Three months had passed since the defeat of Kade, and Commander Moon had finally repaired all the damages she had with her Campmates. She was still upset over Enki and her friend hadn’t even contacted her ever since then either. Was he still busy like he claimed to be?
I hate doubting myself over this, Commander Moon sighed. I’m supposed to be preparing for the Trainee Ceremony today.
Just yesterday Commander Moon had announced Villie’s kits Guardian names after they had passed their test and now, she would be naming the kits Iceflame gave to her as Trainees. As she turned to leave her den, she came face to face with a dead cat.
“Aah! Am I dreaming?” Commander Moon asked tapping her cheek with one white paw.
“I have come to comfort you,” Duckfeather meowed.
“Comfort me?” Commander Moon questioned. No one had died besides Kade in the past three months so why would she need comfort. If anything, Sheep would need comfort since she’s still grieving. “I think Sheep needs comfort.”
Duckfeather shook his head. “One of your friends has a prophecy for you,” he meowed.
Commander Moon just tilted her head and allowed the old cat to place a paw on her head. A shiver-burning sensation coursed through her body until he lifted his paw from her. What just happened?
“Under the misty moon is where all answers lie,” Duckfeather meowed. He started fading away slowly until only sparkles were left.
Sounds like my answers will come true, maybe? Commander Moon wondered. She closed her eyes for a moment in silence.
“Commander!” Stray Dog’s familiar bark sounded through the purple molly’s ears. She opened one eye to see the chihuahua wagging his tail in excitement. When she peeked her head out, she noticed that Sochi was there too.
“Everyone’s waiting for you!” Sochi exclaimed. Him and Stray Dog ran down the hill to sit beside Bushy Plant. The members out were the ones who were close with Light, Orange, and Aqua.
“Sorry, dozed off a bit,” Commander Moon mewed to the waiting animals as she sat on the log for meetings. She wrapped her tail around her paws and purred when she saw Light and his sisters staring up at her in excitement. “Today, three kittens have passed their Trainee Test and are eligible to be made into Trainees.”
Dovetail purred from beside Michaeltail. The two had practically fostered the kittens up until now. “Light, Orange, Aqua, are you ready to take on the task of a Trainee?”
“Yes ma’am!” All three kits meowed; eyes bright.
“Then I’ll assign you your mentors,” Commander Moon purred. She gazed among the crowd and spotted the perfect mentors. “Starfur, Kasi, Willowstream, will you please come forward?”
As the three came forward, there was a couple murmurings among the crowd and Commander Moon may have a hunch on why. Seeing how nervous Kasi was acting, the cats probably don’t see her to be a perfect fit at all. “How is Kasi going to train a cat?” Sparrowclaw muttered.
Commander Moon ignored the black tom’s comment and kept a steady gaze, although, she noticed that Light and his siblings didn’t seem bothered by this fact. “Starfur will be assigned to Light, Willowstream to Aqua, and Kasi will mentor Orange,” she went on.
“Please teach me all you know,” Trainee Orange meowed as she bowed in front of Kasi. The purple striped zebra gave a nervous smile but didn’t say anything about the orange molly’s odd behavior.
“I was hoping to get Kasi,” chuckled Light. Behind him, Starfur did a light face paw. Aqua didn’t say anything as she giggled at what her sister was doing.
After the meeting, Commander Moon decided to lead a Scout Patrol. “Who’s up for a scout patrol?” At once, Thornfire, Trainee Sean, and Villie were perked up by her call.
All three cats approached Commander Moon as well as Sochi and Stray Dog who stood behind them. “May we join as well?” Sochi asked with pleading eyes.
“Why not?” Commander Moon purred. Her and the scout patrol immediately left camp. Cold winds were sweeping through as autumn had only just begun yesterday.
With the patrol ready, they all headed out of camp and towards Misty Family to check for any suspicious activity though Commander Moon would never think Commander Hawk was up to no good. “Out for a scout patrol as well?”
Commander Moon looked up to see DJ, his Trainee, Sonic, Suncatcher, and Cradle. Villie and Thornfire narrowed their eyes at Cradle who was glancing at the Moon Family cats with a bit of awkwardness. “Thought I clear my head,” Commander Moon purred to DJ.
“Why is Bluestep’s followers among your Family?” Thornfire growled as he pointed a paw at Cradle. Commander Moon was unaware that the Dalmatian had been under Bluestep’s rule.
“I’ve changed, okay,” Cradle barked. “Give me a chance. I never liked him in the first place.” Thornfire rolled his eyes and Villie just closed her eyes as if skeptical of the young dog’s words.
“Let’s not fight now,” Suncatcher meowed standing between Cradle and Thornfire. “She passed the test and Commander Hawk sees her as one of us now.”
There was a bit of silence until Commander Moon remembered the strange prophecy Duckfeather gave her. Perhaps Misty Family may know some information concerning it. “Has there been anything strange in your territory?”
The Misty Family patrol were a bit caught off guard by Commander Moon’s question. However, DJ gave a smile and lifted his shades from his eyes. “Recently, this strange man appears at night,” he meowed.
“Seriously?” Trainee Sean exclaimed in wonder.
