"Midnightsky!"
Midnightsky was woken up by someone nudging her. Her eyes opened. "What is it, Elmwood?"
"Do you know where Silkfrost is?" Elmwood asked.
"Well, no, I was sleeping," Midnightsky replied drily. Then her expression became more serious. "Silkfrost's disappeared?"
Elmwood nodded. "I woke up and her nest was cold."
Memories rushed in of when Leafdawn's nest was cold and Midnightsky's eyes widened. No. Not again. Please not again.
"Is— is someone out looking for her?" she asked, standing up.
"Not yet..." Then someone called Elmwood's name and she left the den.
Emberpaw was lifting her head sleepily. "What's going on?"
"Nothing important," Midnightsky told her. "Go back to sleep."
Then she slipped out of the den and into the clearing.
Leafdawn's eyes were wide, and Midnightsky could bet anything that she was thinking the same thing as herself.
The rogues...No... they can't do this again.
Then, like magic, Silkfrost came out of the dirtplace.
"Where were you?" Wheatwing asked, worried.
Silkfrost looked surprised. "Can I not go to the dirtplace without everyone making a big fuss?"
Gradually the noise died down. Midnightsky stared at Silkfrost. She felt like her sister was hiding something but she didn't know what.
She padded over to the silver tabby.
"What were you doing?" she asked.
"Doing? Going to the dirtplace," Silkfrost replied.
"No, I mean what were you actually doing?" Midnightsky meowed. "Elmwood said your nest was cold."
"She was probably freaking out," Silkfrost mumbled then walked away. Midnightsky watched her go.
Silkfrost, what are you hiding from me?
***
Later that day Midnightsky saw Leafdawn and Vinethistle coming back with Wolfpaw and Blizzardpaw. Blizzardpaw looked very smug with herself. Wolfpaw just looked dejected, but as soon as Leafdawn told him he could get a piece of fresh-kill after bringing some to the elders his face brightened up.
"Great! I'm starving," he mewed, running to the fresh-kill pile.
Leafdawn said a few things to Vinethistle before heading to Midnightsky.
"I'm assuming you did battle training," the medicine cat told her.
Leafdawn nodded.
"How did Wolfpaw do?" Midnightsky asked.
"He has the moves we taught him down perfectly," Leafdawn replied. "It's just that once he's actually sparring, he gets a little skittish. The fact that Blizzardpaw's practically a star with sparring did not really help." Leafdawn sighed. "I'll try to work on that with him. He's fine doing it with me, just not with anyone else."
"You should try doing him against Riverpaw," Midnightsky suggested.
"He's a moon older!"
"So? They both have about the same experience level," Midnightsky meowed. "Perhaps Wolfpaw doesn't like attacking his littermates— a different apprentice might help."
"You might be right, actually," Leafdawn mused. "Next time we do battle training I'll ask Elmwood to bring Riverpaw along."
"Hey, Leafdawn!" Hawkclaw was running to the tabby. "Blossomleaf, Rayfrost and I are going on a hunting patrol. Do you want to come too?"
"Uh...sure!" Leafdawn was obviously surprised and she waved her tail good-bye to Midnightsky before following Hawkclaw.
Midnightsky then decided to go check on Emberpaw. When she entered the medicine den, she saw the apprentice sitting up in her nest.
"At least I don't have to do boring jobs while I'm here," she was muttering. "But again, I can't seem to be able to do anything."
"How's your paw doing?" Midnightsky asked.
"Oh, excellently," Emberpaw replied. "It doesn't even hurt at all! In fact, I think I could go back to apprentice training right now—"
"Let me look at it," Midnightsky interrupted, padding over. Emberpaw lifted up her forepaw.
"It's definitely healing," she observed. "With luck, you won't be in here for much longer than a half-moon."
"A half-moon!" Emberpaw sighed. "That's going to be the longest half-moon of my life."
"If you go out of your nest it could turn into a full moon," Midnightsky reminded her. "Then Riverpaw would become a warrior before you."
Emberpaw's eyes became as round as moons. "No way am I letting that happen!"
"Good." Midnightsky then left the den.
When she didn't see Silkfrost at first she wondered if something had happened again. But then she saw her sister coming out of Flamestar's den.
"Are you okay?" She ran to her sister. "Was there a problem?"
"No," Silkfrost replied. Her voice had no emotion.
"You don't sound okay." Midnightsky stopped in front of the tabby. "Silkfrost, I'm more than just your sister, I'm your medicine cat as well. And I want to know what's going on."
"I'm fine, I swear!" Silkfrost exclaimed. "Just leave me alone." She stormed off past a confused Spikepaw.
Midnightsky sighed and wondered if Silkfrost's change in attitude had something to do with the strong emotions she had felt on her a few days ago when they had gone to retrieve Silkfrost's prey.
