SHADECLOUD

            “Cherrypelt and Lilyblossom drove a fox out of our territory,” Jayfeather meowed. “But Cherrypelt has a nasty wound on her left forepaw. Could you take her some marigold please?”

            “Sure,” Shadecloud said, grabbing a few leaves quickly.

            Jayfeather sniffed the air. “That’s yarrow,” he said impatiently. “It won’t do any good for her wounds.”

            “Sorry,” she muttered, reaching for marigold leaves.

            Jayfeather sniffed the leaves. “That’s catmint, Shadecloud!” he exclaimed.

            “Great StarClan,” she muttered, grabbing different leaves. “Is this marigold?”

            “Finally,” Jayfeather meowed. “What is wrong with you, Shadecloud? Yesterday, you tried to give borage to Falcontail when he needed watermint!”

            Shadecloud knew what was wrong. Two days ago, she was certain she had seen icy blue eyes watching her near the entrance to the hollow. She was afraid that Thorn had returned. “Nothing,” she lied, quickly hurrying out of the den.

            “You forgot the marigold!” Jayfeather called after her.

            She turned around and grabbed the marigold leaves. Then, she raced out of the den before Jayfeather could ask any more questions.

            Cherrypelt was limping towards the medicine cat den. “There you are,” she panted. “I thought you had forgotten about me!”

            Shadecloud chewed the marigold leaves into a paste and smeared it onto her wound. “Try to take it easy for the rest of the day,” Shadecloud said. “It won’t do any good if you just wipe it right off!”

            Cherrypelt nodded. “Thanks, Shadecloud,” she said. “I’ll go take a nap in the warriors den now.”

            Shadecloud grabbed a chaffinch and a vole from the fresh-kill pile. She returned to her den. “Here,” she said, dropping the vole at Jayfeather’s feet.

            “Thanks,” he meowed. “And quit worrying about Thorn.”

            “I wish you would quit reading my mind!” Shadecloud hissed.

            “Well, I won’t,” Jayfeather said. “Get ready, because tonight is the half-moon. We're going to the Moonpool tonight.”