Darkness For Eight

Prologue
Doveheart was dozing in the nursery with her newborn kits, Honeykit and Coldkit, when Silvermist came in with four tiny mewling kits.”What’s the matter?”She asked.”I was hunting along the border when I saw a dying Bloodclan queen. She had been left behind, and she died soon after naming them, and begged me to raise them. So, since you’re the only queen in our clan, I brought them to you. Their eyes aren’t even open.” Silvermist explained.”Of course I’ll raise them, but what are their names?” Doveheart asked curiously.”This is Vixen, Dawn, Petal, and Smoke” Silvermist mewed.

”Welcome to Charmclan, Vixenkit, Dawnkit, Petalkit,and Smokekit”The queen murmured after tucking them alongside her own kits. Silvermist, after watching this, slipped quietly out of the nursery while Doveheart gently washed the young kits as they suckled, their tiny paws pressing against her belly.

CHAPTER 1
”Doveheart! Coldkit won't let me play with him!”wailed tiny <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnkit as she scabbled on the ground near Coldkit. Vixenkit was playing hunt the mouse with Honeykit, while Smokekit was coaxing Petalkit,the weakest kit, to come out of the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">nest and play. Coldkit was watching the paws outside train, seemingly oblivious to Dawnkit’s mewls. Doveheart sighed, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">as she shooed the tumbling kits out of the nest to get a rest.’Only if they knew <span style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 함초롬바탕;">… <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’thought the queen as she remembered <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">four of these kits were not even hers, but she decided to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">keep it a secret.’It’s for the kits own sake’she firmly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">convinced herself. It was tiring for her to take care of six <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">kits at once, so the warriors would often try to find <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">strengthening herbs for her.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">She pushed these thoughts a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">way as she purred at Vixenkit, who was attempting a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">pounce on Honeykit, missed and tumbled head over tails <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">next to Coldkit, bumping into him.”Watch it!”Coldkit snarled, and the slash-shaped mark on his face seemed to get darker momentarily. Sometimes, she thought that Coldkit didn’t use to look quite like that way, but somehow could never <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">remember clearly. Coldkit seemed to act coldly to nearly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">everyone, true to his name, and would often say tactless <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">comments. He seemed to be more interested in learning the paws’ battle moves and hunting crouch, than playing with <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">his littermates.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Doveheart shook her head as she thought <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’Well, he might be unfriendly at some times, but he’ll make a great warrior one day’ Just then, Petalkit, whom Smokekit finally succeeded in coaxing out, wobbled over to Doveheart with Smokekit following behind, trying to teach her to leap and jump, and Petalkit suddenly pounced on him, knocking him off his paws, and they began to playfight, Smokekit and Petalkit purring. Most of the kits had always understood <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalkit’s delicacy, so they often played with her and were <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">considerate of her.

<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 2
<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Honeypaw! Coldpaw! Vixenpaw! Dawnpaw! Petalpaw! <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokepaw!" The surrounding cats of Charmclan cheered as <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Doveheart’s six kits were made apprentices. The new five <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">paws yowled Petalpaw’s name the loudest. Their mentors <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">were sitting beside them, Trickspell, Reedtail, Charmstar, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Silvermist, Cloudwing, Morningsky. Since the Battle of Blood, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">warriors had died, which made it that every cat in the clan, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">except Doveheart, since queens can’t mentor their own kits, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">had paws. Honeypaw and Dawnpaw were busy mewing their enviness to Vixenpaw that she had the leader for her mentor, and Petalpaw was prancing happily by her mentor, Cloudwing, who looked pleased and a bit dizzy. Smokepaw was already going out on his first training session while Coldpaw was <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">mewing to his mentor that he wanted to learn battle moves.”Alright, any Vixenpaws and Honeypaws and her mentor <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">want to get started on a training session?”Charmstar mewed teasingly.”Yes!” yowled Vixenpaw and Honeypaw.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”What <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">about me? Can’t I go with them?” Dawnpaw mewed to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Silvermist.’I’m afraid not, Dawnpaw. You can’t do <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">everything with your littermates. I’m going to teach you some battle moves.’Silvermist said. Dawnpaw immediately cheered up.”Just wait, Vixenpaw, Honeypaw! I’ll flatten you when <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you come back!”Dawnpaw yowled. Vixenpaw just waved her tail, and Honeypaw yowled back that she could try.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw padded happily alongside her mentor, Charmstar, lost in thought.’My mentor’s the leader of the clan herself! But I should never brag’She promised herself. Her eyes shot open wide as her paws were lightly knocked out beneath her.”Now will you pay attention?”Charmstar was sitting in front of her, eyes both stern and warm, with Honeypaw crowing ”I told you she wasn’t paying attention.” Embarrassed, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw lowered her eyes to the ground.”Now, watch whatI show you and copy carefully.”Charmstar mewed and turned to face Trickspell. She steadied her tail, and narrowed her eyes before leaping at Trickspell, who ducked down to slash at her belly, claws sheathed. Charmstar twisted and landed <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">on her back, Trickspell rolled to get Charmstar off. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Charmstar jumped and landed gracefully down in front of the awestruck paws, and mewed ”Now, we’ve just shown you basic battle moves and defensive moves. Follow me.”The <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">two mentors said, and the paws jumped and clawed.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’Boooooring’thought Coldpaw as his mentor showed him <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">how to collect moss.’As if a cat dies because of unproperly collected moss’ His mentor, Reedtail was saying ”I know you wanted to learn battle moves, but this is just as important. Besides, learning how to gather moss and carry them will <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">help your clawing and carrying prey.” Reedtail mewed a bit <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">sympathetically. Muttering under his breath, Coldpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">accordingly flexed his claws and slowly tore a strip of moss from the tree.” Right. Now shake it like this to get the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">moisture out, or the seniors might have your pelt for a nest. They’re cranky like elders.” purred Reedtail. Coldpaw sighed and shook the moss so the droplets of water came out.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokepaw was thinking about himself catching enough prey for the whole clan to eat,and thought ’I’m going to be the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">best warrior the clans will ever see.’ He was startled as a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">cat pounced on him, and nipped his neck.” <span style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 함초롬바탕;">… <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and that’s how <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you catch prey, although I think the prey won’t be staring <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">far off into space.”Morningky, his mentor, mewed to Petalpaw, who had pounced on him.”Now pay attention, Smokepaw. I <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">was explaining how to catch mouse. Move your paws lightly and smoothly over the grass and undergrowth, because mice can hear or feel your pawsteps. On catching birds, you need to leap high and move quickly, but you need to remember <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">that birds can alert other prey that might be out, so catch the prey as quickly as possible. Cloudwing here will demonstrate”

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Cloudwing crouched low, and stilled her tail before sliding <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">forward, smooth as a snake. Then, she crouched again, and moved forward a few steps before leaping low, her paws <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">stretching up as if to catch an imaginary bird. Smokepaw and Petalpaw immediately crouched, and pounced, Smokepaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">focusing on the move for mouse while Petalpaw pretended to catch a bird. Accidentally, they ended up pouncing at each <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">other, and they were both knocked down. Staring at his paws, Smokepaw could hear their mentors purring ”When we told <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you to practice, we didn’t mean for you to catch each other. I mean, cats aren’t exactly called prey, are they?”

