Chapter 3

Miststar padded out of her den, her tail lashing at the thought that Cloudwhisker would betray her and the clan. She leaped off of the high ledge and started padding to Cloverswipe's den. " Miststar" called Sunswipe, the deputy. Miststar turned to Sunswipe, her tail still lashing and her ears down. "Shall I go on a hunting patrol?" She asked. Miststar did not answer. "Are you alright Miststar?" She asked, looking at her leader, confused ." I'm fine, and take whoever you think will be good on the hunting patrol." she hissed, her fur bristling. Sunswipe turned away and padded to the warrior den. Miststar trotted into Cloverswipe's den; the scratch on her muzzle still stinging from the night before. "Cloverswipe, can I have some herbs for my nose?" She said, starting to calm down. Cloverswipe turned and looked at Miststar. " I'm sorry Miststar, we don't have any dock for your scratch," Cloverswipe said, a little sorrow in her voice as she padded over to Riverpelt, the queen who had died, now lay on a bed of moss , her kits wailing beside her and trying to climb out of their own bed of moss. "Mother!" squeaked a tan kit, with brown tabby markings and a raccoon like mask on his face. "How did she die?" asked Miststar, sadly. Cloverswipe looked up. "She died having her three kits, but I don't think one will make it." She said sadly, her tail drooping, Miststar turned frantically, looking for the kit and when she found the kit laying next to the mother she ran over and started to lick it, trying to make the kit breathe. Miststar sat and watched the kit as it slowly started to breathe. Then she got up, and padded over to the small waterfall in the den, and bent down and started lapping up some of the water. Foxpaw padded in with a pile of marrow in his mouth, then padded to the crevice in the rock and set it down on one of the rocks. Then he padded outside and picked up a large leaf. He padded back inside, and placed the marrow leaves on top of the large leaf, then wrapped it up and padded back into the crevice and placed it down on one of the large stone shelves. "Foxpaw, I would like you to stay here and watch the kits. And can you get some warriors to take the body out of here?" Cloverswipe asked her ears still down. Foxpaw sighed "Sure, I can do that." he said, and padded out of the den and into the clearing, "Let's go, Miststar, " she said, padding out. Miststar followed close behind her. Bramblescar sat outside, and when Cloverswipe padded out, he leaped to his feet and his tail shot up "How is Riverpelt?" he asked, a stern expression on his face. Cloverswipe looked at him, sympathy in her eyes " I'm extremely sorry, Bramblescar, but Riverpelt is with Starclan now." Cloverswipe said sadly, and padded over to Bramblescar and rested her muzzle on top of his shoulder. "I am very sorry Bramblescar, she really did love you," she said, licking him between the ears. Bramblescar sat down, his eyes full of sorrow and his tail drooping. "Thank you for trying, Cloverswipe," he said, closing his eyes. "Now go in and see your three beautiful kits." she said, padding away. Miststar looked back, Bramblescar slowly got to his paws and padded into the medicine cat den, his tail raking the floor behind him. Cloverswipe padded out into the forest, Miststar on her heels "So what do these dock leaves look like?" Miststar asked, opening her mouth, the scents of the forest flooding her nose.