Clearpaw's Moonstone Journey

The last of his back-to-back-to-back journeys was upon him. Clearpaw was a very mature and sensible tom, and despite the fact that Aspenheart was not very acquainted with him (sensible cats don't often wind up in a medicine den), he respected his attitudes and outlook on life. He was very unlike a WindClan cat, and that was precisely what made Aspenheart so interested in his mind. It was beautiful, how seeds sewn in rough and rocky terrain still flourished. Hardiness and constitution were valiant traits. And, as a cat who had bumped heads with Finchstar for practically his entire life, it was nice to find a kindred spirit.

Aspenheart hobbled to the apprentice with two packets of herbs, setting one at Clearpaw's side. "You're going to hate it," he said as he chewed his own. "I figure I might as well be honest with you, kitten-fluff."

Clearpaw, admittedly, hadn't talked to WindClan's medicine cat nearly as much as he should. The only time he had really seen him was when he visited Morningdove that one time, but even then he hadn't actually spoken to Aspenheart. Rather, Clearpaw admired the older tom from a distance. He really was an excellent medicine cat and the lanky apprentice was looking forward to spending some time with him.

The time had come, apparently, for his Moonstone journey. Excited wasn't a good word to describe what he was feeling. He wasn't excited, but he wasn't nervous either. He was more...neutral, clear-headed, hopeful. Eager to see what StarClan was like. And, as many apprentices did, he had questions to ask of whatever cat he was going to meet. As serious and mature as he was, even he was struggling with growing up, just like every other cat.

Clearpaw sat by the area where the apprentices slept ("den" was not a good word for this, as WindClan slept outside), watching Aspenheart as he hobbled over. Aspenheart is very impressive, he thought, his tail swiping back and forth across the dirt. The medicine cat deposited a packet of herbs on the ground at his paws and began to eat his own. Clearpaw blinked. He was going to hate it? "Is it really that bad?" he asked, leaning down to sniff the herbs. Almost immediately he recoiled at the pungent smell, whiskers twitching uncomfortably. He swallowed hard and did as he was told, lapping up the herbs and forcing them down his throat as quickly as he possibly could without choking. Despite his best efforts, a noticeable shudder ran down his spine from disgust. "...Thank you for the warning. I have to admit, you were right."

Aspenheart snickered, a nasally and giddy noise, as he nodded towards the gorse tunnel and led the apprentice out of their camp. All seemed well on the moor, and there was no sign of bad weather coming. Generally, the medicine cat had been lucky with the days he picked to travel, and today was no exception. The air was hot, but dry, and the clouds that lazily meandered across the powder-blue sky were light and wispy. Clearpaw practically marched, eagerness escaping from every spring of his youthful legs, and Aspenheart's lips drew up in a feather-light grin. He needed this... Downpaw had been a handful. "StarClan chooses the cat whose words they think you need to hear the most. It's not always someone you knew, and it's not always a WindClan cat." The medicine cat let a few more beats pass as Clearpaw absorbed the new information. "Is there anything in particular you're hoping for?"

Clearpaw was indeed marching, shortening his long stride a little to keep pace with the medicine cat and his hobbling gait. He nodded in understanding as Aspenheart spoke and took a moment to think about his question. What did he want to ask? He probably couldn't ask everything at once, maybe he only got one question per Moonstone visit. He hummed quietly to himself, trying now to figure out the best way to word this. "I...have a few things. For starters, I...am not sure how to be nice. I see other cats, kind cats, and how they're treated, and I want that too. I want to be respected as a valuable member of the Clan. But I suppose I don't have a very good resting face...I've been told I'm very serious and I'm not sure how to change that." He paused, sighing softly. "And...others have also told me I'm strict on rules. I just feel like, if they're there, they're there for a reason. So they should be followed. Is that bad?"

He shot a glance over to Aspenheart to gauge his reaction, his face burning hot from embarrassment. But Aspenheart may have some medicine cat wisdom to share with him, right? Oh, he hoped so, otherwise he just made himself look like a fool in front of the silver tom.

