Windfur settled himself on his nest and began to think. "Let's see… eight paws… water… monster… four paws…" He closed his eyes. He remembered four paws lifting off the ground, and disappearing. He gasped. Did those paws belong to Waterpaw?
The he thought some more. "… find Waterpaw, and her missing friend…" He widened his eyes. Missing! It wasn't Waterpaw, it was the cat who came along with her! But what did the monster have anything to do with- he stopped. "I bet a Twoleg grabbed this missing friend!"
He stood to his paws. "Am I right?" he called to Messyfoot.
A soft color mist of fog summoned itself in front of him. "Windfur," she murmured. "You haven't much time. You may think Waterpaw is not in danger. But she will be." She took a glance at the dead bee at the floor. Then back at him. "The bee. Remember it? Good." She vanished.
"The bee…" Windfur murmured. "Great StarClan! Waterpaw!" He began to run out of the tunnel. The bee had something to do with the danger ahead of her. But the bee was dead… he thought. Does that mean Waterpaw will be safe? He looked around hopefully, searching for Messyfoot.
The mist of fog appeared again. "The bee doesn't show of the future, Windfur. It's a hint. Hints can help, but they are not exactly what they seem to be. Hurry." Then her fog vanished.
Windfur felt his shoulders sag. What danger could his apprentice be in?
Meanwhile, Waterpaw was padding silently back the way they came, her head hung low, and all her enthusiasm drained. She felt regret. She felt pain. Her eyes seemed blinded as the world began to blur. She didn't notice the hive in front of her.
Her paw stepped deeply into it, and angry buzzing invaded her fur. The medicine cat apprentice shot her head up. The bees flew out in an angry rage and began to fly towards her.
In the monster, Wave was sitting in a soft cushion, with a strange strap across her shoulders. The Twoleg kept rubbing behind her ears and stroking her head. She felt oddly soothed by this. Her eyes narrowed as her mind began to blur. Her struggles for freedom weakened until there was no more.
A purr rumbled from her throat. She opened one eye. The Twoleg was smiling at her, and now scratching her fur from the backside. Wave purred even more. She couldn't help it. This strange sensation… she couldn't escape.
Every limb of hers numbed, her cat instincts faltered. She sat quietly with her eyes now completely closed, the Twoleg still stroking her fur. A purr rumbled from her again, stronger than before.
The Twoleg murmured something to her very softly. Wave became absolutely quiet, lulled into a deep, peaceful slumber. No worry filled her head.