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nyan-1233 · 19 days

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Moon High: Chapter 21

Warriors came rushing to aid as they heard the cry of the ginger she-cat ring clear across the forest. Leafheart hunched over the mutilated body of her son, Flamepaw, and Moonpaw watched on helplessly. There was so much happening all at once that it was hard to concentrate.

Moonpaw blinked, seeing Thornberry and some of the other mentors gather to console the grieving she-cat. Then, in the next moment, when Moonpaw blinked again, Smokepaw was beside her. He appeared to be speaking, judging by the movement of his mouth, but no words could be heard. The only thing Moonpaw could hear was the rapid thumping of her heart and a ringing in her ears. She tried to force herself to pay attention. But it was difficult. She didn't feel like she was present at the moment. Her body didn't feel like her own.

Moonpaw stared with wide unfocused eyes at the smokey gray tom. He continued to try and communicate. Then Smokepaw's brows furrowed as he realized Moonpaw couldn't understand him. He turned, and Moonpaw blinked again.

The next thing she knew, she was being led through the woods. Beepaw walked on one side of her, just behind Smokepaw. She was saying something, but again, nothing seemed legible to Moonpaw.

Time flew away from her like a bird on a strong gale, because the next thing she knew, the group was entering Treeclan's camp. Mothsong and Berrypaw ran over to them, checking every cat over. They seemed so distant to Moonpaw, like they were walking just at the edge of her vision. Smokepaw gestured towards his littermate, and for the first time in a while, Moonpaw could partially make out what was being said.

"She's... ...shock," Mothsong noted, her words cutting in and out of Moonpaw's consciousness. Moonpaw could barely feel the brush of the medicine cat's tail against her shoulder as she was prompted to follow towards the healer's den. An orange blob lay near her feet as she passed. Yet her mind wouldn't allow her to focus well enough to see exactly what the shape was.

Moonpaw then found herself settling into a nest as the calico she-cat brought over some herbs. I'm not sick, Moonpaw protested internally, confusion clouding her mind. She wasn't the one who should be tended to right now. But Mothsong didn't seem to think so, judging by the look of concern on her face.

"...eat...." Moonpaw barely heard her say. And though she felt like taking the medicine was pointless, Moonpaw followed directions anyways. She swallowed bitter plants first--thyme and goatweed, Moonpaw remembered their names being. Next, a tiny seed rolled onto her tongue and slithered down her throat, just as a soothing scent entered into her nostrils. Chamomile? Moonpaw guessed as her head grew heavy. She saw Mothsong in front of her. The beautiful medicine cat signed the word "sleep" in the Silent Language. Then, as if on command, Moonpaw found herself being pulled into a deep, restless slumber.

An uncountable amount of time passed before Moonpaw stirred awake. Her head felt heavy and body felt numb as all of her consciousness returned to her at last. She could finally think and see clearly. The medicine Mothsong had given her worked wonders on her foggy mind. But now Moonpaw felt stiff as a log. Stretching, the silver and white she-cat moved to stand from her nest. But before she could, a rustling sounded from the entrance of the medicine den. Moonpaw curled back up into her sleeping spot, not wanting to be reprimanded for leaving it before she was given permission. Two cat-scents made their way to her nose, before she could see who was coming.

"I'm glad I could catch you," Moonpaw recognized the smell and mew of Mothsong.

The second scent belonged to Wolfheart. "I was already on my way here. I wanted to check on Moonpaw."

"You must be Starclan sent, then."

"What do you mean?"

The medicine cat ushered the gray and white tom deep into the den, past Moonpaw and closer to the medicine stores. She didn't speak a word, but motioned for the tom to make himself comfortable.

Wolfheart wrapped his tail around himself as he sat, his back facing Moonpaw.

"Has something happened?" Wolfheart spoke aloud the question his daughter had in mind. His voice was pleading, begging to know what knowledge Mothsong withheld. Moonpaw peered through half-squinted eyes, trying to gauge what was going on without being caught.

Mothsong sat next to the wall of her den, too distant to notice her patient had woken up. Her focus was rested on Wolfheart. A turbulent expression took over her features as she paused a moment or two to find the right things to say.

"Starclan sent me a dream early this morning. A prophesy they wish to be shared."

"A...prophesy?" Wolfheart sounded to be in disbelief. Moonpaw shared his sentiment. Prophecies were rare. It was even rarer for them to be shared with an ordinary cat. But if Mothsong was so insistent with telling Wolfheart about it, then he must be involved somehow.

Excitement began to bloom in Moonpaw's chest. Was Wolfheart a prophesy cat? That would mean he would be a hero, just like in the stories of the ancients Badgerface spoke of!

Mothsong lifted her chin, her eyes growing dim. When she parted her jaws to recite Starclan's words, she spoke in a voice that did not sound like her own. "A great threat lurks, brought forth by darkness and forged by wolf's strength. Only when the moon can face its fate will the night rise. Do whatever possible to keep its light alive."

