Spotpaw's Moonstone Journey

Aspenheart's last wish was to walk all the way to the Moonstone, but he didn't feel he had a choice at this point. Poor Spotpaw needed something to look forward to. Speaking with the ancestors might give the little one some peace. Aspenheart found no peace there anymore. They gave him nothing to work with. He could nearly spit at the stupid hunk of rock. But of course, he wasn't about to tell anyone that. He wasn't about to tell anybody much of anything. His voice was raspy from the lack of use. Two word sentences was the name of the game.

"Come on, scrap. We're going to the Moonstone," he whispered, nudging the apprentice awake. He hobbled back to his den to collect the traveling herbs. He was hesitant to leave Grousefrost behind, in such a critical state as his, but he couldn't ignore his duties. If only Finchstar knew how much his trusted medicine cat was failing WindClan, he would smack Aspenheart so hard his legs would go straight again. He sighed, remembering the steely yellow eyes of his dearest friend, and waited for Spotpaw to return to him.

Spotpaw felt a nudge on her. Aspenheart. Spotpaw quickly scrambled up to her paws as she followed the medicine cat out of the den. She halted to a stop once she was beside Aspenheart.

Aspenheart pushed a small leaflet of herbs toward the calico apprentice, taking note of his own paws. They trembled more than usual this morning. There was so much to do... he couldn't let his own health fail him now. Raventail needed him. Both toms were holding out on Finchstar's return. How much longer could a cat hold on to the edge of a cliff? He shook the thought out of his head, flicking his ears rhythmically. "Alright, eat up. It won't taste good, but you have to do it."

Spotpaw looked down at the green herbs. Herbs hadn't really made contact with Spotpaw at all. Phesantpaw figured it was because of how thick her fur was. He wasn't wrong. Spotpaw bent down licking up the herbs quickly. She gulped them down careful not to have them touch her tongue.

Guiding the quiet apprentice with his tail, Aspenheart led Spotpaw out of camp, ears pricked with tension and fear. They had to move quickly. There was no time to waste. His companion was young and meek, and he was concerned about her ability to hold her own if they were attacked. They walked with purpose, which exhausted the medicine cat. He watched Spotpaw with curiosity. "This will pass," he said quietly. It surprised even himself. Opening up wasn't exactly one of his strong suits. But with no one there to mock him...

"I believe that Finchstar will return. Nobody saw him when the tunnel collapsed, after all. But even if he doesn't, Raventail will take his name and lead WindClan back into the light. I've seen plenty of sunrises, scrap, but I think the one that's coming will be the brightest yet. You think so?" He smiled and bumped his hip against Spotpaw's.

Spotpaw followed Grousefrost out of camp as they began their trek. Spotpaw suppressed a purr when she saw Grousefrost look happier. She was glad for him. Especilly since Grousefrost had been so busy having dismissed Mistystripe.

Spotpaw knew she would have to answar. So she did. "Yeah. Maybe in Newleaf or Greenleaf there'll be new kits." Spotpaw replied. She tried not to make it so obivous that she hoped that one of those kits could possibly be her's and Crowpaw's. She did pretty well and the thought was just now forever stuck in her mind. Until that talk came at least.

The journey was slow, but as they climbed Highstones, Aspenheart felt less fear. Surely, they wouldn't follow cats into Highstones. It was the most sacred place of the clans, and it wasn't as though there were any cats regularly living up there. The beasts would not be waiting for them, lurking in the shadows. The entrance to the tunnel felt more cramped as usual as he led little Spotpaw down into the cavern. The stone was bright and glowing as a cool draft whipped Aspenheart's whiskers. He sat down at the edge of the cave, far from the stone, for this journey was not on his own behalf.

"Touch your nose to the stone and allow yourself to fall asleep," he whispered in quiet reverence. "The ancestors will meet you there."

(OOC: After you post, pm Maple and tell her that you're ready for Willowwhisker! After Spotpaw has a conversation with a StarClan cat, the requirement is complete and Spotpaw can become a warrior.)

Spotpaw nodded and lied down on the cold cave floor. It didn't really bother her that much, it only bothered her pads. Touching her nose to the cold moonstone Spotpaw drifted off to sleep quickly.

When Spotpaw woke she was in a place full of stars. Is Goldengale here? Spotpaw wondered quickly realizing that it was Starclan territory.

Approaching the young WindClan she-cat with a smile plastered to her face, Willowwhisker waited patiently for her to awaken in the land of the stars. When she finally did, she gently purred and took yet another step forward, her ethereal pelt gleaming and sparkling as brightly as ever. "Hello, Spotpaw," she murmured, taking her seat in front of the apprentice, soon-to-be warrior. "You've had a long journey; make yourself comfortable, my dear. I won't be keeping you long, but you may as well relax while I do." Curling her tail over her paws, Willowwhisker waited a moment for the she-cat to respond.

Spotpaw looked up to see a pretty she-cat with stars dappling her fur. Starclan. Spotpaw sat up and stared at the she-cat. "Uh hello. What's your name?" Asked Spotpaw nervously. She had never spoken to Starclan before. Was this normal for Aspenheart?

Smiling, Willowwhisker began. "My name is Willowwhisker, a former WindClan warrior of a time far before you were born." As the stars in her pelt continued to glitter, she closed her eyes for a moment before continuing. "I'm here today to tell you that despite everything that has happened, there is and always will be a bright side to every story. Don't give up on your dreams, little one, but be careful not to dwell on the nightmares." Her eyes softened as her mind shifted slightly to what the Clan cats knew as Goldengale's disappearance. The poor apprentice hadn't the slightest clue of where she was. "It's time you get back to your Clan, don't you think? Aspenheart is waiting." With a slight wink, Willowwhisker nodded to Spotpaw and sent her on her way, leaving the land of the stars to awaken next to the Moonstone.

Spotpaw listened intently taking Willowwhisker's lesson to heart. When Spotpaw knew it was time to go she waved her tail goodbye before waking up in the moonstone cave. Spotpaw knew Starclan gave cats useful advice. And the advice Willowwhisker had given her would stay around until Spotpaw herself joined Starclan.