<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 3
<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Vixenpaw was doing the border patrol when she spotted a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Waterclan patrol along the border.”Look! A Waterclan patrol!”she mewed to her mentor. ”I know, Vixenpaw. Nicely spotted” Charmstar praised her paw. Vixenpaw curiously breathed in their scent, and gagged.Waterclan cats scented of saltwater and fish. She looked around to see the rest of her patrol <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">bristling, and saw that the Waterclan patrol had spotted <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">them, too. They neared the border until they were muzzle to muzzle with the other patrol. ”Just stay off our territory,eel brains.”One of them hissed. Looking closely at them, she <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">could see there was a paw about a moon older then her <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">looking curious, like her. ”What are you staring at,Stormpaw? Aren’t there enough cats in Waterclan for you?” One of the cats mewed to the gray paw.’So,he’s Stormpaw.’she mused.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">”Didn’t you know? I thought you saw the other clan paws at the Gathering.” Smokepaw mewed curiously to her. Vixenpaw jumped. It was almost as if he had read her mind. Then again, that was Smokepaw’s ability, mind reading. ”Hi, I’m <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Vixenpaw, from Charmclan. You must be Stormpaw” She <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">mewed so that only he could hear, using her ability of <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">mimicry. Stormpaw jumped, looking confused, and finally <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">figured it out, and nodded almost imperceptibly. By then, her <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Clanmates, Charmstar,and Morningsky had finished hissing <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">threats at the Waterclan patrol, and they moved past them, with a couple of mocking mews from the other patrol. When she looked back, she could she the Waterclan paw Stormpaw looking right back at her. Suddenly, she felt hot, and fluffed up her pelt,hoping it would cool her.And she feverently hoped that Smokepaw wasn’t reading her disloyal mind just now. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">CHAPTER 4 == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Honeypaw was going on a hunting patrol with her mentor, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Trickspell, Coldpaw, Reedtail and Doveheart,her mother. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">’Finally, I get to show off my skills as a great hunter! I just hope that I won’t miss’thought Honeypaw, both proud and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">nervous at the same time. Reedtail, who was leading the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">patrol, stopped and waved his tail, motioning for the others <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">to crouch. Crouching, Honeypaw could scent mouse, and her mouth began to water.” Coldpaw, you go first. And Honeypaw, go behind the prey to catch it if it tries to run away.” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Doveheart whispered. The two paws went into position. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Coldpaw slowly began to creep closer, not taking an eye off the mouse. Then, he pounced, and sat up triumphantly with <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">the mouse in his jaws. Next, it was Honeypaw’s turn. She <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">slowly crept up a tree to catch a robin. Honeypaw waggled <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">her hindquarters, shifting her balance, and pounced. The <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">branches on the tree shook as Honeypaw clasped the robin <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">and killed it with a bite to the throat. Honeypaw carefully <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">dropped the robin on the ground and purred as the robin hit <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Coldpaw on the ear. She carefully climbed back down from the tree, making the leaves shiver. Shen apologized to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Coldpaw, who was looking indignant.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">The hunting patrol padded proudly into camp with the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">mouse, two voles, a squirrel, and the robin. Petalpaw and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Dawnpaw widened their eyes in awe at the huge amount of <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">fresh-kill. ”Oh wow! But I wonder if there’s any prey left in <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">the forest” Dawnpaw teased. Honeypaw’s eyes opened in <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">mock astonishment, and leapt at Dawnpaw, and began to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">play fight. Petalpaw purred, and turned to speak to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Vixenpaw, who had just padded in. But Vixenpaw’s eyes <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">seemed distant and moony. ”What happened?” she asked <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Smokepaw, who was looking amused. ”Well, let’s just say,to make a long story short,we met a Waterclan patrol with an extremely handsome paw, and she’s been like this the rest <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">of the patrol.” Vixenpaw suddenly seemed to snap out of her <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">trance, and snapped at Smokepaw, ”I do NOT moon over <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Stormpaw!” ”Who’s Stormpaw?”Petalpaw mewed. ”The <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">extremely handsome Waterclan paw I was talking about.” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Smokepaw purred. ”I’ll get you for that!” yowled Vixenpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">indignantly, and leapt on top of Smokepaw, rolling him over. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">”Vixenpaw’s in love with Stormpaw~” Smokepaw teased. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">”Oh, don’t tease her.”Petalpaw mewed to Smokepaw. ”Okay, okay”Smokepaw mewed. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">CHAPTER 5 == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Coldpaw was dreaming, twitching in his sleep.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">”Let me go!” Coldpaw shouted, trapped in a den. ”You can <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">never beat me. I lived seasons more than you.” A mottled <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">dark gray tom smirked at him, and turned the opposite way. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">”I’ll take what should be mine, I will destroy the clans. But <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">first, I will make the clans turn against each other. They’ll <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">destroy themselves! Finally, I’ll track down the four who <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">killed me, and kill them slowly and painfully!” The gray tom <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">hissed.The air suddenly seemed choking to Coldpaw.”Destroy the clans?” He gasped. The tom swung his face to Coldpaw. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">”Yes”He snarled. ”And one of the four is Doveheart!”The tom spat, and .walked away. ”My littermates will find out, and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">they will rescue me! And we will destroy your plan and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">protect the Clans!” Coldpaw yowled into the darkness.”You <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">might, but who will be to blame for the causes? Not me, I’m already dead. No one will believe the cause is me. They will <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">only believe what they see .”The tom’s voice sounded in his ears. ’Me, they’ll blame me’ Coldpaw realized suddenly. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">As Coldpaw slept,the slash on his face seemed to fade away for a moment, only to immediately reappear blazing darkly. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">Coldpaw whimpered and twitched, the mark dark on his face. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;">CHAPTER 6 ==

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnpaw was chasing a plump mouse. She crept up silently on it,and was about to pounce when a paw prodded her. She <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">growled as her eyes flew open.”I was catching a mouse in <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">my dream!” She hissed angrily only to back down when she <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">saw her mentor gazing at her calmly. ’You can catch your <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">m <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">ouse later, but now you need to go on the dawn patrol.’ <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnpaw still couldn’t get used to Silvermist’s telepathy.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">She slowly started to climb out of the nest when she heard <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">an impatient”Come on!” from Petalpaw. ’Great! I'm on a patrol with Petalpaw!’ She thought as she hurriedly scrambled out of the den and walked over to Petalpaw. She saw Coldpaw looking out of the den at <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalpaw, his eyes unreadable. ’What’s with him?’Dawnpaw thought, and stretched,her orange and yellow pelt rippling.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnpaw heard Doveheart purr as she went in front of the patrol with Petalpaw, playing with the falling leaves. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Cloudwing suddenly stopped, her ears pricked. Then, she <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">started racing for the border. Dawnpaw could also hear <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">screeches and yowls from where Cloudwing was headed.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Stop!” ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 7  == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Her mentor yowled at the fighting cats to stop. Trickspell <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">immediately sprang away from a golden tom, and Dawnpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">felt Doveheart stiffen. A winged orange and white she cat <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">was fighting with Honeypaw.”Stop!” Shrieked Doveheart as <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">she raced over and pulled off Honeypaw. The usually calm <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">paw was hissing like a snake. The golden tom reached for <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">the other paw at the same time, and Dawnpaw saw them <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">both flinch. The paw with amber wings was snarling at <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypaw, ready to attack again.”Honeypaw, are you okay?” Dawnpaw mewed to Honeypaw. ”Stop, Amberpaw. Let them have the prey. We need to tend to your wings.” The golden <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">tom mewed to his paw.”Alright, Lionclaw.”Amberpaw mewed.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnpaw looked closer. Somehow, Lionclaw seemed familiar. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Amberpaw...” Dawnpaw pricked her ears as she heard her <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">mother whisper the name, barely loud enough to hear.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Looking up, she saw a flash of regret, or was it sorrow? in Doveheart’s eyes.’Why should she be upset about a Wingclan cat?’ Dawnpaw wondered, and shook the thought from her <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">head. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’I must have imagined it.’ It was only when she curled up in her den, sleepy, when she realized that she knew who <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Lionclaw reminded her of.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’Honeypaw!’

