Rising Moon

Jedi Goat

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.

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Chapter 33

Moonblaze met up with Oakheart again later that day. She was taking a quick break from herb hunting at the time, eating a shrew from the fresh-kill pile. It was the first time she had eaten that day, and her stomach was growling for more than the meager shrew. However, Moonblaze restrained herself. She knew she had to put the clan before herself.

Stretching out in the weak sunlight, she began licking her fur clean. That was when Oakheart padded up.

"Hey," he said, grabbing a mouse and settling down beside her. "Want to share?" he asked, pushing the mouse toward her.

"No, thanks, I already ate," she said politely, though she eyed the prey hungrily.

"You need to keep your strength up," he cajoled gently. "C'mon, I don't mind."

"Oh, all right," she sighed, and took a bite of the mouse. The warm prey was a welcome treat. She savored the taste in her mouth before swallowing it down. She then passed the mouse back to Oakheart with a grateful nod and resumed licking her paws.

After he finished eating, they shared tongues together.

"Oakheart?" she said finally.

"What is it, Moonpaw?" he asked, meeting her eyes.

She looked at her paws. "I'm not Moonpaw anymore, actually. I got my name the other night, at the Moonpool. I would've told you, but –"

"It's all right," he mewed, "I understand. You were pretty distressed last night. I'm sorry about what happened." He then perked up. "But, you got your name! That's great! What is it?"
Moonblaze smiled slightly, savoring the moment. "Moonblaze."

"Moonblaze," he murmured, burying his face in her neck fur. "That's lovely."

Moonblaze closed her eyes, enjoying his presence – for she did not know how long this could last. Soon they would be at war, and then would they ever get to see each other again?

She opened her eyes, trying to shake away those thoughts. Then she noticed Whitedove striding toward them and, remembering her quarrel with Wolfspirit earlier that day, broke hastily away from Oakheart.

"Oakheart!" Whitedove called crisply, "I've assembled my border patrol. Do we have permission to leave?"

He stood up quickly and nodded. "Report back when you're done."

Whitedove left them, and Moonblaze breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Oakheart nosed her ear.

"I'd better go."

"Goodbye." Moonblaze watched him cross the camp to continue his deputy duties, and she gave a small sigh.

That night, Moonblaze stared into the darkness of her den for a long time before she fell asleep. Worried thoughts chased around her head like mice. Their preparations had barely started, and they were not going well. Prey was scare, as leaf-bare's cold breath kept the tiny creatures hidden underground. Medicinal herbs proved even harder to find, and she couldn't help but worry that greencough would strike again.

Finally, Moonblaze managed to doze off, and she found herself in a clearing in ThunderClan territory. A familiar gray she-cat sat waiting for her.

"Dawnbreak!" Moonblaze called. Her sister smiled, rising to her paws.

"Welcome back, Moonblaze." Her voice, as it had been recently, was mysterious, as if she were holding something back. "Come, let us walk."

The two she-cats walked through the darkened forest, Moonblaze looking about and identifying the places around her. Then they were near the abandoned Twoleg nest again.

"Do you remember," Dawnbreak murmured, "when I told you of our mother?"

Moonblaze looked about the familiar clearing and nodded, feeling sick. Too many horrible things had happened here.

Dawnbreak sat back down, and Moonblaze reluctantly curled up beside her.

"Tonight, we shall learn of your mother's story," Dawnbreak revealed. Then the clearing was fading around them, and a strange sight met Moonblaze's eyes; moments ago, they had been in the forest, and now they sat in the middle of a humongous cave. Cats of all colors swarmed around them.

"This is the Tribe of Rushing Water," mewed Dawnbreak.

Moonblaze looked around her, amazed. She noticed a group of small cats wrestling in a corner – they were apprentices. Other cats were bringing in prey and setting it on the fresh-kill pile. This tribe worked just like a clan; she could hardly believe these cats would simply decide to invade her own home.

Then another cat appeared before her, out of the crowd. Instantly she shrank back; this tom had a fearsome look about him. He was broad-shouldered and well-built, with muscles rippling along his gray pelt. Old scars were etched deep in his skin, and one of his ears displayed a large gap. Moonblaze shivered as she looked into his cold amber eyes. This tom stood out from all the rest of the cats, as if he did not belong in the tribe at all.

The tom stopped in front of Moonblaze and, snarling, lashed out with his claws. Moonblaze shrieked and drew back, but the claws did not harm her. They were intended for another cat, a gray-black she-cat. The she-cat gave a cry of pain as the tom's claws raked down her back. A long scar glistened with blood.

Taking a step back, the she-cat stared up at the tom with fear in her green eyes. Moonblaze's heart lurched as she looked into those eyes – My eyes. My mother's eyes.

"You should be on your hunting patrol!" snarled the tom.

"Preybone, please," whimpered the she-cat, "I must remain in the nursery!"

Moonblaze now noticed that the she-cat's belly was plump with kits. She now felt quite sorry for her dear mother. How dare that foul leader be so mean!

However, Moonblaze had learned that she could never change the course of such things in her dreams, so she stayed back and watched.

The scene changed; the she-cat was now out in the cold, shivering as she labored through the snow. She was heading away from the cave – Moonblaze saw her glancing back at it over her shoulder. There was sadness in her eyes. Her mother was running away.

Then the she-cat turned and disappeared down a slope.

As the scene faded once more to the dark clearing, Moonblaze sat staring down at her paws. Finally, she looked up at Dawnbreak.

"Then she came here," she whispered, her voice catching in her throat. "Our mother."

Dawnbreak nodded, quietly nudging Moonblaze's ear.

"Why did you show me this?" Moonblaze wondered. "How will this help us fight Nightfang and his warriors?"

Dawnbreak padded away. Halfway across the clearing, she stopped and looked back. "Your father…and Nightfang's father…was that same tom, Preybone. And your mother, Moonblaze, did you ever know her name?"

Moonblaze shook her head, feeling rather shocked by the first revelation. "But what does that have to do –"

Dawnbreak spoke over her. "Her name was Night. Night of No Stars."

And with that, Dawnbreak turned and padded away.

To be continued...

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