Rising Moon
Jedi Goat
Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.
Author's Note: Wow! I wasn't expecting so many reviews. Thank you, Willowcloud, Softkit, Otterpelt, Swiftstream, Darkstorm Mistystar's Legacy and C.T. Eleczko! To Otterpelt's question, yes, Hazelpaw and Mousepaw will become warriors later. Just because they are Berryfoot's siblings does not mean they will be chosen at the same time.
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Chapter 6
A few nights later, the moon slice high in the sky shone down on three cats crossing ThunderClan territory. It was the half-moon, time for the medicine cats to make their journey to the Moonpool and share tongues with StarClan. This would be Moonpaw and Cinderpaw's first trip there.
Moonpaw's ears pricked, listening for any sound as she, Cinderpaw and Leafpool made their way quickly and silently across the territory. Her mind whirled excitedly; she would get to meet the other clans for the first time tonight.
A mouse scuffled in the background, and the she-cat paused, turning to peer after the prey.
Leafpool flicked her tail. "Leave it. We can't eat before visiting StarClan."
Moonpaw ducked her head apologetically and followed the other two cats onward.
Eventually the trees and bushes thinned out, and before them was a bubbling brook.
Leafpool sat, motioning to the apprentices to do the same. "Here we meet WindClan," she explained.
Moonpaw raised her head and scented the air; here the ThunderClan scent was strong, but across the stream, the moorland had a different scent. WindClan.
The reeds rustled, and a brown tom emerged on the other side of the stream. He swam across without hesitation, and crawled up on the other bank.
"Hello, Leafpool," he mewed in a friendly manner. His eyes settled on the two small cats seated beside her. "New apprentices!" he exclaimed.
"Barkface, this is Moonpaw," Leafpool flicked her tailed at her, "and this is Cinderpaw."
"Hi," Moonpaw piped up shyly.
Barkface shook his head. "Two apprentices. I've never heard of such a thing. Are you sure StarClan will approve, Leafpool?"
Leafpool sighed tiredly. "They sent me a vision…I think this is what they want."
Barkface's expression was unreadable. "If you say so."
There was an excited meow, and a young gray she-cat bounded up the slope toward them. "Hi!" she exclaimed breathlessly, smiling at the two new apprentices. "I'm Willowpaw. Who're you?"
Moonpaw and Cinderpaw introduced themselves as Willowpaw's mentor reached them. She was a pretty golden she-cat, with a new scent.
"This is Mothwing," Willowpaw told them happily. "We're from RiverClan."
Barkface looked around. "Where's Littlecloud?"
"Right here." A small tabby appeared. He brought with him the scent of ShadowClan and pine.
"Right," Barkface grunted, climbing to his paws. "Let's go."
The medicine cats set off, following the stream. Peering into the water, Moonpaw saw her reflection dancing over the gentle ripples.
"Just wait until you see the Moonpool," Willowpaw informed her in a hushed tone. "It's amazing."
"What's it like?" Moonpaw inquired, but the other apprentice didn't answer, eyes glittering secretively.
Soon the cats padded down into a hollow. Far below, Moonpaw could see a pool of midnight-black water, shining with the reflections of millions of stars above. Looking up at the sky, she gasped quietly at the replica of beautiful, twinkling, dancing stars.
She felt an indent in the ground and looked down. Her eyes widened when she saw the ground leading down to the hollow was covered in paw prints, made by cats of long ago. Her small paw fitted perfectly into a larger paw print.
"Wow," she whispered, placing her paws in the marks as she made her way down to the pool. At the water's edge, the scene seemed all the more majestic, the sky above and the water below melding as one.
Leafpool brushed her tail over her apprentices' mouths, signaling for silence. She crouched at the pool's bank and lapped the water. She then lay still, already meeting with StarClan.
The other cats were all doing the same; Cinderpaw and Moonpaw exchanged nervous glances, and then imitated them.
Moonpaw sat next to the water, muzzle practically touching the pool. She lapped, once, and felt the cold water rush through her veins, making her drowsy. She closed her eyes.
The next moment she blinked them open, and nearly jumped a fox-length in the air. Instead of being at the Moonpool's edge, she was back in the forest.
Leafpool, a tortoiseshell she-cat and Cinderpaw were there, too, waiting for her. The tortoiseshell purred gently.
