The Endless Prophecy - Night

Chapter 4

"Baypaw, now, what herbs would you use on Rosepaw?"

Rosepaw was lying in the medicine den. The thorns had been pulled out by the skillful medicine cats, and now Grayfeather was teaching Baypaw how to treat his third patient.

Baypaw scrunched up his forehead. "Dock leaf and cobwebs?"

"Correct. You can also spread some oak leaf poultice onto the wound to prevent infection."

"Okay."

Rosepaw winced as the medicine cats dabbed the dock leaf onto her wounds. Grayfeather then taught Baypaw how to chew up the oak leaf in the correct way, then applied it to her scratches.

Grayfeather turned to Nightpaw and Mapleheart. "Rosepaw will heal in about two or three days. After that, take her to the medicine den so we can apply some more oak leaf."

The warrior and the apprentice nodded and backed out of the den.

"So, um, now what do we do?" Nightpaw began awkwardly. "I mean, Blazepaw is gone, and Rosepaw is injured."

"You can rest for now, and relax. I'll go report this matter to Nightstar," soothed Mapleheart. Nightpaw liked her. She was nice and gentle, especially with young cats. Not that he favored her over Frostpelt, though. Frostpelt was a great mentor. She padded into the apprentices' den. Firepaw and Softpaw were there, grooming themselves. Firepaw looked up hopefully when Nightpaw padded in, and asked, "Where's Rosepaw? Is she okay?"

Nightpaw raised her head wearily while she settled down in her nest. "She's fine, she'll heal," Why did Firepaw even care about Rosepaw? Oh, maybe becuase they're related. After all, he was kin to Nightstar, and Nightpaw, Rosepaw, and Blazepaw were kin to Nightstar's first litter, Ravenpelt.

Firepaw padded out of the den. Nightpaw didn't bother to wonder where he was going, she had matters of her own. Closing her eyes, she reached her senses out. Blazepaw, where are you? she searched the ThunderClan forest. The ancient oak, the Gathering island. Even in the ShadowClan camp. But no Blazepaw. Sighing, she opened her eyes, but something was different...

A leafy forest shielded her from the wide, starlit, yawning sky above. Prey-scent filled her nostrils, and the ground was covered in grass and springy moss. Nightpaw was in StarClan again. Memories of the prophecy echoed in her ears as she padded along the path that slowly became wider, until she was at a sunlit riverbank of large, flat boulders. This is probably Sunningrocks. she thought as she scented a familiar cat.

"Nightpaw," a she-cat called softly.

"Ivypool," Nightpaw greeted without turning, staring into the water.

"Find the Second," Ivypool padded up to her. "You're letting other things distract you."

Nightpaw didn't reply. Instead, she asked, "Where's Blazepaw?"

Ivypool's tail drooped. After a moment of hesitation, she meowed, "We cannot tell you, but I assure you that Blazepaw is in safe paws, but I'm afraid he has left us," she shook her head sadly.

"What do you mean, 'he has left us'?" said Nightpaw sharply.

"Blazepaw is overcome by anger at his mentor, and rejected by his kin. Not that I blame you, but he has been the least noticed or praised by others around him. I'm afraid his loyalty to ThunderClan is no more."

Nightpaw froze in shock. She turned slowly to Ivypool. "No," she said hoarsely. "That's not possible..." 

"It is," Ivypool meowed sadly. "It has happened before."

In the back of her mind, Nightpaw knew that Ivypool was once jealous of her sister and trained in the Dark Forest, because she didn't know about Dovewing's powers. But now, Nightpaw was in shock, she refused to see sense.

"Tell me where Blazepaw is," she demanded.

"He is in safe hands," Ivypool repeated her sentence.

"No, tell me where exactly," Nightpaw bit back a snarl.

Ivypool lashed her tail. "Until you find the Second, you will not be permitted to seek the answers that are unimportant to the Clans whatsoever."

Nightpaw stood up. "Blazepaw is important to me!" she hissed.

Ivypool towered over her. "The prophecy is more important!" she argued.

"I don't care about a dumb prophecy!" Nightpaw snarled. "I don't want to be part of it! It's costing me my kin!"

Ivypool's eyes gleamed. "Do you care more for your kin than you Clan's safety?"

Nightpaw shrank back. "I-I..." She was lost for words. In a panic, she turned and raced away. She needed to get away. As fast as possible. Exclude herself from this terrible cold-hearted prophecy. She heard Ivypool calling after her as she sprinted away, but she didn't care, all that matters now was getting away from this place. The trees blurred as she ran, becoming taller and taller until they shadowed over Nightpaw. Panting, she burst into a clearing full of cats, reeking of ShadowClan. Horrified, she tried to turn away, but a dark brown tabby blocked her way.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her in a polite tone, but his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "A stray living apprentice wandering through StarClan unguarded?"

Nightpaw opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

"What's your name?" the tabby asked her.

"N-Nightpaw," her meow shook.

The dark brown tabby tom relaxed at her meow. "Ah, of course," he muttered to himself. Then he directed his meow at Nightpaw. "I'm Tigerstar -- the second Tigerstar," he introduced himself, correcting his mistake as he meowed.

Nightpaw stared at him. He had been so hostile before. But now he was friendly and relaxed, as if Nightpaw was his friend. Tigerstar disappeared among the ShadowClan-StarClan cats and reappeared with a gray she-cat at his side. The she-cat blinked at her and introduced herself to Nightpaw.

"I'm Dovewing. What brings you to this part of StarClan?"

"I-" Nightpaw shuffled her feet embarassedly.

"Ah," Dovewing gazed at her with her bright green eyes, and sat down and motioned for Nightpaw to do the same, then waved her tail at Tigerstar to leave them in private. "Ivypool. I should have known." Nightpaw ducked her head.

"No, there's nothing wrong in worrying about your kin," Dovewing assured her. "Ivypool was too strict with you. As the last possesser of the power of the stars, I understand how you doubt your own powers, let alone knowing how to use them correctly. "

"Blazepaw," Nightpaw whispered hoarsely. "I want to know where he is. When I tried to search for him, I couldn't find him. I-I don't think I'm worthy of using my powers."

Dovewing's gaze softened. "There is a reason why StarClan chose you. Did you think we pawpick our cats for the prophecies in random?" Nightpaw looked up. "Every apprentice needs training to become a full warrior. It's normal to have undeveloped powers at an early age. You must accept that. " Dovewing looked stern, but just for a heartbeat. "However, Ivypool was right about one thing," she continued. "You need the Second. You may not know what or when darkness is coming to threaten our lives, but maybe, just maybe once the Three is gathered, you'll find Blazepaw."

A ray of sunlight burst through the trees as the ShadowClan-StarClan cats faded away. Only Dovewing remained, her starry pelt sparkling.

"Remember, find the Second,"  she whispered.

"Find the Second, " Nightpaw repeated silently as she woke up in the ThunderClan apprentice's den.