Beyond the stars: Ripple of fire (Book #1)

Chapter - 11

Ravenpaw crouched, pressing her belly to the forest floor as she crept forward. She focused her soft blue eyes on the sparrow at the low branch of the tree, it lurked around, picking at the ground with cheerful chirps, unaware that it was about to meet its end.

Ravenpaw pressed forward, stealing a quick glance back at Sedgewatcher for reassurance. He nodded with an encouraging smile, prompting her to refocus on her target—a bird. With practiced skill, she pounced swiftly, landing on the bird and swiftly dispatching it with a clean slice to the neck. Hunting had become second nature to Ravenpaw, though she still harbored reluctance toward fighting, preferring to avoid causing harm.

Her thoughts drifted back to the weight of her unshared visions. I still need to tell Cloverstar about my visions, Ravenpaw thought ruefully. If only I had spoken sooner, maybe our home wouldn't have burned down. Maybe Stumpykit would still be alive. Guilt gnawed at Ravenpaw as she carried the sparrow back to Nettlepaw's mentor.

"I won!" Ravenpaw exclaimed to Nettlepaw, her voice filled with excitement.

Sedgewatcher had initiated a competition among the apprentices to see who could catch the most prey, and Ravenpaw had clearly emerged victorious. Nettlepaw, meanwhile, bounded through the forest energetically, akin to a lumberjack in his pursuit of prey.

As the three made their way back to camp, the sun cast long shadows through the trees, signaling the approach of evening. Ravenpaw felt a mix of pride and weariness from her successful hunt. She glanced at Sedgewatcher, who walked beside her, his silver fur glowing softly in the fading light.

"You did well out there," Sedgewatcher praised quietly, his voice warm with approval. "Your skills are improving every day."

Ravenpaw dipped her head gratefully. "Thank you, Sedgewatcher."

Nettlepaw trotted ahead, still buzzing with excitement from the afternoon's competition. "I almost caught a rabbit," he boasted.

Ravenpaw smiled at Nettlepaw's enthusiasm. "You'll get it next time, Nettlepaw."

As they approached the unfamiliar scent markers of Willowclan's camp, Ravenpaw's heart shrunk; all she wanted was to be back in her forest, her home. 

Entering the camp, they were greeted by the comforting sights and sounds of clan life. Warriors exchanged nods of acknowledgment, apprentices practiced battle moves in a corner, and elders shared stories near their den. Cloverstar sat outside the medicine cat den, her gaze sweeping over the clans with a wistful look.

Ravenpaw approached Cloverstar with the sparrow in her jaws, offering it as a tribute to her successful hunt. "Cloverstar, I need to talk to you".

Cloverstar turned her blue eyes toward Ravenpaw, the wistful look was gone and was now replaced by curiosity and concern.

"What is it, Ravenpaw?" she asked, her voice gentle yet expectant.

Taking a deep breath, Ravenpaw hesitated briefly before continuing, her voice steady despite the uncertainty swirling within her. "Before the forest burned down... I had visions," she confessed quietly. "I saw things... warnings. I should have told you sooner."

Cloverstar's eyes widened in surprise, her fur bristling slightly as she processed Ravenpaw's words. The camp around them seemed to quiet, the air thick with shock. 

"Visions?" Cloverstar echoed, her voice barely above a whisper. "What did you see, Ravenpaw?"

Ravenpaw recounted her dreams—the prophecy, the voice crying for help, and the face of the ginger she-cat. Each word felt like a stone dropping into a pond, creating ripples of uncertainty and concern.

Cloverstar listened intently, her expression shifting from surprise to deep contemplation. After a moment of silence, she spoke, her voice tinged with surprise 

"No cat except the leader or medicine cat has had visions like this before. I have to think about this, and what it means."

Ravenpaw nodded solemnly, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders now that she had shared her burden. "I'm sorry I didn't speak up sooner," she murmured, her gaze dropping briefly in remorse. "It's my fault Stumpykit is dead"

Cloverstar approached Ravenpaw and gently touched her nose to the apprentice's forehead. "No, Ravenpaw, it is not your fault. You've shown courage in sharing this with me. We'll need to discuss this further, but for now, I'm going to travel to the Moonlake to share with Starclan."

"When can we start rebuilding our camp?" Ravenpaw asked the blue-furred leader.

"Ravenpaw", Cloverstar started, her voice cracking with pain. "We can't live in the forest. It is ruined, it is burned. There is no life, no prey, nothing".

"But..but, we have always lived there".

"That's why I am going to talk to Starclan", Cloverstar nodded to her before rushing to the medicine cat's den for traveling herbs.

My home is gone, burnt to a crisp. I will never see any cats grow up in it. I will never become a warrior in my forest. I will never hunt there again. Now that our home is gone, where will we live?

After Ravenpaw had spoken with Cloverstar about her visions, she retreated to her den, seeking solace in the familiar surroundings of soft moss and the comforting scent of her clanmates. Despite her weariness from the day's events and the physical exertion of hunting, sleep eluded her.

She curled up in her nest, her thoughts swirling with images of flames licking at the trees and the haunting sense of foreboding that had plagued her dreams before the fire. Every time she closed her eyes, an old vision played before her as if trying to convey a message she could not quite grasp.

 Ravenpaw stood at the edge of a cliff. A breathtaking view was at the edge of the cliff, where the earth meets the sky. Towering mountains stretch their jagged peaks towards Starclan, cloaked in a tapestry of lush greenery and rugged terrain—wisps of mist dance amongst the valleys. Beyond the mountains, a serene lake mirrors the midnight sky above, its surface rippling gently in the breeze. The pristine waters reflect the surrounding mountains like a shimmering mirror. Clusters of dense forests cloak the lower slopes of the mountains. Tall pines stand amidst a sea of foliage, their branches swaying in harmony with the wind.

Ravenpaw could not get the picture out of her head.

As the night wore on, Ravenpaw found herself unable to drift into sleep despite her weariness. Every time she closed her eyes, the vivid images from her vision and the events of the day played over and over in her mind.

The soft rustling of leaves outside her den seemed louder than usual as if the night itself held secrets waiting to be revealed. Her denmates' gentle breathing provided a comforting rhythm, but Ravenpaw's mind was too restless to find respite in their presence.

She shifted in her nest, trying to find a more comfortable position, but her thoughts continued to whirl like leaves caught in a storm. Ravenpaw's senses seemed heightened in the stillness of the night. She could hear the distant murmur of the river, a soothing melody that usually lulled her to sleep. 

Her thoughts returned to the cliff in her vision, its beauty contrasting sharply with the unease she felt. Was it a place of refuge or a symbol of impending danger? The ambiguity troubled her, but she knew that understanding would come with time and introspection.

Hours passed slowly as the moon traversed the sky, casting shifting shadows across the den floor. Ravenpaw remained alert, her senses on edge, attuned to every sound and movement around her. She found herself longing for the first light of dawn.

Despite her exhaustion, Ravenpaw's mind refused to quiet. She turned over questions and possibilities, seeking meaning in the visions that had unsettled her so deeply. 

As the first hints of dawn painted the sky with hues of pink and gold, Ravenpaw finally felt a sense of relief wash over her. The long night had tested her resilience, but it had also strengthened her resolve. She knew that the challenges ahead would require courage and unity, qualities she was determined to embody for the sake of her clan and their shared future on the island.

With a weary sigh, Ravenpaw closed her eyes briefly, feeling the first stirrings of sleep beckoning her.