Hawthorneclaw woke to the feeling of sunlight streaming down on her pelt. She slowly blinked her eyes open and peered out, expecting to see a familiar black tom, but instead seeing an empty nest adjacent to her. The memories came flooding back like a storm causing her to let out a low whine. After he had moved on to StarClan, they had held a vigil that she had stayed up all night for with Fernfoot who was Mosstail's littermate, Dawnstar who was good friends with him, and Willowwing, Fernfoot's only kit. It had been two moons since he had passed, but she still woke up expecting him.
She walks out into the forest, the gentle chirps of birds and the faint babble of the streams soothing her, ebbing the harsh memories. The death of Mosstail weighs down on her though and she doesn't care to hunt those birds. Suddenly she hears a loud crash and a yowl of pain. Instinctively, she races over to the sound of the voice. When she arrives, her eyes narrow in fury. In the forest is the same white she-cat from last night, her torn ear and scar even more prominent in the daylight. Beneath her paws is a golden she-cat, her green eyes ablaze. Great StarClan, that's Dawnstar! The two cats make eye contact, but Dawnstar flicks her tail, signaling her to stay hidden. Eyes wide, Hawthorneclaw watches as her leader rakes her claws against the wounds that she had given her last night, and the intruder yowls in pain. Taking advantage of her weakness, Dawnstar springs up and pins the cat, making sure that she was sideways on top of her so she couldn't scrape her belly, too. The golden she-cat takes her claws and rakes them across her attacker's face.
"I don't want you anywhere near my Clan ever again. You hear me?" The white she-cat whimpers in reply and Dawnstar releases her. She scrambles to her paws and races away.
"Wow. You really are an amazing fighter." Dawnstar lets out a loud purr and opens her jaws to reply, but nothing comes out but a hoarse cough. She crumples to the ground in a heap, bite-marks on her spine. The same white she-cat darts away, her tail held high. Hawthorneclaw's eyes narrow as she sees the she-cat, the one who had killed her mentor and friend, running away. Her eyes dart down to the golden leader. Her pelt is matted where she got bit and her breathing is ragged.
"Dawnstar?" Mosstail had explained about leaders losing their lives and coming back, but she had only witnessed Pebblestar's death, which was her last one. As Dawnstar's breath slows and eventually stops, Hawthorneclaw covers the wound with cobwebs to be ready for her revival. A few heartbeats of silence later, Dawnstar gasps, taking in gulps of air. "Breathe," she tells her soothingly. She takes breath after breath and is soon breathing normally.
"What happened?" she choked out.
"The cat we were fighting came back and killed you. I believe you're good now, but I'll have to check." Hawthorneclaw pulls off the blood-soaked cobwebs and investigated the sodden fur, but the wound is gone- only the blood left. "You're good. You'll be weak for a few days, but soon you'll regain your strength. You don't need to tell any cat, but if you want to you can. It's all your choice." The she-cat nods and leans on the medicine cat's shoulder, walking back to camp with her. One thought penetrates through all else in Hawthorneclaws mind: who is this cat, and what does she want with the Clans?
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It had been about a moon since Dawnstar lost a life. Since then, some big things had happened. Her dream with the two cats in the flame kept coming, night after night, until one morning when she woke up and realized that she was having Nightsky's kits. The dream had been talking about her: she was the one to have his kits! The only cat she told though was Nightky because she didn't want to be cast out from the Clans. Since she was halfway through her pregnancy, she had decided that today was the day to tell Dawnstar. With a nervous gulp, she walked up to the leader's den.
"Dawnstar, may I come in?"
"Of course," she replies.
Hawthorneclaw pads in and nervously licks her shoulder. "The thing is, I've been getting the same prophecy every time I try and sleep. There are two cats standing in the Clans, but the Clans are aflame. They always say the same thing: 'The one from the time when Silverpelt shines bright, and the one who descends from the time of the light will have to mix to make things right. Only then will the fires perish, or else you'll lose all whom you cherish.' I finally realized what it means, StarClan wants me to have kits. That's who thse two kits are, my kits!"