I feel like she did more than that when we went, she thought. I'll have to investigate further into this.
Spikepaw had been heading toward Midnightsky when Silkfrost had brushed by him. Now he was in front of her.
"Midnightsky?" His voice was a little shy— Midnightsky could understand.
"What is it?" she asked. "Did you hurt yourself?"
Spikepaw shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I just wanted to go see Emberpaw. Can I?"
Midnightsky was surprised, but she nodded. "Yes, of course. She's in the medicine den and you can go talk to her— just don't bother her if she's sleeping."
"Okay," Spikepaw mewed. "Thanks, Midnightsky!" Then he ran to the medicine den, grabbing a mouse from the fresh-kill pile on the way.
Oh, okay, Midnightsky thought. He wants to bring prey to her. Even after she called him an inexperienced apprentice. She smiled.
But that smile soon disappeared as she thought about Silkfrost. I feel like our friendship as littermates is fading... I don't know what to do.
Maybe she'll disappear again. A plan started formulating in her head. Tonight I'll see if she does.
Whatever her sister was doing, she wanted to make sure she was safe.
Being alone in the forest at night never brings good results...
That made her think of Leafdawn being captured, and how the whole Clan, even herself, had thought that she was dead.
I won't let the same thing happen to Silkfrost, she thought, determined.
***
Midnightsky was so worried that night she couldn't sleep.
What could Silkfrost possibly be doing? she kept wondering. She isn't the spy— why would the rogues capture her and replace her otherwise? Maybe it's something to do with WindClan— but I told Heatherstalk I would help her if she needed it. And she said herself WindClan didn't need any help.
Too many answers ran in her mind, overwhelming her. I just want my sister to be safe!
She wasn't sure if she slept or now, but before she knew it, it was time.
She crept out of the den, very glad she had a black pelt that could blend in.
Silkfrost could come out at any moment. Her gaze watched the warriors den intently.
Then she saw a cat.
Silkfrost.
Silkfrost, very quietly, padded out of the warriors den and headed straight to the dirtplace, not even glancing in Midnightsky's direction.
Good, Midnightsky thought. She hasn't seen me.
After checking for cats herself, she ran to the dirtplace to follow her sister. She knew that Silkfrost had gone through the dirtplace tunnel— it was the best way to sneak out of camp.
Someone should really repair that tunnel, she thought as she just managed to squeeze through the tunnel. She was a little bigger than when she had used the tunnel last time.
Now, where did Silkfrost get off to? Midnightsky looked around until she saw the silhouette of a cat running. There she is.
She bounded off after her sister, making sure not to step on any dry twigs or leaves while she ran. If Silkfrost finds out I'm here, she'll suspect something.
She kept running until she realized something with a shock.
Silkfrost was going to Fourtrees.
And Fourtrees meant... Midnightsky sucked in a deep breath.
Please Silkfrost, no. You can't be...
It could have been a trick, capturing Silkfrost to make it seem like she wasn't the spy.
Perhaps Silkfrost was the spy.
Midnightsky couldn't bear the thought of it. I can't imagine her doing this! She knows what I've been through with the rogues...
But what else would Silkfrost be doing at Fourtrees?
Disbelief washed over her and she felt like her heart had broken in two. Silkfrost, you can't do this.
Midnightsky was shaking as Silkfrost reached Fourtrees. As Silkfrost slowed down, she did the same so she wouldn't get caught.
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Silkfrost head to the WindClan border.
Then the tabby just sat there, waiting.
Her heart pounding, Midnightsky crouched behind a bush, peering through the branches to see what would happen next.
Memories rushed to her of her kit hood: she and Silkfrost racing so many times and Silkfrost winning, having prey for the first time with Silkfrost (it was a squirrel), going on nighttime adventures with Silkfrost...
We did everything together...
If she wasn't currently in hiding, she would have yowled to the sky. Silkfrost, how could you do this to ThunderClan? To our kin? To me?
Her gaze dropped for a few heartbeats but was soon watching Silkfrost again.
The tabby's ears now were straight up, and her tail had shot up as well.
Someone's coming, Midnightsky thought.
And someone did. A flame-coloured tom with blue eyes was running toward Silkfrost. As he got closer Midnightsky started to sense the same strong emotions from Silkfrost more and more, even from all the way where she was hiding.
The tom arrived and nuzzled Silkfrost, who started purring.
"You were able to get here?" he murmured.
Silkfrost nodded. "I'm glad."
Her emotions were so strong Midnightsky was almost overwhelmed by them.
It was then that she realized something.
Silkfrost isn't the spy! She had sensed these emotions when Wavepelt was with Flamestar and Wheatwing was with Silverfang.
And now she saw Silkfrost and the tom, talking in excited whispers...
Great StarClan, my sister's in love with a rogue!