A/N: I went ahead and gave them travelling herbs, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!


Chapter 10:

Moonpaw paced by the thorn barrier, her pelt bristling in excitement. I'm going to the Moonstone!

She had been learning about the herbs and how to treat her Clanmates, but now she was going to see one of the most important parts of being a medicine cat, I'm going to meet StarClan!

It was just before sundown, and Robinflight had told her to eat whilst she checked on Birchleaf's joints. Moonpaw had wolfed down a small vole in heartbeats and was impatiently waiting, come on! I want to go!

Her mentor emerged from the elder's den and bounded into the medicine den, what now?!

The brown and white tabby padded out with two bundles of leaves in her jaws. She dropped one at Moonpaw's feet and the other at her own feet.

Moonpaw sniffed, but didn't recognise the herbs. "What are these?"

Robinflight sliced open the grass bindings on he own leaves, "Travelling herbs: sorrel, daisy, chamomile, and burnet. You'll need them to keep your strength up, it's a long journey."

Moonpaw nodded and sliced open her own package. She swallowed the herbs, pulling a face at the taste. EUGH!

"Right," Robinflight meowed, "Let's go!"

She slipped out of the small gap in the thorn barrier and into the forest.

"Good luck!" Poppycloud called from where she was sitting with Shadowpaw and Flashfur.

Moonpaw waved her tail in acknowledgment and bounded after her mentor.

The two she-cats broke into a run and began to run through the forest towards Fourtrees. Moonpaw recognised the route from when Robinflight had taken her around the territory.

Robinflight slowed to a walk when they reached Fourtrees and padded down the slope. The sun was setting and the StarClan warriors of Silverpelt were beginning to show. Moonpaw fizzed with excitement, I'm meeting them soon!

"We'll meet Greenfern, the WaterClan medicine cat, by the Great Rock and travel through AirClan territory together. Then we'll meet Bramblethorn and Smallpaw of EarthClan and Cloudflight of AirClan at the end of AirClan territory." Robinflight meowed.

Moonpaw looked around the clearing as they got nearer. "Can I come to the next gathering?"

"Oh course," Robinflight blinked, "It'll be your first one!"

Moonpaw squeaked happily and bounded down the slope ahead of her mentor.

The clearing was big with four massive trees at each edge. A huge grey rock stood by one edge, stark grey against the darkening sky, the Great Rock. Moonpaw parted her jaws, and tasted the stale scents of each Clan. The warm scent of her own Clan, FireClan, the fishy tang of WaterClan, the fresher scent of AirClan and the musty stench of EarthClan which Robinflight had shown her on their territory tour. No cat stood by the Great Rock, so Moonpaw guessed that Greenfern hadn't arrived yet.

Robinflight caught up with her by the Great Rock and sat down at the foot of it. "Greenfern hasn't arrived, so we'll wait here."

"Can I climb the Great Rock?!" Moonpaw asked excitedly, already bunching her muscles to spring up.

"NO!" Robinflight tugged her tail back, angrily, "Absolutely not! That rock is only for leaders, what would StarClan think?!"

Moonpaw crouched slightly, flattening her ears at the scolding. "Sorry Robinflight."

"Sit next to me and stop behaving like a kit," Robinflight tapped a spot next to her with her brown and white tail, still looking irritable.

Moonpaw slunk over and sat down with a huff. Robinflight twitched an ear, but said nothing.

They didn't have to wait long before Moonpaw spotted a cat at the top of the slope. She prodded her mentor, "Is that Greenfern?"

Robinflight looked over, "Yes it is."

She stood up as the cat bounded down to the clearing. As it got closer, Moonpaw saw that it was a slender, pale brown she-cat with kind green eyes.

The she-cat padded over to Robinflight and touched noses with her. "Sorry I'm late, Minnowkit had a cough and Silverdapple wouldn't let me leave until the kit had swallowed every herb in my supply!" Greenfern looked to Robinflight's side, at Moonpaw, "Who's this?"

