Magicflower woke to the bright moonlight shining in the Twoleg nest. It was the full moon, and it lit up everything she could see. A cool breeze rippled through her fur. Her green eyes gleamed.
Suddenly, a pale silhouette landed on the windowsill.
A dove! She thought. She had never seen a dove; they didn't live where she lived, but her mother had told her about the dove's grace and beauty, and it's pretty white feathers. This dove had bright blue eyes, and they stared at her with a knowing look. Magicflower longed for the bird to stay, but almost as quickly as it had come, the beautiful bird was gone.
Still in awe, Magicflower slipped out of the Twoleg nest and breathed in the cool night game. She explored the outer part of the forest. Being outside was exactly what she wanted after the mysterious sighting of the dove. She prodded together a nest of moss under a sheltered tree, and closed her eyes.
Dovestar awoke to birds chirping and the movement of cats around the camp. The dawn patrol was back, and although they weren't needed to hunt, they brought back plenty of fresh-kill. Bramblepelt, MoonClan's deputy, was among them. Lovekit, Wolfkit, and Morningkit, Bramblepelt and Icefeather's kits, jumped all over their father, practicing the fighting moves they had copied from the apprentices. Bramblepelt playfully swatted them away before turning to Dovestar, twitching his tail to signal he wanted to speak with her alone. He and Dovestar started towards the leader's den. The kits tried to follow, but Icefeather's call from the nursery made them turn back.
Once inside Dovestar's den, Bramblepelt began. "I need to warn you about something. We have scented badger in our territory, over by the Thunderpath near Twolegplace. We couldn't find the set, but there was a badger there for sure. Ivytail was on the patrol with us, and she is deeply afraid after what happened to her mother when she was just a kit."
Dovestar shivered. She remembered only too well the devastating badger attack many moons ago that had taken the lives of many brave warriors. She wouldn't let that happen again, especially now, when she had no medicine cat. She must do something.
"Send out extra patrols, and make sure there are enough cats in each one to handle a badger if they were to meet one. We must stop them this time."
Magicflower lapped the warm milk from her dish, thinking about the night before. She had spent it in the forest, and it was the best night she had ever had. Suddenly, a strange thought entered her mind. Would she be happier without her Twolegs, just living alone in the forest? Maybe it is my destiny to be in the forest, she thought, remembering the dove that had looked at her; it's eyes full of knowledge and secrets, as if it was a sign of some sort. Magicflower knew that the dove was something very important, maybe even life changing, and she was determined to find out what it meant.
Magicflower was in a strange den with unfamiliar scents. She was surrounded by fierce-looking cats that she decided looked to hungry and wild, they couldn't be kittypets. The cats looked at her with respectful eyes, which Magicflower thought was strange. Although the unfamiliar scents overwhelmed her greatly, Magicflower wasn't afraid. She felt like these wild cats were like kin, so close to each other they would give their life for the others. Gazing around what seemed to be a small clearing, she saw a beautiful white she-cat sitting on a tall rock. The she-cat looked at her with the same wise, bright blue eyes she had seen on the dove. Suddenly, a terrified cry echoed the clearing. It was high-pitched and Magicflower was truly scared. The cats darted into the dark undergrowth. She was alone.
Magicflower awoke with a start. She looked around, fear flashing her pale green eyes. She was in her Twoleg's nest, curled up by the fire. Thunder flashed outside and rain poured down, casting a dark, gloomy feeling in Magicflower. It must have been a dream, she thought, remembering the wild cats' fierce eyes and mangled fur, and their fear-scent as they disappeared into the brambles.
A Twoleg kit ran into the nest, chattering quickly to an older Twoleg before racing out the door. "Magic!" She could hear her Twolegs calling for her as she ran out the door after the little Twoleg. She didn't know why her Twolegs didn't call her by her real name. Then it occurred to her that they probably didn't know her full name. Her mother, Stream, had given it to her. Stream had told her, "My kit, Magic, will now be known as Magicflower, for the memory of -" Stream had cut off, a clouded expression Magicflower couldn't read in her eyes. Magicflower hadn't thought of it much, but now she wondered what that memory was. There's no way of knowing now, Magicflower thought sadly, Stream is dead. She remembered with a shudder the greencough that had taken her mother when she was young, barely older than a kit. Flower could have been the name of Stream's mother, or perhaps a littermate, so she could have added "Flower" to remember them, or it could have been something else- something important.
Ignoring her Twoleg's calling, she padded into the forest. As she lapped up cool, fresh water from the brook, something caught her eye. It was the dove. The beautiful white bird was flying high above the tree. Magicflower followed it. She was going to find out who the dove was, and why it was there.
She began to follow it, but then stopped. She knew that if she followed, she might not be able to go back home. The dove could take her far away, and she would have no choice but to stay. However, the more she thought about it, the more sure she was that she was doing the right thing. She took a deep breath, and padded after the dove.