Midnight

Chapter 6

Cloudpaw woke in the middle of the night to find Squirrelpaw gone. At first, he brushed it off as her making dirt, but after she didn't return, he became worried. The other apprentices were still fast asleep and Cloudpaw carefully stepped around them to leave the den.

"Where did that mouse-brain go now?" he grumbled to himself. Runningwind was on watch and Cloudpaw ducked away as he turned his way. Squirrelpaw was small enough to slip away unnoticed, but between Cloudpaw's larger build and white fur, there was no way he could leave the camp to find her.

Eventually, the sky was growing gray with the first light of dawn. Rain drummed softly around him, relieving the forest of its thirst. Raindrops fell into the entrance of the den, creeping dangerously close to Shrewpaw's nest who was closest to the entrance.

Cloudpaw let out an exasperated sigh. Little as he liked the idea, it was clear that Squirrelpaw had slipped away again. There was no way she had been assigned to a patrol. What sort of trouble would she get into if Skystar found out she ran off again?

After a while, he realized that the rain was easing off and the clouds were turning pale yellow and thinning out. With a last glance at the sleeping apprentices he slipped out again, this time more confidently as he greeted Runningwind with a nod. Silently, he grumbled angrily as Squirrelpaw's actions had cost him half a night of sleep. He'd need to find her quickly so Dustpelt didn't find out.

It wasn't long before the other apprentices followed him out as the sun began warming the clearing. Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw were lapping eagerly at a shadow puddle that had pooled on the sun-scorched earth. Ferncloud's three kits crept out of the nursery, their eyes huge as they examined this strange new water that had fallen from the sky. Ferncloud looked on with pride in her eyes as they dabbed at it, squealing with excitement as shining drops spun away from their paws.

Cloudpaw watched them for a moment, then spun around as he heard movement from the gorse tunnel. An early hunting patrol, he wondered, caught out by the rain? Or could it be Squirrelpaw, returning after her illicit outing?

Then he realized that the newcomer did not carry the scent of ThunderClan. Fur bristling, he raised his head to call the alarm, but Runningwind stopped him, seeming to recognize the sleek black pelt. Looking closer, he realized it was Ravenpaw, a loner and Skystar's old friend. Leafpaw had told them about him once, explaining that he had more mice than any cat could count and hunted mainly at night.

The visitor crossed the clearing slowly, skirting the deepest puddles and delicately picking up his paws to shake off the water. "Hi—it's Cloudpaw, isn't it?" Ravenpaw meowed, pricking his ears toward him. "And Runningwind! That was some storm! I'd have been soaked through if I hadn't managed to shelter in a hollow tree. Still, the forest needs the rain."

Cloudpaw reluctantly returned his greeting. He didn't trust newcomers, but Ravenpaw was a friend of the Clan and Skystar would be angry if he was hurt. Before he could say anything else another voice interrupted him, "Hey, Ravenpaw!"

Spiderpaw and Shrewpaw were bounding across the clearing toward them. Ferncloud's kits had abandoned their raindrop games and scuttled after them.

The biggest of the three kits skidded to a halt in front of Ravenpaw and took an enormous sniff. "New cat," she growled. "New scent."

Runningwind pulled her back by her scruff, staring sternly down at her. "Behave, Hollykit. This is Ravenpaw, he lives on a Twoleg farm and feasts on more mice than you three have seen in your life."

Hollykit's amber eyes grew huge. "Every day?"

"That's right." Shrewpaw put in solemnly. "Every day."