"Breathe in." Pebblestep instructed, and Owlpaw did as she asked. Her breathing was a bit rough and her throat felt scratchy, but she had improved quite a bit in the last seven days by resting constantly and taking all the herbs both medicine cats threw at her and she had shown a lot of improvement. "Breath out." Owlpaw let out a breath, while not perfect, she exhaled smoothly.
"Alright," Pebblestep stook a step back and looked Owlpaw up and down. "You can come with us to the Spirit Garden tonight, but you have to take it easy."
Owlpaw perked up her head. "Thank you so much, Pebblestep!" Owlpaw waved her tail happily, her paws twitching with excitement but she managed to contain herself. She was very excited to go the Spirit Garden for multiple reasons. She was excited to see Mothflower and ask how things were in MountainClan as well hopefully speaking with Mosscloud about the horrible vision she had been given.
She had adjusted more to it, but she still felt the unease constantly on her shoulders. She checked the moon every night to make sure it wasn't red like in her nightmare. I need answers, and I hope that Mosscloud will provide them.
Owlpaw worked with Honeyfrost and Pebblestep for the remainder of the daylight hours, making sure that Petalbreeze and her kits, as well as making sure the elders were well taken of. They made sure everything was taken care of before setting out as the sun began to set.
Owlpaw followed behind Honeyfrost and Pebblestep as they left camp. As the sun fell slowly behind the mountains, the air became more and more freezing. Owlpaw fluffed out her coat, attempting to stay warm as the freezing air bit at their ears and noses. The three medicine cats walked close together, heading towards the river where they would meet up with Oneflight and Mothflower.
They tried their best to hurry through the cold evening, and made good time to the river. Just as they approached, Owlpaw spotted Oneflight's pale gray tabby fur across the more land and he quickly hopped over the river, approaching them. Owlpaw couldn't help but notice that Mothflower wasn't with him like she usually was.
"Where's Mothflower?" Owlpaw questioned.
"I'm not sure." Oneflight replied. "I tried waiting for her like I usually do but she must be running late, it was too cold to wait for her."
Owlpaw tensed up slightly, Mothflower had never been late before. Even if she had only been a medicine cat for a short while. "I'm sure she's fine, Owlpaw." Honeyfrost told Owlpaw, presumably noticing how anxious she had become.
"We should get on the move," Pebblestep suggested. "Mothflower knows her way to the Spirit Garden and I don't want us to get sick standing out here in the freezing cold."
Owlpaw hesitated for a moment, she wanted to wait for Mothflower, to make sure that everything was okay. However, the other three medicine cats clearly didn't agree so Owlpaw didn't have much of a choice. She followed the three older medicine cats and crossed into the gathering hollow where they would meet up with Roseheart and Blackstorm. Maybe Mothflower is with Roseheart instead of Oneflight this time. Owlpaw thought hopefully, and continued following through the snow.
They neared the end of the gathering hollow and Owlpaw spotted Roseheart and Blackstorm standing together, still no Mothflower. Owlpaw's anxiety grew, she wished she could go check on Mothflower, but she just had to have faith that the MountainClan medicine cat was okay, and something important came up in MountainClan. I hope they don't have any sickness. Owlpaw felt her tail twitch.
"Where's Mothflower?" Roseheart questioned, looking over the other medicine cats.
"Not sure." Honeyfrost responded. "She's either running late or something is preventing her from leaving. Sickness, maybe."
"She did have an injured warrior not long ago," Oneflight spoke up. "Mountainstar and one of her warriors came to me to see if I could help with the infection. When I left she seemed to be well taken care of."
"Who was injured?" Owlpaw questioned instantly, suddenly worried about the state of the MountainClan warriors.
"I believe her name was...." Oneflight thought for a moment. "I believe it was Sorrelfern."
Sorrelfern was one of the former kittypets, she was a very kind she-cat. "What happened to her?"
"Some twoleg rubbish cut her leg, but like I said she was doing well by the time I left."
"Why are we so focused on what's going on in MountainClan." Blackstorm spoke up, annoying lining his mew. "I'd be fine with it if it wasn't freezing outside."
"It's normal to be concerned about the other Clans," Oneflight responded and Owlpaw noticed him and Blackstorm meeting eyes, and a very notable sense of tension between the two cats.
"I will leave without the rest of you, I'm not gonna freeze my paws off for this."
"Calm down, Blackstorm." Roseheart said. "We're going, we're going. Whatever is going on with Mothflower and MountainClan I'm sure they're fine. She very well could catch up with us."
Owlpaw still didn't feel convinced, but there was nothing she could do. She bunched up with the other medicine cats and they started in the last leg of the journey to the Spirit Garden. During the entire walk, Owlpaw's mind was somewhere else as she continuously worried about Mothflower. Please let her be okay. Owlpaw said over and over.
