Chapter 7
The Way Home
"We will kill all three of you," the tom hissed, taking a menacing step forward, ready to jump on us.
"No," the other kittypet – a she-cat – pleaded. "Remember what those savages did to us the last time. They will get their revenge, even if we defeat these three."
My anxiety gradually vanished as I realized that the kittypets were actually afraid of us. Our route home was clear now. "Just stay away from us, and we will let you live," I growled at them, fluffing out my pelt. The tom retreated nervously, eyes downcast.
Mothwing stepped forward, brushing past me. "We are not enemies," she meowed. "We are just passing through this territory, trying to escape from ShadowClan... and need to rest a bit. We are at the end of our powers."
I groaned inwardly. It was a mousebrained thing to admit to these hostile cats that we were weak – seeing that, they might decide after all to attack and kill us. Mothwing had been a loner and never quite understood that not all cats and Clans were friendly and good-natured. However, the attack did not come.
"Well, you don't smell like those savage cats living around here," the tom grunted. He must have meant ShadowClan. "And you say you are trying to escape from them, so I take you are not their friends. In that case, we can give you shelter... and maybe you can help us later. Come."
Even if he recognized me and Cloudtail – we were here when the Clan cats taught them a lesson, around two moons ago – he did not mention anything. Obviously, they needed allies in resisting ShadowClan. Their friendliness was a pleasant surprise, but I did not let my guard down – they killed Talonpaw, and would have likely killed any other cat if they had thought they could get away with it.
"My name is Jacques," he introduced himself, "and she is Susan." We told our names as well. "We usually sleep in that shed," he continued, and we followed him to a wooden nest in the back of the silent garden, somewhat similar to a barn, but much smaller.
As I stepped through the open door into the yawning darkness, I heard rustling in a corner, and in the next moment, a small cat landed on my back, teeth and claws sinking in my fur. We walked into a trap! I shook him off with an effort and spun around to face my attacker. To my surprise, I saw a kit barely two moons old; pelt fluffed out, piercing amber eyes glowing with anger and determination. He jumped at me again, but Jacques stepped forward and grabbed him by the scruff, pulling him away from me. "They are friends, Blaze. Do not worry."
Susan's eyes clouded with sorrow. "Only Blaze survived... I had four healthy kits, and those savage cats from around here killed three of them." She groomed his son with gentle licks; his fur was still bristling, eyeing us warily.
"That is terrible!" Mothwing gasped. "What happened?"
It was Jacques who explained. "It happened just a couple of days ago. The Nofurs left the gate open and the kits ventured out in the forest, and by the time we noticed, they were already gone. We followed their scent trail and found them surrounded by those savage forest cats. A large white cat with black paws started killing them off one by one, and the other cats attacked us when we tried to save them, so we could not do anything."
I suddenly remembered what Tawnypelt told about Blackstar killing some kits. How could the ShadowClan leader be so cruel? The warrior code clearly forbade this; nevertheless, ShadowClan warriors apparently did not consider kittypets as cats. Anger burned in me, and my claws were tearing the ground.
"Apparently it was in revenge," Jacques continued. "The Nofurs injured two of those savages once when they tried to steal food from the garden, so they decided to take it out on us."
"Blaze is the only one who escaped," Susan meowed. Her son pressed himself against her. "He clawed at the white cat's eyes, injuring him, and managed to break free. We ran back here, and did not see them since."
Cloudtail stepped forward and gave Susan a few comforting licks, softly meowing soothing words in her ears. The tabby relaxed a bit and pressed herself against his flank. Cloudtail had always had a way with she-cats.
"And I will soon lose Blaze as well," Susan sighed. "The Nofurs will likely take him away from me. Other Nofurs come each day since... since the others died... to look at him." That was not a surprise; Twolegs usually gave away the offspring of their kittypets. "It will be terrible to lose my last kit and I will always miss him... but I guess it will be for the better. He will be safe, he won't be hunted every day by those savages."
"I will not go anywhere," Blaze confronted his mother. "I will stay here and become a great fighter, then will take my revenge on those brutes for killing my siblings."
"You cannot do much against them on your own," I remarked silently. "Even my Clan has constant trouble with them... despite having more warriors."
The kit's eyes kindled with hope. "You mean there are other cats in the forest, and they are enemies of those savages? Then I will join them!" He bounded up to me with tail upright and quivering. "Can I?"
The request took me by surprise. I was about to say no – we could not just take away some cat's offspring and take him to the camp; especially that ThunderClan had already too many kittypets. What would the Clan say? What would his parents say? But another voice in the back of my mind reminded me that we needed good warriors, and a cat that stood up to Blackstar at the age of two moons would likely turn out the fiercest fighter in all Clans.
Susan was taken aback too, of course. "To join some savage cats living in the wilderness without food and shelter? Who in his right mind would want that?"
