Hello my friends=) Can I just say, thank you, thank you so much! We have reached 100 reviews guys! So thanks for all of your hard work;)
Bramblewhisker88- I know right? Seems like just yesterday I was updating their birth and now they're all grown up ;( *Sniff* Yeah he probably does… eh it will heal with time;) Yeah I thought they were pretty cool! I thought it was nice that they made up=) And thanks I wanted to do something different, and I thought that would be cool. Yeah they are! Preparing for battle;) Glad you're having fun! Sorry about the heat though=( I know it's not fun. Hope you enjoy this!
Jayleaf1- It's okay! Happens to me all the time=/ Glad you liked the names and the owls! Oh yeah I thought that was funny;) Hope you enjoy this!
Spottedmask12- Glad you loved it! Hope you love this one too!=)
The Altar and the Door- Well two chapter is good right?;) Sorry about your Wi-Fi though, that bites=( I'm glad you liked the chapter and the Lion king reference=) I adore that movie! I know right? They're gonna be a good couple=) Honestly I love all dolphins. I just want to hug them! Off topic… Glad you love the names! I love them too. I always use Fallensnow as the name for my owl when I pretend I'm at Hogwarts, so I don't really think yours is any sadder than mine. I feel like they should, this'll be the battle at the end of the series, so next book. But I don't know who to kill. I don't really want to kill anyone (except Spiderleg) but I think I might kill mates together so they don't have to live without one another. Yes! OMYGOSH I LOVE THAT SHOW! Sorry I had to get that out. But I really love it. I always want to quote it but I don't know how many people watch it and whether or not it would go over people's heads. I just have to say- I love Sheldon's mom. Every episode with her is hilarious! I never thought of that before… interesting…. Hope you enjoy this!
Meadowlace- Wow three review, I feel so loved;) Oh I know right? I think I might bump up the middle apprentice (well the old ones now) but I'm not sure. That sounds so cute! I cannot paint my nails to save my life. It's quite sad really. I shall see what I can do my friend;) Raven could have a gathering pov? Thanks so much=) I really did picture confetti and streamers in my head;) Oh and I have a surprise for you at the end of this! So I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter Twenty
*Snakepaw*
It's quiet when I wake up, the medicine den empty except for the curled form of Jayfeather, filling the den with soft snores. I stand and stretch, rolling my head on my shoulders. I feel tense and restless and know it is because of my conversation – or lack thereof – with my siblings yesterday.
Why do they have to be so stubborn?
Stretching again I leave my nest and head for the entrance of the den. It's gray out in the hollow and few cats are awake, those who are have the weary look of early morning. A soft drizzle falls from the sky, much unlike the monsoons of greenleaf. The rain is cool and brings with it a promise of leaf-bare. Jayfeather says that leaf-bare is a hard time for a medicine cat because many of our herbs no longer grow in the cold moons and cats are more prone to illnesses.
Sounds like a headache to me.
I make my way to the fresh-kill pile quickly. Few cats may be up now (and no apprentices) but that can all change in an instant. I grab a squirrel for me and a mouse for Jayfeather before I make my way back to the den.
"Wait Snakepaw!" I freeze and turn around to wait for my brother. He comes barreling toward me and forces a grin onto his face, "We were just relieved." He mumbles softly.
"Hmm," I reply, "Then you should sleep. You look like mouse dung."
"You should watch your language…" he mutters.
I huff in annoyance. "What Frozenfang?"
"We need to talk, the four of us." He mews, suddenly serious.
"What do you think I was trying to do yesterday?" I demand, flicking my tail.
"Well today it should be more effective, as we can talk back now." Frozenfang replies, sarcasm heavy in his voice.
"I liked yesterday's option better, besides I don't know if I'll have time today, Jayfeather might need me the whole day." I reply.
"We'll talk later then? Over dinner?"
"I don't want to eat with the paw fest." I mew coldly. "We'll eat in the medicine den if you want to talk."
"I'll have to talk to the girls… Fallensnow probably wants to eat with Thornpaw." Frozenfang mews distractedly.
"Then we'll have to talk later. I'm sorry but I really have to bring Jayfeather his breakfast, you know how he is." I mew.
"Yeah I do," he agrees, "See you later bro."