The air grew thick with tension as silence settled in. A few heavy moments passed. Mothsong appeared to return to normal. Still, there was unease between both the adult cats.

Wolfheart swayed his tail thoughfully. "...What does it mean?"

Mothsong shook her head. "I do not know. But this is the message Starclan has asked me to share."

"And they wanted you to share it with me...? Why? Do you think...it has something to do with my daughter?" Her father's fur was bristling, as if he were afraid. The faint scent of fear creeped its way to Moonpaw's nose, confirming her suspicion. Was he scared that Starclan had wanted to share a message with him? Or was he more fretful of what the prophesy meant? Moonpaw, too, found herself wondering what their words foretold. It wasn't the prediction of grandeur and heroism she had hoped for her father. Instead it sounded to be a more illfated warning.

"It's a possibility. But there's a chance the message could be more metaphorical as well. All I know for certain, is that things will reveal themselves in their due time."

"That's true." Wolfheart sighed. "I just...hope this doesn't mean Moonpaw's in danger." Moonpaw saw Wolfheart's head shift. He must have been glancing at her over his shoulder. But she couldn't exactly see his eyes from the direction his body faced. There was a sag of guilt in the gray and white tom's posture, as if whatever was prophesied was his fault. Love and sympathy squeezed Moonpaw's heart. She wanted so badly to sit up and comfort her father, but she would be caught easedropping if she were to do so.

Mothsong rested her tail upon Wolfheart's shoulder reassuringly. "Whatever happens is in the paws of Starclan. But they have never steered us wrong before. So please, have faith in them, and whatever their plans may be."

I will keep faith in them, Moonpaw swore, peering over at her dad as she hoped he'd do the same.

The gray and white tom fell silent for a moment. "...I trust your wisdom, Mothsong. But please, if you learn anything new, let me know first."

"Of course." Mothsong blinked slowly.

As if summoned by the thought of him, Wolfheart turned around to face his kit. Moonpaw quickly shut her eyes, hoping her father didn't see her awake. Heartbeats later she felt his fur pressing to hers, and the rumble of a purr in his chest.

"Are you waking up already, chipmunk?" He checked. Moonpaw resisted the urge to flinch. Instead, she slowly fluttered open her eyes, looking up at the loving face of her kin.

"Papa...?" She feigned fatigue in her voice as she spoke. Wolfheart smiled down at her, running his tongue over her ears and cheeks.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

Tired, miserable, confused, were some of the words that came to mind. Instead of speaking Moonpaw shrugged, resting her head against her paws.

"I understand," Wolfheart hummed, nuzzling her. "You should rest more. Hopefully you'll feel like yourself after."

That sounds like a good idea, Moonpaw agreed and gave a yawn. Wolfheart rose from her side and walked out of the medicine den. Mothsong followed him out not long afterwards with flowers in her jaws.

Moonpaw rested for a while more, ruminating in thoughts of the present and the future. Most of all she thought about the prophesy and what it could mean. Eventually, her body grew tired of laying in its resting position. Her paws itched to move and go into the camp where the rest of the clan would be gathered. With a swish of her tail, Moonpaw stood and padded out of the medicine den.

In the center of camp, Flamepaw's body laid. Berrypaw had just finished rubbing herbs into his pelt. But he wasn't able to cover up the death scent in time. Due to the long journey home, and the state of Flamepaw's body, birds of prey managed to catch on to the passing of the young apprentice. When Moonpaw looked up she could see a hawk soaring by the dusk kissed clearing every now and then. But the threatening hoot of an owl kept the other predator away. Tonight's vigil would be extra guarded, Moonpaw bet. A shiver ran down her spine as she made her approach towards her deceased clanmate. Several cats were ahead of her, each taking a few moments to sit close to Flamepaw and share tongues with him one last time. Then they'd move aside, allowing other cats to come forward and do the same. Most cats remained in the open to sit vigil for the remainder of the night. While those too young, old, or not close enough to Flamepaw took their leave and headed to their dens to sleep.

As Moonpaw took her turn to sit vigil, she noticed Den Keepers scaling the trees in camp. With precision and care, they wrapped greenbrier vines around branches, high above where any cat would normally climb. They used moss and broad leaves to grip the thorny appendages tying them tightly before descending to the ground. The vines were a cautionary measure, to deter feathered fiends from landing within striking range of the camp. Good, Moonpaw sighed with a bit of relief, tucking her legs beneath her as she bowed her head near Flamepaw's and prayed.

After her prayer, Moonpaw lifted her muzzle and began to groom his cheek. His fur smelled strongly of lavender and death, but beneath--if one pressed their nose close--Flamepaw's natural scent could be caught. Moonpaw did her best to commit it to memory. Then she rose to her paws, and after one last press of their foreheads together, the silver molly moved away. As she did, Leafheart looked to her apprentice and nodded at her thankfully. Moonpaw returned the warrior's gesture with a respectful head dip. Then she moved to flank her mother and father, who watched on from the edge of camp. Moonpaw saw yerning crackling in Wolfheart's pale green eyes as she settled with him. His focus was fixed on Blazestar who sat solemnly beside his mate.

