Mistystar’s Omen

Mistystar saw Mothwing watching them from the far side of the clearing. The golden cat’s expression was impossible to read. Was she afraid of what Willowshine might say, or was she relieved that the truth was out? Mistystar ducked through the gap in the bushes and fell in beside Willowshine as they pushed their way through the dripping ferns.

“Yuck!” squeaked Willowshine as a leaf spilled sparkling raindrops onto her neck fur.

“We need the rain,” Mistystar reminded her, swerving to avoid a particularly wet-looking clump of stalks.

“Couldn’t it fall at night, and let us stay dry during the day?” Willowshine complained, half joking, as she shook her pelt.

“Perhaps you should put in a request to StarClan,” Mistystar teased back.

Willowshine was negotiating a prickly tendril that lay across the path. “I’ll try,” she replied, sounding amused.

“So, how’s the training going?” Mistystar asked, hoping that her question didn’t sound forced.

Willowshine swerved to avoid a puddle. “It’s great,” she mewed. “Mothwing’s teaching me how to combine herbs to make them more effective. She knows so much about plants! I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to learn it all.”

“I’m sure you will,” Mistystar meowed. “What about the… the StarClan side of your duties? Has she taught you about that, too?”

Mistystar had drawn level with Willowshine now, so she could see the little cat blink and look away. “Mothwing is the best mentor I would wish for,” she replied.

Her evasive answer spoke volumes to Mistystar. She knows that Mothwing doesn’t believe in StarClan! For a moment, Mistystar was torn. She didn’t want to challenge Willowshine’s loyalty and respect for her mentor, but how could they ignore the fact that Mothwing could not fulfill all her medicine cat duties? Mistystar stopped and turned to face Willowshine.

“I know the truth,” she mewed. “Mothwing didn’t come with me to StarClan when I received my nine lives. That’s why you offered to come, isn’t it?”

Willowshine nodded, her blue eyes full of pain. “It’s not Mothwing’s fault! She’s the best medicine cat RiverClan could have!”

“But what about visiting the Moonpool, sharing tongues with StarClan, recognizing signs from our ancestors? Those are all part of a medicine cat’s responsibilities,” Mistystar pointed out.

“I can take care of those!” Willowshine insisted. She rolled a piece of fern under her front paw. “When I started training, Leafpool visited me in my dreams. She helped me learn the things that Mothwing couldn’t teach me. I know enough to help; I promise!”

Mistystar shook her head. “I’m sure you do, little one. But you are too young to carry all that responsibility alone. Mothwing should have said something long before we got this far.”

Willowshine’s fur fluffed up and she opened her mouth to speak, but Mistystar raised one paw to stop her. “Don’t say something you might come to regret, Willowshine,” she warned. “This isn’t up to you now. Go collect the herbs for Mothwing, and I’ll see you back in the camp.”

Willowshine shut her mouth with a snap and thrust her way into the long grass. Mistystar watched her go for a moment, then turned and headed back to the clearing. Mothwing was standing in the center of the empty camp as if she was waiting for her.

“Did you speak with Willowshine?” Mothwing asked.

Mistystar nodded. “You have a loyal and brave apprentice,” she remarked.

“I couldn’t be more proud of her,” Mothwing agreed. “But my… my relationship with StarClan has nothing to do with her. You shouldn’t have questioned her about it.”

“It has everything to do with her!” Mistystar flashed back. “You are supposed to be training her to be a medicine cat! That means being able to walk in StarClan and speak with our warrior ancestors!”

Mothwing’s hackles rose. “I have never stopped Willowshine from doing that. I would never tell her what she should believe.”

“But you should believe in StarClan, too! You are our medicine cat! Can’t you see that you are betraying your Clan by living your entire life as a lie?”

“I am not lying!” hissed Mothwing. “I have never pretended to do anything I cannot.”

Mistystar glared at her old friend. “Actually, I think you have. You have risked the safety of your Clan by not being able to read signs from StarClan or walk with our ancestors at the Moonpool. I’m sorry, Mothwing, but you can no longer consider yourself a medicine cat.”

Chapter 5

Mothwing flinched as if Mistystar had struck her. “I have served my Clan for many seasons,” she argued. “I have guarded the health of every cat as if they were a kit of my own. Leopardstar trusted me.”

“Leopardstar didn’t know the truth!” Mistystar snapped. “Did she?”

Mothwing shook her head. “No,” she admitted. Her eyes clouded with sadness. “What do you want me to do now?”