Frozenfang scampers off and I walk back to the den. As I enter the familiar smell of herbs overtakes my senses for a moment. Jayfeather is still asleep so I put his mouse next to him and eat my squirrel by the pool. Even though I made up with them jealousy still hangs on my pelt. I'm just an apprentice while they're warriors. It's not fair.
Life's not fair.
Looking up I see the starry pelt of a mangy gray yellow-eyed cat. "Oh great, it's you." I mutter. She's been showing up a lot, ever since I started walking in dreams.
She huffs, "That's some way to greet your ancestor."
"I'm so sorry," I mew, my voice still dripping in sarcasm, "To what do I owe this upmost pleasure Yellowfang?"
Snorting, she rolls her eyes, "You know you remind me a lot of your Aunt."
"My Aunt?" I ask, my nose wrinkling in confusion.
"Yes, Midnightstar. She sounded just like you when I would visit her. Was never a fan of her destiny either, always whining about how bitterly unfair life is." Yellowfang mews nonchalantly.
"Really?" I ask in surprise.
"Oh yes. And of course you could be his twin." She mews nodding at Jayfeather. "It's like going back in time talking to you."
"It seems there's a pattern. Have you ever considered that you're the reason for this?" I ask pointedly.
She throws her head back as she guffaws in laughter. Daft cat. "Yes, you're just like them!" she mews, gasping for air.
I stay silent and wait for her to calm down. After what feels like hours she quiets, "But really, in all seriousness, you need to accept your destiny."
"What destiny?!" I scoff.
"You're more important than you realize!"
"How?" I demand, "I'm just an apprentice! A poor sickly apprentice! I can't fight, I can't read minds and I can't see the future! I can't even run away!"
"Yes you are an apprentice Snakepaw but that does not mean that you are worthless!" She mews, seeming just as desperate as I am, "You're siblings were apprentices when they fought the Dark Forest and most of the apprentices out there have fought or at least encountered the Dark Forest.
"All being an apprentice means is that you are learning. And Snakepaw learning is not a bad thing. We learn every day, and if there is someone out there who does not they are a fool. Snakepaw you are important. You are important because even after all of this you do not want to give up. You want to keep going and you will. I do not know what the future holds for you. I do not know what your other powers are. But I do know that great things will come from you, if you let them. Jayfeather is waking. Goodbye Snakepaw – think on what I have said."
She disappears as Jayfeather stirs. He sniffs and then nudges the mouse.
"Oh thank you Snakepaw."
"You're welcome. What do you need me to do today?" I ask.
"You can check on Cherrytree and Creamlight but then we are going to the moonpool." Jayfeather replies.
"Already?" I question as he eats.
"Indeed, now run along." He instructs, still intent on his food.
I do as he says and take two packages of herbs to the nursery.
When I come back Jayfeather looks up from the pool and joins me. "Come we mustn't waste time."
"Jayfeather what are we doing, leaving so early?" I ask bewildered.
"Oh you'll see." He replies airily as he leaves. And so I follow him, weaving in and out of cats as we pass through camp. My siblings watch with raised eyebrows but I can do little more than shrug. Then we are out in the forest and Jayfeather is off at a brisk pace. We cut straight through the trees until we come out at the stream, then we walk along it in silence as I wonder what's going on and why Jayfeather is being so secretive.
When we arrive at the moonpool it is of course, empty. But Jayfeather sits down expectantly and so I join him. To my surprise, it's only a few minutes before the others arrive.
"Hello everyone," Jayfeather mews and I stare at him in shock for this out of character behavior, "Thank you for coming so early. But now you shall see why I have called you here."
He takes a pause before smiling at me and I cannot help but mew, "Jayfeather what's going on?" His only reply is a sigh and a roll of his blind eyes.
"I, Jayfeather, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his Clan for many moons. Snakepaw do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"
He looks at me expectantly and I force my mouth to close. My brain has jammed in shock but I manage to sigh and mew, "I do," without my voice shaking too much.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Snakepaw, from this moment you will be known as Snakesayer. StarClan honors your quick wit and you ingenuity, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of ThunderClan."
"Um... wow…." I whisper, my eyes going wide.
Kestrelflight laughs a bit and smiles reassuringly at me, "We all felt that way." He whispers.
