AN: Got this chapter done early! And it's my longest one yet in this story. Anyways, to recap, Sunstorm and Ravenpaw are sent on the mission. Life will go on as usual, but you get to find out more about what is happening to ThunderClan ;)
Chapter 8
Dusk had settled around the valley by the time Sunstorm was ready to leave. Ravenpaw was at her side, casting anxious glances towards his littermates. Bloompaw and Batpaw looked more annoyed than happy that their brother was leaving for an important mission. Sunstorm couldn't blame them. Her own brother, Flamepaw, had been jealous when Sunstorm was sent on missions with Whitewing. She knew that Flamepaw's jealousy was justified, though she was also aware that he could have controlled his temper at the time.
Once Echosong and Leafpool were finished preparing the herbs needed for a journey, Sunstorm lapped them up. She fought back a gag while swallowing the herbs. Ravenpaw's expression wasn't much better, and she couldn't help but purr in amusement. Echosong watched with keen interest while Sunstorm finished preparing for her journey. Once she was done, she padded towards the exit of the camp. Sagefur and Eaglefeather were waiting for them near the entrance. Both cats looked uneasy. "Have a safe journey," Sagefur murmured. "And please find Specklekit. Her safety depends on whether or not you two find her."
Sunstorm nodded, knowing that he was more concerned for Brindletail's loss than he would let on. The golden tabby bounded across the camp entrance, her pelt dappled by moonlight. Ravenpaw was padding alongside her. "Do you think we'll find anything?" he asked when they were far enough away from the clearing. Sunstorm knew that the Clan would ask where they had gone when morning came. She also knew that the Clan would be one less cat short of protecting the borders. But the Clan was strong enough to know how to defend itself. "I mean, what are the odds that we find this tree that rogue was talking about?" His tail twitched when he asked the question.
"Do you remember how we found this valley?" Sunstorm suddenly came to halt, knowing that they needed to keep a steady pace after leaving the camp. She knew it was risky to avoid movement, but she was also aware that Ravenpaw may not have remembered part of his journey. When Ravenpaw shook his head, Sunstorm fought back a sigh. "I'm not like…other cats. I can see things that other cats can't." She noticed his ears pricked forward when she held his gaze. "I was the one who saw where the Clans would live. StarClan sent me the vision, and…I can see into the future." She waited for Ravenpaw to accuse her of cheating. Many cats would have said the same thing had they learned of her visions.
"So it's because of you we found a place to live," Ravenpaw muttered. His blue eyes were stretched wide in disbelief. "I don't know whether I should believe you or…if I should keep following you. I always looked up to you when we found ThunderClan, but now…" He broke off and glared at the ground. "Now I don't know what to believe." He suddenly lifted his gaze and held her own hard stare. "For now I will go with you," he growled in a determined voice. "Specklekit is missing, and she's my Clanmate. I may be young, but I'm smarter than my siblings. I know what to do."
His answer was one that Sunstorm had not expected. Ravenpaw's intelligence had always surprised Sunstorm. There was always something about him that made her fur crawl, but in a good way. He wasn't like Firestorm, who was cold and calculating. Instead he had the sharp intelligence of a warrior that could be skilled in both fighting and hunting. She was glad to have him as her apprentice - had Firestorm been his mentor, things could have been different.
If I had to choose who my deputy was, it would be Ravenpaw, Sunstorm thought with a flick of her ears. The two of them continued padding alongside each other, aware of the others pace. She knew that sooner or later they would reach the ThunderClan border. In ways she hoped that the patrol that would find them wasn't led by Berrynose or Ferncloud. Both cats had become aggressive over the past few days, showing signs that change was on it's way. The idea was a troubling one, and made Sunstorm feel uneasy when she thought of her former Clanmates. Perhaps their aggression was also a sign that Lionblaze wasn't leading his Clan properly. Either way she couldn't see their attitudes changing any time soon.
They stopped when they reached the clearing that was shadowed by trees. Lionblaze had not claimed the clearing as his own, and Sunstorm thought that it would make a good place for training the apprentices. But they would always have to be on the lookout for a ThunderClan patrol. The warriors could spy on apprentices practicing moves that were known by all SkyClan cats. She herself was receiving the training that Rockfall usually taught younger apprentices. His patience had surprised her when he taught her some of the more difficult moves.
Her thoughts were cut short when she heard an alarm call coming from across the clearing. Ravenpaw stiffened beside her when a group of ThunderClan warriors emerged from the undergrowth. To her relief they were being led by Mousewhisker, a warrior with a bit more sense than his Clanmates. Mousewhisker's ears flicked with curiosity when he spotted Sunstorm waiting at the edge of the clearing. He waved his tail towards Bumblestripe and Toadstep, both of which who looked more eager than the older warrior. Mothdapple was the last to join them, though she didn't look as eager to see her former Clanmate. Instead she looked annoyed more than anything else.
