Chapter 8
BushClan / Icepaw
"Morningstar, we have to have some cat take Icepaw to Moonstone." Poppyclaw meowed near the entrance of the medicine den. "I would go, but Bubblekit will need experience to get over this bought of greencough. You can even send Twilightsky or Jaggedcloud so she has two cats protecting her. I don't care, but she needs at least one cat with thunderpath experience."
"I understand your concerns, Poppyclaw, but with Tumbleheart missing, we can't spare any other warrior in case those foxes come to camp." their leader explained.
"Then send the apprentices." the medicine cat demanded. "They aren't made warriors yet, StarClan knows why! They had a full moon of extra training and you haven't made them warriors."
Icepaw flicked her ears as Morningstar meowed uncertainly. "They don't have experiences crossing the thunderpath, though."
She looked into their direction, whiskers trembling. "Turtlepaw and Flamepaw can take me there. I have crossed the thunderpath thanks to Poppyclaw."
"That's too dangerous." the leader argued, sounding almost appalled.
Icepaw blinked, recalling a tale from one of her last visits. "There was a time where Clans sent warriors and apprentices along on the journey to Moonstone. Whether it was the leader seeking guidance or a medicine cat who went to seek it for them, the apprentices tagged along to understand how important it was."
Poppyclaw grunted. "That is true, the Forest Clans that lived here before all of us had such traditions. Who knows if they still do, but it's the best hope we have. We just need some sighted-cat to be her eyes so she can cross safely."
"And the foxes?"
"With my brother and sister, I can climb anything to be out of reach." she meowed, padding to their leader. "It's been moons since my apprenticeship began with Blackdapple and over three moons since my change of path. They will do anything for me, especially after what has happened to our litter-brother, Drizzlepaw."
Morningstar was silent, his tail tip twitching noisily on the soil before he came to a conclusion. "I'll ask Twilightsky and Jaggedcloud if they can spare their apprentices. They did pass their assessments before the Wild Storm, perhaps it would be best to let them be warriors so soon. If they can protect you to and from Highstones, then I will consider it. However, I want you to keep your ears open for how they react in each situation. I want you to report back any visions and how they fare being in charge of protecting you."
Icepaw nodded, "As long as their mentors agree, I will."
"Right, you two make preparations if needed, I'll come back with news." their leader meowed, sliding his body back out of the den.
"You were well spoken, like a true medicine cat." Poppyclaw murmured.
"Well, Shadepelt told me about the old traditions. I thought we might as well follow them a little. Especially when times are tough now." she pointed out, "After all, they are my siblings, I know they would keep me safe. We're family."
"That may be true, but you can't always trust family." her mentor warned, "Believe me, there is either family you can always be with and family that you didn't ask for. Only you can decide which is what you have."
Icepaw frowned a little, knowing full well she had felt such things. Perhaps not in her mentor's way, but in her own. Her siblings had pieces of their parents just as much as she may have. However, she felt she stood out like spoiled-prey. She couldn't be a warrior and was now forced down the path of being a medicine cat. Was it StarClan's doing? Was it a punishment? She didn't know and it tore her apart to never know.
She opened her jaws to respond, only to see the familiar shapes of her siblings slip into the den with Morningstar close behind. The clan leader's gold eyes were dark with worry, but he held his head high. Clearly, he wasn't happy about letting only apprentices go, but he was putting his trust in them to do right before StarClan's eyes.
"Jaggedcloud and Twilightsky will permit it. Pigeonstream agreed with their decisions." he meowed, his voice steady. "Just be careful. The Clan cannot afford to loose anymore cats. There may be foxes night-hunting so you have to keep your wits about you."
Flamepaw growled lowly, "Like they'll mess with us. We'll rip them to shreds."
"Agreed," Turtlepaw meowed, looking to their leader. "Above all else, we will have ears and eyes open for even the slightest hint of trouble."
"We will keep our jaws parted for any faint scents that could be overlooked by our noses." Icepaw promised, looking to Poppyclaw. "Take good care of Bubblekit and the rest. We will hurry back to not worry anyone."
"Of course, I will be waiting and I'm sure Pigeonstream will sit vigil for his kits to come home." the medicine cat rumbled softly, seeming amused.
With a final nod, she turned to her brother and sister. "Let's go. I'll show you one of the paths Poppyclaw and I take to get there."
"I'll walk beside you the whole way, Icepaw." her sister assured her. "I'll be your eyes the best I can."
"And I'll keep a look out for danger. If I hear anything suspicious I will let you two know." the red tabby tom promised.
"Thank you, both of you." she murmured, taking the lead out of the den.
