Nettlepaw's Moonstone Journey

"Nettlepaw?" The one-eyed molly poked her head into the apprentice den, the sun just reaching it's highest. "Come. If we set out now, we may return just in time to take a nap before the sun fully sets. I will wait for you at the camps entrance." The curtains swished closed again as she backed out, turning to stand beside the traveling herbs she prepared for him to eat.

Nettlepaw had been snoring soundly, his dreams keeping him firmly tethered to his nest and the realm of sleep, until the sound of Heatherberry's meow cut through his inner sanctum. Was it already time to do chores? A blue eye cracked open, catching her singular eye. Unlike Sablestrike there was nothing funny about her missing eye. It was a reminder of what ShadowClan had lost only recently, but it was still before his time. He waited for the medicine cat to give him chores to do, but then he noticed the sunlight peeking through behind her, and the travel herbs she was pushing towards him. He was going to the moonstone!

Which he found a little odd despite the current trouble he was in, but he definitely wasn't going to complain or protest, that'd just be mousebrained. Not wanting to keep StarClan waiting he gave himself a quick preen, ate the herbs then joined Heatherberry by the entrance. "I'm ready, Heatherberry." mewed Nettlepaw

"Then off we go!" She gave Nettlepaw a smile, though a glint of wariness did cross her eye. She had little idea of what happened outside of the medicine den these days, her mental health only starting to heal, but she did hear yelling and complaining every so often, Nettlepaw's name on some cats tongues. Sabelstrike's was often used as a curse.

The journey felt longer that usual for some reason, Heatherberry doing her best to keep up with the apprentice as they wound their way through the snowy forest, climbed over loose rocks and across boulders that littered the path to Highstone. A huff sounded from the medicine cat as they reached the dark tunnel that led to the Moonstone, her fluffy tail beckoning Nettlepaw to follow her. She was conscious of every step the apprentice took, being quick to correct him if she felt like he was straying in any way.

The tunnel then opened to the sparkling rock sat in the middle of a large cave, the light of the moon glistening off of it. She purposefully turned her head so the rock was in her blind spot, loafing nearby as she nodded to Nettlepaw. "Place your nose to the stone and close your eyes; I will be here when you wake." She gave a reassuring smile.

Nettlepaw returned her smile, eagerly trotting along beside her. He'd never been this far from camp and so the sights easily led him astray, pausing often to look around and to dawdle. The time Heatherberry had mentioned for a nap, quickly wasting way. Highstones was a lot colder than the forest territories Nettlepaw realised as they stood at the entrance to Mothermouth. He shivered and he wasn't sure if it was from nerves or the cold.

The tom followed Heatherberry as the wound through the twisting tunnels of the cave, eventually halting before the glowing moonstone. Nettlepaw's mouth fell open, but catching the medicine cats gaze he was quick to close it. He needed to at least look like he was ready for this part of his journey. With a nod, he sank down on the cold stone floor as instructed and leaned forwrds, touching his nose to the smooth surface. He opened his eyes to glance at Heatherberry to make sure he was doing it right, but before she could give any form of affirmation Nettlepaw konked out.

ShadowClan. That was the scent carried on the greenleaf breeze in her StarClan afterlife. At first, the russet face that met Nettlepaw was an intense scowl of disgust that slowly dropped into a more stoic, neutral expression. What did she need to care of loyalties anymore? She was dead. Taking a deep breath just as Comfreyheart had taught her to do when her temper rose, she mewed out to the young apprentice: "This is a big step towards the exciting life of a warrior. Are you prepared for it?" Never good at conversation, Firefly's tone was almost harsh, but very direct. Her forest green eyes blinked at him, the lightening scar on her face now only seen in shifts of starlight as she moved to sit before him.