Brightsky nudged Wolfheart encouragly with her muzzle, prompting the gray and white warrior to go sit beside his old friend. Wolfheart seemed cautious as he moved to take the chance and padded over to Blazestar. He dipped his head deeply to the clan's leader before taking a seat beside him. Wolfheart looked between his clanmates as if waiting to be judged. But no one spoke out. Instead, Blazestar rested his tail on the younger tom's shoulders and blinked at him with gratitude. He seemed to be reassuring Wolfheart of something. Whatever that may be breathed a small puff of confidence into the gray and white tom. Moonpaw was happy that her father could be there to support Blazestar.

Beside her, Brightsky sniffled a little, her cheek fur dampened with tears. At the other side of her, Magpiepaw laid. Her muzzle was buried in their mother's fur for comfort. Moonpaw wanted to say some soothing words to them both, but for once she had nothing to mew about. Grief tightened in her chest. All Moonpaw wanted to do right now was enjoy the comfort of her living loved ones. Speaking of loved ones, Moonpaw's thoughts suddenly landed on Hazepaw. Would he be waiting for her tonight? Something had held him up from joining the Gathering yesterday. Surely he'd be wanting to see Moonpaw tonight instead. Should I really sneak away to go see Hazepaw, though? Moonpaw wondered as her gaze flitted between her clanmates. Seeing their miserable faces made Moonpaw feel even worse. No one would be of great comfort here. So, Moonpaw set her mind on going off into the woods alone. Backing away, Moonpaw turned tail and headed for the Entrance Tree. Smokepaw called out to her as she climbed, asking where she was going.

"I need some space..." Moonpaw confessed before taking off into the trees. Wind flowed through her long fur as she ran across the forest towards the familiar rocks of Rubble Path. The trees thinned the closer she drew to the territory's edge, until finally only grass and sand remained. Moonpaw parted her jaws to taste the air. She needed to know Hazepaw was waiting for her. But any scent of hin was stale. Maybe he's disguising it, Moonpaw hoped.

"Hazepaw?" She called out, stalking to the top of Rubble Path. She peered down, looking between the jagged stones for a familiar white pelt. Then her eyes began to comb the sand and brush nearby. "Hazepaaaaw!" She called again, her voice echoing with the rise in volume. But no reply ever came. Nor did anyone emerge from the dark surrounding her. Great disappointment weighed heavily upon Moonpaw, even worse than what she'd felt the night before.

"Hazepaw..." tears began to well in the silver and white molly's eyes. She sniffed, then hung her head. I need you... the words remained inside her mind as she sobbed softly to herself. Moonpaw let herself cry alone for a while, until the worse of her grief was finally released. Then after calming down, she turned, retreating back home to curl up in the paws of her family.

As the first rays of sunlight began to crawl across the forest, Treeclan gathered together as one within the clearing of camp. They huddled in a large circle around the deceased apprentice they mourned. Some cats parted to allow Badgerface, Daisypetal, and Elmfoot through. Mothsong and Berrypaw had just finished wrapping Flamepaw's torso with vines--to keep him in one piece during the move. The medicine cats dipped their heads in respect to the elders as they got out of their way. Guards came to surround the old warriors as they took their place around Flamepaw.

Then, Daisypetal lifted her muzzle and began to release a keening cry into the morning air. Blazestar joined her, with Leafheart and their kits joining two heartbeats after. Moonpaw heart ached as she listened to their cries. Then she brought up her nose and joined the rest of her clanmates in a mourning song. Flamepaw's spirit was being commended to Starclan; his soul likely accepted by this time after facing judgment in the Twilight Passage. Flamepaw was a good cat. Silverpelt will welcome him with open paws, Moonpaw assured herself as the clan finally finished singing. Then, the elders lifted Flamepaw's body. Flanked by the Guards, the old warriors marched the deceased tom towards the thorn barrier and out of Treeclan's camp one last time. The clan watched after them for a few extra moments before finally breaking apart. Some cats went about their duties for the day. Others headed to their dens for a nap. Moonpaw contemplated doing the same, the weight of all that happened still heavy upon her. But Moonpaw knew she'd have no luck sleeping. So, instead, she took herself to the nursery.

Brightsky trilled in surprise as she noticed her daughter following her tail. "Moonpaw? Do you need something?"

"I want to have a talk with the queens," Moonpaw explained earning a nod of understanding from her mother. Brightsky ushered the silver and white molly into the nursery with a whisk of her tail. Moonpaw ducked beneath the large tree roots as she padded down the slope into the den. Since light had barely managed to greet the world, there was no need to adjust to the darkness within.

Mapleshine and Silverhawk sat up in their nests, their attention focused on Moonpaw. Surely they knew she was here for a session with them. And the pair seemed ready to listen to all that needed to be said. Moonpaw sat in a spot between all the queen's nests. But she sat closest of all to her mom.

"Speak, child," Silverhawk prompted with a nod. Her gesture was welcoming and wise. "Get whatever you need off your chest."

