CHAPTER ONE: SILVERSTAR IS MISSING
SPEEDYPAW'S P.O.V.
The sun was hot, hotter than I have ever felt it. My mentor, Stripedpelt, and my friend's mentor, Goldheart, were hot on the trail of a scent. I was confused, and so was Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw, draped in her thick white fur, glanced at me sideways. Cloudpaw and I have been best friends ever since the day we could walk. Her mother, Snowfoot, was my mother Night-tail's best friend, so everything worked out. Cloudpaw and I were always by each other's side, whether we were play-fighting or cleaning out the elder's den.
Goldheart, Cloudpaw's mentor, was following Stripedpelt, tasting the thick, steamy hot air. She put down her head and began meowing to Stripedpelt. The two adult cats' heads were low to the ground, following the suspicious ThunderClan scent. I recognized the scent as being an adult she-cat. I glanced at Cloudpaw, who still had a puzzled look on her face.
"What does it smell like to you?" I asked, picking my way through the think growth and brush. A low-lying branch thwacked me in the left ear as we followed our mentors closer to the river. I felt warm blood start to slowly trickle its way down my ear. It stung, but I kept going. The sound of rushing water was slowly filling my pinpoint ears as the scent became stronger.
"I don't know…A ThunderClan she-cat," the milky white she-cat replied, her long plume tail dragging on the moist ground. Judging by the scent in the air, I knew that it had just rained overnight. Mud gathered on Cloudpaw's tail, dirtying the soft long fur. She didn't seem to care, and by the look in her fiercely green eyes I could tell that she was determined to find the cause of the scent.
As our party of four trudged along the soft ground that surrounded the riverbank, fear began to clench my stomach. Goldheart and Stripedpelt had worried looks on their faces as the followed the scent trail. I could tell that they recognized the scent, and I began to recognize it, too. The scent trail wound around the riverbank and back into the lush green forest and then back to the riverbank. I guess the cat was wandering around aimlessly, without any place to go. Our small patrol walked along the trail silently.
We almost got to the riverbank again when I scented another ThunderClan cat. I recognized it at Ravenwhisker, our deputy. I heard footsteps behind me and turned around.
"Silverstar's missing!" the sleek black green-eyed cat meowed between gasps for air. Goldheart's ears went up in alarm.
"I think we are following her trail. It leads to the riverbank," Stripedpelt meowed, yellow eyes set back in shock.
"I noticed that your scent was mixed with hers. I'm coming with you," he mewed. Stripedpelt nodded and made way for the deputy so that he could lead. Cloudpaw looked scared as she glanced at me.
"What if something bad happened to her? What if a badger attacked her?" the white she-cat asked, her voice quivering.
I shrugged. "Since the trail leads to the riverbank…" My voiced trailed off as Cloudpaw's ears pricked up and she jolted forward. The rest of the patrol anxiously called her name as she bounded toward the rocky bank. Water lapped at her white paws as she scented the air, mouth wide open. Ravenwhisker was the first to reach her. His eyes were full of terror as he waded in the murky water.
As the rest of the patrol arrived at the bank, Ravenwhisker just stood there in shock. I padded onto the shoreline and scented the air. I could no longer smell our leader among the gently caressing river. Ravenwhisker opened his mouth, showing his white teeth.
"She's…she's gone."