Warriors: Falling Stars Book 1: Sunlight

Chapter 7

"Are you crazy?" Spottedpaw replied, her eyes wide. The Mooncrystal was a sacred place; it was where cats talked with StarClan. Normally, only medicine cats traveled there, and leaders occasionally. Spottedpaw blinked in disbelief. "We can't go to the Mooncrystal, Tigerpaw. You have to be chosen!"

Tigerpaw narrowed her eyes. "We have been chosen, Spottedpaw. Don't you get it? All these dreams... they're signs. Signs that StarClan has a very important destiny set in front of our paws. Who cares if we aren't medicine cats? This is important, I can feel it."

Spottedpaw sat back on her haunches, staring at the ground. "We... I can't, Tigerpaw. What if we get caught? We're in different clans, too. What would our leaders say if two apprentices disappear and happen to smell like each other when they return?"

"You worry too much! What's the worst that could happen? You get sent to work for the elders for a day? I want answers, Spottedpaw, and this is the only way to get them." Tigerpaw persisted.

Spottedpaw looked up and sighed. "I'm not saying I don't believe you, Tigerpaw. But I haven't had a single dream that would qualify as important. Maybe you're looking at the wrong cat. Now, I have to get back before my mentor claws my ears off because I spent too long at the border, and before I drown in my fur." She flicked her tail good-bye and padded away, leaving the black apprentice behind.

Spottedpaw shivered as she padded into camp, following the fresh scent of Hailpaw, Hazelpaw, Leaftail, and Bramblefang. They must have just returned. Spottedpaw blinked water out of her eyes as the rain pelted at her face. Stepping into camp, she found it mostly empty. The fresh-kill was covered by ferns and leaves, protecting the prey from becoming too soggy. No cats were outside, and Spottedpaw could see them huddled in their dens, talking quietly to each other. The only cat outside was Robinstar; his pelt dripping with raindrops as he sat on the Fallen Tree staring out into the forest blankly. It was obvious he had been siting there for a while. Spottedpaw stared at him, intrigued. The tabby tom seemed to notice, glancing down, and he leaped off the tree and hurried over to Spottedpaw.

"What are you doing out here in the rain? Don't you want to see your new denmates?" he asked, flicking his ears.

"I just came back from washing mouse bile off my paws," Spottedpaw replied, looking at her feet. "I could ask the same question to you." The she-cat quickly bit her lip. She knew she shouldn't speak to her leader like that.

Robinstar sighed as a small smile tugged on his lips. "You're right. I have a lot on my mind right now." He shook his pelt out, only to get it soaked again. "Flowerfoot is expecting kits, and I know I shouldn't be worried... but I had this dream..." He mumbled, seeming to forget he was talking to anyone.

"Congratulations," Spottedpaw purred, even though she had already noticed his mate starting to get fatter. "There isn't anything to worry about! New kits are always a great thing for any clan."

Robinstar purred softly, his eyes still glazed with exhaustion. "I am very happy, but I can't ignore the signs StarClan is sending me. I'm worried that something is going to happen... something bad. I can't let anything happen to my clan." The tom started to to pace back and forth. "You should go back to your den, Spottedpaw. You'll get sick out here, and Clearmist and Lilypaw are already busy enough with Dappledpetal." He left for his den without looking back.

Spottedpaw watched him leave, glad that her leader had decided to ponder inside his dry den. She took his order and headed to her den, shaking her fur out outside and padding in. There, Mudpaw and Fernpaw were laying in their nests while Hailpaw and Hazelpaw sat right next to them, intrigued by their story.

"And then, I leaped right onto the RidgeClan deputy!" Fernpaw exclaimed, waving his paws in the air. "She was tough, but no match for me. Mudpaw grabbed onto her tail while I hung onto her back as she thrashed around."

"Wow!" Hailpaw mewed, eyes wide. "What happened next?"

"Spottedpaw?" Mudpaw turned and smirked at the she-cat. "You look like a half-drowned badger! Where have you been?"

"Washing mouse bile off my paws," she replied, lying down in her own dry nest. She started to groom herself as she listened to the older apprentices tell the new ones about the border skirmish with RidgeClan.

"Spottedpaw, who did you beat in the battle?" Spottedpaw looked up to see Hazelpaw watching her with intent eyes, lying with Fernpaw.

"No one," Spottedpaw murmured, rubbing a paw on her head as she cleaned it.

"No one?" Hailpaw repeated, tilting his head.

Spottedpaw shook her head. "I fought two warriors, but I didn't beat either of them. Riverheart and Silverstripe did, after they helped me fend them off."

"Wow, boring! Mudpaw and Fernpaw are much better fighters." Hailpaw sneered, rolling his eyes. Hazelpaw jabbed him in the side angrily.

"I think Spottedpaw fought bravely! Have some dignity and respect older cats than you, and maybe some decency to realize she fought bravely for StormClan and that you have no battle experience whatsoever, so you shouldn't be judging whether a cat can defeat a rival or not!" Mudpaw spat, his tail tip flicking dangerously. Hailpaw shrunk back at his recoil.

"Woah, Mudpaw, take it easy!" Fernpaw mewed, glancing up at his friend. Mudpaw's anger dissipated and was replaced by embarrassment.

"Never mind," he muttered, turning to lie facing away from the others.

"Thanks for standing up for me, Mudpaw." Spottedpaw said quietly, leaning over to lick him on the ear. He shifted but remained quiet.

"I... I'm sorry Spottedpaw, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sure you fought better than anyone," Hailpaw murmured quietly.

Spottedpaw looked up at the white apprentice, who was staring at his paws. "It's fine," she mewed. Hailpaw had always talked before he thought. "It was my first battle. I don't think I couldn't have handled it any better than I did. Next time, I'll claw someone's ears off," She added, swiping the air. This made Hailpaw look up, smiling apologetically.

Hazelpaw yawned and curled up next to Fernpaw. The gray tom touched his nose to her head and laid his on his mossy nest. Hailpaw got up and moved to his nest, sitting beside Spottedpaw and an empty nest where Hazelpaw should have been, but she was already asleep. He closed his eyes and started breathing slower, letting sleep take him away.

"Good night, everyone." Spottedpaw murmured, letting the dull pounding of the rain fog her senses and lull her to sleep.