Chapter 12
"Silkpaw, we are going on hunting patrol!" Rainstorm called. Why couldn't I have gone to the Gathering? Silkpaw thought. I should've gone because I caught so much prey.
Silkpaw grumpily walked over to join Rainstorm. "Why are you so moody?" she asked.
"I don't get to go to the Gathering," Silkpaw grumbled.
"Well, I don't get to go either!" Rainstorm mewed.
"Go to Tallpines, Silkpaw," Nightstripe mewed. You're not my mentor, she thought. But Silkpaw went anyway.
Hmmm . . . sparrow, mouse, and . . . f-f-fox! Silkpaw gulped. But the stench was old. She shrugged her shoulders.
Silkpaw caught two mice and a sparrow when Rainstorm called her back. She was walking past the Twoleg fence again.
Hey, there's that cat again! Silkpaw thought. She heard Rainstorm call her name once again and hurried onward.
"It's Dawnflower! She is having Nightstripe's kits!" Smokepaw yowled. The cats from the Gathering started filing in immediately after.
"What's happening?" Maplepaw asked.
"Dawnflower is having kits!" Silkpaw mewed.
Maplepaw beckoned Silkpaw over so she could speak in a whisper. "Shadepaw told me that Darkfur murdered Iceheart. The new deputy is Frostcloud."
"What?" Silkpaw mewed. She looked doubtful. "I don't believe him."
As Smokepaw and Mossleaf entered the queen's den Silkpaw and Maplepaw went over to the fresh-kill pile. Silkpaw grabbed a squirrel as Maplepaw grabbed a sparrow.
"Let's see Dawnflower's kits!" Silkpaw exclaimed as she entered through the drape-covered den.
"Hello, Silkpaw and Maplepaw!" Dawnflower looked calm after all the pain. There were two she-kits and one tom.
She pointed to the black she-kit with a spot on her chest. "This is Ravenkit."
Then she turned her tail towards a tortoiseshell she-kit. "This is Pebblekit."
She turned to the last one, a black and ginger tom. "This one is Rockkit."
"They are beautiful, Dawnflower," Silkpaw mewed. Maplepaw nodded.
Silkpaw woke up in the morning being called by Nightstripe.
"Silkpaw, come with us on dawn patrol," he called. Silkpaw got up and stretched. She hurried over and ran with them along the border.
"Let's check the border over here," Silkpaw suggested.
"Okay," Nightstripe mewed. They rushed over and Silkpaw saw the kittypet again.
She gave it a curious look. After patrolling for a while they returned to camp.
"Hey, Maplepaw, I saw a kittypet! A fluffy, white one," Silkpaw mewed.
"Yeah, so?" Maplepaw mewed.
"Has anyone seen Moonfur?" Stormstar yowled. "She has been gone since this morning!"