Turtleheart's Path

Chapter 13

Lionpaw, I'm telling you, the leg is healed. You don't have to check in anymore." Turtlepaw mewed. It had been half a moon since the gathering, she was stressed as it was the half moon meeting tonight and they were leaving soon. Lionpaw was still concerned about his leg but all he was seeing was scarring. "But what if it isn't healed right?" Her brother pinned his ears. "Sparrowfeather told you already, there is going to be a scar, Lionpaw. Your beautiful fur can be scarred just like everyone else." She teased. Lionpaw rolled his eyes. "Fine, maybe i'm just worried about you. I saw you sneak out last night, I thought maybe it was just for herbs but you didn't come back with any." Her heart skipped a beat, he'd seen her sneaking out to see Brackenpaw! "I wanted to collect some but the stalks were not ready for picking. Sparrowfeather always said to wait to pick the stalks when they are perfect or you'll ruin the plant." She thought quickly. Lionpaw nodded. "I was worried about you, I'm sorry Turtlepaw." Turtlepaw smiled. "It's okay but I need to organize these and meet Sparrowfeather at Fourtrees." She turned back to her herbs. "I'll bring you a vole, your favorite." Lionpaw padded out of the den briefly before returning with a vole hanging from his jaws. "Thanks," She said and put the last few chervil leaves on the stone ledge and turned to the vole. "I'll take it with me, I'll be late if I eat now." She mewed. "Thanks, Lionpaw." Turtlepaw meowed and grabbed the vole before trotting from camp.
She crouched above the vole and ate it, lifting her head as Swiftpaw and Lakepurr padded in. Sweetwhisker and Berryspots entered the hollow at the same time. Berryspots stretched. "Ready for the journey?" She meowed. "Let's get it over with." Lakepurr rasped, her paw brushed over her graying muzzle. Sweetwhisker led the way, the others falling into step. Turtlepaw stayed near Berryspots, listening to ensure the medicine cat didn't say anything about Brackenpaw. Her heart fell when she started talking to Sweetwhisker. "I had two apprentices fall into the water last night. It's leafbare so I don't know how he isn't frozen." Berryspots reported. "Oh my, who?" Sweetwhisker's eyes widened. "Brackenpaw and Graypaw. Brackenpaw fell first and got his leg cut on some ice and Graypaw jumped in to help. Those two are close, Graypaw is a pretty cat, Brackenpaw chose well." Anger welled in her chest, was Brackenpaw lying to her? Turtlepaw swerved and padded next to Sparrowfeather. "Get ready to cross!" Sweetwhisker halted, raising her tail. The sun was going down over the moorland, the wind only made it colder. The six cats lined up at the edge of the thunderpath, apprentices in the middle. "Go!" Sweetwhisker called. She wasn't the oldest yet the most respected, her mentor had been the greatest medicine cat the forest had seen before he died. She remembered Sparrowfeather telling her about Shrewnose. Turtlepaw darted across the thunderpath, her paws barely hitting the ground. They didn't stop running until they got to the opening of Mothermouth. She laid down and tried to slow her breathing, the moon was beginning to rise and only after a moment they were heading into the cave.
She touched her nose to the moonstone, the dream came again. The forest, the chanting, Ivykit wrestling with another cat and some cat talking, "She will lose her path! Keep her on it or she'll be lost forever!" The cat warned. Another cat's answer came. "How do I stop her?" Then she woke up. Turtlepaw scowled in anger. "I'll go on my own path." She sat up and shook her head out before sighing. "Everyone ready to go?" Sweetwhisker asked and she began to lead the others out.
She grabbed a mouse from the fresh kill pile, her legs aching some as she laid down and ate before curling up with her tail over her nose. She heard the voices again in her dream, warning the cat but this time there was no reply. Whoever the warning was being sent to, they were not having this dream with her. When the chanting stopped the forest remained still, she saw cats sharing tongues. These cats were clan cats but they had no clan scent. She padded around. "Have you seen Ivykit?" She asked one cat who looked up at her. "Where is the windclan side?" The cat lifted herself to her paws. "Side? Dear, you are in Starclan. Clan division does not exist here. Speaking of, you still have a forest scent. You are not dead. I need to take you somewhere." She moved hastily through the forest where they came in front of a waterfall just like the gorge's. "Brackeflight! A visitor." The cat called. "Goodbye, young one." She began to walk away. Turtlepaw turned to her. "What was your name?" She asked. "Flutterpaw." She replied before going back to her place. "Young Turtlepaw, come and sit." Brackenflight invited.
"But how can you possibly know my path?" Turtlepaw bristled. Brackenflight scoffed. "I know all paths. Yours is going wrong. Leave now, morning comes." Brackenflight looked down as dawn broke the night. Turtlepaw looked around. "How?" She asked. "Open your eyes dear, we will talk more soon." Flutterpaw padded up to her again, "And tell Bramblestar I miss her." Turtlepaw opened her eyes, squinting in the light of the den.