Midnight (book)/Chapter 4

==Chapter description==
:Brambleclaw walks out of the warriors' den and stares at the open space of camp. It was noted that it had been a rainless quarter moon, and that the forest's air is hot and heavy. The streams are dried out and the Clan had to travel to the streams that were past Fourtrees to get water. 
:Ever since Brambleclaw has been to the Gathering, he would have uncomfortable nights, struggling and feeling disturbed as he woke up from his nightmares, even though everything else has been peaceful when he woke up. Whitepaw and Shrewpaw were practicing training directly outside the apprentice den, and Mousefur came back with Spiderpaw and Rainwhisker, where the two adult cats both managed to catch a piece of prey. Firestar and Graystripe were talking with Squirrelpaw and Dustpelt, not too far away from them was listening to their interesting conversation. 
:Firestar asks Brambleclaw if he is ready for another patrol to see if ShadowClan has crossed their border to find water. Brambleclaw states that on the other hand, that ShadowClan has all the water it needs and that it is perfectly fine in terms of having a source of water. Firestar, partially agreeing with his statement, says that he doesn't always believe the leaders at the Gathering and that he's never really trusted Blackstar. He then comments saying he will send warriors to hunt into ThunderClan territory for the rich prey ThunderClan has. Graystripe is not too far, agreeing with Firestar, saying that ShadowClan is bound to make trouble anywhere at anytime as it has been too quiet from them for many moons. Brambleclaw feels flustered from being watched reconsidering Firestar's orders. He opens his mouth to saying something but immediately closes it, Firestar now interested to what he was to say.
:He says if a Clan is to cause trouble, it would be WindClan. He clarifies that Tallstar said that they had dry land, and that WindClan could be stealing prey from ThunderClan from the suspected prey-less dry land of Tallstar's Clan. Squirrelpaw disagrees, calling Brambleclaw mouse-brained. She thinks that WindClan would steal from RiverClan because the latter had allowed the former to drink at their river. Brambleclaw retorts that the river is not far from ThunderClan's land and WindClan prey could easily hop onto ThunderClan territory. Squirrelpaw yowls that Brambleclaw thinks he's so clever and he should check the ShadowClan border like he's told to do. Dustpelt sarcastically adds that of course, Squirrelpaw has never disobeyed an order. The ginger she-cat ignores her mentor and says ShadowClan always caused trouble but WindClan are allies. Brambleclaw gets angrier and wishes Squirrelpaw didn't interrupt the conversation. He asks her to just listen for a moment to which she attacks him with a front paw blow, claws unsheathed. This enrages the tabby warrior and he gets ready to spring at her, but Firestar pushes them away from each other, yowling it is enough.
:Brambleclaw apologizes and Dustpelt prompts Squirrelpaw who mutters her sorry. Then she adds that Brambleclaw is still a mouse-brain. Dustpelt tells Firestar that Brambleclaw has a point as even though ShadowClan is trouble, WindClan is hungry and prey over another border may be too tempting to them. Firestar agrees and tells Brambleclaw to take a patrol up to RiverClan's border as far as Fourtrees with Dustpelt and Squirrelpaw. The ginger leader says that they are expected to get along with each other, and Brambleclaw is relieved he got off lightly for nearly attacking the flame colored apprentice. Graystripe says he'll get more cats to accompany him to the ShadowClan border and he dashes off to the warrior's den.
:Firestar nods Dustpelt as giving him authority over the patrol and then he goes back to High-rock. Dustpelt starts walking to the gorse tunnel but notices Squirrelpaw hasn't moved. He asks her what the matter is and Squirrelpaw whines that she doesn't want to patrol with Brambleclaw. The dark tabby tom rolls his eyes, not in the mood to quarrel. Dustpelt says Squirrelpaw shouldn't have argued then and she needs to learn when to be silent. The apprentice says it seems that it's always time to be silent. Dustpelt says that's the idea and flicks his apprentice's ear and Brambleclaw senses affection between the mentor and apprentice. Dustpelt says that they should go and renew the scent markings and see if they could catch prey on the way.