"Welcome to StarClan." Her voice was gentle, comforting. Moonpaw felt herself relax at the she-cat's tone. "I am Spottedleaf, a previous medicine cat of ThunderClan. Just as I watch over your mentor, you will be given StarClan warriors to guide you on your journey."
She turned to Cinderpaw. "Cinderpaw, I give you Yellowfang, another medicine cat of ThunderClan."
A dark gray she-cat padded out of the bushes. Her broad face and many scars made her look rather fierce, but her eyes softened at the sight of the young cat. Yellowfang and Cinderpaw touched noses, much like in the apprenticeship ceremony.
"We welcome you as a medicine cat. Serve your clan well," Spottedleaf murmured.
Cinderpaw hesitated, and then blinked up at Spottedleaf. "Does this mean you're not mad that there's two of us?"
Spottedleaf purred. "Of course we're not mad. Sometimes change is good for the clans." She turned her attention to Moonpaw. "As for you, Moonpaw, I give you Dawnpaw."
The bushes rustled and a familiar dusky-gray she-cat bounced out. "Moonpaw!"
Moonpaw gasped. "Dawnkit?"
The sisters touched noses gently. "You wouldn't believe what's happened to me!" Dawnpaw bubbled. "StarClan gave me my apprentice name and Spottedleaf's training me to be a medicine cat! And -"
Spottedleaf quickly quieted her with a look. "Now is not the time," she mewed sternly. "Apprentices, as you know, when you meet with StarClan, you receive dreams and messages. Tonight, that will begin." She waved her tail and suddenly the calm forest evening was gone.
Instead, Moonpaw stood alone on a hill. She recognized the lake below, and, scenting the air, she deduced she was still on ThunderClan territory.
Listening intently, she heard furious yowls. The sound made her shudder, and then Dawnpaw's comforting scent wafted around her. She followed the scent into the forest.
Moonpaw burst through the undergrowth and froze in horror; she had run into the thick of a raging battle! Cats launched themselves at other cats' throats and the air was split with terrified cries.
Moonpaw's legs were jelly, but still she advanced. Why, StarClan, she wailed, Why are you showing me this?
Then she saw it. Right in front of her, a little black tom appeared, hissing angrily. Moonpaw jumped back, screaming, "No! Don't hurt me!"
The tom crouched, muscles bunching, and then lunged. Moonpaw shrieked and ducked out of the way.
But the tom hadn't been eyeing her; he slammed against another tom, this one black with a brown belly. The two tomcats rolled on the ground, fighting against each other.
Moonpaw watched, wide-eyed, in horror. An image flashed briefly in her mind, of her playful duel against Honeykit when she had still been in the nursery. Moonpaw shivered. Had that been a real fight, she would have been dead.
The completely black tom wrestled the bigger cat down. The brown-black tom hissed and slashed upward with one paw. A yowl split the air and blood dripped from a gash down the side of the black tom's face. Snarling, he held the brown-black tom's legs down. The bigger tom writhed against him, but the small cat had him pinned. His amber eyes flashed triumphantly, and then his head shot down.
The brown-black tom gave a strangled yowl, but the damage was already done. Moonpaw tried to shut her eyes, but she was riveted to the spot. The black tom raised his head, yowling fiercely. Blood stained his jaws. The other tom's blood.
The winner disappeared into the battle continuing around him, while the brown-black tom lay dying, blood gushing from the wound in his neck. The blood washed over Moonpaw's paws, and she wailed helplessly. She couldn't take this anymore, the completely ruthless fight. Tears welled up in her eyes. If StarClan was testing her, she didn't care. This was just too much.
Through her tears, she could vaguely see a white cat racing to the dying cat's side. "Spiderleg! Spiderleg!"
"Moonpaw." Moonpaw blinked. She was back at the Moonpool.
Leafpool was watching her with concern. "Are you all right?"
Moonpaw shook her head to clear the terrifying images. "Yes. I think so."
"Then let's go." Her tail swept over her apprentice's shoulder, and then she turned to Cinderpaw, who looked…enlightened.
Moonpaw trailed after her mentor and Cinderpaw, haunted by what she had seen. Is this the life I really want, if I have to watch cats die?
She felt the brush of an invisible pelt as a cat walked beside her. Dawnpaw's sweet scent wrapped itself around her, comforting her.
Moonpaw smiled sadly. Yes. It is.
To be continued...
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