"Hawkclaw says he's going to help me with tree climbing."
Leafdawn's eyes were wide as she said those words.
"Have fun," Midnightsky purred. "I won't be up there, that's for sure."
"The only thing I'm worried about is Wolfpaw," Leafdawn continued. "I can't just leave him in camp."
"You could ask Wavepelt," Midnightsky suggested. "Maybe she'll take all the apprentices out for a training session."
"Oh yeah!" Leafdawn exclaimed. "I think she doing that today. I'll go ask her." Then she left the medicine den.
Midnightsky did one final check of the herb storages. Maybe I'll go with Leafdawn and Hawkclaw when I go to gather herbs just so I have a couple of warriors nearby.
Tansy was what she needed for sure— and Midnightsky knew where a big patch of it was.
She entered the clearing and saw Leafdawn talking with Wavepelt. In a few heartbeats, the tabby was running back to Midnightsky.
"I was right," she mewed. "Wavepelt is doing a training session today so I don't have to worry about Wolfpaw."
"Do you mind if I accompany you and Hawkclaw when you go?" Midnightsky asked. "I need to get some tansy. I'll leave you two to practice alone but I just want to cats near if anything were to happen."
Leafdawn nodded in understanding. "Sure."
Midnightsky smiled. "When are you going, anyway?"
"After Hawkclaw comes back from patrol, I think." Leafdawn looked up at the sky. "Which should be soon."
"Okay," Midnightsky meowed.
The fresh-kill pile was stocked up so she padded over to get a piece of prey before leaving.
Midnightsky took a mouse and lay down to eat it.
She looked around the camp. Not surprisingly, Silkfrost was nowhere to be seen.
She could be on patrol, I guess, Midnightsky thought. But to be honest, I doubt it.
She took a bite out of her mouse. I haven't been able to watch her with Scratchclaw yet— I hope nothing bad has happened.
But something probably will happen.
Her Moonstone dream had said so.
But maybe it wasn't a cry for help. Maybe it was a cry of anguish. StarClan tends to be pretty confusing about this stuff.
But Midnightsky didn't really care about that right now.
As soon as she finished the mouse she saw Hawkclaw's patrol come into the camp. Spottedstripe (the patrol leader) padded to Flamestar's den to report. Hawkclaw, meanwhile, headed to Leafdawn.
"You ready?" he asked.
Leafdawn nodded nervously. "I am. Midnightsky's coming with us." Then she quickly explained why to Hawkclaw.
"Okay," the tom mewed. "Let's go, then."
The three of them went through the gorse tunnel. Midnightsky padded a little ahead to let Leafdawn and Hawkclaw have some space.
"I"m nervous," she heard Leafdawn say.
"Don't worry," Hawkclaw replied. "You can handle it."
Leafdawn didn't say anything else.
Midnightsky kept scanning the horizon for anything. She didn't know why, but her instinct told her to.
Rogues kind of make me do that, probably, she thought.
"Where are we going?" Leafdawn asked Hawkclaw.
"I know where some nice thick trees are," the tom replied. "They're pretty easy and fun to climb."
"Easy is good," Leafdawn murmured.
***
"This is where I thought we could practice," Hawkclaw meowed.
Leafdawn looked up at the tall, thick trees. "We aren't climbing all the way to the top, are we?"
"Not if you don't want to," Hawkclaw assured her.
Midnightsky left the two of them to go find some tansy. She knew this area pretty well, there should be a patch of tansy pretty close...
There it is! Midnightsky soon found the patch and realized there were plenty of herbs growing there.
I might as well gather more, she thought. You can never have too many herbs.
She was just starting to gather tansy when she heard a little yelp from Leafdawn.
"Thanks," the tabby's voice said.
Midnightsky guessed she had slipped a little.
She shrugged and continued to gather the tansy. After collecting a suitable amount of it, she moved on to the next plant— dock.
I think we might have been starting to get low on that, she thought. It's a good thing it's here.
Her thoughts wandered (as usual) as she gathered the dock. So many things were occupying her mind— Silkfrost and Scratchclaw, the rogues attacking, Blackpaw, Leafdawn and Hawkclaw, her Moonstone dream...
Too many things! Her head hurt just thinking about it. Why are there always so many things going on at once? That's my life, I guess.
Her life had been pretty crazy from the start— and it only got crazier.
I'm just glad we're coping with everything.
Eventually, every problem would get resolved.
Eventually.
"Hi, Midnightsky!"
Midnightsky jumped at Leafdawn's voice, dropping the herbs in surprise. She looked up.
The tabby was perched upon a branch in one of the trees, looking down at Midnightsky.
"You've got the hang of it now, I guess?" Midnightsky asked.
Leafdawn nodded. "Hawkclaw's shown me a little bit of tree leaping. It looks terrifying— trust me— but you never know when it could be useful."
Midnightsky spotted Hawkclaw in an adjacent tree, on a branch about the same height as where Leafdawn was sitting.
"Look out," Hawkclaw warned. "I'm coming."
Leafdawn nodded. "Got it."
Hawkclaw looked at the branch Leafdawn had been on, sizing it up. Then he backed away a little, then ran and leapt.
Midnightsky's heart caught in her throat when she realized that the tom's jump had been short.
He's going to fall to his death!
Hawkclaw seemed to realize it too, and his eyes widened.
In a flash, Leafdawn was there, climbing onto the branch and grabbing Hawkclaw's scruff just at the right time. She lurched forward with the momentum of the fall, but her claws were digging tight into the branch.
Hawkclaw was breathing hard.
"Thanks," he murmured.
"Do I need to come up there?" Midnightsky asked. She didn't really want to climb up there but if she had to she would.
"No— I'm— fine." Leafdawn's reply was muffled. With a grunt she hoisted Hawkclaw up onto the branch, backing up so they didn't both fall. Finally, she let go with a sigh of relief.
"I'm just glad I was able to get there in time," she panted. "What do you say we take a short break?"
Hawkclaw nodded. "I agree."
Relieved that the two cats were okay, Midnightsky went back to the herb patches. She had just finished the dock, and there was a decent-sized patch of basil right next to it.
That'll be good, she thought.
Midnightsky liked the smell of basil and it felt really great while she started to gather it.
The only thing is I feel like I just got basil a few days ago...
A scream echoing through the forest cut her off. Midnightsky's head jerked up and she didn't have to think twice.
Silkfrost! Dropping the basil she dashed in the direction where the yowl had come from.
This was from my Moonstone dream. That was why the basil had seemed so familiar.
Fear drover her paws forward as she kicked up dry leaves and twigs. Midnightsky knew where she was going.
The WindClan border.
Scratchclaw's done something, I know it! Wild thoughts were racing in her head. Please let Silkfrost be all right. Please let Silkfrost be all right.
She had already almost lost her sister once. She couldn't let it happen again.
But this time, I know what's happened.
When she reached the border, she gasped.
There were pools of blood on the ground. Tufts of fur were everywhere. The place was full of Scratchclaw's scent.
But in the middle lay an unmoving Silkfrost.