Chapter 9

The whole patrol watch in amazement as my sister and Webpelt dash off, running full speed. I was worried. I never saw Shadepaw look so anxious. I worried for Graymist. Having kits could be painful; that was common knowledge. I remembered hearing the elders tell us stories about Silverstream. She was Crookedstar's beloved daughter, but she died bearing her kits. The whole clan mourned her deeply, because the whole clan really loved her.

I prayed to Starclan that Graymist would survive and have no pain. We finished paroling the border. I decided to forget about my plan until I knew how Graymist was getting along. Now was definitely not a time to show off. Sandclaw keep looking away at the direction of the camp. Oakstorm licked her twice and murmured, "She's going to be ok." Only then did I remember Sanclaw was Graymist's sister.

"Oakstorm, I can't help worrying about her. Especially since our mother died giving birth to us. I feel like the same thing is going to happen to her." Sandclaw whimpered.

"Fishcreek." Oakstorm called. He padded up to mentor and spoke quietly to him. The deputy nodded and beckoned the patrol with his tail in the direction of Shadowclan's border. Sandclaw and Oakstorm stayed behind. I slipped behind a thicket of brambles to see what was going on.

"Oakstorm, it's just so scary! I can't bear if something were to happen to her!" She sounded really choked up. Just like the way I felt as I watched Oakstrom cover her face with licks and press close to her. I just barely caught his gentle words, "You still have me. No matter what. And you're thinking of the worst-case scenario. There's a better chance she live. She'll have a beautiful litter of kits, and a special sister." He nudged her gently. That when I left.

My eyes were stinging as I raced to catch up with the patrol. It was truly over between him and me. I caught up with them and darted to my father's side. He smiled, but I could barely nodded back at him. My mind was full of images of Oakstorm wrapped around Sandclaw. I wanted that to be me. It should be me. I didn't notice we were heading for the camp until we almost there. We all quickened our speed, so we could find out about Gaymist's litter.

I expected everyone to be happy or sad or something when we reached the camp. But everything was the same. I puzzled over this, trying to figure what had happened. Shadepaw came up to us, and announced, "It was just pains. Watersong gave her a poppy seed for it and now she feels fine." The entire patrol signed with relief. Then they all disbursed. I stayed with Shadepaw. I think she knew something was up. So I decided to tell her, even before she asked. I ran to get Fernpaw.

"It really is over between us. He was all over Sanclaw when she got emotional. Whispering beautiful things in her ear, licking her, smiling. I don't think it was ever even real between us." Fernpaw tried to cut me off to argue, but I wouldn't let her. I suddenly knew I had to tell my sisters about the prophecy. "And there's something else, something way more important. A while ago, Mosskit came to me in a dream. We talked for a bit…" I wasn't going to tell her what she said about destinies or me needing strength, too personal-"…and then she said something… mysterious. She said 'Shade protects the river from death but Ferns must burn before Silver can light the forest.'"

We sat silently, all pondering what Mosskit might have meant by that. Fernpaw and I looked up at Shadepaw. After all she was the medicine cat apprentice; she should be used to weird stuff like this. I could tell Shadepaw knew something, but all she said was, "I'm not sure but it os probably referring to us. I do know we should tell Watersong, maybe even Rainstar. They ought to know about this, it sounds like it will affect the whole clan." We agreed.

Fernpaw meowed, "It does sound like us doesn't it? All that stuff about Fern and Shade and Silver?"

"That's what clued me in. But the rest of it makes no sense to me."

We all stared at one another. Finally I said, "That's the only explanation I can think of right now." We all agreed Shadepaw should tell Watersong, and I would talk to Fishcreek. He should know about it too, since he's the deputy and Rainstar was on his seventh life. Fernpaw was going to tell Rainstar.

…

"Watersong!" I called when I reached the den, hoping my mentor was here. She said this morning she was going to look for burdock root if she had a chance. Burdock root, as everyone knew, cured rat bites. How would she react to the news that a warrior apprentice was sharing dreams with Starclan? After all that was supposed to be her duty. "Watersong!" I called louder, but there was no response. I would have to go look for her in the forest. I sighed and slipped out of the den.

…

There he was! I padded up to our leader. "Hello Fernpaw," he meowed to me.

"Hi. Can I talk to you?" He must have seen my seriousness. He nodded and I followed him back to his den. He arranged himself in his nest.

"Please make yourself comfortable. What is on your mind?" I sat down on the sandy floor, and gulped. Would he even believe me?

"Silverpaw had a dream some time ago. She said Mosskit came to her in a vision and told her this: Shade protects the river from death but Ferns must burn before Silver can light the forest. We all agree we should tell you, and Waterong and Fishcreek. My sisters have gone to talk to them right nowToward the end, I got so nervous it seemed my words rushed out and spilled together. "What do you think about this?"

…

"I think that is absolutely ridiculous!" I flinched. The deputy had never sounded this angry, even after I complained about being tired.

"Fishcreek I …" He didn't let me finish.

"You are sick. Go to Watersong and get some herbs. You're going mad. You are out of your mind. You are completely crazy. Go see Watersong, and never ever mention this nonsense to me again. You understand?" I had no choice but to obey. Sometimes it seemed the whole of Starclan was against me.

I watched Fernpaw back out of Rainstar's den. I bounded up to her and asked, "What did he say?" Did he react the same way Fishcreek had? Did Watersong? Where was Shadepaw?

"He thanked me for telling him, said he would discuss it with Fishcreek and Watersong, and keep his eyes open for anything strange. Oh and he said he wouldn't announce it unless we wanted him too. And he agreed that it was probably about us."

I calmed down some. Our leader believed it. Maybe he would persuade Fishcreek. "How did Fishcreek take it?" I told her that he thought I was ill.

"That's terrible! He's so mean." She gasped. "Seen Shadepaw?" I shook my head. We both padded to the medicine cats' den but it was empty.

…

I finally found her over by the borders. Sure enough she had a wad of Burdock root in her jaws. She stopped when she saw me and put them down. "Shadepaw! What's wrong? You look stressed out!" her eyes grew wide, "Is Graymist…"

"No." I answered, "But I have something important to tell you. Mosskit visited Silverpaw in a dream and gave her a prophecy." Unlike my unsure sister, I knew it was a prophecy. It sounded like one, telling us what would happen later, plus I was a medicine cat apprentice. I was more experienced; I had already watched my mentor receive omens before. I recited Silverpaw's words to my mentor. She nodded slowly and mused, "Interesting…"

Watersong picked up the roots again, and we walked back to camp. I wished I could read her mind. I meowed, "Oh, Fernpaw told Rainstar, and Silverpaw told Fishcreek. I suspect they are waiting for us at camp. It took me a while to locate you." She simply nodded, her mouth full of herbs.

…

At last! I watched Shadepaw and Watersong enter the camp. Fernpaw gave me a nod before sprinting over to them. I followed more slowly "Rainstar said she would talk to you and Fishcreek about it later. Which is good because Fishcreek dosen't believe Silverpaw. He told her to go see you cause he thought she was sick."

Rainstar emerged from his den at that moment and called Watersong over to him. Fishcreek wasn't in sight, so I guessed he was already in the Leader's den. I hoped he had been convinced.

It was getting pretty late. I headed off to the den, with Fernpaw and Shadepaw behind me. I turned at the sound of my name, but my sisters didn't say anything. I straightened up when I realized that, in fact, one of them had. It was Mosskit's soft purr I heard in my ear: "He still doesn't believe. Starclan will share his dreams with him tonight so that he will. He won't doubt you ever again."