Here's Chapter Eight! Thanks for reading, and PLEASE review!!!


Chapter Eight

The next day, Breezestar slept late, as did at least half of the Clan. And when she finally was awoken, it was by one of the last cats she'd expect to see. "Cherrykit! What are you doing in here? Where's Galewind? Is everything all right?" she mewed in surprise, scrambling from her nest. Shadowlight had gone, probably to hunt.

The little kit sat there patiently while Breezestar collected herself, and then mewed, "Everything's fine. Galewind is in the nursery with Icefur and her kits. I told her I was going to talk to you." She wrapped her tail neatly over her paws.

"Well what is it you need?"

"Well…" She hesitated for a moment. "It's just that last night was an uneasy night."

Breezestar cocked her head questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I wasn't able to sleep well. It was an uneasy night- like the one before the last rogue attack… and the first night you were away." Cherrykit shifted uncomfortably, looking down at her paws. "I'm worried," she confessed. "I know I'm only a kit, but still…. Please don't laugh."

Breezestar didn't find it funny at all. On the contrary, she found what her niece said to be intriguing. "I won't, I promise. Was the night of the rogue attack the first time you felt like this?"

Cherrykit contemplated for a moment, then mewed, "No. There was one other time… the night Stemtail disappeared."

This, above everything else the kit had said, startled Breezestar the most. "But you were less than a moon old…"

"I know. When it happened, I thought it was just a bad night… but then it happened again and again, and now last night… it's not just a bad sleep, either. It's this feeling, like a shroud, that hangs over me… over everything… like a sinister storm's brewing." Breezestar gazed at the little kit, who steadily returned the stare. She definitely had wisdom beyond her years…

"Have you ever had anything else at all like this happen? Like any strange dreams…?" Breezestar prompted.

Cherrykit looked slightly embarrassed, but she responded, "One time, this pretty she-cat came to me. She showed me this place… it was a clearing with sloping hills on all four sides, and there was a big rock in the middle that split into five parts at the top. And there was the sound of rushing water. And then she brought me to this cave. It was dark, but there were cracks in the ceiling that let in starlight. It was beautiful. But it was the walls of the cave that surprised me the most. They were covered with pawprints and symbols! I had been scared of a thunderstorm when I fell asleep, but I woke up feeling safe. The pretty cat told me not to be scared."

Breezestar was even more shocked than before. "Cherrykit, what you just described to me- perfectly- are the Moon Hollow, where we hold the Gatherings every full moon, and the Leader's Cave."

"I thought it was the Moon Hollow, since I've heard apprentices talking about it, but what's the Leader's Cave? I've never heard of that…"

"The Leader's Cave is a really sacred place. You know that when a cat is made a leader, they're given their nine lives, right?" the kit nodded. "Well, afterward, a StarClan warrior, one you were really close with, leads you to the Leader's Cave, and the new leader leaves their pawprint in the wall, along with a symbol for their name. The walls contain a timeline of all the Clan leaders in every Clan. But no cat, except the Clan leaders, knows about the cave. It's a secret."

"But then how did I see it?" Cherrykit mewed.

"I'm not sure." Breezestar was struck by an alarming thought. "Cherrykit, you didn't tell anyone else about this dream, did you? Not Galewind or any of the other queens or kits?"

Cherrykit shook her head. "No, only you. I don't know why, but I always felt like I shouldn't tell anyone."

"Good. Well, don't tell anyone else. It's fine that you've told me, but the cave must remain a secret. It's sacred to StarClan and an important part of the leadership rituals, which leaders aren't supposed to talk about. Can you tell me what the cat you were with looked like?"

Cherrykit nodded her head vigorously. "Yes, she was a pretty silvery gray she-cat with bright blue eyes. Her voice was sweet and lilting, kinda like Suntail's."

"Cherrykit, you must have met Moonfur." Breezestar mewed.

Now it was Cherrykit's turn to look surprised. "But she's a StarClan warrior now! Wasn't she Oakpelt's mate, and didn't she die in the battle where Morningstar lost her last life?"

"Yes. You know a lot about the Clan's history, don't you?"

Cherrykit nodded again. "Yes, I listen to the elders a lot. Featherflight was your mentor, Mosspelt is you mum, Splitfoot was my mum's mentor, and Flowershell was Raidriver's mother. They tell me all sorts of stories about the Clan and when you were little. But how did I meet Moonfur? I've never met her- alive, at least."

"She must have come to you. And she must have had a reason for it, unless it was just to comfort you. If she ever comes to you again, please tell me."

"Okay, I will. But what about my feeling last night?"

"I'm not certain. It could mean anything, but probably that there's trouble in store tonight. Hold on a minute, I'm going to go fetch Shadypelt." Cherrykit nodded and Breezestar padded into the medicine den.

She found Shadypelt sorting herbs that she and Peachwing had just gathered, but the blue-gray medicine cat paused in her work to go with Breezestar, who hastily filled her in on all the things Cherrykit had just told her.

They re-entered the den to find Cherrykit sitting patiently, her tail still neatly over her paws. "Hello, Shadypelt," she mewed.

"Hi, Cherrykit. How are you?" Shadypelt responded.

"I'm fine, other that the feeling I've got. I'm sure Breezestar told you."

Shadypelt nodded. "Yes. It sounds like StarClan's chosen you. For whatever reason, they're letting you a little closer in with them than most cats get to be. I think your feeling does spell trouble, but even as a medicine cat, I'm not sure what it could be."

"But you think it's important?" Cherrykit asked.

"Yes. It is, I'm sure. We'll have to keep a look out." Shadypelt answered seriously.