Nettlepaw’s mismatched eyes flickered open to meet the angry embers of Firefly’s. What had he done now? Was even StarClan angry with him? Wait! This cat isn’t even ShadowClan! The white tom was about to begin another spiel of innocence, but the anger faded from the she-cat’s eyes. Sighing in relief, Nettlepaw jumped to his paws ready to begin interrogating the poor starlit warrior. Firefly spoke first though, and the question caught him off guard, mostly because it was a silly question. He was totally ready and he would tell her as such. “More than ready! I can hunt and fight with the best of ‘em!” he meowed bob tail twitching. “What’s your name? I would love to know the name of my guide, and I can tell you’re not from ShadowClan which makes this better. I get a special cat!” he hummed happily, all too focused on the cat before him and not caring to take in the rest of StarClan. Grass and Trees knew secrets, but they couldn’t tell him what they knew. Whoever the mystery cat was, she was probably the most interesting thing in the whole forest.

Russet head nodded in response to the exclamation that the tom was ready, his fiery spirit recognized by her own. "My name is Firefly, warrior to ThunderClan. Special...?" Her mouth faltered a little when it came to his declaration that Nettlepaw had received a 'special cat'. Sure, she could squash his naivety but a moonstone trip was the next step to warriorhood; she couldn't ruin that for him with her sharp tongue. She recalled her own moonstone journey where she was visited by a rather short cat by the name of 'Tinylegs' that held many scents that included two different clans: SkyClan and RiverClan. Special indeed.

"You know... I don't think you are ready to be a warrior. I've seen you fighting amongst your peers; not acceptable behavior for one vying to be a warrior." Her tone was stern, slightly barbed. While StarClan wouldn't keep a cat from moving up in the ranks over something like this, they really should. She herself had been held back for her own behavior; though hers had marked her for life, fraying every nerve on one side of her face until the day she died. Nettlepaw spoke as though he hadn't learned a single lesson in his life, and it irked her so. Her gaze held his, unblinking. Almost... Challenging.

At the sharp words from Firefly, Nettlepaw straightened up. Well none of it was true... Or his fault. Maybe StarClan weren't all that all knowing. "Well, Firefly, she's not a very nice peer. I get along with everyone else, maybe it more of a her issue." The white apprentice turned his back on the ThunderClan warrior, sitting down in a frump. "She's literally an elder, she should know better, why do I have to be the bigger cat and oretend not to be upset? It makes no sense!"

Firefly's black tipped russet tail stirred up fresh starlight as she wrapped it around her paws. "The best insult is to be the bigger cat. To hold your onto to your temper so you don't hurt those around you by jumping head first into conflict." Firefly was a hothead. She had no room to talk about 'holding tempers' or 'being the bigger cat'. Not when she had gone for the kill the second she had seen her deadbeat father waltz out of her mothers den like he had any place there. "Trust me that jumping to your temper will lead to nothing but heartache. But I suppose that's up to you to learn by experiencing yourself. I'm not here to give you any lessons. But take this as a warning to get your emotions together; your arrogance could be your end and you won't know until it's too late." The russet warrior had died with an elders rank, her rampant temper and lack of self control had caused her heart to fail her while still young. She hoped not to meet this child again for something just as stupid.

"Well... Time is running out. Any last words or questions from me? If not, you are free to wake up, Nettlepaw." She sat with a straight face, though her tone still stern but the flick of the tip of her tail showed irritation. She didn't enjoy that she saw some parts of her within him.

Nettlepaw wanted to argue more, but what Firefly said made some sense. Plus, if he took her advice by being the bigger cat here, that would win him some points. He didn't think he had a temper, he'd only ever been mad at one cat. Ever. Though, those numbers seemed to want to grow he found lately- which also wasn't his fault! Nettlpaw whined, shifting his paws in annoyance. Was he seriously going to have to maybe, possibly take accountability, a word that felt foreign to him. "Do you think I'm wrong for being upset and hurt by this cat... You're dead and from ThunderClan, no offence, so you're like a neutral party... I think everyone thinks I'm really awful for being upset and not being able to suck it up. I swear I tried." he mewed. If time was running out he at least wanted to feel a little validated.