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">The next day,Dawnpaw dismissed the thought from her mind, thinking’It must have been a coincidence. Yes, it must have been it.’ But she couldn’t shake the nagging thought off. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 8  == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw shivered as she crept out of her nest at night. It was cold in late leaf-fall, and the forest was quiet, only the silence of Vixenpaw slowly padding along. Vixenpaw quickly scanned the clearing, and went over to the secret way out of the camp. She had discovered it while playing. She slowly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">put a paw in a crevice, and stretched up to grab a hanging <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">vine, and propelled herself up, the movement barely making a sound. Still glancing around cautiously, she ran right to the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">border. Vixenpaw arrived in a small clearing. Behind her, the ferns suddenly shook, and a dark shape leapt out of it onto <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Startled, she whipped around to face Stormpaw, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">who was gazing at her warmly. Vixenpaw felt herself get hot. ”What are you staring at? Let’s play!”Stormpaw mewed <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">playfully, leaping at Vixenpaw again. Vixenpaw twisted, and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">they scuffled for a moment before they stopped,Vixenpaw on top. ”Wow, you’re fast!” Stormpaw exclaimed. ”Well, of <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">course I’m faster. Waterclan is only swift in water!”Vixenpaw teased.”Hey!”Stormpaw mewed, pouncing on Vixenpaw. She purred, slipping sideways so Stormpaw tumbled in the dirt. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”You look like a fish on land!” Vixenpaw squealed. Stormpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">sat up. ”It’s late. We need to go back to our clans. Let’s <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">meet at half-moon.”.”Okay, sweet dreams” Vixenpaw purred, brushing his pelt with her tail.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw climbed wearily back to her nest, when she saw a pair of orange and blue eyes staring at her. ”Smokepaw! Why are you awake?” She hissed. ”I could ask the same of you.” Smokepaw mewed back. ”I just when to make dirt, okay? So leave me alone!” She mewed, settling in her nest when

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokepaw mewed something that made her freeze.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”I don’t think so, Vixenpaw. I can sense that you were out <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">playing with somebody not from Charmclan. Is it Stormpaw?” Smokepaw mewed, suddenly serious. ”N..No! I did not! Stop reading my mind! You’re invading my privacy!” Vixenpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">stammered,and mewed furiously before curling up in her nest and pretended to be asleep. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 9  == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokepaw set his face in his paws,thinking about Vixenpaw. ’Why had she gone out to meet with another tom from <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">another Clan? What made her want to go out to meet with a Waterclan tom?’ These thoughts buzzed through his head, making it impossible to get back to sleep. He yawned briefly before hearing a whimper, followed by a snarl. Pricking his ears, he could hear Coldpaw as he whimpered and twitched with him. ’What’s the matter with him,too?’ He thought. ’Oh,well. I’d better get back to sleep or I’ll be sleepy tomorrow’ <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokepaw curled up in his nest and started to dream.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’Vixen’s Storm, Cold Honey of Dawn with the Amber Petal, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">covered with Smoke, Truth revealed, Rescue Cold, fight <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">''Blood of past. Death will come, grief breaks and heartbreak will bloom. Fight.''’ The words sounded in his ears as <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokepaw raced through Starclan territory, gasping for <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">breath as he tried to run away, from something he didn’t <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">understand. ’Death will come.’ The words rang in his ears. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 10  == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldpaw looked at Petalpaw as she went out on patrol. He <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">secretly loved her, but they were littermates. They couldn't ever be together. Just then, he heard a voice inside him hissquietly, "Time for my plan to get in action". And the world <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">became blank.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldpaw shook his head, and jumped in surprise as he <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">seemed to be out in the forest without any memory of going <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">out. And much time had passed, seeing that the sun had <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">nearly set. Somewhere in the forest, he heard a cat wail in <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">distress. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’Petalpaw!’ He thought as he raced towards the sound. He <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">soon came upon Petalpaw, who was crying out loud. ”What’s the matter?” He asked worriedly. Petalpaw shook her head <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and continued wailing, too traumatized to recognize him.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldpaw became desperate. He couldn’t call for help, as they were too far away to be heard. Yet he couldn’t leave her,as the threat might come back. It was getting dark quickly, and the night was cold, so he curled up against her,trying to get her warm. Petalpaw wouldn’t calm down, whimpering and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">shaking,so he could only hope some cat heard them,and were searching for them. As Coldpaw waited, shivering,a dreadful thought came to him. ’What made Petalpaw so distressed to make her to this state?’

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">As he lapped at her pelt, trying to groom her filthy pelt and calm her, he discovered a shocking sight.Deep,numerous,and long scratches laced her flanks, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">slowly spilling blood, and there was a strange purple dot on Petalpaw’s paw. Petalpaw was already getting weak from <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">blood loss, and her whimpers were slowly getting weaker. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 11   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypaw frowned in confusion as she saw Coldpaw get up, and go out rather stiffly, as if he was being controlled. His <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">eyes were blank, far-seeing as he walked out. She briefly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">considered following him, but she thought to herself ’I must have been imagining it. He must be going out to catch prey or something.’ She decided to go out hunting for her clan.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypaw slowly creeped up on a sparrow.’Great! They’re <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Doveheart’s favorite food!’She waggled her hindquarters,and jumped quickly catching the prey and killing it with a sharp <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">blow to the spine. She carried it to the place where she had already buried her other prey, and scooped up two more <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">bodies she had already caught.It was nearly dark so she was going to take the prey back to camp when she heard an <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">unearthly yowl penetrate the trees. ’Petalpaw!’ She thought, and reburied the prey before racing towards the sound.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">She ran as she had never ran before. Heart pounding, she <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">arrived at the place where Petalpaw was with Coldpaw. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Paws pricking, she mewed suspiciously ”Did you do this to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">her?” ”No, I didn’t! Please calm her down!” Coldpaw mewed to her. Honeypaw remembered her powers. Closing her eyes, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">she slowly breathed in and out, concentrating. She breathed out a glittering cloud, and it settled on Petalpaw. But instead of calming her down, Petalpaw yowled as if it had hurt her. Honeypaw, startled, turned to Coldpaw and mewed ”We need to take her back to camp” ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 12   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnpaw looked up in surprise as Honeypaw and Coldpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">staggered inton camp with a screaming Petalpaw.”She needs help, quickly!” Honeypaw yowled at Dawnpaw. Dawnpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">immediately went to the medicine den, where Littlelight and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Birdlight had come out.”What’s the matter with her?” the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">medicine cats asked. ”I don’t know” They could only say. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Petalpaw! Petalpaw!” The shriek came from Doveheart,who had just come from patrol, with Vixenpaw and Charmstar.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw immediately ran over to her sister.”Please get up” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">She begged to Petalpaw,who was thrashing.Birdlight stepped forward.”Let’s heal the wounds first. Littlelight, assist me.” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Birdlight and Littlelight both put their paws on Petalpaw’s <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">flanks and concentrated, forming a ball of green light around their paws. Petalpaw’s wounds slowly closed up, slightly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">calming Petalpaw. Littlelight then gave Petalpaw some poppy seed to help her sleep. Petalpaw slowly went to sleep.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Just then, Smokepaw mewed impatiently”Aren’t you going to get it out of her?””Get what out?” Birdlight,puzzled,mewed

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”The dark spirit inside her. That’s what made Petalpaw get hysterical. She’s being controlled.”Smokepaw mewed,as if it were obvious. ”But we can’t get inside her mind”. Mewed <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">most of the surrounding cats. Dawnpaw spoke up ”I can.I can get inside her mind with other cats” ”But I thought you had no powers!” Charmstar mewed, confused.”I didn’t know also, but I sort of figured it out when I accidentally walked in <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">your dreams, Honeypaw.”Dawnpaw confessed.Honeypaw was about to mew something when Morningsky mewed briskly

