~PROLOGUE~
"Come on! This will be fun," a voice mewed.
"I-I'm not sure..." another hesitated. "We shouldn't be sneaking out on our own."
"It'll be fine!"
Gingersplash woke to hear voices. They sounded familiar, but she couldn't tell who was talking. She peeked out of some ferns and spotted two lithe shapes sitting in the dark. She squinted her eyes, trying to make out the two cats, but it was too dark, and mist hung in the air. The two cats stood up and disappeared under some bushes. Curious and suspicious, she followed. The pair of cats led her to a place with water. Gingersplash realized it was Falls of Badger Creek, since it was where the battle between the badgers and the cats took place. Suddenly everything went even darker than night, and a fearsome yowl can be heard...
~CHAPTER 1~
Gingersplash awoke to a misty, foggy morning. She yawned and stretched, flexing her muscles. Suddenly a mournful yowl rang in the camp. Around her, heads raised, the cats all wondering what was going on. Swiftbreeze was the first one out of the warriors' den, and Gingersplash followed. Another yowl of despair drove all the cats out of their dens and led them to the center of camp. There was Fawnstep, her brown eyes wild with fear, her ears flattened. Jaystar popped out of the leader's den, and more and more cats crowded around them,, waved of curiousity burning from their pelts.
"What's going on?" Jaystar was the first to ask, his eyes narrowed and pelt bristling in alarm.
Fawnstep gazed at him, her eyes filled with misery. "It's just that..." she trailed off and tilted her head backwards, letting out another deafening caterwaul. Featherpelt, another queen from the nursery, rested her tail on Fawnstep's shoulder as sh mourned.
"Fawnstep went to fetch prey for Sunpaw and Jaypaw, but found out they were both missing," she filled in.
"We could ask Shypaw,"Gingersplash suggested. Featherpelt gazed at her through calm, steady eyes, but shook her head. "Shypaw didn't want to talk, and she was already sound asleep when Fawnstep visited the apprentices' den."
"When I awoke, Sunpaw and Jaypaw were still here," Snowpaw offered.
Jaystar thought for a second, then shook his head. "That's great, Snowpaw, but that fact isn't very useful."
Snowpaw's eyes dimmed and she backed away out of the crowd.
Gingersplash instantly thought back to her dream. Two cats escaped from what seemed like the camp, they might have been Sunpaw and Jaypaw... She stepped up, and every head turned towards her. "I think I might know where they are," she meowed, fixing her eyes on Jaystar. "May I lead a patrol?"
Jaystar nodded. "You sure can, as long as you know where you're going. Pick a few cats to come with you. I'll stay here, in case Sunpaw and Jaypaw decide to come back on their own." Fawnstep nodded. "I'll stay, too, in case they need a good scolding."
"Alright. Swiftbreeze, Swanwing, Featherpelt, Redfeather, and Shinetail, you're the best tracker. Dapplefern, you come too." Berryrain charged up to them. "Featherpelt can't go," he protested. "What about Dusk-kit, Snowkit, and Dovekit?" Featherpelt licked the tabby's ear. "I'll be fine, Berryrain."
The cats lined up and Gingersplash led them out of camp. Swiftbreeze and Swanwing came in beside her. "Just in case you need our help," Swiftbreeze winked at her. The deputy's eyes shone.
"Gingersplash, how do you know where they are?" Swanwing asked. Swiftbreeze butted her. "With her powers, of course," she murmured, keeping her voice low.
Gingersplash shook her head. "I had a dream," she whispered. "It was about two cats sneaking to Falls of Beaver Creek." Swanwing gasped. "But... there's a gorge there!"
Her heart pounded in her chest. She hadn't thought of that. "Hold on." Gingersplash concentrated and sent out her senses, but couldn't see anything. "My senses are blocked," she complained softly. "I need to stand to really concentrate, but we can't stop now. I have a feeling that Jaypaw and Sunpaw are in danger. Swanwing, can you talk to StarClan right now?"
The white she-cat hesitated. "I'll try." She closed her eyes and after a few heartbeats, they flew open, wild with fear. "You're right, Gingersplash," she panted. "They're in grave danger."