Midnight (book)/Chapter 21

Chapter Summary
Leafpaw's PoV
 * Leafpaw wakes early in the morning. She notes that the air is chilly, and thinks that there aren't many more moons until leaf-fall turns to leaf-bare. She pads over to Cinderpelt, waking up the dark gray she-cat and asking her if they have any burdock root. The medicine cat is confused, asking what she wanted that for and quizzing her on the herb's use. Leafpaw answers correctly that it's good for treating rat bites, particularly infected ones. Cinderpelt points out that there aren't any rats nearby, questioning again why she wanted it, but Leafpaw can't explain precisely why. Cinderpelt asks her apprentice if she has a dream, and Leafpaw says she isn’t sure; if she did, she doesn't remember it well or know what it means. Cinderpelt points out to her apprentice that her dream or feeling about the burdock root might actually be a message from StarClan. She adds that as a medicine cat, Leafpaw must learn to interpret these messages on her own and to trust her own judgment about their meaning.


 * The dark gray she-cat then sends Leafpaw to gather burdock by the sandy hollow, in case she is right about needing the herb in their stores. As Leafpaw heads out to gather the root, she strains herself to try to remember what she had dreamed about. All the light brown tabby can recall is an image of dark Twoleg nests and a Thunderpath. She believes that this vision and the feeling that she needs burdock root had not come from StarClan. Rather, Leafpaw thinks that it is Squirrelpaw trying to share a message through their shared link, and she becomes convinced that her sister has been bitten by a rat. She wishes she had gone on the journey with Squirrelpaw, thinking that the traveling cats need a medicine cat. She hopes that the ginger she-cat and her companions will be able to return home safely anyway.


 * After returning from gathering burdock root, Leafpaw heads to the Gathering that evening. As Leafpaw follows ThunderClan into Fourtrees, Mothwing breaks away from the crowd to talk to her fellow medicine cat apprentice, and Leafpaw asks her friend how she is doing. Mothwing seems uneasy in her new role as a medicine cat, so Leafpaw asks if there's something in particular that's wrong. The golden tabby begins to explain, but her response is cut off as Tallstar calls for silence so that the leaders can address the Gathering. Leopardstar begins to speak, asking Tallstar if the streams on the moor are flowing again. He replies that they are, and in response the spotted golden she-cat says that she will therefore rescind the permission she gave for WindClan to come onto RiverClan territory to drink from the river. Tallstar thanks her courteously for helping them, and there is no mention of how WindClan continued to use the river longer than was needed.


 * However, Hawkfrost suddenly stands up and accuses WindClan of having taken fish from the river as well as water. Tallstar, outraged, responds that Hawkfrost is lying and that no WindClan cat has stolen prey. When Hawkfrost admits that he was the only cat to see them steal the fish, Tallstar asks if Leopardstar is going to believe that the WindClan cats are thieves on the word of one warrior. However, the golden she-cat is already furious at Tallstar for calling her warrior a liar. Both the RiverClan and WindClan cats are enraged, and begin to argue and hiss angrily at each other. Eventually, clouds begin to drift over the moon, signaling StarClan's anger that the truce is about to be broken. Firestar calls for peace between the Clans, and Hawkfrost admits that he couldn't be entirely sure about what he had seen. The two Clan leaders agree to make peace, and Tallstar reaffirms his promise not to come to RiverClan territory for water anymore.


 * Firestar then reports to the Gathering on how Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw had mysteriously disappeared a quarter moon ago, and asks if any of the other Clan had missing cats. Leopardstar states that Feathertail and Stormfur had vanished, and Tallstar adds that WindClan had lost Crowpaw around the same time. A few cats believe there is a fox, dog, or other predator picking off the cats one by one, but Firestar points out that there is no evidence of this and that the cats probably all left together. When Blackstar finally adds that ShadowClan had lost a warrior also, Tawnypelt, the Clans are puzzled by the fact that at least one cat had gone missing from each Clan. Tallstar wonders if they can do anything for the missing warriors, but Firestar gently replies that they are in the paws of StarClan now.


 * The Gathering finishes out with Blackstar reporting on increased Twoleg activity around the Thunderpath, as well as the appearance of new monsters. On the way home, Leafpaw becomes further convinced that Squirrelpaw was telling her that she had a rat bite, and that the ginger she-cat needs help. Leafpaw asks Cinderpelt what would happen if she ate some burdock root, and the medicine cat responds that she would be fine unless she had too much. Leafpaw decides to bite into one of the roots, and goes to her nest with the bitter taste in her mouth. She whispers that burdock root can be used to treat rat bites, and hopes Squirrelpaw might be able to somehow sense the taste or hear her words in case she does need the herb to treat an infected wound.