Andy sits, staring out into the camp in silence, his fur bristling against the cool night air.
"Oh, here you are," the voice mews from behind him. He turns, seeing Silver standing there, her tail flicking as she settles beside him. "I figured you'd be in the cave." She comments.
"I was," Andy snorts, settling down on the ground, his tail curling around him as he looks along the edge of the hollow. "But I can't stand being in there now. Not after what happened." His ears pin to his head. "Cindercall said that the Clans were mostly peaceful, didn't she? Said that they didn't usually fight aside from border skirmishes... but now..." He shakes his head. "Oddbird's dead. The very cat we ran into in the tree; the one we met like, what, three days ago? More? Less? He's dead. And we could be next."
"You sound so dramatic," Silver huffs. "But... you have a point. Those MoonClan cats... they looked mad. Andy... I'm a little worried that we're stuck in something we don't want to be apart of."
"Then we should get Leila out of here; get her to a twoleg."
"We can't," she mutters. "The kittens are too weak, and we can't get rid of them. We're going to have to wait and do what we can to keep her safe."
Andy scoffs, casting a glare at the silver-furred she-cat.
"They're his kits," he sneers. "We can get rid of them just fine. That's what we planned, isn't it?"
Silver pauses.
She remembers Cindercall's fierce words. The angered look in her eye.
"It is," she agrees. "But... but what if Cindercall's right? What if they aren't monsters like he was?"
"Cindercall was wrong about this peace," he snaps. "She can be wrong about those kits, too. I'm not going to let some soft she-cat try to fool us. We've already been through that before, and I won't let it happen again. We've got to get Leila out of here before it's too late." His tone softens. "I can't watch her get hurt anymore."
Silver's ears lower, and she nods.
"No, we can't." She gets to her paws. "I'm going to turn in for the night, Andy. I'll see you tomorrow."
Andy's eyes flicker up to Silver.
"Alright," he says. "And, just so you know; we leave in a week. It'll give us enough time to rest, and for these cats to give us plenty of hunting training. We should use that to our advantage."
"Right." Silver turns and pads to the cave, tail swishing quietly.
Something about this...
It... felt wrong.
Cindercall found herself looking to the night sky, the stars glittering and shimmering.
They had found Pine Rock just before sunset, having settled their camp for the night beneath it's tree-like appearance. Nettlepelt, Pearlight, and Fleetpaw snoozed away, Cindercall taking first watch.
But Kestrelpaw was still awake, sitting beside Fleetpaw, watching her mother in silence.
The grey she-cat's gaze was light and warm, reflecting the burning light of the sky within their blue color.
Redear said this was normal, Kestrelpaw thought. So... maybe I should ask why...? Jaypaw wasn't here, and Kestrelpaw could handle whatever happened. She had to. For her and her brother's sanity.
She slowly rises to her paws, padding towards Cindercall, her steps hesitant in the soft, springy grass.
"Did you need something, Kestrelpaw?" The grey she-cat's voice was soft and gentle, and Kestrelpaw froze in her steps.
The brown apprentice watches Cindercall, who's gaze had shifted from the sky and had turned to her.
"I... uh..."
Cindercall's whiskers twitch, and she hums slightly, turning back to the sky.
"You seem a little stressed out, Kestrelpaw," she comments softly after a moment. "Why don't you come sit with me for a bit?"
Kestrelpaw's ears twitch and she hesitantly joins the grey she-cat's side, settling beside her, turning her gaze to the sky.
For a moment, they sat in silence, watching the night sky as it glittered and glowed, the moon slowly moving it's way towards the center of the sky. It was peaceful, in the soft silence; Kestrelpaw only heard their breathing, and she didn't feel disturbed or worried much, as she watched the sky.
It was... peaceful.
"Nice, isn't it?" Cindercall's words echoed her thoughts, and Kestrelpaw turned to her mother, blinking. "The stars... they really are peaceful and calming after a rough day of travel, don't you agree?" She hums. "Maybe more than that. They're just... nice to look at after a rough day in general."
"I... suppose they are," Kestrelpaw agrees quietly. "Is it because that's where our ancestors are? They're in Silverpelt, so they calm us down whenever we look at them?"
