Broken Code

Chapter 29

"Now you just drink from the Starstream and-"

"Flamestar, thank you for your guidance but I know what to do." Rainpaw twitched her whiskers and bent down to lap from the crystal waters of the small stream that ran throughout the back of Pineclan territory. It was sacred ground. Medicine cats and leaders could go as they pleased to drink and speak with Starclan. Medicine cats met there every half moon to bond and talk to Starclan. Leaders went every so often. Rainpaw couldn't wait to receive her full medicine cat name. Typically a cat's mentor would be the one to be with them at a time like so, but Flamestar was filling in for Flowerwhisker as she had already joined the ranks of the constellations. The other medicine cats had finished Rainpaw's training and now it was her time to become the full medicine cat of Streamclan.

Rainpaw lapped up the refreshing crystal water. As it pierced through her tastebuds she found herself almost as if in a dream as she entered the grounds of Starclan.

The grounds of Starclan looked the same as the clans in which they currently lived. Streamclan's camp looked practically identical to Starclan's. The stary cats hustled to and fro like typical clans, except they were calmer. Everything was at ease. There was no stress of sickness, no hunger, no death. Everything was in harmony. Rainpaw turned to see Flamestar behind her. The great leader's eyes reflected an emotion Rainpaw couldn't quite understand. Was that fear?

"Welcome Rainpaw." A sudden familiar voice snapped the apprentice from her thoughts and instantly Rainpaw ran over to the voice.

"Flowerwhisker..." She breathed and burried her muzzle into the softness of her passed mentor's galaxy pelt. She breathed in Flowerwhisker's sweet honey scent and found herself in a familiar peace. Her breathing slowed down and her muscles relaxed under her cinder fur. It was a comfort she had not felt in a long time.

"Ahem... Rainpaw?" A new voice that Rainpaw had not heard in ages prickled through her ears. She lifted her head from Flowerwhisker and ran over to a cat she could hardly believe it to be. His striking white fur and piercing cerulean eyes made him look exactly like Ashpaw. Instantly her heart was filled with joy and sadness as she ran over to the cat who was her father.

"Icestar..." She breathed and tackled him with an amount of love she could not contain. A purr rumbled in her throat and it seemed as if her world could not get in better. Then her mother came.

"SILVERDREAM!" She howled and ran from her father and towards the older she cat who looked exactly like her. Silverdream purred as she was reunited with her long lost daughter. Icestar joined his mate and kin and the family huddled together for what felt like moons and heartbeats all at the same time.

Flamestar watched from a distance at the family. How much grief he had caused them all, he couldn't explain his regrets. He had murdered a cat in cold blood, he had hurt possibly his best friend, and he did it all to become leader. He hated himself for it. Everyday he cursed himself for his last
mistakes, knowing very well that he hardly deserved to be alive, let alone lead an entire clan. A meow choked in his throat and he forced himself to turn away.

Flowerwhisker noticed that the orange leader seemed distressed. She knew of the leader's past murders. It wasn't to difficult to find out. Starclan had also told her. The golden medicine cat padded over to Flamestar and rested her tail across his shoulders as if to comfort him.

"I know it's hard Flamestar... but the best you can do for them is to support their daughter. It's her naming ceremony. Go congratulate her. Be there for her. Be the father she never had." Flowerwhisker gave the leader a soft but stern glance and he nodded, shaking off her dandelion tail and padding over to the apprentice he had learned to watch from afar.

"Rainpaw... I just wanted to congratulate you on your naming ceremony. You've grown up to be an amazing medicine cat. I'm sure both of your parents are extremely proud of you." He managed to meow as his heart sank to the depths of the dirt with grief. He hated himself for causing the young she cat so much pain.

"Th-thank you Flamestar." Rainpaw gently licked her leader's shoulder as she sat down beside him and her parents. Flowerwhisker padded over, leaping gracefully over a small fallen tree. The golden stary she cat stopped in front of Rainpaw and licked the apprentice's shoulder.

As if on cue, a thousand stars fell from the sky and circled around the 5 cats. Galaxies, universes, and constellations were lost in a series of twists and turns as the stars danced around them all. Rainpaw watched in awe as they glistened and danced in between her ears. The moon was a spotlight on the stage of Starclan. A billion shimmers of light flickered in and out of focus and it was as if all of Starclan were watching as Rainpaw gained her true and final name.

Flowerwhisker stood in front of the young cat. "Rainpaw. You have grown to be a remarkable cat. The time I had with you was a time I will never forget. Those last moons of my life were perhaps the best I ever had. And you continued on without me, grieving, but determined to find a way to gain your knowledge of medicine to help your clan mates. You have ambition, you have dedication. Your life has been a rough one yet you are still so young. A lost family, a lost brother, a fallen mentor, and a broken friend. Yet you've never given up. You've stormed through your adversity and walked down your rocky road pawstep after pawstep. And that is why on this night, I make you a full medicine cat of Streamclan. May you continue trekking on your journey. Even through the hard times Rainpaw, may you keep taking just one pawstep to get through it. Live your life one pawstep at a time. Cats of Starclan, I present to you the medicine cat of Streamclan... Rainstep."