Warriors: A New Beginning #2: Midnight Rising

Chapter 20

Bloodclaw hid Leafdawn's scent, she told herself. He's the kind of cat who would do that... right?

"Let's look elsewhere." Bushtail's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Just because her scent isn't here doesn't mean that she's dead."

Midnightpaw nodded. "We should look near the middle of the territory. If Leafdawn went for a walk and got ambushed, it would probably be there."

"Okay," Bushtail approved. "StarClan pray we find her."

***

They searched the whole territory, Midnightpaw's hopes dropping every time they found no trace of Leafdawn. She kept telling herself She's not dead! Leafdawn's not dead! but her hopes were beginning to wear thin.

"We've gone across the whole territory," Bushtail told her, "and we haven't found anything apart from that small trace of Bloodclaw."

Midnightpaw didn't say anything, knowing what the warrior was about to tell her.

"Even I'm convinced now." Bushtail sighed. "Midnightpaw, I think you need to accept the fact that Leafdawn is dead."

Midnightpaw squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to believe that Leafdawn was dead.

But perhaps she had to. She was faced with the proof.

She opened her eyes.

"I have to believe it," she declared.

"Leafdawn is dead."

***

The next few days dragged on by. Midnightpaw tried to get Leafdawn out of her head, but she couldn't. She knew that the tabby was dead. But she missed her so much!

"You okay?" Silkfrost whispered to her as Midnightpaw half-heartedly ate a squirrel.

"Yeah," Midnightpaw mumbled.

"I know Leafdawn was your friend," Silkfrost murmured.

"You don't understand!" Midnightpaw shot out. Then she realized what she had said and mewed "Sorry."

"It's okay." Silkfrost looked away. "Maybe we could go hunting sometime today?"

"You know I'm not a great hunter." Midnightpaw looked at her sister.

"A walk, then." Silkfrost shrugged. "At moon-high?"

"At night?" Midnightpaw's eyes widened.

"Sure. We're allowed to, and it's so beautiful at night." Silkfrost's eyes sparkled.

"Uh..." Images rushed in Midnightpaw's head of rogues ambushing them and capturing them. She shook those thoughts away. "Okay."

"Great!" Silkfrost exclaimed. "Remember. Moon-high."

Midnightpaw nodded. "Moon-high."

As Silkfrost padded away, she went back to eating her squirrel. It felt tasteless and numb on her tongue.

Suddenly she felt something in her throat, and she struggled to breathe. Coughing, she saw something fall out. Midnightpaw examined it.

"What is a leaf doing in my fresh-kill?" she wondered.

There was a leaf. It was bright green. Blood from the dead squirrel had spattered on it and it looked very contrasting.

Midnightpaw shrugged and continued eating her squirrel.

"I heard someone coughing." Mintleaf slowly padded up.

"That was me," Midnightpaw told him. "But there was just a leaf in my fresh-kill."

"A leaf?" Mintleaf looked a little confused.

"I know, it's weird," Midnightpaw replied.

She finished her squirrel and looked around the clearing. The camp felt strangely empty but she had no idea why.

As Midnightpaw stood up, a cat barged into her, sending her staggering.

"Coming through!" Riverpaw exclaimed.

Midnightpaw rolled her eyes. The young apprentice was getting bossier every day.

"No need to act like you're the deputy," she muttered under her breath.

Riverpaw made no motion of hearing her. He just kept running on to the elders den.

"Midnightpaw! Midnightpaw!" a voice squeaked.

Midnightpaw looked down to see Blizzardkit.

"Spikekit hurt himself on a thorn!" the mottled white she-kit mewed. "And you're a medicine cat, right? Can you help?"

"I'm a medicine cat apprentice," Midnightpaw corrected. "But yes, I can help. What happened exactly?"

"Spikekit got a thorn in his paw!" Blizzardkit's eyes were wide.

"I can get it out," Midnightpaw assured her. "Where's Spikekit?"

"In the nursery. Come here!" Blizzardkit bounded into the nursery, and Midnightpaw followed her.

Spikekit was in one of the nests, one paw in the air. Midnightpaw could faintly see a thorn peeking out.

"Come, Spikekit," she beckoned. "I'll get that out for you."

Spikekit hobbled over a little. "Will it hurt?" he asked nervously.

"Not very much," Midnightpaw told him. "Hold your paw still for me." She carefully managed to grab the thorn with her teeth and pulled it out. "Now lick your paw to clean it."

Spikekit licked his pad vigorously. "It doesn't hurt as much anymore. Thanks, Midnightpaw!"

"Stuff like that is my job." Midnightpaw smiled and left the nursery. She was heading to the medicine den when she let out a massive yawn. Her eyelids were also starting to droop.

It has been a busy day. She had pulled thorns out of many paws, gathered some horsetail, and battle trained with Emberpaw and Riverpaw (she won).

The reason for all of this work? Mintleaf wasn't able to do it. Midnightpaw was also checking on the old medicine cat every so often to make sure he was feeling okay.

I don't want it to be his time yet, she thought.

Her paws guided her to her nest and she sank into it with relief, realizing how very tired she was.

Maybe I'll dream, Midnightpaw mused silently as she closed her eyes.

She fell asleep instantly.

***

Midnightpaw woke up in the moor— RogueClan territory. She was dreaming! But why?

She was rushed over to the RogueClan camp. Suddenly she heard voices coming from Bloodclaw's den. Cautiously, she peeked into it.

"You've done too much already," Bloodclaw was saying. "I should really kill you."

Midnightpaw noticed a silhouette of a cat cast in shadows.

"But perhaps it would be better to leave you trapped." Bloodclaw smiled wickedly. "They don't care for you anymore. You'll just die there, without honour at all."

"No!" Midnightpaw sucked in a breath when the silhouette spoke. "I believe in them. They'll come for me. I know they will!"

And the silhouette stepped forward, revealing itself.

Midnightpaw gasped.

The silhouette was Leafdawn!

"Then you'll have to suffer!" Bloodclaw lunged at Leafdawn, claws out. Right before he striked, Midnightpaw's dream ended.

Midnightpaw's heart was racing as she woke up. StarClan had truly sent her a sign.

Leafdawn is alive!