Sparks of a Fire

Chapter 32

Blueclaw was busy preparing traveling herbs for their journey to the Moontree. "Alright, now I just need some daisies..."

"Spottedpaw! Can you bring me some daisies?"

The dark-furred she-cat nodded and rushed into the corner of the medicine den. Tawnystripe walked in. Blueclaw looked up from her herbs and blinked. "Hello Tawnystripe, what can I do for you?" Tawnystripe rolled her eyes. "You don't need to act neutral around me, Blueclaw. I just wanted to know why you're leaving so early?"

"The Moontree is all the way up from MistClan territory. It's pretty far."

"MistClan territory? Wow, you're brave!"

"How so? Oh, thank you, Spottedpaw." Blueclaw added as her apprentice dropped some daisies at her paws.

"Well, MistClan is very protective with their borders these days. They're craving for a fight."

Blueclaw shrugged. "So? They can't stop me. It's against the warrior code to attack a medicine cat."

Tawnystripe sighed in defeat. "True."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Cause I've got a feeling that something bad will happen."

Blueclaw touched her nose to her friend. "Nothing bad will happen. I'll be extra cautious."

•••

Spottedpaw's paws ached as she and Blueclaw made there way to the Moontree to meet the other medicine cats. They've been walking for a long period of time and she wasn't exactly sure how far they were going to go.

The night sky was filled with countless stars without a single cloud in sight. The full moon hung high, shining its light on them, making Blueclaw's fur gleam a beautiful silver in the the light.

"Ah, I see you've finally decided to show up Blueclaw, and good to see you as well young Spottedpaw," meowed a yellow she-cat with bright amber eyes that shined like copper in the light of the moon.

Spottedpaw blushed and ducked her head, shuffling her paws together nervously as she thanked the cat who had greeted her. "Oh, I uh, um, t-thank you, Yarrowleaf."

Yarrowleaf purred and gently nudged the small cat beside her. "Say hello to Spottedpaw, Polarpaw," the small apprentice gave Spottedpaw a bright smile and a quiet "hi" in response.

"Wow! Is Spottedpaw really going to get her full medicine cat name?" meowed Cloverpaw, Ghostwish's apprentice. Blueclaw nodded and smiled down at her apprentice.

"Yes, yes she is, Cloverpaw," the blue-gray she-cat meowed in a friendly tone. "Now Spottedpaw," Blueclaw began, "are you ready to become a medicine cat?" Spottedpaw nodded with a bright smile on her face.

Blueclaw smiled and began to speak, her voice sounding almost melodic in it's serenity and calmness.

"I, Blueclaw, medicine cat of StormClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help she will serve her Clan for many moons. Spottedpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Spottedpaw, from this moment onward you will be known as Spottedsong. StarClan honors your intelligence and spirit, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of StormClan."

And with those final words, Blueclaw rested her muzzle on Spottedsong's head, who then licked Blueclaw's shoulder.

"Spottedsong! Spottedsong! Spottedsong!" the other medicine cats cheered her new name and Spottedsong felt pride build inside her as she touched her nose to the Moontree.

Spottedsong's eyes gleem with pride as she turned toward Blueclaw with a thankful glance. "Thank you, Blueclaw, I couldn't have done this without you."

Blueclaw smiled and gave Spottedsong a nod of satisfaction.

"It wasn't just me," the blue-gray she-cat gave an amused purr, "It was your quick knowledge on herbs and treatments that made me make the decision to give you your full medicine cat name tonight."

Spottedsong nodded but said nothing. It was all the confirmation that Blueclaw needed, her apprentice was happy and she seemed to really like her new name.

"Congratulations Spottedsong, it's nice to meet another medicine cat."

Spottedsong blinked and turned her head to see a beautiful cinnamon tabby with minty-green eyes smiling warmly at her.

"Oh, and I'm Flowingstream by the way. Nice to meet you."

The dark-furred she-cat smiled and meowed a greeting to the other medicine cat, purring softly and curling her black-tipped, gold-and-brown-striped tabby tail neatly under her snow-white paws.

Spottedsong had never felt so alive. The thoughts of treating her fellow warriors felt just right. When the cheering ended, the other medicine cats pressed their noses to the brown tree, and seemed to fall asleep. Spottedsong caught on what she was supposed to do, laying down and pressing her nose against the rough bark.

As darkness swirled around her, Spottedsong sensed that she was standing again. Slowly opening her eyes, she almost gaped from the sight. It was an empty clearing, similar to StormClan, but not quite. She looked around for Blueclaw or the other medicine cats, but they were gone. Looking down at her paws, she nearly saw small stars glowing around them.

In a whirlwind of colors, voices, and scents, she was there. In StarClan's hunting grounds, that is. It was divided into sections. A snowy, cold ocean place for the IceClan cats, a misty forest for the MistClan cats, a rocky moor and small pine forest for the StormClan cats, and a huge oak woodsy area for BreezeClan cats. But that wasn't all. There was a huge Twolegplace for kittypets and strays, and a field and forest that seemed to go on forever for rogues and loners. The Dark Forest lay beyond that field, for the most evil of cats.

As she was looking around the starry night sky on the top of the clouds, she almost bumped into an elegant jet-black cat.

Spottedsong jumped back and fumbled an excuse,

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there! I was just-" the cat cut her off with a wave of her paw. Spottedsong then looked up to see who it was. Her amber gaze met the other she-cat's electric blue one. Spottedsong gasped in shock, only now realizing the name of the regal she-cat who she'd only just now bumped into.

"B-Breezestar?! It's a-an honor!" Spottedsong stammered, then flushed, embarrassed at her own nervousness. Breezestar smiled, but it looked pained, forced.

"Spottedsong, I am here to deliver a prophecy," the starry black she-cat meowed. Spottedsong nodded, trying to look regal and mature, when in reality she was dying to hear the prophecy. Breezestar's voice suddenly grew louder and deeper, like it wasn't coming from her, but echoing from the surrounding woods, and the grassy ground, and from the clear blue streams and starry night sky. Breezestar, or maybe it was the whole of StarClan, Spottedstar wasn't sure, spoke the words that would change the Clans forever.

"While an enemy rises ready to fight, five cats will be born from the light. The first like a bird, riding the breeze, the second quiet like misty trees. The third is like ice, beautiful and bright, the fourth storms through, like a light. To find the fifth, look to the east. Then all five cats will bring the peace."