DOVESONG WALKED ALONGSIDE Ivorystream as the silver-and-white she-cat led them to her camp. The wide field was refreshing to Dovesong after the enclosed forest. The sunshine shone on her fur and the wind whisked through her fur. The sun was high in the sky now, and the land was beautiful with the leaf-fall wonders. Even Blizzardpelt was surprised when he met Ivorystream again. Even though he was much older than her, they greeted each other like old friends. Moonclaw still looked nervous to meet the lost FrostClan cats. Goldenheart was excited-like always.

As Dovesong scanned the field, she noticed a small snowflake float above her nose, but then it floated away. Dovesong stared after it. It disappeared into a hollow heavily covered by undergrowth. "Did you see that?" she asked her companions.

Ivorystream tipped her head to one side in confusion. "See what?" She looked around frantically. "Oh, don't tell me you saw a snowflake in the beginning of leaf-fall just like Flowerdawn!"

Dovesong tipped her head to one side in confusion. "It was a snowflake. It disappeared in the hollow over there. Didn't any of you see it?"

Moonclaw shook her head. "No . . . ," she muttered, looking concerned. "Are you sure you're not seeing things?"

"No, I'm not! I saw it! It went into that hollow. Look-we can go check," Dovesong suggested.

Ivorystream flicked her tail to catch the four cats' attention. "We can worry about that later. Here we are," she announced.

"What do you mean?" Goldenheart asked, looking around frantically. "Where's the camp?"

Ivorystream purred. "You're looking right at it, silly! Come on, follow me. My Clanmates will be so happy to see you!"

Excitement bubbled up in Dovesong, though she wasn't sure why. She didn't know what the point in coming here was, and she wouldn't remember any of these cats anyway. What was on her mind now was the snowflake. What did it mean? Maybe she would see it again once they were inside the camp.

When Ivorystream led them into a steep tunnel, Dovesong saw the snowflake again, but it quickly left her sight again. Annoyance sparked inside Dovesong. But she continued to follow her companions into the camp. A pale ginger tom was just passing when they emerged. He stopped in his tracks and stared at them in utter shock. "What is going on here, Ivorystream? Is that . . ."

"I know, I was shocked too! They said they came here because of a message from StarClan," Ivorystream explained.

Some of the other cats in the camp were gathering around, murmuring curiously.

"Is that who I think it is?"

"It's Blizzardpelt and Dovepaw!"

"Why is Moonclaw with them? Isn't she from MoonClan?"

"Who is the other cat?"

Dovesong glanced at Moonclaw nervously. Moonclaw returned her glance with a sidelong one, but she said nothing. Dovesong turned her attention back to the pale ginger tom. Blizzardpelt stepped forward to greet the ginger tom.

"It's good to see you again, Berrytuft," Blizzardpelt meowed, touching noses with the ginger tom and dipping his head with mutual respect. "How have things been here?"

"It's been well since we were driven away, but we're always worrying about you all. How are Acornshade and Softcloud?" Berrytuft asked.

Blizzardpelt fell silent. "Acornshade is well. And Softcloud . . . Softcloud is . . ." Blizzardpelt's gaze clouded with grief and hesitation.

"Don't tell me she's dead!" Berrytuft cried. "Our Clan ran away to be safe, not to be killed off again!"

Before Blizzardpelt could respond, a tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes nosed her way through the crowd. "What is this all-" She looked at Berrytuft, who backed away, his gaze clouding with grief. But her eyes widened with shock and delight when she saw Blizzardpelt and Dovesong. She touched noses with both of them, her eyes shining with delight. Dovesong looked at her, confused. "You're here! I'm so glad. I need something to distract me from leading. But . . . why?"

"Flowerdawn." Blizzardpelt dipped his head to the tortoiseshell. "You're leading this Clan now? That's an honor. We're here because of a message from StarClan. Things haven't been going smoothly back at our new territory, and-"

"And you had to bring her with you?" Flowerdawn asked, flicking her tail at Moonclaw. "You know we won't trust you with her around. You know what she can do!"

