“Wow!” Graypaw breathed.
Crookedpaw slowly opened his eyes. A huge rock loomed over him, glittering as though it were made of countless dewdrops.
In the cold light reflecting from the stone, he could make out the shadowy edges of a high-roofed cavern. The Moonstone rose up from the middle of the floor, three tail-lengths high. Far above it, an opening in the roof revealed a small triangle of night sky. The moon was casting a beam of light through the hole, down onto the Moonstone, making it sparkle like a star.
Cedarpelt padded forward, his pelt bleached by the Moonstone’s glow. He crouched down beside the rock and touched it with his nose. Brightsky did the same.
“Come on.” Owlfur beckoned the three apprentices forward.
Crookedpaw went first. Willowpaw’s breath trembled behind him. “It’ll be okay,” he whispered to her. He lay down beside Cedarpelt and touched his nose to the stone.
The world shifted underneath his paws. Crookedpaw let out a cry as he found himself standing in the dark forest where he trained with Mapleshade. It wasn’t the usual place they met; the muddy ground here was more sloping, and the trees were more tightly packed, but it was lit by the same eerie light that came from neither stars nor moon. Crookedpaw strained to see through the shadows.
“Welcome.” Mapleshade stepped out of the trees.
“Where are the other StarClan cats?” Hope fluttered in Crookedpaw’s chest. He turned his head, scanning the forest.
“Why don’t you look for them?” Mapleshade invited smoothly.
Crookedpaw snapped his gaze back. “Do you mean I can explore now?”
Mapleshade nodded. “But stay close to me.”
Crookedpaw followed the orange-and-white warrior, his eyes wide. “Is this
“This is where the greatest cats come after they die.” Mapleshade padded up the slope. “And if you keep your promise, this is where you’ll come one day.”
Crookedpaw blinked. “Once I’m RiverClan’s leader?”
“Not just RiverClan’s leader.” Mapleshade turned to face him. “The greatest leader the Clans have ever known. But only if you keep your promise.”
A shadow moved between the trees at the corner of Crookedpaw’s vision. He whipped his head around and saw a pelt moving through the half-light. Then he saw another, and another. Slowly he realized the forest was filled with cats padding silently through the gloom. Crookedpaw narrowed his eyes. This wasn’t exactly how he’d imagined StarClan. Then he recognized a shaggy gray pelt shambling toward Mapleshade.
“Leave us alone.” Mapleshade padded in front of the tom, brushing him away with her tail.
Goosefeather stood his ground. “Is this the newcomer?” His growl was rasping and deep.
Crookedpaw stared at Mapleshade. “Is Goosefeather
“Are
“I—I guess not.” Crookedpaw peered past her but the old medicine cat had disappeared.
“You must go back to your Clanmates now,” Mapleshade told him. “They’ll be waking from their dreams.”
“Is that it?” Wasn’t he supposed to share tongues with his ancestors? Learn all kinds of wise stuff about being a warrior, and how to achieve his destiny? “I’m not ready!” He fought to stay, digging his claws into the slimy earth as the forest began to fade around him. “No!” He woke, bristling with frustration. The cave was black. The moon had passed and the Moonstone had faded to dull stone.
Crookedpaw stood up, surprised to find that his muscles felt stiff. Had he been lying here all night? Was that dawn light seeping through the hole in the roof? Graypaw and Brightsky were getting to their paws beside him. Cedarpelt was stretching while Owlfur paced back and forth as if he couldn’t wait to leave.
“Willowpaw?” Crookedpaw mewed.
The young apprentice was snoring, her head resting against the Moonstone. Crookedpaw nudged her gently. The long journey must have worn her out. As Willowpaw opened her eyes, Crookedpaw wondered what vision she’d had. Had she met her WindClan ancestors? He shrugged. Even if Willowpaw had met every warrior in StarClan, he guessed none of them had told her she’d be the greatest leader RiverClan had ever known.
Crookedpaw looked up from his meal as Hailstar stopped beside him. He scrambled to his paws. He felt rested after a good night’s sleep though his pads were still sore. “It was great.”
Hailstar cut into his thoughts. “Walk with me.” He led Crookedpaw out of camp and into the willow grove.
“What is it?”
