Russetpaw's Moonstone

(OOC sorry about the delay in getting this up, I missed the notice I had something waiting)

Batsong grinned a little to herself as she hummed quietly in her den putting together the traveling herbs that Russetpaw and herself would need for their journey and for Russetpaws right of passage to the dreamy lands of the moonstone.

Once she had everything all nicely wrapped up in a bundle for them she walked happily out and over towards the apprentice den. Taking apprentices on this journey is something she grew to like more and more as her time being the med cat. She got to be apart of an important part of their journey towards their warrior name. She remembered her first going there back when she was a warrior before becoming med cat. She shook the memories away focusing on the task ahead.


The shy med cat was quiet, liked to be not in the center of things and liked to observe rather than talk lots. Her stutter was a constant usually unless she worked very hard at controlling it. The moonstone walks were nice though... they forced her out of her shell abit and got her to interact with her clanmates more. She cared for all of them and although not having met Russetpaw officially knew some-things about her... like that she and Sleepypaw were good friends... it wouldnt take a genious to figure that one out the two were practically inseperable.


Then of course Batsong also heard things, talk of the camp and the little stories that floated around.

"R-r..russetpaw? she mewed with her usual stuttering voice.

"Are you r-ready for your moonstone? she purred quietly with a soft smile.

She set the herbs down for Russetpaw to eat as she ate at hers... hmm no matter how many times she did this the herbs were always a bit hard to eat compared to fresh rabbit but it would give them the strength needed.

She licked at her mouth a bit forcing them down "hmm sorry w-we dont have any honey to make em go down easier... C-come to think of it ... It was Bushface who was supposed to get me new honey... You havent seen him around lately have you? she asked the apprentice with a subtle and very playful wink.

Yes, The med cat had heard all about the interesting new way that warriors were showing apprentices new fighting moves. She loved the idea and thought it was pretty funny.

She waited for the apprentice to finish her herbs as well.

Once she did, Batsongs golden yellow eyes met the apprentice's blue... "so once w-we travel over to the cave you wi-will go in and s-s..sl...sleep by the glowing stone and a med cat will come to give you ad-advise she explained while stumbling over her words as she went.

"O-once you g-get back im sure you will have all sorts of great stories to share with Sleepypaw too. the med cat purred thinking about it.

Once you got to know Batsong she was very friendly and caring, the shy cat just had a hard time initally opening up... Another reason she loved the moonstone walks... A perfect icebreaker excuse, besides she was doing her best to meet and interact with her clanmates more.

She walked with the apprentice as they shuffled out of camp. "so... h-how do you like the training to become a w-w..w. she had to pause and try and untie her tongue...

"war... warrior? she finally got

"I r-remember loving it lo-lots... I was a wa-..w-warrior too for awhile before becoming med cat... In f-fact Shrikestar was my mentor ba-back when I was your age... He w-was still deputy then though she explained.

"You a-ar..are showing Bushface h-how it is done right? she giggled to herself a little

((no worries!))

Russetpaw’s head shot up at Batsong’s voice. Right- Batsong! Moonstone! Warrior ceremony, here I come! The red-pelted apprentice had hardly interacted with the medicine cats before- they were very very nice, she was sure- it was just that- well- they were above her, ya know? Like- Smallbean wasn’t very imposing, ‘cause she knew that it was possible she could become deputy one day. And although Shrikestar was very imposing, there was still a bit of ‘okay, I could be leader, hypothetically’. But with med cats, there was more of a ‘I could never have such a link with StarClan; I just wasn’t born with it’ that hung about them. Some sort of unintentional mystique, as if the stars themselves hung about them.

Or something like that.

“Right, herbs, thanks Batsong!” she chirped, taking a big bite- and then wincing and making impossible faces as she struggled to force them down. Just as she was about to swallow the last bit, Batsong continued-

The red-pelted apprentice grinned despite the herbs’ foul taste in her mouth. Batsong was in on it too! “Yep! Poor Bushface, waited so long for th’ honey some bees done built a hive in his ears!”

