Warriors: A New Beginning #2: Midnight Rising

Chapter 15

"Help me carry Leafdawn!" Midnightpaw pleaded.

Wheatwing nodded, watching the crowd of rogues coming toward them. "We need to be quick!"

They hoisted Leafdawn onto Midnightpaw's back, to Wheatwing's protest.

"Don't worry, Leafdawn," Midnightpaw whispered. "We'll get out of here."

But the crowd of rogues was closing in.

Suddenly, two cats appeared, sending out a flash of light that almost blinded Midnightpaw. When she blinked, she saw the two starry outlines.

"Wolftooth! Flowerpaw!" she exclaimed.

"We'll keep them busy," Flowerpaw promised, a glint of excitement in her eyes. "Get out of here!" Then she charged at the rogues.

Midnightpaw spotted a gap in the crowd. "There!" She and Wheatwing dashed through and didn't stop until they reached the familiar path leading back from Highstones.

Midnightpaw let out a deep breath, setting Leafdawn down. "Leafdawn? We're safe. We're almost at ThunderClan territory."

Leafdawn didn't move.

"Midnightpaw..."

Midnightpaw turned, expecting Wheatwing, but Flowerpaw was there.

"She's dead," the tortoiseshell murmured.

"No...No!" Midnightpaw yowled. "She had a dream! We were going to go to ThunderClan together! She could have had a happy life..."

"She will." Flowerpaw gazed at Midnightpaw. "Midnightpaw, I know that we're technically friends now. But I'd prefer for you to have a friend on solid ground than up in the stars."

"Flowerpaw... what do you mean?" Midnightpaw asked softly.

"Tell Vinepaw I miss him. And Speckledfur and Barkstripe. I will always remember them. Tell them I gave my life for a good cause." Flowerpaw looked at Midnightpaw one last time, then faded away.

"Flowerpaw? Where are you?" Panicked, Midnightpaw glanced around.

Suddenly Leafdawn coughed. "Midnightpaw? Am I dead?"

"Leafdawn!" Midnightpaw nuzzled the tabby. "You're alive! Bloodclaw almost killed you, but you're safe now." She understood now. Flowerpaw sacrificed herself to let Leafdawn live... I will always remember her.

She noticed that Leafdawn's back paw had turned white when it used to be yellow. Thank you, Flowerpaw.

Strangely, Leafdawn's wounds had healed, and there was a scar where Bloodclaw had clawed her neck.

"So it is not a dream?" Leafdawn murmured. "Am I going to ThunderClan?"

"You are." Midnightpaw smiled. "You're going to a new home."

Leafdawn smiled a little. "I hope they'll like me."

"They will." That was the first time Wheatwing had spoken since they had escaped the rogues. "I may not know you very well, but I know my sister. She brought my mate into ThunderClan. She'll understand, don't worry."

"...Thanks," Leafdawn mewed. "I promise I'll do things. I can do everything! I just don't want to go back to my brother..."

"Relax!" Midnightpaw told her. "Let's just go to camp. I know the way." She had been to the Moonstone only once but she remembered the path. "We'll have to go through WindClan territory, but they're usually fine with it on the way to the Moonstone." But as she said that, uncertainty pounded in her heart. We're not attacking.