A Lost World - Page 12

A Lost World-Page 12-Honeypaw/Rainpaw POV

         Honeypaw sat in the front of the crowd, waiting for her litter mates to become full warriors. They were all lined up beneath the High Branch, where Petalstar sat. "It is my honor," Petalstar meowed strongly, "To present seven apprentices before StarClan today, and make them full warriors of LeafClan."
         "Rainpaw, please bring yourself to the High Branch. With a strong leap, Rainpaw sprang onto the High Branch. He gasped as he saw the crowd of cats so far below him. Petalstar, turning to him said, "I, Petalstar, leader of LeafClan, call down upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. "
         "Rainpaw," Petalstar meowed, her fur shining in the evening sunlight, "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend and protect your clan even at the cost of your life?" With a bold breath Rainpaw mewed, "I do.". "Then," Petalstar said, "By the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Rainpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Raintail!" The cats cheered for Raintail, and his heart grew with happiness at finally being a warrior. "Thank you Petalstar." He said as he licked his leaders shoulder.
         At the end of the long ceremony, Honeypaw bounded up to her litter-mates, who were now Raintail, Ivysplash, Flamfeather, Sparrowheart, and Stormstep. They all gleamed at her, Flamefeather seemed especially excited. Honeypaw spotted Mistybird padding towards her. "Gotta go!" She mewed to her litter-mates.
         "It's time to go, Honeypaw." Mistybird mewed kindly. Honeypaw tingled with excitement and nodded as they passed out of LeafClan camp and into the forest. The trees were tall and the branches broad above them, but they soon got smaller as they reached RoseClan territory. Wildflowers spread across all open space here, making it hard for Honeypaw to look up, they were beautiful! Then Honeypaw saw something white as snow moving through the tall grass and flowers. "Hello Frostedleaf." Mistybird meowed a greeting to the RoseClan medicine cat. The pale she cat stood up so that she was fully visible, and shook the brightly colored petals from her pelt. "Hello." She mewed, "I see you've brought your new apprentice." Honeypaw flattened her ears and mewed shyly, "Hello."
         "This is Honeypaw." Mistybird meowed, nudging the dusty apprentice. Frostedleaf lifted a snow-white paw and bent her head in a greeting gesture. Honeypaw did the same, smiling. "Well, we best be moving on." Mistybird said, starting off towards the Moonden located at the edge of RoseClan territory and the Beyond.
         Honeypaw was surprised by what she saw at the Moonden. It was simply a ratty old bramble den, with a hole in the low roof. "How does it stay up when it rains?" Honeypaw asked. She expected the Moonden to be majestic and beautiful, but it really wasn't. "StarClan protects it." Mistybird said simply. They waited outside a moment and soon the CaveClan and SwampClan medicine cats could be seen padding towards the Moonden.
         As they approached, Honeypaw saw three cats, two matching black she-cats with gleaming yellow eyes, and one brown tom with lighter paws. Mistybird and Frostleaf mewed, "Greetings." In unison. "Come," Mistybird meowed, "The sun is already down." All the cats entered the Moonden. It was a tight fit, but it was very warm and surprisingly sheltered from the cold winds of the outside.
         "Honeypaw, It is time for you to become a real medicine cat apprentice." Honeypaw's whiskers tingled with anticipation. "Is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?" "It-It is." Honeypaw stuttered. "Then come forward." All the medicine cats stepped foward, under the hole that moonlight was seeping through. Slowly, with butterflies in her stomach, Honeypaw padded under the light, and Mistybird whispered in her ear, "Keep your head down for now."
        Quietly yet strongly, Mistybird meowed,  "Warriors of StarClan, I present you with this apprentice. She is learning your ways and the ways of the great methods of healing we use, and because of this I present her to you as my apprentice." "Now look up." She whispered in Honeypaw's ear.
     As Honeypaw raised her head to the stars above, she collapsed onto the grassy floor, terrified, Honeypaw realized she couldn't move. The world around her started to turn fuzzy, and after a moment all she saw was bright light. Slowly though, shapes began to form, and Honeypaw could make out a blurred form of a she-cat standing before her.
       Suddenly, Honeypaw's vision was clear. "Windrose!" She cried out with joy. Racing up to her mother, Honeypaw felt tears of joy slide down her face, wetting her brown fur. "Hello Honeypaw." Windrose said, smiling, her aura of warmth radiating off her. She was truly a wonderful mother.
        "I'm so proud of you!" Windrose exclaimed, suddenly bursting with happiness at getting to speak with her kit she'd had to leave behind too early. "I'm so glad you've become a medicine cat," The long-haired she-cat starting pouring her heart out to her kit, "And your brothers and Ivypaw- I mean Ivysplash, they're warriors!" Honeypaw grinned, but as she blinked, she felt herself falling, and when she opened her eyes Windrose was gone and a dark black she-cat with golden eyes and tattered fur replaced her, "We're running out of time!" She hissed. And Honeypaw woke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest.