Frostpaw's Moonstone Journey

Murkystrike wasn't used to being awake during the day still, but in order to be at the Moonstone in time it was necessary. She stifled a yawn as she padded towards the apprentice den, not wishing to taste the bitter herbs any more than she had to. Even just carrying them was enough to wrinkle her nose. She gently set them down on the ground before making her way into the den, blinking as she searched for the right apprentice. Finally, she found Frostpaw among the many others, and made her way over to wake him. With a careful prod, she roused the sleeping tom before mewing softly. "Come Frostpaw, meet me by the camp's entrance." With that, she turned to make her way out of the den, careful to avoid the sleeping forms of the other apprentices. They would have their own trainings when night fell, and needed their rest after all. Once successfully out of the den, she waited for the young tom to join her at the entrance to camp, the herb bundles placed carefully at her paws.

Frostpaw was a light sleeper, he always had been. It didn't take much of a prod to rouse the tom, immediately opening his eyes. He brought his gaze to the retreating form of the deputy and finally registered her words. Rising from his nest, he gracefully stepped around the other apprentices, gaze stopping on the sleeping form of Burningpaw for a moment before continuing. He seemed to be his only friend, it was strange.

His quick pawsteps were quiet as he approached Murkystrike. The day was bright, and his pelt only shown brighter than usual, including the dirt that had accumulated on it. As soon as he made his way to the deputy, and the bundle of herbs, he sat down and began quickly grooming his fur. Nothing that would take too long, but Frostpaw refused to be filthy when he could be clean. As soon as he finished, he dipped his head respectfully, and meowed quietly. "Is this to be my journey to the Highstones?" Frostpaw was indifferent to Starclan, they existed, but how much power did they truly have? They were the dead of their clans, wise and knowledgable from watching over them for many, many moons. Yet why were they so powerful? It was a curiosity to be sure.

Frostpaw didn't take long to join her, and she lowered her head in greeting as sat and began to quickly groom himself. She had already done so before waking him, and would probably do so again once the reached Mothermouth, so long as they didn't run into any trouble on the way they would have some time to spare. As he finished, he dipped his head and asked a quiet question, and the deputy nodded. "Yes, it is. We have a long journey ahead of us, and we will not be able to stop to eat along the way. These herbs are to give you strength and stamina, as well as hold your hunger. It won't last forever, but it does help." She explained, pushing the bundle for Frostpaw towards him with a careful paw. "Once you're done, we'll head out. Oh, just a heads up, they're quite bitter. We can stop at a nearby stream if you'd like to drink before continuing." She added before bowing her head to eat her own herbs and then straightening as she swallowed the last of them, then standing and stretching in preparation for the journey ahead.

Frostpaw nodded silently at Murkystrike's conformation. He would be seeing Starclan tonight, at least, in a good way. Pawing the herbs closer to himself, he heeded the deputy's warning, bracing himself for the bitterness. Yet not before looking at the herbs for a moment before consuming them. They were fascinating in themselves. Perhaps he could ask Rookfire about herbs someday, it would never hurt to learn. Oh, Rookfire wasn't here, that was interesting as well! He licked up the herbs, gritting his teeth at the bitter sensation. Why Starclan would make the herbs to travel to them bitter, he would never know, though he wished he did.

Once Frostpaw had suffered through the initial bitterness, he spoke. "Stopping at a nearby stream would be beneficial. Oh, and where is Rookfire? I was under the impression that he was to take apprentices to the Moonstone. Forgive me if I am incorrect." The tom readied himself to leave camp, interested in Murkystrike's answer.

Murkystrike nodded to Frostpaw's agreement to stop at a nearby stream, leading the way out of camp towards it as he asked about Rookfire. "No, you're correct. Usually it is the medicine cat's responsibility to accompany apprentices, however, Rookfire has been feeling ill recently, so I offered to step in so he can focus on feeling better." She explained as they reached the small stream near the camp. She lapped some of the cool water as well, feeling it wash away the lingering taste of the herbs. Once she had her fill, she straightened to wait for Frostpaw to be ready as well, turning her paws towards Highstones once he was done.

~~Time Skip~~

The journey had gone fairly smoothly, though the Thunderpath had been a bit busier than usual. Still, they had made it through unharmed. As they had climbed the rocky incline leading to Mothermouth, Murkystrike explained the expectations. "Once we enter the tunnels, silence is expected. I will lead the way, you stay close behind. The tunnels are long, dark, and winding, and easy to get lost in if you don't know where you're going. When we reach the cavern of the Moonstone, you will simply lay next to it and touch it with your nose. StarClan will take it from there. I will wait at the edge of the cavern for you to wake. Do you have any questions?" She mewed, looking over her shoulder to the young tom as they waited near Mothermouth. The sun was setting, the moon just peeking over the horizon, so they still had some time.

