A/N: I'm soooooo sorry the update took me so long. School and work do not really permit me the writing freedoms I once had. But lately, things have slowed down a bit so I will be updating more often. Those of you reading my other fics, In Their Pawsteps and From the Ashes will be updated shortly. A new fic, In The Lion's Den has been added to the list and will be updated weekly. Thank you for your time. Enjoy the chapter.
Night birds began to sing their starlit tunes as the moon rose high into the midnight sky. The great round orb bathed the valley in a silver light that made the trees glow with an otherworldly appearance. Yellowpaw stared, breathless, at the silver-lined leaves and listened to the quiet scufflings of the undergrowth, knowing that the life-blood of the Clan waited there beneath the leaves, to be caught tomorrow when the warriors went on hunting patrols. So many scents filled her nose, she was half-afraid her head might explode trying to take them all in. The world outside the tree enclosed camp was wonderful, and Yellowpaw felt as if she could stay there forever.
Briefly, she wondered how Tinypaw's venture in the foret had been. What did he see? What did he think? He'd brought back a thrush that he'd been quite proud of. He was already learning the hunting skills he'd need to feed his clan. Suddenly, Yellowpaw became very aware of the differences in their apprenticeships. He was a warrior apprentice, training so that he could hunt and protect his clan like Fireclaw and Whitefang. She followed a different path with different rules. She was training to heal the sick and the injured and to read the signs from their warrior ancestors that could mean the future of their clan.
A medicine cat cannot take a mate. Why did that come to her? It was a rule for medicine cats; they had to take care of many cats and couldn't afford to worry about just one. Yellowpaw stopped in her tracks. Why did she even think about that? It's not like she was in love with anyone. An image of warm amber eyes and a golden pelt flashed before her, and she felt her heart lurch. 'Tinypaw?!' The tom and Soulpaw were like brothers to her, so why would Tinypaw matter so much more? Medicine cats cannot fall in love. No, she wasn't in love. She passed it off as simple affection for her littermate and continued to follow her mentor.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The trek through the valley seemed to take forever. Yellowpaw knew the Startree was in the very center, taller and older than any of the other trees. At half-moon, they traveled from their camp to the center of the valley to dream and share with Starclan. For awhile, Yellowpaw wondered why Smokepelt was keeping so quiet. It wasn't until the older cat had to scramble over a fallen tree that sent her into a coughing fit that Yellowpaw undestood: the trips were hard on her mentor even though the old medicine cat was not likely to admit it.
After several heart-beats, they came to a clearing with a small hill rising up in the middle. At the top of the hill was a tall tree with blue-green leaves that spread out and shadowed nearly the whole clearing. Yellowpaw felt her mouth drop open at the sight of it. From her vantage point, the bark looked smooth and dark. The moon had barely risen above the top of the tree, the moonlight edging the leaves in silver. I t was beautiful.
"Quite amazing, huh? I remember the first time I'd seen it. My, how time flies." Smokepelt mewed wistfully. Yellowpaw gave her a thoughtful glance. Her mentor had so many things to teach, experiences learned over a lifetime of serving her clan. Yellowpaw hoped that one day she could teach her own apprentice such lessons. "Well, no sense in standing around here all night." She started walking again, up the slope towards the Startree. Yellowpaw quickly followed Smokepelt, her tail quivering with anxiety. Finally, she would meet her ancestors and share in their knowledge. Once they were right beneath the old tree, Smokepelt sat, wrapping her tail around her paws. Puzzled, Yellowpaw sat beside her and wrapped her own tail around herself.
The moon rose higher in the sky as the night wore on. Yellowpaw kneaded the ground anxiously. She knew they had to wait until moonhigh, but if they didn't start soon, they would miss it completely. Beside her, Smokepelt kept staring at the tree line on Nightclan's side of the border. What was she waiting on? "He's late," She mewed quietly. Yellowpaw tilted her head to the right. Who was she talking about?
A movement in the ferns caught her attention. In the next moment, a dark-gray shape shot out from the trees and raced towards them. Yellowpaw recognized the scent as cat, but what unnerved her was other odor that clung to his pelt, vague yet familiar at the same time. Nightclan. The tom padded up to Smokepelt, his sides heaving with each breath. Blue eyes twinkled with concern and friendliness as his tail twitched behind him. Smokepelt dipped her head in greeting.
"Evening, Stonepelt. How's the prey running?" Yellowpaw faltered. Stonepelt! The Nightclan medicine cat was rumored to be Littlekit's father, but it was never proven. Nightstar had denied all accusations with the ending that 'Sunclan should mind its own business'. Stonepelt dipped his head in return and nodded at Yellowpaw.
"Fine, thank you. Leaf-bare will not leave us hungry." His blue eyes trained on Yellowpaw who fidgeted under his gaze. "I see you finally have an apprentice, Smokepelt."
