The next claw moon, Cougarstar announced that there would be an apprentice ceremony for Moonsky's kits and that he was to travel to the Moonstone later that day to share tongues with StarClan.
As the sun rose, Cougarstar decided that is was time for the apprentice ceremony.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather to heed my words," he called. The bright, warm light of Sunseason glowed upon his pelt, turning his pale brown pelt into a pale golden-brown.
Moonsky pushed her hyper kits forward. Northstorm nodded to himself- it was time that they become apprentices.
Cougarstar stared down happily at the three kits. "Starkit, please step forward."
Starkit jumped forward and embarrassingly tumbled but he laughed it off joyfully. Moonsky whispered to her kit for him to calm down.
"Starkit, it is time that you train in the ways of the warriors. I ask StarClan to guide you in your training." Cougarstar scanned the clearing- he had discussed who the mentors for Moonsky's three kits should be with Northstar the previous day.
"Stifffoot, please step forward." Cougarstar ordered. The brown tom limped forward next to Starkit.
"Stifffoot. Starkit shall be your apprentice. Pass on your keen heart and young spirit down to your new apprentice. Starkit, from this moment, until you reach your warrior status, you shall be known as Starpaw."
The Clan chanted the new apprentice's name as he and Stifffoot licked each other as new mentors and apprentices customarily do.
"Now, Stormkit, please step forward."
The mottled brown kit took a paw-step forward as he stared up at Cougarstar with calm eyes.
"Stormkit," Cougarstar began. "It is time you trained in the path of your warrior ancestors. I ask StarClan to guide you in your training. Snowstorm, please step forward."
Snowstorm padded happily over next to Stormkit, who glared at Snowstorm with happy light grey eyes.
"Snowstorm, Stormkit shall be your apprentice. Pass on your loyal heart and swift skills to your new apprentice. Stormkit, from this moment, until you reach your warrior status, you shall be known as Stormpaw."
Snowstorm and Stormpaw nuzzled each other. Snowstorm gave his new apprentice a warm lick across his apprentice's head.
"Stormpaw!" the Clan repeatedly cheered.
After the chanting had died down, Cougarstar said, "Now, Sunkit, please step forward."
Moonsky stared happily at her kits as Sunkit hopped forward, his orange eyes darting across the warrior crowd wondering who his mentor will be.
"Sunkit, it is time that you train to become a fully-fledged warrior. I ask StarClan to approve my choice. Please step forward , Rainsky."
Rainsky, surprised, darted forward and licked her soon-to-be-apprentice's head.
"Rainsky," the grey she-cat looked up as Cougarstar spoke. "Your apprentice shall be Sunkit. May your wise guidance and warm heart be passed on to Sunkit. And Sunkit, until you reach your warrior status, you shall be known as Sunpaw."
Rainsky happily nuzzled her apprentice's golden-ginger pelt. This was her first apprentice, Northstorm realized. He was content with Cougarstar's decision.
"Sunpaw! Sunpaw!" The Clan cheered.
After the exciting ceremony died out, and after a word of congratulations to each apprentice, Cougarstar approached Northstorm. "We must leave soon if we are to reach the Moonstone at moonrise,"
Northstorm nodded. "I'll bring the traveling herbs to your den, Cougarstar."
Cougarstar shook his head. "That is not necessary." Northstorm nodded and padded to the medicine cat den.
After emerging from the branch tunnel and into the medicine cat's den, Bluepaw, Windfur's apprentice, was being quizzed by the grey tom.
"And what do borage leaves do?" Windfur asked, pointing to some green herbs.
Bluepaw thought for a moment, then chirped, "I know! They are good for curing fever!"
Windfur nodded. "Good," he turned around and spotted the NorthClan deputy. "Ah, Northstorm! Are you here for your traveling herbs?"
"Yes, Windfur." Northstorm replied.
Bluepaw raced back into the den and grabbed a wad of leaves. She dropped them at Northstorm's feet. "Cougarstar said he did not need any."