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Explanations can come later.Right now,we need to help her”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnpaw nodded, and went to curl beside Petalpaw. ”I want to go too, Dawnpaw” Honeypaw mewed,and lay down next to Dawnpaw. ”I’ll go, too”Coldpaw mewed before settling down on Dawnpaw’s other side.They breathed in and out,matching it to Petalpaw’s breathing. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 13   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnpaw sat up and looked around. Sitting beside her was Honeypaw and Coldpaw, blinking their eyes in the sudden <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">darkness and cold. Honeypaw seemed the calmest,due to her own power. ”Ready?”Honeypaw mewed.”Yes” Dawnpaw and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldpaw mewed. The three then started off, padding slowly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">through the dark place. Coldpaw suddenly halted.”I can scent Petalpaw!”He hissed. Honeypaw and Dawnpaw immediately <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">tasted the air, and they could scent Petalpaw,rank with fear.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Soon they were running, tracking the scent. Honeypaw raised her tail blocking the other two cats. ”Shh!” She hissed whenColdpaw and Dawnpaw tried to question her.Dawnpaw slowly padded up next to Honeypaw, and nearly hissed out <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"> loud.<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalpaw was trapped in a clearing with a dark shape <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">hovering over her. The shape moved, and Petalpaw screamed. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">When the shape shifted towards them, the three cats ducked, thinking that it had spotted them. But they soon realized <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">that the thing was actually only an illusion ,and on it showedvisions of things too horrible to say,which obviously terrified Petalpaw. ”We need to rescue her now!” Hissed Coldpaw. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnpaw and Honeypaw nodded,and they raced towards her ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 함초롬바탕;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">14    == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalpaw was losing hope when she saw something flicker <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">behind the shade. ’Dawnpaw, Honeypaw, and Coldpaw! But <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">they need to get away!’ She thought. The three cats charged at the shade, which whipped around, freeing Petalpaw from the nightmares. Just then, she heard a shriek from Coldpaw, who was trapped in the nightmares. His eyes were wide open, showing a ring of white. Honeypaw seemed immune to the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">shade, helping Coldpaw get out of the nightmare and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">they all rushed over to her, helping her get shakily to her <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">paws. The shade had taken a lot of energy out of her fighting it,and she felt a little dizzy.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Suddenly, she heard Honeypaw yowl ”Run!” and Dawnpaw helped Petalpaw escape. But the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">shade was chasing them, nearly catching Dawnpaw. The <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">dream wavered for a moment, and clarified as Coldpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">turned and swiped at the shade. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Panting,they finally reached the place where they were safe.The four cats crouched to each other,making sure they were in contact with Dawnpaw. As Dawnpaw let the dream melt <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">away, Petalpaw suddenly had a question to ask.”Why did youcome for me?” ”We could never leave you.” They all mewed. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Chapter 15   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw rushed to her littermates’ side as she returned <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">from a patrol with prey.”What’s wrong!”She wailed, fearful. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Reedtail went over to restock the prey pile and briefly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">touched noses with the four paws before going out on an <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">patrol with Cloudwing, Silvermist, and Trickspell, hoping to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">distract their’s and his worries. Smokepaw mewed ”They’re trying to save Petalpaw. Right now, they are battling with <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">something.A nightmare shade, I think.”His voice was strained Vixenpaw looked at him in surprise. Smokepaw was <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">concentrating hard,shaking from the effort.’Smokepaw could usually read minds without effort, but maybe the task of <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">reading four minds at once is hard.’ Vixenpaw thought.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw saw her mother look on with anxiety. Coldpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">suddenly moved, and as Petalpaw seemed to get better, he <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">let out a shriek, twitching.Doveheart looked as if she wanted to take it all unto herself, wanting to save her kits.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw’s fur had rose on end when Coldpaw had shrieked, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and she hastily groomed it down, making it sleek and shiny <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">again. Smokepaw was really getting tired out, so Vixenpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">decided to help him.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Silvermist! Can you help him?”She asked as she gestured to Smokepaw. Silvermist nodded, transferring energy into him. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokepaw gasped for a momemt, and resumed calling out <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">what was happening. But apparently he got a huge help, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">because his descriptions seemed more defined in detail.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”They’re rescuing Petalpaw! But the shade is chasing them. Ouch! Coldpaw just slashed it. I bet it hurt. They’ve nearly reached the place now. Dawnpaw is letting the dream melt, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and they’re back” He mewed.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Just then, the four paws <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">twitched and opened their eyes. Doveheart immediately <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">swooped down on Petalpaw and began washing her roughly. " <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Aw, mom! You’re embarrassing me!” Petalpaw mewed, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">annoyed. Vixenpaw purred, and licked Dawnpaw, Honeypaw, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and Coldpaw, who flinched, and purred ”I’m glad you’re back <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">safe, too” Honeypaw darted over to Smokepaw, helping him <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">go to his nest. Morningsky mewed ”You must be tired. You <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">can rest today.” Smokepaw flicked his tail wearily and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">disappeared inside his den. Just then, Petalpaw murmured <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">suddenly ”I feel tired and dizzy” before collapsing. Doveheart was about to nude her when Birdlight blocked her way. ”Let her sleep. She must be exhausted after such an ordeal.” She mewed, carrying her to the sick cat den. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 16   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw pretended to be asleep until she was sure all the warriors were all sleeping. She slowly padded out of the den, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">looking around cautiously. ”Vixenpaw, where are you going?” Vixenpaw jumped, and thought ’Fox dung!’She had forgotten to watch for the nighttime watch! Vixenpaw replied shakily ”I need to make dirt.””Then use the dirtplace tunnel” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Reedtail mewed.”Okay” Vixenpaw mewed and went to the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">tunnel. She made a small dirt and went back to her den. Then, she waited until Reedtail turned, and dashed to the secret way out of camp. She started to run, before she thought

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’Wait! I can’t go to meet Stormpaw smelling like this!’, and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">started grooming herself. She was satisfied, and started to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">run, until she accidentally crashed into a tom with a sleek <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">pelt. ”Hey!” Stormpaw said in surprise. ”S..Sorry” She mewed, and blushed when she saw Stormpaw looking at her. ”Err..” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">She mewed, and Stormpaw shook his head, purring ”Sorry, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">but you look so....” ”Unkempt?”She suggested.”No, not that!” Stormpaw started to mew, stopped and changed the subject.”Follow me! I found a great place for playing!” He mewed and charged down the border. Curious, Vixenpaw followed him.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">They arrived in a big tunnel. ”We can play here!” Stormpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">purred happily. Vixenpaw didn’t say anything, just pawed a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">couple of leaves in a pile and threw them at Stormpaw, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">purring. Stormpaw pushed, sending a spray of leaves toward <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw. Vixenpaw dodged, darting behind Stormpaw and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">placed a single leaf on his head.”Hey!” He said indignantly. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw purred and twined his tail with hers.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Stormpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">gulped, suddenly uncomfortable.”Why?” Vixenpaw mewed, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">puzzled. ”I..Remember when I looked at you? I... I thought you looked beautiful like no other cat.” He stammered. Vixenpaw purred, and whispered ”Stupid mouse brain” affectionately

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”I mean, is this going to be fine?” He mewed uncertaintly.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Of course. No one will ever know,and this will be our secret. Nothing will ever separate us” Vixenpaw mewed firmly.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Even borders?” Stormpaw mewed. ”Even borders” she said.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Stormpaw purred, the two cats leaning against each other, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">moonlight shining on their pelts, merging from red to gray. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 17   ==

