Confessions and Revelations

It had been a day since Mossbloom had journeyed to the Moonstone with the other medicine cats, Pricklebush included. The strange and confusing prophecy she had received echoed in her mind with the rainy sunrise, and she knew she had to speak to someone about it. Who better to speak to than Oakstar? Perhaps he could shed some wisdom onto the cryptic words from the unknown member of StarClan that had uttered them. The sunrise had been blocked partially by the rain clouds that had lingered over ThunderClan's forest for some time now, but that had almost made it worse. The red light of the dawn had filtered through the gray clouds, looking like seeping tendrils of blood through water. The thought made her shudder as she left the cover of the ferns and stepped into the main clearing of camp, looking for the figure of Oakstar.

She couldn't find him, so she padded over to the entrance of his den at a quick pace, water from puddles splashing over her white paws. Stopping at the entrance, attempting to take some cover under Highrock, she announced herself. "Oakstar? Do you have a little while to talk? I have something I need to speak with you about, if you're able."

Amber eyes blinked blearily in the darkness of his den. Soft words echoed in his ears, causing them to twitch as he yawned. Dawn patrol? Was it his turn? Perhaps one of the patrol runners had taken ill. He stood slowly, stretching and leaning down to give Dustcloud a lick on the cheek before he padded to the entrance of the den. His appearance alert and ready… only to see that there was no patrol.

It was just Mossbloom. He blinked, then felt his heart drop.
"Mossbloom… is some cat hurt? What’s wrong?" He watched her closely. The she-cat wasn’t one to play up a harmless situation… not like this. Not so seriously. "Are the foxes back?" His claws tensed as he asked. Teeth gritting together as he remembered the foxes that had stolen kits, and then Leopardclaw from the clan. Oh so easily… his stomach clenched in disgust. They had to be rid of them.

It wasn't long before Oakstar emerged from the den, head high and ears alert, looking for something. At first he seemed to gaze past her, towards the entrance of camp. A flicker of surprise and confusion crossed his face as his gaze then turned and landed on her, his Amber eyes meeting her green ones. He blinked once, and the air around him suddenly changed. She shook her head quickly, trying to ease Oakstar's initial fears even as her mind started trying to fit foxes into the prophecy she had received. She couldn't seem to get it to fit in, at least, she couldn't figure out how it could, but she placed the idea in the back of her mind just in case.... Something else to worry about and try to keep a firm paw on.

"No, Oakstar, everyone is fine and as far as I know the foxes haven't returned, although Aspenheart seemed pretty worried about something. Perhaps they moved towards the moors, either way, we should keep our senses open just in case." She took a deep breath before gesturing towards the tunnel leading out of the camp and into the forest with her tail. "I... I wanted to talk to you about the prophecy I received. I've been trying to think of what it might mean, and I guess... Well, I'm hoping I can share it with you and we can talk it over together, if that's okay?"

Oakstar felt a flood of relief when his fears about the foxes was apparently unfounded for now. He squinted a bit at the concern of Aspenheart. The name didn’t sound too familiar to him… but she had just come back from a moonstone trip with the other medicine cats. His memory suddenly pieced it together with the comment about moors. Aspenheart was the little medicine cat for WindClan.

He had never met the tom. Finchstar had a good head on his shoulders though, so he had no reason to doubt the medicine cat selection. Those thoughts made, he shoved the whole worry about the other clan’s tom aside and instead focused on Mossbloom, who still seemed distinctly bothered.

The mention of a prophecy made his pelt prickle.
"Of course, Mossbloom. Lead the way." He didn’t bother hiding his concern as he followed Mossbloom through the territory. His glance occasionally lifting to the red bathed storm clouds above them.

"Thank you, Oakstar..." Mossbloom breathed, feeling the smallest bit of relief that he would listen to her. Her paws turned towards the entrance, nodding to the warrior keeping guard as she made her way up the ravine wall and into the fall-colored forest. It was colder than usual, and the unnerving red of the sky she knew was hovering above the treetops was intimidating as the pair padded away from ThunderClan's tucked away camp at a swift pace. Once they were quite a distance away, she slowed down slightly, waiting until she was side by side with the leader as their paws continued to carry them where they may. Taking a deep breath, the calico steeled herself for what was coming.

