Alderheart brushed through the long grass on his way to the stream that marked the border with WindClan, his pelt growing heavy from water droplets left by the recent rain. He barely noticed the forest sounds around him, because he was worrying about the belly sickness that was spreading through the ThunderClan camp. Several cats had become ill over the last quarter moon, and last night they had been joined by Brackenfur, Whitewing, and Plumkit. Alderheart was especially anxious about the sturdy little kit; she was strong, but too small to fight the sickness for long.

He was also worried about Cinderheart’s kits, Snapkit, Spotkit, and Flykit. They had just begun to venture out of the nursery during the day, and they were all keen to explore the camp. But if they caught the sickness, like Plumkit, they might not have the strength to fight off the illness.

StarClan, let me find watermint today, Alderheart prayed. We really need it.

But when he reached the border stream, it looked as though there was no watermint left at all. Perhaps WindClan was also suffering from the illness. He tried not to feel resentful that Kestrelflight had taken so much, instead of going to the border they shared with RiverClan, where it also grew.

Harestar won’t want to start any trouble with RiverClan. Since RiverClan had closed its borders and abandoned contact with the other Clans, no cat knew what Mistystar and her cats might be thinking.

Alderheart padded along the bank, heading upstream, and finally spotted a few stems of the precious herb. They were growing close to the water’s edge, and he had to lean precariously over the stream before he could manage to pick them.

After scrambling back to safety, he headed back to camp with the scant bundle. Overhead, dark clouds were massing again, and Alderheart felt a tingle of unease as he glanced up at them. The first drops of rain splashed onto his head.

It feels like half a moon at least since I really saw the sun, he thought. I’ve never seen anything like this before.

His medicine-cat awareness told him that these clouds were more than just the promise of rain. The dark sky must not herald a storm. Could the darkening sky be a literal sign of the prophecy coming true? The clouds seemed darker and denser than any he had seen before, bulging with rain, and Alderheart couldn’t shake a sense of impending doom, disaster hanging over the Clans just as the clouds were looming over the forest.

Something is coming. I can feel it. . . .

“Why are you chewing up that chervil root?” Jayfeather demanded, giving Alderheart a sharp prod in his shoulder with one paw. “The sick cats need watermint! Are you still an apprentice?”