IT HAD BEEN raining since Whitefoot had died a day ago. The rain matched Mousetail mood exactly. Skystorm had gotten over their argument nearly a half-moon ago just a little bit, but he hardly ever talked to her. He'll get over it, Mousetail thought. Hopefully. Besides, our kits are almost here! Excitement fizzed through her, but it quickly faded. Dovesong and Blizzardpelt won't be here to meet them. And StarClan knows if Skystorm will get over our small argument. No, it wasn't small. He's so passionate about it. There's no way he'll easily get over it.

Mousetail sighed sadly and sank into her nest, letting her eyes close and the sound of the heavy rain drag her into sleep.

She was woken up by paw steps inside the den. She lifted her head to see Badgertooth coming in. His gaze was dark with worry. "Hi," she greeted him tiredly. "You look worried. What is it?"

Badgertooth sighed. "It's Dovesong. Foxclaw visited me in my dreams, and he told me . . ."

Worry seared through Mousetail. "He told you what?" she asked, unable to stop her voice from wavering.

Badgertooth met her gaze steadily. "He told me she lost her memories. In a flood."

Mousetail's eyes widened instinctively. "No! Is there a way she can get them back? Or if . . . there's not a way, is there?" She couldn't stop sadness from creeping into her voice. "She's not going to remember us! Any of us!" she cried.

"I know. I'm sorry. I don't know if there is a way she can get them back." Badgertooth looked at his paws sadly. "There's not even anything StarClan can do. At least, I don't think so."

"No! I knew this journey would go badly. Do you know if they're coming back, or if they're still going back, or . . ." Mousetail trailed off. StarClan, why have you done this to me? All of us?

"I think they're still going, because Foxclaw didn't say. But I can't be sure. They don't have anyone else that knows about the message," Badgertooth murmured.

"Message?" Mousetail echoed. "Was there something you didn't tell us?"

Badgertooth stiffened. "Oh, well, StarClan sends messages all the time-"

"What was the message about?" Mousetail asked.

Badgertooth sighed. "It said 'In the rubble of what is lost, answers will be found among the ashes.'"

"That sounds more like a prophecy!" Mousetail exclaimed. "What does it mean? Will Dovesong get her memories back?"

Badgertooth shrugged. "Perhaps. But remember: we got this message before she lost her memories. We thought it meant the old territory."

Mousetail gasped. "So many cats died on that journey! I might have been a young apprentice then, but I know how dangerous that journey was. Did she know what danger she was putting herself in? Was Blizzardpelt the only one that went on that journey with her? Not even the entire Clan could protect Softcloud! Or Featherspring! Or-"

Badgertooth touched her shoulder with his tail-tip. "Calm down, Mousetail. Besides this incident, she's going to return home in one piece."

Mousetail shrugged his tail off her shoulder. "Stop acting like this is fine! Her dying is one thing; her losing all her memories is another!" Oh, Dovesong, why can't you keep yourself safe just once?

Badgertooth closed his eyes a moment, as if recollecting himself. "Okay, Mousetail. But there's really nothing I can do except try to remind her of everything she knew before this happened. Do you need anything? I understand an expecting queen can be needy."

"No, not now. Thanks," Mousetail mewed, hoping he would leave.

"All right. I'll leave you. But if you need anything, just fetch me. I'm a medicine cat for a reason." He turned and left the den.

As Mousetail watched him leave, she saw the hunting patrol come back to the camp. That's kind of them to go in this weather, Mousetail thought. Then she realized that Skystorm was on patrol. She heaved herself from her nest and padded toward him, ignoring the rain that soaked her pelt immediately. "Hey, Skystorm," she greeted him.

Skystorm exchanged a few more words with Cloudsky before he turned to Mousetail. "Hey," he meowed. He didn't seem any different than he did the last time they talked, which was a very brief and awkward exchange of words a few days ago.

"How was the patrol?" Mousetail asked. "Catch anything in this weather?"

Skystorm shook his head. "I mean, I didn't. There's too much rain. StarClan, we need more warriors," he added with a frustrated tone.

Mousetail glanced around camp. "You can say that again. But hey, we're having kits soon! Do you want to go somewhere dry?"

Skystorm nodded. "Sure." He followed Mousetail to the nursery.

Mousetail shuffled her paws. "Skystorm, I was wondering if you were still . . . mad at me? I-I know how important that was to you, and I'm sorry I don't understand. I mean, I do understand how terrible it could be, but-"

"I know, Mousetail. I'm sorry too. I overreacted when I shouldn't have. We're all suffering. It's normal now. It was unfair of me to treat you like that. Besides, it's much too late to fight now. I mean, look! You're bound to kit any day now," Skystorm pointed out happily.