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”We’re going to the Gathering!” shrieked Honeypaw,Petalpaw, and Vixenpaw. Coldpaw mewed crossly”Well,I’d rather stay in my warm nest then going out onto some cold Gathering. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Besides, it snowed yesterday.” But Coldpaw’s comments did <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">nothing to dent the three sisters’ moods.”Be sure to bring <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">back some juicy gossip!” mewed out Dawnpaw,who would be staying in camp with Coldpaw and Smokepaw.”Cats who are going to the Gathering, lets go!” yowled Charmstar as the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">cats started for Merging Trees. Petalpaw waved her tail as <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">they went out. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 18   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Our medicine cat, Sunlight has something to say!” Yowled <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Wingstar as he dipped his head to the medicine cat. Sunlight flew up next to Wingstar, and meowed clearly”We are <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">wondering if you could help our clan. A few days ago, one of our warriors fell into hysterics, yowling and twitching. He is still ill, and we can’t know a cure.” Longlight, the Waterclan <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Medicine cat, meowed ”Our clan has the same problems also. Yesterday, Breezeclaw and Sorrelwing fell ill with the same symptoms you listed, Sunlight. Also, talking with the other <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">medicine cats, it seems that we have all recieved a sign, a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">sign of trouble that will get worse unless nipped in the bud.”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">At that, the cats started murmuring among themselves. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Charmstar stood up. ”I believe our clan had the same thing, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">but fortunately Petalpaw recovered and was well enough to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">come to this Gathering” At that, most of the cats turned to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">look at Petalpaw, who flicked her tail. ”How did you get her <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">back to normal?” Wingstar mewed, Waterstar looking on <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">curiously. ”Petalpaw recovered thanks to some of our paws,

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnpaw, Smokepaw, Coldpaw, and Honeypaw. Unfortunately, Dawnpaw, Smokepaw and Coldpaw were not able to come <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">to the Gathering, but Honeypaw is here with us.” Cries of

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Honeypaw! Honeypaw!” rang through the clearing. Honeypaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">blushed and twitched her ears. ”Smokepaw told us about the shade inside her, and Dawnpaw, Honeypaw and Coldpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">walked inside Petalpaw’s dreams to drive out the nightmare <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">shade, which is not an illness but is contaigous”.Charmstar <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">yowled out. ”How do you get inside her dream?”A Wingclan <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">paw mewed out loud. Charmstar looked down at her and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">purred ”Amberpaw from Wingclan, don’t you know what sets Charmclan apart from others? We do have magic, you know”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Suddenly, eruptions of mews poured out. One of the most <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">loudest mews were ”Then what will happen to us? We don’t <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">have magic” Charmstar, Wingstar, and Waterstar conferred <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">for a moment.Vixenpaw looked around for a moment.She saw Honeypaw going around soothing cats, while some curious <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">paws surrounded Petalpaw with questions, who looked as if she wanted to teleport back to her clan. Imitating Stormpaw, she quickly tracked him down by calling him.”Stormpaw!”she mewed. Stormpaw looked, pretending to look confused.”Who is Stormpaw? I never heard of him. I’m Stormpelt. Didn’t you hear Waterstar announce it?” Vixenpaw purred and mewed

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”No I didn’t, Stormpelt” Just then, she heard Charmstar <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">meow”Quiet!” The cats mewed for a moment before getting <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">silent. ”I have talked with the other leaders, and decided we <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">will ask for help from Dawnpaw.” A cat sitting in front of <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypaw mewed crossly ”Getting help from a Charmclan <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">paw?” Honeypaw mewed ”Then would you rather have your <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">clanmates suffer? You should be glad my sister is going to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">help your clan” The cat hissed angrily and turned away. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 19   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Walking to camp from the Gathering, Vixenpaw looked in <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">suprise as Birdlight called to her after they arrived in camp. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Her littermates looked curiously as she padded into the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">medicine den. Birdlight then turned to face her. ”You know, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you might try to hide it from the clan, but you should have <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">told me. Don’t try to hide it, I know the truth.” She mewed. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw’s thoughts swirled. Had she managed to find out <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">her secret? ”I’m sorry, just...” She was cut off by Birdlight, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">who mewed ”It’s okay, but I think you should stop going on <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">dawn patrols and border patrols” Vixenpaw was confused.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Was Birdlight punishing her? ”W..Why?” She stammered.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">The medicine cat rolled her eyes impatiently.”I thought you <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">knew. You’re pregnant, Vixenpaw. I know it’s a bit early, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">but since you’re almost a warrior, I wish you would...” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw didn’t hear the rest of what Birdlight was saying.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’I’m expecting kits? But that must mean.....Stormpelt is the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">father! Oh, what would the clan think of me now...’”No, it <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">can’t be!” Vixenpaw burst out. Birdlight looked at her in s <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">urprise.”Please,please tell me this can’t be true!” She cried

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Vixenpaw, I thought you’d be happy! But who’s the father?” Birdlight asked, startled. Vixenpaw dropped her eyes. ”.....”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Birdlight’s eyes softened. ”Don’t worry. You don’t need to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">tell me. Although I’ll have to tell Charmstar and your siblings too.” She mewed sympathecially ”No! Don’t tell my siblings! Tell Charmstar if you must, but please. I want to have as <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">few cats as possible know this.” ”But they will know sooner <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">or later.” ”I know, just.. not now” Vixenpaw murmured. ”Okay, I won’t” the medicine cat promised. As she left the den, a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">small spark of happiness bloomed inside her despite the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">dread. ’Stormpelt will be so proud!’ ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 20   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldpaw looked in puzzlement as Vixenpaw padded out of <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">the medicine den. Then, the world became dark as the same <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">voice hissed ”I’ve failed! I will kill the clans, one by one.”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldpaw woke to find himself licking his paws clean, which <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">were covered with blood. ’Blood? I’ve hurt somebody?’ <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">A yowl of dispair floated through the trees.’Wingclan!’he <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">realized. It wasn’t a yowl of dispair, it was of sorrow, he <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">thought. ”She’s dead!” The heartbroken wail echoed. ”Dead?” He mewed out loud in surprise. He looked at his paws. They <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">were clean by now, with no evidence of the killing that had <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">been done. ’I’ve killed a cat?’ He started to back away, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">finally running through the trees. He found himself on the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Waterclan border. Darkness tugged at the edges of his vision as he spotted a cat walking along. ’No..I won’t!’ He yowled <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">in his thoughts. Black, tinged with red, obscured his vision <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">as the voice inside him tried to control him. He found himself <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">stalking the cat. Coldpaw tried to make as much noise as <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">possible, to warn the other cat,but it didn’t seem to hear him”G..Go! Get away! R.. Run!” He managed to yowl before his <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">eyes turned red, and he leaped, claws out. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 21   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”What are you doing!”screeched a she cat’s voice as he <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">leaped. Honeypaw watched in horror as her brother attacked <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">the Waterclan tom. She had been suspicious of Coldpaw as <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">he walked oddly out of camp, and followed him to this scene. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Go! Get away! Run!” He had yowled before attacking.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’Strange. Why had he warned him before attacking? And wait, why are Coldpaw’s eyes red?’ Honeypaw was about to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">get Coldpaw off the tom,but a white shape hurtled out of the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">shadows. ”Coolwater!” shrieked the she cat as she attacked <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">fiercely at Coldpaw. He seemed oblivious of her, stratching <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">at Coolwater. ”No! Don’t hurt him!” yowled Honeypaw darting <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">over to Coldpaw and the she cat. ”So, are you helping him?” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">the white she cat hissed before meowing clearly ”Bubble!”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypaw’s jaws dropped in astonishment as a bubble <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">formed around Coldpaw. The she cat then turned to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coolwater, meowing concerned, ”Are you okay?” ”I’m okay, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Snowwing.” Coolwater rasped. Snowwing then looked at <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypaw, fur fluffing out.”Are you going to attack my <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">clanmate, too?” ”No! I was following Coldpaw! It wasn’t his <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">fault! Look at his eyes!” As she spoke, Coldpaw’s eyes were <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">back to their normal blue color,and the bubble popped.”Why <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">am I here? Oh, did I hurt him much?” asked Coldpaw, looking <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">rather worried.”Er.. Coolwater,go back to camp to treat your <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">wounds.” Snowwing mewed, looking at them searchingly.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coolwater padded away. Snowwing mewed ”So, are you fromCharmclan? Who are your parents?” Snowwing mewed. ”Why? Are you going to tell your leader?” asked Coldpaw warily. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”No, but I think I deserve that information after you almost <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">killed my mate” hissed Snowwing, eyes narrowed.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypaw stepped forward, slapping her tail across <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldpaw’s mouth as he tried to speak. ”Yes, we are from <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Charmclan, and our mother is Doveheart.” Snowwing nodded.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”And what about your father?” ”I don’t know. Doveheart <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">never told us. You look as if you know her” Honeypaw mewed,puzzled.”Let’s just say I know your parents a long time ago.” Coldpaw interrupted ”You said ’parents’ that must mean <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you know our father, too. Who is he?” Snowwing seemed <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">about to tell them, before murmuring ”What your mother <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">didn’t tell you, it is not for me to say”, disappearing back <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">into the water. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 22   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalpaw followed curiously out of camp with Coldpaw, who <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">had told her to come with him. They stopped in a place <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">where they can’t be overheard.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Why are we here?” Petalpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">asked curiously. Coldpaw shifted uncomfortably before <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">mewing ”I know you might hate me for saying this, but... but

