Hi all!
Before we start, a shoutout to DragonoftheStars1429 for the feedback and to Honeyburst for the follow! Also a big thank you to everyone reading my story, just for reading it. By the way, their 'recent argument' means the end of the last chapter. This one's really long but I had a lotta time on my hands.
See ya!
Moonpaw lay in the bramble den, watching the sunlight filter through the woven roof. With a pang of grief, she remembered doing the same thing as a kit in Thunderclan, in the warm, homely nursery. Sitting up, she heard a rustle at the entrance and turned to see Spiritpaw standing with a fat squirrel in his jaws.
"Want some?" he asked.
"Sure," she purred, and tucked into the juicy prey without another word.
She hated to admit it, but Moonpaw quite liked life in the forest patch. Evidently she had been right about Windclan being oblivious to it's presence, as they had been there for nearly a moon and no patrols had even passed by. It was quiet, and she enjoyed not constantly patrolling for threats that weren't there.
The space itself was great too. It was like a smaller version of Thunderclan territory, but away from all the noisy cats of the forest. It was prey-rich, as no other cats lived here and the conditions were perfect. They had actually decided to stay there permanently, or until they were discovered by the Windclan cats.
When they had finished their meal, they set out to explore their new territory. Moonpaw had thought it might be clever not to set scent markers. When Spiritpaw had asked why, she had told him that obviously in the clans, every cat knew the other clans existed, so both clans on a border knew about and marked the lines. Here, Windclan (the only clan they shared a border with) had no idea they were there, and they didn't want them to. Setting markers would just alert them to their presence.
Spiritpaw had agreed, and secretly Moonpaw had felt a spark of pride for thinking of it herself. She had pushed it away, though, not wanting to turn into a boastful fox-heart of a cat.
Spiritpaw spoke as they padded along. "Moonpaw, I heard that the term 'moon' is sacred to Starclan, and you can't use it in names. Why are you an exception?"
Stopping in her tracks, she sighed. She had never told any living cats this story.
"Okay, so my mother was going to call me Nightkit, but Darkstar intervened, saying I couldn't be called that. When she asked why, Darkstar told her about the prophecy and how I was special to Starclan, as was the name 'moon'. She agreed that I should be named Moonkit to show that I stood out from other cats and that I was different from the day I was kitted."
"Wow!" exclaimed Spiritpaw, who had been listening intently. "Do you like the name 'moon'?" he asked.
"I love it," she replied, nuzzling his cheek. They had gotten over their recent argument shortly after it had happened, as Moonpaw felt she couldn't give up the bravest cat she knew. She owed Spiritpaw her life, after he left his clan just to be with her and make her happy.
That night, when they were just drifting off into sleep, Moonpaw decided to walk in Spiritpaw's dreams. She hadn't done this since she was a kit, because it reminded her of the prophecy that tore her life apart, and right now all she wanted was to forget it.
When she heard gentle snoring coming from his nest, she knew it was time. She closed her eyes and concentrated on matching her breathing to his, while repeating his name in her mind.
Spiritpaw, Spiritpaw, Spiritpaw...
Until she felt a split second of pain, like a claw stabbed directly into her heart, then a calming sensation rushed over her. She opened her eyes and blinked to clear her vision. She was standing back in Thunderclan territory, a vast expanse of forest stretching in every direction. But, there was no sign of Spiritpaw.
Looking around, she saw a patch of silver fur flash through a gap between two trees.
"Spiritpaw!" she called, but there was no answer.
"Moonpaw." A voice behind her startled her out of her fur. She turned around to see another silver-furred cat. Not Spiritpaw. It was a tom with blue eyes, but not her friend.
"Where's Spiritpaw?" she demanded.
"Not here," the strange cat replied.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"My name is Jayfeather," he said, " and I have come to deliver a message from Starclan."
Jayfeather! He was the cat who, seasons ago, had the same power as her.
"Use your power wisely. If you do, you will discover secrets you never imagined to be true."
"Okay, Jayfeather," she replied. "I will."