The yearning in Clearpaw's voice was what caught Aspenheart's attention. The desires of a clan cat could, in many cases, be boiled down to their standing among others. It was a vice they had, as social creatures, that they could not stand to be othered or shunned. Aspenheart felt that isolation must be the worst part of exile. He felt obligated to convey to Clearpaw that he did not have to be alone.

"You walk a path I must've walked one hundred times," he chuckled, the fleeting ghost of a memory striking his eyes. "Finchstar was incredibly young to be a leader, and I guess that I was incredibly young to be a medicine cat. As a warrior apprentice, he was my mentor, and you could say that we inherited WindClan together. He made up his mind about the Warrior Code early on, that it came second to whatever he deemed was best for WindClan. I, on the other hand, always thought he took things four pawsteps too far. I am of the opinion that the Code gives us order and structure. A bend or a twist, I can live with. After all, a bend of the rules got us Olivestone, who might be more WindClan than the rest of us. But Finchstar always thought the Code was too restrictive for WindClan, and that our hearts and heads knew the way forward. Well, my head is broken, and my heart makes me utterly stupid!" Aspenheart felt his chest bubble up in a rousing cackle, wheezing with the strength of it. An echo joined him, Finchstar's warm and honey-thick laughter. His cackle became a giggle, and then a hum, and the sound of the thunderpath nearby beckoned to them.

"But there's a point to all of that, Clearpaw. Because..." Aspenheart lifted his eyes, for high above the thunderpath, the Moonstone lay in wait, and WindClan's ancestors with it. "At our cores, we wanted what was best for WindClan. We just believed in different methods. The Code is yours to interpret, and I believe in your vision. Without cats like us, who would stop the Finchstars of the forest from going completely loony? And besides... for all the prophecies I warned him with, and for all the idealistic prosey nonsense he spat back at me, he was the best friend I ever had. More than that, he was my clanmate. We almost always disagreed, but when it counted, we could fight for WindClan. You don't have to abandon your convictions to be a good warrior, or to be liked. We are all bound to each other by StarClan, the Code, and our love for each other as clanmates. WindClan will always accept you... if you can let them in."

They had reached the tunnel. Aspenheart pulled the bracken aside with a shaky paw and peered inside. "This goes under the thunderpath and comes out the other side. It's a lot safer than running across, given that my body tends to freeze up from time to time. You'll have to keep your head down, though. If a monster rolls over while we're in there, it'll shake dust in your eyes. Are you ready?"

Clearpaw's tall ears swiveled towards the medicine cat with interest as he began speaking and the lanky apprentice found himself staring down at the ground, at his paws, as he listened. He never knew a lot about Finchstar, as the old leader passed away before his time, and hearing it firstpaw from the tom's greatest friend felt like he was being let in on secrets. Clearpaw stayed quiet out of respect for Aspenheart, the gears in his mind whirring. Aspenheart believes in me... he thought, his gaze shifting up towards the silver tom and then out in front of them as they neared the Thunderpath. He stopped in front of the bracken-hidden tunnel, dark eyes peering curiously into its depths before he looked up at Aspenheart, his gaze and voice sincere. "Thank you for your wisdom, Aspenheart. I appreciate it. I'm ready now."

He truly did feel as if a bit of weight had been lifted off his chest, alongside a settling feeling of newfound respect for the medicine cat. Without another word, Clearpaw ducked into the tunnel and began striding towards the other side, using his whiskers just like Crowspirit had trained him to do. Aspenheart would follow, he was sure; the old silver tom was not as fast as he was, so he would wait for him on the other side. For now, he dutifully marched down the tunnel, keeping his senses alert for any rumbling of a monster overhead.

"Good," Aspenheart said. He had done his duty, and the rest was in the paws of StarClan. He shook off the debris of the tunnel and watched the shifting of clouds over the tall peak of Highstones. Their journey was nearly over.

