8

Slightstar takes Dahliafade, her new deputy, on a patrol to see a spot she deems as “the most important part of their territory.”

Dahliafade is apprehensive, and when they reach the place, she is horrified.

It’s a lake. A huge, terrifying lake, a lake so big she can’t even see the other side of it.

Slightstar tries to tell Dahliafade about the beauty of the lake and its protector, the powerful Molly of the Lake. Dahliafade, however, isn’t impressed as Slightstar thought she would be; she runs.

As Dahliafade comes to a stop, she remembers the moment that caused her to fear the water; Poppybloom, Medicine Cat of MouseClan, had warned her of her coming doom, an omen signaling to distrust the water in all its forms.

Slightstar apologizes to Dahliafade for scaring her, having only wanted to share the beauty of her beliefs with her, and sadly remembers how little she has of her mother now that she is gone.

Meanwhile, Brightpaw laments that clan cats don’t have more interesting stories and tales to pass down. All he hears about are StarClan and the Dark Forest, hardly groundbreaking concepts… His brother, Avalanchepaw, listens patiently.

Brightpaw’s melancholy is interrupted by Daisypaw, who shyly asks him if he has heard of the tales of the Molly of the Lake.