"Travel safely." Morningstar whispered, anxiety giving way in his mew.
"We already promised we will." Flamepaw meowed back, purring in amusement.
Turtlepaw huffed, a step behind Icepaw. "They're worried, that's all."
"We're, what, twelve moons old or so? We can handle this." Flamepaw argued softly, leading the way to the camp's entrance.
"Tumbleheart is fifteen moons old," Icepaw meowed worriedly, "Her scent-trail was overwhelmed by the scent of foxes. She could very well be dead and she is only three moons older."
Silence greeted her grave words, she expected it as they slipped out into the open. Flamepaw halting them to taste the air before they officially left. Even Icepaw knew that the forest looked different, foreboding even, in the light of the stars and moon. Her heart was pounding at the hesitation, before her brother gave the okay. He left the camp's entrance, giving room for Icepaw to come out and lead the way.
She lowered her head to feel the snowy ground with her whiskers, jaws parted to taste the air. Her heightened senses of being half-blind made her more sensitive to scent and sound. Everything was calm, even with the hoots of an owl and the nervous calls of mocking birds. Flicking her tail, she checked the wind. It was blowing towards camp. A sign that ahead of her was safe, at least.
"Where do we go?" Turtlepaw asked, curling her tail over Icepaw's slender shoulders.
Icepaw pointed with her nose to the left. "Towards The Twoleg Bridge is the fastest way there. However, there is a much longer way that we can take."
"Alright, so let's take it, we're wasting your precious moonlight." Flamepaw grumbled.
Icepaw nodded, looking to her sister. "You can stay beside me, just our fur needs to be brushing. Flick your tail at me if you see danger and if Flamepaw hears anything nudge against me." she then looked to Flamepaw, trying to focus her eyes onto his own. "If you hear any danger look at Turtlepaw and flick your ears back. If it's too dark for that, then say 'mint leaf' to signal danger."
"Mint leaf, got it." Flamepaw meowed, sounding more at ease.
Icepaw blinked, dipping her head low as she studied each scent on the path. She was glad to give them roles and ways to allow them to know if they were in danger or not. Focusing, she tried to picture the dark forest as it was on her first night to Highstones. Closing her eyes, she could see the lush branches and leaves falling in gusts of the wind. Twitching her whiskers, memories of the path came to her.
"Follow me." she meowed, opening her eyes as she began to trot confidently.
Her siblings kept up, nervous and glancing around wildly. She could hear it in the way their fur rustled, the jerky steps of Turtlepaw's stride, and the way Flamepaw breathed with his jaws parted. They were on edge as distant eerie howls cracked the silent and snowy forest. Some were obviously the calls of foxes, however one was filled with strange high pitched yips in the far distance.
"What are those?" Turtlepaw whispered, her fur prickling into Icepaw's.
"I don't know." Flamepaw muttered, his mew taut, "I'm not planning on finding out either."
"We should have taken the quicker path." Turtlepaw fretted.
"Stay with me." Icepaw mewed, breaking through their fears. "They are far away and it will take them time to even get to us. As long as we keep moving we will cross the thunderpath before they even come near where we are now."
That seemed to settle them, but she knew she was only repeating the words Poppyclaw had told her. She knew what the howling yips were. She never seen them, but her mentor had told her about them. She suppressed a shudder, not wanting to answer her siblings with the vile word. If she did, they would probably want to head back and prevent her from trying to speak with their ancestors.
Fierce determination filled her as she picked up her pace, surprising her siblings. "Come on, if we hurry we can find the thunderpath fast."
"Hold on!" Turtlepaw cried, galloping beside her. "You can't even see where your putting your paws! It could dangerous."
"I've traveled this path many times." she assured her. "I've seen it with my own eyes at night. Even with worsening vision, I know this path."
"Until you trip over your own paws." Flamepaw reminded her, quickly getting ahead of her. "If we make too much noise any nearby enemies will hear us."
"It'll be fine. Do you hear it? That strange sound on the wind?" Icepaw mewed, slowing down to a clump of brambles and gorse. "That's the thunderpath."
"I've seen it in sunlight and at sunset." Turtlepaw panted lightly, "It's not that scary even with those things running on it."
"So it would seem." Flamepaw puffed as he found a way through, "Over here."
Icepaw padded up to him, squeezing through the branches to the other side. "Down this crest of the hill, you can see the monsters on the thunderpath with strange glowing eyes."
"Strange indeed." Turtlepaw meowed, squeezing out behind her, gently nudging her forward. "How can they do that?"
"No cat knows, but we have to cross their path."
"Cross it?" Flamepaw grunted as he pulled himself through. "How does Poppyclaw fit through there?"
