Ferretpaw's Moonstone Journey

"C'mon, kittenfluff, we've got a long road ahead of us," Aspenheart murmured softly to Ferretpaw when he approached. The medicine cat's eyes flickered back to the medicine den, watching Softpaw attend to the many patients piled inside. Would she be able to manage all that greencough on her own? What if she got sick, too? Would she infect Downpaw? The rest of the apprentices? Was the sky falling and the moor burning up?

Aspenheart shook off the feeling of dread that was curling up in his stomach and grinded his herbs between his molars, motioning for Ferretpaw to do the same. "I heard you head-butted a goose," Aspenheart said coyly, an amused glint in his eye. "Did you really? Because's that's the second most impressive thing I've ever heard of an apprentice pulling off."

Ferretpaw was so ready for this journey! It still felt like just yesterday that he was tripping over legs that were much too long for his small body, listening to his new name and mentor being spoken. And now he was going to the moonstone! Ignoring the kittenfluff comment and forcing down the herbs, Ferretpaw shrugged, suddenly very self conscious.

"I wouldn't say head-butted, exactly, but yeah. What's the first most impressive thing?" He tilted his head, curious. He was incredibly proud for that second spot, though. Aspenheart wasn't the easiest cat to impress.

Aspenheart had to think on Ferretpaw's question. He turned his eyes up to the sky and wandered a few paces, mulling over his many apprentice-related memories. "Give me a minute, I'm picking between two right now!"

He guided Ferretpaw across the moor with little more than thoughtful muttering. His steps were punctuated with wild stumbles, but he never fell. After all this time, he still considered his mobility to be his greatest achievement in symptom management. Counterbalancing his weight with the swing of his tail was just short of ingenius. Nowadays, he didn't even crash into any cat standing immediately to his left or right. Clovertwist still had a habit of walking slightly in front or...

"Oh, I've got one now!" he gasped suddenly. "The first most impressive thing was Clovertwist - Cloverpaw at the time - getting mauled by some mutt and living. We were on an herb patrol, he and I. This big brown thing comes crashing out of the bushes and snaps his tail. Oh, man, that cat has bad luck. But that's definitely the most impressive. You come right up second." The narrow tunnel that ran under the thunderpath beckoned to the pair as Aspenheart pulled the bracken aside with a wobbly paw. "After you, Ferretpaw. Don't look up, the monsters rumbling shakes dirt in your eyes."

Ferretpaw purred, following the medicine cat as they set out across the moor. This was where he was in his element, and he let his limbs stretch and move with all the grace of the wind as he followed Aspenheart. Of course, being Ferretpaw, he ended up sort of circling around the medicine cat as they traveled, having to vary his pace to keep consistent with the less athletic tom.

His eyes brightened and he fell into a more casual gait as the medicine cat began the story of Clovertwist and the dog. "He certainly does have bad luck, but maybe not quite so bad if he's at least getting all the recognition of being in every story that impresses you," Ferretpaw laughed, slipping into the tunnel despite the way his pelt prickled at the confined space. This was unnatural, and he didn't like it. He'd much prefer the clouds and open air.

Despite the caution, the apprentice couldn't help but glance upwards, and spent the rest of the walk through the tunnel attempting to blink the dirt from his eyes before Aspenheart noticed when they emerged back into the light.

Aspenheart shut his eyes and wobbled hastily underneath the Thunderpath. It was nice to be in that small space, where sounds above and below were muffled and equal. It was what could be considered a sensory-deprivation tank, and he loved it. Not every cat enjoyed claustrophobia. He touched his tail to Ferretpaw's back haphazardly in a gentle gesture of sympathy. He cleared his throat and eyed up the expanse of Highstones left before them. "We might be a little late, but StarClan isn't impatient, I think," he joked. "If I can make it up, it'll be fresh-kill for you!"

They walked up the winding paths made by ages of paws making their pilgrimage to the mysterious Moonstone. It was a peaceful evening. The wind was light and the owls did not cry out. When they reached Mothermouth, Aspenheart looked back to make sure Ferretpaw wasn't too winded from the climb. "Curse that flat ground!" he teased. "Climbing's the bane of every WindClanner's existence, I think."

