Tallpaw's Moonstone Journey

"Stay close behind me, don't let go of my tail." The words were muttered very quietly, as if all of Highstones were listening - and it truly felt as if that were the case. The night was silent, apart from Smallstar and Tallpaw. They stood just before Mothermouth now, the gaping tunnel barely discernable from the rest of the cliff's face, for night had already fallen. It was thanks to the leader's experience that they had arrived, at this point he wouldn't be able to forget the path to the Moonstone even if he tried.

Taking initiative, he led Tallpaw through the tunnel's mouth, speaking over his shoulder while there was still room to do so. "You may need to duck down at some parts... it gets narrow. Rely on your whiskers." The height difference between the two was almost comical, but no smile curled the ends of Smallstar's maw. Turning back around, he concentrated his senses on navigating the tunnel.

The moonstone shimmered just as brilliantly as it always had, and as routine, upon entering the cavern he stepped aside, allowing space for Tallpaw to lay before the stone. He backed into the crevice and tucked his paws beneath himself, watching with tired eyes as Tallpaw kneeled before the Moonstone. "If you have any questions, now would be the time to ask. Otherwise..." he trailed off, not feeling the need to continue. Tallpaw probably understood what was expected, anyways.

Though the job of a leader had always been a tiring, stressful and thankless one, it did leave you with at least a single perk in the afterlife: being constantly called-upon to give advice. Perhaps the stars thought that a long life of serving others meant that even when allowed to rest in the endless moor skies, the kind of cat who chose that would want to continue serving. Thankfully, in Ashstar's case, they were correct. A mother and grandmother and great-aunt several times over, she spent most of her time these days with her increasingly-growing family, enjoying the reprieve from being constantly expected to make decisions that might cause her friends and Clanmates to die. They were all safe, now, up here. But she couldn't deny that when the ancestors asked her to speak to a living apprentice, she would always jump at the chance. Because all of WindClan was her family. Because she couldn't help but care for them.

So she waited in the moors, nearly an exact mirror of their counterpart below the skies--stretching out near-endlessly, long grasses, the whisper of breezes through the dotted yellow and purple wildflowers, the hint of rabbit scent, peaty soil beneath paws. When Tallpaw opened his eyes, he would feel at home. And he would see his StarClan guide patiently awaiting his wakefulness. She was not quite as tall as him, as hinted at by his name, but neither was she dwarfed. She would have been taller than most other Clan cats. Her fur was a long, soft gray, falling gently around her frame. Similarly long, her tail curled around her paws, and her large triangular ears pointed forward. A pair of spring-green eyes appeared to hold all the wisdom in the world--all the knowledge, the pain and suffering, the hard-earned understanding of leadership. And of course, her entire form was covered in bright, shimmering stars, though they were hardly visible through the thickness of her pelt. "Hello, Tallpaw," she said warmly, and the hallmarks of age were audible in her tone despite its strong clarity. This was a voice that had called out the Clan summons for several years. "It's good to meet you. Welcome to the starry plains."

Ashstar sat quietly and listened. Being a leader had granted her nothing if not patience and understanding. And so when Tallpaw admitted his fears, she answered with a soft smile first. "I don't believe that any cat who has ever lived has gone their entire lives without fear," she told him warmly. "Fear has a purpose. It drives us forward--it helps us realize what we love, what is important to us. But we must not let it control us." His question... She gave him a slow blink, light green eyes studying him carefully. "Do you mean strong physically, or emotionally? Mentally? Spiritually? There are many different kinds of strength. During my many moons leading WindClan, I learned that physical strength was not the only kind of protection that I could offer my loved ones." A thought suddenly struck her, and she laughed. "Oh, I'd forgotten to introduce myself! How foolish. Mortality still lingers around me even now. My name is Ashstar. Moons and moons ago, far out of living memory, I slept where Smallstar now sleeps. In the very same den." Her gaze twinkled. Then, she returned to her original topic.

"There are several answers to your question. If you want mere physical prowess, then training is the best way. Spar with your Clanmates, run as fast and as far and as long as you can, put everything that you have into that. But I believe that focusing solely on your strength is no way to live. Besides, if you focus only on protection, then when do you get to enjoy what you would like to protect?" Ashstar smiled at Tallpaw. The fact that he'd even thought to ask spoke well of his character. "If you wish to be strong in other ways... well. That is more difficult than simply training. You must learn to control your emotions. Not that you aren't allowed to experiences them; if you attempted to push them away, that would weaken you more than anything. But you must learn when to steel your rage and when to harness it. When to rest from your sorrow and when to weep. When to encourage and when to sympathize. But since I am here for advice personally, and not generally... I shall tell you what gave me strength. How I, as a leader of WindClan, was able to remain strong through the loss of home and the loss of blood and even loss of life." She found herself thinking back to her life. To quiet talks on the hill with Mottleheart. To running the fields with Icestorm and Cedarfur and Smokepelt. To quiet nights in the warriors' den with Lightfoot. To long conversations with Brindlewhisker and Quailfeather. "My strength has always come from others. From talking with my mate and my kits and my deputy and my dearest friends. We always supported each other. With that kind of strength, I always felt like I was able to do anything."