Spirits on the Wind

Chapter 5

It's been a moon since Rippletalon and Wolfhaze disbanded from being mates. It's also been a moon since Minnowpaw had seen Silverpaw. He was worried sick, looking for her start day when he had the chance. He started to really realize how much he loved to be with her.

Finally the day came almost 2 moons later when he was to have his warrior ceremony along with his siblings. Pebblepaw and Graypaw sat beside him. Graypaw glanced at him but turned away quickly. He rolled his eyes. Why do they act like I'm a fungus or something?

He waited patiently. After Graypaw received her warrior name, Grayfeather, it was Pebblepaw's turn.

"I do!" His sister nodded.

"Then with the powers of StarClan, your warrior name is Pebblestream! Now for Minnowpaw. Do you promise to uphold the duties and responsibilities of the warrior code and protect the clan even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" He meowed and nodded eagerly.

"From this day on, until StarClan take you," -Minnowpaw felt the world slow down as he saw a beautiful silver tabby pelt dappled with shimmering stars step out behind High Willow.- "you will be known as Minnowsplash." Blossomstar set her muzzle on his head. He barley felt it, still staring at Silverpaw, who looked so grown up. She was beautiful.

"Blossomstar, before I sit vigil, I want to get a drink." He used the same excuse from when he was an apprentice but his leader nodded. "Thank you." He dipped his head and raced out of camp.

"Silverpaw!" He called and he saw her emerge, her pelt sleek and tame. "You're okay! You came." he padded over to her.

"Of course I came. I made a promise." She purred. "And now I'm Silvermoon." She meowed.

"That's great! I'm so glad you are here. I-I missed you a lot."

"I've missed you too.... And I'm so sorry." Silvermoon meowed and twitched her tail tip.

"And now that doesn't matter, you're here aren't you?" Minnowsplash purred and nuzzled her head.

"Yes, and I never want to leave you again. So I must say this now. I honestly don't know what happens if I fall in love with a real cat... Not a starry one." She meowed. "But I think I have..."

"I find myself in love with a starry cat too." He murmured and touched his muzzle to hers. It was like a shock of energy between them.

"That was cool." He laughed.

"Minnowsplash, you should get back to your vigil." She purred and got up, her pelt shimmering.

"I know but why can't I skip it. I want to stay out here with you." Minnowsplash blinked at her.

"That sounds very sweet. And I guess we can break the warrior code once." She giggled and lightly flicked her tail tip over his ear.

"I agree with that statement completely."

He leapt into the branches of a Willow tree. Silvermoon followed, leaving claw marks with stars on the trunk.

He sat on a wide branch, waiting for her to come up beside him. She sat down and he twined his tail with hers. He guessed he fell asleep up there because when he woke up, sunlight blinded him. He felt movement next to him and a silver tabby she cat roused and sat up, looking at him.

"Silvermoon! What happened?!" He scrambled away from her a little bit.

"What?" She looked down at her pelt. "I-I'm normal! I'm a real cat again!" She meowed. "The curse has lifted, though it was a great curse. I got to know you."

"Wait, curse? That's why you were starry?" Minnowsplash asked and he shook his fur, not feeling tense anymore.

"Yes yes. I was cursed and I had to take a cat as a spirit on the wind. I chose you out of all of them. They never told me if I'd be back to normal but I guess love cured it!" She purred and laid down beside him.

"Silvermoon, what will I tell the clan?" Minnowsplash fretted.

"Don't tell them anything. I'll meet you at the gorge and live my life as a rouge." Silvermoon suggested and gazed up at him with the same pretty blue eyes, they were still tinted with stars, but he guessed that doesn't change much because she was beautiful either way.

"No, I can't do that to you. Please, I'll take you in, but no one can know that we are mates." Minnowsplash said.

"No, I can't do that... Pretending I'm not your mate would be hard because I love you. Please, I'll be fine on my own. And you'll be with me most of the time anyway." She purred and out one paw up to touch his cheek.

"I know. Now we need to find a good spot for you." He purred and licked her on the muzzle.

They bounded down into the hollow and started out of RiverClan territory. They padded along side by side, tail twined. "How about here?" Minnowsplash trotted over to a hollow tree. "We cat line it with moss and feathers and barr the entrance with brambles."

"Sounds great! Let's get to work." Silvermoon started scraping moss from roots. She was still getting use to her real cat body instead of the starry form she once was.

By late that night, the brambles were in front of the door and only half of the space was made into a nest.

"The whole clan is probably wondering where I am." Minnowsplash meowed and licked Silvermoon's cheek. "I must go. I'll see you tomorrow." He purred.

He bounded into camp and Wolfhaze lifted her head. Her face was wet with tears and a smile brimmed on her face. "I thought I lost you! I thought a fox or a badger got you!" She cried, tackling him over.

"It's okay. I'm safe. I have been, don't worry, Mother."