Cindercall's ears twitch, and she doesn't reply for a moment, before she slowly begins to nod her head.
"That does make quite a bit of sense. Our ancestors are looking down on us and calming us so that we can prepare for tomorrow. That's probably why it's so calming." She looks to Kestrelpaw with a twitch of her whiskers and a warm gaze on her face. "But you feel it too? The calm feeling in your fur?"
Kestrelpaw nods before she can even think, her gaze flickering back up to the sky.
"Yeah," she says. "It's really nice. Is this why you always look up here? Because it calms you down?"
"Yes, that's exactly why," she says. "I also feel closer to StarClan when I look up here; it makes me feel close to the family I have that's passed on. It's very comforting."
Kestrelpaw's ears twitch.
StarClan, the word echoed in her mind. Goosekit... Are you watching us right now? She looked up at the sky, her gaze somber as she studies each shimmering star. Which one was her brother? Which one was that small black and white kitten that had passed away almost a moon ago? Would she recognize him when she saw him?
"Do you miss Goosekit...?" She asks aloud, her voice soft as she looks to her mother. Cindercall glanced at her, eyes wide with slight surprise at the question.
"Of course I do," she says. "A lot. But I'm reminded that I'll see him again one day, so it doesn't weigh on me as much as you might think." She brushed her tail over Kestrelpaw's shoulder. "So, if it weighs on you, I suggest you remember that as well. One day, when you've served your Clan and lived a wondrous life... you'll see Goosekit again. And you'll be able to tell him about it, and share tongues with him once more. Always remember that, and you'll find that... losing a loved one isn't as hard as you might think..."
Kestrelpaw's eyes widened slightly.
She hadn't expected such a thoughtful answer to her question. She had imagined bitter words or maybe a small stiff 'yes', but... not that.
She silently presses closer to Cindercall, not responding to her words. But she didn't need to. Cindercall pressed back gently, curling her tail around her daughter comfortingly.
Casting her gaze to the sky once more, both she-cats falling silent in awe of their ancestors and the stars.
"Hey! Lightning Oak should be just up this ridge!" Pearlight's words made Kestrelpaw jerk her head away from her and Fleetpaw's conversation, instead perking her ears towards her mentor. The white-and-silver tom was nodding up towards a small rocky silhouette, his eyes glancing around and alert as he slowly begins to make his way towards it. Nettlepelt followed close behind, Cindercall on his flank.
Fleetpaw looked to Kestrelpaw.
"Lightning Oak was the last landmark, right? Before the waterfall hollow where we're trying to make a new camp?" He asks excitedly, his whiskers twitching.
"Yeah, I think so," Kestrelpaw agreed. "C'mon, let's catch up; maybe we'll see the waterfall nearby?" Fleetpaw laughs, shaking his head.
"Probably not," he replies, before falling in step beside her as they bound after the warriors.
The group of cats made their way up the rocky slope, stopping at the top to survey the area briefly. Kestrelpaw's eyes swept over the tops of the trees below, her ears perked and nose twitching as excitement pooled in her stomach. Once again, she was reminded of how incredible this was. This was territory that few other cats had seen, let alone walked through.
And she was one of the ones chosen for this mission.
Her gaze turned to Pearlight, her eyes glowing with excitement as she flicks her tail over to the forest below, specifically to a large expanse of meadow-land with a single, charred tree stump in the center.
"This is it, right? That's Lightning Oak?"
Pearlight looked at his apprentice with a nod, his whiskers twitching with amusement at her excitement.
"Yep," he says. "That's our next landmark. Let's head there before we settle for our rest." He beckons the others with his tails, and the cats head down the ridge towards the oak.
Kestrelpaw's paws buzzed with excitement, and she nudged Fleetpaw.
"We're so close! Just think; you and I are the first apprentices who are going to see this place!" Fleetpaw glances at her, his ears furrowed towards her as he cocks his head.
"Well, yeah. That's the whole point, right? To teach us and stuff about expeditions?"
Kestrelpaw rolls her eyes, prodding him in the side.
"That's not the point, fur-brain!" She snorts. "It's like we're Moonstar, going out to find the home for MoonClan! It's new; it's a place where our Clan might live in years to come. What's new to us now... It would one day become normal to other cats! Isn't that amazing?!"
