Jaypaw's Moonstone Journey

Batsong prepared the herbs and got them to the young apprentice. She then led him to the stone. The journey seemed to pass so quickly and they were already there. She quietly explained to him the rules and showed him the stone where he would dream tonight

(sorry for such a short post and for being so late on getting this up work is just keeping me very busy rn and I'm tired and need to go to bed)

Jaypaw had struggled to keep up with Batsong during the trip to Highstones, trying his best to refrain himself from spitting curses at her. He knew that it wasn't exactly her choice to bring him, and that this trip was supposed to be a sign that his apprenticeship was nearly completed, although he didn't see how he's that close when he can barely fight. Stars, he could barely make the trip to Highstones.

After having entered Mothermouth and travelled the tunnel that branched into the cavern, he now stood before the moonstone, squinting at its overwhelming luster. Once his eyes adjusted, he cast a blank, unimpressed glance at the medicine cat, not uttering a word in response to her direction. He wanted this over as soon as possible. Quietly, he lowered himself to the ground, letting his eyes close before pressing his nose the the moonstone.

It felt like he was in a completely different place, like his senses had been placed into a body that wasn't his own. When he opened his eyes, he found himself to be in a place vastly different from the cavern he was just in. He scoffed, standing to his paws. A light breeze ruffled his pelt, but it was warm. Whipping his head back and forth, he analyzed his surroundings before noticing a figure not far off. Brows furrowed, he called out. "You, there. Who are you?"

It had been a long, long time since Specklefur had shown herself to any living cat, and she would have thought it wise to keep it that way as she lazed away the day with Foxfang and Tigertooth, but apparently her peers and determined that this apprentice needed guidance from her of all cats. The apprentice in question was calling for her, quite a bit sooner than she expected them to be, and as such she hadn't quite made it to where she wanted to be.

But that wasn't of any real concern to her, as Specklefur fully emerged from the underbrush, huge and imposing as well-rounded muscles easily pushed aside branches. A large, thick ruff of fur around the brown she-cats neck sat like a lion's mane, making an already imposing figure terrifying. Specklefur drawn up at her full height seemed to shroud the apprentice in shadow, who was already dwarfed by her large size. Specklefur was a pureblooded Thunderclan cat, already a giant amongst giants, and it showed.

"When one calls, it is only respectful to answer." Specklefurs voice rumbled like the earth shaking beneath paws, warm and steady as if they were what the sunning rocks would sound like on a warm new leaf day. Bored emerald green eyes, one milky from the claw wounds that still marked her face, looked down at the apprentice before her. "My name is Specklefur, I was a Thunderclan warrior seasons before your time." She meowed, settling herself calmly before the tom. "And who are you?" She asked, and she knew the answer, but this cat needed to meet her in the middle if he wanted anything from her.

As tall as the cat was, Jaypaw remained undaunted by her sturdy figure, staring up into her eyes with distrust and contempt. He squinted at her when she introduced myself. "Huh. Thunderclan." The tom had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. Of course, Starclan sent a Thunderclan warrior to taunt him. With a dismissive flick of his tail, he sat down, taking weight off of his bad leg. "I'm Jaypaw. Of Windclan." He mewed, blankly.

Expression remaining deadpan, he nonchalantly began questioning the Starclanner. "How long've you been dead? You said seasons, that doesn't really give me much to work with. Do you happen to know a... Stars, what was the rats name..." The apprentice paused, gaze slowly drifting skyward as he tried to recall the cats who'd caused the disaster at the gathering... "Oh- Rosepaw...? What about a Firepaw? Do you happen to be related to either of them?" He didn't try to hide the disdain he felt regarding the two names, letting the sourness seep into his tone. Piercing blue gaze staring right at Specklefur's eyes, he tired to read her expression.

"No, I don't know them, nor are they of my blood. My lineage is set to end soon, just a few cats carry my blood now, and I'm sure that it ends with them. " Specklefur meowed, brushing off the apprentice's interrogation with ease, "It amused me greatly to see such young, spirited cats struck by lightning, but that's what happens when you disobey authority. Cats get hurt." Specklefur chuffed, amused at the sour tom sitting across from her.

Jaypaw couldn't help but feel offended by the Starclanner's amusement. "It was funny to you? Maybe she deserved it, but I didn't." His icy eyes narrowed. "And what kind of Starclan cat are you to find the pain of the living funny?" The apprentice silently questioned how this cat was considered lawful enough to end up in Starclan and not the Dark Forest. "I didn't disobey any authority, unless you're talking about youself. I hope not. You're no authority figure of mine." Just a Thunderclanner, after all.

He stood up, dismissively muttering under his breath. "A Starclan cat who thinks its funny when an apprentice is struck by lightning." As he stood, he tried to mask the limp in his stride. "It's probably because you're a Thunderclan cat. I guess every single one of them are awful, even the dead ones. Maybe it's a good thing your bloodline is ending." He sneered.