A gray-and-white she-cat stepped forward, her green eyes shining with suspicion. "Yes, you have no idea if she's actually helping you. Didn't anyone else know about this message?"

"Yes, Mintbreeze, Dovesong did," Moonclaw muttered.

Mintbreeze snorted disbelievingly. "I wasn't really asking you."

Goldenheart stepped forward, her tail lashing angrily. "She's telling the truth! And stop being mean."

"We don't even know you. How do we know you're not on Moonclaw's side?" Mintbreeze demanded, showing her teeth with hostility gleaming in her eyes.

Goldenheart growled. "Actually, I am on her side. But she's good. Ask her yourself."

"Mintbreeze, calm down," a black tom mewed calmingly,

But the gray-and-white she-cat ignored him. "Blizzardpelt, do you know if Moonclaw is good or not? Or should she be kicked out of here."

"Goldenheart and Moonclaw are telling the truth," Blizzardpelt confirmed. Mintbreeze held his gaze for a long time before turning to Ivorystream, who began to speak.

"She's good now," Ivorystream promised her. "She told me herself. So did Goldenheart and Blizzardpelt and Dovesong."

"Speaking of which," Blizzardpelt interrupted with a sidelong glance at Ivorystream, "on this journey, we ran into an incident, and we hope you can help us."

"What kind of incident?" Flowerdawn asked, looking at each of the traveling cats with concern glittering in her amber gaze.

"Well . . . we stayed with a loner called Luna for a few days to keep out of the rain, and there was a flood. Dovesong doesn't remember anything now. But Luna told us that the Moon Springs can help," Blizzardpelt explained.

Ivorystream's eyes widened with wonder. "I guess it could."

"Oh, yeah!" An orange she-cat stepped up. "I've heard stories about the Moon Springs being used for more things than just sharing with StarClan. You could try to use the Moon Springs, I guess. But wouldn't it be dangerous?"

Flowerdawn looked thoughtful. "It would be dangerous. I wouldn't want to risk anyone's life for this, even if it means she won't remember anything again."

Dovesong sighed in disappointment and let her tail droop in dissatisfaction. Goldenheart rested her tail-tip on Dovesong's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "I'm willing to give it a try," Dovesong mewed.

A brown tabby tom stepped forward. "We have to think through this carefully. We can't just go. Has any cat actually tried this technique before? Do we know if it's safe?"

Silence. No cat spoke. Some shifted their paws and let out a nervous murmur, but none spoke.

"Should we try it ourselves first?" a white she-cat asked.

Flowerdawn flicked her tail crossly to silence the white she. "Aspenleaf, thank you for pointing that out. And Frostblossom, I do like that idea, except I don't want to risk the lives of my cats. Even if anyone is brave enough to try, I won't let them."

"I can try!" Despite Flowerdawn's explanation, a light gray she-cat stepped forward. "I never knew you, Dovesong, but everyone else did. At least, my mother did." She glanced at Ivorystream. "I would do anything to make my mother happy."

"That's sweet of you, Lilacpaw, but I don't want you risking your life for this," Ivorystream meowed.

Lilacpaw held her mother's gaze, and then she looked down at her paws. "You're right. It would be dangerous for me to do that. But . . . if no one tests it out, then how will this work out?"

"I don't think it will," a gray tabby she-cat conceded with a heavy sigh. "We'll just have to accept that it's basically impossible to bring any cat's memories back."

"No!" Goldenheart cried. "If anyone tries, it'll be me. If something happens to me, at least it's for this reason. But I doubt anything will happen. Please let me." She stared at Flowerdawn imploringly. "Please."

Flowerdawn shook her head. "I will go to the Moon Springs tonight and see if StarClan is willing to let us try this. In the morning I will share with Aspenleaf what they shared with me."

"Yes!" Goldenheart exclaimed. "Thank you!"

Moonclaw dipped her head, despite the hostile looks that everyone gave her. "Yes, thank you."