"It's not like that, actually," Cloudtail protested, then began describing how a Clan lived and what did they do, presenting life in the forest as if that was the best thing that could happen to any cat. Eventually, Susan and Jacques loosened up a bit.
"Well, if that is so, I suppose it is all right," the tabby she-cat mused. "At least my son will be in good paws, and will not live in fear... and he will be around instead of being taken away who knows where."
Blaze beamed with joy. He bounded over to his mother to nuzzle her, then turned around and pounced on me. "When are we leaving?"
"Not earlier than tomorrow," I replied, trying to resist his enthusiastic attacks. "We need to rest a bit... or maybe more than a bit. We went through a lot today."
Mothwing returned from the garden carrying a bunch of large leaves in her mouth. "I found some chervil – it is good for injuries. Not the best, but good." She chewed them in a pulp and applied it to our wounds.
The kittypets showed us to a dark corner of the shed where they had made nests of soft, smooth pelts, those used by Twolegs to sleep under. I heard the rumble of distant thunder and of trees rustling in the stiffening wind. Curling up on the soft nest, I wondered if I should sleep or stand guard – I still did not trust the kittypets; they killed Talonpaw after all – but could not keep my eyes open and sank in a deep, restful sleep.
I woke up to a tiny paw prodding my flank. "When are we leaving?"
Opening my eyes, I saw grey light coming from the door of the shed, and heard the soft drumming of the rain from outside. Although the sun was not visible, I suspected it was close to sunhigh.
"Right, Blaze, it is time we left," I replied, getting up to my paws. "Where are the others?"
At that moment, Cloudtail and Susan entered the shed. "Hi Brambleclaw," the white warrior greeted me. "We thought you would sleep forever. There is some food for us... Susan and Jacques offered us their dinner. Come and have a bite."
My hackles rose at the thought of eating kittypet food, but Cloudtail obviously guessed my thoughts, and before I could reply, he added in a lower voice. "It's not that bad, actually, and I guess you don't want to starve to death, or take ShadowClan prey. Don't worry, I won't tell it to the Clan."
We padded out in the garden, with Blaze following us. In full daylight, I could see that the kit had fluffy light brown fur with tabby markings, just like his mother Susan; paws white as snow, and blazing amber eyes.
At the other side of the Twoleg nest, there were two bowls full of food – surprisingly, not those brown, oily pellets kittypets usually eat, but raw pieces of some strange animal's flesh. After glancing around to see if there were any Twolegs nearby, I carefully padded up to the bowls and helped myself, followed by Cloudtail. Mothwing appeared soon to join us.
"Then it's time we left," I concluded after finishing the meal. "Thanks for helping us," I turned to Jacques and Susan. "We are indebted to you."
We padded to the stone wall surrounding the garden, listening intently to the noises of the forest, but there were no ShadowClan cats nearby. Susan was grooming Blaze for the last time, whispering in his ear – maybe giving him advice for the journey, for Clan life, for both.
"Will you be all right?" Jacques asked. "Can you get home with all those savage cats around?"
"Of course," Cloudtail meowed confidently. "We can avoid them easily. They do not expect us to be here, and the rain will mask our scent. Don't worry, we will take good care of your kit."
"Actually, Blaze is not my kit," Jacques replied. "I am not Susan's mate; I am her brother." I did not know that. "Her mate was one of those cats from the wilderness."
"ShadowClan?" I asked incredulously. "Those cats from around here?"
It was Susan who replied. "No... it was a cat who lived far away from here, and not from the forest." Maybe he was a loner or a kittypet, I thought.
"I met him about four moons ago, near the road by the lake." That was about the time when we arrived here to make this place our home. "He attacked me, saying I was trespassing; but after he saw I was no part of these Clans, he did not harm me. We met several times after that, and... he was the father of my kits. He was strong, handsome and very ambitious, but was always troubled by something... a difficult mission he was about to undertake in order to be some kind of leader for these cats."
My throat went dry. I started to suspect who that cat was.
"As the cats from around here – ShadowClan, as you call them – grew more and more hostile, I could not get away any more to meet him. He doesn't even know he has kits," Susan continued, staring at me as if I were familiar to her. "Actually, he looked just like you... except that he had blue eyes and a white underbelly."
My breath caught in my chest, and Mothwing let out a gasp. Blaze was my nephew.
In the dim daylight, the silent pine forest was not that menacing as in the night – it rather appeared desolate, as if no creature had walked its paths for a very long time. Nevertheless, we did not let our guard down, and stopped from time to time to taste the air and listen to the faint noises.