"But it's against the Code for a medicine cat to have kits. Are you sure this isn't just a dream of yours?"
"I'm sure. I've had this prophecy since I became a full medicine cat, no one else has been told about it. I had to tell you that to make sure you knew that, when I tell you my news, that I didn't just make it up."
"Well, what's your news?"
"I'm a moon pregnant with Nightsky's kits."
"I would usually say congratulations," Dawnstar said hesitantly, "but I'm not sure what to say to a medicine cat."
"I promise you that I am not imagining this or making it up, it's from StarClan. I've been a medicine cat for how many moons? I know the difference between a dream and a prophecy."
"Okay, I trust you Hawthorneclaw. We'll wait a little longer to tell the Clan, let me mull it over. Sound good?"
"Yes! Thank you so much, Dawnstar," she purred.
"Of course. Now, stay healthy. I have some kits to apprentice today." She mrowed appreciatively at the news- it had been way too long since there had been new apprentices. Oakpaw and Skypaw would for sure be happy to not have to complete their duties all by themselves. She leaves the den, a purr still rumbling in her throat that she wouldn't get in trouble.
I have to talk to Nightsky! she thinks. She walks up to Stormpaw who's eating with Sunpelt.
"Where's Nightsky?" Hawthorneclaw asked, making sure to calm her voice.
"He went on a walk," Stormpaw mews back. Dipping her head in appreciation, she walks into the forest, refraining from racing off. A few tail-lengths in, she saw Nightsky heading back to camp.
"Nightsky! I have some great news!"
"What?" he asked, his mew nervous but excited.
"I told Dawnsky about our kits and..."
"You did what?!" he yowled, but then quickly closed his jaws.
"Do you want every cat in the forest to hear you?" Hawthorneclaw meowed, amused. "You didn't let me finish though. She's okay with it! I told her about the prophecy and everything is fine!"
"Really?" Nightsky replied, relieved.
"Really!" Excited, they walk back to Camp, their tails flicking happily. When she gets back to the medicine den, she is surprised to see a familiar cream she-cat pacing nervously.
"Cloudkit! What are you doing here?"
"Um," she mews hesitantly, "I know I haven't really shown it, but I was wondering if you'd allow me to train as a medicine cat apprentice? Dawnstar said I had to ask your permission first. A few moons ago, when you came in because Honeykit had a cough, the whole time I was thinking to myself 'great StarClan! Helping other cats would be so cool!' Even though it was nothing, I found it amazing how you knew what to use to help her and how to make her better. It's also amazing how you get to be so close with StarClan..." the kit droned on, but Hawthorneclaw's mind wondered elsewhere. With her kits coming, an apprentice would be nice. She was still able to make the journey to the Moonpool, so she could take her tonight without a problem. It was, by a large coincidence, already a half-moon so she was heading up there anyway tonight. Plus, she seemed so enthusiastic about the position, she's a bright young cat and would be an amazing medicine cat. "...and that's why I would love to be you apprentice," she finishes, her bright green eyes glowing with enthusiasm.
"Of course you can be my apprentice," she purred back. "Now, go tell Dawnstar before she calls a meeting!" The kit springs to her feet and races to the leader's den. A few heartbeats later, an echoing voice yowls out.
"All cats old enough to swim gather beneath High Tree for a Clan meeting!" I make my way over to the clearing and gather with the other cats.
"I have the honor of making three new apprentices today. Lionkit, please come forward." The golden tom saunters forward, a proud gleam in his eyes. "Lionkit, you are now old enough to become an apprentice. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Lionpaw. Brushbranch will be your mentor." He turns to face him who is glowing with pride. "Brushbranch, please pass on your enthusiasm and ferocity down to your new apprentice." The two touch noses and sit patiently as he does the same for Honeypaw, assigning her mentor as Twigheart. "Now, I have a special honor for Cloudkit. She and Hawthorneclaw have requested that she become a medicine cat apprentice." A quiet murmur goes through the crowd, but it is silenced by a flick of Dawnstar's tail. "Cloudkit, from this day on until you receive your medicine cat name, you shall be known as Cloudpaw. Hawthorneclaw, pass on your knowledge and bravery to your new apprentice." The two touch noses as tradition and Dawnstar ends the meeting.
