Adderpaw's Moonstone Journey

Beechpaw was up early, carefully arranging two bundles of herbs. It was time for Adderpaw's moonstone journey, and she'd need all the strength she could get. In truth, Beechpaw was a little uneasy herself. But Sagelight was exhausted and Adderpaw would need more physical support going up the rocky terrain to highstones. Beechpaw at least, was more sturdy and less likely to stumble up the path herself.

Adderpaw had been making a slow recovery, and still had a while yet before she'd be up to the full duties required of a warrior, but she was well enough to travel, and this was long past due.

"Adderpaw, it's time to get up." Beechpaw called softly, not wanting to disturb the other cats sleeping in the den. Once Adderpaw was awake, Beechpaw placed the bundle of herbs in front of her. She'd tried to sweeten them a little, but they would still taste foul.

"Eat these and let's go," she said, before swallowing her own bundle of traveling herbs. They were as bitter as they'd been when Sagelight had taken her to the moonstone, it felt like it had been moons ago.

Adderpaw shifted onto her bad side and opened her eye, Beechpaw’s soft call enough to wake her from her restless sleep. Today she’d be talking to someone dead, a prospect she couldn’t help being excited about. As excited as she could be, anyway. She could ask when and how the cat died. Maybe if she avoided all the causes of death of all the cats up in StarClan, she’d live forever. It made sense, she thought as she sat up and choked down the bitter herbs. She struggled to get to her feet, though she insisted on doing it alone and refused to lean on Beechpaw. Now standing, she left the den and looked to Beechpaw for guidance.

Beechpaw waited for Adderpaw to get up. She was learning to not be surprised at the wounded apprentice refusing help, but at least now she was on her way to recovering. It was slow, and Beechpaw had no doubt that Adderpaw was hating every second that she was confined to the den, but she was improving.

Adderpaw looked to Beechpaw for guidance, and the large silver and white tabby started forward. Her shoulder was always on offer if Adderpaw needed it throughout the trek to highstones.

---

The pair reached highstones as the moon was starting to rise, and Beechpaw paused as they reached Mothermouth, allowing Adderpaw a brief respite from the long trek and climb. Dark eyes watched the older apprentice, looking for signs of distress and fatigue, or reopened injuries. Finding none, she gave a nod, fluffy tail twitching.

"The passage to the moonstone is tight, and you won't be able to see much. Use your whiskers or grab my tail if you need to, but we need to hurry and get there before moonhigh. When we get to the cavern with the moonstone, touch your nose to it and lay down." She said. With that, she turned and slid into the cavern, making sure that Adderpaw was following.

Adderpaw followed the medicine cat silently, trying to conceal her limp as much as possible. By the time they got to Highstones, she was almost ready to give it up and lean on the larger cat's shoulder after all. Almost. Swaying a little on the spot, she nodded at Beechpaw and followed her through the tunnel. It was pitch black, something Adderpaw found wonderfully comforting. She wished her den was like this. Despite her half blindness and useless nose, she didn't find it too difficult to traverse the narrow path. Before she knew it, her vision was flooded with a pale blue glow. The Moonstone. If she was being honest, Adderpaw was underwhelmed. It was just a rock, really. Here's hoping the StarClan thing wasn't as disappointing. Heeding Beechpaw's previous instructions, she pressed her nose to the rock and felt herself going limp.

"Don't look to impressed kit." The snide rasp was the first to greet Adderpaw's flickering gaze as Starclan graced her eyes for the first, and perhaps, last time. Before the apprentice was an underwhelming gray tabby. Across the dull pelt was a myriad of various scars, claws and bite marks of the most unusual array. Twin pools of prying yellow eyes sized up the young cat. Wolffang was here to provide the most sacred of Starclan wisdom. And perhaps slap some since into the she-cat, should their encounter require it.

Although her expression had softened ever so slightly at the sight of the half-burned she-cat, her nature was one that often didn't allow for reckless pity. Wolffang wasn't here to coddle a downy kit but rather helped to raise a Skyclan warrior from the ashes. While her whiskers had twitched slightly at her own greeting, the former loner fixed the apprentice with a steely gaze. She settled back on her haunches and allowed her tail to flicker back and forth slowly, "So, Skyclanner, tell me... what wisdom do you think the stars owe you."

Adderpaw opened her good eye to find herself in an entirely otherworldly place. It looked vaguely like the forest territories, only dotted with what looked like millions of stars. Even the ground shimmered with some cosmic energy. It was quiet, almost peaceful. Adderpaw could get used to this. Alas, the moment lasted about 2 seconds before a condescending voice cut through the silence. She turned to face the voice with a glare already prepared, but she just couldn't seem to follow through with it. She'd never had issues ignoring authority figures before, but there was something about this cat that sent a chill into her very bones. The scarred she-cat settled for a half-baked glower just over the StarClanner's shoulder.

She considered the other cat's question. What did she want out of this? "Something useful." Wait. What? She had intended to mouth the words, but an actual sound escaped from her mouth. She could talk in StarClan. Who would've thought? Her mouth formed an uncharacteristic smile for a split second before dropping once again into her perpetual poker face. Knowing this was probably her last opportunity to do so, she spoke some more. "Death. I want to know more about it. What is it like? Can you avoid it?" This had been on her mind since the fire. Since she didn't get her answer back then, now was probably the best and only time to find out.

There was a glimmer in the she-cat's eyes as the apprentice realized speech came easy in the lands of Starclan, even like a cat who struggled with physical inabilities in the living realm. Wolffang didn't waiver in her gaze, however, and let her whiskers tremble before bursting out in a low and rasping laugh. Tears stung the edges of her gaze as she tried to still her sides and form a proper answer. There was a moment or two before the little gray warrior was no longer wracked with her own, heaving cackles. Finally, she lifted a paw to swipe away the droplets, "Avoiding death? Certainly not like this, kit." One forepaw vaguely gestured to the she-cat's frame.

A sigh left the side's of her maw and she shook her head slowly, "Death, it feels like a curse at times with how helpless we are up here among the stars. But it's the most beautiful peace you can imagine, even for a washed up old rat like myself. You can't avoid it. The strongest leaders find themselves among the stars no matter how tightly their paws cling to each precious life... we all end up buried on the territory. I don't know how I managed to find myself back her but thank Starclan I did or my carcass would be rotting in twoleg filth." Several emotions carried the words, from regret to satisfaction, and even a sense of otherworldly longing. Wolffang looked up from where her yellowed eyes had fell, her own scarred pelt reminiscent of the cat across from her, despite being of vastly different afflictions and severity.

"Put it off as long as possible, make your time count. I don't want to see you in my hunting grounds anytime soon. When you're ready, you'll find your peace. Before than... well, you can expect me putting ticks in your nest for eternity if you make it any sooner." The roughness of her words was jarring for any cat not used to her sharp tongue. But despite the jibes and brutal honestly that fell from her tongue, Wolffang's own brand of genuine care washed over Adderpaw. Her eyes narrowed once again and she nodded her head in a final manner. Resigned, the apprentice would be allowed to speak, but her wisdom had been granted and soon the she-cat would have to return to the living.