Mistystar's Omen by Erin Hunter Read Free Book Online

speak, but Mistystar raised one paw to stop her. “Don’t say something you might come to regret, Willowshine,” she warned. “This isn’t up to you now. Go collect the herbs for Mothwing, and I’ll see you back in the camp.”
    Willowshine shut her mouth with a snap and thrust her way into the long grass. Mistystar watched her go for a moment, then turned and headed back to the clearing. Mothwing was standing in the center of the empty camp as if she was waiting for her.
    â€œDid you speak with Willowshine?” Mothwing asked.
    Mistystar nodded. “You have a loyal and brave apprentice,” she remarked.
    â€œI couldn’t be more proud of her,” Mothwing agreed. “But my . . . my relationship with StarClan has nothing to do with her. You shouldn’t have questioned her about it.”
    â€œIt has everything to do with her!” Mistystar flashed back. “You are supposed to be training her to be a medicine cat! That means being able to walk in StarClan and speak with our warrior ancestors!”
    Mothwing’s hackles rose. “I have never stopped Willowshine from doing that. I would never tell her what she should believe.”
    â€œBut you should believe in StarClan, too! You are our medicine cat! Can’t you see that you are betraying your Clan by living your entire life as a lie?”
    â€œI am not lying!” hissed Mothwing. “I have never pretended to do anything I cannot.”
    Mistystar glared at her old friend. “Actually, I think you have. You have risked the safety of your Clan by not being able to read signs from StarClan or walk with our ancestors at the Moonpool. I’m sorry, Mothwing, but you can no longer consider yourself a medicine cat.”

Chapter 5
    Mothwing flinched as if Mistystar had struck her. “I have served my Clan for many seasons,” she argued. “I have guarded the health of every cat as if they were a kit of my own. Leopardstar trusted me.”
    â€œLeopardstar didn’t know the truth!” Mistystar snapped. “Did she?”
    Mothwing shook her head. “No,” she admitted. Her eyes clouded with sadness. “What do you want me to do now?”
    Mistystar twitched the tip of her tail. “I don’t know. Restock your supplies with Willowshine, and let me figure something out. We don’t want every cat in the Clan learning about this.” She walked away, feeling her stomach churn. Had she really just dismissed her medicine cat? Oh, StarClan, why didn’t you tell me the truth when you had the chance?
    Rapid paw steps sounded, and Mallownose appeared at the head of his hunting patrol. He was carrying a tiny minnow in his mouth, which he dropped in the space where the fresh-kill pile should be. Robinwing, Petalfur, and Minnowtail placed similar-sized prey beside the miniscule fish. Minnowtail’s apprentice, Mossypaw, was covered in stinking green weed but had nothing to contribute that could be eaten.
    Mistystar stared at the pile in dismay. “Is that it?” she gasped. “That won’t feed Duskfur’s kits, let alone the rest of us!”
    â€œI’m sorry,” meowed Mallownose. “The water may have come back, but the fish haven’t. The lake is empty.”
    â€œApart from weeds,” Mossypaw put in crossly, trying to pull the slimy fronds off her ears.
    â€œI warned you that rock was slippery,” sighed Minnowtail.
    Mistystar felt a wave of panic rise in her chest. “We’ll have to look elsewhere for prey, then. Start hunting away from the lake for different kinds of prey.”
    Mossypaw made a face. “Yuck! Who wants to eat fur and whiskers?”
    Mallownose flicked her with his tail. “Any cat who doesn’t want to starve,” he growled.
    â€œStarClan must really hate us if they won’t bring the fish back,” Mossypaw muttered.
    Mistystar bristled. There is no way StarClan would