As the medicine cat finished speaking, Galewind popped her head around the den entrance. "Sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to see if Cherrykit was still here." She looked sternly at her daughter. "You aren't driving these two crazy, are you?"

"Not at all," Breezestar answered her sister. "Actually, she's been very helpful." She turned to the kit. "You should go back to the nursery, but thank you for telling me, and remember, if something like that ever happens again, please let me know."

Cherrykit nodded and departed the den, but Galewind hung back, giving Breezestar a bewildered look. "I'll tell you later," Breezestar mewed to her sister, who shrugged and followed her kit from the den.

Shadypelt turned to Breezestar once the queen was gone. "I think Cherrykit may be the one from the prophecy." She mewed.

Breezestar nodded. "I was thinking that, too. She was born only a moon after I initially received it…" Breezestar thought for a moment. "Honestly, I was thinking it would end up being one of Icefur's kits, but after what Cherrykit told me… it must be her."

Shadypelt nodded her blue-gray head, her green-blue eyes concerned. "Yes, I thought it would be Molekit since I first saw him, but it has to be Cherrykit. Actually, I hoped it would be Molekit. Because at least that would mean StarClan have planned a path for him, that he'd have a set future."

"I know what you mean. But Icefur told me he walked, so at least StarClan is watching out for him." Breezestar glanced out of her den at the sky, and seeing it was almost sundown, mewed, "I need to go make the announcement for who's coming to the Gathering. Meet me back here when I'm done- I'll bring us some fresh kill."

Shadypelt nodded and Breezestar exited the den, heading for the Tallrock.

She leaped to the top in one graceful bound, and called out, "I have chosen the cats that are to attend tonight's Gathering!" The cats in the clearing below paused in what they were doing to listen. "I would like Rapidriver, Oakpelt, Shadypelt, Peachwing, Inkmoon, Sorrelpelt, Cragear, Barkpelt, Indigomoon, Rainshower, Lilypaw, Thrushpaw, and Dewpaw to attend."

The chosen cats began to make their ways to either the fresh kill pile or their dens, to eat and rest before the Gathering. Springing to the sandy clearing floor, Breezestar joined the queue around the fresh kill pile, picking up a squirrel for Shadypelt and a mouse for herself. When she reentered her den, Shadypelt looked just as- if not more- concerned than she had before. "What's up, Shadypelt? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Well, it's just that last night I had a dream, and I think it was a sign from StarClan. Now, I won't go into the details, 'cause it was confusing, but I think I understand what it means now." The kind medicine cat looked both sad and apologetic as she mewed, "Breezestar, Galewind's life may be in danger."

Breezestar was shocked. "Are you sure? How can you tell?" she cried, her voice desperate.

Shadypelt slowly shook her head. "I just know. I'm a medicine cat. Now that I say it, I'm certain that I'm right. Breezestar, we need to get Galewind out of here. Right away."

Breezestar's mind reeled. Galewind was her sister, her only sister, and she loved her terribly. She couldn't bear the thought of anything bad happening to her. "We need to do something."

Shadypelt nodded, and it was obvious that she had given the issue some thought as she mewed, "She'll be safe away from the forest. I think we should send her to DesertClan. It's not very far, but it's far enough away that she should be all right… We can pretend to the Clan that she went missing, like Stemtail. They'll think she's dead."

The leader looked uncertainly into Shadypelt's blue-green eyes, full of all the concern she herself was feeling. Slowly, she shook her head. "It won't work, Shadypelt. Someone from DesertClan is bound to recognize her. Their whole Clan lived here for half a moon…"

"It has to work, Breezestar. I don't know what else we can do."

"Why not tell everyone the truth? Or, better yet, just let her stay here and protect her?" There was growing desperation in the leader's mew.

Shadypelt only shook her head helplessly, having no answer to give.

Breezestar's voice sounded pained as she mewed in a strangled whisper, "But what about Cherrykit?"

Shadypelt's eyes were full of sympathy for the pain her friend was feeling. "She'll have to stay here. She's the kit StarClan has chosen, for whatever reason. We can't send her away."

Breezestar forced strength into her voice. "We can't send Galewind away, either. She'll be in just as much danger in DesertClan- everyone will know who she is. It's pointless."

Shadypelt let out an exasperated hiss. "You're probably right…"

"So what should we do? What should I tell Galewind?"

"The truth." Shadypelt rose from the den and padded off without another word, heading in the direction of the nursery. She returned shortly thereafter with Galewind and Cherrykit following.

Quickly, Breezestar and Shadypelt told the cream queen of Shadypelt's thoughts. When they had finished, Galewind just stared at them. Finally, she mewed in a quavering whisper, "So you think I'm in danger?"

Breezestar met her depressed gaze steadily, her heart breaking for her sister. "That's what Shadypelt thinks…"

"If you were to leave the Clan for a while, you'd probably be safe," Shadypelt added.

Galewind's eyes flashed. "No way! I am not leaving my Clan, my home, my kit! Where would I go, anyway?"

No one had an answer.

"You could go to the MoonFalls and hide out there." To everyone's surprise, it was Cherrykit that made the suggestion. "No one could find you. There will be another rogue attack at dawn, and if you stay, a stray rogue will kill you. I have seen this. Please, Mama, if you're going to stay, please be careful."

Galewind was more shocked than either Shadypelt or Breezestar. For a moment, she couldn't even find her voice to speak. Finally, she mewed, "No. I will not run away and hide like a frightened mouse. I am a CallistoClan warrior. So StarClan throw at me what they will. I will face it."

Breezestar nodded solemnly. She knew there was no use arguing further. Besides, what other option did they really have? StarClan help us all…