Rainpaw's Moonstone Journey

It was a chilly, damp morning. It had rained throughout the night before, the water falling from the sky cold and harsh, cutting through the fur of calico she-cat as she tried to sleep near the entrance to the medicine den. She had managed to clear Pricklebush's old nest away, after the scent had gotten unbearable, but she loathed the thought of claiming the spot for her own finally. As the few birds remaining began to chirp their welcomes to the rising sun, she forced herself to her paws with a wide yawn.

It didn't take long to get the herbs for the journey together, although she did note with some urgency that she was almost out of daisy. So many injuries recently... With a sigh, she swallowed her herbs before making her way with the second bundle to the apprentice's den. Poking her head in, she found Rainpaw and nudged her gently with her nose before pulling back from the confines of the den, waiting for the apprentice to join her.

Rainpaw was jolted out of her dreamless sleep by Mossbloom's prodding, and woke up bristling and stiff, ready for a fight. But the medicine cat's scent lingered in the air, trailing out of the apprentices' den, and Rainpaw sighed in a mixture of relief and annoyance - at herself. She'd been edgy ever since the fight with the ShadowClan cat, and her training had suffered as a result of it. She'd been so distracted - by both the physical pain of the healing wounds, and the psychological remnants of what she accounted as a near-death experience.

Limbs stiff with cold and sleep, Rainpaw unwound from her nest and padded out of the den, spotting Mossbloom waiting for her with a bundle of herbs. She let out a long breath, greeting the medicine cat with a short purr and a dip of her head. "Morning, Mossbloom,"

Mossbloom only waited for a little while before spotting the she-cat's face emerging from the den, and she smiled as she offered a greeting. "Good morning, Rainpaw. Today is the day that we'll journey to the Moonstone for you to speak with StarClan, are you ready?" Taking note of the stiff way that Rainpaw moved, Mossbloom made a mental note to speak with Oakstar and Beartooth about the warriors and apprentices patching any holes in the dens with grass and leaves. Perhaps mud could be used too, in order to keep the cold night winds out. The last thing the clan needed right now, especially with RiverClan and ShadowClan as threats at their border, was an outbreak of whitecough or even greencough. 


That would be a conversation for her return though, she thought as she pushed the herbs forward with her nose. Surely it wouldn't snow too terribly while they were gone. "You'll need to eat these before we set off, they'll give you strength for the journey ahead. As I'm sure you already know, they are quite bitter, even with the honey I added, but we'll be able to stop at a nearby stream to let you wash out the taste fairly quickly. Let me know when you're ready!" Waiting patiently by the entrance for Rainpaw to say any goodbyes and to finish her herbs, Mossbloom fluffed out her short fur. It wouldn't be long before the forest was covered in snow, instead of a simple frost.

There was no one to say goodbye to, as most every cat was asleep. She did, however peek into the warriors' den to check and see if Ferretnose was up and about, not showing any outward emotion when it was confirmed, though she was a little disappointed. Rainpaw swallowed the herbs, scowling at the taste, and followed the medicine cat to the entrance of the camp. "I'm ready," she confirmed, feeling the effects of the herbs almost immediately. Impatient, she kneaded her claws into the ground, ready to get up and out there.

With Rainpaw's confirmation, Mossbloom nodded and turned, pushing her way out into the forest. Walking at a brisk pace, having picked up on the impatient notions of the other she-cat, she only slowed once the pair reached Fourtrees, staring out into the rolling moors of WindClan. Her breath came in small bursts, rising like tiny clouds into the air before disappearing. Sending a half smile towards her companion, she took a deep breath before placing a paw over the border and starting across the moors. She hoped there was no longer reason to fear the open space, but the memory of Pricklebush's death still rung in her ears, so she broke the silence tentatively.

"So, Rainpaw.. How have you been healing since your fight with the RiverClan cat that stole prey? Have you seen anything else? It was very brave of you to fight a cat on your own like that... We're all proud of you."

Rainpaw trailed after Mossbloom and shivered as a frigid wind ruffled her fur. Beneath the boughs of ThunderClan's forest, there was some shelter no matter the season, but the open moorland made Rainpaw feel nervous and vulnerable - something she'd never really felt before. But the medicine cat's words distracted her for a moment, and she scuffed her paws a bit as she walked. "I'm healing...okay," she replied reluctantly. It didnt matter that Mossbloom was praising her for her actions against the RiverClan cat, she still felt low every time she thought about it. "I lost, though." Her words were dull, and she flattened her ears, thinking about how devastated her father, and her mentor, would have been if she'd been more seriously injured - or even killed.