---

The moonstone never ceased to catch Aspenheart's attention. The luminescent spires reflected their light back into the eyes of every bewildered and awestruck apprentice that the medicine cat introduced to it. He stepped back, nodding Clearpaw forward to meet his ancestors, and scooted down against the wall. He yawned, stretched his legs behind him, and prepared to sleep the night away, dreamless.

The glow of the Moonstone was bright, much brighter than he ever anticipated. His eyes adjusted to the darkness of the tunnels, it almost hurt to look at the glowing stone before him. The reverence and awe of the cavern he stood in filled his chest, stealing his breath away. Here, now, he would speak to StarClan. After all the stories of the Righteous Few...a roll of discomfort slid down his spine. But that was all over, surely. It would be safe. Aspenheart would have told him if it was unsafe. Clearpaw's face was just as impassive as ever, but his emotions and mind were running rampant. He was...nervous. Nervous for what was to come.

...He had to do it, he couldn't just stand there all night. Inhaling deeply to steady himself, he laid down in front of the great stone and touched his nose to it, feeling a shock of coldness before everything went black. When he woke, he was standing in a grassy field not unlike the moors he was used to back home. Here, however, the grass was a lovely green, and shorter, and the white-and-gray pointed pelt of the apprentice stood out like a sore paw. Everything seemed in order, at least. Clearpaw blinked, casting his gaze around hesitantly before he sat down in the grass, his long tail flicking. A StarClan cat would come soon.

Silentstrike watched from afar as a cat, who shared his same pelt, began to take form among the stars. He knew that things certainly weren't easy for any of the Clan cats, but for the youth... It had to be so much harder. Growing up in a time where you don't know who you can trust, what's real and what isn't... It had to be difficult. With an inward sigh, the large tom pushed forward and began padding to where Clearpaw sat, waiting. "I'm glad you made it safely, Clearpaw." He said, deep voice booming across the clearing. "My name is Silentstrike, a former WindClan warrior, and I'm here to answer any questions you might have and to offer what wisdom I may." The large tom nodded as he sat in front of the apprentice, nearly a mirror image of himself at a younger age- and his pelt was dotted with ethereal stars, either.

Clearpaw's eyes widened as a mirror image of himself appeared before him. His first thought was that somehow he had died and was staring at himself, but no, there were subtle differences in this cat's pelt and the way he carried himself, and he was a bit more muscular than the apprentice was. His hackles had raised in alarm for a moment and he forced them to lay back down smoothly, his face flashing hot with embarrassment. Here he was, meeting a StarClan cat, and he got scared.

He cleared his throat and shuffled into a straighter posture, listening closely as the tom before him introduced himself as Silentstrike. He nodded respectfully towards the StarClan tom, tail flicking as it usually did when he was thinking. "It's nice to meet you, Silentstrike. Thank you for meeting with me." Clearpaw paused, tilting his head slightly to one side as his mind raced. What should he ask first? He had several questions, but he wasn't sure how much time he had up here before he woke up again.

"...I've noticed that some of my friends in camp think I'm a little strange for being so serious, and so strict about the rules. I don't really understand why. To me, the rules are there for a reason and they should be followed, not broken. Isn't that the point of rules? I was speaking with Aspenheart on the way here and he told me that he feels like 'a bend or a twist' of the rules is alright...Am I wrong for not exactly thinking that's okay? I don't feel the same way. Does this make me strange?" He shuffled his paws, looking down at them for a moment. "I want others to like me, I want to be 'nice'. But I'm not sure how to go about that. I know that sounds silly, but...it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. And, I want to be the best WindClan warrior I can possibly be, so...I hope you can help me, Silentstrike."

