Chapter 8, Moonpaw's adventure

Moonpaw gave a terrified scream and whipped around. She shot up a tree, and lay there, shaking and trembling.

Slowly the dark forest vanished around her and Moonpaw lay at the Moonpool, her paws tucked under her.

The rest of the cats were already up, sitting and talking quietly.

"Finally!" Nightfoot meowed happily. "We've been up for ages!"

Moonpaw didn't answer.

Skyflower stepped to the front of the Moonpool and fixed her eyes on Silverpelt.

"I, Skyflower, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the way of a medicine cat, and with your help she will serve her Clan for many moons. Moonpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan, and protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

Happiness pounded through every limb in Moonpaw's body. She almost forgot the terrifying dream in all her excitement.

"I do." Moonpaw said.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your name as a medicine cat. Moonpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Moonhowl. We honor you for your courage and kindness."

"Moonhowl! Moonhowl! The other medicine cats sang.

Moonhowl purred her thanks to Skyflower and departed with the others. She glanced back down the slope.

At the edge of the Moonpool, with its red eyes glinting in the starlight, was the white wolf.

OoOoO

Moonhowl entered camp that night. The Clan was sleeping soundly.

She went to the medicine cats den and fell asleep.

She woke up when only the first streaks of dawn were painting the sky, and Moonhowl crept out and left the territory.

She entered WindClan territory. It was dark, and she crossed the moor easily.

The jagged rocks loomed out in front of her. Moonhowl toke a deep breath, and started out.

She was at the edge of some king of camp. There was a pile of snoring…Wolves!

Moonhowl almost fled in terror. Instead, she steadied herself, toke a deep breath, and walked into the clearing.

The snoring got a little quieter.

Moonhowl sniffed at a small white one.

She turned around. A white wolf lay with its head on the ground.

One eye opened.

Moonhowl froze.

The wolf shot up in a flash. She growled, and her white fur stuck straight up in the air.

Moonhowl whimpered, and backed away slowly. More wolves had stood up now and were advancing on the young medicine cat.

"Get out of our territory!" one snarled.

"I'll do that!" Moonhowl cried she turned around.

Lupin blocked her path.

"Let me just take a taste of your leg first." She growled.

Moonhowl whimpered and tried another way. Star blocked. "Let Lupin have her taste." He snarled.

Lupin was in front of her again. She drew back her lips.

Moonhowl scratched her muzzle. Blood spilled onto Lupin's pearly white fur.

Moonhowl jumped up and fled through a crack in the crowd. But Lupin jumped again, blood streaming from her muzzle, and her teeth sank into Moonhowl's hind leg.

Moonhowl turned around and gave Lupin a sharp bite on the muzzle.

She felt the white wolf's teeth release her leg and Moonhowl was out sprinting. She ran as far as she could away from the rocks, and sat panting in WindClan territory.

There was a soft patter of feet behind her and Moonhowl turned to see Rainfeather.

"You were with the wolves," Rainfeather said simply.

"How did you know?" Moonhowl asked.

"I am always there." She shrugged, looking uneasy. "Did you see Stone? Is he alright?"

"Who is Stone?"

"The small white one."

"Yeah, he was fine."

"Its good you got away when you did," Rainfeather commented.

"Why?" asked Moonhowl.

"They would have killed you. That's what they did to…uh…Onestar."

"They killed Onestar?" Moonhowl asked in shock.

"Yeah. He was watching me and Stone talk, and after I left he was still there and the wolves caught him. They didn't eat him though. They just really injured him and left him there to die."

"How do you know?"

"I was just there. I am always there. I saw him and he told me what had happened. You better go. Oh- and I'm a warrior now. Rainfeather."

"And my name is Moonhowl." She called over her shoulder as she dashed out of WindClan territory.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Rainfeather had been really into the wolves. She shivered. What if Rainfeather got so into the wolves that she got tired of the Clans and made the wolves attack them?

The wolves were not a good thing.

OoOoO

Rainfeather walked back to camp, where her Clanmates were grieving for Onestar.

Ashstar leaped on the stump. "It is time to pick the new deputy," she meowed. Her eyes sought out one smoky black warrior. "Rainfeather will be the new deputy of WindClan."

Rainfeather leapt to her paws with a yowl of protest. "I am way too young! Why would you pick me? Crowfeather is a much better choice!"

"I picked you because you are a strong, trustworthy warrior. You are much like you father, but I see more in you then I do in him-No offense Crowfeather- I trust you will serve me long."

Rainfeather looked around at the Clan. "Yes," she rasped finally. "I will." She cast Ashstar an annoyed look. She had never wanted to be deputy.

I am a horrible choice, Ashstar. She thought irritably. She had only been a warrior for a couple of days…but now she was deputy.

The thought thrilled her a little bit actually.

Rainfeather walked out of camp and entered the wolves' rocky territory.

She looked down into the camp.

Chaffinchfur was surrounded by wolves.

Rainfeather dashed into the camp with an angry yowl.

Lupin turned her gaze on the young deputy.

"I'll save you!" Chaffinchfur cried leaping up.

"I DON'T NEED YOU TO SAVE ME, SO GET OUT OF MY FUR!" Rainfeather spat with uncharacteristic fury.

She raked her claws down a tan wolves flank. "Run Chaffinchfur!" She yowled at him. He didn't move.

"I-I need to save you!" he said.

"Mousebrain!" Rainfeather spat at him. She barreled into his side, and he fell over.

"I'll fend them off! You run!" Chaffinchfur gasped.

"GET…OUT!" Rainfeather said with such force that Chaffinchfur looked shocked.

Suddenly a black wolf crept up behind him. His massive paw slashed down on Chaffinchfur's throat.

Chaffinchfur coughed and tried to stand up, but he couldn't.

"Goodbye Rainfeather," he whispered. "I love you."

"But I don't love you." Rainfeather snarled. "Because you are a mousebrain. I don't need you to save me, so get out of my fur and STAY OUT!"

Chaffinchfur's eyes glazed over in sadness and death. He stopped moving and was still.

Rainfeather stood up and streaked away like a flash of lightning. She stood in WindClan territory.

Chaffinchfur was dead. And Rainfeather didn't feel all that sad.

But the wolves were beginning to kill each other, and it wouldn't be long till Rainfeather went down too.

Well! Who thinks Chaffinchfur is a dope?