Fleetpaw shrugs, flicking his ears.
"No, not super amazing. But it's pretty cool that we're the first ones to hunt here. Breaking in the new territory!"
Kestrelpaw sighs, shaking her head.
"Oh, nevermind," she grumbles, rolling her eyes. "You don't get it."
"Nope, I guess not," Fleetpaw shrugs, flicking her with his tail. "All I know is that I can't wait for when we can hunt. I'm starving."
Kestrelpaw shouldered him in annoyance, huffing as they move through the trees.
"You can be more patient, y'know. We're almost there." As she said this, they broke into the clearing of the Lightning Oak, and she gives Fleetpaw a look. "See?"
"Yes! Prey!" Fleetpaw bounded forward, as Cindercall, Nettlepelt, and Pearlight stopped by the Lightning Oak. Kestrelpaw watched as they begin to set up a resting spot, sending Fleetpaw and Cindercall off on a hunting trip while Nettlepelt scouted the meadow and Pearlight and Kestrelpaw remained to set up the camp.
None of them looked as excited as Kestrelpaw felt.
Her ears lowered.
Was this not exciting or something?
She paused as Pearlight beckoned her over, everyone else moving to take care of their tasks, and she approached the white-and-silver tom.
"Alright, come with me to inspect the Lightning Oak. We want to make sure nothing's made a den in the roots; sometimes foxes will do that."
"Okay," she replies, following him as they move towards the charred tree.
They moved through the tree's roots, inspecting and sniffing each inch, their paws testing the roots to see if their weight could make for a decent den roof.
When they were finished, Pearlight stepped back.
"All clear, then," he states. "We should be good to rest here." He turns to Kestrelpaw, to speak, before pausing.
Maybe it was the expression on her face, maybe it was just how she had been acting, but he watches her curiously.
"You okay?" He asks. Kestrelpaw's ears twitch.
"Uh..." She lowers her ears. "Yeah, I guess... it just seems that everyone's not as interested in this expedition."
Pearlight pauses, tail flicking as he sits in the grass.
"Well, Nettlepelt, Cindercall, and I... we've all been on plenty of expeditions, so it's not new for us. It's exciting, yes, but we're less likely to show it. But it's not only that, Kestrelpaw. Some cats are born with an innate desire to explore. To seek out new territory. A lot of those cats end up liking expeditions far more than anything else, and they tend to become expeditioners for the Clan. It helps them serve the Clan they love, while also serving their heart. You might have that desire, while other cats do not. Does that make sense?"
Kestrelpaw cocked her head.
"Yeah, it does," she agrees. "But... is it uncommon or something? Fleetpaw and I used to love hearing expedition stories. I thought he would be just as excited."
"Well, he may not have been as excited for those stories as you, or maybe he's lost that desire. I can't say for sure." He shrugs. "What I can say for sure is this; just because other cats may not find it as exciting, doesn't mean you shouldn't. Expeditions are things that are unique to the Clans of this mountain. They're interesting to be apart of, and it's okay to feel excitement for it. It just means you'd like expeditioning more than another cat."
Kestrelpaw relaxes slightly, her ears perking towards Pearlight.
"Do you like expeditioning, Pearlight?" She asks.
"Yes," he purrs. "My brother loves it far more than I do, but I do appreciate being free in the wild and finding places for our Clan to inhabit. It feels like I'm helping my Clan more and more each day. It's lovely, and I wouldn't trade it for the world."
Kestrelpaw's eyes glittered with excitement.
"Really? I'm so glad you feel the same! I love being out here; we're going to find places for MoonClan to live, and one day, what's new to us will be normal for some other cat. That's so exciting and amazing..."
"Isn't it?" Pearlight agrees, his whiskers twitching. "One day, that second camp may be full of queens and kits, all growing and learning their new territory, being completely at home there, instead of at the main camp. I'm just as excited, I just... don't show it as much."
He lifts his head towards the Lightning Oak, his eyes burning with excitement.
"This is a big step for MoonClan. A big step for our warriors and our queens. This place... It's important."
Kestrelpaw stared in awe at Pearlight, her tail flicking back and forth.
"Yeah," she agrees softly. "It is."
