Warriors: Sunbeam (To The Past Book 1)

Chapter Nine

Birdpaw and Snakepaw padded through the vine tunnel when night fell. Snakepaw had passed Birdpaw's check on his fever and she begrudgingly allowed him to go. She still felt like he should rest more. But Snakepaw insisted on going and wasn't going to be stopped. 

Snakepaw let out a purr as they headed to the border they shared with Wingclan. "I missed this. Travelling to meet friends and share with Starclan."

Birdpaw ducked under a low hanging branch of a young pine. "Well, I haven't been able to go so I wouldn't know what it is like."

He stopped and looked at her in shock. "Haven't been able to go? What do you mean?"

"Starclan has been busy teaching me new things every night when I'm not exploring the past. I've been really tired." Her paws ached every day from her journies to Starclan and her body felt heavy from visiting the past. Mainly it was just useless bits of information so she often wondered why she had this power.

"What made you decide to go tonight?" he asked as they continued walking.

"I wanted to see Starpond for the first time."

Snakepaw's eyes shone. "It is magnificent. You'll absolutely love it."

"I'm sure I will," she purred. When they reached the border, a stream connecting to the one that divided their territory flowed quickly down the sloped terrain they stood on. She leaped across it and landed gracefully on the other side. She looked back at Snakepaw, wondering why he hadn't followed.

Snakepaw was gazing at her, awe in his brown eyes. "You are a lot better at crossing than I was at first," he meowed before leaping across to join her. "I fell in because I was so small."

"You? Small?" She let out a purr of amusement. "You're such a large cat now!"

"Yeah, I was the smallest of my littermates. Guess I outgrew them!" He purred as a sadness flashed in his eyes. "I am happy they are watching over me in Starclan."

Birdpaw stayed quiet. He lost his kin? I had no idea. They continued their trek to the meeting place. They stayed close together, Snakepaw taking the lead.

Wingclan's territory was springy with many layers of pine. The tall trees shadowed the world beneath their branches. The fresh growth struggled to reach the sunlight. A night patrol passed nearby somewhere in the dark. Birdpaw felt on edge briefly before reminding herself of her place as a medicine cat.

She was still glad to be out of Wingclan territory when they crossed the border on the other side. They were now outside clan territories.

She then smelled the scents of the other medicine cats. She had picked up the scents every now and again on the way. "How much further is it?"

"Not far. See this broken tree?" He pointed his muzzle at a snapped sapling. "There are many of these marking the path. If you ever need to come to get away or get guidance, use these to guide your way so you don't get lost."

"Thank you for the advice."

He touched his nose to hers and she felt moved by the admiration and love in his eyes. "You're welcome."

They continued on, Birdpaw trying to figure out the turmoil in her heart. Maybe I'm over thinking what I saw. We aren't allowed to have mates. But she found herself doubting that. Why is it that we can't love and have kits? She would ask whoever came to her tonight.

The marked path curved up the slope a couple of fox-lengths from the border and flattened out at the top. The other medicine cats were waiting. Stopwater let out a yowl of surprise at Snakepaw's appearance. They ran the few fox-lengths to them and purred as they rubbed against Snakepaw.