"We need to reach the the high stones by sunset," Sofie mewed. "There should be some shelter there."

She means Highstones, Frostpaw thought.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

Frostpaw shook her head. Not yet at least.
"I'm fine," she mewed, padding faster to show that she was okay.

Sofie picked up her pace to walk beside Frostpaw.

"Could you tell me more about your Clan?" she asked. "If it's okay."

"Well," Frostpaw mewed, thinking of where to start. "In a Clan, there are warriors. She-cats who are expecting or nursing kits usually move to the nursery. They are called queens. When kits reached 6 moons old, they become apprentice. They are trained by chosen warriors. They are called mentors. However, if the kit wishes not to serve the Clan as a warrior, he/she would become apprenticed under a medicine cat. A medicine cat is basically a cat who heals injured cats. There is also another position called deputy. The deputy usually organise patrols and takes over as leader when the previous one dies. The leader leads the Clan. It is a very important position in the Clan."

"So you are an apprentice," Sofie observed. "Does your mentor know about this?"

"Yes," Frostpaw replied, remembering the training sessions she had with Timberclaw. "I had a wonderful mentor."

"What about the other members of your Clan?" she prompted. "Like your kin."

"My father is Clan deputy," Frostpaw mewed slowly. "My mother... died when I was a young kit."

"Oh... sorry for asking," Sofie mewed in apology. "Do you mind me asking?"

"I don't mind," Frostpaw replied.

"How about the other Clans? You mentioned a 'ShadowClan' yesterday," she asked.

"ShadowClan can hunt prey in the night," Frostpaw explained, "but they have their own secrets. Other Clan is RiverClan. They mostly hunt fish. Last but not least, there is WindClan. They hunt rabbits by chasing them as there are hardly any trees there."

"Frostpaw, we have arrived," Sofie mewed.
Frostpaw looked up and saw the high stones that medicine cats visited at half moon and where leaders get their nine lives.

"This is where the Clans communicate with StarClan," she mewed out loud.

"StarClan?" Sofie blinked.

"Our warrior ancestors," Frostpaw replied. "They watch over us, the ones who believe in them would join them when they die."

Sofie nodded in understanding and added, "We should go in the tunnel. It's getting dark and the clouds are gathering."

Frostpaw looked up at the cloudy sky and thought, Rain is coming.

"Maybe I can talk to StarClan," Frostpaw mewed half jokingly. She paused. "Maybe I could meet my mother again."

"Do you think I'm able to see my parents?" Sofie asked hesitantly. "I hardly know them and whether they are alive."

"StarClan may help you," Frostpaw mewed honestly.

Suddenly, freezing drops of water fell from the sky. Both cats were drenched and Sofie shouted as loud as she could, "We need to get in now!"

Frostpaw tried to nod but she was trembling too much from the cold. She sped into the dark tunnel and nearly collided into Sofie.

"Follow me," came the soft voice of the loner.

"Okay," Frostpaw mewed, shaking herself dry.

As she followed Sofie by scent, she shivered. It was cold in the tunnel, but at least it provided shelter from the rain.

Finally, they reached the cavern with the Moonstone. "It's called the Moonstone," Frostpaw mewed to Sofie. "I'm not sure what it would do at night, so we will have to wait."

"I could go out and catch some prey when the rain stops," Sofie offered.

"I will come with you," Frostpaw was hesitant to wait in such a dark place, although nothing would attack her there.

~~~~

Only a few more moments till nighttime, Frostpaw thought excitedly. I always wanted to experience this. Timberclaw didn't tell me what I would experience, as he had explained that it was different for every cat. Maybe I could meet StarClan!

She looked at her companion - no, friend - staring at the Moonstone feeling half excited and half anxious.

A bright beam of moonlight shone through a gap and the Moonstone lighted up. Frostpaw gasped in shock. It was better than she expected.

"We have to touch our noses to the Moonstone to communicate with StarClan," she mewed.

Sofie nodded, stepping forward. Frostpaw settled down near her and touched her nose on the cold and ancient stone.

A deep coldness hit the young apprentice. It was still dark and Frostpaw curiously opened her eyes to see whether she was dreaming.

Instead of the cavern that Frostpaw was in, she found herself at the ThunderClan camp. A pang of homesickness struck her as she recognised the respective dens.

However, the camp was empty. Frostpaw couldn't hear any cat or anything - not even the birds.

"Hello, Frostpaw," a cat mewed.

Frostpaw turned around and saw a small black tom with bright green eyes.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm a StarClan cat," the tom mewed, "kit actually."

"I mean, what's your name?" Frostpaw corrected herself.

"Ravenkit," the tom grinned. "Hailfall's mother's littermate."

"You mean... you are Froststar's littermate?" Frostpaw asked in surprise.

"Yes," Ravenkit's kit-like face turned serious. "I could tell that you have doubts about this journey. Am I right?"

Frostpaw remained silent.

Ravenkit sighed. "I always wanted to be an apprentice, but my destiny was further ahead: StarClan. No matter what happens, young one, StarClan will watch over you. Like how Volekit is watching over Hailfall. Believe in yourself in this rough journey. It is not the end."

Frostpaw widened her eyes. "You mean Hailfall had another littermate? I thought Fernstorm was his only littermate."

"Volekit died when he was young, almost like me," Ravenkit explained. "I died during a ShadowClan invasion. It wasn't the warrior's fault though..."

He trailed off, his eyes sad with memories. "You have the bravery of a warrior, young one," Ravenkit mewed. "Use it to complete the journey and return home."

The ThunderClan camp was beginning to fade. "Ravenkit, wait!" Frostpaw yowled as the small black tom began to disappear. "I need to know!"

"The answer is what you see," he replied faintly as Frostpaw found herself back where she was.