Stones (Book Two) Ocean Calls

Chapter Twenty-Three

"When are we going to meet to leave tomorrow?" Ceaderstripe asks.
They were in the middle of a meeting through visions.
The first topics were Hemlockhearts kits and Cocoapaw's training.
If Hemlockheart's kits were born on the journey it would make things difficult, especially with the flood. They decided that if they are born before they find and save Oceanclan they will help her carry them.
As for Cocoapaw's training all cats agreed to help training him in the ways of the three clans. Froststar seemed very excited to get to help train him. He said that he had just made his apprentice into a warrior two days before and had gotten a bit bored.
"I think sunrise at the meeting grounds," Froststar suggests.
Everyone murmered their agreement except Hazelstripe.
"Or you could all meet Froststar and I at the bottom of the mountain," Hazelstripe suggests.
"That's a good idea," Ceaderstripe nods.
"Sounds good to me," Pinestripe mews.
Everyone else nods.
"Then it is decided, tomorrow at sunrise we meet at the bottom of the mountain to begin our journey," Froststar confirms.
"Bushy tailed and bright eyed no later than sunrise," Heatherfur mews.
Everyone laughs.
The vision ends and Ceaderstripe blinks her eyes to adjust to the clearing around her.
It was their last full day at home and Ceaderstripe had promised to go hunting with her siblings and parents.
"Let's go," Hemlockheart mews.
"Yep," Ceaderstripe nods and follows her back towards the camp.

"Come on!" Sandpaw squeaks excitedly.
"Slow down there Sandsqueak," Ceaderstripe laughs.
"I'm really going to miss you," Sandpaw admits, "I want it to be special."
"We planned something," Mudpaw smiles up at Ceaderstripe.
Ceaderstripe finds it crazy that two cats, the same age, can be such different sizes. Cocoapaw was almost Ceaderstripes size. Mudpaw isn't much shorter than him but enough that it seems drastically different looking at them.
"You did, did you?" Hemlockheart purrs.
"Come on! Let's go!" Amberpaw runs out of the camp, her litter mates all following her.
Ceaderstripe and Hemlockheart exchange glances and laugh before rushing after their younger brothers and sisters. Their parents come running after them.
Ceaderstripe keeps running after her siblings. She can tell Hemlockheart isn't using her power, she's going the same pace as Ceaderstripe.
Suddenly they burst into a wide clearing, lined with flowers of all colors. Ceaderstripe looks to the trees in awe, flowers are scattered even in their leaves and the sun shines through casting beautiful shadows on the ground.
"Cocoapaw may have helped a little bit this morning before you guys went out," Dawnpaw mews.
"Its amazing," Ceaderstripe breathes, still looking around.
"I wish it could stay like this forever," Hemlockheart mews.
Ceaderstripe looks over and sees her sisters fur sway in the light breeze. This clearing is magical. It looks so beautiful; the shadows, the flowers, Ceaderstripe spots a few feathers being held down by rocks at the edge of the clearing.
"What are those?" Ceaderstripe asks.
"Those are feathers," Amberpaw mews, "one for each member of our family."
"Mommas going to keep them in her nest," Dawnpaw mews.
"And when you come home we can find new feathers," Mudpaw smiles.
"Together," Sandpaw adds.
"I like that idea," Hemlockheart purrs.
"Me too," Ceaderstripes chest rumbles with her purr.
She looks around the clearing again. Its beautiful she thinks, I want to come home and I haven't even left yet. Tears swell in her eyes but she blinks her eyes. She can't cry and ruin this precious time with her family.

"Thank you guys," Ceaderstripe mews, "this is amazing."
Ceaderstripe yawns. They had all worked together to make one big nest and were now all curled up in it together.
Ceaderstripe and Hemlockheart had their heads Nuzzled against their mothers stomach, just as they used to do as kits.
Memories of the warm nursery and the sent of milk rushed back to her. Someday she would re-live those memories with her own kits, Burntwhiskers kits.
Everything was falling into place but being torn apart at the same time. Tomorrow she would leave everything she's ever known to find a clan in danger. At least she would have her friends and her sister by her side. When she came home then things would go back to before, but different. Ceaderstripe could finally have a family with Burntwhisker without worrying about Oceanclan or the prophecy. She could focus on her family and her life instead of the lives of cats she had never met before.
Ceaderstripe licked Hemlockhearts forehead while she snored then closed her eyes to sleep. Tomorrow morning she would leave. Tomorrow morning a new adventure would start and she wouldn't be alone, she would have her friends by her side.