Wow, 40 reviews on that last one! Guess I'd better raise my little goals to every 20, so next goal, 60 (Holy crap that is a lot of reviews!) Here are the answers! This chapter seemed to drag on a bit… I don't know why exactly but it does… Hope you like it anyway!
Galefire: Actually that helped a lot! Thank you!
Pengirl: Thank you so much Pengirl! I got Chapter 1 of your story up now!
Zestia240: Thanks for the info! And well no, Darkfoot's mate is Leafsparrow and they are the parents of Forestclaw. It was just to show that Rosepaw was getting her Clanmates respect. Not that that'll last, haha!
Starbomb: Haha! Thanks!
Nalasleafheart: Thank you so much! You don't know how much that means to me! And here is the next chapter for you! Hope you like it!
Here we go with Chapter 14
Chapter 14: Half-Moon
Rosepaw drew in a sharp breath. The chilly air bit at her fur, but it still felt good. She stood in mountains of snow, facing Hailwhisker. The gray and white she-cat smiled at her apprentice. Rosepaw's muscles tensed as she stood there. She watched for any movement of Hailwhisker. Suddenly, she lashed out.
Rosepaw was ready. She leapt out of the way, taking advantage of Hailwhisker's momentarily confusion; she bowled into the larger she-cat, knocking her off her paws. Hailwhisker's warrior senses kicked in when she fell on her back. The gray and white she-cat jumped up swatting Rosepaw, claws sheathed to the ground and leaping on-top of her.
Rosepaw squirmed to get out of the way from Hailwhisker's blows. Hailwhisker frowned at her apprentice. Oh yeah! Belly rake! Rosepaw realized. She kicked the she-cats belly hard. Hailwhisker smiled for a moment, stepping off of her apprentice. Rosepaw got to her paws, shaking her wet pelt.
"Good fighting Rosepaw." Hailwhisker meowed, giving her paw a tentative lick. "However, not remembering that belly rake was a bad." Rosepaw sighed.
"I know." She murmured.
"In a real battle, you would have been crow-food." Hailwhisker meowed haughtily. Rosepaw's fur bristled a bit. She had already been in two battles, and in one she nearly had died. If it weren't for Troutclaw, I would be dead. She shuddered.
"Let's head back." Hailwhisker meowed.
Rosepaw nodded. "Okay," she mewed, padding through the tall white snow. It sure is cold. She thought. I hope Stonepaw is okay. Stonepaw had been diagnosed with whitecough the day after WindClan's invasion. So far he and Lilyfrost were the only victims, but it didn't look too serious. Petalpaw and Iceblossom were worried about finding catmint. They were out of stock.
They reached camp quickly. Rosepaw headed for the fresh-kill pile. She picked up a plump mouse and trotted over to the medicine cat den. She peered inside, the smell of sickness reaching her nose.
She saw Lilyfrost chatting with her daughter, Petalpaw, in one corner, and Stonepaw sleeping in the other. Rosepaw padded inside. She caught a part of Petalpaw and Lilyfrost's conversation. "Iceblossom says I will become a full medicine cat soon." Petalpaw was meowing excitedly. Lilyfrost's eyes shown with pride for her daughter.
"Perhaps it will happen tonight, with the full moon and all." Lilyfrost answered. Petalpaw's eyes brightened immensely. "Really? That would be amazing!" Petalpaw mewed, sounding like a kit again in her own excitement. Lilyfrost purred in amusement.
Petalpaw turned around, noticing Rosepaw. "Oh, hey Rosepaw! What have you come here for?" She asked, padding over to the creamy brown apprentice, her own tail flicking back and forth in clear happiness.
"I was just wondering if I could see Stonepaw." Rosepaw mumbled around the mouse that hung limply from her jaws.
"Oh yeah, of course." Petalpaw purred. I bet she does become a full medicine cat today. Rosepaw thought as she followed Petalpaw into the medicine cat den. It sure would be cool to see the Moonpool. She thought to the pool of water in the rabbit hole that she had found. That's the closest I've ever come to it. I sure wish I could see the real thing!
"Here he is." Petalpaw flicked her brown and white tail to Stonepaw. The gray tom sat in his nest. He looked up at Rosepaw and smiled, though he was soon met by a loud and shaking cough. Stonepaw gave his chest fur a few licks in embarrassment.