“Seriously,” DJ answered. He then held a paw up. “I think he’s gone lunatic.”
“What did he look like?” Commander Moon pressed. This might be the guy she’s looking for. Enki would be so pleased if this was going to end up leading to his mentor.
“Wore a blue robe and several scarves,” DJ explained. His Campmates were giving weird looks as well as Commander Moon’s Campmates. “Has bright blue eyes too, can’t forget the cool eyes bro.”
“Thank you so much!” Commander Moon meowed and dashed back to camp.
“Anytime!” DJ called from behind.
Looks like I have all the clues, Commander Moon thought with glee. She slid her paws to a stop when Stray Dog started whining. Turning her head, she spotted the Chihuahua puppy trembling from head to toe. “Are you okay?”
“G-G-Greed!” cried the puppy.
“Greed?” echoed Villie. Her purple eyes then brightened up. “Isn’t he the kid who causes trouble?”
“Yes! He’s nearby!” Stray Dog whined.
Villie only laughed making Commander Moon conflicted on whether this an actual threat or not. “Oh please, Greed is just a troublemaker,” she purred. The rose tabby must’ve known this Greed guy from back at her old home.
However, Sochi seemed convinced by Stray Dog. “You haven’t heard? He stole the Magic Ribbon!”
“Is that important?” Trainee Sean asked Commander Moon who only shrugged in response. She didn’t really know much about this kind of topic. Back as being a house cat, she rarely left her own yard.
“Yes! My village depends on it!” Stray Dog cried.
“Well, there’s six of us and one of him,” Commander Moon pointed out. It’s not like this Greed can transform and have multiple heads. She smiled at Thornfire who had a confident smile. Trainee Sean seemed giddy about it while Villie just face pawed. Turning to Sochi and Stray Dog, she flicked her tail. “So, what do you say?”
“I suppose,” Sochi grumbled. “I just hope all of us survive.”
“Can it,” Villie hissed. “Greed is not a threat.”
I believe Villie, she has more common sense than Sochi, purred Commander Moon. Sochi shook his head but joined the rest of the patrol with Stray Dog riding on his back. A few scratches and that ribbon is ours.
***
“Stupid pony!”
Commander Moon and the patrol stumbled upon a yellow Element Pony mare standing in front of a wolf. The Magic Ribbon was tied around his neck like a bowtie as he huddled close to the tree. There was nothing threatening about the pastel-colored pony.
“That’s not yours,” the pony named Missie said bluntly. She held her hoof out, but Greed didn’t seem to incline on handing it over. Looks like they’ll be needing force after all.
Missie took a couple steps over and Greed slashed across her muzzle causing several drops of blood to hit the forest floor. “What’s yours is mine and what’s mine is…mine,” he woofed.
“Leave that pony alone!” Commander Moon shrieked as she launched herself on his back. He flinched in surprise and started to run in large circles trying to buck her off. She unsheathed one claw to cut the ribbon but stopped.
“Don’t cut it off him!” Stray Dog howled.
“You have to untie it!” Sochi called after. Beside him, Villie appeared unsettled about the violence that was occurring in front of her eyes.
Commander Moon reached one paw to grab the end, but Greed crashed him into a tree and sent her flying toward Missie. The Elemental Pony merely stepped back some and used the wind to create a leaf pile where the Moon Family Commander landed into.
“Bye-bye, suckers!” Greed howled.
“Hold on!” Villie hissed as she chased after him. It didn’t last long when a shadowy mist surrounded her paws, causing her to stop. “He got away…”
“When he comes back, I’ll beat him,” Thornfire declared. He shrunk back when Villie glared him down as she came back.
Commander Moon got to her paws and shook her fur out to remove any excess leaves. She then watched Missie wipe her muzzle with a cloth. “Why don’t we take you back and get you patched up?”
“I suppose that might be better,” Missie mumbled.
***
Commander Moon and Villie sat beside each other as they watched Riverbird stick a leaf on Missie’s muzzle. “It may scar,” she meowed before patting the Elemental Pony on the shoulder. She merely blinked in response to Riverbird’s action.
“Missie, are you here?” The Elemental Pony glanced to see her friend Branchburn being escorted in by Tigergrowl and Peachclaw. Both stepped back and allowed the bipedal lizard to approach his friend. “Everyone was worried about where you went!”
“Is Party, Song, and Electric okay?” Missie asked in her monotone voice.
“Yup! Just worried about you,” Branchburn chided scratching the back of his head.
“Sounds like you’re worried too,” Missie told him. He blushed in embarrassment and looked away. She gave a small smile to Commander Moon and Villie before following Branchburn outside.
After she left, Commander Moon yawned. “Man, I’m beat,” she meowed. She’s been more exhausted than usual lately. She couldn’t be expecting kits again, could she?
“You’re expecting, if you didn’t know,” Riverbird meowed as she sorted her herbs into piles outside her den.
“Congratulations!” Villie purred. “I’m sure Trainee Storm and his siblings will be ecstatic!” She tilted her head to one side while Commander Moon was a bit dazed.
What just happened…? Commander Moon wondered as she smiled.
Comments (0)
See all