DOVEPAW FOLLOWED SPOTTEDPAW down the path towards the ThunderClan border. The sky was darkening now. The camp was disappearing behind them. The breeze was cool on Dovepaw's fire, soothing the heat coursing through her veins from her nervousness. "We won't be able to go straight to RiverClan, but maybe there's a patrol that can let us cross ThunderClan territory that will escort us to the RiverClan border."

     She could feel Spottedpaw shaking slightly beside her, but the she-cat obviously didn't want to admit that she was scared. "Okay."

     As they approached the border, they were met with a passing ThunderClan patrol. One of the cats, Silversong, stopped her Clanmates and turned to Dovepaw and Spottedpaw. "What are you two doing here? You should be resting up in your camp."

     "We need to go to RiverClan," Dovepaw replied. "Can you please escort us there?"

     There was an air of uncertainty coming from the other three warriors. "I don't know. It's almost moonhigh, and they should all be getting into their nests now," a blue-gray tom meowed.

     "No, Bluestripe, it is fine. Come with us. We will escort you." Silversong flicked her tail and they were off towards ThunderClan's border with WindClan, where they met some WindClan warriors that escorted them to the RiverClan border.

     When they proceeded towards the border, Ravenflight, a WindClan warrior, gazed to the other side. "There's no patrol. But I guess we could cross, and if we—"

     "No, that's not allowed," a light gray tom mewed. "We should just wait."

     "As you wish," Ravenflight approved, not looking at the tom.

     "You don't have to wait." Dovepaw glanced at the source of the sound. A long-haired cream she-cat was standing there. "You're lucky I take walks before I sleep."

     "Yes. Can you take these apprentices to your camp? We just escorted them," Ravenflight asked.

     "Of course. Come with me, apprentices," the cream she-cat beckoned. Dovepaw and Spottedpaw glanced at each other before following the she-cat. The WindClan patrol left them. "So what do you want at this time of day, hm? Up to something you aren't supposed to be?"

     Spottedpaw glanced at Dovepaw again before speaking. "Well, not exactly. We just want to speak with your medicine cat."

     "Moonclaw?" The cream she-cat seemed confused. "She's an odd one, if I know anything. Good luck with her."

     So her Clanmates are suspicious, too. Good. That'll help the rest of the Clans to be aware. "Thanks for the warning. I think we should be fine."

     The cream she-cat nodded. "If you are confident, that's good. Here we are. I think Moonclaw should be awake. If not, I guess I'll wake her for you." She led Spottedpaw and Dovepaw into the capm and toward what looked like the medicine den.

     The cream she-cat peeked into the den. "Moonclaw, some FrostClan apprentices came to talk to you."

     There was a nervous-sounding murmur from inside, and then the cream she-cat mewed, "You can go in. I'll be waiting."

     Dovepaw dipped her head to convey her thanks before she and Spottedpaw entered the medicine den. Moonclaw was waiting for them next to her nest. "Hi. I think I know what you want from me." She looked at her paws.

     "Oh? And what is that?" Spottedpaw asked suspiciously, sitting down beside Dovepaw. She narrowed her eyes at Moonclaw.

     Moonclaw looked up, her green eyes flashing with alarm. "It's not my fault, I swear! It wasn't my choice. I was forced to do this."

    "Do what? Lure innocent cats to your lair and talk to them about things that make no sense?" Spottedpaw accused. "And tell me why I should trust you. You might need to tell me your whole life story to convince me."

    Moonclaw let out a long sigh. "Well, it all started the moment I opened my eyes and learned how to talk. My mother knew immediately that something was wrong, but she never showed it. She was the only cat who truly loved me. She got terribly sick, though. But when I was apprenticed, my mentor, Cypressfang, quite disliked me, too. He didn't say it, of course. It was easy to tell. The way he looked at me, and even the way he avoided eye contact with me. But underneath the kind mentor there was a cruel and manipulative monster that was willing to kill and destroy to get what he wants."