Flowerdawn gave her a wary look, then looked at Blizzardpelt. "If you don't mind, I would like to talk to you. Privately. In my den. The rest of you are free to go. Ivorystream, you can show them to the dens that they'll be staying in for now."

"Of course, Flowerdawn." Ivorystream dipped her head obediently.

Flowerdawn and Blizzardpelt moved to Flowerdawn's den. It was a small den of stone with a curtain of brambles hanging from the entrance. Dovesong exchanged a glance with Goldenheart, then looked at Ivorystream. "Where will our nests be?" she asked.

"Follow me. You can too, Moonclaw," she invited the black-and-white she.

Moonclaw looked at her gratefully, and then followed them. "Oh, sure. Thank you."

Dovesong saw that some of the cats in this small camp looked at Moonclaw warily as she or they passed. She wondered why. Did they know about Moonclaw's ability? Why were they scared of it when she promised she wouldn't ever use it?

Ivorystream's informative voice cut into Dovesong's thoughts. "I can ask the apprentices to get more bedding. I think the warriors will welcome you four-you three and Blizzardpelt-to their den. If not, we'll definitely figure something out. Great StarClan, I can't believe you're actually here! It's literally a dream come true!"

"Why?" Dovesong couldn't help but ask. Obviously, there was a very clear reason why; she just couldn't remember it. But, memories or not, she still wanted to know what everyone else knew and what she used to know.

"It's a long story," Ivorystream muttered at once. "I can't believe that you don't remember anything, either." She sighed. "This is the best day ever and the worst day ever. Is that even possible?"

"Totally," Moonclaw chipped in, although she still avoided eye contact with anyone except for Goldenheart, Dovesong, and Blizzardpelt.

Ivorystream nodded. "Okay. Well, I think there is extra bedding. We collected some before that terrible storm so we would have some without going outside of the camp. But I think there's still some extra."

"I can help," Moonclaw offered.

Before Ivorystream could leave, she looked at Moonclaw with confusion glittering in her gaze. "Why would you want to help after you just finished half of your journey? You should rest for now. Both of you. Uh-Moonclaw, I don't mean to sound mean or anything. I just want to make sure you four are cared for. I mean, that's my job as a warrior, right?"

Moonclaw sighed in disappointment. "No, that's fine. Go ahead."

When Ivorystream left, Dovesong turned to Moonclaw. "Why do you want to help? And why is-"

"I just don't like the looks everyone gives me. That's all," Moonclaw interrupted. "I thought if I could help, then it would get me closer to having everyone's trust. But I guess . . . Ivorystream's just too kind to let me help." She sighed, and her shoulders slumped with it. There was a sad glimmer in her eyes.

"Why is that so important to you?" Dovesong asked.

Moonclaw just shrugged. "Doesn't matter. You know anyway."

Frustration surged through Dovesong. Not anymore, I don't! "I'll bet you can still help with something. The leader-Flowerdawn?-might let you help with something."

"If I or anyone else isn't comfortable with me being here, then I'm certainly not going to ask if I can help. It's probably going to be a waste of time anyway. Wait-is that . . . ?" Moonclaw trailed off, her eyes widening as she looked at a cat across the clearing. She got to her paws and nearly ran across the clearing to a dark gray tom who was sunning himself in a very sunny spot in the corner of the camp. Dovesong got to her paws and watched as the tom rose to his paws and greeted Moonclaw with a friendly nuzzle. They began to talk.

Dovesong found herself limping across the clearing to see what was happening.

". . . I thought I would never see you again," the gray tom was meowing. "How have you been?"

Moonclaw hesitated before she answered. "Not any better since I left. Probably worse, in fact. But now I'm better since I found you! I thought I would never see you again." Suddenly, her gaze darted to Dovesong. "Oh, Wolfshadow, do you remember Dovesong? She was Dovepaw before FrostClan left."

The tom, Wolfshadow, looked surprised when his gaze rested on Dovesong. "Oh, yes. You're Lynxstar's kit. It's nice to meet you."

"That's what I heard. It's nice to meet you as well, Wolfshadow. I'm guessing you two were good friends?" Dovesong asked.

