that day. Snowpaw felt his heart lift with hope, she seemed to have recovered from her strange mood.
"Come on then," Dewpaw meowed , "I'd better take the lead again, If Snowpaw's scared of sheep."
Snowpaw gave a nod, although a little embarrassed at being frightened of the sheep's bleating, he felt a lot happier. He found it funny how his brother decided to take the lead, he didn't ask, he just did it.
With Dewpaw resuming his most comfortable position, in front, Snowpaw fell in beside his sister. Amberpaw gave him a wary look, before relaxing. The white tom wasn't blind however and knew his sister inside out and spotted the faint anxiety in her usually carefree amber gaze.
"Are you ok, Amberpaw?" he asked, "It's just you've been acting strangely all day and I wondered if you had a bad dream or something?"
The grey-and-white she-cat's eyes flashed with alarm and instantly she tensed, looking away from the white-furred tom, "I'm fine," she insisted, "It's just…. Nothing."
Snowpaw let his amber eyes run over her for a minute when suddenly a thought struck him, "The dark forest haven't visited you in a dream, have they? They're not back are they?" his mew urgent, he watched Amberpaw intently for her reaction to the question.
"Oh, no!" the grey-and-white patched she-cat meowed quickly, "The dark forest? No, definitely not," her amber gaze flitted from side to side nervously, "It's just…." She broke off, "I'll tell you later, ok?"
Snowpaw searched her expression for a second before sighing, "Of course, later."
Amberpaw nodded, her amber eyes slowly regaining their usual brightness before focusing on the path ahead, "Do you think we'll reach Highstones by nightfall?" she asked, inclining her head a little, "Briarlight said that there was a special place that we might have to visit there…"
A frown creased Snowpaw's features, "A special place?" he echoed unsurely, "What does she mean by"- he broke off, an idea sparking in his head. Of course! How could I be so mouse-brained?
"What is it?" Amberpaw meowed impatiently, bouncing from side to side a little. Snowpaw smiled, this was more like the Amberpaw he knew.
"The Moonstone," he breathed, "It's like the Moonpool, I think, but a stone. When the moon shines in through the roof of the cave, it splashes light onto the Moonstone and sort of brings it to life, I think? That's what Cinderpelt told me anyway."
The grey-and-white apprentice nodded, "So, the clans used to share tongues with StarClan there, just like the Moonpool."
"Pretty much," Snowpaw confirmed, his gaze wandering to the horizon. Dewpaw was a few strides ahead of him and his sister, ears pricked and keen amber gaze alert and focused intently on Highstones ahead.
Another sheep started bleating and Snowpaw froze for a moment, before quickly padding onwards once more. He didn't want Amberpaw and Dewpaw to think he was scared of sheep, because that wasn't at all true, he just didn't like the sound they made…
Shaking away the thoughts, Snowpaw tried to concentrate his mind on the task ahead. Dewpaw was finally taking things seriously, so he should be too, rather than worrying about the, completely harmless, sheep.
Four will spread it roots to five.
Three of Thunder's blood, descended of the flame;
the falling snow,
the morning dew
and the amber clouds
must return to the place of before,
where four where five,
and return the sky to its rightful place.
He reeled off the words of the prophecy in his head. They had worked out that the place of the before was the old forest, but what remained of it now? Would it be another Twolegplace or would it just be in ruins; uprooted trees and such?
"Snowpaw!"
The white tom was torn from his thoughts by Dewpaw. The dark grey tom was waiting for him, Amberpaw at his side.
"I was thinking we should stop for a hunt, just quickly," he meowed, his tail flicking slowly from side to side, "I saw some rabbits and you never know when you'll have your next meal…"
Snowpaw smiled brightly, "Sure!" He bounded ahead of his littermates, quickly switching into hunting mode. It was time to try his paw at being a WindClan warrior. Those rabbits had better watch out.
The sky was a rich amber colour by the time they reached Highstones. A few clouds drifted along lazily, the setting sun casting a deep red light onto them. Despite the beautiful end to what had been a rather successful day, Snowpaw was still wary.
The wind had a bitter chill to it, warning of a cold night ahead of them. The stone beneath his paws was cool to touch and he could just make out, in the dim light, pawprints, generations old perhaps?
Cats must been walking these paths since before Firestar even set a paw in the forest! Steep slopes of grey towered above the weary travellers, casting long shadows onto their pelts.
