Reedpaw's Moonstone Journey

Leopardclaw ducked his head as he exited the medicine cat's den, a strongly-scented bundle of herbs hanging from his smiling jaws.  Today he would be accompanying yet another apprentice on their journey to the Moonstone; his eldest son, Reedpaw.  It was almost like deja vu as he approached the young golden tom; he had just received the traveling herbs from his twin sister, who both shared his bright spotted tabby patterning.  With a friendly blink, Leopardclaw set down his parcel at his son's paws, and purred; "It's almost time to leave, you just need to eat these and then we can head out."

The warrior aged apprentice was so excited that he couldn't stop waving his tail from one side to another since the day started. His green eyes looked how the deputy approached him and he bounced, happily to be with his father. "Good night, dad!" He meowed before the older tom gave him the herbs. Since her sister was the medicine cat he already knew pretty well the scents of those herbs, so he didn't hesitate to eat them quickly, despite the bitter taste from them. Filling the last piece, Reedpaw glanced once again to his father, smiling. " I'm ready to go!" Moving his paws anxiously as he waited for Leoparclaw's approval to leave.

Leopardclaw chuckled slightly at the sight of his son's excitement, his hazel eyes glimmering proudly as Reedpaw quickly gulped up the pile of herbs and began to fidget his paws.  "Good, let's head out then!"  With a flick of his golden-brown spotted tail, the ThunderClan deputy turned and led the way out of camp, breaking into a steady trot as they pushed their way through the gorse tunnel and began their venture out into the territory.

Reedpaw trotted behind his father, looking the territory with starry eyes full of excitement. He knew the territories from long ago by tonight everything just seemed different... brighter and more beautiful. The golden tom wondered who would talk to him in the Moonstone, thinking about his future first encounter with Starclan.

-timeskip-

After a tiring - but thankfully safe - journey, the two golden-pelted tomcats finally came into view of Highstones.  Within the pointed stone hills lay the abyss-like opening of Mothermouth, that would lead down to the sacred Moonstone.  It was already dark by the time they got there; they had set out a little bit later than usual, and the moon was already beginning to cross the sky.  Feeling a bit rushed, Leopardclaw barely stopped to speak to his son before they entered the dark tunnel.  "This is Mothermouth, the gateway to the Moonstone.  It's going to be very, very dark, but you can guide yourself using scent and touch.  Plus, I will help guide the way."  Anxious paws pattering on the smooth rock, the ThunderClan deputy began to lead the way down into the caverns, his tail held up high as a guiding beacon.

The son of the deputy was breathing quickly because of all the distance he had to walk from Thunderclan to the cave that was now standing in front of him. A flash from his past trapped inside that cave where the Mist was keeping them locked crossed his mind, causing a shivering in his body. At first, his paws trembled because of the fear he felt when he was with his sister all those moons... alone, cold and scared. However, he knew that the only way to become a warrior was to overcome his inner fears, so Reedpaw followed his father, taking a deep breath.

Inside the cave was so dark that he couldn't see his own paws and his heart was bumping as fast as he could. He tried to stay close to Leopardclaw since he didn't want to be taken away from his family again like it happened in the past. After walking a few steps, a little light seemed to appear in front of his green eyes. "Is that... the Moonstone?" He meowed, watching the bright light, amazed by its beauty.

Now that they were well on their way down the tunnel, Leopardclaw began to relax a bit, and walk in a not so rushed pace.  Glancing back at his son with an excited smile, he couldn't help but notice the fear apparent in the young tom's eyes; now that he thought about it, he suddenly realized how frightening this must be for Reedpaw.  He remembered when him and his sister returned from the Mist's imprisonment, telling of a horrible dark cave in which they were captured.  Feeling a bit guilty for overlooking that fact, the spotted tom dropped back a few paces and lay his long tail over his son's back in a comforting gesture.  Soon enough though, the bright light of the Moonstone began to gleam at the end of the tunnel, and Leopardclaw purred; "Yes, that's it.  Let's hurry, it fades fast."  

His paws once again hastening, the ThunderClan deputy padded into the Moonstone cavity ahead of Reedpaw, the beautiful sparkling crystal filling him with the same feeling of mysticism and wonder that it always did.  It was the gateway to StarClan that another of his children would soon be able to experience.  His eyes growing serious, Leopardclaw stepped in front of the breathtaking sight and faced his son, speaking in a low tone; "Reedpaw, step forward and touch your nose to the Moonstone.  StarClan will call you into a deep sleep, where you will meet their chosen representative.  Are you ready?"  After speaking, a small smile replaced the solemn grimace as he stepped away to make room for Reedpaw to lay down.

