Primrosepaw's Moonstone Journey

Beechpaw approached the apprentice den, carefully avoiding the Riverclan apprentices. The small camp was overflowing with cats, and the apprentices seemed like they outnumbered the amount of warriors in both clans. Today at least, she'd be helping one apprentice take another step closer to their warrior ceremony. Another of her siblings, but this time she had a feeling the journey to the Moonstone would be far more pleasant.

Setting the bundle of herbs down, Beechpaw glanced into the overcrowded den, spotting her sister's soft form.

"Primrosepaw!" She called softly, trying not to disturb the other apprentices that still slept in the den. Beechpaw retreated a few paces to wait for her sister to make her way out of the den.

She'd attempted to sweeten the ever-foul-tasting travelling herbs with a bit of honey once more, figuring that Primrosepaw would appreciate it. And, well, Beechpaw liked her sister. Anything she could do to lessen their awful taste, she would do for Primrosepaw.

"Time to go to the moonstone, eat these... I know, they taste terrible." She nudged the herbs toward the blind she-cat, voice lacking its usual brusqueness. The journey would get them both out of camp, and it would cover new ground for Primrosepaw. Still, the pointed apprentice worked tirelessly to improve. If anyone deserved this, it was her.

Primrosepaw lifted her head at Beechpaw's call. My moonstone journey! she thought. It would be nice to spend some time with her sister, as Riverclan's insanely crowded camp and Beechpaw's new job as a medicine cat apprentice had left her very busy. "Coming sis!" she called back softly. The den was packed to the brim with sleeping apprentices of both clans, and it was guaranteed that none of them would enjoy being woken up. Very carefully, she padded her way around the nests, always thinking about where she was putting her paws. 

She leant down to eat the strong-smelling herbs the large she-cat had given her, her mind on the journey. Obviously, if they ran into trouble, Beechpaw wouldn't need to do much to scare it away. Her sister may technically be a medicine cat, but her scars, combined with her huge, muscular frame showed that the she-cat had warrior experience under her pelt. Everything's gonna be ok though, right? Convincing herself of something was a good talent of hers; if she set her mind to it, she could usually do it.

"I'm ready, are we going to leave right away?" she questioned.

"Yes, it's a bit of a walk, we should be there by moonrise," Beechpaw's whiskers twitched, "The herbs will keep your strength up and keep you from feeling hungry."

Beechpaw turned, leading the way out of camp. "At least we won't be tripping over other cats on the way." She joked, but there was truth in the statement.

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True to her word, the two cats made it to mothermouth as the moon began to rise. The journey had been broken up by quiet, lighthearted conversation, and for the first time since the fire and Sagelight's announcement, Beechpaw felt truly relaxed.

"Okay, follow me into the tunnel here and just... use your whiskers to navigate, the tunnel is very narrow at points, and dark... " She commented, a hint of amusement in her tone as Beechpaw realized that Primrosepaw wouldn't really have any difficulties with the lack of light in the tunnel, and she continued, "When we get to the moonstone, you just press your nose to it and lay down." Beechpaw flicked her tail.

Beechpaw ducked into the tunnel, pausing a moment to make sure Primrosepaw was following. Satisfied, she continued onward. It didn't take long for the passage to become completely dark, and a while after that a faint blueish light began to filter in ahead of Beechpaw. When they'd reached the moonstone itself, she stepped aside to let the other apprentice into the chamber, giving her a gentle nudge toward the softly-glowing stone.

((Your chosen starclan cat can come in once you've posted!))

As they neared mothermouth, Primrosepaw could feel herself begin to tire. Even if her sister didn't realise it, she walked very, very fast, and (as Beechpaw had inherited their father's large size) never seemed to slow or tire. "I think I'll be ok in the darkness, Beechpaw." she said with a giggle. She knew it was weird for sighted cats to be in complete darkness, but it wasn't something she had an issue with. However, the tunnels were still winding, so she kept very close to Beechpaw's tail the whole way.

At the end, she felt a breeze come through the mouth of the tunnel as they entered the cavern. Her paw steps echoed slightly as they ricocheted of the stone walls and she lifted her face a little. She had been told that the source of the breeze was a hole in the ceiling, so the moonlight could shine through, onto the stone. It must be so beautiful..., she thought. But wait. Was that a slight shimmer? Her brain leapt with joy at the thought of visual stimulation. Yes, the moon's rays had hit the glorious stone at just the right angle, just at the right time. Making a metal not to tell Smokefeather and Beechpaw about this later, she took a step forward - it didn't seem right to have an excited outburst in such a sacred place.