Right, right- Batsong continued, and so Russetpaw dutifully listened. Okay- sleep by glowy rock, talk- talk to StarClan (yes not scary at all huh- Batsong talked about their powerful ancestors so easily. Russetpaw’s admiration for the medicine cat suddenly soared.) Good stories? Heck yeah!

“I’ll get all the best stories!” she chirped, shooting to her paws and bounding along behind Batsong, paws thrumming the ground. The medicine cat’s stutter didn’t bother her- she’d heard it around camp before- and so she simply waited, flicking an ear and trotting along like an excited hare. “I’m gonna be a warrior in no time! Silverwing’s the best mentor a cat could have! Oooh, who was leader when Shrikestar was deputy? You must be old!- he’s been leader forever an’ ever, since afore Silverwing was born methinks!” There was no insult in her tone- simply curiosity and wonder.

She grinned at Batsong, flicking an ear. “Oh yeah, ol’ Bushface don’t stand a chance against my awesomeness! I beat Sleepypaw in a spar too! It was awesome- all just there and here and ‘boom’! I won! I’m gonna be the second best hunter in the Clan- just gotta keep practicing!” She didn’t bother to explain who the best hunter in the Clan was. Everyone surely knew it was Silverwing.

Batsong couldnt help but grin at the honey and bees comment.

As they went along, Russetpaw began telling her all about how her training was going. It sounded like Silverwing was doing a great job and Batsong allowed a little purr hearing about the progress that the apprentice was making.

You must be old!- Batsongs eyes went wide huh old?? she blinked a couple times thinking about it.

She wasn't offended at all just didn't think about it much before... yaeahh she guessed from an apprentice's point of view she would be old... but she was younger than Smallbean and Shrike by alot.  hmm apprentices just saw everyone as old, lucky youngsters with their youth still.

"old she repeated with a little laugh.  "It was Goldenstar... she finally answered thinking back to the past and her old leader and friend.

"She w-was Coytegrins mother ... and a g-good leader.  Very kind and f-forgiving , strong too. She starved to de-death so that the rest of the clan could eat what little we had at the time. Berrypaw t-the previous med cat di-did everything he could to sa-save her and make h-her eat... but it wasnt enough the med cat spoke even quieter than her usual about this topic.

she sighed
"just after that ... Berry dissapeared never seen s-since.  W-we were without a med cat and th-thats when I learned the ways to become one.. I n-never had a formal mentor so it w-was pretty hard honestly... s-smallbean helped me here and there from w-what he remembered but alot of it w-was lots of hard w-work and studying long hours

"anyways... I t-think th-that Berrypaw was so grieved that he c-couldn't save Goldenstar that he left f-forever... but of c-course thats just speculation she said in a hushed voice as if sharing a personal secret of what she belived happened.

She blinked a bit... she hadnt talked that much to anyone in along time... it felt... weird but comforting in a strange way to tell stories of the past...

"ugh maybe your right I'm going on and on like the elders p-p-probably boring ya half to death. she purred with a little laugh to lighten the mood more.

She raised an eyebrow... "hmm so your a good fighter and hunter? Th-thats great the clan needs it she purred encouraging this.

((Hartstep is russet’s great great grandmother, a senior warrior NPC who got kitnapped by Twolegs))

Pleased that she’d made the medicine cat grin, Russetpaw continued to bound along, tail head high. Every so often she bound just a bit ahead of the medicine cat, then stand, thrumming her paws in excitement like a hare. She didn’t know where she’d picked the habit up- it had just appeared one day when I decided that russet is a rabbit disguised as a cat and she’d run with it! It was fun, and reminded her of WindClan’s favorite prey.

Goldenstar? ”I’ve heard of her!” Russetpaw chirped, loping along at Batsong’s side. “I was an attentive youngling, ya see, and I memorized them leaders all the way back to… Finchstar? But I can never remember where Blizzardstar and- wait, no, she was ThunderClan- okay, maybe I didn’t listen as well as I thought I did… who’s the first leader you can remember? And who was medicine cat afore even Berrypaw?” She’d listened to Hartstep… but Hartstep was gone, now, and who knew when she’d be back? She would be back, though- she was a tough old molly who wouldn’t let little ol’ Twolegs stop her! A shiver went down her spine at the thought of a leader starving to death to save her Clan… but it was the leader-y thing to do. It wasn’t all fun an’ games.

