WindClan's Fright: Brave Again

Prologue

This chapter is brought to you by Moon, enjoy!

Frost whipped through the air as six cats struggled up a path of stone. One, a very old tom, had it the hardest. A young cat was beside him urging him on.

"Nightswipe, you must make it to the top!" The younger cat argued.

Nightswipe sighed. "Larkpaw, leave me here to rest."

Larkpaw looked terrified.

"NO!" she yowled at the black tom. He hesitated at first, but then forced himself to get up and followed the apprentice. After a while they arrived at a small pool that glittered with the reflection of the stars. Nightswipe straightened and looked at Larkpaw with a small smile.

His eyes filled with pride as he started speaking.

"I have a very special ceremony to do!" Larkpaw looked surprised but very pleased. and Nightswipe started again, looking up to the stars. "I, Nightswipe, medicine cat of WindClan, 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." He stopped for a moment and looked back at Larkpaw.

"Larkpaw, do you promise to uphold the was 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?"

Larkpaw closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again and answering. "I do."

Nightswipe smiled. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Larkpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Larkwillow. StarClan honors your quick thinking and good memory, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of WindClan."

"Larkwillow! Larkwillow! Larkwillow!" the other medicine cats chanted. Larkwillow's eyes shined, reflecting the sparkling star-filled pool.

"May StarClan bless your dreams." Nightswipe whispered to Larkwillow as she settled by the edge of the pool. He laid down beside her, lapping the water in the star-speckled pool. Darkness enveloped him and he woke in a small windy clearing with hills on all sides. A gray tabby she-cat with bright yellow eyes walked up to him.

Nightswipe rejoiced. "Brightwillow! I still miss you . . . "

The she-cat smiled. "I miss you too, my apprentice and I'm sure you'll be joining me soon. I saw you give Larkpa--Larkwillow her full name."

Nightswipe licked his paw and drew it over his ear. "I named her after you, she has the brightest spirit, is so caring, and even looks kind of like you," he meowed.

Brightwillow chuckled but then grew more serious. "You're worried, I can tell, now what's on your mind?" The dark tom sighed.

"I'm afraid my Clan won't live. Long, long ago ShadowClan drove us out and we needed ThunderClan's help to get back on our feet. RiverClan has been messing with the borders also."

Brightwillow stared with love and reassurance in her eyes at her former apprentice.

"The darkest night can be lit by the brightest moon. The quiet fields can be loud again by the swift-blowing wind. The shadows of hatred can be covered by the pepper's loving heart. And even the darkest secrets can be uncovered by the smallest whisper. They will come together to make WindClan brave again."

Nightswipe stared in shock. "But I--"
The dream faded and he was back at the Moonpool. "We need to get home!" he said urgently. He raced out of the clearing the other medicine cats behind him. They went their separate ways and they walked downstream until they turned and headed towards camp.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

They got to camp and Nightswipe struggled to stay on his paws, he was so exhausted. He collapsed to the ground.

"Help!" Larkwillow yowled in alarm.

Seedstar, his deputy Sandfern, and a warrior named Hollystem, came racing to help escort the old medicine cat to his den.

Then a tom, Thistlestripe, let out a shriek. "Lilyshine is kitting!" Larkwillow nodded to a she-cat.

"Leafbloom, please go, cover for me, you know what to do." Leafbloom had learned all about herbs but had never wanted to be a medicine cat because of her devotion to her mate. The she-cat nodded and went towards the nursery, when Larkwillow and Nightswipe got to the medicine cat den with the help of the warriors, Larkwillow leaned over him.

"M-my time here is o-over let m-me go peacefully," he croaked.

Larkwillow frantically shook her head, grabbing some juniper berries and a poppy seed. Then there was a caterwaul.

"Larkwillow! It's Lilyshine--something's wrong! I think it's the same as Petalsplash!"

Larkwillow froze at those words. Though she had only been a kit at the time, Petalsplash was a young queen, at her kitting something went wrong and she didn't make it. "What do I do!?" She fretted.

"Go," Nightswipe whispered. "She needs you."

"LARKWILLOW!" Larkwillow nodded and started walking out the den.

"Wait," Nightswipe called. Larkwillow stopped and he continued.

"The darkest night can be lit by the brightest moon. The quiet fields can be loud again by the swift-blowing wind. The shadows of hatred can be covered by the pepper's loving heart. And even the darkest secrets can be uncovered by the smallest whisper. They will come together to make WindClan brave again."

AN: hey guys! Moon here, and thanks for reading, this and the first chapter should be published at the same time, I really hoped you liked this and if you did please vote, it shows how much you really like the book. The medicine cat ceremony was actually the real one, I found it on the website XD. So thanks again, see ya later!
~Moon [RainbowMoon335]
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