Warriors: A New Beginning #2: Midnight Rising

Chapter 35

"Midnightsky!"

Midnightsky was woken up by someone nudging her. Her eyes opened. "What is it, Elmwood?"

"Do you know where Silkfrost is?" Elmwood asked.

"Well, no, I was sleeping," Midnightsky replied drily. Then her expression became more serious. "Silkfrost's disappeared?"

Elmwood nodded. "I woke up and her nest was cold."

Memories rushed in of when Leafdawn's nest was cold and Midnightsky's eyes widened. No. Not again. Please not again.

"Is— is someone out looking for her?" she asked, standing up.

"Not yet..." Then someone called Elmwood's name and she left the den.

Emberpaw was lifting her head sleepily. "What's going on?"

"Nothing important," Midnightsky told her. "Go back to sleep."

Then she slipped out of the den and into the clearing.

Leafdawn's eyes were wide, and Midnightsky could bet anything that she was thinking the same thing as herself.

The rogues...No... they can't do this again.

Then, like magic, Silkfrost came out of the dirtplace.

"Where were you?" Wheatwing asked, worried.

Silkfrost looked surprised. "Can I not go to the dirtplace without everyone making a big fuss?"

Gradually the noise died down. Midnightsky stared at Silkfrost. She felt like her sister was hiding something but she didn't know what.

She padded over to the silver tabby.

"What were you doing?" she asked.

"Doing? Going to the dirtplace," Silkfrost replied.

"No, I mean what were you actually doing?" Midnightsky meowed. "Elmwood said your nest was cold."

"She was probably freaking out," Silkfrost mumbled then walked away. Midnightsky watched her go.

Silkfrost, what are you hiding from me?

***

Later that day Midnightsky saw Leafdawn and Vinethistle coming back with Wolfpaw and Blizzardpaw. Blizzardpaw looked very smug with herself. Wolfpaw just looked dejected, but as soon as Leafdawn told him he could get a piece of fresh-kill after bringing some to the elders his face brightened up.

"Great! I'm starving," he mewed, running to the fresh-kill pile.

Leafdawn said a few things to Vinethistle before heading to Midnightsky.

"I'm assuming you did battle training," the medicine cat told her.

Leafdawn nodded.

"How did Wolfpaw do?" Midnightsky asked.

"He has the moves we taught him down perfectly," Leafdawn replied. "It's just that once he's actually sparring, he gets a little skittish. The fact that Blizzardpaw's practically a star with sparring did not really help." Leafdawn sighed. "I'll try to work on that with him. He's fine doing it with me, just not with anyone else."

"You should try doing him against Riverpaw," Midnightsky suggested.

"He's a moon older!"

"So? They both have about the same experience level," Midnightsky meowed. "Perhaps Wolfpaw doesn't like attacking his littermates— a different apprentice might help."