"Tanglestar, what is it?"
Tanglestar stepped back, staring at the faintly pulsing piece of rock. She could feel Rosefeather peering over her shoulder as she yelped,
"What is that?"
"Let's go back to camp," the tabby leader said, turning away. "Now."
The patrol scurried away, Rosefeather being the only one who had seen the stone.
Tanglestar was laying in her den when Hawkmask meowed from outside,
"Can I come in?"
"Yes."
The warrior pushed through the low-hanging tree branches and sat down just inside the den. "I can sleep in the warriors den now," he said.
"Good," Tanglestar replied. "I hope the other warriors didn't take your spot," she added, licking her paw.
Hawkmask didn't respond. After a minute he spoke up. "What happened last night?"
"It was because of the stone. I'm sure of it! There was a broken piece of stone near Falling Cliff. There must be more pieces."
Hawkmask nodded, and then rose to his feet. "I'd better go."
Tanglestar watched as he left the den. She would need to talk to Hawkmask more, but not now. He could sleep in the warriors den again before she asked for his help.
The clan leader curled up in a ball, tucking her head close to her body. She ached, and even though she had slept soundly after she got back from Falling Cliff, she was still exhausted. Her mind drifted away, and sleep came to claim her.
"Tanglestar…Tanglestar…"
The she-cat raised her head and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. A soft breeze rustled her fur, and she found she was no longer in her den but under a canopy of trees.
"StarClan?" she murmured, rising to her paws and stretching, "It has to be."
The grass was as soft as a cloud, and it spread across the forest floor like a blanket. Trees that seemed to go on forever rose up around her, and in the distance Tanglestar heard a creek, the water rushing over the rocks.
Tanglestar began wandering through the trees, admiring the landscape. She sniffed the air, and picked up a strong scent of mouse. Instinctively, she swiveled her ears, trying to pick up sounds of a mouse scurrying on the forest floor.
"You looking for this?"
Tanglestar spun around to see a calico she-cat watching her, holding a mouse in her mouth.
"Rainfur?"
The cat nodded, and then dropped the mouse, "you look like you're doing well."
"Yes. Everything is going well. Bushclan is thriving."
"Good," Rainfur sat down, wrapping her tail around her legs.
Sensing something important coming, Tanglestar mimicked her old friend. It wasn't long before the calico cat began speaking.
"You can't leave your clan."
Tanglestar reeled back as if Rainfur had swiped a paw at her. "Leave my clan? I wouldn't!" Even as she said it, Tanglestar wasn't sure. If she was going to get the pieces of stone…
"Are you sure, Tanglestar? Or are you just saying that? We've been watching you- we know what you're doing. Forget about the stone and protect your clan," Rainfur snarled, rising to her feet with her hackles raised. "Don't go after the stone."
Her paws tingled, and she could feel her heart racing. StarClan knew about the stone, and they wanted her to stay away. Tanglestar knew what she had to do. She had to find the pieces of the stone- even if it meant cheating the stars.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Also, thank you for those who reviewed last time, I really appreciate it.