Chapter 10

Mistyfoot trotted up the slope, her tail held aloft and her muzzle high. There were so many strange new scents in the air, blown in on a gentle breeze that tickled her whiskers. The grass beneath her paws reminded her of the long grasses on the moor, but she wasn't on WindClan territory – she wasn't on any territory she knew of.

She reached the top of the slope and looked down, at a sight that made her eyes widen and jaw drop.

Below her stretched a massive body of water, bigger than any Mistyfoot had ever seen, ringed by rolling hills and vibrant forests. She padded down to it, stumbling over her own paws to take it all in. Her pelt brushed against a thicket of reeds, her paws splashed in the small, marshy puddles, but she didn't stop until she reached the shore – this place was pulling her along so hard she had to ignore her soaked fur.

The shore was pebbly beneath her paws, and Mistyfoot let the water lap over her. It was so cool and clear she could see her own reflection, and the dazzling stars in the sky, too.

What is this place? She wondered, looking out over the water. I've never seen anything like it! Though she was in strange territory, something about this place lifted her heart up and over the stars, as if she had found something that she had been meant to find all along.

The starlight danced on the water's surface, and Mistyfoot found herself entranced as it moved and took shape. Soon enough Mistyfoot could see Mosspaw padding along the surface of the water as if it were land, her small body outlined in starlight.

"Mosspaw?" Mistyfoot called. "Mosspaw!"

Mosspaw did not come any closer, which frustrated Mistyfoot. Her sister was just out of reach, and Mistyfoot wanted so much to talk to her about this place! What did it mean?

Yet Mosspaw's tail twitched at Mistyfoot, as if the young cat were beckoning her to come.

Mistyfoot tilted her head, confused. "I'm here, Mosspaw," she reasoned.

But Mosspaw's tail kept twitching, and her eyes lit with amusement.

Mistyfoot frowned crossly. If Mosspaw was going to play this game then so be it. Mistyfoot plunged into the water, feeling it lap over her back within a few steps. She paddled strongly, confident that she could at least stand on her toes if need be, until she reached Mosspaw's starry paws.

"Mosspaw, this isn't a game," Mistyfoot breathed, struggling to keep her muzzle above water. "What is this place? Why are you here?"

Mosspaw blinked down at her sister. She lowered her muzzle and touched her nose to Mistyfoot's. "I'm waiting for you," she breathed.

And then all went dark.

Mistyfoot's eyes opened.

To her shock she was not drenched – she made sure to check every hair on her pelt before getting to her paws. The images of her dream burned into her mind – the vast expanse of water, the rolling hills and the trees…

And Mosspaw.

What did it mean? Mistyfoot wondered, her head buzzing. It had to mean something – Mosspaw had delivered the first prophecy, after all.

Mistyfoot's stomach churned. It must be some indication of what to do next, but…

She had never seen nor heard of a place like in her dream. Could it exist, even? Thinking beyond her own borders was difficult – she'd never been further than Mothermouth, or the farthest reaches of ThunderClan territory downriver. Mistyfoot sank her claws into her nest.

"It must mean something," she breathed to herself. "Mosspaw wouldn't show it to me if it didn't."

Mistyfoot shook her head and padded out into the sunshine. She couldn't think on an empty stomach, and this new dream had chased away her tiredness from the meeting the night before. There was a prickling in her paws now, a sense of eagerness that propelled her forward.

A flash of black caught her eye, and Mistyfoot paused in the clearing, looking towards the leader's den. It took her moment to recognize Ravenpaw as he settled in the shade of the Highrock, Tinystar by his side. Mistyfoot's ears flicked, curious.

"… Twolegs are all over the Thunderpaths, from the barn to the Twolegplace," Ravenpaw was meowing, his eyes flashing with worry. "I don't know what they're up to, but WindClan's territory is a mess! The earth has been churned to mud wherever the Twolegs go."

Tinystar's ear twitched. "Twolegs!" he huffed. "I'm sure they'll be done soon. They always act so oddly in greenleaf."

Mistyfoot frowned, watching Ravenpaw's face fall. Clearly the loner was of an opposite mind: "I don't know, Tinystar," he meowed, "I think this time… something very serious could be happening."

Tinystar's eyes flashed sympathetically. He touched his nose to his friend's. "We'll keep a look out," he said supportively. "That's all we can do, Ravenpaw. Safe travels."

Ravenpaw looked a little relieved at Tinystar's promise – he nodded. "StarClan watch over you."