She could feel her breath on the Moonstone as she neared it. Still smiling, she lay down beside it and pressed her nose to it.

If he was being honest with himself, he missed living among his clanmates. Don't get him wrong! He really enjoys lazing about with his beloved and hunting endlessly alongside his fellow starry cats. The thing is, he aches for the adventures he once had. He wasn't much for daring escapades when he had been a newly-made apprentice but he soon grew out of his timid state and began to enjoy what clan life had to offer a young tom such as himself. His growth was largely thanks to the push of his denmates and his lovely mate (then crush), Fernpetal. Those he used to accompany now rest with him here among the stars. He shouldn't dwell on this too much. After all, he's got all that he needs right here. He's got his family, friends, and love of his life. Down there, it'd have some sense of familiarity yet feel different and strange. It wasn't his world anymore. His was here.  
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There was a peaceful tune to the air this night. Fireflies moved about in a hypnotic dance of sorts. They freely illuminated whatever path they took. The surroundings to which the young molly awoke to almost seemed to mirror her own clan's familiar terrain, however, it had it's differences. The atmosphere harbored a serenity that was rare back in the land of the living. It was strange yet it brought waves of comfort. There was nothing more mysterious or more beautiful than StarClan's sacred lands.

A large tom's silhouette came forth from just beyond where Primrosepaw was. His soft pelt ruffled and swayed to the rhythm of the comforting breeze, twinkling stars adorned his white and grey fur. The grass beneath them glistened with the reflection of the moonlight. It was truly a sight to behold, especially to any apprentice.  

Silentwhisper had been summoned to help the young she-cat before him, to prepare her for the next big step in her life. He'd do his absolute best to try and assist her with whatever inquiries she might have. It felt surreal to him to be the one giving the advice. He remembered when he traversed the path to the Moonstone to speak with a StarClan cat himself. He inwardly shivered with gleeful chills. He shoved all thoughts to the recesses of his mind and turned to focus on the current task.

"Hello there Primrosepaw. W-Welcome to StarClan." greeted the soft-spoken tom, sweet smile taking residence on his face. He sat down in front of her before continuing, "My n-name's Silentwhisper. I was a SkyClan warrior a bit b-before your time. I'm here to listen to whatever is on your mind a-and to help with any questions you may have. P-Please don't hesitate but also don't feel forced to t-tell me anything. I'm all ears." His green gaze traced the younger's face as he awaited her response. Something seemed familiar about her eyes. He quickly archived the information in his mind. She should only share what she feels comfortable to. This was supposed to be a safe environment and he was determined to keep it this way for the apprentice.

Primrosepaw felt the forest for underpaw. It felt so similar to her lost home, that for a moment she thought she was just in a normal dream. Even after everything that had happened, with living in Twoleplace for a moon and now residing in Riverclan, it wasn't rare that she dreamt of her old territory, or the fire that had destroyed it. But everything here was serene, even the way the gentle breeze made the trees sing. So this must be StarClan, she thought. The place were fallen warriors spent their well-earned peace. A place of victors.

So caught up in the wonders of the stars, she was a little surprised when she was approached by a StarClan warrior. He made his presence completely clear when he greeted her, his gentle words next introducing himself. "Hello Silentwhisper," she said once he had finished. Her excitement form earlier had faded as soon as she had fallen asleep, so her voice was much less enthusiastic during their conversation. She was definitely interested, but not truly her normal cheery self. It felt much more serious here - this was her time to get help from a cat she didn't even know.

"Will I ever be able to become a real warrior?" she asked. She knew there time would be limited, and didn't want to waste it on small talk. "I mean, I know that there are plenty of blind warriors in the other clans, but as far as I know they all lost their sight from injury. Even Ravenmist didn't go naturally blind." It wasn't something that should have worried her so much, with the WindClan and Shadowclan deputies both being blind, but it was something she'd never talk about with Smokefeather. Her mother had been amazing with everything, but her answer would always be 'of course,' or something along those lines. She'd always push her worries aside to comfort whoever, even if it might not have been the best thing to do. But know, however, was where she had somewhere to discuss this without worrying dear Smokefeather, or anyone else in her family for that matter.

