Waging War: Book 1: Beyond the Mountains {COMPLETE}

Chapter 11

"My paws can't take much more of climbing this mountain." Slatepaw complained, looking at his paws with disdain.

"I offered to treat them." Owlpaw pointed out, flicking her tail. "But I guess you're just too good for herbs."

Slatepaw hissed. "I'm an AshClan cat, I belong in pine trees not up a mountain and no I don't need help from a fake medicine cat."

Owlpaw winched slightly but Leafdawn silenced her apprentice. "Either accept the herbs or stop complaining, and we're lucky that one of us learned how to use hers. StarClan knows you never would." Slatepaw just snorted.

"With any luck we won't be staying her much longer." Seedclaw pointed out. "We need to continue with our journey."

Owlpaw knew that he was right, but she didn't want to leave just yet. She wanted to get to know Sheer Mountain better, the she-cat was so interesting and Owlpaw feared that if they left, she would never see Sheer Mountain again."We should probably leave tomorrow or the following day." No! Owlpaw protested silently. "Regardless," Seedclaw stood up. "We need our rest, let's get some sleep." Owlpaw reluctantly followed her travel mates into their den.

I need a chance to talk to Sheer Mountain before we leave. I just have to.

*****

Stars shimmered overhead, the forest was still and silent. Owlpaw focused on the world around her, and quickly realized she was surrounded by unfamiliar cats. Where am I? Owlpaw wondered. She was in a mountain area, but it wasn't Sheer Mountain's camp. Owlpaw looked around and caught the sight of Sheer Mountain.

The slender she-cat was sitting on a ledge that overlooked the group of cats. The moonlight shimmered across her brown pelt, almost turning it silver. Her brilliant golden eyes reflected the stars, burning with confidence.

She looks like a Clan leader. Owlpaw couldn't help but think. She reminded Owlpaw of Dawnstar when she held a Clan meeting, but Sheer Mountain wasn't moving or speaking. Beside Sheer Mountain another figure came into focus. Owlpaw narrowed her eyes to focus in on the figure.

The figure soon took the same of a cat, Owlpaw let out a gasp as the cat turned into the same tortoiseshell she-cat that Owlpaw had seen while she was drowning. "Who are you?" Owlpaw called out, jumping to her paws.

"The she-cat closed her eyes. "Don't run away." She mewed, frustrating Owlpaw even further. "Don't ignore what's under your paws. Look to the mountain, for only she can give you the answer you've been searching for."

"I don't know what that means!" Owlpaw cried out and began running towards the starry she-cat. "Please! Don't go!" But Owlpaw was far too late, by the time Owlpaw had reached where she was standing, nothing remaind.

Owlpaw jolted up in her nest, shocked by the sudden change. The cats around here were already awake and starting to move around. "You alright?" Earthpelt questioned, clearly alarmed by Owlpaw's sudden awakening.

Owlpaw just nodded, unable to speak. The words that the she-cat had spoken echoed loudly, drowning out all other noises. Don't run away. Don't ignore what's under your paws. Look to the mountain for only she can give you the answer you've been searching for.

Owlpaw thought hard about the words, staring at her paws while she did so. Don't ignore what's under your paws. Owlpaw blinked. Under my paws? Owlpaw lifted up one of her paws, underneath was just the stone of the mountain. The mountain. Why would this cat refer to the mountain as a she? And why only just one mountain?

The image of Sheer Mountain sitting on the stone ledge flashed in her mind. All the cats were looking towards her. Not the mountain, but Sheer Mountain. Owlpaw jumped to her paws, realization snapping inside of her. "We can't leave!" Owlpaw blurted out. The Clan cats turned to look at her like she had gone mad.

"Why not?" Seedclaw questioned.

Usually Owlpaw would've just kept silent, but she just knew that she had to speak up now. "I had a dream last night." Owlpaw could see that her travel mates were skeptical but she continued. "I saw Sheer Mountain overlooking a group of cats then I saw a StarClan who told me this: Don't run away. Don't ignore whats under your paws. Look to the mountain for only she has the answer you've been searching for."

"That literally makes no sense." Slatepaw argued with annoyance. "Are you sure that didn't get some river water in your brain?"

"It is rather confusing." Berryheart agreed.

"I thought it was too but then I thought about it. This mountain is what's under our paws. The mountain we need to look to is not an actual mountain, but Sheer Mountain. She has the answer to what we've been looking for!"

The cats seemed slightly more convinced, but their douts were still visible. Slatepaw, who looked completely unconvinced, stepped forward. "Let's say you're not insane." He began. "Why would StarClan send you a dream. We're all on this journey together."

Owlpaw flattened her ears and took a step back, suddenly doubting herself. "I-I don't know." No! Owlpaw lifted her head. Whatever the reason, I can't let my doubts control me. "But I'm confident that's what StarClan meant." She focused on the others. "Do you believe me?"

"I do." Earthpelt spoke up. "I don't know why StarClan chose Owlpaw but does it matter? This is the only sign we've had and we shouldn't ignore it."

"Earthpelt is right." Seedclaw added, removing a huge weight from Owlpaw's chest. "We could leave and wander without a clue of where to go, or we could follow this dream."

"I agree." Leafdawn mewed and Berryheart, Leopardpaw and Fennelpaw nodded along.

Slatepaw sighed heavily. "Fine, but if my paws fall off I blame you." The gray tom sat down and began licking his paw pads.

"So what do we do now?" Berryheart questioned. "It says Sheer Mountain has the answer, but what's the question? Sheer Mountain hasn't acted like she's been waiting for a group of cats to show up. She hasn't even shown that she belives in StarClan." Owlpaw hadn't thought about that, what answer did Sheer Mountain have?

"Maybe she doesn't know its us?" Fennelpaw suggested. "Or maybe she doesn't have the answer. Maybe she is the answer."

"Maybe, bu we still don't know to what." Seedclaw countered. "We were sent on this mission without any idea of what we were looking for. Our only lead is Sheer Mountain."

"But we don't know what she means to us." Leafdawn added. "Or what she means to the Clans."

"We should talk to her." Seedclaw proposed. "Perhaps if we learn more about her, we can figure this out."

"I'll do it." Owlpaw spoke loudly. She had been itching for a chance to talk to the loner, this would be the perfect opportunity.

"Very well." Seedclaw nodded. "Let us know if she says anything of interest."

"This feels kind of weird." Leopardpaw interjected. "Like we're trying to get information on Sheer Mountain behind her back."

"But Owlpaw is talking directly to Sheer Mountain." Fennelpaw pointed out. "It's not like we're asking questions about her to other cats."

"I see your point, Leopardpaw." Berryheart assured her apprentice. "And if Owlpaw wants to inform Sheer Mountain of what we're doing she can. If not, then Sheer Mountain will learn when we figure it out ourselves."

Owlpaw nodded, she wasn't sure what she would tell Sheer Mountain but she was overjoyed at the thought of getting to know her. We finally have an idea was to what StarClan wanted us to find! We are finally on the path to making StarClan proud.