The apprentice gathered all his courage before following his father once again to the Moonstone. His eyes widened amazed by the beauty of that simple rock that seemed to have the light of the moon inside of it. Reedpaw looked at his serious father talking to him about what he had to do and what would happen. He could feel his heart racing because of the excitement and his nervous thoughts. This would be his first time talking to Starclan. What would they tell him?, he wondered stepping forward and laying with his paws trembling. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, pressing gently his nose to the cold stone.

He shivered when he felt the coldness running through his nose to his face and waited a second before opening his eyes again. He wasn't anymore inside a dark and wet cave.... starry plains of grass and trees surrounded him. He couldn't even find his breath as he looked to the beautiful landscapes of Starclan. Recovering from his surprise, the apprentice gave a few steps, doubtful about what he had to do. Someone would come to him but who? And where was she or he?

For a long moment the beautiful landscape surrounding Reedpaw remained still and quiet, but soon enough the shape of a small cat began to flicker into sight, her kitten-fluff calico pelt vivid against the backdrop of silver-tinged grass.  Her eyes were closed for a moment, but when she was fully opaque the bright hazel orbs flicked open, greeting the young golden tom with an excited cry"Reedpaw!" Launching herself forward, she leaped up at him in a futile attempt to bowl over the larger cat playfully, but only ended up clinging to his side with thorn-like claws.  "Reedpaw Reedpaw it's me, Cherrykit!  You remember me right, you must!"

Reedpaw blinked surprised when the silhouette of a little she-cat started to appear just in front of his eyes. Kit-hoods remember came back to his mind suddenly when he recognized that little kit that was her sister. Her laugh was something he forgot a long time ago and hearing it again caused his cry and laugh. Reedpaw was so happy to see her again and when she jumped to him he chuckled with tears of happiness. With his larger legs he embraced Cherrykit and the put a paw over her little head, shaking her fur a bit, brotherly. "How can I forget my sis? You were always the most troublesome of the three! I'm so happy to see you one more time!" He purred, laughing.

Cherrykit laughed with a voice like tinkling bells, pressing her face deep into her brother's golden fur when he embraced her, breathing in his oh-so-familiar scent that she had missed dearly.  Pulling away when he began playfully messing up her calico fur, she chuckled as she shook out her pelt, the flash of stars embedded in her skin almost prismatic.  Looking back up at her now much bigger sibling, she purred; "Yea, I guess I was wasn't I?  Haha, I really missed you too Reedpaw, I'm glad that I was able to get this opportunity."  Some time before the little kitten had spoken her her younger sister Orchidpaw, and as much as she had enjoyed that, she had always hoped that she could see her littermates again, face to face.

"So, how're you doing?  Can you fight?  Can you hunt?  I try to get some of the warriors here in StarClan to show me, but they always say I'm too 'little' or something dumb like that!"  With an annoyed sniff, Cherrykit crouched down into an unsteady hunter's position and began to stalk a tiny white butterfly that was fluttering from flower to flower.  With a tiny growl, she launched herself at the delicate creature, only to end up on her back in the dirt.  Squeaking in protest, she jumped back to her paws and watched as it flew teasingly above her head, speaking in a slightly distracted tone; "Do you remember when we used to chase butterflies at the edge of camp?  You were always the best hunter out of the three of us; I would usully end up with a face full of dirt, while Honey was off sniffing the plants!"

The tom smiled feeling the nostalgia feeling his heart as he heard Cherrykit spoke to him once again. She hadn’t changed at all... ”I’m doing great since my return to the clan. And of course I can hunt and fight! I have some friends that always want to challenge me at hunting.” He said remembering Sharppaw and Shrewpaw. Reedpaw laughed listening to her story about she tried to be a warrior here in Starclan. ”Pff... don’t listen to them, Cherrykit. You’re as capable as them to hunt and fight! You would have been an awesome warrior!” His green eyes glanced how his sister tried to prove him her hunting skills and the memories of how they used to play cane to his mind. ”Yeah! She never wanted to fight or hunt with us! She really was destined to become a medicine cat instead of a warrior.”