"Maybe you shouldn't eat too much prey." Turtlepaw teased.
"I'm a growing tom!" he grumbled, "I have to eat."
"Not the time." Icepaw meowed, "Focus. See the break of their glowing eyes and the sound of their thundering paws? We need that break in order to cross to the other side."
"Right, sorry." Flamepaw mewed softly, sounding embarrassed to be scolded by his own sister.
Turtlepaw even sounded awkward to her ears. "Let's get down there then. Do we streak down the hill or is there another way?"
"The hill is steep, but my short legs can manage it if we go down at an angle." she promised, leading the way down on a familiar well-trodden path.
Her littermates followed her in silence, keeping their senses stretched between them for her safety. One wrong step and she could skid and roll down the hill. One lapse in attention could easily get them killed by anything that spotted them on the vast expanse. Swallowing dryly, Icepaw continued to lead them towards the thunderpath. When the path turned, she followed it, dimples of paw-prints were beneath the snow laden passage. Giving clear indication that many animals used it.
She shivered as a cold wind picked up. The sky was clear, she could tell from the faint light she could see. When she glanced up, she could see the half-moon as a blob of blurry light. She had to hurry, it could reach the perfect position on moonstone, sending it into it's sparkling splendor before she reached it. Only when it was alight with the half-moon could she be able to speak with StarClan. As far as she understood it, only the leader of the Clan and full-medicine cats could get guidance from the moonstone without the moonlight.
Although, she was unsure if it was true at all. Was the moon the only light needed for it? Could it all just be something Poppyclaw assumes? She could only wonder as she slowed to a stop to the growing roar of the thunderpath. It seemed to her that the monsters weren't as plentiful. She tilted her head curiously. Could they not like the cold like prey? Where would they den up? Shaking her head she looked on ahead.
"Flamepaw, keep an open on your side of the thunderpath, Turtlepaw keep an eye on yours as well. Once there is no monsters we will run across together." she ordered.
Whether they heard or not, she didn't know. The buffeting wind of a monster filled her ears as they rumbled on by, roaring with great speed on their strange round paws. The acrid scent pungent and making her screw up her nose as she flattened her ears. Suddenly, Turtlepaw whispered in her ear, jolting her into full attention.
"NOW!"
Without a second thought, Icepaw flung herself onto the black-stone. It was rough beneath her pads and trembling as she heard the thudding paws of her brother and sister. A blaring howl split through the silent night, making Icepaw falter mid-step. Stumbling she pressed on, unaware if her siblings had frozen in horror as she kept pelting across the thunderpath.
"Don't stop, keep running!" she screeched, feeling the buffeting air close to her hindquarters and tail.
A screeching yowl of pain erupted behind her. Horrified, she skidded to a halt, tumbling onto the dusty bank of the other side. She looked over, whipping her tail off the thunderpath and searched wildly. She couldn't tell who had made the horrific sound. She panted, feeling too close to danger, but too scared to move.
"Turtlepaw! Flamepaw!" she called, her heart thudding as fear swamped over her as there was no answer.
Another blaring howl cried from a monster and something rushed passed her. She listened, her ears ringing as she tried to locate what had practically flown at her. She could smell blood in the air as she crept away from the thunderpath. Fear coursed through her as she forced her limbs to move. She couldn't smell much of anything other than blood and the acrid stench of the thunderpath.
"T-Turtlepaw?" she mewed softly, her eyes stretched wide to try and see in the night. "Fl-Flamepaw?"
Her paw touched fur, warm and trembling. "We're here." mewed the shaky voice of Turtlepaw. "We're alive."
"My... My tail..." Flamepaw whispered in pain. "It... it took my tail."
Icepaw reached down, sniffing as she located Flamepaw. Once she did, she sought out his spine and followed it to the base of his tail. It was still there. Confused, she followed it with a gentle paw, only to feel a sharp dip a mouse length away from his rump. Startled, she drew back her paw, before feeling it again to be sure.
"It's still there, Flamepaw." Turtlepaw assured him. "I can still see it."
"It's broken." Icepaw told him, "A mouse length away from your rump, it was broken."
"It must have been that monster's fault." he whimpered, trying to steady himself.
"Will you be alright?" Turtlepaw asked, her voice trembling.
"Does it hurt?" Icepaw asked.
She could sense him getting up, the snow crunching beneath his paws as she heard the soft intake of pain. At last he meowed. "A little, but I'll be fine. We have to get to Highstones. Once there we can see what we can do for it."
"Very well. I will try to ask for advice to fix this from StarClan. If there is any they can give." Icepaw murmured, nudging him gently.