”Nah, I like stories! Sleepy doesn’t really have any I wasn’t there for, and Silverwing an’ Blazefang even don’t have many beside the Dark Forest. Hartstep used to tell stories, but Whiteburn doesn’t really like tellin’ em, and the elders are always too grumpy or busy or tired or whatever. An’ Shrikestar’s too scary to just ask for stories. You’re not scary, just cool!” she grinned up at Batsong, flicking an ear. The medicine cat was cool- she just talked to StarClan! Like it was a regular thing! Russetpaw- she’d heard t’ old, old stories of the Righteous Few, and of StarClan descending to mete out justice to code-breakers, leader and apprentice alike. Batsong, though? That didn’t bother her any.

Hmm so the apprentice was clearly very energetic and from the sounds of it liked history alot.
"well ... Goldenstar is still the first leader I r-remember.  Leaders get 9 lives so even a cat as ... ahem.. old as I am has only se-seen two she winked at Russetpaw

"too scary for stories?? Aww Shrike is a big softie if you get to k-know him.  He was my mentor when I was training to become w-warrior. He saved my pelt from a h-hawk on my first hunting trip.. .thing almost took off with me in its talons

"as for med cats...lets see... before berrypaw was Fawnsong or well they were kinda near the same time.  I was an apprentice and warrior during th-that time I think and helped him on d-different med cat herb hunts.  Hmm before that, Swiftsprit was f-for a time med cat kinda... she took a-apprentices to the moonstone when we ha-had no offical med cat.
Swiftspirit... she was my adoptive mother she t-took me in when my parents passed.  She w-was a v-very protective and great c-cat... Hmm then before that! w-we actually had Dovefrost from Thunderclan help us with me-med cat things.  That was all the way back when I w-was a kit.  In fact the first time I went out of camp was as a kit to help dovefrost with just that! she purred... hmm maybe starclan hadnt made a mistake after all picking her as med cat... perhaps they were guiding her towards it most her life.

And BEFORE THAT was Hentooth but I have no memory of her... so you know it must be old if thats the case she giggled and gave a wink at this.

"hmm dont quote me on t-this but I think that Berrypaw was actually Hentooths kit or was it grandkit?? ugh I cant remember though she admitted.

"and finally... before Hentooth came Smallbean... our current deputy... he has lots of stories im sure... hes been all over the place

(lol its funny to me that it wraps all the way back to your character :D)

hmm something didnt add up berrypaw being hens kit would mean Batsong may of gotten the order a bit off but it was close enough for now... the elders were free to argue back and forth over the exact ordering which the elders indeed did between their many naps.

And uh yeah once berry and fawn both disappeared now its me.

The apprentice was litterally hopping along next to her... she blinked grinning the kid had alot of energy!

"ahh the dark forest yes. Hmm well since blaze and silver had already told her that one... Batsong would just have to tell her something even earlier... or as the kid liked to say even "older".  Something from when she was a young warrior. She was pretty sure it was before blaze or silver even existed

"hmm well before your mentor or blaze was around we had the forgotten order. she purred enjoying this very much.  She spoke spookily like you do when telling ghost stories.

"Their leader was Dawnhawk! and he w-was the biggest baddest ca-cat you ever saw!  Imagine l-looking out over o-one of these h-hills here.  And you see a gang of about 12 angry loners cha-charging right at ya! Th-they wore pelts of their enemies into battle and legend has it ate each other when t-they got hungry Was batsong stretching the story?? well maybe a little but not by too much actually there were accounts of some pretty brutal things that the forgotten order did.

"one day th-they came full force r-right up to the edges of o-our camp. Batsong snuck along acting it out having lots of fun with this as she kept pace with the energetic apprentice.

and then... she grinned building some suspense

"BAM!!!" she pushed gently at Russetpaw's shoulder with a giggle as she jumped up from a low crouch

"one of Dawnhawk's daughters tackled me to the ground! We traded blows back and f-forth! she swiped at the air acting it all out and over again. "we f-fought till we were both exhausted.