"It's been a while since we last saw you," Mousewhisker meowed when he recognized Sunstorm's scent. "How is the prey running in SkyClan?" His question was a formal one - one that Sunstorm had not heard for some time now.
"It's running," she replied. "It keeps us in good shape." A purr of amusement rose in Mousewhisker's throat.
"I suspect that you're here for a reason," Bumblestripe growled after sensing the lighter approach Mousewhisker had taken.
"Actually we are here for a reason. I've known for some time that one of your cats has gone missing," Sunstorm explained.
Mousewhisker's eyes widened in disbelief. "My kit, Briarpaw, went missing just a few days ago," he murmured. "She was so full of life and energy…I hope nothing bad has happened to her. She was Jayfeather's apprentice after all."
Jayfeather finally got an apprentice! Sunstorm felt a thrill of joy surge through her. For moons the medicine cat had continued pestering her to become his apprentice. He thought that because of her gift, she would want to train under his paws as his apprentice. Sunstorm had nearly gagged at the idea of become a medicine cat. She loved training as a warrior, and would not have changed her path either way. Mousewhisker received glares from all three of his Clanmates when he explained something that could have been used against the Clan. Sunstorm would have loved to knock some sense into their heads, but she knew better. Fighting was not the answer when it came to situations like this. Finding the missing cats was more important to her.
"We have an idea where she might be," Sunstorm told the patrol. "One of Brindletail's kits went missing as well," she added in a cautious tone. At that Mousewhisker's eyes widened. "We searched everywhere, but her scent was not found. I suspect that something has happened to every Clan. One cat is missing from each of the Clans, and it is our duty to find them." She kept out how she knew where the cats had gone. If they found out about the Tree Of Life, they might panic.
"Right, I'll lead you two back to Lionblaze," Mousewhisker meowed once it was clear what they were doing.
The six of them moved on in silence as the patrol surrounded Sunstorm and Ravenpaw. Mothdapple continued casting wary glances at Sunstorm while Ravenpaw's ears were flattened against his skull. He looked like he was ready to jump at any sound that was made.
"Have you marked your territories already?" Sunstorm asked when they'd passed a fallen oak. It looked larger than the Sky Oak, which was where many accidents had taken place. It's roots were partially torn from the ground, while others reached for the sky.
"Our territory extends from where we ended the journey to the clearing where your territory begins," Toadstep explained. "On RiverClan's side it ends near two boulders that come to a point."
"Sounds like you have a fairly good amount of land," Sunstorm murmured.
Silence fell upon the group when they reached what appeared to be a grove of bushes. Sunstorm could already pick up traces of familiar scents in the air. Her heartbeat quickened as she thought of her family back in the camp. Cinderheart and Lionblaze would be there. She could finally see her mother for the first time in days.
"Wait here while I fetch Lionblaze," Mousewhisker told her when she sat down. Bumblestripe and Toadstep remained by Sunstorm's side while Ravenpaw dropped to a crouch.
Sunstorm was beginning to feel uneasy while waiting for Lionblaze to join them. Mothdapple had followed Mousewhisker when he left them behind. Her tail flicked from side to side while waiting for them to return. It didn't take long for the leaves to rustle.
Her ears pricked forward in alarm when she spotted a pair of amber eyes gleaming through the darkness of the bushes. Ravenpaw's crouch was broken by the sudden emergence of Lionblaze. He'd never seen the ThunderClan deputy since he was a kit.
"Sunstorm, Ravenpaw, this is quite a surprise," Lionblaze meowed when he recognized the waiting cats. "What brings you to ThunderClan?"
"I think Mousewhisker has already explained the reason," Sunstorm replied without meeting her father's gaze. Lionblaze blinked and nodded. "One of our own Clan members has gone missing, and we have an idea where she might be. To do that we must trek through your territory," she added.
"Exploring our territory will be risky if you are doing so on your own," Lionblaze murmured. "You should have another warrior who knows this territory better." His ears flicked, signaling to Sunstorm that she should follow.
Ravenpaw's tail tip twitched when he padded after them. This was Sunstorm's first time entering the clearing as well. She knew that had she stayed with ThunderClan, this would have been part of her home. But she was a SkyClan warrior now, and her loyalty rested within SkyClan.
Cats looked up in surprise when they realized that they had visitors. Sunstorm spotted Poppyfrost's pelt lounging in the nursery, with tiny bundles of fur wriggling about. Squirrelflight was sleeping beside the tortoiseshell she-cat, dark ginger fur rising and falling as she slept. Her belly had swollen to twice it's normal size since Sunstorm had last seen her. Apprentices were sleeping in a den not far from the nursery. Their den was covered in clumps of branches collected by warriors or the apprentices themselves. The warriors were sleeping in a den made up of ferns and grass twined together.