"This is my new apprentice," Robinflight meowed, a hint of pride in her voice, "Moonpaw."

"Hello Moonpaw," Greenfern purred, before fluffing out her pelt. "We'd better go, it's getting late."

Moonpaw looked up and saw that the moon was just rising.

"Let's go!" Robinflight meowed and bounded up a slope that smelt strongly of AirClan.

Greenfern and Moonpaw followed, running up smoothly. When they got to the top, Robinflight veered slightly to the side.

"We keep to the border," Robinflight explained to Moonpaw, "warriors aren't allowed to harm medicine cats and we are fine to go through, but we don't want to provoke them."

The three she-cats ran lightly along the border. The scent of the AirClan border mingled with the scent of the EarthClan border, so strong that it made Moonpaw wrinkled her nose in disgust.

After a while, Moonpaw spotted three cats in the distance.

"There are Bramblethorn, Smallpaw and Cloudflight," Robinflight puffed, falling in step with Moonpaw.

Moonpaw nodded, excited to be meeting such important cats.

As they got closer, Moonpaw could make out what the cats looked like. There was a white tom with a thin frame and long legs. A stocky, brown tom stood next to him whilst a small ginger tom wound around them. Moonpaw quickened her pace.

Greenfern reached them first. "Greetings!"

Moonpaw slid to a halt next to her, Robinflight just behind.

"Who's this?" The white tom meowed, his blue eyes friendly.

"This is Moonpaw," Robinflight meowed, "she's my new apprentice."

"Hi!" The ginger tom meowed, his amber eyes sparkling in the semi-darkness, "I'm Smallpaw and this is my mentor, Bramblethorn!"

Moonpaw dipped her head, politely.

The white tom narrowed his blue eyes, "That's a bit soon after Redpaw."

"Redpaw would still be here if it wasn't for your warriors, Cloudflight," Robinflight growled, her hackles rising, "Your warriors who attack defenceless medicine cats!"

Cloudflight snapped his head around to hiss at her, "You-"

"Stop!" Bramblethorn shouldered the two cats away from each other, his stocky frame blocking their views, "We have to get to the Moonstone before moonhigh."

"Fine!" Cloudflight snapped before stalking off, his tail high.

Robinflight flattened her neck fur before following him, her paw steps short and angry.

Moonpaw followed, warily, I thought that all medicine cats were friends!

"They're always getting in each other's fur," a voice whispered in her ear. She whipped around to see Smallpaw. "Robinflight and Cloudflight are friends really, but they're both short tempered and stubborn!"

Moonpaw nodded, "How far away is the Moonstone?"

"Not far," Smallpaw chirped, "You can see Highstones from here!"

Moonpaw looked up. Highstones was silhouetted against the dark sky, bigger than Moonpaw could have ever imagined.

"Come on!" Moonpaw's focus snapped back to the journey at Robinflight's meow. She trotted after her mentor.

The six cats ducked under a hedge at the edge of AirClan territory. Moonpaw's eyes widened at what was on the other side.

A stretch of black stone lay ahead, straight and dangerous looking. Down the middle was a white line, so brightly white that it made her eyes ache. She stretched forwards and delicately sniffed it. It smelt horrible. She recoiled in disgust, its acrid stench clinging to the roof if her mouth.

Suddenly, a roaring filled her ears. Moonpaw looked up the stone stretch to see something hurtling towards her. Its eyes were emitting a bright yellow light and its paws were black and round.

She let out a screech and cowered in the hedge as it passed by. The wind ruffled her fur and the stench grew stronger. It was only when Robinflight pressed against her that she realised she was shaking.

"What was that?" She asked, still trembling.

Robinflight waited calmly to answer as two more of the things raced by. Moonpaw crouched even lower.

"They're monsters," Robinflight meowed, "they only stay on the Thunderpath, so you're fine here. But on the Thunderpath, they won't stop. They'll kill a cat and race off, not even stopping. You have to be very careful."

Moonpaw nodded, terrified.

"Go when I say," Bramblethorn meowed to the cats.

