Flickerpaw's Moonstone Journey

Acornstar felt like her very Clan was crumbling before her eyes. She stared down at the herbs, praying she had managed to remember the right ones for the traveling bundle but she wasn't sure what she was to do. A Clan without a medicine cat... What had she done wrong? What had caused both her dearest friend and the she-cat she had hoped to lean on for support to just...Leave? Was it her fault? Was ThunderClan simply doomed under her leadership...? Her ears slicked back as she fought back the rising helplessness, shaking her head as she took in a deep breath. She wanted to curl up and cry - to beg the Stars for answers. Why? Why had her medicine cats - those who were suppose to support her in this change of leadership - left her? But she doubt the Stars had those answers - only Echosong and Fawnshine knew why they had done what they did...

And life continued on without them, for better or for worse. Gathering herself, she leaned down to pick up the bundle of herbs before she turned and padded from the medicine cat's den. And in their absence, it fell upon her to take on the tradition of leading the apprentices to the Moonstone. It didn't have to be her - she was sure that Sageroot would dutifully take the task on but... She was the leader - outside of the medicine cats, she was the next cat closest to StarClan so it felt right for her to take it over. Despite everything, she was actually a bit excited for this - as overwhelming as it felt in some sense - as Flickerpaw was reaching the end of their apprenticeship. While they were fitting in the Clan quite while, she had not asked them for their answer yet - if they would choose to take her up on her offer those moons ago to allow them to go their separate way or if they truly found themselves a home here and would become a warrior.

...She didn't think she would ask now either - no, it would be better waited for when their ceremony was truly upon them so they had plenty of time to dwell on their choice - and see what the Stars themselves had to say. Acornstar came to a stop at the apprentice's den, dropping the bundle of herbs at her paw before she poked her head in to scan for Flickerpaw. Seeing the young apprentice, she gave them a soft smile and a dip of their head. "Flickerpaw, its time for your journey to the Moonstone," she called out, before she withdrew. Waiting for them to join her, she started to pace back and forth but quickly came to a halt when Flickerpaw approached. "Eat this bundle of herbs," she meowed, pushing the haphazardly put-together pile of herbs towards them. "It... Should be right," she said, a sheepish look overtaking her as she stared down at it. "I did my best to remember what I could but... Ah, there is a reason I'm not a medicine cat. If need be, we can take a break if it doesn't end up giving you the strength to push through the journey."