Bearpaw’s Moonstone Journey

With a slight sigh, Ivystar pushed herself upward and onto her paws, ignoring the slight ache in them as she padded towards the medicine cat den. She’d instructed Dennis to leave two bundles of traveling herbs tucked neatly beside the entrance, and she was delighted to find that he hadn’t forgotten. Tonight, she and Bearpaw would be traveling to the moonstone so that he could speak with the ancestors. For someone so young, and especially of origins beyond the Clans, this would certainly be an exciting night. Peeking into the apprentice’s den, she called out quietly, ”Bearpaw, come on out. It’s time for us to make the journey to the moonstone.” Padding back out and sitting in the middle of camp, she swallowed her own herb bundle and pushed the other forward for Bearpaw, whenever he emerged.

Training was fine. Fighting felt like it came as naturally as breathing to him, which was surprising. Hunting was fulfilling. This... choking down herbs to travel all day to speak to deceased cats (allegedly) wasn't something he was sure he was looking forward to. A big part of the tom was skeptical, but an even larger part of him was afraid. If this all was real, then it was possible to talk to deceased cats... as long as they were part of the clans. Would they confirm that his family was gone forever, not just dead and moved on to the next life? Bearpaw wasn't sure that he actually wanted to know.

The apprentice emerged from the den and padded over to his mentor, eyeing the herbs distrustfully on the floor. He sighed and tried to lather up enough spit in his mouth to swallow them easily. He braced himself, hearing that the herbs were far from delicious, and devoured them in a manner comparable to a crocodile; minimal chewing and swallowing quickly. The bitterness made him visibly shudder and froth at the sides of his mouth, but he refused to obey his body's instinct to cough them back up.

"How often do we have to eat those?" He asked, his face screwed up from the unpleasant taste.

With a light, almost teasing smile, Ivystar replied, "Only whenever you've gotten yourself hurt, or if you must travel." Tilting her head, she motioned for the tom to follow her as she padded towards the camp exit. For what felt like eternities, they trekked through the territory dotted with streams and creeks, weaving their way through to avoid having to swim in the dark. They made their way through all of the territories, their paws aching by the time they'd made it to Highstones. As they stood outside the mothermouth, Ivystar mewed quietly, "It'll be extremely dark inside the caves, so you'll need to listen carefully and follow my pawsteps, else you'll get lost." After a firm nod, she padded into the cave, walking slowly as Bearpaw hadn't been here before. She knew the route all too well, but he certainly would not. After a short while, the soft light of the moonstone became visible and before they knew it, they were standing right next to it. Ivystar sat down and made herself comfortable next to the stone. "Lay down and touch your nose to the stone. You'll wake up among the ancestors, and they'll tell you what to do from there."

Bearpaw made a note to travel as little as possible with that information. The apprentice followed his mentor across several territories. His eyes kept searching for a familiar pelt, Swiftpaw's, as they passed through Windclan territory. Much to his disappointment, he never saw her. The ache in his paws and legs were sadly, more familiar to him than he cared to acknowledge. Running from unknown enemies had taught him to ignore the pain. At one point it was his only reminder that he had even survived at all.

Upon Ivystar's instruction to go into the tunnel, a feeling of dread crept into his heart. She may have noticed the hesitation, but it wasn't for long. Bearpaw was determined to move passed his fears. This one being claustrophobia. The darkness actually helped, as he couldn't physically see how close the walls were together. Once the moonstone came into view, he hurried through the tunnel as if something was about to grab his hind legs and drag him back through.

Touch his nose to it? Bearpaw nodded and lie down on his belly in front of it. He wondered what exactly he was supposed to see when he closed his eyes, but he doubted he'd be seeing any deceased cats speak to him. So what then? Should he just tell Ivystar that he saw them? As he pressed his nose into the moonstone... he quickly found out that a lie wasn't needed...

Stars all around him... a field of galaxies. He wasn't in the mothermouth anymore...

"Hello...?" He called out cautiously, his voice barely audible. "I'm not alone out here am I?" Though he didn't know if he wanted to be answered or not...

---

A shimmering form suddenly appeared before him. A short, stocky tom with fur the color of copper and eyes to match. He looked even more metallic than he had in life with the stars clinging to his pelt. "You're not alone, Bearpaw, and you never will be so long as Starclan watches over you." Copperfox reclined onto his haunches and fixed the new apprentice in a warm gaze. "You've been through a lot, little one. I'm happy to see that you have made your way to the clans. My name is Copperfox. I was a Skyclan cat, son of the current Skyclan's Deputy and grandson of the Skyclan's leader. I went to sleep one night in my nest and woke up in Starclan, which I know is a far more gentle way to go than the fate of most cats... as you unfortunately are far too aware for someone so young. Do you have any concerns or questions for me?" Copperfox asked him, though he knew quite a lot about the poor young tom already. He wouldn't force him to speak, if he didn't want to.

---

Bearpaw's eyes widened at the sight of the star-draped tom. Starclan was real. The afterlife was real. He could only stare in fascination as Copperfox talked. He did have questions... but it wasn't questions that he thought he wanted to know the answers to. "I only want to ask... is my family with you?" The words left his mouth and he inwardly cringed. He suddenly wished he could take them back.

---

Copperfox had a feeling Bearpaw would ask that. He already had an answer prepared. "Starclan is for clan cats who have followed the code and passed on to the next life, but that doesn't mean there aren't other paradises out there. Good cats don't go to the Dark Forest, I do know that much. I'm sure your family is watching you, and I know they're proud. I'm sure they would want you to live the best life that you can, and you deserve it. Riverclan is lucky to have you. The forest itself is better off with your presence. You have to believe that."

---

Bearpaw didn't know how to feel with Copperfox's answer. If he died, he would go to Starclan, but it wasn't where his family was. Is that where his family would want him to go? "I guess... I couldn't save them. I couldn't do anything." The shame and guilt weighed the young tom down like a stone. His claws had done nothng... not to the dogs... not to the one mysterious tom giving the dogs orders... nothing. The last of his siblings was swept down the river when they crossed with Mocha, desperately trying to escape the violent hounds. Mocha had told him even then that it hadn't been anyone's fault... a day before a dog caught him too.

---

"Bearpaw listen to me. You were a kit. You did everything that you could and no one will fault you for that. You made it to Riverclan just as your uncle wanted. He didn't die in vain." Copperfox was speaking firmly, but still very gently. He knew Bearpaw was hurting, but he had seen the courage in the young tom as well. It was a courage that Copperfox felt that he lacked for most of his life. Bear was a perfect name for him. Ivystar had chosen well. "I think the best thing you can do now is live on, learn to be a proper warrior and protect those you love. Defend the good left in the world. We need more cats like you."