Warriors: Into The Wild - Book One (Completed)

Chapter Thirteen

A broad-faced gray she-cat padded up to them. She looked as if she was going to scowl at them the whole night, but her voice said otherwise, "Welcome little one." She rasped, "I'm Yellowfang."

Waterpaw could tell that she was old just by her voice. Her name fit her, for her teeth was rather yellow. Waterpaw pulled away from the stench of the ShadowClan cat. She met her yellow gaze, which was filled with softness to her surprise. She dipped her head in respect, "I'm Waterpaw." She mewed in reply.

"I'm Barkface!"

It was the tom with the stumpy tail. He was a large cat, but he didn't show his largeness like Tigerclaw did. Mudfur swished his tail to and fro vigorously. "Shouldn't we get on with the Moonstone?" He asked, bitterly.

Spottedleaf nodded her head in agreement and began to lead the way deeper into the tunnel. When they reached the highstones, the walls glittered with even more starlight than any cat could imagine. Waterpaw gaped her mouth open in amazement, and just looked around at the crystal walls. 

The other medicine cats were used to the size and pretty view, and they went straight toward the crystal wall they were meant to touch noses with. Waterpaw watched them as their noses touched. She could almost feel the presence of StarClan among her as she watched in awe. Spottedleaf flicked her tail for Waterpaw to join in, and she trekked to where Spottedleaf was laying. She did as the others and she touched her nose to the crystals. It was cold. The wall stung her nose like a thousand bees, but she closed her eyes to soak up the stars racing inside her.

When she opened them, she was standing in the middle of a Gathering. Cats from all Clans were beside her. Their gaze up on one particular leader who was speaking. She searched the cats, trying to mingle, but nobody saw her. She felt like a ghost. She swished her tail in front a dark tabby tom, but he just kept his gaze on the leader. Waterpaw followed his gaze onto the leader. It was Brokenstar. She could hear him speaking, but his words were muffled. She pricked her ears and strained to listen, but all she could hear was a hostile mew that said, "Yellowfang!" Waterpaw jumped back, then as she did so, the cats disappeared. She was surrounded by trees and familiar scents of StarClan's hunting grounds. "Featherwhisker!" She called out. But the old tom didn't answer. Instead another mew sounded from behind her.

"You may not understand what I have showed you," began the voice.

Waterpaw whipped her head around in fear. It was a she-cat. She was pure white, with piercing yellow eyes. Her pelt glittered with stars. "W-who are you?" She interrupted the she-cat.

The old she-cat dipped her head, and closed her eyes as she spoke, "I am Cloudberry. I was a medicine cat in ThunderClan a long time ago."

Waterpaw was amazed. Another StarClan cat has spoken to her. She was so used to Featherwhisker she forgot that others existed. "You're right." She mewed. "I don't understand what you showed me."

Cloudberry padded up to her and rubbed her whiskers against her cheek, "I know." She purred, "You will someday, but as of now, try to understand that it is something we cannot change alone."

Waterpaw tilted her head to one side. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, ShadowClan is in grave danger and we can't do it alone. We need you to convince the ShadowClan warriors they are in danger."

Cloudberry began to vanish. Waterpaw's heart raced, and she jumped after her, but when she reached her, Cloudberry was gone. Waterpaw jolted awake. Her eyes staring into the crystals. Why did StarClan tell me of the treacheries of Brokenstar? Why didn't they tell Yellowfang? Or have they tried, and perhaps Yellowfang didn't want to listen? Many of these questions raced into her head at once. She felt bombarded with thoughts and wanted them all gone. She looked around at the other cats, and their eyes were wide with concern.

"I think it's safe to say that we all had the same dream?" Mewed Mudfur, meeting the other's eyes and shared the same concern. They all nodded their head in agreement and padded out of the Highstones and into the tunnels of Mothermouth. Not one cat spoke. Waterpaw guessed that maybe every cat did have the same dream as her. Perhaps Yellowfang does know she is in danger from Brokenstar. It felt like they were in there for only a few short minutes. StarClan time must run a lot slower than normal Clan life.

The tunnel of Mothermouth seemed to go on forever. Just when Waterpaw thought they were lost in the darkness, she saw a flicker of light a few fox-lengths away. She padded faster, being the first to exit into the dawn light. She squinted her eyes, trying to adjust to the light. The other cats behind her did the same. Spottedleaf closed her eyes, not wanting to see the bright light, but after a few seconds, she opened them again. She adjusted fairly quickly and led the way up the hill and into the grassy lands they knew and loved. Waterpaw wanted to run across the clearing, but she held in her excitement. She stopped to sniff the air. It smelled fresh, but a chill ran down her spine. Leaf-bare was definitely on its way. 

***

Spottedleaf and Waterpaw were getting close to their camp. Crossing the thunderpath wasn't too bad the second time. She was glad to be back home in camp though. Spottedleaf reached the medicine den first. Waterpaw padded after her. She wanted to talk about the dream everyone had, but she still wasn't sure if they all dreamt the same thing as her. So she thought about her choice of words before she spoke, "So, the dream we all had," She started, kneading the dirt gently, "seems to be a pretty bad thing." She looked up at Spottedleaf, curiously.

"Well of course it's a bad thing." She meowed softly, "Catmint everywhere is going to frost and we won't have any this leaf-bare."

So that's what they dreamt about? Waterpaw thought to herself. She couldn't hold in her shock when she spoke. "Catmint?" 

Spottedleaf paused in her pawsteps, "Is that not what you dreamt as well?" She asked, sitting down, facing Waterpaw.

Waterpaw looked down at her paws. "I believe... I dreamt something else." She murmured. 

Spottedleaf didn't seem to shocked when Waterpaw said that. "I guess that I should have guessed." She mewed. "I don't remember seeing you with us."

Waterpaw tilted her head. "You all saw each other?"

Spottedleaf nodded her head, wrapping her tail over her front paws. 

"Should we tell Bluestar?"

"No. This is something we must be prepared for, and not worry the Clans about." 

Waterpaw nodded her head in agreement. Two things now worried her. The fact that they have no catmint except a few leaves and Yellowfang being in danger. It can't just be up to her to save them. Waterpaw is just an apprentice. What can she do?