At long last, the group of medicine cats climbed the long stone path up to the Spirit Garden and ventured inside. Despite the freezing air outside the garden, it was much warmer inside and the flowers still bright and vibrant. The other medicine cats didn't waste much time laying down and getting comfortable within the Spirit Garden. Owlpaw sat down, but looked over her shoulder several times in hopes of seeing Mothflower but to no avail. She let out a sigh and layed down, curling up and closing her eyes. She breathed in the calming scent of the flowers relaxing her entire body until she fell into a peaceful slumber.
When Owlpaw opened her eyes she was back in the Spirit Garden, but the other medicine cats were gone. She sat up and looked around, she caught the scent of another cat flowing down from the entrance of the Spirit Garden. She stepped out of the den and saw Mosscloud sitting in front of the entrance on a nearby ledge, overlooking the territories below. Owlpaw quickly hurried out of the Spirit Garden and trotted over to Mosscloud.
"I know how terrible the cold seasons can be," Mosscloud mewed. "But it always looks so beautiful covered in snow, though I think that's the MoonClan cat in me." She glanced over at Owlpaw. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions."
Owlpaw had been wanting to ask Mosscloud all of her questions, but the first one seemed to leave her mouth without her thinking. "Where is Mothflower? Is she okay?"
Mosscloud's eyes shifted down for just a moment and she let out a sigh, before turning her head towards the territories once again. "Mothflower is safe, or I believe she is. She has left MountainClan."
Owlpaw's eyes widened. "She left? Where did she go? And why? Did StarClan send her somewhere?"
Mosscloud shook her head. "Mothflower has given up on her position of medicine cat and left MountainClan for good. I used to be able to see the entire sky outside of StarClan, but now she is beyond my view."
Owlpaw was filled with disbelief. "How could Mothflower just leave? How could she just turn her back on MountainClan! Especially during leaf-bare!"
"I don't know why, I wish I did but I don't." Mosscloud sighed. "I knew she was struggling, but when I tried to visit her in her dreams I couldn't reach her. She shut herself off to StarClan and I couldn't reach her, I don't know if this was her intention or she just lost her faith in both us and herself."
"What do we do?" Owlpaw questioned. "MountainClan needs a medicine cat."
Mosscloud looked back at Owlpaw, their gazes meeting. "The answers about MountainClan will come to you soon, StarClan will guide you to the new medicine cat within time. " Owlpaw felt frustration burn in her heart. Why can't StarClan ever just tell me what to do? "I'm sure you have more questions, and we don't have all night."
"Right..." Owlpaw sighed, she would have to figure something else about MountainClan later on, she had more questions to ask. "I want to talk about the horrible vision you showed me about the blood moon, and the prophecy."
"I showed the vision for a reason," Mosscloud responded. "There is tension brewing between the Clans, you may not be able to see it but it is there and if not stopped, the Clans could tear themselves apart."
"How am I supposed to stop this?" Owlpaw questioned, feeling just as hopeless as she did the night she received the vision. "I'm only one medicine cat, I don't even have my full medicine cat name yet. I've already risked my life several times trying build MountainClan, what more do I have to give? Why is it only me?" Owlpaw's voice became increasingly more panicked, and pained. "I just want to enjoy my life as a medicine cat and it feels like I can't even do that without StarClan constantly demanding I do something!"
Mosscloud's eyes shadowed with sadness and sympathy. "I'm sorry it has to be you, Owlpaw." She ducked her head. "I know what it's like to bear the weight of StarClan's responsibility. My destiny was to die at a young age and to be trapped outside of the skies of my ancestors, trapped away from my family and friends. This was my destiny to help cats outside the Clans as well as helping you to build MountainClan."
Owlpaw flattened her ears. "Maybe I shouldn't complain so much."
Mosscloud rested her tail on Owlpaw's shoulder. "Your feelings are valid, Owlpaw. Sometimes it is unfair, it's unfair that such young cats are chosen to be the bearer of these prophecies and missions, but we do them because we have to do, because it's for the greater good of the Clans." She let out a sigh. "You are never alone, Owlpaw. I will be right here by your side as we work together cause not even I truly know how to stop this war, but we will work together."
Owlpaw didn't respond, but she looked out over the territories. She could see the freshly fallen, sparkling snow across the grass and trees. She was right, it is beautiful. Owlpaw could feel her dream weakening as her body started to wake up.
"It's time for you to wake up, Owlpaw." Mosscloud mewed. "But remember what I said, you are never alone." Owlpaw held onto her words as best she could as the medicine cat and the world around them faded away.