`~*~` Prologue `~*~`
It was a quiet early new leaf night, the half-moon glittered wondrously overhead of the cats gathered around the old oak, and the orb cast its marvelous moonbeams across the little river surrounding them. There were six cats in all, a gray pelted tom named Stormpelt and his apprentice, newly named the previous moon, a brown tabby she-cat, Maplewing sat on one side of the tree. To the left of them a brown and white she-cat and a quivering mainly dark gray tom sat side-by-side, the tom was very small and young, this only his second medicine cat meeting. Their names were Whitecloud and Smallpaw. Across from them, the fluffy, white Featherpelt sat with her apprentice, Nightpaw.
Whitecloud and Smallpaw were just about to touch their noses to the bark of the Moontree when Featherpelt abruptly stood and silenced them. The quarrel between the two Clans from five moons ago had been resolved, but still some tension touched them, even the medicine cats. But of course Featherpelt had a reason to stand up and begin to speak, "Before we begin our meeting with StarClan, I would like to do something. Nightpaw," The black she-cat shivered excitedly when her name was called, "I believe that the time is right for you to receive your medicine cat name. You have been working hard these last few moons, and haven't let a single patient down. Nightpaw, once and for all through the journey of your life, do you accept the medicine cat code, and promise to uphold it until you join the ranks of StarClan?"
"I do," Nightpaw stated clearly, straightening up and feeling very proud of her work. Stonepaw might have not made it through his deep fox bite if she hadn't slaved over him for the last half-moon. Featherpelt continued, "Nightpaw, you will now be known as Nightleaf because of your excellent herb memory and usage."
"Nightleaf! Nightleaf!" The other cats cried in welcome and after the celebration died down, the cats settled down and touched their noses to the cold bark of the Moontree that sent them instantly into the dreams StarClan had sent them.
Nightleaf ended up by the river in StarClan's territory. A cheery prey-filled forest ran along the left side of the small river and the right a large meadow with several good, flat sunning rocks in it, which eventually broke out into more trees. Nightleaf had been here several times before, mostly meeting her late sister, Volepaw, who had died of Blackcough that leaf-bare.
Nightleaf saw movement in the meadow and looked to see the recently departed elder No-tail, slink away into the forest after getting off a rock. He looked younger than Nightleaf had ever seen him, and his eyes twinkled good-naturedly at her as he nodded his head at her before disappearing into the forest.
At once a brown she-cat burst from the forest and sprang energetically over the river. It was Volepaw, and Nightleaf was still startled by the way Volepaw was so brave and strong in StarClan. She was the exact opposite in life.
"Hello Volepaw," Nightleaf greeted cheerfully to her solemn looking sister. Volepaw did not return the greeting, but instead said, "Nightleaf, strange things will be happening to your Clan soon. StarClan has seen it. Be wary and you must protect your only hope, the-"
Volepaw didn't get to the end of her sentence. Nightleaf awoke along with the other medicine cats as a Twoleg monster let out a terrible, loud piercing cry that continued for several seconds. Smallpaw let out a yowl of, "Fox dung!"
As Whitecloud scolded him the other cats muttered much the same word under their breath and began to leave all wondering what their dreams meant. Nightleaf was furious; their Clan could be destroyed!
~*~ Chapter One ~*~
Spottedkit had gotten another one of his 'good ideas' and as usual, it would lead to fairly bad consequences. Of course, Vixenkit would complain against it, but the three other kits would eventually go along with their faulty leader. Smart and shy Patchkit knew of the terribleness of raiding the medicine cats' den, but being the shy kit he was, would not speak up.
Snowkit also knew it, and tried her hardest to plead against stubborn Spottedkit's plan, but he wouldn't move. So that night of the half-moon they were settled to bed with their mother, Brightpelt and loved the way the nursery wasn't that crowded anymore, as Stonepaw and Flowerpaw had became apprentices earlier. The only other cat was Willowtail, recently pregnant with her first litter of kits.
"Now, kits, don't you dare go outside and wake up your father, and not to mention half the other warriors, at moonhigh again, or no playing outside tomorrow, okay?" Brightpelt lectured them before settling down. Each of the kits chanted angelically, and only Patchkit and Snowkit would mean it, "Yes mother."
So Brightpelt laid her head on her paws and the kits snuggled into her, until both the queens fell asleep. Spottedkit sprang to his paws, causing Brightpelt to shift in her sleep, Vixenkit whispered an angry 'don't!' and the rest of the kits stood up carefully and padded out in equal measure.
