Spottedleaf's Madness

Chapter 11

            It was a half moon later as Featherwhisker and Spottedpaw reached to Mothermouth.
           As they both padded in, Spottedpaw felt cold air strike against her fur as she shivered. Featherwhisker pressed against her.
           "Here. I'll keep you warm." Featherwhisker mewed. "Thanks." Spottedpaw mewed gratefully, starting to feel warmer. "Anytime." Featherwhisker purred.
           Spottedpaw squinted as she tried to look up ahead. Everything was black and the only thing that could lead them the way was the echo of the two medicine cat's breathing.
           Suddenly, a sharp light pierced Spottedpaw's amber eyes as she shut her eyes and slowly opened them. She saw a bright stone in the middle of the cave.
           "Moonstone." she thought. She heard Featherwhisker purr. "Pretty, isn't it?" he purred.
           "Yeah." Spottedpaw mewed, staring at the stone in awe.
            Featherwhisker looked around the cave. "None of the other medicine cats are here. We must be the first ones here. We'll have to wait for the others." Featherwhisker mewed.
            Spottedpaw nodded and sat down as she started to wait. She flicked her ear as she heard paw steps and breathing as she saw a brown tom and a white she-cat with black spots pad in.
            "Hello, Featherwhisker!" purred the black-spotted she-cat. She saw Spottedpaw. "What's this? Is this your apprentice, Featherwhisker?" she mewed, her blue eyes filled with curiosity.
             "Yes. Her name is Spottedpaw." Featherwhisker nodded. "Spottedpaw, this is Brambleberry and Mudfur." Featherwhisker mewed.
             "Hello, Spottedpaw! It's very nice to meet you! And my my my, what a pretty she-cat you are!" Brambleberry purred.
             Spottedpaw couldn't stifle her purr. "Thanks! You're really nice!" Spottedpaw mewed. Brambleberry giggled. "So I've been told." she purred.
             Then a gray tom with white patches and a dark gray she-cat walked in. Spottedpaw started to purr at the white-patched tom, but stopped as she saw snot on his nose and bristled.
            The tom chuckled. "I always get that reaction. That's why my name's Runningnose." he purred.
            "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Spottedpaw mewed. "My name is Spottedpaw. I'm Featherwhisker's apprentice."
           "That's okay, and nice to meet you!" Runningnose purred. "Yeah, yeah. So you've meet a pretty little she-cat. Big deal." growled the dark-gray she-cat.
           Spottedpaw bristled. To her surprise, Runningnose chuckled. "Don't worry about Yellowfang. She's always a grump!" he purred as he looked at his mentor playfully. Yellowfang purred with amusement. "Gee. Thanks." she purred.
           Then a brown tabby tom walked in. "Hi! My name is Spottedpaw!" she mewed. The brown tom looked at her with surprise. "Oh, hi! You must be Featherwhisker's apprentice! My name is Barkface, the Windclan medicine cat." he mewed, dipping his head to Spottedpaw.
          "Yes, yes, yes. Now can we get on with the ceremony? We're wasting moonlight over an apprentice!" Yellowfang snapped before padding to the Moonstone.
          "Alright, Yellowfang, but first, I have to name my apprentice." Featherwhisker mewed. Yellowfang grunted with annoyance. "Fine. But make it snappy. We don't have all night." Yellowfang growled.
          "Is she always this grumpy?" Spottedpaw asked Featherwhisker. Featherwhisker rolled his yellow eyes and purred with amusement. "Yes." he purred before padding to the Moonstone.
          "I, Featherwhisker, medicine cat of Thunderclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She knows the ways of the medicine cat code as I commend her into a full medicine cat." Featherwhisker mewed.
         He looked at Spottedpaw. "Spottedpaw, do you promise to uphold the medicine cat code and to not have a mate or kits?" Featherwhisker mewed.
         Spottedpaw's pelt sparked with excitement. "I do." she mewed.
         "Then by the powers of Starclan, I grant you your medicine cat name. Spottedpaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Spottedleaf. Thunderclan honours your eagerness to learn and your ambition to become a full medicine cat."
         Spottedleaf looked at Featherwhisker gratefully and licked his shoulder. "Spottedleaf! Spottedleaf! Spottedleaf!" the medicine cats chanting, including Yellowfang. Spottedleaf puffed her chest out in pride.
         "Alright, NOW can we get on with the ceremony?" Yellowfang snapped.
         Featherwhisker purred. "Yes, we can, Yellowfang." he purred as all the medicine cats gathered around the Moonstone. "Finally." Spottedleaf heard Yellowfang mutter.
        Spottedleaf pressed her nose to the stone as darkness infolded her. She opened her eyes in her dream and saw a land of light with vibrant trees.
        "Starclan! I'm here!" Spottedleaf thought. "Yes, you are indeed here." Spottedleaf heard a voice.
        She spun around and saw an old gray speckled tom with blue eyes. "Who are you?" Spottedleaf asked.
        "I'm Goosefeather, the mentor of Featherwhisker. It's a pleasure to meet you." he mewed, dipping his head to her. "It would've been more of a pleasure if I wasn't talking to a killer and a lier!" he snapped suddenly.
         Spottedleaf bristled. "I-I can explain..." Spottedleaf started to mew.
         "You don't need to explain anything to me! You killed two Clanmates and lied about them being killed by Riverclan just because they didn't learn to like you!" Goosefeather growled.
          "Well, that is true, but Thistleclaw was evil! He was training in the Dark Forest!" Spottedleaf mewed.
          "Weren't you training with him?" Goosefeather growled.
           "Yes, but he manipulated me! As well as, Thrushpelt was going to be my mate! It's against the warrior code to be mates with a medicine cat! I had to stop him before I could break TWO rules!" Spottedleaf mewed.
          "I understand, but killing is against the warrior code. Wether you are a medicine cat or a warrior, it's against the code to kill. And when breaking the warrior code comes, a great punishment will follow." Goosefeather mewed.
          "Please! I swear I won't kill another cat again! I swear!" Spottedleaf begged.
          Goosefeather looked away. "You won't kill a cat. But you will do something worse than kill a cat. I have foreseen it." Goosefeather mewed.
          Spottedleaf stared at him. "What will I do that's worse than death?!" Spottedleaf demanded.
          "I will say nothing more." Goosefeather mewed.
          "Please tell me! Tell me so I can avoid that future!" Spottedleaf yowled.
          "Whatever destiny has been planned for you will hold. You can't change the future no matter what, nor can I tell you what will happen. That is my own personal business." Goosefeather hissed.
           "Please! I'm begging you!" Spottedleaf yowled.
           Goosefeather didn't answer and he started to pad away. "Please!" Spottedleaf begged as a huge flash came and woke up Spottedleaf.
           The other medicine cats woke up. Featherwhisker looked at her. "So, did you see Starclan? Was it great?" Featherwhisker purred.
           Spottedleaf nodded, too shocked to speak as she stood up and padded out of the cave.