Mousetail looked at him, relieved. "I should've given you space. I just don't like seeing my mate so unhappy, it's hard not to-"

Mousetail was interrupted when Skystorm thrust his muzzle to her cheek and rubbed it against her, purring. He wove around her until he was curled up around her and they were lying down together in Mousetail's nest. "Don't worry, it's all over now," he murmured, touching her head with his nose. "We don't have to worry about that anymore."

Mousetail purred and rubbed her cheek against his. "Okay. I understand." She rested her head on his flanks and closed her eyes, relishing the warmth that radiated from him and washed away her previous worries. "I still don't love you any less, okay?"

Skystorm purred and licked her forehead lovingly. "Me neither. I love you so much, Mousetail."

Mousetail nodded, too tired for words, and let the sound of his purring and the warmth of his body drag her into a doze.

But her doze was quickly interrupted by the sound of Skystorm's panicked voice. "Mousetail, wake up!"

Mousetail shot up in her nest, realizing that Skystorm was gone and at the front of the den, his eyes wild. "What's going-" Her question was answered when she heard a long creaking noise above her head. A fat drop of water fell on her head. She scrambled out of her nest when she realized that the nursery was going to collapse.

"Come on!" Skystorm told her, his voice firm with fear. He turned and left.

That's when the nursery collapsed.

***

Mousetail jolted back to consciousness. Rain fell hard outside the den. But that was really all she was aware of except for the throbbing pain in her head and back. She tried to remember what had happened before, but it was vague. It was there, but she couldn't get to it.

"Mousetail!"

Mousetail looked toward Skystorm's jubilant voice, but then Badgertooth interrupted him. "Give her some space for a few moments. She could be confused or disoriented."

Worry darkened Skystorm's gaze as he backed away, looking at Mousetail worriedly.

Badgertooth turned to Mousetail. "Thank StarClan you're okay. Does anything hurt?"

"My head hurts and my back aches, but that's it. Did . . . did the nursery collapse?" Mousetail asked.

Badgertooth nodded as he laid a paw on Mousetail's bulging belly and then pressed his ear to it. "The kits are okay. And for your pain, it'll have to wait a while before I can give you anything. Your body could be confused. Sometimes the pain isn't all real. But I put some marigold on your scratches for now."

Mousetail sighed. "Okay. Thank you." She looked at Skystorm. His gaze was glowing with relief at the news that his mate and kits were okay. He glanced at Badgertooth, then came closer and sat beside her nest, purring softly with contentment.

"I was so scared, Mousetail. The way it fell . . . I thought you were dead," Skystorm explained, his voice heavy. "And our kits . . . they could have been . . . it could have been so much worse!" He buried his muzzle in her shoulder, then looked at her, his eyes glowing. "At least you're here now."

Mousetail brushed her cheek against his. "You can relax now, Skystorm. I'm fine. The kits are fine. Everyone's fine." Well, almost everyone. Her throat tightened when she thought of Dovesong. Then she shook her head and looked at Skystorm again. You can forget about her for one moment, she reminded herself.

But Skystorm didn't help her forget. "Is something else wrong?"

Mousetail hesitated before she shook her head. "No. No, nothing's wrong. I'm just happy that everyone's okay."

"I know you are, but you just have that look on your face. . . ." Skystorm's green eyes were worried. They sparkled with the sunlight that streamed into the den.

Mousetail sighed. "Okay, fine. You got me. I'm worried about Dovesong. But I always am, and I'm trying to forget for one second, but-"

"Mousetail, she's your sister. The most precious thing in your life. It's fine to worry. I bet a moon of dawn patrols she's fine. She'll be back soon," Skystorm assured her.

"Yeah, well, all this worrying is probably not the best anyway. And I was told that she isn't okay, so I've been worrying even more," Mousetail explained.

"She isn't? How do you know? What happened to her?" Skystorm asked, worry thickening his mew.

"Badgertooth told me," Mousetail answered. "He told me that she . . . she lost her memories in a flood, and there's no way to get them back."

Skystorm's eyes widened. "That's not possible! I mean, I know it's entirely possible, but-" He interrupted himself to take a deep breath. "What will we do when she gets back?"

Mousetail shook her head. "I don't know. Try to remind her, I guess?"

Skystorm gave her long, sympathetic look, then shrugged somberly. "I really don't know. But you could try."

Mousetail sighed heavily. "Fine." She turned her gaze away and put her head on her paws.

"Hey, Mousetail." Skystorm nuzzled her gently. "It's going to be okay. I know it's going to be."

Mousetail looked up at him, slightly soothed by his words. "Thanks," was all she said.