[iliri]

Springpaw
long-furred, oriental-shaped, gray-and-orange calico molly with blue eyes; torn right ear
purrks: herbal knowledge - tier 2 | the collector | mind reader | skip the steps[all perm. active; sts for battle training]

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Today was quiet, almost too quiet for her mental sake. It had been a mostly silent walk up to the Starcave, but the occasional whistling and howling of the wind occasionally caught her off guard. She didn’t know why Drizzlecloud decided to choose today of all days to take her up to the Starcave. Given the past times that she had walked the very same path alongside her mentor up toward the looming cave, she hadn’t ever truly seen what it was like to delve into the stone-covered area itself. But, that didn’t explain why Drizzlecloud chose today to take her here. Wasn’t today espoused to be the day when the current gathering was going to occur? Her fur bristled against the whispers of the cool air lapping against her long-furred coat, signaling it’s abrupt arrival towards springtime. It felt nice, but not enough to ease her bumbling wonders for why she had been brought here. It certainly didn’t seem like it was anything urgent… but maybe… Drizzlecloud thought it was time? But then wouldn’t she have mentioned something about it? Maybe, or potentially she was just keeping it a secret for the young medic to learn in due time. It was mind-boggling to say, but she had been proposed to keep her jaws shut without saying anything to her mentor about the matter nonetheless.

Given how early it was, the night remained prominent with only softer strokes of dawn etching towards the edge of the world. The moon wasn’t dancing in the night sky anymore, having already retreated to the horizon. Springpaw couldn’t find herself not looking at the stars upon arrival at the cave, feeling memorized by the complexity of the inky darkness that once covered the sky. Its hues were colored in bits of indigo and violet as if it were awakening from a deep slumber. Springpaw’s focus on the awakening dawn soon faltered, focusing back on her mentor as she eyed her cautious movements. She didn’t want to risk seeing Drizzlecloud trip over her paws and accidentally fall due to her recent loss of hearing. The calico already knew of Drizzlecloud being half deaf, so it was unfortunate that she had lost the only remnants of her hearing that she had once left. Her stomach churned as she thought about the day of the raid and how she had to pitifully witness her mentor getting her head busted by that molly. It was a horrific sight, but at least she was able to save her before it was too late. As they approached the mouth of the cave, Springpaw felt the area around her growing colder, almost chilly, in a way.

Was this the way how their ancestors called to them? Springpaw couldn’t be so sure, and she felt herself channeling a feeling that she hadn’t felt in moons. Anxiety and a thrummed of nervousness. Why did she feel this way standing in front of the very place where medicine cats go to share tongues with their ancestors and for deputies to become leaders? Was it due to the wordless trek all the way here that Springpaw felt uncertain of what was to come before her? That last question sounded about right, as her attention shifted up towards her mentor as she asked if she was ready. Ready for what, to be exact? Ready to share tongues with StarClan and finally have a word with them after what had seemed to be moons? Her mind buzzed with questions and unwavering curiosity, she felt as if her stomach was churning with butterflies as her blue hues locked with her mentor’s gentle green, finally letting loose the nod that she was ready for whatever was about to come before her. “I’m ready.” The words felt pitiful to let loose out of her maw, but she mustered the courage to pull through. Whatever Drizzlecloud wanted to show her, she was going to face it and take it head on like she had for the last moons of her rank as medicine cat apprentice.

@Omari