𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 #3: 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

Spottedsong slept soundly in her nest as the sun began to set, sending its brilliant rays onto the campgrounds. Ever since Dovesong returned, Spottedsong was never bothered by loud and chaotic voices and was never visited by Moonclaw in her dreams. She wondered what happened to her.

Spottedsong had returned to her warrior duties a few days ago, and it was wonderful. She had a few headaches here and there, but she wasn't dizzy or confused as much. But Badgertooth insisted she rest at least once each day, and that's what she was doing.

She was roused into full consciousness when she heard the nest beside her rustling. She lifted her head and saw her brother, Skystorm, next to her. "I need to talk to you really quickly."

"Um . . . sure. Let me clean myself really quick." Spottedsong was concerned by the look of nervousness in her littermate's eyes. She stood up and, as Skystorm left, arched her back in a stretch and parted her jaws in a yawn. She quickly groomed herself, licking her paw and scrubbing her face carefully. When she was finished, she left the den in search of Skystorm. Her brother was by the den, waiting. "Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

"Let's go outside of the camp." Skystorm led Spottedsong hastily to the camp entrance and beside the towering waterfall outside of the camp. "I've been meaning to ask you some questions about what has been going on with Moonclaw and everything."

"I haven't heard anything from her in a quarter moon," Spottedsong informed him, eyeing him skeptically. "What are you up to?"

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to know what the warning signs are," Skystorm meowed quickly, blinking at her hopefully.

The answer was on the tip of Spottedsong's tongue. But her confusion was coming back and she stared blankly at Skystorm, trying to remember. "The warning signs . . . ?"

"Great StarClan," Skystorm sighed. "What do you look for when all of those weird things happen? Like, what happened when you tried to kill Dovesong?"

"I . . . What? I would never try to kill Dovesong!" Spottedsong cried.

Skystorm sighed. "Badgertooth said you were all better."

"I am! I just get confused sometimes. Sorry, what was the question?" Spottedsong asked.

"What happened when you tried to kill Dovesong a couple moons back?" Skystorm repeated. "Come on, you have to remember!"

Spottedsong did remember. She hated thinking about it. "Oh-that time I was just scared, so I did it. But other times, like when I was rogue and Dovesong came across the clearing that I was at, that was when this weird feeling came over me, but before that it was like a million voices whirling around in my head like flies, loud and distracting. And then I lost all control. But only temporarily. Does that make sense? I know it's really weird . . ."