"No individual StarClan cat spoke to me at the meeting... Instead, when I opened my eyes, I was on top of the Greatrock, in Fourtrees. It was dark, but as I stood there the sun rose above the horizon in a blood red light. It covered everything.... As far as I could see. And then a voice came, a strange, echoing one. It said 'Dawn’s light grows cold as it gazes upon the fading dusk. The moons pass with bright colors and a dismantling of comfort. Are you ready for what the light of day may bring?'" She swallowed hard before continuing. "After that, the rock collapsed under me, and I started to fall into the red light below..."

Nimbly stepping over a tree root jutting from the ground, she looked sideways up at Oakstar. "I'm not sure of what it means.... I'm afraid that it's talking about Amberdawn.... I don't know for sure though. What do you think?" The falling oak flashed in her memory for a moment, but she quickly deemed mentioning it unnecessary. Everything had been collapsing, there was no need to point out anything in particular, was there?

He followed Mossbloom in silence as the younger she-cat led him towards snakerocks. His pelt prickled as they touched the smooth stones. His eyes darted over the smooth shapes, just to make sure he didn’t see any snakes as he sat down next to her and listened to the prophecy. A chill crawled down his spine at the words… both cryptic and worrying.

Amberdawn seemed like a good medicine cat. If the prophecy was about her… he hoped it didn’t mean as bad. Rock collapsing to plunge Mossbloom into red… he shook his head to clear it.
"Amberdawn is the logical choice." He commented thoughtfully. His tail twitched as he thought over the words repeatedly. Dawn’s light grows cold… perhaps… "Maybe, Amberdawn is going to nearly die." He offered, looking towards Mossbloom. "It could be something to do with SkyClan, perhaps there will be a shortage of prey, or maybe a den will fall apart. " He frowned as a new idea came to light.

"If anything happens to their medicine den, please offer them what spare herbs you can. I may not see eye-to-eye with Tinystar, but I won’t make his clan suffer." Oakstar meowed as he thought it over more carefully. Darkness and disruption of comfort felt like it could be a den collapse… he was certain of it… but he frowned in worry over Amberdawn.

What if the medicine cat wasn’t alright? What if she was injured… he shook his head free of the spot.
"The same goes if Amberdawn is injured. She is welcome to come to ThunderClan for healing."

Frowning in concern as Oakstar echoed her thoughts regarding the prophecy being about Amberdawn, she shook her head slightly as he mentioned perhaps it being about SkyClan. "I don't think so... Amberdawn left SkyClan.... It's a long story, but I truly don't think it's about SkyClan." She looked down at her paws, taking a deep breath. "I really hope she's okay..." If a twoleg, or anything did something to hurt Amberdawn.... She didn't even want to think about it. Hopefully her friend remembered her promise, and would be able to see her before the first snow.

When Oakstar told her to offer SkyClan herbs if they needed, the she-cat nodded. "Of course, Oakstar. I'd be more than willing to do that. I told her that we would always be willing to take her in if she needed... But she said it was too close. That she had to leave. I'm sorry, Oakstar..." She took a deep breath before looking up, and her eyes widened as she registered where they were standing. The fur along her back rose as her eyes sought out a spot on the ground, still stained red in her vision. Tail tip flicking in fear and apprehension, her gaze raised from the spot on the ground up to the bushes just beyond the spot, and her stance seemed to take on a defensive air.

She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, stalked once more. The breeze rustled the branches of the bushes, and in the distance a twig snapped, making her jump. Eyes still locked on the bush, the same one that Dewpaw had burst out of in his pursuit to kill her, she remained completely still. Oakstar's presence forgotten in her sudden fear and paranoia, she kept finding herself on that warm day, the ground still damp and soggy from the flood.... Before her father and mentors died, before she had been betrayed by someone she thought was a friend.... The day that friend had attempted to take her life and in exchange lost his, as she tried desperately to save him.