Wigglepaw's Moonstone Journey

Gender: Male
Rank: Apprentice

("Feral Language")
("Forest Language")

Wigglepaw was nestled comfortably in a slightly too-small nest, his long limbs bent at seemingly awkward angles in order to fit himself into the snug bed of moss and bracken. He'd grown considerably since making this particular nest and, with Cloudychase missing, all of his attention and time had been diverted to searching for the white warrior. It had only been a few days since his and Copperlark's disappearances, but the apprentice was still hopeful for at least his mentor's safe return. Maybe, if he tried harder, Cloudychase would come back?

He'd never gotten a chance to get his ear looked at and now, crusted in blood, it was beginning to ache. However, Wigglepaw didn't want to get it cleaned up by a medicine cat, they would ask questions and Cloudychase might get into trouble! Well...if he was still around anyway. Wigglepaw thought back to the day he received the nicks in his ear and sighed. If he hadn't missed that rabbit and gotten on Cloudychase's nerves by speaking in his feral tongue, it wouldn't have happened in the first place.

Then, a gentle voice called his name and, eagerly, Wigglepaw thrust his way out of the apprentice's den, ears angled forward curiously. Was it time for another search party? He had attended one just the night before, but there was little time to rest when two cats were missing! At the sight of Fawnshine, however, Wigglepaw shrank back uncertainly. His moonstone journey? But there was so much to be done still! He had to find Cloudychase and Copperlark...but mostly Cloudychase!

"U-Uh...is a good idea? Still need to look for Cloudychase." Wigglepaw cast a long look toward the warrior's den, almost as if expecting the white tom to emerge and order him to make himself useful. Unsurprisingly, nothing of the sort happened and Wigglepaw turned his dark eyes back toward Fawnshine, then to the herbs at his paws. He was supposed to eat those? But what about Cloudychase? He was supposed to be here to see him off of something...right?

Sniffing the herbs cautiously, the brown apprentice sneezed before scuffing his paws awkwardly. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea? He could, at the very least, search for Cloudychase on the way to the moonstone... "C-Can look on the way? Maybe?" Wigglepaw blinked hopefully at the medicine cat, his fur prickling uncomfortably. Cloudychase would scold him if he was here, but that was precisely the problem! He wasn't here! How was Wigglepaw supposed to act?

Gender: Male
Rank: Apprentice

("Feral Language")
("Forest Language")

Wigglepaw peered up at Fawnshine curiously, wondering what she was thinking. Whatever it was, it had to be something serious if that expression had anything to do with. After a moment, she seemed to shake the thoughts away, her attention now fixed a little over his face. He frowned, then suddenly remembered the two slivers of flesh missing from his ear - perfectly claw shaped. Oh, she was a medicine cat, of course she would notice it. Almost sheepishly, Wigglepaw ducked his head.

Would she ask how he got it? Surely not. The life of a warrior and the life of a medicine cat were vastly different. With any luck, she would chalk it up to some skirmish with an animal or something. Hopefully, anyway. As much as he respected Cloudychase, Wigglepaw didn't think he would be able to lie to Fawnshine, a medicine cat. They had special powers or something...cool Starclan abilities...maybe. To be totally honest, he didn't understand the Starclan portion of their duties.

Flicking his tail uncomfortably, the brown apprentice nodded slightly. "Yes Fawnshine..." Infected? He didn't think it was that bad, right? It stung still...a lot...but that was normal. Though, the skin around the injury was getting a little warm. Was that something to be concerned about? Huffing, Wigglepaw dismissed the thought. There were far more pressing things to be worried about - like finding Cloudychase. Would Fawnshine let him look on the journey?

Apparently not. Tail drooping, Wigglepaw averted his gaze awkwardly, his chest tight. She was probably right, but he couldn't help but want to argue. Wasn't Cloudychase more important than some silly journey to the Moonstone? Wasn't the life of one of Thunderclan's strongest warriors more important than trudging all the way to Highstones? Was he the only cat who cared about Cloudychase? Regardless of his feelings on the matter, Wigglepaw clenched his jaw and nodded stiffly.

Fawnshine's suggestion a few moments later, though, took away some of his anger, and his tensed muscles relaxed. Could he really do that? Ask Starclan about what had happened to his mentor? Even if it didn't work, he appreciated Fawnshine trying...somewhat. "Uhm. Okay. Will try to ask." A little spark of hope lit in the young tom's heart. Starclan was supposed to know everything. Surely, they could help him find Cloudychase. They would have to - it was the best lead he had.