Moonpaw took a deep breath, then spilled her guts about everything. About watching Flamepaw's hunt, and how he pushed himself to chase the squirrel to the Thunder Path. She described how she felt witnessing his death, and confessed just how close she'd been to being struck as well. And she spoke about her experience with shock. The only things Moonpaw omitted were the prophesy she'd overhead in Mothsong's den, and any talk of Hazepaw. Though Moonpaw desperately wanted to speak of how Hazepaw had failed her last night. But that would take admitting to sneaking off to see him. Moonpaw wasn't willing to divulge that secret.

After listening to the last of her vent, the queens finally took their turn to speak.

"Oh, love," Brightsky crooned, nuzzling her daughter's cheek. She moved forward, wrapping herself around her kit."You know what happened to Flamepaw wasn't your fault."

"I know...." Moonpaw sighed, leaning into her mother. "But I was there! I feel like I could have saved him...."

"From what it sounds like, you were barely off from becoming crowfood yourself," Silverhawk chimed in, rather crassly. She lifted a back paw to lick between her toes. "Another heartbeat more and you'd be right alongside him in the burial grounds. There was no saving Flamepaw."

"But maybe if he'd heard me calling out for him, he would have stopped?" Moonpaw rationalized.

"There's no use dwelling on the 'what if's,' and 'maybe's,' hon," the Den Mother countered softly. "What's done is done. No cat blames you for not being able to do more."

Mapleshine twitched her whiskers agreeingly. "Besides, you did do something. You went to get help! No cat would have found Flamepaw for quite some time if you hadn't been there to alert the clan of his accident."

But there was another cat around, Moonpaw remembered suddenly. Darkfire had been nearby the Thunder Path. Yet she'd done nothing to stop or save the young apprentice. But why? Moonpaw wondered. Had Darkfire not seen Flamepaw get hit? Moonpaw was unsure. But she didn't want to incriminate Darkfire by mentioning her presence. Even if sessions were meant to be kept confidential. It doesn't matter anyways, Moonpaw told herself. Maybe I'm just looking for someone else to blame.

"Thank you all for listening," Moonpaw mewed with a head dip. "I'm feeling a bit better now. I think...I think I'll go find something to do to keep my mind off of things."

"That sounds like a good idea," Mapleshine agreed. "When you leave, would you mind sending my kits into nursery? It's time they got some rest."

"Sure," Moonpaw agreed with a stretch as she got up. Once more she dipped her head in respect to the queens before making her way out of their den.

By the elder's tree, Moonpaw spotted Mapleshine's kits playing. They were with Sunpaw, who batted at Honeykit and Sleekkit, while Peonykit tried to nab his tail. He laughed, looking so care free. It was as if he hadn't just lost one of his brothers. Maybe Sunpaw was distracting himself with the joy of the kits. Maybe it was his way of coping. Moonpaw hated to ruin his fun. But Mapleshine had requested her kits to come home to her. So, Moonpaw made her way over to the group slowly, only speaking when she became noticed.

"It's Moonpaw!" Honeykit squealed with joy. They rushed over to the apprentice, stretching up to touch noses with her. "Hi!!"

"Hello." Moonpaw purred in greetings. Her gaze moved from the golden kit in front of her to the others. "Its time for you all to go to the nursery. Your mother is waiting."

"But I don't wanna sleep yet!" Sleekkit griped. "Nightpaw said when we're apprentices, we have to be ready early in the morning for the dawn patrol!"

"That's when you're apprentices though," Sunpaw chimed. "You have a few more moons until then. For now, you have to do what your mom tells you. Besides, you've been awake all night. You've gotta be tired by now, right?"

"No!" Sleekkit squeaked, just as a yawn bubbled from his chest. The black and white kit's pelt fluffed with embarrassment. Moonpaw and Sunpaw both chuckled with small mrrows.

"C'mon, let's walk them home," Moonpaw suggested, sweeping her tail around the kits. Sunpaw followed them, matching pace with Moonpaw.

"How are you feeling?" He checked. "I saw you go into the medicine den yesterday."

"I'm alright now. I was in shock, after being so close to the monster and seeing Flamepaw..." she trailed off.

Sunpaw nodded, sadness glowing in his eyes. "I'm relieved that you're ok, at least."

Moonpaw made a small noise, pressing her body against his. Sunpaw purred in response, leaning into her embrace.

"Why don't we go out hunting once the kits are in their den?" She suggested suddenly. "I think we could both benefit from time away from the clan. And it would take our minds off of things for a while."

Sunpaw thought for a few moments as they walked. "That sounds nice. I'd like to spend some time with you," he admitted. The ginger tom seemed to cheer up a little at the prospect of going out together. Moonpaw had to admit she felt excited, too. After saying farewell to Mapleshine's kits, the pair of apprentices took off for the Entrance Tree and out into the forest, where they spent the rest of the morning forgetting their sadness together.

