Rainstorm couldn't believe his luck. If he could call it luck, he wasn't at all certain. Sure, he hadn't managed to get himself exiled. Yet. But he had no idea what would become of Misty. The voice of Stormheart filled his mind, constantly reminding him of the prophecy.

I can't, he silently cried. There's nothing more I can do. I've failed. Though he didn't want to admit it, he knew it was true. He waited, listened, but caught no trace of scent on the breeze, no evidence that Stormheart had heard.

Where are you? He thought in despair. He curled up in his warm nest, hoping to receive another sign. He needed to know what he had to do next.

But when he once again opened his eyes, the air was dark, the ground dark, the scents, the sounds, everything dark. And in that darkness was great despair, even as the white light bobbed in the night.

"Stormheart?" he called, his voice echoing despite the open air, and he took a hesitant step forward. He squinted, just now realizing it was the shape of a cat, its fur glowing silver under a nonexistent moon.

"Hello?" He slowly approached the figure to see that it was a young she-cat. She sat with her back to him, gazing at the ground as if staring at nothing. And no matter how much he tried, Rainstorm could not catch her attention. There was something familiar about her, but Rainstorm, for some reason unknown, couldn't recall her, though he knew he should.

"What has become of you?" the she-cat murmured and Rainstorm's ears pricked. But before he could say anything, she went on, "Did I do the right thing sending you off to live the life of a loner?" Her voice was full of grief and Rainstorm felt a touch of sympathy for her.

He was beginning to realize that this was the mysterious cat from his dream, but he felt he should know more. He should know her in the waking world.

As if sensing his presence, she turned toward him and all he could see were her eyes. Piercing blue, striking like lightning and yet as deep as the deepest waters. Her gaze consumed him and conveyed all the spectrum of emotions in a blinding flash. Joy then determination and welling despair, grief to fiery anger. All in the blink of her hypnotic eyes. And in that moment, Rainstorm knew who she was, what she was, why she was.

He opened his mouth to call her by name when he felt a fierce prod in his ribs. The she-cat vanished and he awoke in the warriors' den to another gray dawn. The name of the she-cat vanished with the dream and he could not recall it, no matter how hard he tried.

There was another quick jab to the side and he looked up, flicking his ears irritably. He tried to stay cool under the gaze of Thistletooth.

"Wake up," the deputy grunted. "And wake Snowpelt and Icewhisker too. We're going hunting. Shadestar's orders."

Rainstorm quickly blinked away the sleep and scrambled away from the warmth of his nest. He woke Snowpelt and Icewhisker, the whole time aware of Thistletooth's penetrating gaze.

Without stopping to eat first, the warriors, including the apprentice Lionpaw, squeezed through the thorn tunnel and out into the forest. The sun was blazing overhead and the ice hanging from bare branches, dripped. Each globule that hit the ground burrowed its way through the snow, leaving narrow holes that pockmarked the surface of the snow. With any luck, this would be the final thaw and newleaf wouldn't be far off.

Rainstorm remembered trekking out here every day and couldn't imagine that it had been nearly two moons since he had met the loner at the edge of ThunderClan territory. He wondered what she was up to now.

"Alright, we should probably split up," Thistletooth said. "Rainstorm, you, Icewhisker, and Lionpaw will head toward the stream, see if you can find anything. Snowpelt and I will check out Sunningrocks."

Snowpelt flashed a glance at Rainstorm and Rainstorm could tell he was nervous. His eyes flicked back to Thistletooth and he reluctantly followed the deputy. His gaze said help me. Rainstorm's said don't worry.

"Well, we'd better go," Icewhisker said. "We want to have something to show to the clan when we're done."

Then they were alone, just the three of them in a forest dripping from every branch. The snow underpaw was soft and Rainstorm shivered as the cold seeped through his fur.

"What if we see that loner?" Lionpaw finally spoke up, quietly and hesitantly. Rainstorm shot him a look. "She probably won't stay away."

Icewhisker's ears pricked. "Loner? What loner?" she asked.

Rainstorm gave a look of surprise. He'd just realized that the she-cat had been unaware of the training sessions. She and Bluefeather both. An image popped into Rainstorm's mind, of the dream she-cat in the forest, the cat with the piercing blue eyes. He knew who that cat was.

"What was her name?"

The intensity of those blue eyes startled him. "Misty," he replied.

"Mistykit?" she breathed. "Where is she? How do you know her?"

The brief confusion vanished and Rainstorm explained everything, from the moment they had first met to the prophetic dream, the training sessions and the time Shadestar had discovered them.

"Warrior training?" Icewhisker murmured. "My kit, oh my kit, she's safe, she's safe and she's learning our ways. Thank you, Rainstorm, for telling me this. Where is she now?"

Rainstorm paused. "Probably at the barn. But we can't go there," he added quickly. "Shadestar will most likely kill her if he ever finds out."

Icewhisker stopped, crestfallen. "But -- he can't be everywhere. I saw him leave on patrol for the RiverClan border just before we left. We're on opposite sides of the territory. And we might not have to go to the barn. You said it yourself, she often wanders through here."

"If we see her," Rainstorm said. "But we can't go looking."

Icewhisker nodded at once, eyes gleaming as the patrol continued on their way. Rainstorm managed to catch a couple of mice, Lionpaw caught a shrew, and even Icewhisker caught something, as preoccupied in thought as she was.

That's when he saw her. Huddled in a bush, the hairs on her back visible. He knew she was watching them, but maybe too afraid now to come out. Fearing that Shadestar would come back. Rainstorm knew he would.

"Misty?" he called.

The bush rustled. Paused. A moment later, she slowly emerged from the undergrowth. She looked fearful but when she saw Icewhisker, she stood still.

"Mistykit," Icewhisker whispered. "You're safe, I'm so glad. Oh, thank StarClan I can see you again."

Then she rushed forward to meet the young loner, rubbing her cheek and purring loudly.

"Icewhisker?" said Misty. "You're my mother?"

"Yes," Icewhisker responded. "Yes, I am."

Misty caught her in a long look and then a purr escaped her throat. "I've always wanted to meet you." She allowed Icewhisker to cover her in licks like any mother would do to her kit, before pulling away. "But that's not what I'm here for." She turned to face Rainstorm. "I came to warn you. I saw Shadestar coming this way. And another cat was with him. I'm afraid of what he might do."

That got Rainstorm's attention. "Okay, thank you for telling me, Misty. But you should probably go now."

"Hurry. They're really close," Misty said.

"I know, but you shouldn't be here."

"There's something you should know --"

"Not now," Rainstorm snapped. "Get out of here."

With one last look, terrified and hesitant, Misty scampered off in the direction of the barn.

"Come on," Rainstorm said.

"It's too late," Icewhisker's voice was soft, barely distinguishable.

Rainstorm turned around.

"She's right, you know," said the cat at Shadestar's side. "You've been warned and Shadestar's done giving out warnings."

Rainstorm's hackles rose and he glared into the face of the traitor.