(No color on phone sorry!)

Blinking as she looked over towards the apprentice, she touched her tail to her shoulder. "You're still here, aren't you? You're going to your Moonstone, and you learned. I don't think that's a loss, Rainpaw. It might not have been a victory, but it certainly wasn't a loss." Who knew if her words would help... But hopefully it would give her a little reassurance on things. Hopefully the day would come where Rainpaw was able to understand what she was trying to say.


The rest of the trip went smoothly, the Thunderpath quiet. Marks from the monster's paws came swerving off of the black surface into the nearby snow, something that Mossbloom took interest in and noted to inform the other medicine cats. Maybe the monsters found the surface slippery too? They climbed up the incline of rock underpaw as the moon began to rise into the sky. Soon, they were just outside of Mothermouth, the cave opening yawning into darkness. "When we reach the Moonstone, you just have to lay next to it and touch your nose to it's surface. StarClan will send you the dream they wish to give to you. If you have any questions, or concerns, I will be here when you wake, alright? Are you ready?"

Rainpaw nodded. Maybe Mossbloom was right. Maybe just walking away from it was victory enough, even if she'd been the loser in the fight. She was alive to fight another day, and not every cat turned out to be so lucky. The apprentice spent the rest of the journey in contemplative silence, hardly paying attention to the surroundings other than to make sure she stayed next to Mossbloom. But once they'd reached the Mothermouth, she couldn't help but stare in awe. She listened to the instruction. She had to go in alone? All the way? Her tail flicked uncertainly, but she refused to look weak here, and after Mossbloom had finished, she nodded again. "Okay... I'm ready,"

Rainpaw padded forward, trembling in a mixture of cold and fear, into the tunnel. She continued on, unsure of where to stop. It was so dark, how was she supposed to see the Moonstone? But soon there was light up ahead and the tunnel widened. Rainpaw breathed in sharply... it was beautiful... "I'm ready," she said, outloud, to herself. "I'm ready." And she lay down, touching her nose to the stone.

When Rainpaw awoke, she saw a wide, grassy field sprawling out before her, dotted with strange flowers that she had never seen in the clans. Stars were scattered across the sky, several times larger than they had been in the forest, and a great grey moon hung on the horizon, shining almost as brightly as the sun.
"Welcome to Starclan." A large, fluffy she-cat strode towards the apprentice. Her pelt was light brown, dotted with tabby markings and scars alike, and it seemed to grow translucent as she approached. Although she walked heavily, her large paws left no indent on the grass.

"My name is Sharptooth." She grunted. The meaning behind the she-cat's name was clear; when she spoke, her long white fangs caught the starlight and flashed. "And you must be Rainpaw."
The warrior's tattered ears twitched, and she sat down a short ways away from Rainpaw. After a moment, she spoke.
"Everyone comes to Starclan for a reason." She began, meeting Rainpaw's pale blue eyes with her own. "Tell me, little one: Why are you here?"

Why was she here? Rainpaw started at Sharptooth, her eyes narrowing in thought. To be honest, she hadn't really given StarClan all that much thought. She was only here because she had to visit the Moonstone before she could have her warrior ceremony... and Rainpaw had never thought that she'd actually be talking to a real StarClan cat.

"I want to be a warrior," she told him simply. "The best warrior, one ThunderClan will respect and my enemies will fear."

Sharptooth nodded, a crooked grin forming on her scar-slashed muzzle. "And with ambition like that, I'm sure you'll rise to some prominence within Thunderclan. One warning, though-" The tabby paused, her tail-tip twitching.
"Don't let it go to your head." She reached out and tapped the apprentice's forehead. "No matter how many squirrels you catch, no matter how many battles you win, don't forget that those skills are merely one small part of warrior life. It's not the power we have, but what we choose to do with it that truly makes a great and powerful warrior. So keep your paws firmly on the ground."

And with that, Sharptooth stood, looking down at the she-cat. "I wish you luck on your journey, Rainpaw." She said.
And then Rainpaw woke up. It was dark, but she could tell that some time had passed.
On the ground in front of her were a few long, brown pieces of fur that she hadn't noticed before.