"Badgersting is an excellent healer, If he has advice take it. I learnt a lot from him as an apprentice just by talking to him at gatherings" Cloudfang padded beside Silentpaw as he told them about the cats they were meeting. The sun had left the sky leaving a still ambience across the territory. The sand was cooling against the pads of his feet. "There's also Floodpaw. If we weren't a medicine cat he'd be a warrior by now, but he's still a paw. He's a proud Meadowclan cat to say the least, his father is Froststar. A little overbearing at times but he means well" Silentpaw nodded now feeling a little more nervous than before.
"Actual healers heal everyone" Lilytail muttered darkly to herself. Silentpaw frowned, prompting her mentally to explain. "Only certain cats matter to them, if you're not Duneclan or Meadowclan you can trot on and die" She told him bitterly. He was wondering if he'd see her in person again at the moonpool and if she'd still be in this mood. Cloudfang was sweeping some grass out the way so Silentpaw could step out onto the dusty track. "After you"
He nodded his thanks and stepped out. There were strange patterns in the track, like they'd been carved in by some huge animal. On the opposite side of the track two toms sat staring silently at him. Behind them he could see dune grasses fading out into brambles and wild flowers. The smell of flowers was evident on their coats. One was a large black tom with a white stripe going down his face and neck, the other a slightly smaller but sturdy light grey tom. The larger meadowclan tom's face broke out into a large smile with shining eyes (He assumed it was Badgersting by his appearance). "Cloudfang! It's good to see you!" The two older toms greeted each other by butting their heads gently. Silentpaw edged behind his mentor, trying not to be noticed. Floodpaw peered around at him and grinned.
"Cloudfang, who's this chap hiding behind you?" The older apprentice asked, leaning towards Silentpaw and making him uncomfortable. "This is Silentpaw, my new apprentice. This is his first trip to the Moon crystals" Cloudfang stood to the side and proudly presented his apprentice. Badgersting dipped his head respectfully and smiled warmly. "Welcome Silentpaw! First trip is always the most exciting. I'm Badgersting and this is Floodpaw" Silentpaw smiled quickly but still felt unconvinced. Badgersting motioned with his tail towards the track, in the direction that led to the cliffs. "Shall we?" Clooudfang nodded and the medicine cats began their pilgrimage.
It was awkward. Badgersting and Cloudfang were chatting away, about who'd had kits, About looking out for Leopardheart among other things. No matter how hard Silentpaw fixed his eyes on the ground beneath his feet or looked out at Duneclan's territory from the incline of the path, Floodpaw's eyes had been boring into him. It wasn't a malicious stare, but one of interest. "So who are your parents?" There was a brief pause and the tom continued without any verbal feedback. "My dad is Froststar. In fact I'm related directly to Meadowstar" Floodpaw was looking around nonchalantly after the name drop. Silentpaw smiled unimpressed but not wanting to offend.
"So your parents?" Floopaw inquired again. Silentpaw shrugged. He couldn't do much else. Floodpaw gasped "Wait- Are you a kittypet? A loner? Did your rogue parents abandon you?" He was leaning even closer to Silentpaw's face. "Floodpaw he's just as much of a Duneclan cat as anyone else. He's Smallscar and Ravenfrost's kit" Cloudfang told the over enthusiastic apprentice sternly. Floodpaw frowned. "He could have told me that but he's been giving me the silent treatment this entire-" Badgersting stopped abruptly and gave Floodpaw a loaded glare. Meekly the grey tom looked away. "He'll be told off later. Rightly so little sod"
"Floodpaw, Silentpaw is mute. Even if he could speak he has no obligation to. Please try and read the situation, we've spoken about this before" Badgersting reprimanded. Floodpaw's jaw dropped dramatically as he gasped. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know I swear" Silentpaw forced a smile to try and make him stop. He wished that Cloudfang had let him know sooner. In fact it shouldn't have taken that, his name was Silentpaw for Starclans sake. " I can't believe I didn't notice, you don't look like a cat who can't spe-" Bagersting shot his apprentice another scolding Don't you dare finish that sentence kind of look.
The rest of the trip Floodpaw didn't speak, he just stared at the ground and concentrated on walking just as Silentpaw was. They were almost on the top of the cliff by the time the first stars appeared in the sky. Silentpaw looked across Meadowclan and Duneclan's territories, split with the track he stood on. Further along the coast Silentpaw could see twinkling lights but they were was as if they'd fallen from the sky. It made him realise there were even more things out there he may never see or understand. He trotted up beside Cloudfang to get his attention. When Cloudfang had his attention, he pointed towards the lights on the ground with a flick of his tail. "That's twoleg place. In Greenleaf they gather there to come to the beaches. They disappear in Leaf-bare"
Badgersting took the lead as they veered away from the track and headed towards the edge of the cliff. "Single file here Silentpaw. It's narrow so take your time" Floodpaw spoke up for the first time in a while. Silentpaw stepped down onto the path after Cloudfang. It was pebbly and felt precarious but the others seemed to navigate it with ease. If you fell there was nothing but water and rocks to land on. The vastness of the sundrown place would swallow you up forever. It would be a nice place to come and view a sunset with a significant other. He beckoned for Lilytail to speak to him, he wondered if she could see it as well. He could make out a few words but her voice was getting fainter by the pawstep. He began to worry as her voice completely fizzled out.