Smallpaw pressed against Moonpaw's side, she felt him quivering slightly too.

"This is only my second time coming to Highstones," he whispered.

They waited as a few more monsters flew by until the Thunderpath was silent.

"GO!" Bramblethorn yowled and the cats leapt upwards as one and pounded across the Thunderpath.

Moonpaw had never run so fast in her life as she hurtled across the path, her feet skimming the hard stone. When they got to the other side, she collapsed in a heap.

"Are you okay?" Robinflight meowed, nudging her with her nose.

Moonpaw nodded and scrambled to her feet.

Cloudflight looked up at the sky, worriedly. "It's almost moonhigh, we must hurry!"

The cats ducked under another hedge and ran across a large field. Moonpaw kept her gaze fixed on Highstones, which had become visible again after crossing the Thunderpath.

When they reached the edge of the field, they clambered over a wooden structure and padded into a small forest. Moonpaw parted her jaws and breathed in the scent of mouse and squirrel. It smelt like home.

Robinflight padded in the lead, setting a brisk pace. Moonpaw ran to catch up.

"How much further?" She meowed, aware if her aching paws.

"Through this woodland, across another field and you're there!" She meowed back, breaking into a run.

They cleared the forest and skimmed through the field. The field was dotted with big white animals that looked like clouds on legs.

"What are they?" Moonpaw hissed to Smallpaw.

"Sheep," Smallpaw looked pleased to know something that she didn't, "they won't come near you."

They skirted around a few 'sheep' and scrambled through a low hedge.

Once through, Moonpaw realised that they were there.

Highstones loomed over her, so high that she couldn't see the top. A large cave mouth yawned before her, smelling of stone.

"Let's go," Robinflight meowed and padded into the cave.

"Is this Mothermouth?" Moonpaw hissed, following her into the gloom.

"Yes," Robinflight meowed, her voice echoing on the walls. Moonpaw could barely see her in the darkness. "Stay close, hold onto my tail."

Moonpaw gently fastened her teeth around Robinflight's tail and followed her into the darkness. She felt terror gripping her as she lost her sense of sight. All she could do was hold onto Robinflight's tail. The walls felt like they were pressing into her and she collided with Robinflight's rump more than once.

After what seemed like moons, Robinflight stopped.

"We're here," she meowed, softly.

Moonpaw padded out from behind her. It smelt fresher here, like there was a gap in the roof letting the scents of the moor wash in. She could just make out something in the gloom. It looked several tail lengths high and smooth, but she didn't know what it was. Was it the Moonstone?

The cats began to spread out around the thing, standing close to it. Moonpaw stayed slightly behind Robinflight, not sure of what to do.

The cats had their eyes fixed upwards. Moonpaw followed there gaze to see that there was a gap in the roof. She could just make out a few stars.

Suddenly, a flash of light filled the cave. Moonpaw jumped back, the stone was alight!

She could see it properly now, and it was pure white. She looked up at the gap in the roof and spotted the moon. Oh, she thought, so the moon makes it light up, that's why it's called the Moonstone!

"Moonpaw," Robinflight meowed, her fur bleached white in the glow, "is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

Moonpaw almost stopped breathing, "It is."

Robinflight met her gaze, her eyes warm, "Then come forward."

Moonpaw stepped cautiously towards the Moonstone; it was so bright that it hurt her eyes.

Robinflight raised her muzzle to address the gap in the roof. "Warriors of StarClan, I present you with this apprentice. She has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom and insight so that she may understand your ways and heal her Clan in accordance with your will."

Robinflight flicked her tail, indicating that she should touch the Moonstone.

Moonpaw hesitated, but saw that all the other medicine cats were doing it. Smallpaw gave her a reassuring nod, and touched his nose to the stone.

Moonpaw crouched down low and did the same. Immediately, she felt her eyes shutting.

I'm going to meet StarClan! she thought, before she was sucked into darkness.


A/N: Sorry, you'll have to wait to find out what she dreams about! I realised that this chapter was really long without it, so stay tuned for Chapter 11!