Chapter 28 - The White Stick
Fallenwings and Mintleaf had been walking for days upon days upon days. Fallenwings was TIRED of it. Nothing had happened, just trekking through woods, trekking through fields, trekking through EVERYTHING!
“Mintleaf?” He asked.
“What.” She replied, bored, staring at a bug as it passed by.
“Are you SURE Leaf didn't say anything more?” Fallenwings asked, hoping she remembered if Leaf had told her anything. He hoped Leaf had said, when you’ve walked three hours YOU’RE AT THE PLACE. They had walked three days.
“How many times do I have to tell you NO! You've asked a million times already!” She hissed, grumbling and stalking ahead of him.
Of course. Just what he needed. They were already annoyed and tired of eachother. He grumbled and kicked a worn white stick nearby. It reminded him of something, long ago. Or maybe someone reminded him of it...
Fallenwings and Echonight bounded across the forest floor, giggling. He had dared Echonight to a race, and whoever won, got a free pass on changing their nest bedding next time.
“Hey! Wait up!” Fallenwings yowled at Echonight, who was far ahead of him, gracefully leaping over a fallen tree.
She glanced back and meowed without breaking stride,“It's a race! Why would I wait up?”
Fallenwings chuckled. It was a race, but he wanted to know if he could trick her. He didn't respond, just attempted to run faster. Almost there… He thought. The race was to the clearing in the center of the forest. It had a big stone in the middle, and the goal was to touch it first.
“Im gonna beat you!” Echonight taunted, still far ahead.
Fallenwings’ attempts at speed apparently didn't do much. Not paying attention for a split second and instead looking at a worn white stick, which stuck out from the forest floor just like his pelt, he crashed into a low sapling’s thin branch.
“AHHH!” He screamed, surprised, (Not hurt).
“WHA?!” Echonight was racing back already, having heard the screech.
“I’m fine. I’m fine.” He purred.
“Good. Because if you weren't… I don't know what would happen…” Echonight's voice had emotion seeped into it that Fallenwings didnt hear often.
“Is everything ok?” Fallenwings asked, nervously, hoping nothing was wrong.
“Yes… But…” She looked away. “I’m having your kits.”
Then everything clicked into place. All the signs. And the world seemed like it would be happy forever. But somewhere deep down, he knew it wouldn't be.
Fallenwings opened his eyes. The memory had lasted a second. Mintleaf was just a step ahead of where she was before, though to him, time was ruptured. Everything was wrong. It was as if he was transported into a different time. How? He wondered. But just like in the vision, he realized something. The stick is just like the one in the dream. Fallenwings didn't know how, but he knew StarClan had sent the message. But what could it mean?
Looking down the stick, he noticed a crack. He understood the sign. A crack in the past. A wrong that must be fixed. The prophecy. It is all connected. And something is going to happen, just like it did before. Something that could- no will change our lives forever.
Upon realizing this, Fallenwings leaped toward Mintleaf, easily catching up even though they were now padding up a steep hill.
“Mintleaf. I can't explain how I know, the prophecy has a reason. It's not just because of the ‘Beware the Dark Sun’ part. We need to fix something, but I don't know what. Also, when we reach the top of this hill. Something will happen. Something… important.” Fallenwings said this, sure and steady.
And oh, you should've seen the look on Mintleafs face when he was right. When they reached the top of the hill and found the huge rainforest waiting below.