"Hey Stonepaw." Rosepaw meowed, sitting down next to the other apprentice, dropping the mouse at his paws.
"Hi Rosepaw," Stonepaw answered, keeping his voice low to stop from coughing again.
"I brought you a mouse." Rosepaw meowed, nudging the mouse with her paw towards him.
Stonepaw purred in amusement. "I see that." He meowed. He ambled forward to grasp the mouse in his jaws and pull it back towards him. "I hope I get better soon." He meowed. "I've missed actually being an apprentice."
Rosepaw nodded sympathetically. "I'm sure you have." She meowed. "And don't worry; I'm sure we'll get some catmint soon to cure you and Lilyfrost." Stonepaw nodded with a smile.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Rosepaw's ears perked at Oakstar's familiar call.
"Gotta go," she mewed briefly to Stonepaw before she padded out of the medicine cat den. All cats were starting to gather around. Rosepaw trotted over to Dawnpaw and sat next to her. "What's this all about?" she asked her cream and ginger friend.
"Flamekit's apprentice ceremony." Dawnpaw answered. Rosepaw saw a light shining in her brown eyes. "Isn't it exciting? A new apprentice." She mewed. "But then of course we will have no kits in the nursery."
"Swanwhisker's kits are due soon aren't they?" Rosepaw asked. Dawnpaw nodded. Rosepaw glanced over to the nursery where the brown and white she-cat who was watching in amusement as Flightbreeze struggled to lick down Flamekit's long ginger fur.
Rosepaw purred in amusement. I remember when that was me. She thought. It doesn't seem like that was only a moon ago though.
"We are gathered for a very important ceremony in Clan life." Oakstar meowed, looking over at Flamekit who had escaped his mother's grasp and now stood underneath the Highledge, his green eyes shining brightly.
"Flamekit," Oakstar meowed, joining the bright ginger tom. "You have reached the age of six moons old and it is time for you to become an apprentice of ThunderClan." Oakstar's green eyes shone. Rosepaw figured he must enjoy being able to perform these duties.
"From this day forward, until you've earned you're warrior name, you will be known as Flamepaw." Flamepaw smiled at his new name, parting his jaws in happiness. "Leafsparrow." Oakstar meowed, looking over to the brown and white tabby she-cat who said beside her mate, Darkfoot.
"You are ready for your next apprentice. You will mentor Flamepaw." Leafsparrow trotted over to touch noses with her new apprentice.
"Flamepaw! Flamepaw! Flamepaw!" The Clan cheered. Rosepaw shouted loudly, happy for her new den mate.
"I'm going to go congratulate him." Dawnpaw meowed, rising to her paws.
"Alright," Rosepaw meowed. "But Dawnpaw, I need to talk to you later." Dawnpaw cast her a confused glance but nodded before dashing away to Flamepaw. Rosepaw smiled. She had an idea. Hopefully Dawnpaw would like it.
"Okay Dawnpaw, come in here, I don't want anyone to hear us." Rosepaw meowed. She stood by the apprentice den and flicked her tail for Dawnpaw to come inside. It was sun down, soon it would be night. Soon the medicine cats would be leaving.
"What is it Rosepaw?" Dawnpaw asked a pure look of confusion on her face.
"I want to go see the Moonpool." Rosepaw murmured, flicking her tail in excitement.
"The Moonpool?" Dawnpaw repeated. Rosepaw nodded.
"Yeah!" she meowed. "Don't you think it would be cool to see? And the medicine cats are going tonight so we'd have no problem finding it." Rosepaw smiled, her plan was sounding as it would work the more she thought of it.
"But the medicine cats might see us!" Dawnpaw hissed. Rosepaw nodded.
"I've thought about that, but I figured it wouldn't be too hard. We are trained not to be seen when medicine cats aren't trained any of that."
"I don't know Rosepaw…" Dawnpaw murmured, looking unsure.
"Come on Dawnpaw! You're starting to sound like Stonepaw!"
Dawnpaw laughed. "Alright, I'll come with." She meowed. "I guess it might be fun to see the moonpool." Rosepaw nodded her head vigorously.
"Of course!" she mewed. "I mean we'll never see it if we don't sneak away now, unless one of us became leader or something." She meowed. "Even then, we only would get to see it once, so let's go already!"