Abandoning the butterfly, Cherrykit focused her attention on her brother, meeting his mossy green gaze with her own pale hazel one.  Smiling, the eternally young she-kit flicked her ears haughtily, narrowing her eyes in a arrogant sort of way.  "Pfft, of course I would have!  Heh, maybe someday I would've surpassed your all mighty skills!"  The sarcastic edge in her voice vanished as she giggled, before sitting down on a comfortable patch of starlit grass.  The kit suddenly seemed to grow a bit forlorn, her face seeming even more round and kit-like as she continued in a sad voice.  "Reedpaw, you and Honeypaw were so brave.  I was so scared for you two while you were in the Mistwalker's cave; we couldn't see you at all.  I didn't know if you were alive or..."  As if someone had struck a blow to her body, Cherrykit flinched and pulled in her neck, fluffing out her fur as if trying to hide from her depressed thoughts.  "But...but you're safe now!  You two were so strong and brave, and you finally got to come home!  I watched you return to camp, Mom and Dad were so happy!"  With a soft smile, Cherrykit blinked once and lowered her head in a respectful manner, a very mature gesture compared to her usual exuberance.  "I'm so proud."

The apprentice noticed the expression’s change of his sister and he approached her, sitting by her side. Being like this, he wondered how would she looked like if she would have grown up to be a warrior instead of being forever a kit. Would she be large and stocky like him? Or maybe she would be like his twin, smaller but still strong. Even if he was happy to see her it was sad to remember that his sister never would grow with him or even share his life. It was unfair that she was taken away so young but that’s what Starclan decided.
While she talked, he remembered his cold days in the Mistwalker’s Lair and how frustated he felt for not being able to find a way to escape with Honeypaw. Those were dark days... not even Starclan could see them through that horrible place. But like Cherrykit said, it was over. He didn’t have to return to that nightmare because he survived to it. ”He... I honestly don’t believe that I was brave at all. I was so scared that I would never come back home...” He said quietly, looking at his paws with a thoughtful expression. However her next words make him happier. The pale golden tom turned her side to Cherrykit when she lowered her head and he felt a bit flattered and embarrassed by her sign of respect. I’m proud of you... Those simple words make him want to cry. How could she be proud of him when had done nothing? He just survived to the cave but he couldn’t save Honeypaw or Cherrykit. With tearful eyes, the tom smiled to the kit, wrapping his tail around his paws. ”Thank you for your words, sis. But... I don’t think I deserve them.”

In an abrupt movement, Cherrykit lifted her head back up from her slight bow, her pale eyes rounded and shocked.  In a flash though, the wisdom of a thousand moons seemed to flood the kit's gaze, her body more poised, and she sat up to her full height, looking seemingly larger than she was.  This was no dark delivery of a warning though; she gazed up at her brother in an almost motherly sort of way, bearing an even more striking resemblance to their mother Lichenfang.  Still, her voice was serious for once and low, yet it held much love and pride.  "Reedpaw, bravery isn't always fearlessly rushing into battle with claws drawn, like the hero's stories say.  No, the truth is that, true bravery, is always accompanied by fear.  It gives us motivation; it shows us what we're fighting for.  If you're fighting without fearing for something, it's a pointless battle."

With a tilt of her head, the little she-cat continued; "When Leopardclaw fought for our lives against Rockthorn, he was deathly afraid that he would lose.  He didn't fear for his life though; he feared for ours, and mother's.  That is what gave him strength.  In every battle you fight, every challenge you face, there will be fear.  In the moment it may feel like a weakness, but trust when I say that, in the end, it is what kept you alive.  Without fear, there is hopelessness, and with hopelessness comes depression, and eventually surrender.  You didn't fall to that; you feared, so that you remained strong."

She stood up, shifting the sky full of stars that rested in her pelt as she moved to reach up and touch her nose gentle to Reedpaw's, a single tear dripping from her eye as she purred.  "Now you see Reedpaw, you do deserve my respect, and other cat's respect as well.  You remained strong, you feared, you endured!  Sometimes, that is all we can do, and all we should do Never blame yourself for what happened, to you and Honeypaw, or even to me.  It's not your job to save everyone, nor is it anyone's job.  You can't control fate, no matter what blow it deals.  With family, friends, and love on your side though, you can fight through anything, no matter how much you fear it."