Rising Moon

Jedi Goat

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.

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Chapter 24

Moonpaw slipped out of the nursery. Her gaze swept the camp, first searching out a certain white tom. Moonpaw instead spotted Wolfspirit and Honeydew, sitting near the fresh-kill pile.

"Hi," she called, racing over to them. "What're you doing?"

"Checking out the toms," Honeydew purred, grinning broadly to show she was joking.

Moonpaw laughed, settling beside her friends. She cast a glance at the tiny pile of prey, and her stomach growled for attention. She hadn't eaten since last sunhigh, before her journey to the Moonpool.

Catching her hungry look, Wolfspirit mewed, "Go ahead. The hunting patrol's already out."

"Is Oakheart with them?" Moonpaw inquired casually, bending her head to pick a juicy-looking vole.

"Yeah, I think so." Wolfspirit stretched out on the ground, twisting around to wash her fluffed-out tail.

Moonpaw nodded, tearing off a portion of the vole and savoring it to hide her disappointment. She had been hoping to go with him.

"So. I heard Squirrelflight just had her kits," Honeydew piped up.

"I was there to help. She's got three nice, healthy kits," declared Moonpaw.

"That's good." Wolfspirit raised her head. "It's been a while since the clan had kits." Something flickered in her blue eyes, but it was gone before Moonpaw could decipher it.

Honeydew suddenly sat straight up, nudging Wolfspirit with one paw. "Hey, look who's coming," she hissed.

Wolfspirit rolled back up to her paws, and Moonpaw turned to see a light gray tom approaching.

"Hello." Ashfur glanced over the group nervously, his eyes finally settling on Wolfspirit. "Erm…Firestar told me to organize the border patrol…any of you up for it?"

"Depends," Wolfspirit said easily, swiping her tongue over a paw. "Who's going?"

"Well…only me so far."

The she-cat shrugged, looking over at Moonpaw. "Moonpaw? Would you like to come too?"

Moonpaw gazed back to see Leafpool emerging from the nursery, Cindercloud at her heels. The two medicine cats hurried toward the Highledge. Neither chanced a glance back at her.

"All right," she agreed. Standing, Honeydew, Wolfspirit, Moonpaw and Ashfur headed toward the camp entrance.

Meanwhile, Leafpool darted up the rocky ledge and peered into her father's den. "Firestar?"

The ginger tom appeared from the shadows. "Hello, Leafpool, Cinderpaw. Come in."

Leafpool padded inside, the cool rock comforting under her paws. She sat neatly, flicking her tail for Cindercloud to settle beside her. As the gray she-cat curled her tail over her paws, glancing around the cave in awe, Leafpool began.

"First, I came to tell you of the name ceremony at the Moonpool. Cinderpaw is now Cindercloud."

Firestar dipped his head to Cindercloud, and the apprentice flushed slightly. She nodded back to him respectfully.

"Squirrelflight was kitting when we returned," Leafpool continued. "Thankfully, we arrived in time to help her. She and Brambleclaw now have three healthy kits: Rabbitkit, Briarkit and Blazekit."

"I will inform the clan at tonight's meeting," Firestar conceded.

Leafpool looked down at the craggy floor for a long moment, gathering her courage. Finally she raised her head. "Firestar? Cindercloud has something important to tell you."

She exchanged a glance with her apprentice; Cindercloud nodded bravely. She stepped up, fur suddenly glinting silver in the darkness.

"I am not who I seem to be," she confessed, crouching in front of her leader. "I am actually Cinderpelt, resurrected by the will of StarClan."

Firestar's eyes widened, clouding with painful memories. He paced back, shaking his head. "No…you can't be…"

He looked to Leafpool for support, and she pressed her nose into his fur. "It's true, father. Spottedleaf – she comes to me sometimes in dreams – showed me."

Firestar closed his eyes. "Great StarClan."

Cindercloud remained where she was, kneeling on the ground, but her sapphire eyes glittered up at him. "Before I died, StarClan told me my time would soon come. And it did – and when I died, Yellowfang appeared to me. She told me StarClan had one last mission for me." She bowed her head. "Then I was Cinderkit, Sorreltail's newborn daughter. I – I didn't remember any of this, until my first visit to the Moonpool. Then Yellowfang returned my memories to me, and I knew I was still Cinderpelt."

Firestar wordlessly touched her flank with his tail. "You remember your accident?" he asked hoarsely. "The badgers? Everything?"

"You were my mentor," Cindercloud answered calmly. "I would not lie to you."

Firestar only stared at her for a few moments, his gaze first wondering, then joyful. He touched noses with her, amazed his lost friend had returned.

Raising his head, he asked to both medicine cats, "Should I tell the clan? We can still change your name."

"StarClan approved her new name. They probably have reasons for not wanting everyone to know," rationalized Leafpool.

Firestar nodded regretfully. "But to me, you will always be Cinderpelt," he murmured.

Standing, he concluded, "Thank you for informing me of this, Leafpool." He smiled to Cindercloud. "The clan welcomes you back."

Cindercloud lifted herself from the ground. "I promise I will do my best to serve ThunderClan."

"I know you will." Firestar gestured them out.

To be continued...

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