#Moon moon moon #you have done it again #writen a chapter so well it made me sad that it ended #i do really enjoy you added that she went into shock #it feels so natural #i also feel very interested in the Prophecy that Mothsong tild Wolfheart about #it makes me wonder what it is about #is it about Snowfrost? is it about Hazepaw?#i know it tells about keeping her light and Hazepaw might not be the best influence #especially with how in the last chapter it made her scare her fighting opponent #i do also like how she refrences Darkfire being there or alteast being Flamepaws mentor and questioning them #I hope the worst for Darkfire rn #Flamepaw was just vibin doing his tasks #also Hazepaw not showing up was fun in a way! maybe i just like when characters have really sad chapters #but i do enjoy it in a way that i hurts my heart. she needed her friend and waited. but she only had her clan to lean on #it does make me happy that she does talk to the queens about her feelings #bc after seeing someone die before you my girl does need a bit of therapy #thanks again moom for the wonderful chapterssss #signs of the moon

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nyan-1233 · 19 days

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Moon High: Chapter 20

Dew dripped from the trees, sunshine reflecting beautifully within them. After a light drizzle in the early morning, the rest of the day promised warmth and light. Moonpaw shook out her pelt to clear it of moisture as she stood alongside several other apprentices.

Sunpaw and his littermates were to one side of Moonpaw. Beside them were Smokepaw, Magpiepaw, Tigerpaw and her siblings. On Moonpaw's opposite side were Blackpaw and Beepaw. They were all standing along the edge of Tree Dome, their mentors on the opposite side. Between the divided groups was Thornberry, pacing around the sandy clearing to give instructions.

"'Paws," he started, "the first things you will be tested on today are your fighting skills. Each of you will be put up against another of your peers, and judged by your mentors as you spar. Winning isn't necessary to pass this part of your assessment. Rather, a good show of what you have learned will determine if you are prepared to move onto the next level of training." The deputy's gaze swept over each young cat as he spoke, an air of authority radiating from his coat. "Moonpaw, you're up first. Beepaw will be your opponent." Thornberry flicked his ear, prompting the named apprentices forward. Moonpaw's heart began to pound in her chest as she stepped forward to meet with Beepaw. Excitement and apprehension began to swirl in the apprentice's belly, causing it to ache and already begin to distract her. I hope I will do well, she thought as she lifted her chin to size up her opponent. Beepaw gave her a surprised look, as if she'd never expected her to act that way.

It wasn't common for cats in Treeclan to size up others in battle, Moonpaw had almost forgotten. But she'd gotten used to the concept because of Hazepaw. It was something he'd told her that Oceanclan warriors did. He said it made a cat appear stronger and more intimidating to a foe, which could throw them off. Especially if the cat doing it wasn't as large or capable as their opponent might be. Moonpaw thought it could be interesting to try for herself, especially since she still wasn't confident in her fighting skills. But it seemed that was the wrong move to make.

Flinching, Moonpaw gave her head a quick dip in apology before moving into a more traditional fighting stance. Beepaw did the same, charging at the other apprentice when Thornberry gave the signal to start. The silver and black tabby was fast, too fast to evade. Moonpaw decided to take the she-cat head on as she came within striking distance.

Moonpaw threw a front paw blow, slapping Beepaw across the jaw. Beepaw recoiled at the hit then threw one of her own, knocking the other apprentice over with her strength. Moonpaw yelped in surprise as the older molly came upon her, trying to force her onto her back. But Moonpaw resisted, kicking out her back legs to trip up Beepaw. With a stumble, the tabby apprentice moved away just enough for Moonpaw to rise. Moonpaw's confidence was growing as the battle waged on, though she could feel the mentors' judgment upon her. With all the strength she could muster, the silver and white molly retaliated and pressed her own weight against the older apprentice. She wrapped her forepaws around her neck and grabbed for Beepaw's scruff; anything to incapacitate her and force her into surrender. Beepaw struggled beneath her denmate and soon fell to the floor, particles of sand and dust clouding around them. Moonpaw continued to push the silver tabby she-cat down, pretending to give her an injuring bite to the back of her neck. Beepaw let out a hiss, and finally went limp beneath her opponent. Moonpaw held her there for a few heartbeats more, until Thornberry called an end to the spar.

"Excellent work, both of you," he praised, prompting Moonpaw to yield her grip and step back. Beepaw rose to her paws with a full body shake. She gave Moonpaw a friendly smile, clearly impressed by the other molly's skills. Moonpaw felt warmth pool in her chest. She was glad to have beaten the older she-cat. More importantly, though, she was glad Beepaw was such a good sport about it.

After dipping their heads respectfully to one another, the two she-cats rejoined their peers at the edge of the tree-crowded hollow. Another pair of apprentices stepped forward; this time Foxpaw and Tinypaw. They both had an air of confidence about them, though Foxpaw seemed more assured of victory than Tinypaw did. Still, the undersized apprentice had determination blazing in her amber eyes, promising a good fight.