"but she won. She pinned me down a-and was about to finish me for g-good.  Th-thats when Shrikestorm my m-mentor and Goldenstar managed to drive their matchups off and s-saved me just in time" she gave a side glance to the apprentice and raised an eyebrow

(shrikestorm being shrikestar from back then)

"hmm yeah the dark forest w-was pretty bad but there wasnt a clan around at the t-time of the forgotten order who w-wasnt careful at night be-because of what Dawnhawk did to this fore-forest

"Hmm hows THAT for a story? she purred flicking her tail very amused with herself as they were almost done with their walk the cave starting to be visible up ahead.

"yea... so k-keep whacken at th-that bush for me... m-might need ya to save my p-pelt from the next forgotten order

Batsong glanced at her travel buddy she had hopped most of the way... that looked kinda tiring she must have unlimited energy and really fast legs to do that... no wonder she was second best hunter in the clan.

This was alot of fun... she didnt normally get a chance to meet others in her clan and yet alone have such a fun conversation.

Russetpaw cracked a grin as Batsong winked at her. Ah, yeah- Batsong was cool. She wasn’t quite sure how she felt about Shrikestar apparently being ‘a big softie’… yeah, nah, she didn’t see it. Berrypaw and Fawnsong, Swiftspirit and Dovefrost- such interesting names. Fawnsong… Swiftspirit… Dovefrost… to fit in, Berrypaw must’ve ended up Berrydrop or something. That sounded cool.

“Wow,” she chirped, bounding along beside the medicine cat. Batsong was much taller, but Russetpaw more than made up for her relative lack of height in energy, easily keeping up with the older molly. “You’ve done so much herb stuff! Even before you became medicine cat all official-like! Did ya always know you’d be medicine cat? D’ya know everythin’ about being a medicine cat?” Batsong was old; therefore she had to know a lot!

“Hentooth?” she echoed, tilting her head to the side. “That’s a weird-like name. ‘ens don’t ‘ave teeth.”

[in the stars, a watching caliby began to yowl angrily about how it wasn’t her fault that her mentor, literally named Small-bean sucked at names]

“Smallbean was medicine cat! Wow! He must be real old! I didn’t even know ya were allowed to be deputy after being medicine cat!” she suddenly quieted as Batsong began to tell a story from long, long ago, back before Silverwing or even Blazefang existed… back in what was to the young apprentice the murky beginnings of the Clans.

A forgotten order? Like a forgotten rule? Russetpaw was pretty good at remembering rules- but as Batsong continued her eyes widened. Dawnhawk… a gang of angry rogues… wearing the pelts of other cats?!?! Russetpaw made a face, sticking out her tongue in disgust. Yuck. And they ate each other?!?

Attacking WindClan?!? Russetpaw could almost see the multitude of scarred, ugly rogues, stretching as far as the eye could see… an inexorable wave charging the camp…

“Wha?!?” she yelped, jumping a little as Batsong nudged her unexpectedly. “D-d don’t do that! I was- Argh!” she bumped her shoulder against Batsong, grinning despite her scare. Soon enough, the scare was forgotten as she watched Batsong act out the battle with wide eyes. Swiping, biting, jumping onto and off of each other, sinking their teeth into each other’s scruff. Wha- Batsong hadn’t won? Huh? Oh, but Shrikestar had saved her! What a leader thing to do!

She was startled out of her reverie as Batsong continued. “Oh yeah, that was awesome! You might be the best storyteller in all of WindClan!” With Russetpaw, you either went all out or nothing. She flicked an ear as some spooky cave came in sight. “Is that th’ Moonstone cave, Batsong? Oh- and yeah, I’ll whack Bushface inta next season! Don’t worry- you won’t have to worry ‘bout any Forgotten Orders when I’m around!”

“You’ve done so much herb stuff! Even before you became medicine cat all official-like! Did ya always know you’d be medicine cat? D’ya know everythin’ about being a medicine cat?”


