"Look!" Snowspark's yell echoed around the camp, making Harekit Jump as she came out of the Medicine Den. "Petalclou- I mean Star! Petalstar Is back!" Oh! Harekit thought. I was so happy in the medicine den, I forgot about Graypatch and Nightstar!  She gave a mental sigh and scolded herself. Stupid Mousebrain!  

How could she also forget, that Petalcloud, One of the few cats who liked her was LEADER now! Will she even want to hang out with me anymore?  She sighed mentally again. She was thinking like a crazy cat. Leaders had the most important job in the clan, of course she would be busy! It doesn't mean she won't want to be her friend.  She looked across to Skyspeck, but the medicine cat just looked guilty. Maybe because she was meant to go with Petalcloud to the moonstone. It's not her fault she didn't have an apprentice to look after the camp while she was gone!

Petalstar leapt majestically onto the highledge, her tail sweeping behind her.  It looks like she practised that a million times! Harekit noticed, feeling suspicious. She had decided that a fox had not killed Nightstar, and she was going to find out the truth. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here under the Highledge for a clan meeting!" Petalstar's yowl echoed around the camp, bouncing off the dens and vibrating in the warm air.   Harekit knew that she didn't need to call the gathering, as all of the clan was already in the clearing, summoned by Snowspark's excited yelling. She's Just trying to make a good impression, show the clan she knows what she's doing.

"Fellow Clanmates!" Petalstar's voice was loud and clear. "Nightstar's death was a very unfortunate event, but MistClan will stay strong!" Murmurs of agreement rose from the crowd. "So," She continued, "My first act as a leader, is to appoint a new deputy! I have thought about my decision thoroughly, and so, I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of MistClan is Wolfleap!" The Light grey tabby warrior stepped forward and looked up at with Petalstar with shining eyes. Harekit could see the usually strict and serious warrior was clearly trying hard to contain his excitement. Even the kind smile Petalstar gave him showed her amusement at his happiness. 

Harekit could see why Petalstar had chosen him, he was an incredible hunter and fighter. His muscles rippled beneath his tabby pelt, the darker stripes of grey shining in the sun. "Petalstar" Wolfleap said in a deep, rumbly voice. "I am honoured that you have trusted me with this position, I promise I will do everything I can to protect and serve you and MistClan." Petalstar smiled again, "That's all I can ask you to do."

That night, Harekit lay awake in her nest, her belly full from the feast in Petalstar and Wolfleap's honour, listening to her mother's slow breathing as her flank rose and fell, in a deep, quiet sleep. She rolled over, and closed her eyes, trying to solve the mystery of Graypatch, Nightstar and Lightningkit, she had a feeling they were all connected, but she had no idea how, or why any of this was happening. 

 Just as she was about to fall asleep, she heard her brother, Smokekit, whisper in her ear. "PSST!" Harekit blinked awake, startled, and gave her littermate a hard stare. "Go awwwaaayyyyy" She mumbled, still drowsy. "I'm trying to sleep." She rolled back over, and her brother came around her nest to return her gaze, and whispered, "Come on sleepy-head! Flintkit and I are going to sneak out of camp and go catch a rabbit! Come with us!" Harekit sat up. "WHAT?" She cried. "Hey, hey hey hey Shhhhhhhh!" Her brother leapt on top of her and covered her mouth with his paw, using the other one to point at Swiftfleck, only to leap back with a silent yowl when his sister bit down hard on his pad. "Aww come on!" He whined, licking the small bead of blood dripping off his paw. "That's the one I stepped on a bramble with!" "Aww poor you!" Harekit retorted without sympathy. "That's what you get when you want to do stupid things and disobey Mother!" " Well, FINE!" Smokekit yelled. "Me and Flintkit are going and you can't stop us!" Smokekit Turned around dramatically, flicking his tail in Harekit's face. "Wait, what? Where are you going?"  "I was half asleep when you told me." She admitted. Her brother turned around again. "We are going, " He sighed impatiently like he was explaining hunting to a newborn kit.  "To catch a rabbit on the moors."    "OHHHHHHHH" Harekit realised why her brothers had asked her if she wanted to go with them now,  instead of just sneaking off like they usually did. She was always bugging them about catching her own prey before she was an apprentice, and now she was nearly six moons old, it was her last chance.  She took a deep breath, she never liked disobeying her mother, but she had to do this.

"Okay, I'm coming."