Read Online Mistystar's Omen by Erin Hunter - Free Book Online Page B

boasting.
    â€œReally good!” Rushpaw meowed.
    â€œI was the best,” Hollowpaw declared.
    â€œWhere did you go?” Mistystar put in.
    Rushpaw looked surprised. “Oh, you know that elderflower bush by the holly tree? There’s a clear space under there that is just right for battle training.”
    â€œExcellent,” Mistystar murmured. She was beginning to feel guilty about quizzing them. “Reedwhisker saved a mouse for you.”
    The apprentices exchanged a glance. “We’re not hungry right now,” mewed Hollowpaw. “Is it okay if we have it later?”
    â€œYes, of course.” Mistystar turned away but looked back over her shoulder. “And well done for working so hard. I know things aren’t easy at the moment, but I’m proud of you for keeping up with your training.”
    Rushpaw twitched his tail. “We’re just doing what any loyal cat would do,” he insisted. “You can count on us, Mistystar.”

Chapter 8
    Keeping her weight balanced over her haunches so that she didn’t tip forward and fall in, Mistystar sliced her paw through the water. Her claws sank into the minnow’s narrow body and she flicked it triumphantly onto the rock beside her. The tiny fish flapped for a moment before lying still.
    â€œNicely done!” called a voice, making Mistystar look up in surprise.
    Beetlewhisker was watching her from the top of the shore. His brown-and-white fur stood out sharply against the gray stones.
    â€œIt’s still not much more than a mouthful,” Mistystar pointed out, glancing down at her catch in disappointment. Reedwhisker had taken a patrol upstream that morning in search of more prey outside the territory, but Mistystar had wanted to check for herself the state of the lake.
    â€œAt least the big fish are coming back!” Beetlewhisker purred.
    Mistystar put her head on one side. “They are?”
    Beetlewhisker nodded. “Oh, yes. I saw a huge trout yesterday, longer than my tail. Mothwing told me to leave it alone, though.”
    â€œShe did?”
    â€œYes, to give the lake a chance to build up its stocks again. She said we should let the bigger fish build up their numbers and breed again before we start catching them.”
    Mistystar felt her mouth fall open. “She didn’t mention this to me.”
    Beetlewhisker blinked. “Well, maybe she thought you’d feel the same?” He sounded uncomfortable, and Mistystar felt sorry for challenging him. He wasn’t the cat she needed to speak to about this. She stood up and picked up her minnow.
    â€œI’d better add this to the fresh-kill pile,” she meowed. “See you later, Beetlewhisker.”
    She left the warrior standing rather unhappily on the shore, and threaded back through the ferns to the camp. She dropped her fish onto the pile and went to the medicine cats’ den. Mothwing was inside alone, doing something complicated with a heap of leaves.
    â€œWhy did you tell Beetlewhisker not to catch the trout?” Mistystar demanded.
    Mothwing looked up. “Because we want to let the lake recover first,” she meowed. “What’s the point of taking all of the big fish as soon as they appear?”
    â€œThat should have been my decision,” Mistystar insisted. She knew she was being stubborn—Mothwing had a fair point—but she couldn’t help feeling that she was being deliberately undermined.
    â€œYou weren’t there!” Mothwing pointed out. “And I’m allowed to have an opinion, aren’t I?” There was a hint of challenge in her gaze, which made Mistystar bristle even more.
    â€œYou know what? I’m not sure anymore! Not after lying to the Clan about StarClan!”
    â€œI didn’t lie!” Mothwing flashed back.
    â€œBy letting us believe you could be our medicine cat, you did.”
    Mothwing stared at her. “Are you saying you don’t