𝐿𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃 𝐼𝙽 𝒯𝙷𝙴 𝒮𝙷𝙰𝙳𝙾𝚆𝚂 ─── 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯 4.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐖𝐎

Dovesong walked proudly along with Moonclaw, Blizzardpelt, Goldenheart, and the other FrostClan cats toward the Clans' territory. The sun was beginning to set over the horizon, but they had time to get to camp before then. Dovesong was overjoyed to be coming back. All of her Clanmates thought she had lost her memory for good, and she had, but now she was healed and ready to return. She was also ready to come back to her Clanmates and her expectant sister. She was especially eager to bring her lost Clanmates back to where they belonged.

"I'm actually happy to be back for once," Blizzardpelt mewed. "Maybe we actually have a chance against those MoonClan flea-pelts."

Dovesong eyed him skeptically. "Did you not think we had a chance at all until now? That's so faithful of you," she mewed sarcastically. "Just because we have more cats doesn't mean they don't still have the advantage."

Blizzardpelt's eyes flashed with amusement. "You're being very faithful, too. More warriors means more strength. MoonClan doesn't have many warriors either. We have an even bigger chance is what I'm saying. It was never totally clear who was going to win."

"Well, you never really had much of a chance," Moonclaw mumbled.

"Sure we did!" Ivorystream chipped in. She padded beside Dovesong, watching and listening to their conversation. "Now that we're here, we can finally try to defeat them! And we've gone season without seeing those crow-food-eaters. We're all rested up and ready for battle!" She reared up on her hind legs briefly, then landed gracefully. "See?"

Moonclaw purred in amusement. Dovesong glanced at Ivorystream happily. She was glad Ivorystream was ready for any challenge. That was the kind of warrior that they needed to have in the Clan. "Yeah, but I bet a lot has happened since we've been gone. Us and you four." Cloudwish came to join them. "I mean . . . has a lot happened?"

"Yep," Goldenheart mewed. "FrostClan just had to come and ruin the peace around the lake."

"We couldn't help it," Dovesong responded good-humoredly. She turned her attention back to Cloudwish. "Lots has happened. Our Clan seems to be shrinking every moon, and there's been things going on in the other Clans, too."

Cloudwish's eyes widened with fear. "What do you mean? Who has died? Or gone missing?"

Blizzardpelt and Dovesong exchanged glances. "You-you'll see," Dovesong muttered, unable to bring herself to name all the cats that had gone.

"Is Lynxstar still alive?" Cloudwish asked hopefully.

"Yes," Blizzardpelt meowed. "Alive and well."

"What about Softcloud?" Softcloud had been Cloudwish's older sister; they had been born in different litters.

Dovesong fell silent. She looked at Cloudwish for a few heartbeats, then whispered, "No."