:Later on, Squirrelpaw catches a fat vole and Brambleclaw notes to himself that the ginger apprentice is a successful hunter. Squirrelpaw asks Dustpelt if she can eat it as she's starving, and Dustpelt nods, saying the Clan has already been fed and this is a border patrol. Squirrelpaw looks at Brambleclaw as she takes a bite and she starts going on about how delicious it is and asks him if he wants any. The dark brown tabby realizes that the apprentice is just trying to make up for the argument so he says yes and takes a bite.
:Dustpelt asks Squirrelpaw what she is able to scent and the ginger apprentice says she can smell the fresh scent of RiverClan and vole. Dustpelt adds that a patrol just went by which isn't a threat. As the patrol draws closer to Fourtrees, the scent of WindClan grows stronger and Brambleclaw mentions this. Dustpelt assures him that there isn't any sign that the enemy Clan crossed the ThunderClan border and Squirrelpaw is triumphant. Brambleclaw shrugs, not bothered in the least to be proved wrong because he didn't want border trouble either way. Dustpelt crouches down in the grass and signals for the other patrol members to do the same. Brambleclaw internally begs Squirrelpaw not to make a smart remark and thankfully, she doesn't. The ThunderClan patrol sees a WindClan patrol consisting of Mudclaw, Onewhisker, and a dark gray apprentice carrying a vole. Mudclaw says he can scent ThunderClan and Dustpelt comes out of his hiding place, much to Mudclaw's shock and he asks why they are on ThunderClan territory. The WindClan deputy retorts that they're not stealing prey. Squirrelpaw asks where the vole came from and Onewhisker says it's not a ThunderClan vole, looking embarrassed and he says that it is from the RiverClan border. Brambleclaw adds that it is still RiverClan prey and they have no right to steal it. The WindClan apprentice snaps at Brambleclaw to mind his own business and attacks him.
:Brambleclaw yowls in surprise and tears free from the apprentice, diving for his throat but he sees Onewhisker aim a blow and braces himself to battle two cats but instead, Onewhisker is batting the apprentice away, looking enraged. He tells the apprentice that he has no right to attack another warrior when he is the trespasser, calling the apprentice Crowpaw and Crowpaw retorts that Brambleclaw called them thieves. Onewhisker replies that Brambleclaw is right. Onewhisker then apologizes to Dustpelt, confirming they did steal it but he defends himself by saying the WindClan kits and elders are hungry. Dustpelt tells him that this is none of ThunderClan's concern unless WindClan stays out of the territory. Mudclaw nudges Crowpaw to follow him, looking furious at being caught and Brambleclaw notes how the dark apprentice never meowed his apology. 
:After the patrol leaves, Squirrelpaw asks Brambleclaw if he's happy now that he was proved right and Brambleclaw protests that he didn't brag at all. The apprentice stalks away and Brambleclaw sighs, thinking to himself that he'd rather wish the incident hadn't happened and he worried that this was the problem StarClan foretold.
:The next few days, Brambleclaw is wondering what will happen at the Gathering and the night to meet the other chosen cats for the prophecy finally comes and Brambleclaw uses the light of the stars to guide his path across the ravine. The dark tabby tom finally reaches Fourtrees and pads around until he finally sees bushes rustle, wondering which Clan the cat would be from. As the cat steps outside, Brambleclaw bristles when he recognizes the stranger. He shouts her name, Squirrelpaw, in surprise.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
de:Mitternacht (Buch)/Kapitel 4es:Medianoche (libro)/Capítulo 4fr:Minuit/Chapitre 4nl:Middernacht (Boek)/Hoofdstuk 4
Category:Midnight (book)
Category:The New Prophecy arc
Category:Chapter subpages