Gender: Male
Rank: Apprentice

("Feral Language")
("Forest Language")

After a long, long while of walking, they finally reached Highstones and Wigglepaw couldn’t help but gawk at the gray mountain face. It was absolutely massive; he’d never seen such a large pile of rocks before! The sight alone was almost enough to draw Wigglepaw from his moping…almost. Though, as they climbed up to what the clans called Mothermouth, Wigglepaw felt his curiosity slowly begin to outweigh the disappointment still heavy in his chest.  

Were they really expected to go in there? It was so dark and…small. The young tom’s nose crinkled slightly as Fawnshine spoke, his hackles lifting at the idea of padding willingly into such a dangerous looking cavern. Why did the clans insist on such strange traditions? Better yet, why couldn’t the Moonstone be somewhere pretty and definitely not scary? What kind of sacred place was in the center of a horrifying, musty tunnel? And to name it Mothermouth of all things!

Regardless, the brown tom inched closer to Fawnshine, sticking close to her as she led the way into the dim tunnel. The stony decline was a bit of a tight fit at first, and the walls only seemed to draw closer and closer the further they went. Eventually, when the light was gone and all Wigglepaw could hear was their paw steps and breathing, his chest tightened, almost as if aware of the endless amounts of rock between him and the starry sky.

Finally, though, as he felt his discomfort begin to morph into panic, the tunnel began to take on a strange, bluish hue. Taking deep breaths, Wigglepaw forced his fur to lie flat and tried to put his trust into the smaller she-cat. Despite nothing bad having happened, he couldn't shake the feeling that that was about to change. Wigglepaw shuddered. One thing was for certain, though. He would never allow himself to be convinced to come back here again - not if he could help it.

Though, as the light ahead began to get brighter, Wigglepaw’s concerns melted away and vanished completely as Fawnshine led them into a cavern with a bright, glowing stone jutting out of the center of the floor. It was...ethereal. Jaw agape, it took several moments for the brown tom to register Fawnshine's words but when he finally did, he nodded and crossed the cool, stone floor before coming to a halt just inches from the glittering stone. Okay - maybe this wasn't so bad.

Paws tingling, Wigglepaw crouched down in front of the stone, shaking slightly, and pressed his nose to the icy rock. Instantly, his eyes drifted shut and he waited for a moment, uncertain. He didn't feel any different. "Uhm...Fawnshine?" Tail twitching, the apprentice opened his eyes to locate the medicine cat - but she was gone. Actually, everything was gone - replaced by a bright, star-speckled forest. It looked like....home? How was that possible? He was at highstones...right?

Gender: Male
Rank: Apprentice

("Feral Language")
("Forest Language")

Wigglepaw staggered to his paws, his dark eyes scanning the starlit territory with a mixture of shock and fear. Was this...Starclan? He hadn't thought that the clan cats really spoke with their dead ancestors but it was...comforting, in a way, to know that they weren't completely insane whenever they spoke of the fabled clan in the sky. Breath coming a little sharper than before, the young tom spun in a circle, taking in the blue-tinged forest with wide eyes.

So, it was real. What did that mean for him and his littermates? Surely, the existence of Starclan didn't disprove their gods and beliefs, right? Wigglepaw snorted, amused. No, of course not! This just meant that there was more than one way of life. He'd always known that, of course, but to have such irrefutable evidence was...odd, to say the least. A shiver ran down Wigglepaw's back and he blinked hard, dismissing the overwhelming thoughts in his head. Now wasn't the time for an existential crisis! He could ponder the implications of this at another time.

As he shelved his questions for later, though, a painfully familiar scent rolled across the forest floor. Cloudychase was here. The realization sent a pang of sadness through Wigglepaw's chest. He was dead, then. Tears sprang to the feral tom's eyes, but he blinked them away as his gaze landed on the white warrior. He looked different than he had in life - all scars and even his missing eye were replaced, almost as if they'd never been there to begin with. Sniffling, Wigglepaw launched himself at Cloudychase, burying his nose in the now smaller tom's shoulder. "Cloudychase!"

It had been horrible not even getting to say goodbye! Not knowing what even happened though, was worse. Had Cloudychase been watching all this time, then, as he'd searched high and low, never giving up? Was he proud? Wigglepaw nuzzled closer to Cloudychase, his chest warm. In the time following his mentor's disappearance, Wigglepaw had forgotten his craving for the older tom's approval, but it returned now, stronger than before.