"Cloudpaw, we'd better get ready for the journey to the Moonpool- you're lucky to have it be a half-moon on your first night." Hawthorneclaw prepares the herbs and they begin their journey, meeting up with the other medicine cats along the way and gratefully introducing her new apprentice.
"So, how's it feel being the only apprentice," Thorntail asks, her green eyes bright and friendly.
"I mean, it's sort of weird being the only young cat," Cloudkit replies. When Hawthorneclaw gives her a pointed look, the young apprentice quickly rephrases her sentance. "No offense to you guys! It's just that I just became a medicine cat apprentice today, and all of you have been one for moons and. . ."
"You're fine, Cloudpaw," Fawnwhisker replies, amusement glinting in her amber eyes. They soon arrive at the Moonpool, and the cream she-cat's eyes are wide in in awe. Hawthorneclaw's belly twangs in nostalgia as she remembers coming here for the first time with Mosstail and how spectacular the whole thing seemed. As they gather around the pool, she turns to face her new apprentice.
"Cloudpaw, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"
"Yeah!" she exclaims excitedly. After another look from Hawthorneclaw, her voice calms down. "I mean, it is," she mews in a much calmer voice.
"Then come forward." The she-cat rushes to the edge of the Moonpool in front of her. "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." Cloudpaw crouches down along with the other cats and they all lap up a bit of the water.
When Hawthorneclaw opens her eyes, she sees two familiar, starry cats. They glance uneasily at each other before Heatherleap speaks up.
"I know that right now it must be hard, losing Mosstail and watching Dawnstar lose a life, but I promise this won't last forever. In a number moons and seasons, the fires will perish if everything goes as planned." The scenery fades and her eyes focus once again on the beautiful sight of the Moonpool. Soon Cloudpaw's eyes open and they're full of joy.
"I did it! I saw StarClan!" Hawthorneclaw purrs in pride as they exit the cave. As they walk, Thorntail turns to Hawthorneclaw.
"I've been a medicine cat for ages and I'd recognize a pregnant she-cat anywhere. What's going on?" All of the medicine cats turn to face her, examining her swollen belly, and murmuring in agreement and disapproval. Cloudpaw looks up at her, her eyes wide with shock.
"Look, it's not what you guys think. Ever since I've become a medicine cat, I've had this prophecy saying that 'the cat from the time when the Silverpelt shines bright' and the 'one descended from the time of the light' must 'mix' to make things better. At first, I assumed it was one of my littermates because I was a medicine cat, but they got mates and Nightsky and me..." her voice fades off, a dreamy look in her eyes. She quickly gains her composure and continues. "Anyway, one night I got this dream from StarClan again and I saw visions of me and Nightsky talking, but the moon wasn't covered, the sky was clear. When I woke up, I discovered I was expecting his kits. That night, I expected that the sky would be covered in clouds, but the moon and Silverpelt shown as bright as ever." The fellow medicine cats looked around at each other, but one by one they told her that she was okay and that they believed her.
"How far along are you?"Fawnwhisker asks, nervously surveying her belly.
"A little over a moon," she purred.
"Oh, perfect," she replied, purring back.
As they walk back, Hawthorneclaw turns to her apprentice. "Cloudpaw, are you okay?" she murmurs.
"Yeah, I'm good. I mean, it's only my first day being an apprentice, it's not like you'd have told me earlier. I guess that's what StarClan meant when they were talking to me. 'Trust-"
"No. Keep it to yourself. Unless it's a prophecy, don't tell me about it. I'm glad you're good though," she mews with a throaty purr, her tail resting on the apprentice's shoulder. She is so glad she found a good apprentice- a cat so young, smart, accepting, and earnest- a cat who could take care of the Clan while she had her kits.