The path finally came to a plateau. Odd metallic objects were crumpled along with a strange white film that blew in the wind as it was caught on a rock. "Twolegs.." Cloudfang shook his head scornfully. A gaping hole lay in the center of the plateau, a large rusted cone shaped grate secured over the top of it. Moss and grass had clumped around the perimeter of the grate. It had been there a while. No twolegs could get through the gaps between rungs of aged metal but a cat sure could. Silentpaw followed the group as they descended down a pile of scree. The temperature dropped rapidly by the time their paws touched solid ground. There was little light, he could hear water drip as well as feel it on the floor.
Wordlessly they continued on. Natural light from the moon became visible as the end of the tunnel opened up into a cavern. The shadow of another overhead grate framed two giant glass-like crystals. A third lay on the ground in partial fragments. "It's gorgeous isn't it?" Cloudfang whispered into his ear as he followed Badgersting's lead. Finally Silentpaw could sit down and rest his paws. There was no way an elder could make that trip.
"You start Cloudfang" Badgersting prompted and the white tom dipped his head. "Silentpaw, Is it your wish to enter the mysteries of Starclan as a medicine cat?" Not really, he was a bit nervous. But he nodded nonetheless. "Very well. Warriors of Starclan, I present you with this apprentice. He has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant him your wisdom and insight so that they will understand your ways and heal their clan in accordance with your will" Floodpaw looked at him and smiled with raised eyebrows, it was a similar face an elder would make at a young kit who had done well or was excited. Cloudfang stepped forward and touched his nose to the crystal. Floodpaw and Badgersting followed suit as Cloudfang lay down, closing his eyes and tucking his paws underneath him. Silentpaw was the last to touch his nose on the cool surface of the crystal. He spun a couple times, settled down and closed his eyes unsure of what was coming next.
"Be safe in there"
It was dark when Silentpaw came to his senses again. Long thin spider-like trees towered above him. The atmosphere was oppressive, the air was too hot and weighed down heavily on him. The ground was black and gritty underpaw. It was ash. It felt similar to the place he'd met Lilytail in some ways. Stifled sobbing echoed amongst the trees. Silentpaw felt a shiver go down his spine as he took steps towards the source of the noise.
He could only see its back. It was covered in painful looking scars with occasional tufts of orange and white fur. It's head was rounded, no exterior ears were visible. And as fearsome as it looked it just cried, back turned. "Comfort her, please she needs help" Lilytail's frantic voice was audible for a moment before a pain in the back of his head caused him to wince. "No! It's a monster. Be careful!" An unfamiliar voice of a tom echoed through the trees. The monster sniffled and turned its head to face Silentpaw.
He took a step back, recoiling as if he'd been burnt. It's eyes were deeply inset into its skull and mud brown, with skin overlapping the eyelids in places it shouldn't. I was like someone put it under a heat source to melt and then froze it again. It's crying ceased for a second. "Where is she?" it sniffled. "Where's my daughter gone?" It looked around frantically. "She's only a kit, you have to help me find her" Silentpaw opened his mouth as if to say something. "Where is she!" It's voice began to warp and stutter as the skin on its face began to crack, slits of orange glowing from inbetween the separating flesh. It gargled as its stomach split in two, the contents falling out onto the floor. Silentpaw watched in terror as various internal organs splattered to the floor . Fur began to burn and was replaced by clumps of burnt wood.
If Silentpaw could have screamed he would have. He skittered on the heels of his feet before bolting off. He didn't dare look back. He knew by the sound of its grinding joints that it was following him. He'd never been this scared in his life. He could hear the sound of running water up ahead. A river! It couldn't follow him into a river could it? It was like he was set up to be caught. The trees seemed to close in on him. There was nowhere to run now, he turned to face the monster. It leapt onto him and he opened his mouth to scream but no sound came out. It dug searing hot claws into his shoulders. "Where is she!" it screamed demonically. "I don't know" He screamed back in its face. "I don't know!"
The atmosphere changed as the monster's head hung between its shoulders, its claws loosening grip on his shoulders. He felt wet tears fall and hit his heaving chest before he heard it quietly crying again. "I think she's dead" It sobbed. "I wasn't there to save her" Silenpaw tried to calm his ragged breathing. "She- She might not be?" He whispered cautiously.
"Then bring her home" It whimpered.
Silentpaw awoke with a gasp for air. He bolted away from where he had been lying, fur on end, claws unsheated and tail bent. It took a second for him to realize where he was. Badgersting and Floodpaw looked startled. Cloudfang was staring at him with a strange look on his face. Silentpaw couldn't read it. "Intense dream?" The tom mewed. Silentpaw nodded frantically. He never wanted to do this again.
Cloudfang didn't take his eyes off him. His mentor had one look on his face and it was that of suspicion.
I'm going to do some review responses from now on, just so people know I do read and appreciate them:
Succulentsofa: I agree, she needs to consider him a lot more than she currently does. But hey, we've got a whole story for her to develop and grow up in :)
Question for the chapter: What do you think the dream is about?