Warriors: A New Beginning #2: Midnight Rising

Chapter 18

Midnightpaw tried to sleep for the rest of the night, but she couldn't. She was too worried about Leafdawn. She lay awake, staring at the roof of the medicine den.

Part of her told her to go find Leafdawn right away.

But I need help. If her theory, was correct, she couldn't go off on her own.

At first, she had thought about going with Silkfrost, but her sister was sitting vigil and wasn't allowed to speak a word.

Midnightpaw sighed. It was almost dawn... Then she would be able to start looking.

***

As soon as the first rays of dawn peeked through the roof of the den Midnightpaw sprang from her nest. She padded out into the clearing, which was just starting to come alive.

Barkstripe trotted over to the camp entrance, disappearing. A couple heartbeats later, he reappeared with Silkfrost.

Midnightpaw dashed to the tabby.

"Midnightpaw!" Silkfrost exclaimed.

"I need to tell you something!" Midnightpaw mewed urgently.

Silkfrost's expression grew serious. "What is it?"

"Leafdawn's gone."

"She's— gone?" Silkfrost froze. "Oh, great! This is all my fault!"

"What do you mean?" Midnightpaw asked.

"Last night I was sitting vigil," Silkfrost explained, staring at the ground, "and Leafdawn came. She said... she said she needed to take a walk to think about things. I nodded. She was just going for a walk.

"But when dawn came, she hadn't come back. I began to think that I had fallen asleep sitting during the night and had missed her coming back to camp. But now you tell me she's gone... Why didn't I sound the alarm?" Silkfrost cried.

"It's not your fault!" Midnightpaw comforted. "I can tell Flamestar and he can send out a search party.

"That would be good." Silkfrost's expression brightened a little.

"Okay, I'll go do that now." Midnightpaw glanced at the ThunderClan leader's den.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly padded to the den inside Highrock and poked her head inside.

"Flamestar?" she meowed.

Flamestar was sitting in his nest and appeared to be in deep thought. His gaze shifted to Midnightpaw and he smiled. "Midnightpaw. What is it?"

"Well..." Midnightpaw slowly trotted inside the den. "Leafdawn's disappeared."

"What do you mean?" Flamestar asked.

"Well, I woke up in the middle of the night and I felt like I had to see Leafdawn. I crept in the warriors den and looked. Her nest was empty. And when I felt it, it was cold." Midnightpaw gazed at him. "This morning Silkfrost told me that Leafdawn had needed to think and went out for a walk last night and never came back."

"Hmm..." Flamestar pondered. "She did used to be a rogue. Could she have gone back to her group?"

That made Midnightpaw think of Bloodclaw. "They made her suffer. That's why she left in the first place."

"I need to think about this," Flamestar mused. "For all we know, she could have fallen asleep out there."

Midnightpaw nodded slowly. "I guess..."

"I don't think we need to send out a search party right now," Flamestar decided. "If she doesn't return tonight, I'll send one out. Leafdawn's a full-grown warrior, she can take care of herself."