Snowpaw shivered, the wind tugging at his long white fur. There was a strange sort of atmosphere here, the white tom couldn't quite put a paw on it. It felt sort of eerie and deserted, it must've been moons since any cat had walked this path, a clan cat at least.
But there were also other emotions buried here, grief, ambition. Snowpaw swallowed nervously at the last emotion. They walked the paths of the old forest now, or what remained of it. This was where Tigerstar had been born and raised, Brokenstar too and of course, Hawkfrost was raised here.
So many bad cats.
That was when Snowpaw spotted something. A cave, the entrance to a cave at least.
Smiling triumphantly, he turned to his companions, "We have reached Mothermouth."
Amberpaw frowned at first, but Snowpaw quickly explained that was the name for the entrance to the cavern that housed the Moonstone.
Dewpaw looked as though he was about to say something when another voice reached Snowpaw's ears.
"Come closer, the prophesised ones, sons and daughter of the sky."
Snowpaw's amber gaze clouded. Please say it was Amberpaw that said that. He turned to his littermate, "What did you say?" he asked, his gaze questioning.
The grey-and-white patched apprentice frowned, "That wasn't me."
Snowpaw stood still for a moment, unable to take everything in. If that wasn't Amberpaw, and it couldn't have been Dewpaw, who was it? It couldn't be StarClan, they now resided in the skies above the lake, unless…
"I think it's coming from the Moonstone," Snowpaw meowed, his tone hushed. It seemed that then the whole world around them, stopped. They were frozen in time.
"Are you suggesting we go to the Moonstone?" Dewpaw queried, inclining his head, "Because that wasn't what we were told to do, we should just keep moving and find somewhere to stay for the night."
Snowpaw didn't utter a word and just gave a nod. The three exchanged glances before Dewpaw took a deep breath and began to pad towards Mothermouth, glancing over his shoulder to see if the others were following.
Snowpaw inhaled and exhaled then tentatively followed his brother. Amberpaw fell in behind him.
As they disappeared into the shadows of the cave, Snowpaw found himself holding his breath, apprehensive about what they could find in this sacred place.
Instantly the path, well worn by many pawsteps, began to dip down. Snowpaw's sight was completely blacked out and he had to rely on his other four senses to guide his paws.
All the white tom could hear was Dewpaw's pawsteps and Amberpaw's shaky breaths. The air down here was musty and earthy and made Snowpaw want to cough.
The white apprentice was worried he would crash into the cave wall any moment, but the path kept dragging on, until Dewpaw stopped.
Snowpaw froze, pelt bristling, "What is it?" he hissed nervously.
Dewpaw didn't respond, but started moving again. Snowpaw followed him into a large, poorly lit cavern. They had reached the Moonstone.
It was cold down here, even more so than outside, and the white tom, for once, was glad to have a long pelt. Ahead of him, silhouetted against the dim light that peeped in through a small crack in the roof, he could see a great stone. The Moonstone.
Snowpaw stumbled forwards to his brother's side, unable to believe they had actually reached the Moonstone. Dewpaw didn't seem overly impressed, as far as the dark grey tom was concerned, it was just a big rock at the moment.
Wait 'till the moon rises, then he'll be in awe of it.
Amberpaw spilled out from behind him, her amber eyes just distinguishable against the shadows. She seemed a little nervous down here, a little unsure of herself.
"I guess we just wait for the moon, now?" Dewpaw suggested, tilting his head to one side a little.
Snowpaw and Amberpaw nodded in unison. The three split up, finding a spot by the great stone to settle down on.
Snowpaw himself wanted to be as close to the Moonstone as possible and so sat down so that his pelt was almost pressing against the sacred rock. And now we wait.
Snowpaw didn't realise he had drifted off, but when he opened his eyes again, he found the cavern to be very different. The moon hung directly above the cavern, splashing moonlight onto the Moonstone and bathing the cavern in a thick, eerie light.
The Moonstone appeared to be glowing a dazzling white colour and Snowpaw couldn't help but just stare at it, amber eyes stretched wide in awe. Dewpaw too seemed to be captured by the beauty of the legendary rock.
"Sons and daughter of the sky, come closer."
Snowpaw was in a daze. Slowly, he stepped forward, unable to resist the call of voices. The next thing he knew, the world melted to black and a wave of sleep crashed over him.
Ooh, a cliffie! Well, who do you think the voices belong to? What did you think of Snowpaw and the sheep incident? xD In his defence, sheep do make a really strange noise... Anyway, live, love, read and review!
Leafsplash, over and out!
-poofs-
