Chapter 2
Fernshade awoke with a start in a small dip in the ground. "Where am I?" she thought. Then she remembered: last night she had snuck out of camp and come to her favorite spot in the forest, a dip in the ground that was hidden by ferns. Fernshade loved to watch the light fall though the fern's leaves and dapple across the ground. No one else in the clan knew where this spot was, not even Seaflash, which made it even more special for Fernshade. "But I'd better get back to the clan, before some cat realizes I'm missing or the dawn patrol catches me."
Fernshade stood up, stretching her cramped muscles. She sniffed the air, making sure no other cat was near. When she was sure that she was alone, she slid through the ferns and out of the little dip. Fernshade slid through the quiet forest, listening to the sounds of birds chirping. She kept her senses open, looking for prey, so if she was caught, she had an excuse for being out of camp.
As Fernshade neared camp, the sun was just finishing clearing the horizon, the sky a mix of oranges, pinks, and blues. The stars were fading, and Fernshade's mind drifted back to the night before. "How can I be the one cat who can stop a 'raging force' bent on destroying the clans? I'm not anything special...I'm just an average warrior..." Fernshade's though was cut off as a group of cats, the dawn patrol, slid through the camp entrance, which Fernshade had now reached. Crystalclaw was in the lead, followed by Darkcloud, Sparrowwing, and Thunderstripe.
"What are you doing out here this early in the morning?" Crystalclaw asked, a tad of suspicion rising in her voice.
"I'm allowed to go for a walk aren't I?" Fernshade asked, her head held high.
"I was just asking a question," Crystalclaw said. "No need to get defensive." Crystalclaw and her patrol walked past Fernshade, and Fernshade entered the camp. "If you don't want me to get defensive, don't act suspicious of me!" Fernshade thought angrily.
Fernshade walked over to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed a mouse. She walked over to a shadowed area and sat down to eat the mouse. "I've got to tell someone about last night. But who? I suppose my first choice would be Frostblossom, since she's talked and shared dreams with StarClan before."
Fernshade finished off her mouse then started looking for Frostblossom. As she was looking, a coal black tom ran up to Fernshade. "Hi Fernshade!" the tom, Coalpad, said.
Fernshade glanced at Coalpad. "Hi Coalpad," Fernshade said, without much emotion, and kept on walking past Coalpad.
Coalpad hurried to catch up with Fernshade. "So...so you want to go hunting with me?"
Fernshade continued walking. "I can't, I need to find Frostblossom."
"Why?" Coalpad inquired.
"Because I need to talk to her," Fernshade said shortly. She then spotted Frostblossom in the medicine cat den and hurried towards her.
Coalpad stopped and hung behind Fernshade. "So I'll see you later?" he called, but not much hope in his voice.
"Uh…sure…" Fernshade called back. Coalpad quietly walked away, hurt glimmering in his eyes.
Fernshade walked up to Frostblossom. "I need to talk to you," Fernshade said lowly.
Frostblossom continued sorting the herbs, not looking up. "About what?" she asked.
"I had a dream about StarClan," Fernshade said. "And they said the clans could be destroyed."
Frostblossom looked up sharply. "Well then, you'd better come into my den."