Dovewing's Silence/Chapter 8

==Chapter description==
:Two days after the Gathering, Toadstep falls ill. The sound of his coughs echo through camp, and Dovewing struggles to feel sympathetic. She reflects that since the black-and-white tom isn't quite as sick as Hazeltail, the medicine cats had him nesting in the apprentices' den. Consequently, Squirrelflight decides to move back in with the warriors instead of being with Sandstorm. Leafpool stands over the fresh-kill pile, making sure that every cat is eating properly. Dovewing approaches and selects a mouse, but the medicine cat bats her away. Leafpool tells her to take a squirrel, and share it with Purdy. She complies, and calls to Bumblestripe for him to join her and the elder. The striped tom trots over, with Sandstorm on his heels.
:The four cats begin to eat, and Purdy watches as Toadstep is ushered into the apprentices' den. He comments that it seems almost like the time when Firestar separated cats with greencough into the abandoned Twoleg nest. Dovewing wonders if Bramblestar will do the same, but Sandstorm chips in that it's better to keep their sick Clanmates near the medicine cats. The pale gray warrior looks around the clearing, and spots Blossomfall leaving camp through the thorn barrier. Dovewing's suspicions are peaked, as the tortoiseshell forces a new path into the forest, and tries not to be seen. She decides to follow her Clanmate, and tells Bumblestripe that she'll be right back. Once out in the forest, Dovewing traces Blossomfall's scent trail on the leaf mulch. 
:However, the former Dark Forest trainee pounces on her from behind, firmly pinning the warrior. Dovewing shrieks, and asks why she did that. Blossomfall challenges that she was following her, because no cat trusts her anymore. The tortoiseshell lets her stand, and Dovewing looks ashamed. Blossomfall meows that the she-cat may as well follow, since she won't believe her anyway. The two cats begin to run through the forest, branches whipping at their faces. They emerge in a sunlit clearing, and near the old Twoleg nest. Dovewing briefly wonders if her companion is meeting a Dark Forest cat, but thrusts the thought away. 
:The pale gray warrior catches up with Blossomfall, and sees her poking at dead catmint stalks. Dovewing feels guilty for doubting her when she explains that she's looking for catmint to treat the sick cats. The pair nip off the stalks they can find, and then head back to camp. Dovewing apologizes, saying that she shouldn't have doubted her intentions. Blossomfall says it's okay, as she probably would have done the same. The tortoiseshell reveals that joining the Dark Forest was the biggest mistake she ever made, and doesn't know if she can forgive herself. Dovewing insists that she must find a way to move on from it, so the Clan can be united again.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
fr:Le Silence d'Aile de Colombe/Chapitre 8
Category:Novellas
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Dovewing's Silence