Warriors: Fire and Ice - Book Two (Completed)

Chapter Ten

The half-moon glinted in the dark sky. Waterpaw was glad to see the half-moon again. She would get to see Spottedleaf once more. And now she could ask what to do for Cinderpaw. She couldn't see her friend like this. Waterpaw took a fondness to Cinderpaw. She was great at remembering herbs when Waterpaw couldn't.

"Come on, Waterpaw." Growled Yellowfang.

Waterpaw padded to the entrance of the den. "What about Cinderpaw?" She mewed, tilting her head.

"What about her?" Yellowfang sighed then rolled her eyes, impatiently.

"Can we leave her and the others alone all night?"

Yellowfang flicked her tail. "Of course we can. We treated them just now and it'd be as if we're going to sleep for the night."

Waterpaw nodded her head in respect and padded after Yellowfang. She didn't want to leave Cinderpaw alone. What if she had pain during the night and they weren't there to help ease her pain? Many questions haunted her mind, and she barely noticed the long journey to Mothermouth. She felt her paws beginning to hurt as they treaded through the rocky pathway onto the thunderpath. She raised her haunches, ready to sprint across the thunderpath. Yellowfang flicked her tail and they both bounded across. Waterpaw made it first, and she panted hard. Her whiskers trembled with excitement. She raced across without much hesitation and she felt proud of herself.

Yellowfang stopped and panted hard, her tongue out and her head hung low. Her sides heaved and she looked like she was going to collapse from exhaustion. Luckily she was able to steady herself and shook out her fur. She looked at Waterpaw. Her eyes were filled with worry. "Don't worry about me." Yellowfang rasped.

Waterpaw slowly took her gaze away from Yellowfang and onto the path to Mothermouth. She paced herself, making sure that she didn't seem too tired as she neared the other medicine cats. 

Mudfur and Runningnose waited just below the slope into the highstones with Barkface coming up behind Waterpaw and Yellowfang. Their tails were held high. It was the first time with Barkface here with them in a long time. They were glad to see their old friend again.

"Are we ready?" Mewed Mudfur. His brown pelt glimmered from the little shine of light coming from the tunnel.

Yellowfang lead the way into the tunnel, Waterpaw behind, and Mudfur kept up with Runningnose's pace which was a few tail-lengths behind them. They got to the Moonstone and the cave walls glowed with starlight. They shined brighter than ever, and Waterpaw felt at ease as she neared the blue stone wall. Before Waterpaw had time to take one more step, Yellowfang had beckoned her to come to her side. Waterpaw was confused, but obeyed her mentor.

Yellowfang looked up at silverpelt and meowed. "I, Yellowfang, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help she will serve her Clan for many moons. Waterpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

Waterpaw wanted to drop her jaw in disbelief. How could Yellowfang make her a full medicine cat now? She didn't feel ready at all. She hesitated to answer, but knew that Yellowfang wouldn't be doing this if she didn't believe in her. "I do." She purred.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Waterpaw, from this moment you will be known as," Yellowfang paused for a moment to think. "Waterlily... StarClan honors your passion and dedication, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of ThunderClan."

Waterlily felt a purge of excitement ripple through her body. Yellowfang padded to Waterlily and rested her muzzle on her head. Waterlily licked her shoulder in response.

"Waterlily! Waterlily!" Shouted the three other medicine cats.

Waterlily closed her eyes and soaked in their praises for her new name. She almost felt sick to her stomach from all the purring.

Mudfur padded up to her, and touched his cheek to hers. "You deserve it." He mewed softly.

Runningnose did the same and congratulated her. Barkface padded up to her and purred softly. His purr was raspy, but she still felt welcomed by the old WindClan medicine cat. Waterlily was speechless. She had no idea how to act now. She didn't feel any different, but now she was responsible for so much more now. If Yellowfang was to leave her, she would be ready, but she surely wasn't willing to let her leave so soon. She felt like she had so much more to learn. 

Yellowfang laid down, her gray fur fluffing out from the chill of the cold stones. She touched her nose to the wall and she drifted to sleep rather quickly. Mudfur and Runningnose did the same. Waterlily was last, and she hesitated. Will I learn anything new? Or will it all be the same as when I was an apprentice? She thought bitterly to herself. Then she shook her head. No, I can't think like that. StarClan knows what they're doing. She twitched her nose, then leaned in to touch the cold stone walls. She flinched from the cold that made her shiver all the way down to her toes. She closed her eyes tightly then let herself breathe deeply a few times before opening her eyes. 

Darkness was all around her. She felt blind. She couldn't smell or hear anything. She laid her ears back, unsheathed her claws and dug them into the hard earth beneath her. Suddenly she heard something in the distance and twitched her ears in dismay. She searched the grounds, but saw nothing. Then a small dim of light showed as she squinted her eyes. A form of a cat appeared before her. It had rather spikey fur and was large. She laid back her ears again and growled. She did not want to spend her time at the Moonstone with this horrific shape of a cat. 

"Waterlily." Meowed a familiar voice.

Waterlily swung her head around and saw Spottedleaf standing behind her with wide eyes.

"You shouldn't be here." Spottedleaf mewed.

"When I closed my eyes, that's what I dreamt." She retorted.

Spottedleaf flicked her tail, signaling Waterlily to follow her. They padded out of the darkness and into the light. It was much brighter and prettier where Spottedleaf took her. She shivered at the sight of the darkness as she looked back at it. "What is that place?" Asked, Waterlily, catching up to Spottedleaf.

Spottedleaf looked down and shuffled her paws, awkwardly. "Nothing that should concern you."

Waterlily felt treated like a kit. She felt like Spottedleaf didn't trust her with the truth. She could take it! She shook her head, then softly sighed. "I have questions about Cinderpaw." She mewed.

Spottedleaf met Waterlily's eyes and she softened her eyes as she began to speak. "Cinderpaw will get better eventually. It will take a while. Patience as usual."

Waterlily shuffled her paws, "Will she ever be a warrior again? Yellowfang doesn't think she will."

"Yellowfang does speak truth in a way." Spottedleaf looked down, not meeting Waterlily's gaze. "But she will get better in time."

Waterlily didn't understand a thing. Was Yellowfang right? Or was she wrong? Why does StarClan have to make everything so difficult? Waterlily felt furious. She stomped her foot angrily, then laid her ears back, flat on her head. 

"I can't give you much more answers than you already know." Mewed Spottedleaf, putting her tail gently on Waterlily's flank. "Find what answer is in front of you and cure her." Then she faded into the distance. Waterlily never felt more confused. What all did she know already? She felt clueless and more clueless than ever. How was she going to save an apprentice when a StarClan cat told her pointless answers? 

She shook her head to clear then then woke up to the lit up cave around her. She looked around, squinting her eyes, getting used to the darkness of the Moonstone. She got up and looked over at Yellowfang. She got up to her paws and looked at Waterlily. They both shot one another a glance of confusion. Perhaps she had the same dream, but with a different StarClan cat.