Dawn

Chapter 12

Crowpaw raked through the fur at the base of his tail, scraping out the troublesome flea. He cracked its fat body between his teeth, tasting with some satisfaction the blood it had stolen from him. "Got it!"

"Don't tell the Clan you've had an extra piece of fresh-kill," Nightcloud joked. "They'll all want one."

Crowpaw's belly growled. The thrush he had shared with his brother had barely grazed his hunger. They were lying side by side in a shallow dip in the earth, watching the sun sink behind the horizon. The clouds had cleared, and a perfect half-moon hung in the blue evening sky.

"Do you think StarClan will speak to Barkface tonight?" Crowpaw meowed.

"I don't know what else they can say that we don't already know," Nightcloud replied. "If anything, they'd speak to Mudfur and Littlecloud to convince Leopardstar and Blackstar that they need to join us." The medicine cats of every Clan met each half-moon at Mothermouth to share tongues with StarClan. They didn't need the half-moon to secure a truce—medicine cats lived outside the regular warrior code with one of their own—but it was important for them to go and hear what their ancestors had to say.

Crowpaw saw Barkface emerge, and he pricked his ears for any information.

The brown medicine cat noticed the dark-furred cats watching him and padded closer. "Tallstar has requested that I take a couple warriors with me for protection," Barkface told them. "I suppose the two of you have nothing better to do?"

"Now that we're done eating, I could go for a run to take my mind off my bottomless belly," Nightcloud purred, standing up to stretch.

"Why not," Crowpaw shrugged, standing as well. "Who knows what the Twolegs will try now."

"Good, let's head out now," Barkface meowed. "The sooner we get there, the better I'll feel."

Crowpaw followed the older cats away from the camp and across the moor toward Highstones. Barkface tried to move quickly, but his hunger made him weak and his pace was no more than a brisk walk. Nightcloud was no better; she was even thinner, having given most of her shares to the younger cats and the elders.

"Barkface?" Crowpaw meowed, trotting to move beside the large medicine cat. "Will StarClan speak with you tonight?"

Barkface stopped in his tracks and turned to Crowpaw, his expression grim. "At this point, I expect nothing from StarClan. Not words, not omens or prophecies. Nothing."

"Are you saying you've lost faith in StarClan?" Nightcloud asked.

"No." Barkface shook his head, continuing on toward the Mothermouth. "I just don't expect them to be of any help this time. It's up to us to save ourselves."

Crowpaw and Nightcloud shared an uncertain glance. If their own medicine cat had begun doubting StarClan, what would happen to the rest of their Clan if they found out? Crowpaw resolved himself to the fact that he had begun harboring many secrets from his Clanmates, so what was one more added to the number? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Once Midnight's sign came, Barkface would see that StarClan was still watching them, however powerless they were against the Twolegs.

"What are you two doing here?" a voice called.

Crowpaw turned to see Cinderpelt and Littlecloud coming up to join them, moving at a brisk pace to cover the land quickly.

"Tallstar decided it was better for me to have escorts since I don't have an apprentice," Barkface told them. "They won't go any farther than the mouth of the cave."

"Yeah, we'll even try to hunt so you all have something to eat afterward!" Nightcloud added.

"That'd be great," Littlecloud meowed tiredly. "I can't remember what it feels like to be full anymore."