Spottedpaw's Moonstone Journey

Picking up a small bundle of traveling herbs, Mintwhisker padded back to the camp entrance where Spottedpaw waited for her. She couldn't help suppressing a small grin- this was the same foolish apprentice that Amberpaw treated only a short while ago.
"Eat these. They'll keep you energized on the journey." She mewed, dropping the herbs at the young tom's paws.

---

Padding over to a spot closer to the entrance of the ominous cave, the small Medicine Cat turned once more to the small orange tom by her side. "Here we are," she said, and with that, began to head into the darkness of the cave.

A few minutes later, the pair emerged into the cave's main chamber. The Moonstone lay just ahead, glimmering with a strange, otherworldly light. "Touch the Moonstone whenever you're ready. I'll be waiting here for you when you wake up." She mewed, settling down near the Moonstone.

The young tom's tail swept back and forth against the ground while he impatiently waited for Mintwhisker. He'd healed up well enough to walk thanks to Amberpaw's fine work and had spent much of the moon carrying out his menial tasks that served as is punishment from his little mistake earlier. Was he still bitter about missing the gathering? Perhaps, but for now he was eager and excited for his moonstone journey, the last milestone in his training. Perhaps he would be made a warrior soon! This thought alone made him stand to his paws in sheer anticipation, and the sight of the medicine cat heading his way made his heart soar--that is, until he remembered their encounter in which he made an absolute fool of himself in front of the clan's leadership. He averted his eyes out of pure shame and embarrassment, and scarfed down the herbs without complaint besides a curled lip.

---

Spottedpaw was tired from the trip despite the herbs, and he was secretly frustrated that the medicine cat seemed to be moving on without any troubles at all. Well, obviously she'd done this before, and probably a lot, so Spottedpaw considered his complaint to be stupid and powered on. He was a bit worried about whatever this experience would bring, but he shoved his worries aside. This would be a breeze. It was the easiest part of his training! Just a walk and a nap, that was all. That's what he told himself, anyway, as he stepped forward obediently and gently tapped his nose to the glittering rock. It was a shock to him to awake in the starlit plains of his ancestors, lights near and far dancing more amazingly than they ever had in life.

The tom's mouth hung wide open. He took a few hesitant steps forward, eyes fixed on the bright night sky in all of its glory. He'd never seen anything so beautiful. Truthfully, the light had bothered him when the stars came back and the sun was no longer blocked by the moon. Lichenmask had done his evil deeds before Spottedpaw was even kitted, and he had grown familiar with the red light. It was comforting, even, in those days. But then the traitor died and the stars appeared, and suddenly day was unbearable and night was painful at best. At least Spottedpaw had been able to adapt. If it had always been as painful as the first moon, he might have gone mad. The ginger apprentice wandered the plains, aimless and amazed, for what felt like a very, very long time, but was maybe a few heartbeats at most.

"Spottedpaw!" A sudden voice grabbed his attention, a warm and gentle tone that lulled his name with a peculiar accent. He turned and saw before him another ginger tom of the same size and stature, and even a similar if paler coat. The tom who addressed him was young, close in age to Spottedpaw but also possibly younger. Were they... related? "Spottedpaw," He meowed again, a kind smile appearing on his face. "I welcome you to the plains of StarClan. My name is Eye of the Prowling Lion, and I have traveled very far to speak with you this night." The tom's strange name made Spottedpaw curious and confused, as did the foreign accent with crisp, short meows. Where could a StarClan cat have traveled from? Lion's Eye hummed knowingly and continued speaking, standing and beckoning him over to a small pool. The pool began to reflect images of familiar yet different places: the other tom's life was showing before him. "You have heard the tales of the Tribe of Endless Skies who returned to reunite with our sister Clan. I am their kin, the youngest survivor of the journey and the first of tribe-blood to be apprenticed into SkyClan. I was called Lionpaw by Ripped Skies and Lion's Eye by my tribemates. I was the bridge between our cultures; I was destined to bring together your clan and my tribe. If you've heard the stories correctly, then you know that I failed." In the pool, gatherings long past showed tension between all the clans and the tribe building. Cats accused one another of being responsible for disappearances of their clanmates. Lion's Eye was visibly upset, and images of tribe cats and SkyClan cats arguing in camp meetings flashed across the pool. Between them stood the young apprentice, clearly feeling the crushing responsibility overwhelming him.

