Bearpaw woke up in his nest, late that night after he finished speaking with Rainstar. After he had asked all the questions about the Moonpool, Rainstar had told him that he needed to get in shape quickly, because they were planning an attack on WindClan. Rainstar said that they had been caught stealing prey multiple times, and that there was a Gathering tonight, and they would confront WindClan about it. Bearpaw was glad Rainstar didn't let him go this time.
Now, Bearpaw wondered if it was safer to cross through ShadowClan territory, or WindClan territory to reach the Moonpool. WindClan is very defensive right now, because we're planning to have a battle with them. ShadowClan, on the other paw, is always attacking cats, if they have a justifiable reason or not. Although, ShadowClan does think it's RiverClan's fault for letting Scarlet go. Hopefully, they won't see me at all.
Bearpaw decided to cross through ShadowClan territory, because there were more trees to help cover him. Hopefully, all of the best warriors are at the Gathering tonight, and I won't be confronted.
Bearpaw knew that he had to wash off his RiverClan scent, so he sniffed the air after he left camp, sneaking around Flintfoot, who was guarding the camp. He smelled fox. Bearpaw raced toward the stench of the fox, coming upon many stale fox droppings.
Bearpaw found the fox hole, and searched around it for any fresher dung. He found some in a bush a tail-length away from the hole, and dropped down and rubbed his back in it.
I'm going to stink for moons. Bearpaw thought as he looked back at his pelt, now thoroughly covered in fox dung. He began to walk towards the ShadowClan border, occasionally running. His large belly skimmed the ground when he walked, and hurt when he ran. Bearpaw silently cursed Scarlet and her friends, and kept going.
He reached the heart of ShadowClan, and heard a crunch of leaves. Bearpaw quickly spun around, his ears pricking and fur bristling. He made sure to be careful not to brush against any branches or leaves. When he saw what was making the crunching sound, Bearpaw's fur lay flat and his ears sagged back down. A large squirrel was chewing on a nut a few fox-lengths away from where Bearpaw was standing. He passed the squirrel, and kept going. Bearpaw knew that he had to start learning that no cat would intercept him; all the ShadowClan warriors were at the Gathering.
Bearpaw arrived at the border ShadowClan shared with ThunderClan, and tasted the air.
ShadowClan scent smells like pine trees and marsh. ThunderClan smells musty, like the mold that sometimes grows on the stones around camp. Bearpaw crossed the border, and checked his own scent. I still smell like fox dung. I can't wait to wash this stuff off in the river when I get home.
He crossed the border with no further hesitation, and set off towards the thick trees leading to the Moonpool. Bearpaw was still afraid he would meet challengers, but this time he was more sure that he would not be caught.
Bearpaw arrived, panting from running the last few fox-lengths to the Moonpool clearing, and plopped down on the ground, his eyes wide and staring at the beautiful scene around him.
The clearing looked like it was glowing, because of the full moon tonight, and the water of the Moonpool shimmered with the endless wisdom of the stars. A quiet waterfall splashed into the pool, flowing with seemingly endless water from higher ground. After Bearpaw had caught his breath, he took a hesitant yet curious step towards the dazzling pool. He knew that he had to drink some of the water, but he was afraid to even go closer than two mouse-lengths to the pool. For once, he was beginning to have second thoughts about his visit to the Moonpool.
What if StarClan is angry with me? What if Rainstar finds out, and he punishes me? What if…
Bearpaw's thought trailed away, as his gaze was drawn towards something below the surface of the pool.
Is that… A cat? Bearpaw forgot his foreboding instantly, and padded towards the strange looking thing, to get a closer look. Indeed, it was a cat. It had no scent, so Bearpaw couldn't tell what Clan it was from, or if it was from the Clans at all. Once Bearpaw had gotten closer, he could begin to see the strange cat more clearly. It was a shaggy white she-cat, with piercing green eyes. He felt he knew this cat, but he couldn't place where he had seen her before.
It's Emberspark! One of the ShadowClan cats that had been captured by Scarlet! Bearpaw realized with a jolt. Then, he saw how scared the she-cat looked. When Bearpaw leaned over the water to dip a paw in to try and help her, Emberspark leaped out of the water, jaws gaping in a battle cry. The cruel she-cat's yowl seemed to be so loud, cats from RiverClan territory could probably hear it.
Then, suddenly, Emberspark disappeared. The ripples in the pool from Emberspark's attack vanished, and there wasn't a trace that a cat had been at the bottom of the Moonpool at all, or the loud cry that was making Bearpaw's ears ring. All that was left was some water that had splashed down at Bearpaw's feet. He took this as a sign that he should taste the water, to make him dream of StarClan. Bearpaw's fear rose, but he stayed calm as he slowly padded over to the edge of the pool, and touched the water with his nose. The minute he touched the water, he felt ice cold prickles spreading throughout his body. Bearpaw looked up, and saw that the stars of Silverpelt looked much closer than they were a few moments ago.
I must be dreaming. Bearpaw looked around, and saw Shiningblaze and Mothstar standing side by side at the entrance to the clearing.
Bearpaw rushed to meet them, and the three cats, two dead and one alive, settled down together.
"Bearpaw, you shouldn't sneak out of camp like this," Mothstar scolded him. "But it's a good thing you did. Shiningblaze and I-"
"Tell Rainstar thank you for the name! I love it!" Shiningblaze added. Bearpaw nodded warmly, and turned his attention back to Mothstar.
The former RiverClan leader shot a glance at her starry companion, and continued. "Shiningblaze and I need to tell you something. The Clans are turning on RiverClan, and you need to save them."
"I know. Riverstar told me a while ago, while I was sick."
"Riverstar came to you?" Shiningblaze asked.
"Yes. He also rescued me from the Dark Forest."
"Bearpaw, there is more to the prophecy." Mothstar closed her eyes, and recited the prophecy Rainstar had told Bearpaw. "In the time Rain and Bear rule the Clan of water, darkness will strike. The Pool of Stars will leak. Shadow will pour from the trees, Wind will race, snarling from the earth, and Thunder will roar from the sky. RiverClan will fall, unless Bear rescues it from the darkness, but Bear can't do it without help from his kin."
"My kin? All of my kin are dead, except… Plumeshine…" Bearpaw trailed off when he realized that the last part of the prophecy involved his rogue brother.
"You and Plumeshine are the only hope of RiverClan surviving." Mothstar told him, a grim look in her eyes.
"If Plumeshine doesn't agree to help RiverClan…" Bearpaw tried to find the words to complete the sentence, but he couldn't imagine the Clans without RiverClan in their midst.
"I'll convince Plumeshine to help save my Clan." Bearpaw decided firmly. "Whatever it takes."
StarClan started to fade, and Bearpaw woke from his dream with a start. He knew it was time for him to go home, and start training to be a warrior. Bearpaw knew he was to do great things for his Clan.