Mothermouth

Description
Mothermouth is a tunnel at Highstones, in the Forest territories. It leads deep into the earth, to the cavern where the Moonstone lies. Cats come here as part of various ceremonies, such as medicine cats sharing tongues with StarClan, and leaders gaining their nine lives. Leaders and medicine cats also come here if they need guidence from their warrior ancestors, but cannot wait for members of StarClan to walk in their dreams.

An example would be if a leader were considering retiring from their leadership. When leaders go to the Moonstone, they are forbidden to eat or drink anything, including traveling herbs. It is also a requirement that all apprentices visit Highstones before they can become warriors. There are two known exceptions to this rule. Bluefur was taken to the Mothermouth by Pinestar, when she was a warrior, because Pinestar had been busy, and neglected to take her to the Moonstone. Bluefur's littermate, Snowfur, also did not make the trip to Highstones as an apprentice, and it is unknown whether or not she visited the Moonstone at all. Snowfur did not attend the trip to Highstones with Bluestar and Pinestar because he thought that three capable warriors would look like invasion and trespassing to the wary WindClan warriors, but two warriors would seem innocent enough.

In Shattered Peace, Ravenpaw and Barley journey to Highstones because former BloodClan rogues had driven them out of their home. Ravenpaw then dreams of StarClan in Mothermouth.

Inside it is described as "complete and utter blackness," and it is very cold. Cats must find their way through it by using their whiskers to feel the edges of the tunnel or by following the scent trail of the cat ahead of them. Once they enter Mothermouth, the cat must stay silent, and once they find the Moonstone, they touch it with their nose, and sleep to share tongues with StarClan.

WindClan is closest to Mothermouth of all the Clans. Mothermouth appears in all leader ceremonies held in the forest. The most recent leader to receive nine lives in Mothermouth was Blackstar sometime between The Darkest Hour and Firestar's Quest. Mothermouth, and the Moonstone, was discovered by the first WindClan Medicine Cat, Mothflight.

Mothermouth, and the Moonstone, is left behind when the Clans leave the forest, and replaced with the Moonpool, which is discovered by Leafpool and previously used by the ancient version of the Tribe of Rushing Water.

The tradition in which apprentices would journey to Mothermouth was not used anymore once the Clans moved to the Lake, though this tradition was briefly mentioned in Outcast when Squirrelflight says that apprentices don't travel beyond the Clan territories as they did before in the old forest, so the three apprentices, Jaypaw, Hollypaw, and Lionpaw, should be allowed to go to the Tribe of Rushing Water's mountain home.