eternal: hyacinth || warrior cats

chapter 7

Neither cat spoke as they exited the camp, beginning their long journey to the Highstones.

Mintpaw's head felt dizzy. She had a yearn to talk to someone about this - anyone. But who? She certainly couldn't tell Clearfrost, and something as big and important as this could only be shared with her brothers. But, they weren't on speaking terms at the moment.

"You look shaken." Clearfrost's monotone voice came from Mintpaw's left as the two entered WindClan's territory.

"I- I'm sorry, I think I'm just not used to the traveling herbs," Mintpaw explained lamely. Even she knew her excuse was stupid.

Clearfrost simply hummed. She clearly didn't believe the gray tabby's words. "Ivorystar and I were only talking about the half-moon meeting," she meowed. "She wanted us to stop attending because Poolmist did, said we needed to stay in the territory at all times in case of danger."

You and I both know that's not true, Mintpaw thought as she stared at the medicine cat. But she couldn't let Clearfrost know that she knew. 

"Oh, I see," the gray tabby replied, not sure what else to say. "Um- are we going to stop attending half-moon meetings?"

"Obviously not," Clearfrost mewed, looking around them. When her gaze finally returned to Mintpaw, she twitched her ears. "Cheer up. You'll make many new friends, and this meeting is an honor."

"I know," Mintpaw answered, ducking her head. "I'm excited, I really am."

"Good." The ShadowClan medicine cat ruffled her pelt and the two fell into silence as they headed for the tall mountains.

~~~

"CLEARFROST." A white tom greeted the two ShadowClan cats as they neared a cave, which Clearfrost explained held the Moonstone inside. That was where medicine cats went to share tongues with StarClan.

"Whiteberry," Clearfrost answered, giving the tom a curt nod. "Everything is well in WindClan, I hope."

"Everything's fine, thank you for asking," Whiteberry meowed, turning his gaze to Mintpaw. "And this is...?"

"My new apprentice, Mintpaw." Clearfrost touched her tail-tip to the gray tabby's head. "She shows great promise." 

Despite her polite words, there was still some hidden message behind them; a warning for WindClan not to side with RiverClan.

Mintpaw remembered whispered conversations between adults that WindClan might soon become allies with RiverClan in the war. She glanced over at Whiteberry to see his reaction; however, the tom didn't seem very fazed.

"That, I'm sure," Whiteberry answered easily, shaking off Clearfrost's threat. He turned to the cave, sweeping his tail. "After you."

Clearfrost led the way into the dark cave. Mintpaw felt her pelt prickling uncomfortably as they got deeper and deeper, the moonlight behind them fading away. However, she soon saw a faint glow in the distance of the darkness. As they neared, the glow got brighter, and turning a corner, the gray tabby felt her pelt fluff up in astonishment at the sight of a great crystal.

"Welcome to the Moonstone," Clearfrost whispered softly next to Mintpaw's ears. "The most sacred place of all the lands."

By the Moonstone sat an orange she-cat, and her apprentice, a tortoiseshell. They both rose to their paws as Clearfrost and Whiteberry neared.

"Rosepool," Clearfrost mewed in greeting. "This is my apprentice, Mintpaw."

Rosepool dipped her head. "It's great to see you here, Clearfrost. I thought for sure you'd stop coming like Poolmist."

Clearfrost dismissed this statement with a flick of her ears. "Ivorystar tried, but I would have to be dead before she can ban me from the half-moon meetings."

Rosepool let out a light purr, though it was blatantly obvious to Mintpaw that Clearfrost wasn't joking. "Mintpaw," the ThunderClan medicine cat meowed, turning her attention to the gray tabby, "this is my apprentice, Cloverpaw. Maybe the two of you could become friends."

Mintpaw eyed Cloverpaw. She had very little want to talk to the tortoiseshell, but she couldn't be rude, especially with Clearfrost's pointed stare in the background. "Sure."

Whiteberry cleared his throat, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the clear political alliances between the ThunderClan and ShadowClan medicine cat. "Shall we get started?"

Clearfrost gave a curt nod, stepping forward. "Mintpaw," she called, "is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

The gray tabby sucked in a breath. No turning back now. 

"It is."

"Then come forward." As Mintpaw neared the Moonstone, Clearfrost faced the crystal as well, her voice bouncing off the cave walls. "Warriors of StarClan, I present you with this apprentice. She has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom and insight so that she may understand your ways and heal her Clan in accordance with your will."

After Clearfrost finished speaking, Mintpaw leaned forward, tapping her nose against the crystal. As she did so, she felt her body and legs collapse from beneath her, whisked away into a dream.