Minnowpaw's Moonstone Journey

Littlebrook padded quietly up to Minnowpaw with a tangy bundle of herbs in her mouth. "Are you ready for the journey to Highstones?" She asked once placing the herbs at the young cat's paws. The bitter taste of the herbs still lingered in her jaws from only just finishes her traveling herbs, but she ignored it. "Go ahead and eat these." She meowed, motioning towards the lump on the ground. "They're traveling herbs. They don't taste that great, but you can get rid of the taste with a piece of prey from the pile." She offered with a smile before turning. "I'll wait by the entrance."

"Yeah I guess I'm ready" she meowed quietly. She then looked at the herbs, she quickly swallowed her herbs, the bitter taste where horrible so she decided to eat a piece of prey. She walked over to the prey pile and grabbed a small frog. She also swallowed that quickly. Once the tasted of the herbs wern't to bad she walked over to Littlebrook. She nodded "I'm ready to go.." she meowed quietly and glanced around camp.

Littlebrook nodded as the quiet apprentice approached her, murmuring that she was ready. "Okay, Minnowpaw. Follow me." She chirped softly, hoping to liven the young cat up. They soon came upon the loud, toxic-smelling Thunderpath, to which she held her tail out in front of the apprentice. "Now, listen to everything that I say. Do not cross without my say so, understood?" She meowed, staring solemnly into her eyes. Only a few moments went by after Minnowpaw had agreed, they were racing across the stinging black path. Once they made it across safely, and Littlebrook was sure that the she-cat hadn't been hurt, they continued their trek to Mothermouth.

They padded in silence for the next several minutes of the journey, but she soon attempted to start up a conversation. "How are you doing? Is something bothering you?" The small deputy asked with concern. She was worried that maybe something had gone on that was putting a damper on the usual excitement that came with the moonstone journey; maybe Minnowpaw was just nervous. It was entirely possible that it was the case, but she felt that it never hurt to be too sure.

Minnowpaw looked up at Littlebrook as the deputy started to talk with her "Uh.. Well
I kinda havn't left camp in awhile this is i think the fouth time this moon that I've been out.." she meowed quietly, knowing that the deputy probably wonderd why she hadn't left camp that much she continued "You probably think I'm lame for this bu the truth is that I'm afraid of getting into another battle..". She looked down at the ground realizing that she was the worst clan cat ever, scared to even leave camp? No good clan cat would be scared of that.

Littlebrook looked down at the apprentice with an empathetic glance. Obviously, she had already known the young she-cat hadn't been out of camp much, as she was the deputy and had to know such things, but Minnowpaw didn't know that. "That's nothing to really be ashamed of, Minnowpaw. Nobody likes battles, even warriors, and we try to prevent them as much as we can. Although sometimes, there's nothing anyone can do to prevent them, so even if we might be terrified out of our minds, we don't let it show to our enemy. Act as fierce as you can, even if you don't feel very fierce when you're in that situation, and your enemy will be none the wiser." She told her with a purr of understanding. She remembered when the Dark Forest took over during her very first gathering. She had been terrified out of her mind, but she figured that wasn't something she needed to share with Minnowpaw. It'd probably just scare her more, and all she'd hear is 'Dark Forest take over' and never leave camp again.

As soon as she had finished speaking, they had finally reached the entrance to Highstones, the dark looming entrance staring straight at them. "This is Mothermouth. We're almost to the Moonstone now." She informed the young cat before her. "Now, this might be a bit scary, but just follow me and my directions, and you'll be just fine." She meowed encouragingly before stepping into Highstones and making her way through the tunnels.

Only several moments later, they were blinded by an extremely bright light that was emanating from the mesmerizing Moonstone. As soon as her eyes adjusted to the light, she stepped off to the side and settled down on the cold floor. "This is where your journey will continue without me. Just get comfortable and whenever you're ready, just touch your nose to the stone." She advised, her warm, gentle voice carrying throughout the cave.

Minnowpaw lisent to her deputy and smiled slightly "T-thank you Littlebrook, but even if I try I really can't be as fierce as I should be.." she sighed.

Once the got to Mothermouth she followed Littlebrook into the tunnel. Once they came to the Moonstone she looked at it for awhile and then walked up to it and layed down infront of the stone and touched it with her nose.

"Welcome to Starclan, Minnowpaw." The flame-colored tom meowed as the starry world came into focus around her. Flamestrike stood on all fours. His long legs stretched out as he maintained a confident and strong stance. Any signs of the injury that had crippled him were gone, and along with it the contentment of the afterlife and final peace from a life hard lived. Flamestrike managed a soft smile. Nature was something Starclan did not fix. It allowed for the individuality of all cats. His calm demeanor and shy personality were still there underneath the exterior of a tough and normally soft-spoken warrior.

"I am Flamestrike. A warrior before your time. Of course, I have come with a message from Starclan. But, you may also feel free to ask anything." He did not long to rush this along. Speaking to Shadowclan's future warriors was something that made him feel purpose. It also reminded him of his own sons. Gingerstripe and Firestone, despite the events that occurred before his death, were fine warriors. Although, he had not been allowed to speak with them yet. So, this was as close as he got. Flamestrike settled back on his haunches while he waited for the she-cat to speak up.

She looked up at the warrior, "Hi Flamestrike, I'm Minnowpaw." she told him "W-what message?" she then asked and looked at the tom with curiosity.
She waited for Flamestrike to answer the question and smiled slightly.

"I suppose we can just jump right in..." He smiled, remembering his own eagerness as a young cat. Gingerstripe and Firestone had both been the same when they were young. Flamestrike thought for a moment and the tip of his long tail twitched ever so slightly. Hopefully, this would help to encourage the future warrior, "You have to learn to get over your fear of battles. It is unpleasant for sure. But, I have seen many cats get lost in burying themselves inside of camp. I was once that way." His green eyes seemed distant as he thought of his past. How he had been so eager to do as much work for the clan and had done so as long as he was allowed. And then, how he had killed his own brother in combat for the sake of the clan, and later his mentor's daughter. Both weighed heavy enough to leave him sitting silently in camp for moons. And nothing had been accomplished by it.

"Y-you have?" she meowed and looked up at the Starclan cat. "Well I know I should be out there and protecting my clan but I'm afraid.. I wish there was some possible way for me to stay in camp and still help out.." she then meowed feeling pretty dumb for being so scared.

"Fear is a powerful thing... but when you learn to overcome it, that can be more powerful in the end. Don't end up like me, Minnowpaw. Work through it. You will be a great warrior." His face grew more serious than before, borderline stoic in fact, as he remembered his own struggle. For moons, the tom had spent laying in camp and letting his life slip away. Flamestrike had watched everything pass around him, dictated by his own fear and sadness. Minnowpaw needed to do better.

With a flick of his long tail, the ginger tom stood and turned to leave. He had said all he needed to say and wanted to leave the she-cat with that. She could mull over the words later and hopefully learn from them. As he padded away, the world around them faded and Minnowpaw was left to return to the world of the living.