By the next day, Commander Moon walked out of her den to see Puppylove and Trainee Gray chatting with Villie. From what she could tell, they were not having a friendly conversation. Sighing, she decided she would play mediator in the situation.

“Mom, I need more battle training, not less!” Trainee Gray snapped.

Villie had her purple eyes lowered. “I’m just worried, your other skills need worked on too,” she meowed.

Puppylove gave a wide smile. “Girl, his other skills are fine,” she reassured. “But battle training is important if he wants to defend himself.”

All three cats noticed Commander Moon and stopped talking all at once. She flicked her tail and sat beside Villie who looked a bit uncomfortable about all that was going on. Was she worried her son would fall short of his siblings?

“Why don’t you help train him?” Commander Moon suggested. After all, it would be only another two months until Lily and Sean are ready to be tested.

Villie’s eyes brightened and she gazed at Puppylove with hope in her eyes. The orange molly nodded her head with a wide grin. Trainee Gray only gave a slight smile. “Sure, girl, you can help.”

That wasn’t too hard, now was it? Commander Moon thought. Since today wasn’t so bad, maybe she could try finding that student’s mentor. As she headed for the camp entrance, a loud meow stopped her.

“Commander, where is that Trainee?!” Darkfur yowled from the log he slept under with his mate Flowerpelt. He looked rather annoyed, so Commander Moon approached him.

“Which Trainee?” Commander Moon asked. Since she just woke up, she wasn’t sure which Trainee Lostleap assigned to take care of the Seniors this morning.

“Trainee Cinder promised to get new moss but hasn’t returned,” Darkfur mumbled. He kept shifting his eyes from side to side as if expecting the gray tabby molly to ambush him. “She’s making me nervous.”

Commander Moon gave a comforting smile as she meowed, “I’ll go check on her.” Where could that Trainee be? Is she hanging out with that Misty Family tom again?

As she headed towards Misty Family border, Commander Moon spotted the fresh moss bedding behind one of the bushes. Why didn’t she bring it to camp first? Commander Moon thought as she picked the moss up in her jaws. When she lifted her head, she saw Trainee Cinder cuddling beside Trainee Sonic. Typical teenager.

Back at camp, Darkfur popped his head up when Commander Moon dropped the moss bedding in front of him. “She’s hanging out with a tom,” she meowed.

The dark black tom took the moss and laid it under his front leg. “Love can be so distracting in the youth,” he snorted before laying his head down.

At least he’s not mad, Commander Moon sniffed. She then wondered if Braveleaf and Lillian would know anything about the mentor. It wouldn’t hurt to try, and she was starting to miss the two as well.

***

“Have we heard of the mentor?” Lillian echoed in disbelief. She was sitting with her three kits while Braveleaf was napping nearby. Just as the two described, their home was quite beautiful and near the neighborhood too. “Be more descriptive.”

“He’s tall, wears a dark blue robe with added brightly apparel,” Commander Moon explained. It wasn’t much but that was the only description the voice ever gave to her.

Lillian’s orange eyes then brightened up. “Are you talking about Epic Supreme maybe?” She gave a small grin after asking.

Commander Moon blushed slightly. “Does he fit the description?”

Sakura, who was much bigger now, puffed his chest out. “Isn’t he sometimes described as a distorted shadow?” He gave Commander Moon a confused glance when she appeared frightened.

Why didn’t I guess sooner?! Commander Moon thought when she placed her paws on the side of her head. The student losing his mentor and the man who dissipated one day, leaving the world in utter chaos. I wonder if he’s as scary as that joke Foxsoul told me is?

Sakura, Jacky, and Baby glanced at Lillian with weirded out looks while she started laughing. Her laughter snapped Commander Moon out of her thoughts causing her to look into her eyes. “Why do you need to know about him? He’s not a cat.”

“His student asked me to find him,” Commander Moon explained.

“You met one?” Lillian asked looking frightened. She calmed down when Braveleaf let off a growl. “Right, you’re more open about other species.”

“How did someone like you meet one of his students?” Sakura asked. Jacky and Baby also had curious looks.

“No idea,” Commander Moon said with a straight smile. It was unknown on why this student contacted her, but he seemingly had faith that she would be able to complete his mission.

There were footsteps and Lillian shoved Commander Moon and her children behind the bushes that served as an entrance. The teal-colored molly and Moon Family Commander peeked their heads out to see whoever it was. A tanned person with ruffled purple hair and a weird scarf covering his mouth walked by.

For a split second, the man glanced sideways and met eye contact with Commander Moon and gave a small laugh as he walked by. “Do you know him? I’ve never seen him around the neighborhood,” Lillian whispered loudly. Only her eyes were seen in the bush.

“Not that I remember,” Commander Moon admitted. However, the voice that’s been recently talking to her came back.

“You figured out who my mentor is,” he said joyfully. “Don’t forget the description and you’ll be fine.”

Commander Moon felt a rather sudden chill run down her spine. Was that guy the voice? He looked a little weird, but it would make sense that he wasn’t a cat seeing how Lillian was reacting just now. “I need to go,” Commander Moon meowed.

“Already?” Baby mewled. She gave big eyes to try and convince Commander Moon.

“I would stay longer but something is urging me to get home,” Commander Moon meowed.

“Be safe,” Lillian mewed looking nervous.

Commander Moon flicked one ear as she padded out of the bushes. She went down the sidewalk and hoped to find a Portal somewhere around here. The sound of tires caught her attention, and the purple molly froze when she saw a man with a net running towards her.

That’s not normal! Commander Moon thought and she dashed across the street. Hopefully Lillian hid before this lunatic showed up with a net. Why was animal control suddenly coming after her? The ground felt empty when she got caught in the net.

“See, that wasn’t so hard,” a familiar voice spoke.

“Zeval?!” exclaimed Commander Moon. The spiky orange-haired teenager gave a friendly smile when he stood by the guy. He stopped when she glared at him.

“I’ll take that,” Zeval said as he took the net. The man saluted before walking away. Commander Moon was slightly bothered that his eyes were also the same as the wolves who were mind-controlled. “He’s going to love this.”

“Where are you taking me?!” Commander Moon screeched when Zeval opened a Shadow Portal. Why wasn’t this stupid teenager listening to her? Great, how will her Campmates find her now?

As the Shadow Portal disappeared, Lillian stared in shock. He took Commander Moon! She turned to her kits who were playing with each other. “Kits, come on, we’re off to save Commander Moon!”