Warriors: A New Beginning #2: Midnight Rising

Chapter 2

"Midnightkit! Midnightkit!"

A pierced through Midnightkit's hunting dream.

"What...Silkkit?" she mumbled. "I was sleeping."

"Shh!" Silkkit whispered. "It's just dawn right now. Everyone's sleeping. We can sneak out of camp!"

"But... Why?" Midnightkit yawned. "We'd be breaking the warrior code."

"The warrior code doesn't say that," Silkkit meowed. "Come on! it'll be fun!"

"...Okay," Midnightkit agreed reluctantly. She couldn't let her sister go outside camp all alone.

"Yay! Follow me," Silkkit said softly, and tiptoed out of the nursery. Midnightkit followed her.

"I know a shortcut," Silkkit continued. "It's through the dirtplace."

"The dirtplace? Really?" Midnightkit was liking this less and less.

"We'll be sneaking through a tunnel," Silkkit explained, bounding off. Midnightkit rushed to join her in the dirplace. Sure enough, there was a small tunnel. Silkkit slipped through it eagerly, but Midnightkit hesitated. She took a deep breath, then leapt into the tunnel.

***

She was immediately stunned by what lay before her.

"The forest is beautiful!" Silkkit exclaimed.

Midnightkit nodded, despite the fact that they knew they weren't supposed to be there.

With the first rays of dawn, the tree leaves shone through. Morning dew sparkled, and birds tweeted their morning song. It was simply amazing.

"Let's go explore!" Silkkit suggested, running off.

"Wait, Silkkit!" Midnightkit quickly followed her sister.

The grey tabby had stopped in front of an expanse of rushing, glimmering, water.

"The river," Silkkit breathed.

Midnightkit went up to her and looked down at the river. She saw a silver flash.

"I think I saw a fish," she commented.

"Really?" Silkkit didn't wait for an answer. "I'm going to try and catch one." She stared hard at the water, then flashed a paw. Nothing came up.

"I think you have a good technique," Midnightkit mewed, half distracted. She had spotted a patch of watermint near them. Maybe I can bring some back for Mintleaf! Then she remembered that the medicine cat had just gathered watermint a few days before. He needed... dock, he said. But she couldn't remember what that looked like.

"Why are you staring at a plant?" Silkkit asked.

Midnightkit turned. "I was thinking, that's all."

"About being a warrior?"

"Uh..." Midnightkit knew what she wanted, but she also wanted to train with her sister. "Yeah."

"Okay." Silkkit shrugged, then her eyes darted somewhere and sparkled. "Look over there!" Then she bounded off again.

Midnightkit just stood there, her gaze following Silkkit as she ran toward a bush. Then her eyes widened.

"Sillkkit, stop!" she exclaimed, sprinting as fast as she could toward her sister, who was already at the bush— which was specked with red.

"Look at these berries!" Silkkit meowed. "They look tasty." She took one and popped one into her mouth.

"No... don't eat any more!" Midnightkit skidded in front of her sister.

"Why?" Silkkit asked, taking another one.

"They're deathberries!" Midnightkit cried.

At the same moment, Silkkit buckled. "I don't feel too well anymore.." Then she crumpled onto the ground.

"Silkkit!" Midnightkit ran to her sister's side. Silkkit was still breathing, but it was shallow.

What do I do? Midnightkit panicked. Silkkit could die at any moment!

To eliminate poison, a cat needs to vomit.

Mintleaf's words came into her head. Then Midnightkit knew what to do.

I need to find yarrow!

She dashed off, tasting the air to try to scent the herb. Was there a faint trace of it? Midnightkit kept running desperately. If I don't find yarrow, Silkkit won't survive!

Just when she thought that she wouldn't find it, Midnightkit caught a strong scent of yarrow. Yes!

She moved toward the scent and found a patch of fresh yarrow. Quickly, she gathered as much as she could carry and ran back to where Silkkit was lying.

"Eat this!" Midnightkit whispered, opening Silkkit's mouth and putting some of the yarrow inside. When nothing happened, Midnightkit took it out. What do I do now?

Then she remembered. She took the yarrow and chewed it up. Then she stuffed it down Silkkit's throat.

Silkkit twitched. Then, coughing, she vomited, sending out flecks of red.

The deathberries, Midnightkit thought.

Since Silkkit was done, Midnightkit had to take her back to camp.

I can do this. She grabbed Silkkit's scruff, and with a grunt, heaved the grey tabby onto her back. Midnightkit staggered at first, but then got used to the weight and got a steady pace.

Hold on, Silkkit. We're going to Mintleaf.

***

Midnightkit trudged through the gorse tunnel, Briarblaze (on guard) not noticing her somehow, and entered the clearing.

"Midnightkit!" Wheatwing ran over to her kit, then froze when she saw Silkkit. "What happened? Mintleaf!"

The medicine cat padded out his den and stopped short. He shot off to Silkkit. "You can put her down, Midnightkit."

Midnightkit, shaking, did so.

"What happened?" Mintleaf asked.

Stuttering, Midnightkit told him and Wheatwing the story.

"I gave Silkkit yarrow, and she vomited the deathberries up, I think," she added.

"You did?" Mintleaf sounded impressed, and Wheatwing's eyes widened.

"I can check her in my den," the medicine cat continued, "but you did the right thing. I think she'll be fine thanks to you." He moved closer to Midnightkit. "You'd make a good medicine cat," he whispered.

Midnightkit smiled, but was still worried. "But what about Silkkit? Won't she be lonely?"

"She'll have Flowerkit and Vinekit," MIntleaf assured her. "You can choose your own destiny, Midnightkit. You don't have to worry about Silkkit."

Midnightkit gazed at him. "Then in that case, I know what I want to be."

Mintleaf was silent as she continued.

"A medicine cat."