Mistyfoot blinked. Ravenpaw's worries were serious – but Mistyfoot could see a bigger opportunity here, one more important. Ravenpaw was the only cat she could think of who had seen anything outside the forest – if there was any cat who knew anything about the water Mistyfoot had seen, it would be him.

Ravenpaw was getting up to leave. Mistyfoot had to act fast. "Tinystar!" she meowed, raising her voice.

"Yes?" Tinystar's ears pricked.

"May I, uh… May I escort Ravenpaw?" Mistyfoot offered. She tried her best not to look too eager, but it was clear she had failed, by the twitching of Tinystar's whiskers.

"Sure," Tinystar decided. "Be sure to hunt on the way back."

"I will!" Mistyfoot promised.

Despite the dip in humidity, Mistyfoot's pelt still felt hot with embarrassment, especially as Ravenpaw rested his eyes on her. Did they have to sparkle with such amusement? Mistyfoot focused on the gorse tunnel – normally she would have berated herself for the foible, but right now there was just too much to be gained.

Mistyfoot raised her tail and led the way into the forest, Ravenpaw following behind.

"Ah… it still smells the same as when I was an apprentice!"

Mistyfoot's ear twitched. She and Ravenpaw were traveling down the well-worn ThunderClan trails, heading for Fourtrees. Ravenpaw would pass through the Gathering place and go on to the moors before he made it to the barn he called home.

Right now, the sleek black tom's eyes were sparkling with nostalgia. "Oh! I tried climbing that tree," he purred, whiskers twitching. "I, ah, failed."

Mistyfoot purred. "You could come back and try again," she offered. "You know Tinystar would let you back into ThunderClan in a heartbeat."

"Oh, I don't want that anymore," Ravenpaw mewed, dodging around a fern. "Clan life just isn't for me – besides, Barley would die of sadness if I left him!"

"Barley could come, too," Mistyfoot pointed out.

Ravenpaw rolled his eyes. "I suppose," he conceded. His tail flicked. "But he and I are very happy where we are. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Mistyfoot blinked at him, awed by his certainty. She felt a stirring in her chest. I wouldn't trade ThunderClan for anything, either, she thought as they padded on. After all, I want to lead it someday.

Yet images of her dream haunted Mistyfoot. Wherever that place was, it was far from ThunderClan…

"Hey, Ravenpaw," Mistyfoot began.

"Yes?" The loner was half-distracted by a bird flitting overhead before he looked down at Mistyfoot.

She frowned. "Have you ever heard of…" She did her best to describe her dream, though she left out the part about Mosspaw. It was awkward – there was no way mere words could describe the majesty of the place, or how it had made her feel. When she was done talking it felt like she had fumbled it too much for Ravenpaw to even get an idea of what she'd seen.

Ravenpaw made a thoughtful noise. He stopped walking and frowned down at his paws. Mistyfoot halted, looking back at him, hope flaring in her chest like a dove's wings. He's thinking, at least, she thought. And he hasn't called me mouse-brained. Yet.

Finally the loner lifted his head. "It's called a lake, what you saw," he pointed out. "And I have heard of it… but just rumors from other cats passing through the barn. Some claimed they saw a lake where it looked like the stars touched the earth."

"Have you ever been there?" Mistyfoot asked.

Ravenpaw shook his head. "Such a place is probably very beautiful though, I imagine," he added.

Mistyfoot frowned. "So it could be real?" she guessed.

Ravenpaw shrugged. "Who knows?" he mewed. "This world is strange, and there's so much no one knows. I can't imagine it's not out there, somewhere."

Mistyfoot swallowed.

"You okay?" Ravenpaw wondered.

Blinking, Mistyfoot nodded. "Y-Yeah," she managed. "Just curious, is all.

Ravenpaw blinked at her, his eyes even. Panic flared in Mistyfoot's chest – would he demand to know how the lake had entered her thoughts? He must wonder, she thought. After all it came out of nowhere, and there's nothing like that here.

But, by StarClan's grace, Ravenpaw said nothing of it.

"I can make my way from here," the loner offered. He nodded into the trees. "I know how to get to Fourtrees."

Mistyfoot blinked at him. "But I told Tinystar-"

"Don't worry about it," Ravenpaw scoffed, flicking Mistyfoot's nose with his tail. Mistyfoot was stunned by the familiarity of the gesture. It was hard to believe at times that the loner was no stranger to Mistyfoot, or most of ThunderClan. "You've always been a worrier, Mistyfoot. Don't get too wrapped up in it."

