WARRIORS - The Pony Prophecy

Chapter 20

Softpaw's POV (Fluttershy)

Thistleclaw had me pinned to the ground with his paw raised. I could feel the terrified tears forming in my eyes as I shut them as tight as I could. Another cat suddenly slammed into Thistleclaw, the force knocking him off of me and rolling me onto my side.

I opened my eyes and looked around to see Shadespark fighting Thistleclaw, her deep blue eyes flashing with rage. Lightpaw padded next to me, helping me to get up and hide in a bush. I closed my eyes and flattened my ears, trying to ignore what was happening. After a while, everything became quiet and I looked again.

Thistleclaw had retreated and Breezepaw and Mapleshade were glaring in the direction he'd gone. Behind them was a dark gray figure laying on the ground, and I slowly padded forward to get a closer look, but I immediately regretted it.

It was Shadespark, her fur stained with blood, mostly around her neck. She was unconscious and barely breathing. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before speaking. "Mapleshade, help me bring Shadespark back to camp. Lightpaw, get Splashfeather. Breezepaw, gather as much cobweb as you can." Each cat nodded and Mapleshade helped me lift up Shadespark and bring her to WindClan.

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With Splashfeather's help, I'd managed to save Shadespark, though she was still weak. For the next moon and a half, I urged her to stay in camp as much as possible unless absolutely necessary. Though for the half moon meeting after the next Gathering, she insisted on coming.

As soon we arrived at the Moonpool, Shadespark sat down and looked at me with the same warmth and pride in her eyes as when she first brought me there. I realized at once what she was about to do.

"You are ready, Softpaw," she meowed, "You may not believe it, but I know it's time. And I'll still be there to guide you when I join StarClan."

She paused and looked up to the night sky before continuing. "I, Shadespark, medicine cat of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help she will serve her Clan for many moons." The dark gray she-cat looked back at me, and stared deep into my eyes. "Softpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

I hesitated for a moment, but I knew there was only one thing to say.

"I... I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Softpaw, from this moment you will be known as Softpetal. StarClan honors your kindness and your passion, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of WindClan." Shadespark padded forward, resting her muzzle on my head, and I licked her shoulder in response.

"Softpetal! Softpetal!" The other medicine cats called out, greeting me by my new name. I stared gratefully at each of them, especially Splashfeather, who had been a close friend to Shadespark for most of her life, and I had come to look up to the gray tom. I heard a small thud behind me, and Splashfeather suddenly stiffened, looking right at where the sound had come from.

Shadespark had collapsed and was breathing very slowly, too weak to stay awake any longer. My eyes widened as I realized what was happening, and I slowly padded over to the wise she-cat, crouching down beside her and burying my face into her fur. Her breathing gradually grew weaker and weaker, until at last it stopped and Shadespark went limp.

The wise and caring she-cat I’d known since I first joined WindClan was dead.