Batsong shook her head no.

"erm... w-when I first took the p-position I was pretty stressed actually. W-with no formal mentor alot of it was hard studying and so-sometimes even having to rely on other clans... so it w-wasnt easy really but I got through it... Sometimes l-life is like that

Batsong figured now was as good as any for someone to tell Russetpaw that the apprentice would likely face hard times as well in her life. Lots of others might argue to Batsong that isnt fair! Russet is just an apprentice.

And Batsong knew that... but she also knew Russetpaw was about to become warrior and was beliving that it would be even less fair if no one told her that hard times do come... and very often to windclan.

"t-there will be ti-times when you are t-tested to. Ha-hard times. But that is why we have the c-clan. You have to remember during those times that you c-can make it. You will make it


“That’s a weird-like name. ‘ens don’t ‘ave teeth.”

YESS Finally!!! someone else agreed with her! ... She always did think that name a bit odd

"yea... I dunno who came up with t-that name she giggled agreeing with the appretnice

(OOC: eek sorry! I really do like Hentooths name I just have Batsong thinking it was odd :D )



Batsong grinned very pleased with herself when the apprentice jumped in the air at her little scare.
hehe ... gotcha she nudged her gently and playfully

Ok so once you got to know her Batsong was a lot less shy... but getting to know her was the tricky part... she often liked to hide away in her den. It was the inital meeting that was hard for the med cat to do she supposed



"Oh yeah, that was awesome! You might be the best storyteller in all of WindClan!”

Batsong couldnt help roll her eyes a little as if to say... uh huh yeah right

"oh..now your t-too kind

She gave a nod yeah that was the cave alright.

"Alright its p-pretty dark in there till we get to the stone so s-stay right with me... oh yeah and its a l-low ceiling so dont bounce too high she purred

She ducked into the cave keeping her tail rested on the apprentices shoulder as she led them through the darkness with only their whiskers to act as guidelines of the caves walls.


Finally, the reached the larger room where the hole in the wall shone moonlight through lighting up the magic stone in a beautiful display.

Batsong couldnt help but grin a little every time she never got used to its beauty.

She let the apprentice take it all in for a second or two.../

"alright... all you gotta do is touch nose to the stone and your starclan cat will come for you she said queitly and gently almost in a motherly tone but not quite.

Then gently led her over to the stone Batsong curled up and sleepily began to drift off to sleep next to where the apprentice would lay and would be there for her when she awoke



"ave a happy starclan dream she muttered as her eyes drifted shut. While Russetpaw was doing that, she was gonna get some much needed shuteye of her own but hers would just be normal sleep since her nose wasnt touching... This was a dream only for Russetpaw and med cats werent supposed to really join them there

Yeah, yeah, she knew life was hard, yadda yadda trying not to think of that day her mother had rushed into camp without Ryepaw yadda yadda Wha? Oh, but Batsong was right. Th’ Clan would be there for her. Sleepy, even just a kit then, had been there. And… yeah. They would be there for her in th’ future. She’d just ‘ave ta be there for them.

“Right! Like, who names their apprentice such a weird-like name?!? Maybe so t’ other Clans would just, like, be confused an’ not attack?” Russetpaw shook down her pelt, suddenly wondering if she should’ve groomed herself before headin’ out ta meet with her ancestors… whoops.

((no worries I went out of my way to choose an odd name… blame Beechface, I got the weird name idea from her lol))

“Okay, I’m right behind ya…” Russetpaw’s voice trailed off as she followed behind Batsong into a cave as dark as… dark as… yeah, she wasn’t sure. She never had seen anything this dark… taking Batsong’s instructions seriously, she stopped bouncing and instead almost tiptoed after Batsong, brushing against the medicine cat’s tail.

And then-

Russetpaw’s jaw dropped. It- it- she didn’t even have a chance to take in the awesome beauty of the Moonstone before Batsong was nudging her gently towards it. Gulping, Russetpaw nodded, slowly laying down beside it, wondering how she’d ever get to sleep with her heart pounding…

But somehow, as her nose brushed against the Moonstone, the red-pelted apprentice drifted into a deep slumber.