Several warriors were still awake, much to Sunstorm's surprise. Many of them looked at her cautiously, while others glared. She felt her pelt grow hot under their stares as more cats padded out of their dens to find out what was happening.
"What are those SkyClan warriors doing in our camp?" Dustpelt, one of the elders, demanded. His voice was hoarse, as if it had not been used for several days, or he was recovering from a cough.
"They are our guests," Lionblaze replied. His glare made Dustpelt's ears flatten defiantly.
"Guests? Bramblestar would have never allowed guests into the camp without questioning them," Dustpelt snarled.
"Bramblestar is not here, for the moment," Lionblaze snapped. The anger and hurt in his eyes was obvious. Sunstorm looked down at her paws when she realized not everything was peaceful with her former Clan, like she had suspected. "Now, tell them what you have learned," he added when he looked back at Sunstorm.
Sunstorm explained everything as quickly as she could. Time was against them - the moon had already risen to it's fullest height. By dawn their journey would lead them back to SkyClan. Sunstorm had promised Sagefur that she wouldn't be gone for long. She noticed that several cats were whispering to one another. It sounded as if they were more interested in the missing kit than the story the rogue had told her. Jayfeather gave a simple nod after she was finished explaining what had happened.
"It sounds as if the rogue wasn't just telling stories," Whitewing mewed from the back of the crowd.
"Why should we trust the word of some outsider?" Spiderleg demanded.
"This sounds suspicious," Graystripe added as he pulled himself out of the elders' den. "I don't think we should trust them."
"If what Sunstorm said was true, than we have an idea as to where Briarpaw may have gone," Cinderheart put in. Her blue eyes were glittering with worry when she looked at Sunstorm. "Besides, Sunstorm was our former Clanmate. We should still trust her."
"Former Clanmate." The words slipped out of Berrynose, and he stiffened when Cinderheart snarled at him.
This can't go on, Sunstorm thought when she realized fights would break out.
"We will leave now," she murmured with a dip of her head.
"What she says is true!" Sunstorm's eyes widened a bit when Jayfeather spoke up. "You all know that Lionblaze and I are gifted," he added warily when more cats looked at him. "I can feel something calling to me. I'm not sure what it is, or where it comes from, but I know it's there. Cats with strong connections to StarClan will know where to find it."
Murmurs suddenly broke out among the crowd. A few cats seemed to agree with what Jayfeather said, but there were those who continued glaring at him. Sunstorm knew it would take more than words from their medicine cat to make them believe. She hoped that sooner or later they would realize that they were not alone.
"I will be your escort." The voice made Sunstorm's blood run cold. She looked around the crowd of cats to see Hollyleaf standing in the back. Her dark fur blended in well with the darkness, reminding Sunstorm of Ravenpaw. The only difference Hollyleaf bore was her eyes. "I know this territory well, and I have helped this Clan in more ways than they realize."
More angry looks were passed between Hollyleaf and Sunstorm. "Why should we trust the word of a cat who murdered their own Clanmate?" Thornclaw demanded.
At that moment Hollyleaf's hackles were raised. She looked ready to spring at the senior warrior, but she held her ground. The warning glance Lionblaze sent her was enough to calm her down.
"That's enough, from all of you," Lionblaze snapped. "Hollyleaf is right, she has done more than any of us to protect her Clan. She will escort Sunstorm and her apprentice through this territory, until they find something that will guide them to StarClan."
A few cats looked like they would continue their arguments. To Sunstorm's relief, they remained silent. Jayfeather appeared as though he wanted to come along, but he knew better than to question Lionblaze's authority. He was the only medicine cat in ThunderClan, and they couldn't afford to lose him as well as Briarpaw.
Sunstorm was greeted by Hollyleaf when the meeting drew to an end. The black-furred she-cat dipped her head towards Ravenpaw, who'd remained silent throughout the arguments.
"Now, where shall we begin?" Hollyleaf asked once they were left alone.
"Near the entrance of this valley," Sunstorm replied. She pictured the place where the Clans had been together last. It was in that area she felt the presence of other cats. Perhaps somewhere around that spit of land was where the Tree Of Life was located.
Hollyleaf's eyes were narrowed, but she said nothing. Instead she began to lead the way out, towards where Sunstorm hoped to find the tree that the queen had mentioned. Sooner or later they would find StarClan, even if it meant leaving behind everything.
AN: And there you have it. Chapter eight is finished. There was a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter, but I doubt anyone will see it. Anyways, hope you all have a good New Years! Hopefully this year will be a good one, better than what we've faced before.
