It was evening, and by now most of MistClan was settled down, sharing freshly caught prey, grooming each other and sharing the latest gossip. Wildkit and Willowkit were parked directly in front of the elders den, listening to Rainycloud, Graynose, and Glimmerwing talk about the days when they were warriors, young and strong.
"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting!"
Bluepaw's ears perked and she looked over to see cats emerging from their dens, many of them whispering to one another, no doubt trying to figure out what Larkstar had to say.
Bluepaw sighed softly and set down the herbs she had been sorting, and with nod to Flowingstream, the two she-cats along with Meadowlight, patted out of the medicine cat's den, joining the other warriors and apprentices near the base of the Highrock.
"Attention, MistClan! I have a very important anonximqbt, so listen up!" Larkstar yowled, his voice echoing across the MistClan camp.
Hushed whispers began rippling through the crowd of cats as they waited for the MistClan leader to speak.
"SILENCE!" the elderly tomcat yowled. "It has been brought to my attention that two of Goldenflow's kits are ready to begin their apprentice training!"
Bluepaw felt a purr rumble in the back of her throat as she glanced over at Sunsetkit and Twilightkit, who were bouncing excitedly next to Goldenflow.
"Yippie! I'm so excited!" Sunsetkit squealed, happily chasing her tail and smiling bright up at Goldenflow.
The orange-colored she-cat gave an amused purr and began to groom her two kits fur, much to the protests of Sunsetkit.
"Mama!" the ginger she-kit whined. "We don't need to be groomed! We're going to be apprentices!"
Twilightkit cuffed her sister on the ear with a low hiss. "Mama's just making sure our fur is clean and nicely groomed, so stop winning!"
Bluepaw gave an amused purr and turned back to face Larkstar, who also looked amused at the two kits interaction with their mother.
"Goldenflow," Larkstar meowed, making the orange-colored she-cat turn to face him. "Are Sunsetkit and Twilightkit ready to become apprentices?"
Goldenflow nodded her head and smiled down at her two older kits. "Yes they are," she purred, brushing her tail over their heads as she spoke.
Larkstar nodded in response. "Good, then we shall begin with the ceremony." The elderly tom meowed in a raspy voice.
"Sunsetkit and Twilightkit, please step up to Highrock!" he mewed. Sunsetkit dashed up to the top, trying to be in the front, but Twilightkit was faster than her and beat her to the top. Larkstar glanced down at the impatient Twilightkit. He smiled at her large dark purple eyes, which were widened in both nervousness and excitement.
"Twilightkit, do you promise to listen to your mentor and uphold the warrior code?"
"I do," Larkstar smiled down at the short-furred sable she-kit.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, until this kit has become a warrior, she shall be known as Twilightpaw. Shadowhunter will be your mentor. Shadowhunter, you are faithful and hard-working. I hope you will pass your skills onto Twilightpaw." The black she-cat dipped her head gratefully.
"I promise to teach this fine young cat all I know," she padded up to Highrock and tapped noses with Twilightpaw.
Larkstar then turned his attention to the sleek-furred ginger she-kit.
"Sunsetkit, do you promise to listen to your mentor and uphold the warrior code?" he repeated. Sunsetkit nodded.
"Yes, I promise," Sunsetkit meowed, her sleek ginger fur fluffed up in excitement and her green eyes shimmering with anticipation.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, until this kit has earned her warrior name, she shall be called Sunsetpaw. Whitemist will be your mentor. Whitemist, you are quick-witted and loyal, I trust that you will train Sunsetpaw well." Larkstar mewed proudly.
Whitemist smiled and dipped her head in gratitude. The white-furred she-cat smiled kindly as she patted over to the base of Highrock and touched noses with Sunsetpaw.
She looked up and nodded to Larkstar. "I promise to teach Sunsetpaw everything that I know," she meowed proudly.
"Twilightpaw! Sunsetpaw! Twilightpaw! Sunsetpaw!" the MistClan cats cheered, yowling their joy to Silverpelt as they did so.
Once the noise had finally died down enough for Larkstar to speak, the dark brown tomcat leader yowled loudly to get his Clan's attention.
"There is one more ceremony that I must compleate," the dark-furred tomcat meowed, his eyes sweeping over the Clan as he spoke.
After a short pause, the MistClan leader continued speaking.
"The biggest honor a leader can do is to turn an apprentice, or two in this case, into warriors. Silverpaw, come forth." Silverpaw then went to the base of the Highrock to meet Larkstar. "I, Larkstar, leader of MistClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." He then looked at Silverpaw, who raised her head. "Silverpaw," Larkstar continued, "do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan even at the cost of your life?"
"I do." Silverpaw replied. "Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Silverpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Silverfeather. StarClan honors your courage and quick-thinking, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MistClan." When he was done, Larkstar then rested his muzzle on Silverfeather's head, who then licked the leader's shoulder. "Silverfeather! Silverfeather! Silverfeather!" the whole Clan cheered.
After Silverfeather stepped back it was Leafpaw's turn to step forward. "I, Larkstar, leader of MistClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." He then looked over at Leafpaw as she raised her head. "Leafpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan even at the cost of your life?" Larkstar said. "I do." Leafpaw replied with determination. "Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Leafpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Leafwing. StarClan honors your inelegance and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MistClan." He then put his muzzle on Leafwing's head, who licked Larkstar's shoulder.
"Leafwing! Leafwing! Leafwing!" the Clan chanted Leafwing's new name. Leafwing then went to sit beside her sister. "As of tradition, Silverfeather and Leafwing will sit in silent vigil all night and guard the camp while the rest of us sleep. You are all dismissed." When Larkstar was finished a few cats went to the prey pile to get something to eat before going to sleep for the night.