     "Wow. What happened next?" Spottedpaw asked, although it was hard to force intrigue in her voice.

     "My next enemy was Sorrelstar, the previous MoonClan leader. She was Sorrelshine then. When I went on one of my first patrols, there was a FrostClan apprentice who crossed the border—it was Lynxstar when she was an apprentice, actually. Sorrelshine was going to attack her, but I told her to stop, and after that, the whole Clan was suspicious of me because of some rumor Sorrelshine was spreading about me being cursed," Moonclaw growled.

     Spottedpaw glanced at Dovepaw, who looked as still as a rock as she listened. "But she was right."

     Moonclaw sighed again. "She was. But I didn't know that then. I didn't want to believe I was different, even though it was obvious. So I wasn't careful when Nightshade came along." She glanced at Spottedpaw. "For a long time, I thought it was genuine love, but it turns out she was just manipulating me for answers." There was a wistful glimmer in her eyes. "And when I found out a few moons later, I left. I had nothing else. My mother had already died of redcough, and I trusted no one."

     "So how did they find you again?" Spottedpaw asked. "Did they follow you?"

    "That's still a mystery. Cypressstar found me when I was gathering herbs one day, and he asked me to do something for him . . . using my ability." Moonclaw sighed. "I think you already guessed that I refused but was forced anyway."

     What Spottedpaw said next shocked Dovepaw completely. "I get it now. You made that all up for show. None of that is true, you just want to rule over the Clans and wipe our Clan out!"

     Moonclaw seemed shocked too. "What? No! Why would I make that up?"

     "Because you want us to feel sorry for you!" Spottedpaw spat. The fur on her neck was rising. Her claws slid out. Her amber eyes gleamed with distrust and hostility. She bunched her haunches from under her and leaped at Moonclaw.

     "Stop!" Dovepaw lunged and pulled Spottedpaw back. Moonclaw looked alarmed; her claws were unsheathed and her eyes were slitted. "What in StarClan's name do you think you were doing? She's innocent! I thought I could trust you with that."

     Spottedpaw snarled low in her throat. "You can see right through this? You must be mouse-brained, if I know anything! Moonclaw is obviously guilty, she just wants us to believe her with her story."

     Moonclaw sheathed her claws. "I'm not, you've got to trust me! I want to help defeat MoonClan. They've caused me so much pain."

     "See?" Dovepaw prompted. "She's okay! She won't hurt us."

     Spottedpaw whirled around to glare at Dovepaw. "So you're just going to throw all of that suspicion behind you? I know what I saw! She is evil and proud of it!"

     Moonclaw looked shocked and confused, but she stayed where she was. "I'm not evil, I promise you!"

     Spottedpaw spat. "Stop trying to change my mind!" She leaped at Moonclaw again, and this time, Dovepaw was too late to stop her. The two she-cats fought until Moonclaw kicked Spottedpaw out of the way. Her right shoulder was bleeding. Dovepaw rounded on Spottedpaw.

     "Stop this madness! She's not going to hurt us, I hope you can see that." Dovepaw glanced at Moonclaw, who was pressing some moss on her injured shoulder. "We can go back home, just so you don't hurt her anymore."

     "Honestly, Dovepaw. You think that it's that simple?" Spottedpaw accused. "You have to dig deeper into this situation."

     "No. I know deep inside that Moonclaw is telling the truth. Also, that isn't a story you can just make up in a second," Dovepaw pointed out.

     A snarl escaped Spottedpaw's throat. "Who knows? Maybe she made it up and waited for the right moment to use it as an excuse."

     "Why would I do that? And even if it was true, that's a waste of my precious time!" Moonclaw's cry was muffled from the mass of moss in her jaws.

     Spottedpaw rolled her eyes. "This is a waste of my precious time," she growled, mimicking Moonclaw. She flicked her tail crossly. "Come on, our Clanmates must be wondering where we are."