Mistyfoot said nothing. Ravenpaw seemed satisfied with that – the loner put a spring in his step and headed down the trail, tail up, without a care in the world. Mistyfoot blinked after him. If only things could roll off of me so easily! It was as if Ravenpaw's countenance was made of duck feathers.

But, right now, Mistyfoot had good reason to feel ill at ease – even more than before she was convinced her dream was something serious.

She looked up at the sun. Is it that late already? If she hadn't met the others the night before…

The others! The thought fanned a fresh wave of panic in her chest. I have to tell the others!

Mistyfoot emerged from the Thunderpath tunnel, feeling damp. The Twoleg-made passage was the easiest way into ShadowClan territory without risking the Thunderpath, and it would put her in a great place to get where she needed to go.

Measuring the sun, Mistyfoot crossed into ShadowClan territory. A patrol had gone by not long ago – Mistyfoot thanked StarClan that she had just missed them.

ShadowClan territory was a mire, a maze-like marsh filled with pine trees and standing water. Mistyfoot didn't like the smells here, strong and fungal. A cat could get lost in this place if they didn't know where they were headed – but thankfully Mistyfoot had an idea of where to go.

She kept to the very edge of the border, hoping her own scent wouldn't be noticeable under the strong smells. Stoneheart had talked fondly of a place near to the Thunderpath, where he liked to go and sun himself after a long day. With any luck the warm sun would bring him out now.

Mistyfoot slipped over the border, tail low as she cautiously padded into the woods. The ground was drier than Stoneheart usually described it – the marsh was starving for water, even after the storm. It at least made the peat bogs easy to avoid. Mistyfoot leaped one and grimaced – ShadowClan cats had to have webbed paws by now!

She continued on until she reached a sunny spot. Pines and oaks alike grew here, their boughs tangling just enough to let a shaft of sunlight touch the earth. It was the grassiest place in ShadowClan territory, according to Stoneheart, and the only place where a red, five-petaled flower grew in all the forest.

Mistyfoot could see the flowers now, dotting the space. They weren't any herb Mistyfoot knew of, but she did think them pretty. Stoneheart wasn't here – yet – so Mistyfoot settled down and prodded a flower gently with her paw.

"We say its bad luck to trample those flowers, you know."

The gruff voice made Mistyfoot jump.

Stoneheart emerged from the marsh, his eyes sparkling. "Though, trespassing is even worse luck."

"Stoneheart!" Mistyfoot snapped. "Great StarClan, must you always try to scare me out of my fur?"

Stoneheart's eyes narrowed. "Don't try that here, Mistyfoot," he meowed back. "If you're caught…"

"I won't be here long," Mistyfoot insisted.

Quickly she launched into an explanation of her dream. At first, Stoneheart was uncertain – but at the mention of Mosspaw, his eyes widened. "… Ravenpaw says it might be real!" she finished.

"And what do you think?" Stoneheart asked.

Mistyfoot blinked. "Mosspaw was calling me, Stoneheart. She said she was waiting for me. I think StarClan wants us to go there."

Stoneheart frowned.

"We said we would wait for another sign," Mistyfoot pressed. "I don't think it gets any clearer than that!"

Stoneheart blinked at her. "I'm not doubting you, Mistyfoot!" he insisted. "But this… this would mean leaving our Clans, don't you see? And if we leave for nothing…"

Mistyfoot felt a lump in her throat. "I know," she whispered. The idea of leaving every cat she had ever known… it was terrifying. Even Ashfur, who hated her so. In a way, even he was still family.

But StarClan was calling.

Stoneheart rested his muzzle on her head. "I believe you, Mistyfoot," he breathed. "I believe Mosspaw. I'll come with you."

Mistyfoot pressed her muzzle into her brother's fur, grateful for his support. "Thank you," she purred.

"When should we go?" Stoneheart asked.

Mistyfoot pulled back, frowning. "As soon as we can. The night before the half-moon? That would give us enough time to… figure things out…"

Stoneheart nodded. "Plus we wouldn't run into the medicine cats on their way to or from the Moonstone."

"Exactly."

"Then the night before the half-moon it is," Stoneheart agreed. "Fourtrees?"

"Fourtrees." Is this really coming together so quickly?

Stoneheart's tail flicked. "Then that's all – now get out of here, before a ShadowClan patrol sees us!"

Mistyfoot had to pelt out of ShadowClan territory to make it to Sunningrocks before sunset. There would be no time to find Crowpaw today – she'd have to settle for somehow catching Feathertail and hoping the RiverClan she-cat could tell him. It wasn't a conversation Mistyfoot was eager to try having with the prickly apprentice, anyway.

