Midnight

Chapter 12

Cloudpaw and Leafpaw made sure to hunt on the way back to camp, and slipped down the ravine with their jaws crammed with prey, hoping that any cat who saw them would think they went on an early morning hunting expedition. Cloudpaw's mind was still whirling around his sister and brother's departure, and how the prophecies of StarClan seemed to be wrapping around Squirrelpaw like a thick fog.

As he emerged into the clearing he heard Mousefur's voice raised loudly. "That Brambletuft is a lazy lump! It's well past sunrise, and he isn't up yet. I want him for a hunting patrol."

"I'll wake him." Brightheart, who was sitting with Mousefur near the nettle patch, got up and went into the warriors' den.

Cloudpaw's belly tightened uncomfortably at the thought of what the Clan would do when they realized that three of their members were missing. At that moment, Dustpelt appeared from the elders' den and padded toward the apprentices' den, where Spiderpaw and Shrewpaw were sunning themselves.

"Hi," the brown warrior greeted them. "Have you seen Squirrelpaw? She's not ill, is she? She's usually raring to go by now—before I've even had time for a piece of fresh-kill."

Spiderpaw and Shrewpaw exchanged a glance. "We haven't seen her," Spider shrugged. "She didn't sleep in the den last night."

Cloudpaw saw Dustpelt roll his eyes. "What is she up to now?"

Brightheart pushed her way out of the warriors' den and bounded across to Mousefur. Cloudpaw and Leafpaw trotted toward the fresh-kill pile with their catches to hear what was being said.

"Brambletuft's not there," Brightheart reported.

"What?" Mousefur's tail twitched in surprise. "Where is he, then?"

Brightheart shrugged. "He must have gone hunting on his own. Never mind, Mousefur. Brackenfur and I will come with you."

"Fine." Mousefur shrugged, and as soon as Brackenfur appeared from the warriors' den, blinking sleep out of his eyes, she gathered Spiderpaw and all four cats left the camp.

Meanwhile, Dustpelt was heading for the fresh-kill pile, irritably calling on StarClan to tell him how he was supposed to mentor an apprentice if she was never where she was meant to be.

"If you see your sister," he growled to Cloudpaw, "tell her I'll be waiting. And she'd better have a good excuse for going off on her own again." He snatched up a starling and headed to the warriors' den.

Cloudpaw watched him go before sharing a look with Leafpaw. As his sister left for the medicine cat's den, he found himself relieved that Dustpelt had not questioned them about Squirrelpaw, but he knew that as time went on and none of them returned, there would certainly be questions—lots of them. And he had no idea how to answer them.

By midday, gossip was beginning to sly around the camp. On his way back into camp with more prey, Cloudpaw overheard Skystar ordering patrols to keep an eye out for the three missing cats.

"So Brambletuft is padding after Squirrelpaw, is he?" Runningwind meowed teasingly. "Well, she's a very attractive young cat; I'll say that for her."

"I can't think of what they're up to, and Swiftpaw is usually the most responsible of my kits." Skystar sounded more annoyed than worried, surprising to Cloudpaw. "I'll have something to say to all of them when they return."

Cloudpaw padded toward his mother, knowing she wouldn't send him away, especially not with two of her kits missing.

"You know," Sandstorm meowed to Longtail, "Graystripe told me what happened last night, when you found them hunting alone. It sounds as if Squirrelpaw and Brambletuft haven't been back since, and Swiftpaw joined them. From what I heard from Graystripe, it's not a surprise that they want to be away for a while."