River of Fire/Chapter 7

Chapter Summary
‘’Twigpaw’s PoV’’
 * Twigpaw crouches in the bushes surrounding the Moonpool, watching the medicine cats leave. She is relieved that they didn’t catch her, as Alderheart almost noticed the she-cat. The gray apprentice reflects that she shouldn’t be here, but that she was curious about what the medicine cats were talking about. Twigpaw is frustrated that she couldn’t hear any of their conversation during the half moon meeting, due to her hiding place being a ways off. She knows that the Moonpool is only for medicine cats, so she waits until every cat has left.


 * Twigpaw’s thoughts wander to the prophecy, and she wonders what will become of the Clans now that ShadowClan doesn’t exist. The apprentice pads out into the open, preparing to return to camp. However, she hesitates, asking herself if she should go to the Moonpool. Even though the she-cat knows it’s wrong and she might face consequences, she decides to approach the shining pool. Twigpaw walls down the spiraled path, in awe at the silvery water. She bends her head and touches her nose to the water, but nothing happens. Nothing happens, and the apprentice feels silly, backing away from the pool.


 * However, the Moonpool turns scarlet, which shocks Twigpaw. As she leaps backwards, a loud crack of thunder splits the sky. She watches as flame begins to bloom, and the image of a burning camp unfolds before her. Twigpaw is horrified, and thinks that this can’t be real, as she’d just left camp and it was fine then. She asks why this is happening, and a grizzly she-cat growls that she shouldn’t be here. Twigpaw recognizes her as Yellowfang, and is terrified.


 * Twigpaw sprints away from the Moonpool, scrambling across the mood to get as far away as she can. When she stops for breath, she notices a glow on the horizon. This confuses her, since she’d thought that her Moonpool visit lasted just a few heartbeats. She slowly pads back to camp, thinking about what she saw. Twigpaw is concerned her presence in ThundeClan might bring about their destruction, but shrugs it off.


 * Twigpaw reassures herself that she belongs in ThunderClan, and quickens her pace. She enters to see Bramblestar and Alderheart talking, and pads closer to overhear. They are talking about the fate of ShadowClan, with the medicine cat saying they’ll just have to wait and see. Bramblestar tells his son to focus on his duties, and Alderheart agrees, noting hat Leafpool has fallen ill. Twigpaw walls set from them, thinking that the medicine cat has it wrong. She thinks that StarClan wants five Clans or something bad will happen. However, she decides against telling them what she saw at the Moonpool. Twigpaw thinks that she might reach out to her sister and ask for help about this, but hopes Violetshine won’t turn her away.