"Alright." Dawnpaw murmured, watching the sky. The sun had disappeared already, making it incredibly cold outside. Rosepaw fluffed out her fur against the gentle leaf-bare breeze.
"I figure we can still fit through that hole in the nursery." Rosepaw meowed. Dawnpaw nodded.
"Yeah, that works." Rosepaw watched as Lionpaw and Shinepaw padded inside. Lionpaw's ginger tail drooped with exhaustion.
"Great StarClan Darkfoot is tough." He sighed, sitting down to groom his mangled fur. "I had battle-training today and that fur-ball would not give up!"
Dawnpaw laughed, her tail flicking in amusement. "Better watch what you're saying there. If Darkfoot knew you were calling him a fur-ball…"
Lionpaw snorted. "Then maybe he would watch what he says a little more."
Shinepaw's blue eyes glittered with tiredness as well. "Aren't you guys going to get to bed? It's getting late." She meowed. Rosepaw nodded thoughtfully.
"Yeah, we will soon." She meowed. Shinepaw nodded, going over to her own nest to curl up, her silver tail wrapped around her small pink nose. Lionpaw settled into his nest with a huge sigh, closing his green eyes.
Rosepaw was surprised to see another ginger pelt walk into the den. It's Flamepaw. She thought, watching the big new apprentice glance around with a confused look on his face. I forgot he'll be staying here now.
"Oh, hey Flamepaw!" Rosepaw looked over at Dawnpaw rushing over to greet the ginger apprentice. Rosepaw caught her brown eyes brightening when she saw the tom.
"Hey Dawnpaw." Flamepaw mewed.
"I made you a nest." Dawnpaw meowed nervously, flicking her cream tail over to a nest near her own. "Welcome to the apprentice's den!" She meowed with a smile. Flamepaw nodded, grinning at her.
"Thanks Dawnpaw!" With that he padded over to his nest to fall asleep. Rosepaw felt amusement boil inside of her. She glanced at Dawnpaw, but the she-cat refused to meet her eye.
"Well, let's go then." Rosepaw meowed. Dawnpaw nodded. Rosepaw crept near the exit of the den and peered out. Rockheart stood guard at the camp entrance, standing as still as stone except for the occasional flick of his tail.
Rosepaw crouched down lower, pressing herself against the ground and creeping out of the apprentice den. She could feel Dawnpaw's slow steady breathing on her flank. Rosepaw sprinted over to the nursery, silently pushing herself inside.
She saw the only queen, Swanwhisker, was curled up in her own nest, her belly plum full of kits. They must be due any day now. Rosepaw thought as she crawled past her and to the corner with the small gap. Rosepaw took a deep breath and shoved her head through the opening.
She was met by the looming trees overhead and the half-moon glittering in the sky. She soon felt Dawnpaw's presence with her own. Rosepaw turned to her friend.
"Let's go." She mewed. "We had better travel fast if we are going to catch them so they can lead us to the Moonpool." Dawnpaw nodded.
"Good idea, we'd better go."
It didn't take long to catch up with the medicine cats. Rosepaw and Dawnpaw had tracked them up the stream from the WindClan and ThunderClan border. They hid in the brush, the medicine cats completely unaware.
Iceblossom and Petalpaw were speaking with an older light brown tabby she-cat. Rosepaw parted her jaws. It was the ShadowClan medicine cat, Goldwhisker. After sharing words for awhile, the trio headed further upstream. Rosepaw and Dawnpaw followed.
The cats stopped when they reached a small den. All of them sitting down and speaking once more, though their mews were too low for Rosepaw to hear. I wonder what they're waiting for. That must be the entrance to the Moonpool.
Finally, Rosepaw noticed Minnowbreath trudging up the hill, her sleek tabby form blending in well with the shadows. Rosepaw crept further up, enough to hear their conversation.
"Ah, Minnowbreath, you've arrived." Goldwhisker meowed. Minnowbreath nodded, giving her tabby fur a few embarrassed licks before speaking.
"Sorry I was late." She mewed apologetically. "Whiteflame had come down with a fever." The other medicine cats just nodded to her in understanding. Minnowbreath's eyes flickered nervously around. "I suppose Bramblebreeze won't be joining us again."
Iceblossom nodded with a sigh. "Adderstar holds him prisoner there, keeps him to heal the wounds his Clanmates have brought upon himself." She meowed solemnly, her blue eyes dull with grief.