     Moonclaw looked up from treating her wound. "But Spottedpaw—"

     "No," Spottedpaw interrupted. "Let's go, Dovepaw."

     Don't boss me around! Dovepaw bit her tongue to prevent the words from expressing themselves in words. She glanced at Moonclaw, hoping that only a brief look would say I trust you. Don't worry.

     Moonclaw's bright green eyes glittered with gratitude.

***

     Spottedpaw trudged into the camp with Dovepaw, and they went their separate ways without speaking to each other. She entered the apprentices' den and stepped into her nest. She was lucky her nest was at the front; otherwise she would have to walk over the other apprentices to get to her own nest.

     I hope Dovepaw opens up and realizes that Moonclaw is evil. She wants to take over the Clans! Spottedpaw let out an exasperated sigh and sank into her nest, losing herself in dreams.

     When she opened her eyes, she was in an open, moonwashed field with the stars dancing in the sky above. She looked around at the field, wondering why she was here. This clearly wasn't a normal dream; it looked too real. For a moment she wondered if she was dead, or something like that. But she didn't let herself think that for a heartbeat longer. She looked around to see a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat stepping onto the field.

     "Greetings," she meowed gently. "I'm guessing you are wondering why you're here."

     "Yes—wait. Mother! Aren't you . . . ?" Spottedpaw stepped forward so she could get a closer look at the she-cat. "Aren't you dead? Am I dead? Am I in StarClan?"

     Tawnyflight shook her head. "I am, but you are not. It is certainly a treat to hear your voice again, my daughter. I have a message for you."

     "Doesn't every StarClan cat?"

     "Well . . . not always, but this time is a message that is especially for you," Tawnyflight explained.

     Spottedpaw failed to suppress a sigh of dread. "I think I can guess what it is," she meowed, remembering with triumph her fight with Moonclaw back at the RiverClan camp. "Are you going to argue with me, too, about Moonclaw?"

     "No. Not at all. I understand your suspicions about Moonclaw. I was suspicious for a long time before I realized that she isn't what she seems, even as a StarClan member. What you need to know is you need to let go of your suspicions and fears, no matter how bad they are. Moonclaw is not as bad as you think. She wants to help. She needs to help. She is the key to stopping the night from lasting forever," Tawnyflight explained.

     "Stop talking in riddles!" Spottedpaw growled, sinking her claws into the ground. I don't have time for this nonsense.

     Tawnyflight shook her head. "The night, meaning the reign of MoonClan. They don't have the right to reign. No one does, really. You must live in unity. All of the Clans must live in unity and fight against MoonClan, for they have plans to overtake you all," Tawnyflight meowed.

     "I already knew that." Spottedpaw rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

     "It doesn't look like you know because you don't have the patience to trust Moonclaw, but she is the key to stopping MoonClan's treachery." Tawnyflight's eyes sparkled with wisdom and starlight as she spoke. Spottedpaw still found it hard to believe her, though.

     "You say that. But I know that StarClan can't see the future, just what's going on below the sky," Spottedpaw pointed out. "I'm not mouse-brained."

     "Oh, I know you're not. And I also know that I cannot force you to believe me. I can only inform you of what I know so far."

     "Okay. Well, I don't believe you. So can I please go now?" Spottedpaw looked at Tawnyflight right in the eyes, willing her to understand that she really didn't care.

     "Patience," Tawnyflight murmured, stepping forward. "Your stubbornness may determine the fate of the Clans if you keep going on like this."

     When will she stop telling me the exact same thing over and over again just in different words? "I get it. So why do you come to me instead of someone else?" Why am I bothering to ask?

     "In time, you will understand," Tawnyflight responded. Then her starry form began to vanish in the dark, star-filled sky. The world began to get darker until it vanished completely.

     Spottedpaw stirred but without fully waking. What in StarClan's name does that mean?