Nodding his thanks, Northstorm left and devoured the bitter-tasting leaves. The only thing that stopped him from coughing up the leaves and herbs was the thought that this would keep him from becoming hungry for the rest of the day.
Cougarstar sat outside the Stonearch. "Ready, Northstorm?"
The deputy nodded.
The moon peaked barely above the pines as Northstorm and Cougarstar arrived at the Moonstone.
The Moonstone was located far into the Snowlands. It wasn't snowing, but the ground was oddly white and oddly cold. To reach the Moonstone, you had to travel through a series of winding underground tunnels to finally reach the cave of the Moonstone.
Cougarstar reminded Northstorm, "Remember, once inside the cave, do not talk. Just press your nose against the Moonstone, and StarClan will send you sleep. Are you ready?"
Northstorm nodded. He had only been to the Moonstone once before, and he was excited to be back again.
Cougarstar lead the way through the pitch-black caves. The caves were much colder than the Snowlands. As Northstorm neared the end, a mysterious white light grew brighter and brighter with each foxlength.
The Moonstone was a round, smooth stone that shimmered as if StarClan had taken part of the moon and placed it in this cave. He had heard from friendly loners that there were other pieces through other caves.
Cougarstar padded up to the Moonstone and instantly sat down, pressing his pink nose to the stone and closing his eyes.
Northstorm did the same, and he drifted into sleep.
Northstorm awoke in the Snowlands. He spotted the PineClan forest many fox lengths away.
"Northstorm!" a cat murmured. He looked and saw an unkempt, long haired grey tom. Windfur!
Next to him stood a ginger she-cat with a golden dappled coat. Northstorm recognized the StoneClan medicine cat, Mapleleaf. They must've had visions with StarClan as well at that time.
"Windfur!" Northstorm mewed. "Hello, Mapleleaf."
Mapleleaf mewed a greeting in return.
All of a sudden, two cats appeared out of thin air. There were both surrounded with mists. One formed a dark-grey pelt with dark grey eyes. The other formed a dark brown tom with a white dappled coat and stark grey eyes.
Northstorm remembered the dark brown tom- how could he forget the leader who had conducted his apprentice ceremony?
Reedstar stood next to the grey tom, his eyes urgent.
Mapleleaf widened her amber eyes. "Greystar!" she gasped.
Greystar's eyes flitted this way and that. "StarClan's enemies lurk among you!" he cried. "They will work with the rogues to destroy the Clans!"
"Yes. Only through cooperation and faith shall these enemies be vanquished." Reedstar added mysteriously.
Mapleleaf, Windfur, and Northstorm exchanged curious glances. "What do you mean?"
"They once lived among you before they left. Now they are back! Be careful." Greystar muttered.
"This is the greatest danger the forest will see yet. Only StarClan will save you." Reedstar said.
The cats began to fade. Northstorm lunged at Reedstar, crying, "Reedstar, don't go!"
Northstorm tumbled on the white Snowlands grass.
Windfur turned to Mapleleaf. "What do they mean?"
Mapleleaf, troubled, tried to sound optimistic when she said, "Only time will tell."
Northstorm felt his dream fading away. He clawed at the Snowlands ground, repeatedly muttering, "No, no, no."
Northstorm! His mind screamed. Don't let go…
He awoke clawing at the stone ground. Cougarstar had just awaken when Northstorm's eyelids peeled open.
"What did you dream about?" Northstorm asked.
Cougarstar stared at him. "I met North. The founder of our Clan."
North was a legend- now that Cougarstar had actually seen him in StarClan, he was now a verified historical cat. "That's amazing! Anything…prophetic said?"
Cougarstar said. "Yes…he said that trouble will confront the Clans. He said 'StarClan's greatest enemy was after StarClan's most precious treasures.'"
Northstorm tilted his head curiously.
"What did you dream about?" Cougarstar asked.
Northstorm's blue eyes flashed a fearful, scared look.
"Never mind that now," Cougarstar said, trailing out of the cave. "Let's hunt on the way back. I'm hungry."