Ferretpaw had thought he was prepared for the journey, no matter how long. He didn't realize just how far it was. His ears flicked, embarrassed he had been so plainly unsettled by the tunnel that Aspenheart felt the need to reassure him. It had just been a tunnel! But it had been so different than everything he was used to and everything that he loved that he didn't look forward to the return journey.

If StarClan weren't impatient, then what were they? He didn't know anymore, and he felt nervous at the thought of meeting his ancestors. He had been told from the nursery that they were kind and a guiding light, but after his first gathering? He didn't know what to think anymore.

Luckily, climbing Highstones didn't leave him much breath or time to think much more. He was a simple enough tom, and the deep and dark thoughts sat badly with him anyway. He pulled himself up the last bit of rock, and took a moment to catch his breath.

"I'm certainly a sprinter, not a distance runner," he replied, whiskers twitching in amusement, "So, uh, now we have to go in there, huh?" He looked in apprehension at Mothermouth.

Aspenheart peered down into Mothermouth reflexively, though he knew he would find nothing lurking in the depths. The dim glow of the Moonstone was not visible from the entrance, either. There was only the odd, settled air of a long-traveled tunnel ahead of them, and Aspenheart could only offer Ferretpaw a sympathetic shrug. "We made it this far," he said simply. "It's not as long a walk as it looks."

They dove into the tunnel with haste as the moon rose in a wide arc over the cavern, wandering the turns with a purpose. As they walked, Aspenheart sought out the familiar sparkle of a large, white rock in the center of a cave. They found it, as it had been found before, and as it would continue to be found, for millennia after. The medicine cat grumbled with a sense of finality and settled himself on the edge of the wall. The stars waited for another, and he ushered the chosen apprentice forward with a mrrow.

---

ooc: it's all you now!

It wasn't the length of the walk that concerned Ferretpaw, but the closeness of the tunnel walls and the seemingly stale air that he could taste inside of it. It didn't matter, though, because he had to do this. With a deep breath, the tom followed Aspenheart, quickly losing track of how many turns they had made. His heart beat harder and faster with each one, as he became more and more sure that he'd be lost down in the depths of the earth forever.

Just when he was giving up hope, though, they entered the cavern with the moonstone. The air felt more easily breathable here, as the moonlight spilled in reminding Ferretpaw that there were open lands out there. He nodded to Aspenheart, before stepping forward and settling himself beside the stone. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he was about to meet his ancestors.

Snowkit padded out of the stars in the little form she died as. She smiled up at Ferretpaw and saw all the guilt the poor apprentice had. “Hello Ferretpaw, it’s great to see you again.” she mewed.

Ferretpaw's eyes widened and he felt his stomach drop as he saw the kit in front of him. She was still just as small as he remembered, but more capable than she had been.

"Snowkit? I...I don't know why you'd ever want to see me again." His ears flattened in shame.

“Why wouldn’t I want to see you? You and the others saved me!” she mewed padding closer to Ferretpaw but her form shimmered if she got too close.

"Saved you?" Ferretpaw's voice was full of disbelief. Perhaps she didn't remember clearly. But weren't StarClan supposed to just...know things? His faith was shaky at best when it came to his ancestors lately, and he just kept getting left with more questions than answers.

"Snowkit, if we had worked faster maybe you would still be alive. We didn't save you. We...I failed."

“You can’t blame yourself for it being cold outside, I was already weak and so there was nothing you could have done.” she mewed.

(How long do you want this conversation lol)

Ferretpaw closed his eyes for a moment, standing more still than most of his Clan had probably ever seen him. He blinked a few times when he finally opened them. "So...you don't blame me?" Perhaps if even Snowkit didn't blame him, he could let go of some of his guilt.

(It can wrap up whenever)

Snowkit nodded. “Never feel like your the reason I died, it was great seeing you again.” she said as she started to fade away as Ferretpaw woke up.