Upon Thornberry's signal, the apprentices met with a wave of paws. Tinypaw was the first to strike, at first crouching to the floor before springing up at Foxpaw from beneath his chin. Foxpaw retaliated by throwing blows at Tinypaw's head and shoulders; strikes that would be painful, if the two were to fight with unsheathed claws. Tinypaw however seemed undeterred by the ginger tom's efforts of attack, using her forepaws to wrap around his neck. She tried with all her might to flip the tom over, but to no avail. Instead, Foxpaw flipped her, after grabbing her by the scruff.

Tinypaw was forced to lay belly up. But she smirked, as if this had been part of her plan all along. When Foxpaw moved to feign scratches to her delicate area, Tinypaw countered by swinging all four paws at him. Her hindpaws struck Foxpaw along his throat, while the front pretended to scratch his eyes and nose. Foxpaw backed away with a fake squeak of pain, shaking out his pelt before glaring at his opponent. Tinypaw managed to scramble back onto her feet, arching her back to look more menacing. After a couple heartbeats of posturing, the apprentices met again. Foxpaw made a move to strike, which Tinypaw easily evaded. She ran around the tom's side, aiming to get behind him. Foxpaw whipped around to stop her, swiping again. Tinypaw barely dodged the second blow, rounding the ginger tom again. This happened several more times, until it seemed that Foxpaw was growing tired. She's trying to use her size and speed to her advantage, Moonpaw realized.

Foxpaw was panting at this point, his eyes intensely trained on his opponent. When Tinypaw made her move to go around him once more, Foxpaw had a hard time keeping up. Tinypaw finally succeeded with her plan of jumping on his back from behind. She grabbed his scruffed, trying to force the other apprentice to the floor. She was doing so good! Moonpaw griped internally. Tinypaw knows she doesn't have the weight necessary to push him down.

Then, Foxpaw bucked his hindquarters, throwing Tinypaw off himself unceremoniously. With a shriek, Tinypaw came falling towards the forest floor. But it was calculated, as she kicked out her hindlegs and spun once she landed in front of Foxpaw. Foxpaw's feet were stolen out from under him, forcing the tom to crash to the ground. Again, Tinypaw grabbed his scruff, shoving a paw onto his face. Then, Thornberry called the match.

"Great work. Your choice of moves were unique to say the least. But nonetheless you both did well," the deputy complimented, sending the apprentices back to their ranks.

The rest of the battles went similarly. Flamepaw and Blackpaw were called forward next. They were almost evenly matched, and the spar went on longer than any cat expected. Both apprentices' techniques were aggressive, and Flamepaw accidentally bit his opponent's ear in the heat of their brawl. Though he drew blood, the injury was luckily minor. Still, that didn't stop Thornberry and Thrushmask from scolding the tom for his error. Thornberry decided to call the match after that and sent the toms to stand with their peers again.

Then it was Sunpaw and Magpiepaw's turn. Though he had an extra moon of training over her, Sunpaw was no match for Moonpaw's sister. She won pretty quickly, as Sunpaw had stumbled his way through the fight. He looked a little embarrassed once they were sent back to the sidelines. Moonpaw purred at him, giving her friend a warm smile.

Adderpaw fought against Tigerpaw. The two seemed to have the most fun during their mock battle, throwing witty banter between them as they threw paws and jumped at one another. In the end, Tigerpaw ended up being the winner, which she happily and loudly gloated about before being silenced and sent to sit beside Moonpaw. Moonpaw shouldered her best friend playfully as Tigerpaw giggled at her with glee.

Lastly, Deerpaw was called forward. He was a Code Keeper apprentice, and not meant to know how to fight. But he was expected to be able to defend himself. So, Thornberry called Smokepaw up to face him. The fight was pretty one sided the whole time. Though he wanted to show off his skills, Smokepaw was delicate with Deerpaw. He kept him on the defensive, but left openings for Deerpaw to strike if he wanted. The brown tabby's timid nature got the better of himself though, which gave Smokepaw a clear advantage. He managed to win, but not without feeling some guilt for it. Moonpaw tilted her head for him sympathetically, and Smokepaw gave her a small, regret filled smile in return.

"That brings the end of the battle portion of your assessment," Thornberry decided. "Your next task is to hunt. Bring home as much prey as you can. All will be judged on their technique, form, and speed, rather than amount caught. But- yes, Tigerpaw- you may be given extra points depending on the type of prey you catch. You have until sundown to complete this assignment." Once again Thornberry looked at each apprentice in turn. Blinking slowly, he added; "May the branches hold your weight."

Then, with a flick of his stubby tail, Treeclan's deputy dismissed the group. Adderpaw was the first to take off into the woods, Magpiepaw not far behind. One by one, each apprentice picked their own direction to stalk in. Moonpaw decided to turn around and head west. She'd hunt as far away from the Tree Dome and Treeclan's camp as possible, to ensure she'd find plentiful amounts of prey.