She heard a soft dragging sound along with unsteady steps. She winced slightly, knowing it was her brother's tail. Turtlepaw got to her paws, shakily, and followed his lead. Quietly, Icepaw followed, knowing how close they were to loosing Flamepaw in mere moments. Her heart raced, not even knowing how they made it across alive. Curiosity burned at her, but she ignored it as she began to feel the familiar pull towards the yawning mouth of the cavern.
"We're here." Icepaw announced, picking up speed and overtaking her brother. "I'll go inside now so we can leave sooner."
"Be careful." Turtlepaw called after her as she padded into the stuffy tunnel.
"Same to you both." she called back, her meow echoing off the walls eerily.
She had to be fast, they could be in danger if she took too long. Swiftly, she followed the walls of the cave, her whiskers brushing against the uneven surface as she padded in the darkness. The still air was full of the scent of soil and stone, making her wonder if this was what it was like for the cats who were buried after the battles. The ones who didn't make it. Would this have been Flamepaw's fate? Was this Drizzlepaw's and Spottedstorm's fate?
At last, the tunnel opened up around her. She could smell fresh air, crisp with leafbare's chill. Blinking, she realized she could see the dazzling the glow of the moonstone. Twitching her tail, she padded forward to it delicately. She felt awkward to stand before the glittering stone. She stared into it's silvery-white light as she padded closer and closer to it. Soon it was before her, her whiskers touching it and her nose feeling the unbearable urge to be pressed against it.
"StarClan, please... give us guidance. Tumbleheart is missing, Flamepaw's tail has been broken. Please, help me, Icepaw, guide our Clan into safety." she murmured, crouching before the massive stone and touching her nose against it.
In an instant, her muscles relaxed and a bitter cold filled her from her nose tip straight to her paws and tail. A warm wind ruffled her fur as she opened her eyes again. Swaths of heather and long grasses surrounded her. The blazing white light of the full moon warmed her back as she rose to her paws. A familiar flicker of reddish-brown fur entered her vision.
Stalking through the long grass of the moors was the founding leader, Bushstar. His pelt flecked with stars and his eyes twinkling as he approached her. His shoulders were broad, his bushy tail held high in greeting as he slowed to a stop before her. He was still quite a bit bigger than herself, but she never minded. She had short legs, after all, any cat was bound to be taller.
"Bushstar," Icepaw greeted, twitching her whiskers. "Why have you come to me this time? Am I on the wrong path?"
"Why must you assume the worst?" he mewed softly, though his tone was light his gaze was dark.
"You did come to me to tell me to trust in Nightstar. She made me a warrior apprentice. Then you remind me of that time so I accepted my path as a medicine cat apprentice. Either I'm once again on the wrong path, or there is something you have to share."
"You have grown wise beyond your moons of life." Bushstar commented, looking away, "No doubt, Poppyclaw has been teaching you well."
"Of course, he is the only medicine cat." she pointed out.
"Hawksight is a medicine cat." the StarClan warrior reminded her.
Icepaw blinked slowly, "That may be true, but she does not visit moonstone like I do."
"She still is one." Bushstar meowed, flicking his tail, "But that is not why I am here. I am here because something terrible is coming."
"Something terrible?" she echoed.
The tom nodded, looking into the distant horizon, far from StarClan's reach. "Fear and blood will rise. So will the noble, fearless, and wise."
Icepaw blinked, confused. "What does that mean?"
"Beware Icepaw." he whispered, a flash of concern in his eyes. "Fear will destroy the moors. Blood will follow them and the hope of the stars will be lost forever."
Icepaw tried to speak, but a mist began to appear as a fog. It surrounded her, blurring her vision as Bushstar stood rooted to the ground, his amber eyes focused on her. His ears flicked back, his fur bushing out as he lowered his head. She let out a strangled yowl as, before her eyes, he became the blurry figure of a russet-colored beast.
With a jolt, she pried her nose off the cold stone. Her legs ached as she stumbled away. The blinding light was gone. Her heart pounded as she tried to steady her breathing. What was it that she had just seen? What was Bushstar trying to tell her? She licked her ruffled fur, trying to soothe herself. Why was he always in her visions?
She got to her paws, shaking out her fur. She had to get home. No matter what, she had to talk to Poppyclaw to get to the bottom of it. Swiftly, she turned and raced back to the tunnel and back through it. It was a long night, but she had to figure it out. For the sake of the Clan, she had to find out what Poppyclaw thinks and if they should tell Morningstar.
Author Note:
Bushstar has spread his made-up prophecy.
Although, it seems he has added onto it. Hmm, I wonder why...
Anyway, thank you for reading! See you on Monday! - Nightsky