Silentstrike let a gentle smile worm its way onto his maw as he looked at Clearpaw, not breaking eye contact as the young tom spoke. He immediately felt closer to the apprentice with each word he spoke, identifying heavily with what he was going through. As an apprentice and even a young warrior, Silentstrike had struggled through Clearpaw's exact problem... It seemed the stars had truly aligned, with the two of them being paired for this talk. "It is important to remember that every rule is unique in it's own way. The consequences for breaking two different rules will likely differ in severity, and you'll find that some rules may not align with your morals." Taking a breath, Silentstrike let those words sink in for a moment before speaking up again.

"That being said... I do not think you are wrong for being so close to the Code and what it entails, and it certainly does not make you strange. However, some would say that some rules are meant to be broken. At times, breaking the rules might be the right thing to do, even if it doesn't feel like it. Sometimes breaking the rules can save a life, and sometimes it may do more good than it will harm. In these situations, it may be okay to give the rules a 'bend or a twist,' as Aspenheart put it." Silentstrike let his starry tail wrap around his body, watching Clearpaw intently. "It's also okay to be a stickler for rules, though, as that can save a life, too. It's a matter of figuring out what is best for the situation." He added thoughtfully, hoping he'd made sense to the young apprentice. He'd never been the best with words...

The lanky apprentice nodded slowly as he listened, dark eyes locked on the StarClan warrior. His brain whirred, however, taking in the words Silentstrike spoke. "...I think I understand. It depends on the situation. That makes sense..." Clearpaw paused, tilting his head slightly to one side with a thoughtful expression. "I'll have to work on that...Thank you, Silentstrike. I have one more question, if I may. I want other cats to like me. Not in an arrogant way, really, just...I want to be respected and liked. I guess that's a common thing. I don't think I'm particularly social... I want to make my mark on WindClan. Do you have a good idea of how to do that?" Clearpaw had looked away while speaking, but now his gaze was back up on Silentstrike's face, intent and questioning.

Silentstrike offered a firm nod as Clearpaw reflected on what he'd said, and listened quietly as he spoke about wanting a good reputation and status among his Clanmates. "Respect is a tricky thing to earn, and an even trickier thing to keep," The starry warrior reflected, maintaining eye contact with the smaller tom. "and it's exactly as I said- you have to earn it. Doing the least- patrolling, protecting the borders, catching prey- will only get you as far as anyone else. In order to be respected, you have to do something worthy of respect in the eyes of your Clanmates. Be prepared to stand up for what you believe in, and don't sit idly by when you are needed. Do something worthy of note... Whatever that may be to you." Silentstrike watched intently for a reaction from the young tom, noting that their time was starting to run short.

"Also, Clearpaw..." He said, a bit quieter and softer than before. "I was just like you, as a younger cat. I wanted nothing more than to like and be liked by my Clanmates, but so much of what I believed in differed from their beliefs. If there's anything I learned from those times... It's that it gets easier. It may not seem like it, but over time you'll realize that it isn't as bad as you thought it was, and it's like a breath of fresh air." Silentstrike rose to his paws and padded slowly towards Clearpaw, stopping to touch his nose to the apprentice's forehead. "I believe in you. Good luck." With those final words, the world around Clearpaw began to swirl and fade in a flurry of stars, and he was sent back to Aspenheart's side.

"Do something worthy of note...whatever that may be to you." Clearpaw met Silentstrike's gaze once more, staring deeply into the other tom's eyes. He blinked, then nodded firmly, conviction and determination flashing in his eyes. He flicked his tail as Silentstrike continued, quieter this time. The tall apprentice leaned in to show he was listening intently, slowly curling his tail around his paws. This tom was so kind, and strong, and inspiring...Despite himself, a prick of tears formed in his deep blue eyes and he struggled to keep his composure solid as the StarClan warrior offered his parting words. "Thank you for everything, Silentstrike," Clearpaw managed to get out before the ground swirled and the stars filled his vision.

He woke up on the cold floor before the Moonstone, feeling invigorated and refreshed. He smiled to himself, a genuine grin of happiness. He truly felt enlightened, at least for now. It was time to return home and spread his newfound wisdom to the other apprentices. And then, soon, earn his warrior name.