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">I... Love you, Petalpaw. My heart was torn when you were ill, I watch you whenever you play, you are precious to me” he <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">mewed. ’Coldpaw loves me? But we’re littermates!’ <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalpaw thought before mewing ”I’m sorry, but we can’t <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">ever be together, even if I loved you. And I love you, but not like what you think, but as a brother.” She mewed sadly.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldpaw’s eyes flared with anger for a moment, melting into <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">sorrow as he mournfully mewed ”At least think about it for a bit. We can keep it a secret” before turning and fleeing.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalpaw just sat there, playing in her mind over and over of <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldpaw’s sad expression. She was still sitting there until <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Cloudwing found her and took her to camp. As she curled in <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">her nest, she was aware of Coldpaw’s eyes on her, but he <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">looked away when she glanced at him. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 23   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Honeypelt! Coldclaw! Vixentail! Dawnshine! Petalhope! <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokefur!”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">The seven cats sat up proudly at their warrior <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">ceremony. Vixentail sat up proudly, ignoring the cold breeze <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">that blew around her now plump belly. The whole clan knew <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">by now that she was expecting kits, and she would move to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">the nursery right after her vigil.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Vixentail, I don’t want you to be outside in the freezing <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Leafbare keeping vigil. Your kits could be harmed” mewed <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Charmstar worriedly to Vixentail.Vixentail sat up proudly,not budging, and mewed ”My kits won’t be harmed by this <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">weather. In fact, they’ll get tougher, I bet” Charmstar purred

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Whatever you say, Vixentail.” But she secretly ordered the other new warriors to surround her to protect her from the cold winds in the warrior vigil. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 24   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail groaned with pain as she made her way out of <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Charmclan camp. Stormpelt was waiting for her at the border, and he was practically steaming.”I thought you were to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">stay in camp until you kitted.” ”But I wanted you to see our <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">kits” whimpered Vixentail as another pain passed through <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">her. ”You could have shown me them after they were born, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">safely in camp” Stormpelt mewed, exasperated. Vixentail <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">purred, stroking Stormpelt with her tail. She flinched as <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">another wave of pain passed through her. Stormpelt flinched as well. ”What if it all goes wrong?”He practically whimpered with extreme worry. ”Don’t worry, I’ll be fine” Vixentail <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">promised. She then snarled as a stronger spasm raked her. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Stormpelt, not reassured, started having a panic attack.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpelt rolled her eyes, and yowled as her first kit started to come out. She pushed, and the kit came out in a slimy <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">bundle. Wiggling around, Vixentail nipped open the sac and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">gave it to Stormpelt, who had recovered sufficiently to start

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">licking at the kit, warming it.She started to purr,and groaned as another ripple passed, making a kit come out. She lapped at it, and placed it at her belly with the other squirming kit. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail hissed once again as a kit started to come out. But the kit was stuck. Vixentail whimpered as she tried to push. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">The kit came out a bit more, and Vixentail gave a final push. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">The kit slid out, and Stormpelt quickly nipped the sac, and the kit tumbled out, squeaking. He placed it with the others, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and the kit started to nurse, kneading Vixentail’s belly with <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">its tiny paws.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">The three kits started to purr, drowned out by <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">their mother’s loud purring.”This little red she kit will be <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Firekit, this white tom with gray paws will be Cloudkit, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and this black she kit will be..” Just then,a dewdrop fell on <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">the kit, and it squirmed, mewling. ”I was going to name her <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Hazelkit, but I think her name should be Dewkit” Vixentail <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">purred. Stormpelt curled up protectively around her, lapping gently at the kits. Vixentail suddenly stopped purring, and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">pricked her ears. ”I hear someone coming! Go!” She mewed <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">to Stormpelt.Stormpelt wouldn’t budge.”I’ll stay”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail tried to push him away,but she was still weak from kitting and the push had no force behind it.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">The noise became getting closer and closer. Vixentail curledher tail over her kits protectively. The ferns in front of them trembled, and from the ferns,

