~The Hidden Devotion~CHAPTER 12~

Instructions

...........................The Hidden Devotion.............................. ...........................CHAPTER TWELVE.............................. ............................By @fleurxbutterfly.............................. Vanillapaw shrieked as Carppaw fell backwards and collapsed onto her. “Carppaw!” Floralstar’s cry ripped through the steady air. Then, Carppaw’s weight was lifted off of Vanillapaw, who was dazed. “Is she okay?” Vanillapaw asked a moment later when she regained her balance. “I don’t know, but before she passed out, it looked like she was hit in the eye with something.” Floralstar replied, sounding a little anxious. “Yes, I think I saw something like that.” Vanillapaw nodded, trying not to seem muddled, and remembering the black object that had flown through the air. “Let’s look for it.” She told Floralstar. Vanillapaw felt awkward addressing a Clan leader with an order, or, rather, a suggestion. The two she-cats scoured the ground for the unknown object, and when Vanillapaw started to give up hope — “I found it!” Floralstar called from behind her. Vanillapaw whipped around and raced over to the leader to find her holding a small, round black rock. “A rock,” Vanillapaw muttered, “would /not/ take Carppaw down.” Vanillapaw expected to keep looking. However, Floralstar was staring intensely at the rock. Suddenly, Vanillapaw noticed something she hadn't seen before. A glimmer of light, shining through a tiny crack in the rock. Vanillapaw gasped, recognizing its description from the tales the elders had told. “The Glint Rock.” Floralstar said it for her. “The only object more powerful than StarClan theirself– didn’t Rainstar, Laurelstar and Glowstar make it?” Vanillapaw turned to Floralstar questioningly. Floralstar nodded absent-mindedly. “How is it possible that the Glint Rock is /here/? Let alone on RainClan and LaurelClan’s border!” Vanillapaw whispered, not expecting an answer. “Because someone threw it.” A deep, calming voice answered. Vanillapaw looked up, alarmed, to see a gray and white she-cat with pale violet eyes. Floralstar’s eyes widened. Vanillapaw could see the forest through the she-cat’s pelt, and noticed the shimmery waving of her fur. There was silence as every cat stared at each other. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over all the Clan's territories. “I…” Floralstar began after a few moments, once her voice came back to her, but then it decided to stay silent again. “My name is Navella.” said the shimmery cat with her soothing voice. “I was the mother of Laurelstar and Rainstar— two extraordinary kits.” Navella added, noticing the look on Floralstar’s face. “The Clans are in desperate need of a hero,” Navella continued, “and she–” she nodded to Carppaw, “Is the hero we need.” “But she’s just an apprentice!” Vanillapaw blurted before she could stop herself. Navella looked at Vanillapaw with amusement clouding her gaze. “And yet, young one, she will be the one to save /all/ the Clans– but the one at fault if the Clans come falling down.”