Frostpaw lapped at the cool water as he listened to Murkystrike. It was unfortunate that their medicine cat was ill, but he would likely recover. He was the medicine cat after all, he would know how to treat himself. With that, he followed the deputy as they made their way to the Highstones. He had discovered that he distinctly disliked the Thunderpath. The acrid smell, the hard surface, and the filth. Disgusting, he would be glad to never cross it again, despite needing to cross it to return home. The monsters were manageable if you were smart, and Murkystrike seemed to be intelligent. It made sense, she was the deputy after all.

It was soon after he had climbed the incline that Murkystrike began speaking again, and Frostpaw listened intently. "No questions, Murkystrike." None that she could answer, he thought. She would not know the specifics of how Starclan worked. Nobody did, and that is what he intended to find out. There must be reason to it all, someone controlling it. Who assigned Starclan cats to apprentices on their Moonstone journeys? Who decided who got to give a leader their nine lives? Was it by choice? So many questions, and not nearly enough time. He prepared himself to follow Murkystrike into the tunnels, at least his smaller form would help him here.

Murkystrike nodded, gazing at the apprentice steadily. She could tell his mind was elsewhere, likely already considering what StarClan would share with him. As she turned towards Mothermouth, she said a final sentence. "I hope you get the answers and guidance you search for." With that, she stepped into the darkness, seeming to disappear. As a ShadowClan cat, darkness was a friend, a help rather than a hindrance. Even so, the darkness within the tunnels was much darker than anything known by ShadowClan, the sense of blindness permeating every sense and heightening the others to make up for the lack of any semblance of light. Her whiskers brushed the tunnel walls as she led the apprentice to the Moonstone, taking a deep breath as she finally felt a small breeze in her whiskers. As she stepped into the cavern of the Moonstone, it was still dark, but as she moved to the cavern wall the moonlight hit the Moonstone and it erupted into sparkling light. Narrowing her eyes against the sudden blinding light, she waited for them to adjust before finding Frostpaw and giving him a small nod, gesturing him towards the Moonstone.

Frostpaw followed silently through the tunnel, the edges of his fur and whiskers brushing against the sides. The pure white of his pelt had been enveloped in a darkness even the stoic tom thought slightly unnerving. Even the darkest of nights weren't this dark. He had never felt so hidden in his life, it was nice to feel truly Shadowclan for a moment.

After a while of walking in silence, a breeze moved Frostpaw's fur. The cavern then opened up, and while still dark, small bits of moonlight filtered in, revealing the tom once more. His eyes glittered in the low light, but when the moonlight suddenly hit the crystal, they positively glowed. He had to look away for a moment, surprised by the sudden change in light. Once recovered, he began moving toward the crystal once more, laying down next to it. With one look up and down it, trying to remember the details for later, he shut his eyes, and touched his nose to the Moonstone.

For a moment, nothing. Frostpaw had almost thought that it was a fluke, that for some reason Starclan didn't feel like talking to him. Then an overwhelming tiredness, then nothing as he fell into slumber.

When the snow-pelted apprentice awoke, he would find himself in a place very unfamiliar, yet dazzlingly beautiful.  Their surroundings resembled tall pine trees and marshy puddles, much like ShadowClan's home below the sky, but everything was bright and ethereal here, including the cat who sat waiting for Frostpaw.  The tom appeared to be middle-aged, with long ginger tabby fur and handsome greenish-blue eyes; however, a cosmos of glittering stars rested within his form, and with every flick of his tail or ears stardust floated off into the distance.  Grinning, the StarClan warrior bumped his paw against Frostpaw's shoulder in a friendly sort of way and purred.  "Hey Frostpaw, how's it going?  My name's Ryeheart; ShadowClan warrior, and hero extraordinaire!"  His boastful words ended with a self-deprecating laugh, and he went on to sweep his fluffy tail towards their surroundings, but he kept one eye on the young tom, hoping to catch a glimpse of an excited reaction.  "So, how do you like StarClan?  Pretty, isn't it?"

Waking up, Frostpaw immediately looked around his starry surroundings. So Starclan really was like this. After a few moments of passive investigation, his eyes were set upon the equally starry cat who was in front of him. He stayed shock still as he was... touched if you could call it that, by the Starclanner. Dipping his head respectfully, instead of reciprocating the touch, Frostpaw looked around a little more. "I suppose there is more than one reason this place is named Starclan. It is subjectively beautiful, a very strange place..." Frostpaw would've gotten up to explore every inch of the area, but was well-mannered enough to stay put, still curious to what knowledge would be bestowed upon him.