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">stepped out Smokefur and C <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">oldclaw. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 24   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”I knew it!” Hissed Smokefur. ”Well, you knew it along time ago!” hissed Vixentail, her ears flat. Stormpelt jumped to his <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">paws,fur bristling”Don’t think she betrayed her clan,because she didn’t” He mewed.”Don’t lie to me when she is with you. She has already betrayed the clan by meeting you in the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">first place” Sneered Coldclaw. Stormpelt snarled, claws out.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail desparately mewed to Stormpelt ”Go! I’ll be fine, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">just go!” Stormpelt forced down his fur flat and swam away to Waterclan. Coldclaw turned to Vixentail.”Why did you even think of meeting with that worthless cat?”He hissed.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail jumped up,her kits mewling as they were detached from her milk. ”He is a worthy cat! He is a better cat then <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you!” snarled Vixentail defensively. ”No! Your kits need milk!” hissed Smokefur as he pushed her down.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail curled herself around her kits as she snarled at her brothers. ”You need to stop meeting him!” mewed Smokefur angrily. ”You can’t stop me, he’s the kits’father! I’ll keep on meeting him whenever I want to!”yowled Vixentail with pure fury. ”Then you leave me no choice but to tell Charmstar.”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Growled Coldclaw. ”You wouldn’t dare” whispered Vixentail.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Try me” hissed Coldclaw. Smokefur suddenly picked up one of Vixentail’s kits. Vixentail, fearful, mewed ”Leave my kit alone!” ”We need to take the kits back to camp.” mewed <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokefur. Coldclaw picked up another, and Vixentail carried the last kit. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 24   == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypelt looked up in surprise as Vixentail, Smokefur, and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldclaw came in camp each carrying a kit. ’Vixentail’s kits’ she guessed. But what unnerved her was the sharp tension <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">between the three cats.Vixentail went straight to her nest inthe nursery with her kits,and Smokefur explained to the cats why Vixentail had kitted outside.Coldclaw didn’t do anything, just looking sadly at Petalhope, who quickly glanced away <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and went hunting with Dawnshine, Silvermist, Doveheart, and Cloudwing. Reedtail and Trickspell were patching the dens, stuffing the walls with leaves, and Morningsky was out <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">helping the medicine cats search for the last surviving herbs.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypelt decided to visit the nursery, and entered the small entrance. It was hard to believe that she had been able to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">get in and out of the nursery without effort. Vixentail was <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">washing her kits, looking up with eyes that quickly changed <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">from wariness to relief. Honeypelt wondered at this, but <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">quickly moved the thought from her mind as she mewed to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail ”You have such cute kits! What are their names?” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">She asked. ”This little she kit who looks like me is Firekit, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and the white tom with gray paws is Cloudkit, and this black she kit is Dewkit.”Purred Vixentail. ”Why Dewkit?”Honeypelt mewed curiously. ”Because, you see, I was going to name <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">her Hazelkit, but just then, a dewdrop fell on Dewkit, so I <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">thought it was a sign, and named her Dewkit” Vixentail replied, lapping at Dewkit. Honeypelt purred and brushed her tail <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">over the tiny kits. Cloudkit caught hold of her tail, trying to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">suckle. ”Your mother is there, not here” purred Honeypelt, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">shaking the white kit off.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”They’re so beautiful.” Purred <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail proudly. Then, the two sisters looked up.An echoing mew rang through the den. ”Vixen’s Storm, covered with Smoke, Cold Honey of  <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawn with the Amber Petal, truth revealed, rescue Cold, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">''defeat blood of past. Fight''.” Honeypelt, shaking, mewed to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail.”Did you just hear that?” Vixentail nodded. ”What <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">was that?” She mewed. ”A prophecy”replied Smokfur as he <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">padded inside. Vixentail hissed in surprise. ”Smokefur! You <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">startled me!” ”The thing you just heard, it is a prophecy. I <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">heard it once when I was a paw, and you, Coldclaw, Petalhope, and Dawnshine heard it too.” Smokefur mewed, ignoring <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail. ”Then what does it mean?” Honeypelt mewed. ”I <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">don’t know, really. But I think it has something to do with us. Remember the part of ’Vixen’s Storm, Cold Honey of Dawn <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">with the Amber Petal’? It must mean us.””Then who is Storm and Amber?Do you know anyone who might be it?”Honeypelt interrupted. Vixentail and Smokefur exchanged an uneasy <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">glance. ”Who is it?” She pressed, curious. Vixentail sighed, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and mewed ” Stormpelt is the Storm. I don’t know about <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Amber, but it feels as if I should know.” Vixentail mewed.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”How are you sure Storm is Stormpelt? He is merely a weak <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Waterclan warrior!” exclaimed Honeypelt. Vixentail bristled, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and mewed hotly”He is NOT weak! Honeypelt tipped her head to the side.”Why do you care so much about him?” Vixentail <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">suddenly turned her head away, not meeting her eyes. ”He is...the father of my kits”Vixentail murmured. Honeypelt could not believe her ears.’The kits are Halfclan!’ Smokefur winced,hearing her thoughts.”But I’m going to raise them as loyal <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">cats to Charmclan!” mewed Vixentail firmly. The three cats <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">looked at one another, and Honeypelt mewed”Well, who’s <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"> Amber, anyway?”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”I think we’ll have to wait. After all, we’ll find out sooner or later.”mewed Smokefur.Changing the topic, Honeypelt mewed ”I’m going out hunting, would you like to come, Smokefur?”Smokefur nodded,and the two cats padded out of the den. Thinking for a bit, Honeypelt mewed back to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail ”I’ll get a vole for you” ”Thanks” purred Vixentail.

==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 25 (Read Amberwing's Story before reading this)    == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokefur woke in his nest with a start. Emotions of his <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">dream still was raw in his mind. The sense of anger, betrayal, sorrow and rage was overwhelming for him, yet he sensed dimly that these were not his own dream. Pricking his ears, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">he heard Dawnshine stir in her nest, and he knew that she <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">had experienced the same dream as him. ’Who’s thoughts <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">was so strong to wake me up?’thought Smokefur confusedly. Looking around the warriors den, he saw his clanmates <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">sleeping peacefully. No, they were too peaceful to have had <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">such thoughts.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokefur shook his head and went back to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">sleep, to be plunged in another dream. In the dream, he saw his littermates all with him, all looking confused. There was a rustle behind them, and they all turned to see a Wingclan <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">cat pad out. Looking around, he saw that there were sitting in a circle with a blank spot, which the Windclan cat filled in.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">As she brushed past Smokefur, he could sense the same <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">turmoil he had experienced in his dream. ’It was her dream!’ <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">realized Smokefur. They were now all in a circle, seemingly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">waiting for something. ”Why are we here?” mewed Coldclaw, voicing his own thoughts. ”Yes, but I’m more curious about you, Amberwing. You’re a Wingclan cat, why are you here?” mewed Honeypelt. Amberwing shuffled her paws and mewed ”I don’t know. I was suddenly here.” Vixentail wrapped her <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">tail over her paws,and Petalhope twitched her ears, nervous.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldclaw suddenly gave a sharp cry, placing his paws over <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">his ears. He shrieked, writhing. ”What’s wrong with him?” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">cried out Petalhope. Vixentail hissed with horror as she saw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldclaw’s mark on his face turn from gray to black. ”Did <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you see that?” hissed Amberwing quietly to Honeypelt, who <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">was frozen with surprise. Smokefur tried to read his mind, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">but he could only sense darkness faintly tinged with gray. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnshine flinched as she also tried to figure out what was <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">wrong.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Suddenly, they were all frozen in place as Coldclaw used his powers to freeze them. Coldclaw stood up,

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">his ice <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">blue eyes now red, and meowed in a voice that was not his. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 26    == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”The Clans shall fall, I will kill them. Starting with you!” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">hissed Coldclaw, leaping at Smokefur. Smokefur yowled with <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">surprise as Coldclaw tackled him. He was slammed to the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">ground as Coldclaw pinned him down. Smokefur closed his <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">eyes as he prepared for his brother to kill him. There was a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">screech of ”No!” as Petalhope, who had gotten herself free, slammed into Coldclaw. He turned with a snarl, but suddenly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">hesitated as he saw it as Petalhope. Petalhope stood over <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokefur, hissing. Amberwing, Honeypelt, Vixentail and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnshine watched in surprise as Coldclaw seemed to stop.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldclaw saw he was about to attack Petalhope, and tried <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">to stop, and assert control over his body. A red haze was <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">obscuring his vision, and he struggled to see through. He <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">gasped for air as he fought for control.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokefur was confused as the rest as he saw Coldclaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">hesitate. His eyes became purple as the red and blue mixed. Coldclaw suddenly snarled with pain as one of his eyes <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">became red, the other blue. Coldclaw shook his head, and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">quickly ran over to Smokefur. Petalhope snarled, unsure <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">whether Coldclaw was back or not. Coldclaw mewed ”Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” Petalhope relaxed, and Vixentail and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnshine hurried over to Coldclaw to support him, while <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypelt went to Petalhope and Smokefur. Amberwing stood where she was,unsure what to do.”Why stay away from your kin?” mewed a voice from behind them.The seven cats turned to look at a glossy gray tom followed by a brown she cat.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Stormpelt <span style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 함초롬바탕;">… <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”” <span style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 함초롬바탕;">… <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Hikarishine!”mewed Vixentail and Amberwing at the same time. Then all the cats looked awkwardedly at <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">each other, which Hikarishine watched with amusement. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”How do you know about each other?” mewed Petalhope, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">puzzled. Vixentail hung her head down and twitched her tail. ”He’s.... my mate” Mewed Vixentail finally. ”She came to me in a dream” explained Amberwing. Shock registered on <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalhope and Dawnpelt’s faces. Hikarishine stepped in and <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">mewed ”You can talk about this later, but now, haven’t you figured out the prophecy yet?”The cats mewed that they did.”Then you should know that Amberwing here.. is your sister. Or rather, sister and stepsister.” ”What? She’s our sister?