The starry warrior listened intently at what the apprentice had to ask. Right when she mentioned the word 'blind', it instantly clicked. Ah. That's why those eyes seemed familiar to him. He'd seen them before, a few within his clan and some in the others. He racked his mind for the right words to say. As if answering his unspoken prayers, he was presented with a few stored memories from his apprenticeship. Oh! His second mentor, Mallowbrook, had been born blind. She had taught him all he needed to know and then some. She had been as capable as any other warrior. Her sightless father had also been a valued clanmate. Now that he thought about it, Mallow's grandmother had also been blind. It had run through her family and despite it, they all turned out to be great and capable warriors. They never let their disability weigh them down in any way. Of course, their life wasn't without struggles but they managed and exceeded.

The tom stood up and padded forward until he stood directly by her side. He settled down once again, this time pressed against her in a comforting manner. "Primrosepaw, listen to me and listen carefully..." he began, voice losing all his stutter. This was to be a serious moment and he had to keep his voice level. "You will become a real warrior. In fact, you'll be a great one at that. You want to know why? It's because you were born with the heart and strength of one. You should never let your predicament weigh you down, no matter what you may believe at times. While it's true that Ravenmist may not have gone blind naturally, she lost her sight nonetheless. She got to where she was with the love and help of her clanmates and her own will and determination to push through her struggles. You need to rely on others to have your back. However, don't let them put you down or take advantage of you. You need to be upfront with what you do and don't want from them. They'll understand. They love you no matter what." The tom wrapped his tail around her back before continuing, "I had a mentor who had been born blind. Her father and grandmother had also been blind since birth. It ran through her family. She had been lived with it her whole life. She was a strong and capable warrior despite her disability. Her whole family was. Her name was Mallowbrook. She taught me all I knew. Taught me as efficient as any other warrior could. With her mentoring, I grew to be the tom I am today. I learned many new things training with her. She explained what she went through and how she overcame. Her other senses were heightened to make up for the one she lacked. It made her a pretty great hunter and between you and me, I was a bit jealous of her skills." He gave the smaller cat a friendly nudge. He wanted to lift up her spirits, even just a smidgen. Hopefully she'd take some time later to reflect on his words. She needed to see that she's just as valuable and capable with her blindness as she was without it.

His soft, green eyes stared ahead, almost unseeing. Talking about all of this brought back every good and bad memory that had been gathering dust in the deep recesses of his mind. He shook himself back to the present and looked down at the apprentice. She didn't seem as tense or worried as she had been a bit ago. He decided to continue, "Never devalue yourself or downplay your skills. You can overcome this, Primrosepaw. I believe in you. You should believe in yourself too." he offered her a gentle smile before beginning to speak again, "I won't lie to you. There'll be a lot of struggles for you in the future, everyone goes through some of their own. You just have to keep your head up and take it in stride. You'll also need the support of your family. You must be honest with them and yourself. Don't be hesitant to ask for anything either. It's not weakness. You show great strength when you let others lend you a paw from time to time." Silentwhisper paused for a few seconds. He needed to catch his mind back up. Everything he was saying came from his heart. When he was passionate about a topic, he almost ceased to even process thoughts. "You know, I'm quite proud of you for opening up about your issue with me. You must now do the same with your family. Don't keep them in the dark. It'll do everyone well if you came forward and explained your situation and how you're feeling. You'll feel better if you do. Trust me." His warm tone combined with his ability to be a comfortable cat to be around made it easier to really make others think about his words. He wanted to be as much help to this she-cat as he possibly could. She just needed to take his words to heart.

Primrosepaw listened carefully as Silentwhisper spoke. Something about the fact that he was a warrior of StarClan made it all feel so real - this was a cat who meant every word he said. " Mallowbrook..." she repeated softly. It was a beautiful name, no doubt belonging to an amazingly skilled cat, but the cream apprentice worried if she couldn't live up to her legacy. Maybe she was just better at coping with everything than her? But another thing caught her attention. 'It ran through her family.' She had never considered before that blindness could be passed on from parent to kit. But that brought new worries with it. "Wh-what if I pass it on to my kits?" she asked. Her own kits were never something that she had considered, but now the prospect seemed unbearable real. She never wanted to put another cat in her position, even if they'd have her help.

She smiled at the starry tom's antics. "I'm sure she was an amazing warrior, but I know that you were too, and still are, for that matter." Silentwhisper was helping her so much that she felt the need to return his favour. Even though it was what he needed to do as her Starclan visitor, she still wanted to help him as well. 

"Don't worry, I won't let anyone wrong me," she said. More like Beechpaw won't, she thought, smiling. Her sister was clear about how protective she was over her little sister. Primrosepaw knew that if anyone even tried to mess with her, the medicine cat apprentice would destroy them. "I mean, I'll try my best to tell my family about stuff, but it's a bit hard sometimes. Although, maybe things would improve. It's just much easier to help other cats with their worries than ask for help with your own."