"Yes. She will be a fine medicine cat. Which reminds me, we need to hurry if we're to catch Starclan at moonhigh." Standing, Smokepelt looked skyward, past the branches to the silvery trail of stars that stretched across the night sky, Silverpelt. "Starclan! I bring you Yellowpaw, my apprentice, and pray you accept her as you once accepted me." Yellowpaw's chest swelled with pride. She was among the ranks of medicine cats now. Silently, she made her vow: she would protect and nuture her clanmates, heal their wounds and give them patience and kind words. She would be the best medicine cat ever.
Smokepelt and Stonepelt had already settled themselves among the roots of the Startree. Yellowpaw quickly bounded over and began searching for a good spot. The wood was indeed smooth and comfortable, the countless seasons having shaped the tree for theirs and Starclan's purposes. It wasn't hard to curl up among the thick roots and fall asleep. The two older cats were already breathing deeply, visiting with the starry warriors. Yellowpaw took one last deep breath before laying her head on her paws and closing her eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Walk with us, Yellowpaw, and know you are welcome." A kind, gentle voice sounded in the blackness. Yellowpaw opened her eyes and found herself among starlit grounds, the trees glimmering in turn. Around her, she heard the quite scufflings of prey meant only for those who had earned their place here among its great ranks. Sunclan and Nightclan scents alike mingled together, forming a unique smell, that of Starclan's. The Startree paled in comparisson to the hunting grounds of her ancestors. If only she could stay here.
"Yellowpaw, walk with us." Another voice repeating the same message. She turned around, her heart leaping into her throat. Two cats sat side-by-side a few rabbit-lengths away, warm eyes welcoming the newcomer into their world. A golden tortoiseshell queen and strong dark-gray warrior with white paws. Both had blue eyes. With a mixed feeling of grief and joy, Yellowpaw recognized the two starry cats, more by memory than anything else.
"Pebblesky. Stoneheart." Her mew cracked emotion as she padded to greet her deceased parents. The two cats touched their muzzles to hers, twining their tails together as contented purrs rumbled through all three. Yellowpaw took a step back to stare at her parents once more, burning the image of their glossy, star-shined pelts into her mind.
"Yellowpaw, we're so proud of you, finally on your way to becoming a medicine cat." Pebblesky mewed, her eyes shining with happiness. Stoneheart nodded his agreement.
"Since the day Thorntree took us from you, we have been watching over you from Silverpelt." Yellowpaw bristled at the mention of the fox-hearted deputy of Nightclan. Stoneheart gave her a gentle flick on the shoulder with his tail. "We shall always watch over and guide you when feel in doubt." She purred at her father's words. Suddenly, the air grew chill around them and a faint but terrible odor filled the air. Pebblesky stood, her eyes burning with intensity.
"Yellowpaw, take your training to heart and listen well to Smokepelt. She can teach you more than we ever could." Yellowpaw was frightened by her mother's change, but even more so of the foul stench filing her nostrils.
"Watch over your clanmates and protect them the best you can." Stoneheart's gaze softened into something like sorrow. "Especially Tinypaw." Yellowpaw's eyes widened in fear. The cats vanished from her sight. The starlit ground disappeared into a blackness that filled her with terror. The terrible odor grew stronger along with a sense of dread. Horrible visions danced in her head. A flash of white teeth, screeches of pain and terror, and blood. So much blood. What was the black-and-white striped face, glaring at her with such malice? She was too close to tell. White-hot pain lanced up her right fore-leg as if it were being crushed by something huge. And all the while she was cold, very cold as if she were laying in snow.
Yellowpaw's eyes snapped open, her breathing erratic. Why, why did Starclan show her such horrible things? What did they mean? She knew she wasn't allowed to say anything. It was something she would have to figure out on her own. Beside her, Smokepelt and Stonepelt were stirring, their dreams obviously undisturbed by visions of blood and pain.
"Well, Stonepelt. It is getting late, and my tired, old bones need a rest. Good night to you."
"And you as well, Smokepelt." He nodded towards the apprentice, "Yellowpaw, until next half-moon. May Starclan go with you."
"Y-you as well." Yellowpaw tried to remember her etiquette towards her fellow medicine cat, but her dream had left her confused and frightened. As Stonepelt disappeared into the tree-line, the two Sunclan cats began the long trek home. Smokepelt stayed silent, probably thinking about her own dream Yellowpaw would've traded her tail away if only to get rid of the blood-ridden images in her mind. What was that awful stench? She'd never smelled it before so what was it? The pain in her leg had felt so real; her paw still felt numb. The cold had been the only thing that made sense. Whatever it was, it was the middle leaf-bare. It was the only time it snowed. What did the vision mean?
'Especially Tinypaw.' Stoneheart's words echoed in her ears so loudly Yellowpaw was sure Smokepelt must have heard them. But the old cat kept walking, each step turning into a limp. Before it even fully registered in her mind, Yellowpaw knew what the vision meant. Her heart sank into her stomach, and the dread she'd felt in the dream became a reality as the stench of blood seemed to fill her nose again. Something terrible was going to happen to Tinypaw, something she was going to be powerless to prevent. Looking towards Silverpelt, Yellowpaw uttered a small prayer, though it was more like a plea, to her warrior ancestors, "Starclan, help him."