As cats were heading toward their dens to sleep for the night, Bluepaw saw Silverfeather and Leafwing being congratulated by their mentor's, Echosky and Firesong respectively.
•••
When Bluepaw opened her eyes, she was a bit surprised to find herself not in the apprentice's den, but in a clearing of beautiful silver flowers and a vast woodsy forest with frost lining the grass-covered ground.
Slowly standing to her paws, the blue-furred she-cat scanned the strange clearing for any signs of life.
Noticing a flower coated in sky-blue petals dappled with silver-and-white, Bluepaw slowly patted over and took a hesitant sniff and gently batted at the strange flower with a blue-colored paw.
"Hello, young Bluepaw, it's a pleasure to finally meet you!" Bluepaw spun around with wide eyes to see a dark tortoiseshell molly slowly approaching her. Her dark brown, starry, dappled pelt glowing in the light of the moon, and her warm amber eyes bright as she stared straight into Bluepaw's frosty blue eyes.
"W-who are you?" she stammered, blinking rapidly and trying not to gape in shock.
The dark-furred she-cat purred and brushed her tail over Bluepaw's shoulder. "There's no need to be afraid young one, my name is Spottedfeather, I was the old MistClan medicine cat."
Bluepaw's jaw dropped open in shock. "You're Meadowlight's old mentor?" she gasped in shock, her fur fluffing up and her tail straight up in the air.
Spottedfeather just smiled and nodded her head in response to Bluepaw's question.
"But why am I here? I'm no medicine cat, if you have a prophecy to tell me, why don't you give it to Flowingstream or-" Bluepaw was cut off by Spottedfeather placing her tail over her mouth.
"I see you're quite the smart and observant type, hmm, those are great qualities for a young cat like you to have," Spottedfeather remarked with a soft purr. "But I didn't choose Flowingstream or Meadowlight to give this prophecy to, I chose you, Bluepaw," the starry tortoiseshell she-cat responded with a small laugh and a flick of her tail.
Bluepaw's eyes popped wide open in shock and her jaw dropped. "A prophecy? For me?" she mewled in surprised bewilderment.
Spottedfeather nodded with an amused pur and a twitch of her whiskers. "Yes, that's what I said, wasn't it?" the dark-furred she-cat mewed with a soft purr rumbling in the back of her throat.
Bluepaw nodded, trying to look regal and mature, when in reality she was dying to hear the prophecy. Spottedfeather's voice suddenly grew louder and deeper, like it wasn't coming from her, but echoing from the surrounding woods, and the grassy ground, and from the clear blue streams and starry night sky. Spottedfeather, or maybe it was the whole of StarClan, Bluepaw wasn't sure, spoke the words that would change the Clans forever.
"When darkness falls upon the land, when Clan cats fight for a rightful leader, four young cats will come together to stop the fighting. Claws and teeth soak in blood and tears, while many cats stand frozen with fear. To stop this incoming doom, the four Clans must fight together as one, and only then will the darkness flee."
"Bluepaw, there is one more thing that you must know," Spottedfeather mewed. Bluepaw's ears pricked and she nodded for the older cat to continue. "Mistrust will be your downfall when the storm of water and ice rises to combat the flames of the past." Those were the last words she heard before the StarClan cats began to fade and everything went dark.
•••
Bluepaw awoke with a sharp gasp, her blue-gray fur fluffing up in fear and her blue eyes scanning her surroundings. The haunting words that Spottedfeather had just told her echoed in Bluepaw's mind as she tried to calm her frazzled nerves.
"Mistrust will be your downfall when the storm of water and ice rises to combat the flames of the past."
But what does that mean? And what about the prophecy? Bluepaw could feel herself shaking at the cryptic words that were told to her.
She quiatly patted out of the apprentice's den and with silent pawsteps, the young she-cat sat down in the grass and looked up at the night sky witch was shimmering with stars. The silver light of the moon made her blue-gray fur glow silver in the light, and her frosty blue eyes reflected the moon.
She sighed again and as she continued to stare up at Silverpelt, she quietly recited the words of the prophecy that she had received. "When darkness falls upon the land, when Clan cats fight for a rightful leader, four young cats will come together to stop the fighting. Claws and teeth soak in blood and tears, while many cats stand frozen with fear. To stop this incoming doom, the four Clans must fight together as one, and only then will the darkness flee."
Bluepaw was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice when someone came and sat beside her, also staring up at Silverpelt. "The stars sure are pretty," Bluepaw jumped with a mewl of surprise, and with unsheathed claws, she spun around to see who had startled her. However, she soon relaxed at the sight of her best friend and secret mate, Flowingstream. "Why are you up so late, Bluepaw?" Flowingstream meowed in worry as she stared up at her.
Bluepaw sighed and flattened her ears, meowing softly, "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to go outside and get some fresh air," she told her, it was partly true anyway.
Flowingstream just stared at her with a disbelieving look on her face. "Yeah yeah!" she said lamely. Bluepaw sighed and flattened her ears, it was no use lying to Flowingstream, who could read her better than any other cat.
Bluepaw sighed in defeat and shuffled her paws uncomfortably. Flowingstream sat down and stared at Bluepaw. "So... what is the real reason you're out here?" It took moments for Bluepaw to say something.
"Ok ok fine I'll tell you!" she said with a defeated sigh. "The reason I'm out here is because I just received a prophecy from Spottedfeather, MistClan's old medicine cat." She eventually told her what Spottedfeather had told her.