Green eyes softened as the she-cat's worry was directed toward something that may or may not even happen. There's a good chance that her kits won't inherit her progressive vision loss but at the same time, they still have that chance. He needed to help soothe her worries. Before he could, she quickly continued.

He nodded in understanding at her next set of words. He knew what she meant. At some point in his life, he had thought in the same way. It's not easy to ask for help. He had struggled hard with that aspect of life. She was right that it was much simpler to help others. He had always tried to comfort or offer assistance in any way he could just so he could bury his own struggles. He almost always had turned away any type of help. Only a select few close to him had the pleasure to recuperate that same comfort he so easily gave away yet rarely let himself receive. It was almost comical how terrified he had been of being the center of attention. He mostly outgrew that part of him but deep within, he could still feel those same feelings dormant.

"Hun, try not to dwell on those distant types of 'what if's'. There is a good chance that your kits will not inherit it. However, the possibility isn't completely out. Always expect the unexpected. You must be ready for whatever your future holds. For now, try to focus on the present. Focus on yourself and how you're feeling." The large warrior pressed her even closer to himself. He needed to ground her and himself before their minds could go haywire.

Not long after, he continued to speak, "You don't have to tell your family immediately if you're not comfortable but try to let them in with what's going on at some point. I understand you. I was the same way when I was younger. I struggled with allowing others to return the help I gave them. It'll take time for you to open up. It sure did for me. You're still young and will have many opportunities for growth. I know you will overcome your struggles. You're strong and kind-heated, Primrosepaw. Just move one step at a time. Don't rush yourself. If you can, try and find a peaceful spot to go to think and reflect on how you're feeling that day and what caused those types of emotions. Some time to take care of yourself will do you good. It's a great way to calm your nerves if you start to feel anxiety creep up. If you feel up for it, bring someone along. It's always good to have somebody by your side. They help distract you from your worries and offer a calming presence." Once he finished, he tilted his head to gaze at the sky. A few emotions flickered across his once serene expression. Their time together was coming to a close. This apprentice made him feel ways he rarely got to feel. He wanted to keep her safe and secure but alas, it was not to be. He never told her but Primrose looked so much like Mallow. Maybe that's why. No. He couldn't think of her that way. They were both their own individuals. She didn't deserve to be compared to a mentor who also resided in StarClan alongside him. This apprentice was strong in her own way. He felt relaxed knowing that Primrosepaw wouldn't be disregarding his words.

He turned to look at her one last time before speaking, "Primrosepaw, our time together is at it's end. Remember all that I have told you. Please try your best to let your family know. From time to time, take some moments to put your own well-being before others. Know that your clan will be proud of you no matter what. Keep your chin up and stay strong, my friend. You will do well. You just have to have some faith in yourself. Until we meet again but hopefully in the far, far future..." The tom offered her another warm smile as the darkness began to rapidly envelope them. Before she could disappear from his sight, he promised himself that he'd watch over her carefully. She unknowingly made a good friend in the stars. It didn't take much longer before Primrosepaw was returned back to the Moonstone cavern where she'd soon awaken. Silentwhisper already missed her presence...

Focus on the present, Silentwhisper said. I can do that right? she thought. Maybe she could, but it would take some practise. She tended to look forward, possibly better than looking back, even if it meant she sometimes lost the enjoyment of the present. Luckily, her focus on the future held an optimistic stance. Despite everything her, her family and clan had gone through, she always managed to find the bright side of every situation.

Everything the starry warrior said she took into account, trying to memorise it for the future. This advice was priceless: it was an experience she would never have again. She realised that she was very sad when he said their time was coming to an end - she enjoyed Silentwhisper's calming presence and important instructions. "Thank you so much Silentwhisper," she said after he had finished speaking, "I promise that I'll try my best to follow your advice. SkyClan won't know what hit them when I come back, suddenly so much wiser thanks to you." She added, smiling. Then, she felt him leave her side. "Goodbye, I'll never forget this..." With that, her paws left the ground, and before she knew it, she was back in the cavern, with Beechpaw nearby. Another smile flickered across her face as she remembered her earlier excitement that the Moonstone had provided.

I am forever grateful Silentwhisper, she thought as she stretched her stiff muscles out for the journey back, I'll be the best warrior I can, and I'll always remember that it was because of you.