Moonrise/Chapter 13

Chapter description

 * Leafpaw and Cinderpelt are on their way to the Moonstone. Cinderpelt comments that the other medicine cats are late and wasting time they could be spending with StarClan. Littlecloud tells her they will come soon, but Cinderpelt twitches in disapproval.


 * As the three cats wait for the RiverClan medicine cats to arrive, Leafpaw notes that she cannot remember the last time she had been full. The apprentice's stomach gave a growl, and Littlecloud sympathetically tells her and Cinderpelt that Blackstar is commanding his warriors to hunt in the Carrionplace and disease is to come soon because of it. Cinderpelt informs the tom to tell his clanmates not to touch crowfood. Littlecloud heaves a sigh and tells her a leader's orders surpass his, and his clanmates are too hungry to realize what they are eating.


 * Mudfur and Mothwing appear from the slope, and Mothwing is delighted to see the rest of the medicine cats. Leafpaw notices Mudfur and Mothwing's plump and healthy appearance and can't help but feel slight jealousy.


 * As the medicine cats start to walk to the WindClan border, Mothwing comments to Leafpaw about her abilities in memorizing herbs and remedies. Leafpaw congratulates her, remembering Mothwing's insecurities about her heritage.


 * Leafpaw's anxiousness rose as they approached the WindClan border. As they made way into their territory, a large scar split the moor, showing the mass destruction of the Twoleg monsters had made. Barkface, the WindClan medicine cat, appeared out of a gorse bush. Leafpaw notes his fragile and scrawny appearance. Cinderpelt brushes up to her friend and they begin to talk about the conditions of WindClan.


 * Mothwing brings up that some WindClan cats are stealing from the river and Hawkfrost had to chase them off. As they continued to walk to the Moonstone, Mothwing scented a rabbit in the air. Mothwing calls to Barkface to show him the prey. He quickly orders them to back away from the crow-food and explains that Twolegs had infested their prey and now they are all dying, along with the warriors that eat the infested prey.


 * The medicine cats finally reach the Moonstone. Leafpaw stares at the silver light the large rock is emitting until she felt light on her paws. She rests her nose onto the rock until her body flushes in darkness. The small apprentice calls for her sister, Squirrelpaw, but with no answer. The sound of rushing water pounded her thoughts and ears. The only other noise she could make out of the water is vicious snarling yowling. As she follows the noises, she witnesses large fangs and blood-streaked pelts.


 * Leafpaw calls out to the cats, but they were not aware of her. Her vision fades away and her eyes begin to see the faint glimmer of Silverpelt. A tortoiseshell appears crouched next to her, smelling of herbs. Leafpaw mistakes her for Sorreltail but shakes away the thought quickly.


 * The cat tells her not to be anxious for he or herClan. Leafpaw asks the strange cat if she is Spottedleaf to which she amusingly asks if Firestar had told her. She continues to express her love for the flame-colored tom and her eagerness to continue teaching the daughter of the great ThunderClan leader.


 * Leafpaw asks the Spottedleaf if she can see her sister. Spottedleaf sighs and tells the young cat that Squirrelpaw and the rest of the cats with her are in the eyes of different ancestors. Leafpaw is confused and asks Spottedleaf how there could be more than one StarClan.


 * Spotedleaf laughs quietly and reminds the apprentice that the world is very large, with plenty of cats guided by other spirits. She begins to remind her that StarClan cannot control the wind, sky, or rain, nor can they control the sun or the moon phases. The she-cat, however, tells her that she will follow her and protect her.


 * As the StarClan cat fades, her eyes blink into reality. Her mind swirls at the idea of more than one StarClan. As she stands on her paws, Spottedleaf's sweet scent lingered around the Moonstone.