Waging War Book 3: Blood Red Moon {COMPLETE}

Chapter 19

Owlpaw was surrounded by pure darkness, and she couldn't feel anything around her. Almost as if she had been suspended in water, but her pelt felt dry. Last she remembered she had been walking behind Blossompaw, surrounded by the harsh cold winds of leaf-bare. However now she felt warm, she felt...safe. What happened to me? Owlpaw wondered and attempted to move, but to no avail. She felt as if she had been separated from her physical body. She tried to twitch her paw or tail but was completely unable to.

She struggled to remember what happened, but her mind felt foggy and slow. She briefly recalled falling down into the snow and struggling to breath. Oh right. She thought. I'm sick. She had ignored Pebblestep's order to take herbs and her sickness had gotten worse. I should've listened. She told herself. What has happened to me now? She felt as if she had been here before, but she couldn't remember where.

"It's nice to see you again, Owlpaw." A familiar voice filled her mind ,and without realizing it, Owlpaw opened her eyes. She was no longer drifting through empty space, she felt herself sitting on soft grass and she was sitting in an open filed. It was nighttime, but the forest was illuminated by incredibly bright stars and a full moon shining bright above.

She looked directly in front of her and saw the star-covered pelt of Mosscloud forming in front of her. "You've experienced this before, huh, Owlpaw?"

She suddenly remembered what Mosscloud meant. "The river when we were traveling to the mountains. When Mountainstar saved me."

"And when you were born." Mosscloud added, slowly padding over to Owlpaw and sitting across from her.

"Am I dying? Or am I already dead?" Owlpaw ducked her head, she hadn't taken the herbs like Pebblestep had told her to, but she didn't think she was instantly that sick.

Mosscloud shook her head. "No, you're not dead." She assured her. "But you are quite sick, without herbs you surely would die." Owlpaw's heart twisted slightly and she dropped her head. "But I figured while Pebblestep and Honeyfrost care for you, I could take this time to talk to you." Owlpaw lifted her head slightly. "Why didn't you take the herbs like Pebblestep told you to?"

"Because we need the important herbs for others who might get sick." Owlpaw replied, trying to make Mosscloud understand her reasoning. "They shouldn't be wasted on me."

Mosscloud's expression was unshifting but her eyes gave Owlpaw a curious look. "Would they be wasted of Honeyfrost or Pebblestep took them?"

"Of course not." Owlpaw responded without thinking, but quickly realized the point that Mosscloud was trying to make.

"Then why would they be wasted on you?" Mosscloud tilted her head. "You are a SunClan cat who is currently sick, why save the herbs for cats who aren't even sick yet. You have just as much of a right to herbs as every other SunClan warrior does, and now you've gone and made your entire family worry."

Owlpaw lowered her head, feeling guilt creep into her heart. "I never wanted to make anyone worry, I just wanted to prove that I was no loner the same sickly kit that I used to be."

"They know that already." Mosscloud replied. "Pebbestep told you take herbs not because she thinks you're some weak helpless kit, but because she cares about you and wants you to stay strong. While you are not as weak as you used to be you have to understand that you are also not as strong and healthy as the average warrior. There is nothing wrong with that. You would never consider Pebblestep less than because she has no sense of smell, or that she's blind in one eye, nor would you ever look down on Squirreltail for being completely blind."

"Of course not." Owlpaw sighed. "I just..." She stared at her paws, watching the gentle breeze carefully rustle the grass. "I just don't want to be a burden on this Clan. Ever since I became a medicine cat I've been happier but I still feel like I'm in the way. Like I'm constantly in the way, tripping over my own paws. I thought I would do so much better as a medicine cat than as a warrior apprentice, but I still feel...out of place."