Mistystar's Omen/Chapter 6

==Chapter description==
:As Pebblefoot crosses the border into WindClan territory, Mistystar yowls that he isn't stealing prey. Antpelt, a WindClan warrior, sneers that the tom is trespassing to find better prey. The leader winces as she realizes how skinny she and her Clanmates must look to the brown tom. Ashfoot, the WindClan deputy steps forward, mentioning that she is sorry about Leopardstar's death. She asks Mistystar why she's letting her warriors cross into other territories, and if she forgot to replace the scent marks. Struggling to keep her fur flat, the thick-furred she-cat apologizes, explaining that it was a genuine mistake.
:Antpelt threatens the patrol and says they can get off their territory now, but he is scolded by Ashfoot. The deputy suggests that Mistystar renews her scent markers to remind her warriors not to cross the border. The WindClan cats retreat farther into their territory, and the RiverClan patrol does the same. Bristling, Pebblefoot asks how Ashfoot dare talk to Mistystar like that as she's only a deputy. The she-cat sighs, stating that the WindClan cat had a point, and they should try to hunt something that stays in their territory. She watches as her warriors attempt to hunt on land; how they have trouble catching anything. Mistystar knows that her Clan is meant to catch fish rather than mice and voles. The leader wonders why StarClan is letting them starve.
:Days later, Mistystar looks up at the sky to see a half-moon floating between the clouds. She realizes that she can hardly remember a time when Mothwing went with Willowshine to the medicine cat meetings. The dappled cat had always come up with excuses to stay. She wonders how Leopardstar had never noticed how Mothwing neglects so many of her responsibilities. After hunting with no positive results all day, Mistystar settles outside her den, waiting for the medicine cats to leave. She wonders if the golden she-cat will prove she has the right to be RiverClan's medicine cat. Her hopes are crushed as Mothwing instructs Willowshine to thank Jayfeather and ask Kestrelflight about Tornear's cough. The younger tabby brushes noses with the dappled cat and trots out of camp.
:Mistystar stands up, heading towards the edge of the lake. She paces along the shore, staring at the fishless water that mocks her and her Clan. The she-cat attempts to find a pattern or a sign in the water's ripples, wondering how she would even be able to see one, for she isn't a medicine cat. She hisses and sinks her claws into the grit between the pebbles, knowing that Mothwing has stripped away her confidence. Mistystar whispers her brother's name, Stonefur, and says she can't do this alone.
:The entire night Mistystar is unable to sleep. When the first rays of sunlight shine into her den, she leaps up and enters the clearing. The blue-gray she-cat follows Willowshine into the medicine cats' den; the gray tabby and Mothwing blink at her from the shadows. Mistystar announces that Willowshine will now be the only medicine cat, and Mothwing will no longer live in the medicine den. The dark gray tabby cries that she still has much to learn, but the leader's decision is final. She tells the older medicine cat that RiverClan is grateful for her service, but she will now retire to elders' den. Mothwing steps forward to protest, but Mistystar interrupts her, saying she is doing what is right for the Clan.
:Twitching an ear, Mothwing asks if her leader realizes that RiverClan has already suffered enough after Leopardstar's death. She will announce her retirement at the next Gathering, but not before; anger flashes briefly in her eyes. Wishing the medicine cat would realize that there is no choice here, Mistystar hisses that she may stay until then. Before the blue-gray she-cat leaves, Mothwing apologizes; the she-cat doesn't respond, she just hangs her head and leaves.
:Podkit gets Mistystar's attention so she can watch him drag a stick towards the nursery. He claims it's a fish that will feed the whole Clan. His mother, Duskfur appears and mentions that she hopes he isn't bothering the she-cat. Mistystar assures her that he isn't, adding that she might have to make Podkit into a warrior. The small kit is amazed at this, but his sister, Curlkit, calls him a minnow-brain. The queen tells her kits to stop fighting and rolls her eyes at the blue-gray she-cat. She begs for Mistystar to tell her it gets better, but the leader feels a stab of agony when she remembers her kits. Duskfur changes the subject, mewing that RiverClan is glad she's their leader. The pink-nosed she-cat wonders if that's true.
:Duskfur asks Mistystar if she could put up a barrier to block kits from falling into a large pit of mud. The she-cat nods and says she'll get Grasspelt and some apprentices to work on it. Pouncetail, an elder, grumbles that the apprentices were supposed to change his bedding earlier, but they never showed up. Pebblefoot mentions that he told Hollowpaw and Rushpaw to do it before training. The elder grunts that he better check their hearing, but the warrior looks troubled. Mistystar suggests they could be collecting fresh bedding; Robinwing appears with a bundle of moss in his mouth. He meows that he didn't see the apprentices when collecting it.
:Troutpaw and Mossypaw drag a dead rat into the camp to Curlkit's disgust. Duskfur snaps that this isn't the time to be fussy about what they eat. Mistystar asks the two apprentices' mentors if they've seen Hollowpaw and Rushpaw, but Graymist reports that she hasn't seen them. The she-cat appears proud of what the apprentices have caught; Troutpaw declares that her teeth hurt from dragging it. The leader relates to Curlkit in terms of eating rats, but she congratulates the young cats on their catch. She then asks if they've seen the missing apprentices. Mossypaw says she doesn't know, but they had been murmuring about something last night. Mistystar fears she is losing control of her Clan; suddenly, Hollowpaw and Rushpaw enter the camp, each carrying small tufts of moss.
:Pebblefoot demands to know where they've been, and Hollowpaw declares they were collecting moss for bedding. Pouncetail is dissatisfied with the dusty clump, so Robinwing offers for the elders to use what he collected. The warrior tells the apprentices to stick to their normal resources; Rushpaw mutters that they were just trying to help. Mistystar notices how disheveled the two are, as if they had gone a long way to get their sad moss balls. She wonders fearfully if they had tried to fish on their own, making a note to tell Pebblefoot and Reedwhisker to watch out for them next time.
:The apprentices clean out the old bedding and replace it with Robinwing's moss. When it is time to eat, Mistystar notices that they share a very small minnow. She wonders if they feel bad for the day's events, so they are punishing themselves with hunger. The she-cat glances at the medicine den, noting how Willowshine and Mothwing have been avoiding her as much as possible. Mistystar asks herself if the younger tabby is even watching out for omens, or if StarClan is ignoring them.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Important events==
===Ceremonies===
*While not a formal ceremony, Mothwing is made into an elder.
==Notes and references==
de:Nebelsterns Omen/Kapitel 6fr:Le Signe d'Étoile de Brume/Chapitre 6
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Novellas
Category:Mistystar's Omen