Midnightsky shot out of the den at once. "What's going on?"
"I don't know." Barkstripe's eyes were wide.
Riverpaw came bursting in the camp entrance, panting. "Patrol...WindClan border...attack...rogues!"
That snapped Midnightsky to attention. She noticed Leafdawn peeking out the den with worry.
"Okay, a patrol will come." Barkstripe glanced quickly around the camp. "Waterfall, Featherheart, Greeneyes, Whiteclaw, and Patchfire, go follow Riverpaw to the patrol!"
"What about me?" Emberpaw asked.
"Stay here!" Patchfire exclaimed, fear sparkling in her eyes. "I don't want you to get hurt. These rogues... who knows what they've done."
Midnightsky watched the cats race out of camp, her heart aching with worry. Why were the rogues attacking? It was their first full-fledged attack. Before, they had only gone against one or two cats but now a whole patrol?
But how would the rogues ambush the patrol without being seen? she wondered.
Then a thought hit her.
The spy.
If she didn't find out who the spy was soon, ThunderClan would be in grave danger.
Really grave danger.
***
Midnightsky was tense the whole time that the patrol was out fighting. She didn't know what to do. She needed to talk to Wheatwing.
But what if Wheatwing didn't come back...?
Midnightsky shook her head. No. That wouldn't happen.
"Are they back yet?" Leafdawn asked, coming out of the medicine den.
Midnightsky shook her head. "No..."
Then the patrol burst in. Waterfall was at the front.
"Midnightsky!" he shouted. "I-it's— they're bringing her in!"
Midnightsky's widened and her fur stood on end. Featherheart and Whiteclaw were carrying a cat.
Wheatwing.
"Bring her in," she told them, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Please, I really hope I'll be able to help her.
As the two cats set Wheatwing on the nest, Midnightsky whipped around to face Leafdawn.
"I need goldenrod, horsetail— grab all the infection and injury herbs we have!" Memories flooded in of treating Leafdawn only a few days before. It's the same thing— only I'm the one leading.
She quickly examined Wheatwing. It didn't actually look too bad— a couple nicked ears, some scratches... what was the problem?
Then she saw it.
A giant, jagged wound along Wheatwing's belly.
Midnightsky gulped.
"Cobwebs! I also need cobwebs!" she told Leafdawn, starting to chew up some goldenrod and horsetail into a poultice. She applied it on the belly wound and placed cobwebs on it.
But the blood still went through.
"More!" she exclaimed. "More cobwebs!" She rushed to apply pressure to the wound to stop it from bleeding, but the wound still bled.
Midnightsky applied more and more cobwebs, and applied pressure, trying to stop the wound from bleeding. Please, please let Wheatwing live!
Leafdawn helped as well, patching up smaller wounds then later helping Midnightsky on the belly one.
"I'm afraid that she's going to lose too much blood," Midnightsky whispered, applying pressure to the jagged wound covered with cobwebs.
"You're a good medicine cat," Leafdawn assured her. "You can do this. Wheatwing will live, Midnightsky. Believe in yourself. Haven't you told me that a million times?"
Midnightsky closed her eyes. What Leafdawn had said was true. But Midnightsky was still afraid.
Mintleaf, she thought. Please. Help me save Wheatwing. I...I need you.
For a moment she thought that she felt Mintleaf's pelt brush hers and heard him whisper: "You already have the help you need."
Midnightsky felt dazed, trapped inside the moment. She almost forgot about the danger Wheatwing was currently in.
"Midnightsky...Midnightsky!"
It was Leafdawn's voice. Midnightsky's eyes flew open. "What?"
"Look!" Leafdawn prompted.
Midnightsky did so and her eyes widened.
The blood had finally come to a stop.
"Yes!" Midnightsky couldn't help it when tears filled her eyes. "We did it! We saved Wheatwing!"
"No," Leafdawn corrected. "You saved her, Midnightsky. I was just doing what you were telling me to do."
Midnightsky grinned, feeling a lot better now. Perhaps she could handle being a full medicine cat on her own!
***
"Wheatwing?" Midnightsky whispered.
She was sitting vigil for Mintleaf in the medicine den, next to the injured tabby. She was still very worried. Now the first rays of dawn were peeking through the medicine den.
Slowly but surely, one of Wheatwing's bright blue eyes opened. "M...Midnightsky?"
"Wheatwing?" Midnightsky's face transformed into pure joy and she nuzzled her mother affectionately. "I'm so happy you're all right?"
"What happened?" Wheatwing asked weakly. "Is...is everyone all right?"
"Everyone's fine," MIdnightsky assured her. "Listen...could I ask you something, Wheatwing?"
Wheatwing's reply was quiet snoring— she had fallen back asleep.
"I guess not." Midnightsky sighed. She stood up and swayed a little. She was exhausted. But I have to...do...duties...
She slowly left the medicine den and into the clearing.
"Midnightsky?" Leafdawn asked. "Are you okay?"
"Yup." Midnightsky yawned. "Perfectly fine."
Leafdawn didn't say anything. Then she shrugged. "If you say so. You're the medicine cat, after all." Then she started padding off. "Barkstripe, am I on any patrols?"
Midnightsky stared at the fresh-kill pile, not really that hungry. She felt like she needed to do something as a medicine cat but she didn't know what.
She closed her eyes. It just feels so calm...
"Uh...Midnightsky, why exactly are you leaning on me?"
Midnightsky's eyes flew open to realize she was leaning on a cat— Silkfrost.
"Oh- oh sorry!" Midnightsky, bleary-eyed, stood up. "Just tired, I guess."
"Go rest then!" Silkfrost told her. "You look like you need it."
"Too much stuff to do..." Midnightsky yawned.
"I don't see anything," Silkfrost retorted. "Everything's okay right now. Medicine cats get to rest, you know! If something happens we'll wake you. Now go, go!" She started pushing Midnightsky to the medicine den.
"But..." the medicine cat protested.
"You're tired," Silkfrost cut her off. "No buts!" She sounded like Wheatwing instead of Midnightsky's sister.
"Oh, fine..." Midnightsky trudged to her nest and she collapsed. Right before she hit her nest she was asleep. She could have sworn that she heard Silkfrost laugh, though...
Sleeping felt great.
***
Midnightsky blinked open her eyes. This wasn't the medicine den. This was... She sighed. The moor.
"Why do my dreams always have to have rogues in it?" she grumbled.
She recognized the rogue camp up ahead and cautiously padded up to it. In Bloodclaw's den, she heard voices.
"What is it?" Bloodclaw was asking.
"The spy has reported." A voice unknown to Midnightsky was speaking. "The time to attack draws near. But there is one key point to eliminating ThunderClan."
"What do I need to do?" Bloodclaw asked.
The other speaker lowered its voice, and Midnightsky strained to hear— she was pretty sure she heard the word 'healer'.
"Yes." Bloodclaw sounded satisfied. "When that is taken care of, we shall attack."
Midnightsky's heart started to pound in her chest. What were the two cats talking about? Were they...
Were they talking about her?
"No," she whispered. "Why would they be talking about me?" She wasn't important to them...right?
I sure hope not, she thought. I would not like to be captured again by the rogues, thank you!