Mistpaw's Moonstone Journey

Sandyshell's voice had become an easily-recognized one for the apprentice, realizing the comfort that her mother's voice even had. Truth be told, Mistpaw had been in much worse of a shape than the molly had wanted to reveal, and somehow, that secret had been able to stay between the two of them until she recovered. At least as far as Mistpaw knew, just how poorly the greencough had hit her body was something that didn't circulate around the camp. Blinking sleep-filled eyes towards the medicine cat, she rose, following beyond the confines of the apprentice den she once more got to enjoy.

Somehow, the herbs managed to taste both better and worse than the ones she had gotten acquainted with when it came to her stay in the medicine den. But she ate them all dutifully, more than aware of how they were necessary for whatever task they were up to doing. "Yes. I think I prefer the taste of poppy seeds, still." She commented. Something about the way the little seed would suddenly pop! when in one's mouth and if chewed just right was something Mistpaw enjoyed.

But nevertheless, the apprentice was ready to go, fully awake and alert for the journey ahead.

Somehow, the journey had been easy for her small paws. It had to have been thanks to the herbs that Sandyshell had given, and as they plunged into the depths of the cavern below, Mistpaw found herself relying on her whiskers much more than any other part of her body. It was an odd experience, going from warmed earth to the cool cavern, but she welcomed it. It was a rite of passage, after all.

While the medicine cat would take her spot, having given the apprentice instructions, Mistpaw would take heed. She tucked herself against the stone, pressing her nose to it. However... it wasn't instantly that she found herself lulled to sleep. Confusion seemed to ripple through the fluffed molly for just a moment. Every other warrior and apprentice that had gone had told her it would be instant - why wasn't it for her? Was she not pressing her nose hard enough? Her head pulled away, and Mistpaw blinked a few times. Then she tried again. No surge of sleepiness, no desire to rest. Was Starclan going to actually visit her?

Doubt seeemed to creep into her belly. What was she doing wrong? She couldn't pin it down. Mistpaw got up to readjust herself, before finally curling her entire body up against the stone. Belly up against the cold rock and all, and placed her nose to it. If this didn't work... Finally. That sleepy feeling tugged at her, and she allowed it to send her to the place she was supposed to dream of.

That nagging doubt seemed to carry with her into her dream as her gaze opened. Wonder wasn't what found her. Instead, it was confusion. From all she had heard, there should have been a cat here to greet her. Just as the Stars hadn't instantly lulled her to sleep like they had for so many others, were they forgetting about her? Did they not have a messenger for her to talk t- oh.

Just as her mind was on the edge of a spiral that would send her tumbling down, down, down into a plummet she couldn't halt, the feline the stars determined she should meet stirred from the shadows. Perhaps it was just some trick, some grand entrance they had tried to pull to make the apprentice more confused, only for her to then be gleefully surprised. Somehow, instead of that glee, it had only made her feel... worse. Like Starclan had forgotten to send her someone, so they had to last-minute make them appear in some way that would pull kittish wonder. Perhaps it was simply a side effect of being a leader's daughter, but the trick had failed rather spectacularly if that was their intent.

Nevertheless, the pale blue gaze which had been passed down to her surveyed the cat they had deemed her to meet. They searched the haunting green that looked back at her, a green that wasn't quite of the leaves. No, it was of a unique shade all on its own. Twisting her front paws inwards as she sat, it was of pure training that Mistpaw had dipped her head in response to the singular word that spurred the start of their conversation. "Hello."

Shadowclan? That was new. She had yet to ever have interacted with a cat that came from the marshes, and perhaps that was for the best. The tales that surrounded them seemed to be more prepped for stories to haunt kits with rather than view them as a neighboring set of cats like Skyclan or Thunderclan. Nevertheless, a prolonged blink from the young molly tucked those prejudices away. Evidently, this cat would have the knowledge that she sought. Momentarily, the filter on her mind had seemed to slip as her first question tumbled forth. "Does Starclan like to make cats feel lonely?" The moment it seemed to spill from her maw, though, her face contorted in a look of embarrassment and abject horror. "Sorry. I'm Mistpaw. Perchstar's daughter. From Riverclan." She followed up quickly with her own introduction. Slightly flustered, but steeling into nigh-on emotionless with each passing word. Be like mother, she is strong. Be like mother, she's a leader.