At this time of day, the forest was alive with activity. Birds chittered as they flew from branch to branch, singing their mating songs. The trees slowly blossomed as the warmth of the Newleaf sun shined upon them. Steam rose from the grass underpaw as dew evaporated with the growing heat. Mushrooms overtook fallen logs. Spiderwebs spread like gray film over ferns, and insects buzzed around fresh plant growths. Most importantly the sounds of tiny creatures skittering through the undergrowth made their presence known. Moonpaw opened her mouth to taste the air and see what was available. There was a quail digging about, around two fox-lengths away. A shrew crawled out from it's burrow a tail-length and a half in the opposite direction. But the scent of cat overwhelmed the delectable smell of prey closeby. One of Treeclan's other apprentices was hunting here. I'll have a hard time catching anything with competition around, Moonpaw decided, continuing westward until she could no longer scent any clanmates around.

Allowing the sounds and vibrations of the forest to guide her, the silver and white apprentice closed her eyes; getting a good feeling of the area surrounding her. A twig suddenly snapped nearby, grabbing Moonpaw's attention. An inexperienced young rabbit was making its way through the bushes. Its tiny twitchy nose snuffled through some fallen flower petals, detecting fresh sprigs of grass hidden beneath. It munched on its meal, unbothered, and most importantly unaware of the predator that lurked close by. Moonpaw quickly dropped into a crouch, prowling through the undergrowth with as little noise as possible. Her pelt briefly brushed along some shrubs, drawing the rabbit's attention. It sat upright, staring straight at Moonpaw. But the silver and white molly was too well hidden for its weak eyes to detect. So after another tense heartbeat, the rabbit relaxed and returned to its grazing. Moonpaw let out a silent sigh, then pressed on to close the gap between herself and her prey. When she was only a tail-length away, Moonpaw shot out of the undergrowth and lauched right onto the rabbit. She felt the lilthe creature gasp beneath her as her teeth fastened to the back of its neck. Before it could cry out or feel any suffering, Moonpaw snapped its spinal cord, ending its life. The rabbit went limp in her jaws, and Moonpaw silently thanked Starclan for its life.

After hiding it beneath a thick clump of sticks and mulch, Moonpaw went on to catch a mouse and a pigeon to add to her fresh-kill pile. But the sounds of prey died away in her area after the fact, prompting her to press forward in her search for food. As she stalked along, Moonpaw swore she saw a pair of intense amber eyes observing her through the trees.

Further ahead, a sharp acidic tang passed through Moonpaw's scent glands, nearly causing her to gag. She recognized the smell from one of her first tours of Treeclan's territory. It was the Thunder Path. She must not be to far from it, she figured. Prey would become more scarce the closer she drew. So Moonpaw decided to turn around and hunt elsewhere. But before she left, she spotted Flamepaw nearby, tracking a very fat squirrel. His form was flawless, and he moved as silent as a owl as he stalked. He'll catch the squirrel for sure! Moonpaw bet, tucking herself behind a mulberry bush to watch him make the catch. As Flamepaw readied himself to pounce, a hefty gust of wind kicked up, blowing downwind of him. The fuzzy creature sat up as it caught the scent of cat on the breeze. Its pupils grew wide and it scampered off without a moment of hesitation. Tough luck! Moonpaw pouted.

Flamepaw stood upright as his prey got away, chattering his teeth. His tail lashed with frustration, too. Moonpaw was just about to turn around to allow him to go back to hunting, when she heard a cat hiss out; "What are you doing!?"

Moonpaw jolted, crouching further behind her bush. The cat meowed again, only this time Moonpaw was sure they were addressing Flamepaw. She couldn't see who it was though, nor could she recognize their voice from this distance. The wind was blowing opposite of Moonpaw's direction, so she couldn't scent them either.

"Do you want to fail your assessment?" The cat threatened. Flamepaw shook his head. "Then go after it!"

"But-" Flamepaw whipped his head from the cat, towards his prey's direction, and back.

"Go now!" The cat yowled, scaring the squirrel into running faster. Flamepaw groaned and sprinted away from the unidentified feline, hurrying after the squirrel as fast as his legs could carry him. Moonpaw decided to follow from a safe distance, interested in seeing if Flamepaw could catch his prey before it was too far from reach.

The scent of the Thunder Path grew stronger as Moonpaw made her way along, until the black stone river came into view at the bottom of the hill. The squirrel was headed right for it. And so was Flamepaw. Worry began to creep its way into Moonpaw's belly. But she pushed it back, assuring herself that Flamepaw wouldn't be stupid enough to try and pursue the creature once it touched the monster path. But to her dismay, Flamepaw didn't seem to be slowing down. Moonpaw's heart clenched. She pushed her paws to move faster, pelting her way towards her denmate to stop him before it was too late.

The squirrel soon made it to the edge of the Thunder Path, and paused to look over its shoulder. Spotting Flamepaw, the lengthy rodent took the risk and scampered across. Moonpaw was certain this was where Flamepaw was stop. But he didn't. Her heart began to pound faster as she watched the ginger tom race after the squirrel, his claws nearly scraping its tail. A rumbling sound was rounding the nearby corner; a warning of danger approaching.

