𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 #3: 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

Dovesong was curled up in her poorly made nest, but it was good enough. Rain pattered on the ground outside and on top of the den. The chilly wind made her shiver slightly, but she curled up tighter and hoped that sleep would come to her soon.

     She and Moonclaw had had no progress in finding out what Softcloud's message meant. Moonclaw was becoming more and more distant, only leaving her nest when it was time to eat. Dovesong felt like StarClan was ignoring her. What was once hope inside her became a dark abyss of hopelessness. Everyday she prayed that someone would come to save her and Moonclaw.

     She lifted her head when she heard hushed voices and the quick and quiet pattering of paw steps in puddles. She tasted the air, but only found MoonClan, a faint scent of FrostClan and RiverClan from herself and Moonclaw, and rain. But behind all of that was the stronger scents of the five Clans. Her heart lurched in excitement and it began to racing.

     "Do you hear that?" she whispered, hoping that Moonclaw was listening.

     "Hear what?" Moonclaw muttered, sounding half asleep. She raised her head and looked around, her ears erect.

     "There's cats out there."

     Moonclaw blinked at her. "Um, yeah. What about it?"

     Dovesong rolled her eyes. "No, I can smell the other four Clans out there."

     Moonclaw parted her jaws and was silent for a moment before her eyes widened in wonder. "Do you think it's a rescue patrol?"

     Dovesong wished she sounded more enthusiastic. "Maybe." She left her nest and limped toward the den entrance. When she reared onto her hind legs, she stumbled and fell when there was a warning yowl outside. She scrambled to her paws again and tried to look outside again. She could see all kinds of pelt colors—one of which she recognized as Creamfrost, another Skystorm, another Goldenheart . . . "Great StarClan! They're all here!"

     Moonclaw looked genuinely interested now. She padded to Dovesong's side and peered through the brambles. "There's Applewhisker! And Featherbreeze and Whitecloud! And Swallowpaw!"

     Fear stabbed Dovesong in the chest unexpectedly when Moonclaw named Swallowpaw. She looked outside again and saw her best friend in the sea of fighting cats. What is she doing here? She's not even trained like a warrior is! She could be hurt! "Oh, no."

     "What?"

     "Swallowpaw's a medicine cat, not a warrior! She could be hurt," Dovesong answered.

     "She'll be fine. She's surrounded by her Clanmates and cats that care about her," Moonclaw mewed. "Besides, if she's hurt, you can heal her, right?"

     "Yes. . . . But what if this attack doesn't turn out well? It's nighttime—you know MoonClan is powerful at night," Dovesong explained hurriedly. Even though she didn't want to watch in case someone was hurt, she couldn't take her eyes off of the fight. Who organized this? Who cared enough to organize something like this? Dovesong felt warm inside knowing that someone cared about her and Moonclaw that much. Especially Moonclaw, who was convinced that everyone hated her.