Lightpaw’s Moonstone Journey

Fuzzybelly worked tirelessly since coming home to cobble his den back together. Every time he felt like he was done, another crack in the wall or more water would try to seep in. He could only hope things would dry out…

Lightpaw was ready for their journey. ShadowClan needed healthy warriors, and they had capable paws.

“Hullo, Lightpaw. We’re going to Highstones. I got your herbs made. Chew them up. They don’t taste good, but we need them. Let’s go!”

Lightpaw was definitely ready for her journey. Had the flood not interrupted her training, she definitely would’ve been a warrior by now. The apprentice was growing tall and beginning to fill out a bit. With her concussion subsiding, Lightpaw had resumed her training and proven she was up to the task.

Lightpaw nodded, picking up the herbs and beginning to chew. Fuzzybelly was right, they were definitely not the tastiest thing ever, but she got them down. “Okay,” she mewed with a swish of her white tail. “Let’s go.”

“Great! It’s not too far, I promise. It’s a journey, don’t get me wrong… but we’re fortunate.”

Fuzzybelly flicked his tail as he left camp. He glanced back at her to check her gait; after the concussion she suffered, it was a serious concern. She seemed fine though, much to his relief.

Weaving through the marshes never felt this good. Eventually, they arrived.

“Well, here we are! This is Highstones. We’ll go in that cavern, and there will be a stone. You’ll see, I promise.”

The tom walked inside, approaching a stone he knew all too well.

“Lightpaw, this is the Moonstone. All of our ancestors rest their paws on it. Touch your nose to the stone, and may StarClan light your path.”

“Actually, I’ve already been to Highstones once,” Lightpaw mewed. “Dappledlight and I had to cross the mountains to come home.” Lightpaw padded out of camp behind the medicine cat. Finally, Highstones lay before them. Lightpaw looked up at the peaks, properly able to appreciate the spectacle now that she wasn’t fighting for her life. “It’s amazing,” she breathed.

It wasn’t half as amazing as the Moonstone itself. Lightpaw stood in awe at the glistening rock. With a silent nod to Fuzzybelly, Lightpaw lay down and gently touched her nose to the stone.

"Welcome to StarClan, Lightpaw."

A large molly appeared before the apprentice, a warm smile on her face as she greeted her. As someone who enjoyed being there for the younger generation in life, she was glad to have the chance to guide the youth here as well.

"My name is Amberdawn. I'm just a little bit before your time, but I was a queen in the Clan when Nightstar was no more than a kit having nightmares. I helped Murkystar to take care of him back then. And now I am here to help you. I'm sure you have a lot of questions. Feel free to ask me anything, I'll do my best to answer."

“It’s nice to meet you, Amberdawn,” Lightpaw mewed. “I guess I just feel a bit out of step with the clan lately. You might already know this, but I was washed out beyond Highstones in the flood. My mentor and I made our way back, both badly injured. I guess now I feel like I’ve already had so much adventure I don’t know what to do with my life. So I’ve tried to throw myself into serving my clan, to make up for the time I was absent. Do you think I’m on the right path?” The apprentice looked a bit hesitantly at the starry queen.