Distant Sun: Flashing Lights - Shimmering Stars

Chapter 4

The halfmoon glints off of the rocks that hide the Moon Gem from the outer world. Jadepaw and Rocktooth greet Goldenlight and sit down next to her, waiting for the BirchClan medicine cats to arrive.

Goldenlight and Rocktooth meow something to each other, but Jadepaw isn't paying attention. She can see some spirits wandering tonight, all looking like rogues or lost kittypets. She can't help but wonder where those cats go after they die. Surely SpiritClan isn't just for the Clans? That would be cruel.

Finally, Darktail and Thrushsong arrive. They meow greetings and sit down by the cave.

"Well, how is everyone?" Goldenlight asks, her tail flicking in a friendly way.

"We've had another bout with the rogues who've been messing with us. Squirreltail, Onion, Waspwing and Snowdrop all got injured, but luckily nothing fatal," Darktail meows. "And Cinderpaw's eyesight has been getting better."

"It's all been Darktail on that front," Thrushsong meows. "He's been coming up with ointments for his eyes and now he's stopped bumping into trees while hunting!"

"That's incredible!" Goldenlight gasps.

"Well done!" Rocktooth purrs.

"What about WillowClan and RowanClan?" Darktail meows, grinning a little with a prideful expression.

"Rubyheart's kits have been getting strong, so I hope they're all born healthy," Goldenlight meows. "And we've had a small outbreak of fleas, but thankfully it hasn't spread too far. Tallstar plans on keeping everyone who has been afflicted home from the Meeting even if all their fleas are gone."

"That's a smart move," Rocktooth agrees. "Fleas spread very easily."

"How about you?" Thrushsong asks, tilting her head curiously.

"Well, a few of the kits have gotten sick, but thanks to Jadepaw's quick thinking, we've contained it and we're getting them better," Rocktooth meows, looking at Jadepaw proudly. "Jadepaw has also been treating scratches and minor injuries by herself. She's already learned so much for having only trained for nearly three moons now."

Jadepaw looks away in embarrassment, her pelt flushing, as the other medicine cats meow in approval. Thrushsong, the youngest medicine cat besides Jadepaw, gives her a small smile. The older she-cat obviously knows how it feels to be overwhelmed by the praise of the others.

"The sky looks cloudy tonight, we should go share with SpiritClan," Goldenlight meows, gazing up at the sky.

"You're right, let's go inside," Darktail agrees.

The medicine cats slip into the cave and quickly gather around the Moon Gem as they enter the large room. Jadepaw lies beside her mentor and touches her nose to the cold surface of the gem. As the cold washes over her, she finds herself in the starry meadows. She looks around, wondering where Lilytail or Blackwing are.

"Hello."

A new voice comes from beside Jadepaw. A tall ginger and white tom stands there, his yellow gaze piercing through her. His fur reminds Jadepaw of her sister, Flamepaw, who was named after their grandfather. That's when she realizes who this is.

"Flamestar?" Jadepaw gasps.

Flamestar smiles, his expression kind. "It's wonderful to finally meet some of my kin. Your mother doesn't have a connection to StarClan, unfortunately, so I haven't been able to see her since she was very young. I've watched you and your sisters grow for many moons now. You four are becoming wonderful cats and strong assets to our Clan."

"I, uh," Jadepaw feels a little star-struck talking to her grandfather. After all, he had brought WillowClan back into being not too long ago and now it's one of the biggest Clans in the forest! "I saw you, the day we were apprenticed. You were sitting on the High Rock with Whitestar."

Flamestar nods. "I wanted to see who was going to be trusted with my grandkits. Your sisters' mentors are the best choice for them."

"Flamepaw and Strikeclaw definitely seem like they get along well," Jadepaw agrees. "And from what I hear, Lightpaw and Dawnpaw both love their mentors."

"And how about you? How are you enjoying your training?"

"I'm really loving it, Rocktooth is such a great mentor!" Jadepaw purrs a bit. "But..."

"But?" Flamestar tilts his head a little.

"I want to ask about Ambereyes," Jadepaw meows, though her voice speaks a bit. She feels nervous asking a cat who is counted among the founders of the Clans about a cat who she'd been told over and over again she isn't allowed to see.

Flamestar's eyes turn sour. "Ambereyes isn't someone you need to worry about, Jadepaw. She's going against the founders and doing so has gotten her where she is now."

"But she knows something and she could help me figure out the prophecy!" she argues, her tail thrashing with her frustration.

"SpiritClan cats aren't meant to meddle in the affairs of the living," Flamestar meows firmly. "You and your mentor need to figure it out by yourselves."

Jadepaw frowns at her grandfather. Now he's sounding like he's scolding her, rather than asking her about her family. Jadepaw turns around quickly and starts stalking off.

"Where are you going?" Flamestar demands.

"Away from you. I'm not going to get lectured by a cat who's been dead for moons. Rocktooth and my mom can do that if needed."

Quickly leaving her grandfather behind, Jadepaw starts towards the woods that look far darker than the starry trees that mirror the RowanClan and BirchClan forests. She keeps up her quick pace, hoping to make it to the darker trees before another SpiritClan cat sees her and tries to stop her. She's going to find Ambereyes whether the founders want her to or not.

But then she's tackled by a small black bundle of fur.

Jadepaw staggers, stepping back and her eyes growing wide in surprise. This was obviously Willowstar, whom Rocktooth had described to Jadepaw before. The founder, however, was smaller than Jadepaw had expected. He looked barely bigger than an apprentice, possibly around the size of Lilyfur, who was quite small.

Quite honestly, Jadepaw wasn't expecting to meet two founders in one night.

Willowstar doesn't give Jadepaw time to speak, however, and he pounces on her again, this time pinning her to the ground. As she flails around, Willowstar puts his paw on Jadepaw's forehead. Jadepaw opens her mouth to speak, but a light flashes in her eyes and she shuts them to block it out. Opening her eyes again, Jadepaw finds herself back by the Moon Gem, the other medicine cats just waking up from their dreams with SpiritClan as well.