The starlight landscape was beautiful, and vaguely familiar; fields of flowers that shone like none in the world of the living could sprawled out on all sides. The cat that greeted Russetpaw was small, a shimmering black pelt and glittering green eyes making itself clearer as she approached.

She sat amidst the flowers, gesturing for the apprentice to come forward. It was strange, wasn't it, that she'd started to look forward to this?

(Well. Not every adventure had to lead her paws to distant lands.)

"Nice to meet you, Russetpaw." Then, recalling the last conversation she'd had with a living cat, and how she'd failed to give her name: "My name is Batbite- in seasons past, I called ThunderClan my home. I don't suppose you're here to question my existence?"

Russetpaw startled awake- and for a second, before her eyes truly took in what was going on, her only thought was- it didn’t work! How am I going to explain this- and then her eyes focused and-

There were flowers.

Like the time she and Silverwing had crested the rise and come upon the most beautiful sight she’d ever seen… there were flowers, in StarClan, and they were more wonderful than… than anything. Some indescribable emotion trilled in Russetpaw’s chest, all awe and wonder and joy tinged with just a bit of terror, a small inkling of feeling that there was a reason that most cats only went to the Moonstone once, that most mortal eyes could only take in the wonders of StarClan for so long.

More respect for Batsong.

Snapping back to attention, Russetpaw’s wide blue eyes saw a black she-cat roughly her own height, sitting in the midst of the flowers and motioning for her to come forwards. Like one in a dream (which she was, heh) Russetpaw took the first step towards the StarClanner, astral petals brushing against her fur… and then, as her brain finally started functioning again, she bounded over to the other molly, tail held high and eyes ablaze with wonder.

“Nice ta meet ya too, ma’am,” she echoed, dipping her head in respect. Batbite- “Oh, that’s a cool name! My- well, you already know that-“ a slightly nervous giggle- ”Erm… I don’t think so? I mean- I think it’s kinda self-evident?” she motioned vaguely to the starry fields about them. Her mind could never come up with anything this wonderful, no matter how feverish the dream.

Batbite nodded in acknowledgement of Russetpaw's words. "Well, that's reassuring," she purred. "You never know: cats will say all sorts of things. Some of them make more sense than others, but- that's the way of things, isn't it? They either make sense or they don't."

Green eyes glittered in the starlight that surrounded them. "And we all have our curiosities. So, Russetpaw- what do you want to know?"

If there was one thing Russetpaw was, it was curious. Her blue eyes glittered in the starlight as she considered, taking an uncharacteristic amount of time before answering the question (albeit not an impolite amount of time). “I guess…” she began, slowly, russet-tipped ear flicking idly, “Where could I go, if I wanted to go on a quick adventure? Where could I see cool things but still be able to come home? I really wanna take maybe me and Sleeps on an adventure, but I don’t want to go away forever… is that even possible?” She looked away, shyly- she’d never admitted this, to anyone, not even Sleeps, who she hoped to take along… but she did want to go- so, so badly…

Now that was an unexpected query. "That's... Not something I ever thought I'd hear someone ask," she murmured. "It goes in circles, doesn't it? I did the same, once upon a time," she confessed. "Anything is possible, if you find a way to make it happen. My mate and I, we... When I was a young warrior, we left to explore. We stayed in the abandoned barn, between WindClan and Highstones. We traveled past there, too... But that was where we stayed, until we felt it was time to come home. I don't know if it's still unoccupied, but if it is... It's not a bad place."

Was this apprentice like her? Overcome with wanderlust, a need to see beyond the horizon?

(A need that even death hadn't sated in its entirety?)

Would she go, would she return, would she regret her choices?

There was no way for her to know.

She closed her eyes for just a moment, reliving her own return. "...I can't promise your homecoming will be glorious. I returned to find my brothers gone." Then she smiled, mischievous and blinding. "But I lived on, and... If I leave you with just one piece of advice, Russetpaw, let it be this: there is always another adventure."

(Of that she could be certain.)