Chapter Three: A Loss

The she-cat sniffed the air. Whatever it was that she smelled, it was downwind. But it made her uneasy. Why had she gone out so late at night? After all, she wasn't as young as she used to be...

A twig snapped. Her ears twitched to the noise.

"Who goes there?" She yowled, but no one answered. She spun around on her paws, and waited for whatever was hunting her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow flicker by. The scent of Shadowclan filled her nostrils.

"Get off of my territory!" She hissed. But something told her it was no use.

She began slowly backing up. If she got in the right position, maybe she could run for it, back to camp.

But suddenly, a lithe shape hurled itself out of the shadows. The she-cat gave a strangled cry of surprise as the larger cat hurled her to the ground and began clawing at her face. Her once strong hind legs were now weak as she flayed his stomach, and she felt like she was an elder.

"Why... are you.. doing this to... me?" She choked out.

"Sorry," The tom spat in her face, "But you'll see, it's all for the best."

And he sank his teeth into her throat.

000

"I have no idea where she is," The she-cat mewed nervously. The younger tom looked even more nervous, since he himself had just become a warrior, and he was searching for the clan leader!
Suddenly, the vile scent of blood reached the deputy's senses, and she began to run at full speed toward where the scent was coming from.

She skidded to a halt, her icy blue eyes wide.

"No..."

Scarlet drops of blood hung to the blades of grass around the body. The cat's throat had been brutally torn open, and her eyes were staring into space.

"No.

000

"Aah!"

Dreampaw jolted out of her slumber in surprise. That dream... so horrid.

"Dreampaw," Came a groan from Sagepaw, an older apprentice, "Go back to sleep, and don't make so much noise..."

She looked around, realizing it was still dark outside. The golden apprentice shuddered, her amber eyes still wide, as she settled back down. What had happened?
000

At the exact same moment as Dreampaw awoke, Windpaw was startled out of his sleep. But luckily, he didn't make much noise and annoy the other apprentices.

That had been a strange and gruesome image. He stared at the full moon outside for a few moments. Then, as if entranced by it, stepped outside.

000

"Littlecloud. Nice to see you."

The elderly tom peered at the gray and white cat.

"Runningnose?" He said in surprise. His former mentor had died three moons ago of greencough, and Littlecloud had been blaming himself for the death. But Runningnose was revitalized, and for once, his nose wasn't running!

"Don't be sorry about the greencough incident," Runningnose assured him, "But I came for more than just to visit you."

"Er.. yes?" Littlecloud still couldn't get over the fact that his dead mentor was visting him.

"Keep an eye out for Snow."

000

Littlecloud opened his eyes and yawned. What was going on? Snow? What did Runningnose mean, an avalanche? Actually, he highly doubted that. After checking to make sure Nectarpaw, his apprentice, was still asleep, he walked outside.

There was Windpaw, sitting outside the apprentice's den, staring at the moon. At first, Littlecloud wanted to make him go back to sleep, but he stopped.

The way the moon hit Windpaw's pelt... it was as if he was fresh snow, pristine.

Snow.

"You can't mean Blackstar's son," He muttered to himself. Littlecloud had never really trusted his leader, especially not after the Bloodclan thing.

"Oh, Littlecloud," A voice rumbled, "Enjoying a midnight stroll?"

Littlecloud's warrior training flared up, and he was about to lash out at the stranger, when he realized that it wasn't a stranger at all. It was Blackstar.

"Yes," He said, "You as well?"
At that moment, Windpaw saw the two and ran inside. Blackstar chuckled.

"Smart apprentice. I'm glad I have Applebird mentoring him."

Littlecloud nodded. He truly was happy about that. Applebird was actually trustworthy.

And with his parentage, Windpaw neded a good mentor.

000

Dreampaw fell into step with her parents. Since Firestar was speaking with Leafpool, his training session with Dreampaw had to wait, and she had been impatient, so Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight were taking her hunting.

"Wait?" Dreampaw twitched her nose. What was that. "Riverclan!"

"She's right," Squirrelflight agreed after a moment. "But why?"
"I'm sorry," A voice came. The three turned to see two cats. One was a beautiful golden she-cat. Mothwing, the Riverclan medicine cat. She was famous for being the sister of the evil Hawkfrost, who, luckily, had been killed by Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight long ago. The other was Mistyfoot, the Riverclan deputy.
"What's wrong?" Brambleclaw asked, confused. Mistyfoot and Mothwing were friends, and very honorable.

"Leopardstar is dead," Mistyfoot sighed, "I'm going to get my nine lives and name, but Mothwind and I decided that we needed to stop here and talk to Firestar."

Dreampaw couldn't help thinking about her dream.. so strange...

"Uh... all right. I'm very sorry. That's a terrible loss. Leopardstar was a great cat."
"She was," Mothwing agreed.

"Come then. We'll take you to Firestar."

000

Of course, Dreampaw, being Dreampaw, will probably eavesdrop...