WARRIORS: Cruel season #1 Rises the Moon

Chapter twenty three

"What?" Bumblepaw looked to the medicine apprentice who had just spoken. "Yeah! Mousetail never told you?" Dawnpaw looked suprised, but also looked like he was about to cackle at the fact Bumblepaw was never told. "No? What was she supposed to tell me?" Bumblepaw asked. "When you were born she had a prophecy... I belive it was something like- Through the bloodhed of war, the sun the moon and the eclipse will come together as three cats and banish all evil lurking in the territories." Dawnpaw said before speaking again. 

"You were born on the darkest and coldest night of the entire year, the night of the winter solstice. You are the moon. I was born on the summer solstice, the warmest day of the year, but i was in the comfort of my housefolks nest." Dawnpaw said, laying down into a loaf. "So who are you suggesting the eclipse is? " Bumblepaw asked, oblivious of the message. "Well, the very cat who sparked this talk. Crescentpaw, they were born on a solar eclipse, even though their name means moon, they were meant to be named Eclipsepaw." Dawnpaw continued. Bumblepaw looked down at his paws again. "So its a good thing i like Crescentpaw?" Dawnpaw looked a bit questioning, in his opinion, no. But he nodded.

Bumblepaws face lit up, smile now wide. "Really?" He asked, almost face to face with the other. Dawnpaw sighed. "Sure." He forced a smile, knowing it would help him reunite the clans for the prophecy but it hurt knowing Bumblepaw would stray fruther from their friendship. Bumblepaw got up, gaze placed on the other. He walked forwards, attempting to do the closest thing to a hug he could possibly do. "Thank you, I will strive to be the greatest prophecy cat!" Bumblepaw skipped out of the den, leaving Dawnpaw with his own thoughts.

The sun beamed onto the camp, but it was no longer as hot as Green-leaf, leaf-fall was around the corner now. Bumblepaw sat down, trying to ignore the slight chill in the air. Instead of sitting around all day, bumblepaw got up and grabbed a root pouch, swinging it over his head. He was going to collect berries in prepare for Leaf-bare. Foxpaw skipped towards him "Can i help? I have nothing to do tonight!" He asked, looking up at the other apprentice. "Sure, grab a pouch because we're looking for berries."

Foxpaw and Bumblepaw padded out of camp, Bumblepaw couldnt help but notice that leaves were beginning to fall. "Leaf-fall is coming, thats my favourite season! Even though i have only been through it once when i was a kit." Bumblepaw said, looking at the other apprentice. Foxpaw was coming of age, he was almost at his full size, But bumblepaw was still pretty small. "I havent seen leaf-fall before, i was just born in leaf-bare Bumblepaw." Foxpaw trotted beside him. "Look, i see some blue-berries!" Foxpaw darted to a little bush filled with little blue berries. Bumblepaw padded to him, gathering the berries with him.

"Do you think leaf-bare will be hard?" Foxpaw looked at Bumblepaw, now putting the berries in his pouch. "Well, i dont think the lake will freeze, the tides in the center of it are too strong to have it freeze over. We can catch the fish in the river." Bumblepaw replied, putting the berries in his bag. "You're starting to sound like a real warrior! Arent you going to have your warrior ceremony soon?" Foxpaw and Bumblepaw trotted away from where they stood picking berries. "Yeah... Yeah! Yeah i am! By the end of this moon perhaps." He said.

For what felt like seconds, they were done, pouches filled with different berries of different colors, types and tastes. The soft patter of rain hit the long brown pelt of Bumblepaw, foxpaws short pelt remained dry. Dawnpaw greeted them at the entrance, fur sopping wet from the rain. "Hey big men!" Dawnpaw chirped, boucing. "Men?" Foxpaw tilted his head, confused about the new word. "Yeah! Men is what my old house-folks called two-leg toms." Dawnpaw replied, urging them to come into camp where is was less wet. "Oh, cool." Bumblepaw said bluntly, padding into camp.

Foxpaw and Bumblepaw dropped their berries into a small mossy spot in the fresh-kill-pile, dawnpaw watching them. Foxpaw purred a goodbye and padded into the covered moss bedded area and laid down, speaking to a few warriors. Bumblepaw turned to look at Dawnpaw, the golden tom smiling, suddenly a dark brown tom appeared behind him, Sootstar. "Hey guys." the tom said, fur soaking wet. "Oh hi Sootstar!" Bumblepaw chirped. "Come with me, i have some exciting news for you!" Sootstar beckoned him forwards, into his den. Bumblepaw followed him as he padded into the small, but rather spacey den.

"So whats up?" Bumblepaw shook the water off his pelt, almost splashing Sootstar. "You're going to have your warrior ceremony soon, and before that i need you to know something." Sootstar sat down, shaking off his pelt until it was dry. Bumblepaw tilted his head, holding his gaze. "You, Bumblepaw. You will become the greater light of the moon that shall shine onto the territories, bringing a new era to the clans. You, Bumblepaw. You are the moon, and you are the destined leader of astroidclan. And you, you will become Bumblestar, the greatest leader in the valley." Sootstar loomed over the apprentice, who had a look of wonder. 

"Excuse me?" Bumblepaw looked up questioningly. "Starclan has spoken about your path in this life, after me, you will be the next leader." Sootstar said again, in a more simpler way. "What about Rustedclaws? Is he going to be okay?" Bumblepaw asked, worried about the deputy. Silence filled the den. "Rustedclaws will refuse the role, he will never be a fit deputy for this clan, his loyalties do not belong here, he will go to moonclan to fufil his destiny." Sootstar said, trying to calm his worries. Bumblepaw was thoughtful, looking at his paws. 

"So, after i become a warrior.. Ill become leader? Dont I need an apprentice?" Bumblepaw asked.  "You will have one, the story of this clan is great, even in the darkest hour. You will train those untrained, and you will help them fight through a great battle none have seen before. And when the clan is left leaderless, you will be the light shining through the darkness and you will serve your clan with great power." Sootstar combed through the small brown toms long fur, claws glazing his head.

 "Dawnpaw told me about a prophecy at dawn, about the sun, the moon and the eclipse. He said that he was the sun, i was the moon and.." he paused, trying to find a way to tell him that a cat from a different clan would be apart of his story. "And the eclipse is Crescentpaw." Bumblepaa blurted, unsure if it was normal or not. "The apprentice from Sunclan, i knew they were destined to be with you, forever and always." Sootstar lowered his head onto his. "You knew? And you're fine with it?" Bumblepaw was confused, this was against Starclans law. 

"Im am. When i was a young warrior, i met a cat named salmonwhispers. You should keep this a secret for now but.. Foxpaw is half clan, salmonwhispers was from Sunclan." Sootstar laughed, assuring him it was alright. "Starclan will never doom you to betrayal, they know what they are doing and giving you Crescentpaw will not destroy you. Crescentpaw will join you in your journey, aswell as sun and the stars." sootstar spoke, smiling. Bumblepaw wasnt sure how to react to the information he had been given today. "So im special? Will my warrior ceremony still be normal?" Bumblepaw asked, slightly hunched over in worry. "Yes. you will become a warrior as any other cat had."