Chapter 3: Guardian
That night, Frondpaw slept peacefully, even though she was anxious the rest of the night. Jayfeather was keeping something, not only from her and Blossompaw, but also from the whole Clan! And she had something to do with it.
Fog soon clouded Frondpaw's eyes, though, and though she tried to blink it away many times, she was unsuccessful in staying awake. Slowly, she found herself drowning in her sleepiness.
The creamy cat awoke in a meadow that was unfamiliar to her. Above her, moonlight drifted through the foliage, dappling the grass below her. Frondpaw, who had been in a sitting position, stood up and extended herself. She found that her strength had returned and she purred in pleasure as she stretched her sleepy muscles.
Frondpaw didn't know where she was, but she felt at ease. A warm breeze drifted by, cooling her down. For a moment, everything was peaceful. But as Frondpaw opened her mouth to yawn, she stopped.
A scent was closing in on her.
It was the scent.
Immediately, Frondpaw unsheathed her claws. She wasn't going to let that cat get away this time. Frondpaw wanted answers. She wanted specifics. And her so-called "guardian" knew what she needed to know.
"Hello, young one."
Immediately, the creamy white apprentice began to loose her confidence. If what this cat said was true, than that would mean they were from StarClan. I can't fight a StarClan cat!
"I found that it was harder to convince you in the waking world. In your dreams, I hope to be able to talk to you. Muzzle to muzzle."
The airy voice contained no trace of the squeakiness from this morning. Frondpaw dug her claws into the ground. She still wasn't sure if she believed this cat.
"I am awaiting your answer, Frondpaw."
"Oh, um." Frondpaw was tripping on her own words. She hated when she couldn't talk smoothly. Still unsure, the apprentice said the first thing that came to mind.
"Yea, sure."
The voice purred, then continued with the conversation.
"Well, then. Let me come down."
Come down?! So she is a StarClan cat! Oh, I am special. Frondpaw sheathed her claws. She didn't need to fight with an already dead cat.
Movement by the edge of the clearing caused Frondpaw to change her position. She didn't want to miss one moment of her StarClan guardian's entrance.
Unfortunately, Frondpaw did see the entrance. It started with the words "ah!" and ended with a cat flat on the ground, stars mixing with the rising dirt. Frondpaw's guardian had just fallen out of a tree.
"Stupid star squirrel, running right under my paws," the tabby muttered, straightening herself up. She gave her chest a few well-needed licks and then turned to Frondpaw.
"So, what would you like to know?"
***
Frondpaw sat on her haunches, the starry cat lying down in front of her. Not completely at ease, the apprentice unsheathed and sheathed her claws, a habit she performed whenever she was anxious. Besides her, the starry cat was looking at her happily, completely unaware of the awkwardness that enveloped the clearing.
"So, what's your name?" Frondpaw tried to make it sound like a demand, but failed. Instead she sounded as squeaky as a kit.
"You can just call me your guardian," the she-cat whispered. "Names can be so…overrated I guess."
Frondpaw opened her mouth to protest, but closed it again. There are more important things to ask.
"Are you really from StarClan?"
"Yes. I am truly a StarClan cat."
Frondpaw shook her head, trying to clear it. Of coarse she's a StarClan cat! She has stars in her pelt, mouse-brain.
"Yesterday you talked about a prophecy…" Frondpaw didn't know what else to say. She couldn't ask what it meant. Even kits knew that prophecies were never straightforward.
"A frond of ferns shall sooth a scorching heart…"
Frondpaw looked toward her guardian. Her shimmering eyes were clouded over, and her voice laden with seriousness.
"A frond of ferns shall sooth a scorching heart, enlighten a fallen flight, guide a faltering harmony and bring back the lost on a changing wind."
The apprentice shivered. The starry cat's words echoed around the clearing once more before they faded away into nothingness. Frondpaw let her fur lie flat again as the words disappeared.
"Whoa, that was weird."
The creamy-white cat looked towards that StarClan tabby, whose fur was puffed out, as if a chilled gust as wind had blown by. Clearly, this StarClan warrior was new at this.
It was silent for a moment. Frondpaw shuffled her paws. Was she supposed to congratulate the she-cat on being overcome for the first time? The apprentice was at a loss for words.
Suddenly, the StarClan cat jolted up, eyes wide with excitement. Frondpaw, startled, also stood up, sheathing her claws, which had been dug deep into the cool earth.
"What? What's the matter?"
The pale cat said nothing; instead she hurried over to Frondpaw's side, not even touching the ground.
"Your journey is just beginning. When you wake, you must tell him that you know about the message. Tell him the you are meant to help the Three."
"Wait who? What's the Three?" Everything was happening so fast. Frondpaw desperately tried to get the name out of her guardian.
"Tell the first cat you see when you open your eyes."
"Can't you just tell me his name?!"
Frondpaw saw that she was slowly fading out of her dream. She was waking up. She yowled her question again, but she didn't get the answer she wanted.
"You will do great things, Frondpaw," the tabby whispered. And then, everything was gone.