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Then what is her magic?” Honeypelt mewed, a little taken <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">aback. ”I have invisibility, but it takes a lot out of me since I have mixed blood” ”So why is she a stepsister?” Vixentail <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">mewed. ”No, Coldclaw and Honeypelt are full littermates to Amberwing. You three are related in blood, but the other four are not.” Hikarishine mewed. ”What are you meowing about? Smokefur, Petalhope, Vixentail and Dawnshine are our kin!” Meowed Coldclaw. Hikarishine shook her head. ”No, the four are from Bloodclan, they were abandoned kits that your <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">mother took in.” Petalhope and Coldclaw exchanged glances.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Then...we’re Bloodclan?” Stammered Dawnshine. ”You’re <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">lying! We are Charmclan cats!” hissed Smokefur. Hikarishine mewed ”It is true, but where you come from does not <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">influence your actions.You have proved to be true Charmclan cats, loyal to your clan.” Stormpelt mewed ”But what of the prophecy?” Vixentail and Honeypelt went over to Amberwing to sit by her. Amberwing seemed to be a bit uncomfortable, but quickly got used to them. Hikarishine looked at them, and shimmered, disappearing. Soon, another cat walked towards them. It was a yellow tabby with blue eyes. ”Who are you?” mewed Petalhope curiously. The tabby looked at her. ”I am <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Larkwing, deputy of the lost Spellclan. I died in the battle of Blood, where Bloodclan attacked us first and sent us fleeing for our lives.” Vixentail, Petalhope, Dawnshine and Smokefur shifted uncomfortably at this. Larkwing seemed to notice.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”I do not blame you, you were born right after the battle. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Your mother had to give you up to Doveheart, because she <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">was dying. Now you have learned the truth, you must accept it. Coldclaw, you cannot be ever free from the spirit, you <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">must learn to save yourself.” Next to Larkwing shimmered a gray cat with golden eyes.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”I am Spellstar, once leader of <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">former Spellclan. Beware of a death that can’t be avoided. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">One of you must die, you must give up your life willingly.” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalhope, Vixentail, Dawnshine, Smokefur, Honeypelt, Coldclaw ,Amberwing and Stormpelt all looked at each other, and the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">dream started to dissolve. ==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 27    == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail woke with a start in the sick cat’s den. ”Why am I here?”she mewed out loud. Looking around her,she saw herlittermates stirring around her. She then remembered

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”My kits! Where are my kits!” she shrieked. Birdlight and

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Littlelight purred with relief. ”Oh, you’re awake! You all have been asleep for 4 days! The clan was getting worried.” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail mewed ”But where are my kits?” The entrance <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">rustled, and three kits came tumbling in. ”Vixentail!” they <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">squeaked.Vixentail purred with relief as she curled up beside her kits. ”Dewkit, Firekit and Cloudkit, were you all good <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">without me?” The three kits nodded. ”Well, if you count <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">barging in the medicine den to check on you and trying to get you some prey but abandoning the prey in the center of the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">camp for cats to trip on and sprain their paws, good, then <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">yes, they were very good” Littlelight mewed teasingly.Firekit leaped at the medicine cat squeaking ”Hey!” Vixentail purred as she watched her kit tumble head over tails.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Doveheart <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">then just came in, purring with relief, but stopped when she sensed the tension in the air. Smokefur mewed softly ”Did <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you know all along that we weren’t your kits?” Doveheart <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">backed up, eyes wide.”Forgive me..” She mewed. The she <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">cats’ eyes softened, and they purred softly ”We forgive you, Doveheart.” But the tomcats glared at her. Smokefur mewed again ”How could you not tell us? Were you ashamed of us <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">being Bloodclan?” He spat, and his voice broke. Doveheart laid her tail on <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">his back, but Smokefur backed away, and ran outside. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldclaw looked at Doveheart, mewing quietly ”Do you know how much pain I went through, just because I thought we <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">were siblings and littermates?” Doveheart flinched.”I’m sorry...” Doveheart mewed, and Coldclaw padded outside slowly.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Just give me some time to accept this” he mewed before <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">going out after Smokefur. Doveheart hung her head. Petalhope looked worriedly at Doveheart, and mewed ”Don’t worry, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">remember that we forgive you, and I need to talk to Coldclawnow” and raced off after Coldclaw. Dawnshine mewed to her adoptive mother ”Who is our adoptive father? Or rather, who is Honeypelt, Coldclaw, and Amberwing’s father?” The gray warrior twitched her tail in surprise. ”You know about her, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">too?” ”Yes, and she knows now that you are her mother.” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Honeypelt mewed.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Doveheart mewed softly ”Honeypelt, your father is.. Lionclaw. Remember the gold tabby when you <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">fought with Amberwing? He is your father.” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnshine nodded understandingly ”So that’s why Lionclaw seemed familiar, because Honeypelt looks like him!”

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Doveheart dipped her head ”Exactly.”

==<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 28     == <p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail purred with pride as she watched her precious kits become paws. She was a bit worried about Cloudkit, now <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Cloudpaw, as he seemed to have no magic powers. ’Perhaps he is more Waterclan than Charmclan’She thought. Vixentail decided to take her son later to the sea to test if he can <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">swim or not. Firekit, now Firepaw, could breathe out fire, and Dewkit, now Dewpaw, had extraordinary senses, able to see, hear, and scent much more farther than an ordinary cat.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Cloudpaw and his mentor, Coldclaw were going to hunt for <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">some prey along the Waterclan border. ’Perfect!’ Thought <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixentail as she went with the two toms.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">”Okay, with your permission, may I ask my son something?” mewed Vixentail to Coldclaw. Coldclaw dipped his head, his two colored eyes flashing with curiousity. ”Cloudpaw, do you like swimming?”She asked, pushing him into the salty water. Cloudpaw quietly went down under,staying there for so long that Vixentail though he had drowned. Just when Coldclaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">was about to go in after him,Cloudpaw resurfaced,swimming strongly in the waves. ”Why were you down for so long? <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Didn’t you suffocate?” Vixentail asked, her thoughts <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">confirmed at the sight of Cloudpaw swimming calmly.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Coldclaw seemed to share the same thoughts as her. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Cloudpaw cocked his head, puzzled. ”What do you mean? It’s easy to breathe down there, and look! I am not even wet!” <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">He mewed, his mew getting more excited as he finally found out his magic; the ability to breathe and swim easily in water without getting wet. Coldclaw didn’t say ’It’s a common <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">ability of Waterclan cats’ but Vixentail could easily guess his thoughts.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalhope was instructing her paw, Firepaw, how to control her fire. She thought this would be more important than prey hunting or moss gathering or practicing battle moves.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalhope began to appreciate how hard Silvermist must <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">have worked to make her into a warrior. ”Alright, can you <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">breathe out without fire?” She asked. ”Um.. No, I actually <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">can’t” Firepaw admitted shyly. Looking closer, Petalhope <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">could see Firepaw was actually keeping on breathing out <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">tiny flames, almost too tiny to see, but it was beginning to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">char the grass and undergrowth in front of her, which <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">probably meant the fire was hot. ”Alright, what does it feel <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">like, breathing fire?” Petalhope asked. Firepaw thought about it for a moment, and procceded to blow a tail length of fire.

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalhope jumped back a good three tail lengths. ”Firepaw!

<p class="0" style="mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 한컴 윤고딕 230;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">You should have warned me!” She screeched. Firepaw purred ”I was just trying to figure out what breathing out fire felt like.”