"I did not know it until my death, but it was my own mother who brought this strife into the forest. We fled death in the mountains at the guidance of the Tribe of Endless Stars, our ancestors that split from yours. My mother, Swoop of Fierce Doves, contacted your Dark Forest to bargain for the tribe's safety and knowingly brought ruin to the clans." In the pool, a she-cat laid with her litter. One by one, each went still in death until there was only Lion's Eye left at her side. An image flashed of the queen carrying him, small and sick, at back of the group of tribe cats on their long journey. Lion's Eye's head drooped and shoulders hunched, clearly despairing what had passed so long ago. Spottedpaw shifted uncomfortably, upset for Lion'e Eye and wishing things had not ended so destructively. He knew how the stories ended. He dreaded the visions that would come next in the pool, fur beginning to fluff slightly, and shifted closer to the other tom both in an effort to give comfort and receive it. Lion's Eye sighed heavily and continued, amber eyes glued to the pool. "My mother brought the leader of the Dark Forest physically into the world of the living in a last effort to protect the tribe. Many were hurt that night. Leaders were killed, apprentices were maimed. Few who challenged this cat were able to walk without aid for several suns. I couldn't stand there and watch it. My mother was insane, and she was hurting those we desired to befriend. I was the first to attack the phantom, and I paid the price. I was slain and I bled out at the bottom of the rock, watching the forest I so deeply desired to save crumble in to chaos. My spirit watched the bloodshed, and I mourned my failure for a very long time afterward. The forest was saved when my mother was killed. It was necessary, but it was intensely painful. I wish I had been able to speak with her again but she does not walk the same skies as myself or my brothers and sisters." Lion's Eye glanced around the plains while Spottedpaw stared at the pool, unable to look away from the carnage of the battle at Fourtrees. That place had a horribly bloody history. He'd never look at it the same, and shivered when he saw the queen killed atop the Great Rock. Did the clan leaders care that they stood where many had died? Even Lichenmask had died on that rock. Littlestar had died there. His lip curled in disgust at all the senseless violence. For a moment, he hated the clans and the leaders and himself. Everyone was so... horrible. Why was he being told these awful things? The pool faded out, once again reflecting the surreal skies of the plains. His gaze shifted to Lion's Eye, but for several moments both toms were completely silent.

"I hate this." Spottedpaw finally meowed, the first words he'd spoken. Lion's Eye looked at him with an odd expression, clearly not expecting it. "I hate all of this. What's the point?" He meowed, brow furrowed and tail lashing. What was the moral? To quit this life and be a kittypet? The tom would be a fool if he expected Spottedpaw to give up. Instead he was just angry and more determined to prevent things like this. Lion's Eye leaned in, closing the gap, and the toms brushed pelts beside the pool for a bit until the dead apprentice found his words. "I walk the skies of StarClan and the skies of the Tribe of Endless Stars. I was asked to speak with you about trust. My story is difficult and dark, but there is something important for you to learn: there was a terrible lack of trust. My mother did not trust our ancestors. My leader did not trust my healer. The forest did not trust my tribe. It is good to be wary, but it is better to be fair. Your training was slow, from what I understand. You've become impulsive. You complain and you expect your leader to promote you without thinking twice about it. You've demonstrated a lack of trust in your mentor, your leader, and the clan rules. You need to be more open and allow others to influence you and trust that they have good intentions for you, even when you don't agree with them." Spottedpaw glanced away at Lion's Eye's sharp rebuke. It was hard to see how it all connected, but he understood what the other tom was saying, unpleasant as it was. It was bitter and it made him defensive, but he saw where he had gone wrong. Perhaps he would thank Condorshade when he returned to camp. Or bring Tinystar fresh-kill when he first had the chance. "I think I... understand. Thank you. I hope your travels are pleasant, Lionpaw." The pale ginger apprentice nodded, smiling gently once more. Spottedpaw stared down at the water of the pool, which shone brightly and overtook the rest of his vision.

Before he knew what was happening, his eyes were open and he was staring at the moonstone. Spottedpaw shivered, recalling the visions, and turned to Mintwhisker with a newly solemn expression. He said nothing, only returned to her side with a sense of weariness overtaking him.