"Somebody has to stop him!" Petalpaw meowed in anger, lashing out her brown and white tail. "How would StarClan ever grant him nine lives?"
"Adderstar wasn't always bad." Goldwhisker meowed. "He was a very good deputy back when he was a cat called Adderflame."
"So what happened?" Petalpaw asked.
Goldwhisker shrugged. "I suppose when he became leader he let power get to his head."
The cats remained quiet for a few more heartbeats. "I suppose we should get going then?" Minnowbreath piped in.
Iceblossom nodded in agreement. "Yes we should, let's go." The white she-cat turned and entered the den, followed by the rest of the medicine cats.
"Let's follow them." Rosepaw whispered to Dawnpaw. "We're going to have to be really quiet though." Dawnpaw nodded in agreement, her brown eyes shining through the darkness.
"Yeah, let's go." She meowed. She ruffled up her ginger and cream fur. "Hopefully it's warmer in there then out here."
Rosepaw gave a slight laugh before racing uphill to the den. She crept inside to find complete darkness passing over, though the snow hadn't reached inside of the cave.
It took awhile for Rosepaw's eyes to adjust to the darkness, though soon they were accustomed. She saw the medicine cats standing by a pool of water. Rosepaw in-took a sharp breath. It was beautiful. There was a small gap in the ceiling that allowed the moon to shine its light through and reflect on the water.
"Before we start." Iceblossom meowed, casting a glance at Petalpaw. "I have an announcement to make." Rosepaw felt excitement stir inside of her body. How rare was it to experience this? "Petalpaw, you are ready to become a full medicine cat."
The other medicine cats murmured in approval and happiness for the apprentice. Petalpaw's eyes shone in the light of the moon with eagerness and desperation to prove herself.
"Petalpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from the rivalry between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Petalpaw, from this moment you will be known as Petalwind."
"Petalwind! Petalwind! Petalwind!" The medicine cats called joyfully. Petalwind sat happily, her tail wrapped around her paws.
"It is time we share tongues with StarClan." Goldwhisker meowed, leaning down to lap up some water and then curling up and falling asleep. The other cats followed her actions; soon all of them were fast asleep.
"Wow!" Rosepaw murmured trotting out from where she hid in the shadows. "That water must taste really good if they fall asleep that fast from it!"
Dawnpaw laughed with amusement. "No mouse-brain, it's-
"I know Dawnpaw!" Rosepaw purred. "But I sure do wonder how it tastes." Rosepaw gazed down at the pool of water as she knelt down.
"Rosepaw… I don't know about this." But it was too late. Rosepaw lapped up the water and fell into a deep sleep.
Rosepaw awoke in a beautiful forest. "Wow," Rosepaw breathed. It was truly beautiful wherever she was. The sun flitted through the tall elegant trees. The long grasses were grown bountiful with beautiful flowers blossoming from in-between them with a gorgeous variety of colors.
"Rosepaw!" Rosepaw spun around at the sound of her name. She was overjoyed at what she saw. Standing before her was a beautiful slim tortoiseshell she-cat whose eyes shown bright green. Her fur was short and glossy.
"Leopardheart!" Rosepaw purred, racing over to her long-lost friend. Leopardheart purred, looking down at her fondly.
"Rosepaw, how great it is to see you." She murmured, her eyes were bright and loving.
"I should share tongues with StarClan more often!" Rosepaw meowed cheerfully. Leopardheart shook her head.
"Actually Rosepaw… you really shouldn't be doing this."
"But you came to me." Rosepaw protested.
"Ah, Rosepaw, that is because something important has come up." Leopardheart meowed, a tinge of sadness in her mew.
"What is it?" Rosepaw asked with concern.
"Like a thorn from a rose, she will stop the cold breezes from blowing further into darkness."
Rosepaw blinked at Leopardheart in confusion. "Leopardheart, I really don't see what this has to do with anything…"
Leopardheart only purred in amusement. "Goodbye my dear. I have to go now." With that, the tortoiseshell vanished. Rosepaw felt grief tug at her heart.
"Leopardheart, wait! Come back!"
Her vision went black for moments before she opened her eyes to find four medicine cats staring down at her. Great StarClan she was going to be in trouble.
Okay, all done. Sorry this one took me so long to update, it was a pretty long chapter! Thanks for reading, please review!