Sorry, people, I was busy with my Ask Hawkfrost story, and I wasn't able to update. Here's the next chapter.
"Okay, Rainpaw, are you ready?" Moonflower asked. They were about to leave on Rainpaw's first visit to the Moonpool. Every half-moon, all the medicine cats from all the Clans journeyed to the Moonpool to share tongues with StarClan. Rainpaw was almost as excited as when she had become an apprentice.
"I'm ready," she said. Moonflower called a goodbye to Siverstar, then beckoned Rainpaw with her tail.
"This is so exciting!" Rainpaw exclaimed. "I've never been out of our territory before, much less to the Moonpool! What's it like?" She glanced hopefully up at her mentor.
Moonflower's whiskers twitched in amusement. "You'll see for yourself soon enough," she said, glancing ahead. "Look, there's the rest of the medicine cats. They're waiting for us." She ran ahead, leaving Rainpaw to follow.
"Hey, are you Rainpaw?" A small she-cat bounded up to her. She was tortoiseshell, but her markings were blurred and indistinct, as if faded by the sun.
"Yeah," mewed Rainpaw, suddenly self-conscious. "Are you Tallpoppy's apprentice?" She had heard Moonflower talking to Silverstar about the RiverClan cat's decision to train a follower.
"Yes, I'm Fadedpaw," the other apprentice said. "This is my third time coming here." She looked as if she was a warrior talking to a kit, with a kind of superior attitude, but then she ran her tail over Rainpaw's flank. "Come on, I'll show you the way."
"Thanks," Rainpaw said, and followed Fadedpaw ahead of the medicine cats.
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Here we are," mewed Shadedleaf, pausing at the top of the hollow. Below, Rainpaw could hear the sound of a waterfall crashing into the hollow. She fell in line behind Moonflower as the medicine cats stepped carefully down the path spiraling into the hollow.
When Rainpaw reached the top of the path, she caught her breath. The Moonpool was amazing! To one side, a stream of water crashed over the cliff, then trickled into a little pool of water. It was the most beautiful place Rainpaw had ever imagined.
As she padded down the steep path, she felt her paws slide into the paw prints of many generations of cats. She could sense the presence of her warrior ancestors around her. Even Fadedpaw, who had been talking all the way up, was silent. Rainpaw could almost see the cats of StarClan crouching around the hollow.
The cats padded over to the pool of water reflecting starshine from above. Rainpaw took her place between Moonflower and Fadedpaw. She stood, watching the stars, as Moonflower repeated the words her mentor had howled on her first visit to the Moonpool.
"StarClan!" she said. "I give you my apprentice, Rainpaw! Accept her and watch over her as you once did for me."
The six cats, crouched around the pool of starshine, moved as one to lap up some water. As one, they fell into a deep sleep.
Immediately Rainpaw found herself above the hollow. Now all the cats whose presence she had felt earlier were now visible. One cat parted itself from the crowd and stepped forward.
"Rainpaw," he said. Rainpaw recognized the dark tabby tom, but she couldn't remember his name. She glanced around nervously. "Forgive me," he said. "I am Jaystar. I was WindClan's leader before Silverstar."
"But—you died!" Rainpaw blurted out. "Oh, and you're in StarClan now. I'm dreaming, aren't I?"
"That's right," Jaystar mewed. "We welcome you as a medicine cat apprentice."
Rainpaw felt a soft pelt brush against hers and Moonflower's scent washed over her. She glanced at her mentor, then back up at Jaystar. Another cat stepped forward. "I am Swallowflight. I was Moonflower's mentor," she said. "I hope you will serve your Clan well."
"I will," Rainpaw said confidently. "I will."
Review, and I'll update more quickly :)