"No, no, we always were. At least . . . I hope." Wolfshadow looked at Moonclaw hopefully.

"We are," Moonclaw confirmed. "We always were, it was just difficult to realize. My time in the Clan wasn't exactly perfect and full of allies and friends. But now I'm grateful that I've found at least one of my old friends." She blinked at Wolfshadow with a gleam of friendliness in her eyes. A look that Dovesong scarcely saw in Moonclaw's eyes.

"Hey, Dovesong!" Ivorystream came to Dovesong's side. "I got the bedding, and it's all set up. If you two want to come and rest up, you can."

Dovesong looked at Moonclaw. "We should go rest. We've been on a long and tiring journey."

Moonclaw looked at Wolfshadow, a look of longing in her eyes. "No, that's fine. I want to catch up with my friend. It's been a while."

Dovesong dipped her head. "Sure." She turned away and followed Ivorystream to the warrior's den.

"Of course it's the two outcasts hanging out together," Ivorystream murmured.

"What?"

"Moonclaw and Wolfshadow. They both are pure MoonClan cats, and both of them still aren't trusted by our Clanmates yet," Ivorystream explained. "Wolfshadow joined our Clan the day we were chased away from the other half of our Clan."

"Why?" Dovesong asked.

"The same reason Tawnyflight did," Ivorystream answered, her voice wistful.

"Who's Tawnyflight?"

"Oh. Right. She . . . she joined this Clan a few moons before we left this territory. She managed to get away from her old Clanmates. She was a brave cat. Has anyone told you anything about her before this moment? Do you know if she's okay?" A shadow of dread seemed to settle upon them when Ivorystrean looked at Dovesong.

Why do I feel like . . . like I remember Tawnyflight, whoever she is? Dovesong held Ivorystream's hopeful gaze. The blue depths of the silver-and-white warrior's eyes shone with hope. A type of hope that sparked within Dovesong, and for a moment she thought she knew Ivorystream as well. An image of a small silver-and-white kit came to Dovesong's mind. A long-furred white cat stood in front of the kit. Me? Dovesong closed her eyes.

"What's going on here?" Goldenheart's voice broke through the vague mists of memory. Dovesong opened her eyes to see the yellow she-cat coming toward them. "What were you talking about?"

Concern sparkled in Ivorystream's eyes when she cast a brief sidelong glance at Dovesong. "I just asked Dovesong about Tawnyflight and if she knew anything about her. . . . Do you? Even though you're in a different Clan?"

"Yeah, I do know about her. I've heard about her at Gatherings," Goldenheart answered, sounding a bit surprised.

"Gatherings? What're those?" Ivorystream asked.

"The Clans meet every full moon for a peaceful meeting. It's just to go over what happened last moon," Goldenheart explained.

"That sounds like our meetings," Ivorystream murmured. "I mean, we used to have them. A long time ago. Then MoonClan proved they couldn't go a few moments without trying to kill one of us." Ivorystream sighed. "How have things been going there? What had you come here besides the message?"

"That's terrible," Goldenheart meowed. "And, uh, I'd guess things are worse than it was before the rest of your Clan left because Lynxstar doesn't seem to know what to do. Trust me, I know a clueless leader when I see one. Oh and about Tawnyflight, she . . . she was killed in a battle."

Ivorystream looked stunned. She held Goldenheart's gaze carefully, then turned her own to her paws. "Okay. Thanks-thanks for telling me. Ho-how's the rest of the Clan?" She looked at Goldenheart again, her bright eyes shadowed with grief.

Goldenheart shuffled her paws in the ground. "Last I heard, it was pretty chaotic. It's a long story though. And I'm not sure I'll get all the details right. It's not like I saw it happen."

"That's okay. I can listen. The nests can wait, I guess," Ivorystream meowed, her voice heavy with dread and grief. She and Dovesong were silent the entire time Goldenheart spoke.

Dovesong was shocked to hear that she forgot all of that. It seemed impossible to forget. But then, as she watched Goldenheart, she suddenly felt lightheaded, and everything collapsed into darkness.