I look around at the rest of them, at Mothwing who has a smile on her face and Willowshine, who is beaming, and Littlecloud who nods warmly, and Dawnpelt who looks intrigued. And last I look back to Jayfeather whose blind blue eyes are shining and I know something, deep in the marrow of my bones, I know I've done well. I know I've made him proud.
And standing here with everyone congratulating me, looking at Jayfeather, well it kind of makes up for everything else.
Then everyone grows quiet and we move to lie by the pool. I lap up some water and close my eyes, falling asleep instantly.
I'm alone when my eyes open, in a pretty glade with a stream flowing through it. I follow it, leaving the glade to a moor. Walking through the moor I look around but there is no one to see me. I continue to follow the stream until it flows into a river which cuts through a wide meadow. There cats are grouped at its edge, chatting. Their scent reminds me vaguely of RiverClan.
"You have come." I turn around to see a sleek silver tabby she cat. Her eyes shine brightly as she continues, "I must fetch her, she has waited for you. Stay here."
She turns and starts to leave but I call out, "Wait!" She pauses and turns back to me. "What is your name?" I call.
"Silverstream." She smiles and scampers off. I frown slightly but sit down and wait.
She returns soon with another cat with her. They stop in front of me and I take in the new cat. She's light brown with a white pattern over her. It looks like what my mother described as snowflakes. Her green eyes are staring at me intently as I look at her.
"Erm… hello." I mew awkwardly. Then she smiles at I feel a bit more at ease.
"Oh hello! I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I'm Meadowlace." she mews.
"Hi. I'm um Snakesayer."
"Yes I know. They told me you would come… they promised. And here you are at last."
"I'm sorry… I-I don't understand." I mew. She's looking at me like I'm the StarClan warrior not the other way around. She laughs a bit, not it a mean way, but as if she finds my ignorance cute.
"Well of course you don't? How could you?" she smiles but then her eyes turn sad and serious, "They promised me, you see. They promised that I would be able to help someone… they promised that all would not be lost. They promised it would be someone in great need. Someone who had been hurt by us, but who was still loyal. Later they said it would be a spotted cat, a spotted cat with a missing leg. And here you are at last."
"Heh…" I give a nervous laugh and find myself taking a step backwards. I don't mean to, but the way she looks at me is creeping me out and the way she talks, with such reverence... I'm starting to wonder if you can be nuts while dead.
Meadowlace doesn't seem to notice however and continues to smile at me. Then a breeze blows through the clearing and causes the temperature to drop slightly. She turns into it a small frown overtaking her face. Then she turns back to me, "The time to get to know each other must be later. I have to go. Farwell." she fades away slowly.
I let a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding go.
"She's a good cat, if a bit eager." Silverstream mews, "But you must learn to trust her. And now Snakesayer, you must wake, it is time to return to your home. Wake, wake."
I close my eyes and when they open I am looking at Jayfeather. He is frowning as though he knows I am troubled. But he says nothing of it. I rise and follow him out. As we leave, the others talking in soft voices, I can't help but turn back.
And here you are at last.
Sooooo what did you think? Two things, I did not come up with Meadowlace, she was suggested by Meadowlace (duh) so yeah don't own her;) Also I know that medicine cat apprentices normally have longer times as paws but Jayfeather knows how it feels to be left out when it comes to your siblings so I don't think he would want that for Snakesayer. I came up with his name because we were having a really hard time figuring out his name and I think it sounds so cool, just say it to yourself: Snakesayer, Snakesayer, Snakesayer, Snakesayer!
Ahem… oh on the subjects of names we came up with a lot of names for our older OCs that didn't make the cut, like Blaze, Jagged, Lilac, and Golden. We had a lot for Golden. So do you want to hear them? Let me know. Ohhhhhh originally Lilac was supposed to be a medicine cat apprentice! Weird right? This was when we were going to do six arcs but we nixed that idea quickly and then Snake obviously needed to be a medicine cat so she went to a warrior and her whole personality did like a 360.
Um I think I'm done so:
Quote- "Get your feet off my dash." (said with southern accent) ~Leigh Anne Tuohy, The Blind Side. Absolutely love that movie and that scene, the look on her face is priceless! Also I love her character cause she kicks butt.
Quote 2- "Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die, Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred." ~The Charge of the Light Brigade, Alfred Lord Tennyson
Because that poem is amazing, and unfortunately true.
So review please and I hope you enjoyed!=)
~Midnight