Olivepaw's Moonstone Journey

"Olivepaw," Beechface called into the apprentice den, her own eyes still bleary with sleep. Once she saw the apprentice stir awake, the medicine cat backed away from the entrance, swallowing her portion of the traveling herbs with a grimace. Her disgust wasn't at the taste, that she'd gotten used to long ago, but rather at the waste of it all. Going to the moonstone was a waste of time, and the herbs were wasted on such a pointless journey.

Olivepaw stepped out of the den, and Beechface shoved the second bundle of traveling herbs towards her. "Eat these, they'll stop you from getting hungry or tired. We don't have time to waste." She mewed briskly. Once the apprentice had complied, Beechface turned to lead the way out of camp. The rain from last night had faded into an irritating drizzle, and she was not happy to be out in it.

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The pair of Skyclanners made the last scramble up to mothermouth with little trouble. The sky had remained overcast for much of the journey, but it seemed as though the clouds were finally starting to clear up a bit as Beechface lifted her head, silently judging the time.

With a huff, she turned to Olivepaw, "The tunnel will be dark and it's rather cramped in several spots. Use your whiskers, grab onto my tail if you need to. When we get to the stone, press your nose to it and lay down." This could have easily been done from their nests in camp, and Beechface doubted that Starclan would offer the poor apprentice she'd dragged here any decent advice. With another sigh, the bitter medicine cat led Olivepaw into the tunnel. Once they reached the cavern with the useless glowing rock, Beechface stepped aside, waving Olivepaw forward.

Olivepaw rasped her tongue over her tail a couple of times before placing her paws outside the den. She took a deep breath, capturing the smell of slight rain. The waterdrops pattering lightly on the ragdoll had her feeling content. She nudged the herbs with a big paw, lowering her head to eat them. The apprentice didn't know, but for once she might be lucky to not have a sense of taste. Now that she was ready Olivepaw padded after the medicine cat.

Once their journey ended so did the drizzle. With a fierce shake water flew onto the ground around her. Nodding towards Beechface and her directions, she squeezed her way through the lightless tunnel.  Her cobalt eyes narrowed at the shine of the Moonstone, pupils turning to slits. A second of adjusting and she was able to see the glistening stone in all it's beauty. "Stars," she breathed. That's something gorgeous. I see why it's called the Moonstone. With her maw open the ever so slightest she laid down next to the soothingly cold crystal. Bringing her pink nose to the Moonstone's surface she rested her eyesllids and fell into the Starclan Warrior's realm.

The gentlest of breezes stirred the air here, the sound of it whispering softly through the bows of pine trees stretching upwards to a star-dusted sky. A soft, silver light - almost eery in its intensity with the lack of a moon - bathed the rough ground beneath, rocks and tree roots blanketed in needles creating nooks and crannies around a small hollow. Tinkling softly down a miniature ridge, a trickle of water twinkled silver as it ran down one side - a little stream reminiscent of the gentle brook on SkyClan's territory.

Beside it, a silver tabby with warm, sky-blue eyes sat, her starred tail curled neatly around white paws, a soft smile on her face. "Hello, Olivepaw."

She awoke into an area that glistened as much as the Moonstone, with an equally shiny cat sitting by a stream. She looked around at the terrain around her, thinking about how it looked like a dream. Taking a closer look at the brook she thought of it as liquid night sky. Sitting before the Starclan cat she curled her tail around herself just like them. "Hello," the large apprentice greeted. Was she allowed to ask the cat her name? It's... Very pretty here," she said, feeling as if she should compliment the Starclan warrior's home. This visit is about advice or wisdom right? Will I be told something important like a medicine cat or do I get to ask questions? she wondered.

Swansong purred at the apprentice's words, touching the tip of her tail to the brook beside her and sending ripples of crystalline light across its surface. "It is. It holds a special place in my heart, this spot. I knew somewhere like it when I walked the territories." A tinge of melancholy brushed the softness of her smile as she watched the reflections of the stars ripple and waver in its surface for a moment, before she brought her gaze back to Olivepaw. "My name is Swansong - I was a warrior of SkyClan when I lived, like you will be, soon. You can ask me any question you'd like, and I'll do my best to answer."