Mistyfoot crossed the stepping-stones in a few bounds and followed the river towards the gorge, smelling traces of WindClan as she crawled through the reed beds to avoid detection. It rained last night, she reflected, frowning. Why are WindClan still drinking from the gorge? It wasn't her business – but at least it meant that some RiverClan cats would be there too, watching the WindClan warriors.

She could see them – the thin, wiry WindClan cats taking their last drinks of the river. Some carried wads of soaked moss as they padded up the path into the moors. RiverClan warriors were positioned in the reeds, watching the WindClan cats like hawks waiting to swoop.

I wonder if there's been theft since we caught Onewhisker, Mistyfoot thought. Did WindClan learn their lesson? From here, all the moor cats looked skinny.

Mistyfoot craned her neck. She couldn't see Crowpaw – but she could see Feathertail and Stormfur, both talking to a dappled gray tabby. She ducked low in the reeds. If she was caught here… well, she didn't like the look of that gray tabby's claws, or the flash of his eyes.

"Stormfur!" she hissed. The big gray tom was closer. "Stormfur!"

Mistyfoot saw Stormfur's ear flick, but it took a moment before he turned about and met Mistyfoot in the reeds. His eyes flashed. "What're you doing here?" he asked.

Mistyfoot saw the spark in his eye. Does he think I'm here to see him?! She thought, stunned for a moment as heat flooded her pelt. I mean, I kind of am?

She shook her head. "Can you get Feathertail?" she asked.

Stormfur frowned. "Hang on," he mewed. "Falcontail is a sharp one. Stay here – I'll be back!"

Mistyfoot had to watch Stormfur go, digging her claws in as she could only see his ears bobbing as he spoke to his Clanmate. It felt like an eternity before Falcontail left the littermates alone and Stormfur and Feathertail were padding through the reeds towards Mistyfoot.

"Mistyfoot!" breathed Feathertail. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you, too," Mistyfoot replied. "Now listen…" For the third time Mistyfoot described the lake in her dream – but now it was more simple and concise, and with the added details of the plans she and Stoneheart had made. Feathertail's eyes shone the entire time, but to Mistyfoot's disappointment, Stormfur looked uneasy.

"I'm going," Feathertail said the instant Mistyfoot was done.

Stormfur flinched. "What!?" he hissed. "Feathertail!"

"It's what StarClan wants!" Feathertail told him earnestly. Her eyes shone with something Mistyfoot didn't quite understand – was that pain? "I'm going, Stormfur, with or without you."

Stormfur looked down at his paws. "Fine," he breathed. "I just hope this doesn't turn out to be a big mistake. Leaving our Clan is a huge risk – we have no idea what's out there."

"This lake is out there," Feathertail answered. "Answers are out there."

Mistyfoot swallowed. Despite Feathertail's eager personality, she hadn't expected the silver she-cat's consensus so quickly, especially since it meant leaving RiverClan. The two littermates had been adamant to stay, even after the battle with BloodClan and their parents joining ThunderClan.

"Thank you," was all Mistyfoot could offer.

"No, thank you," Feathertail insisted. "I'll get the message to Crowpaw."

"Do you think he'll even believe it?" Mistyfoot wondered.

"We'll make him," Stormfur promised. "But you need to get off of RiverClan territory, before Falcontail finds you. Trust us – he's not as friendly as we are."

Mistyfoot nodded. Quickly she was on her paws and flying across RiverClan territory. She crossed the stepping-stones in three bounds, her paws filled with a sense of tingling adventure. She swept through Sunningrocks and into the forest, images of the lake filling her mind.

And yet…

Mistyfoot slowed to a halt on the slope of the ravine. Stones clattered down the path as she caught her breath. She looked down at the ThunderClan camp, at the cats sharing tongues and laughing over fresh-kill, mostly hidden by the overgrowth of the forest. She looked up at the forest all around her, and swallowed.

I'll be leaving this behind, she thought.

Mistyfoot's world shook. She dug her claws into the earth to steady herself as anxiety rocked her body, rippling through her pelt like electricity. She suddenly felt like curling into a ball.

I have to do this! She told herself, closing her eyes tight. She could see the lake, see Mosspaw, hear Mosspaw beckoning her. I have to!

It's for their sake!

She wasn't the only one who would be leaving their Clan. Mistyfoot opened her eyes. It won't be easy on any of us, she decided. But we have to do it.

Mistyfoot looked down at the cats in the camp, looking happy and carefree and unaware of whatever troubles loomed on the horizon.

It's to save them.