The camp was quiet at night, all the cats in their dens and Featherpelt and Nightpaw would be at the medicine cat meeting at Moontree right now. The remains of the fresh-kill pile lay by the Cave Mouth, three voles, a sparrow and a sad crushed squirrel. Spottedkit looked wonderingly around him and then headed in the opposite direction of the medicine cats clearing, to the entrance. Vixenkit hissed, "Mouse-brain! It's the other way! Swiftfoot is gonna notice you!"
"I knew that!" Spottedkit turned sharply around as he hissed the answer back at her. Three kits padded quietly, and a large ginger and white one bounded happily and noisily to the medicine cat's den.
The rock was full of countless herbs, all unknown to the kits. Spottedkit bounded up to a little pile of dock leaves and bit into the tough, chewy leaves, exclaiming, "This tastes like crowfood!"
Vixenkit hissed at her loud, stupid brother, and knocked over a little pile of ginger accidentally. Spottedkit eyed her and dared her, "Eat some!"
Vixenkit was stubborn and didn't want her pride to be hurt, so she bit the spicy herb, and coughed a little. Patchkit and Snowkit were quietly looking around, and suddenly Snowkit realized her paw was sticky, she had stepped in some honey! She looked around for the rest of the honey and saw the leaf container was crushed and the liquid was oozing out. She sighed and began to clean her paw. Patchkit uneasily watched Vixenkit and Spottedkit quarrel, ruining several herbs, and sat silently. Just as the tired kit yawned, Spottedkit slipped and a few crushed juniper berries flew into his open mouth and down his throat. He coughed and coughed, but no one took any mind of him.
Spottedkit and Vixenkit were still arguing, Snowkit licking her paws, Patchkit coughing and suddenly they realized they were surrounded. Well, not quite, but the medicine cats were back.
"Ahh! Featherpelt and Nightpaw!" Spottedkit mewled, jumping back, and knocking over another pile of herbs. Featherpelt sighed and rounded up the kits and pushed them outside.
"Did you eat anything?" Featherpelt demanded. They all nodded, Snowkit said, "I licked some honey of my paw because I stepped in it, Spottedkit ate some chewy bad tasting leaf, Vixenkit at some spicy herb and Patchkit accidentally swallowed a blue berry. We're sorry."
After a quick examination of them all, Nightpaw, whom the kits found out was now Nightleaf, was sent to get their mother, who rushed over immediately and scolded them so much they were sure StarClan could hear, and Spottedkit listened to it with a bored expression. Patchkit thought he was an idiot, they could have killed themselves with the stuff in there! And as usual, Patchkit was right. Nightleaf looked at the kits with a thoughtful expression, they all couldn't help but to wonder what it meant.
They were sent to sleep quickly after, and Brightpelt stayed awake the whole night so the kits wouldn't leave again. They were not allowed at all to go outside the following day, and everyone was sad. They all eventually fell into a light sleep, and slept fitfully until morning.
They all awoke to a yowl the next morning. Spottedkit raced outside half-asleep with Vixenkit at his heels, while the other kits hopped up and looked around confusedly. Brightpelt was gone, so the two good kits crept cautiously outside.
The camp was full of the fellow LeafClan cats, from the newly made warriors Frostwing and Whitefang to the still mourning Gingerpaw, her sister had passed in the last moon, surprisingly living so long with her two front legs completely crippled.
Spottedstar was jumping onto the Cave Mouth; Sootpelt was speaking to his brother and sister, Russetfang and Nightleaf, the apprentices were speaking in a little group, one seeming really too big to be one. Snowkit found their mother with their father, Iceclaw, speaking in a low voice.
They stopped abruptly when their kits reached them. Snowkit asked the question, "What's wrong? Who yowled? W-"
"Hush Snowkit. Where are your siblings?" Brightpelt asked. They shrugged, but the two kits came pummeling through the crowd only a few heartbeats later.
"Is it true? Stonepaw said Re-" Spottedkit's mother cut him off with a look and said, "Spottedstar is going to answer that question now."
"I don't think I need to call the summons, even the kits are out," Spottedstar meowed, and silence came so sudden Patchkit flinched, "It is true that the dawn patrol came back missing a member, Redpelt. They said he had scent of something strange and left to investigate but he hasn't came back. We are sending search parties out immediately to look for him. Go back to your duties and don't worry about our deputy, he knows how to fight."
The first thing Patchkit noticed was a sudden of horror from Nightleaf. Patchkit knew it certainly wasn't very good to be missing one's deputy, but it surely wasn't enough to cause a look like that. There was something that Nightleaf knew, that no one else did. And it wasn't something good.