"Flamepaw!" Moonpaw yowled as she drew close to the Thunder Path's edge. But her cry was left unheard.

As her pawpads made contact with the unnaturally warm stone, Flamepaw had managed to snatch up the squirrel. Moonpaw wanted so desperately to celebrate her clanmate's triumph at that moment; but she couldn't. A monster had come roaring along the path, speeding past Moonpaw like a spark of lightning. It'd missed her by a whisker-length, striking Flamepaw instead. Red and gray flashed across Moonpaw's vision; her fur swept aside with the rush of wind and smoke the monster left behind in its wake. Moonpaw shut her eyes and coughed, just as the blood curdling cry of her clanmate ran out. Then, just as quickly, everything fell into silence.

Shaking, Moonpaw spared herself of the sight she knew she was about to see for a moment more. She took a few pawsteps back. Then, bravely, she peeked open her eyes.

Flamepaw had been thrown across to the other bank of the Thunder Path, his blood steaked vibrantly across it.

Moonpaw gasped. She backed up to the safety of the forest's edge in her panic. Then, she hurried to check on her clanmate before she had time to stop herself. He could still be alive, some optimistic part of her mind yowled.

Moonpaw climbed up a tree near the Thunder Path. She balanced her way to the edge of one branch, then bravely leaped across to another. The second branch bounced as it took on her weight, steadying after a few heartbeats. Moonpaw sucked in a breath as she crawled across it over towards the other side of the path.

"Flamepaw! Flamepaw, can you hear me?" She cried out again, trying to gauge the tom's level of consciousness. But her call was never answered. Moonpaw climbed down from the second tree to inspect her clanmate. But as soon as she touched down onto the grass, she wished she hadn't. From the other side, all Moonpaw had been able to see was a large river of blood, and Flamepaw's back. But from this angle she got to see all of Flamepaw.

She first caught his expression. His eyes were as wide as a full moon, and jaws gaped at an awkward angle. The squirrel lay only a nose's length from his open mouth.

Flamepaw's entrails were the next thing to catch Moonpaw's attention. They were completely exposed, leaking partially on the grass, but mostly on the stone. His abdomen was caved in from the weight of the monster running over him. His smell had almost instantly become pungent as it mixed with the odor of the Thunder Path itself.

Finally, Moonpaw noticed the blood and body matter. It was everywhere; splattered all over the ground, seeping into the grass, and now it was all over her paws. She'd been too flabbergasted by what happened to realize she'd been stepping in it. But once she did, Moonpaw jumped back, shaking her paws as if she'd just gotten it out of the creek. A brief moment of panic washed over her, before another bout of determination took its place. She had to get help. There was no time to stand around and cry.

With body quaking, Moonpaw turned and went back the way she came, clambering up one tree, crossing into another, and coming down on the other side. When she got there she spotted Darkfire standing nearby, staring at Flamepaw. Her eyes were wide, but nothing else gave away the emotions she might be feeling at that moment. Then, the tortoiseshell warrior looked to Moonpaw.

"Call out for help," she commanded before turning away. Moonpaw hoped she was going to get Mothsong, or Blazestar. But she didn't have any time to make sure. Instead she ran through the forest, yowling out to grab the attention of any other clanmates she could.

Leafheart was the first to emerge from the woods, worry etching her every feature. Moonpaw had hoped her mentor would not be the cat to answer her cries. Then Thornberry came along, followed by Blackpaw and Smokepaw. Each cat looked to Moonpaw for answers. The only thing she could do at that moment was look at Leafheart and mewl;

"Fl..Flamepaw...."

That's all Leafheart needed to hear. Between the haunted look of her apprentice, the scent of blood, and the name of her son, the ginger tabby she-cat was eager to follow. She wanted to see what had become of Flamepaw. Moonpaw led her clanmates to him, standing back a bear-length from the edge of the Thunder Path. The thought of another monster rolling past her like the previous one gave her chills. Moonpaw would be certain never to step foot on the black stone ever again.

"No..." she heard Leafheart whisper, as Thornberry made the climb to check on the orange tom. Smokepaw followed him, while Blackpaw remained pressed to Leafheart's side. Moonpaw moved to flank her other side as Thornberry made it to Flamepaw. His fluffy brownish-black pelt bushed with alarm when he saw the state the apprentice was in. Smokepaw gagged at the sight, turning to vomit into the grass. Then Leafheart began to sob, relying on the apprentices beside her to keep her upright.

"Flamepaw!" She cried out, "Starclan, no, not my son!"

#NO IM LATE #literally saw this posted while at the club i will read it out loud next time for my friends #ALSO OMG FLAMEPAW????#no like im sobbing mf was literally forced to run after it #Moonpaw i pray to you get that cat in trouble #He was just a little guy #also also also #i think i have said this before but i LOVE how you describe the fighting and hunting #i love visualising everything in my mind so i can have funny animtions while i read your stories #super well done!#it's like a treat bc now i can read the next chapter right away #YIPPIE #signs of the moon

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