Even if the sun was nowhere to be seen, veiled by a thick grey blanket of clouds, I could tell it was past sunhigh. Cloudtail was leading us confidently, pressing through damp ferns and thickets, avoiding the beaten tracks. The rain abated to a light, steady drizzle, rattling against the canopies above, but even if the trees protected us to an extent, we were wet from head to tail-tip, cold water dripping from my fur and whiskers. Although it masked our smell to an extent, it also prevented us from picking up other cats' scents, making it hard to detect if there were any ShadowClan patrols nearby.
Blaze padded next to me. I could tell that he was weary from the long walk, even if we carried him by his scruff for more than half of the trip. "We will be in ThunderClan territory soon," I encouraged him, glancing sideways. "Then, we can rest a bit before we go on."
I was still incredulous – I never expected my brother to take a kittypet as a mate; he who was so loyal to the Clan and the warrior code. He never told me about it. But it seemed that love could conquer all, and anyway, Hawkfrost's fierce and arrogant nature matched well with Susan's.
"So, are we just running away?" the kit exclaimed. "You warriors are here, so we should find and beat up some of those savage cats before we leave their forest."
"Our task now is to get back to the camp and report to the leader," I explained patiently. "Of course, we will stand and fight if a patrol of theirs attacks us, but we won't go looking for trouble. Our leader will decide what to do next."
"All right... if you say so," Blaze muttered, brushing his tail against my flank. There was faith and trust in his eyes, and I silently vowed that I would do everything to make him a good and loyal warrior, no matter what the Clan would say, or who his parents were. As I managed to shed my father's legacy and influence, he would be able to do that as well.
A father's influence. A dark thought made me feel as if I was flung in icy water. Just as Tigerstar walks in my dreams, what if Hawkfrost can walk in Blaze's, influencing him, making the kit to come over to his side and do his bidding? I shivered. Even if Susan told that Hawkfrost did not know about his offspring, he was now in the Dark Forest, from where he could possibly supervise the waking world. The kit could be turned into a weapon of revenge, menacing the Clans.
I will not allow it, I vowed.
The sound of rushing water in the distance distracted me from my thoughts. Between the thick trunks, we could spot the stream that made up the border – we were finally home. I stopped to listen and to draw air over my scent glands before I stepped out from the cover of the trees into the exposed space.
We pelted down the sloping ground to the edge of the water. Although it used to be possible to wade through, we could not do that now as the stream was swollen from the rainfall, several foxlengths of murky, fast-flowing water separating us from the other side. Moreover, it was too broad to jump across safely; the slippery ground making it even more dangerous to try.
"We must find some stepping stones, or get to the Twoleg bridge near the Greenleaf Twolegplace." I scanned the surroundings with growing nervousness, expecting a ShadowClan border patrol to appear and ambush us at any moment. We made it this far, crossed the entire enemy territory unharmed; only to be stuck a few tail-lengths from home.
I started padding upstream, with the other three cats following me silently, sharing my anxiety. The ground gently sloped upwards, and after not long, the stream narrowed slightly, though it was deeper.
"We can try jumping across here," Mothwing suggested. "What do you say, Brambleclaw?"
The oak trees swayed invitingly at the other side, and I longed to finally get there. Normally, we could have done it without greater effort, but the muddy ground and our aching injuries made me cautious. "We'd better get to the Twoleg bridge, we are quite close now," I answered finally.
"Some cats crossed the stream here recently," Cloudtail remarked, sniffing around, and I could clearly make out some pawprints in the mud. "The trail ends at the water – it seems a ShadowClan party crossed into our territory not long ago."
I was barely able to distinguish the smells on the soggy ground, but Cloudtail was the best tracker in ThunderClan, and I trusted his keen senses. "All right, in that case, we will cross here, and follow their trail," I decided. What were they up to now? Did they just want to change the border again, or planned to attack our Clan?
Mothwing did not need much encouragement – she took a running leap and landed gracefully on the opposite bank. She looked back and waved her tail at us as if saying "Come on, it's really easy."
"You will carry Blaze, right?" Cloudtail asked. "This wound hinders me... you seem to be in better shape." There was a long scratch on his side he got when we fought those RiverClan cats.
"Of course," I replied, brushing the white cat's shoulder with my tail-tip as I padded to the bank. I lifted the kit gently by his scruff, then started running and took off from the bank. After soaring in the air for a couple of heartbeats that seemed like forever, my front paws hit the ground. However, because of the extra weight, the leap turned out a bit too short, and my hind legs scrabbled helplessly at the steep edge of the stream. I let the kit free and continued struggling to climb out to the bank, but I could not get a hold on the muddy ground and started to slide back slowly into the churning water.
Just as I thought the currents would take me away, I felt teeth sinking into my scruff, and Mothwing pulled me out to solid ground. "Thanks," I meowed as I tried to stop my legs from trembling, giving her a lick across the ears. I could tell that she had been at least as frightened as me.
Cloudtail came last, clearing the stream with a long leap to land safely next to us. I gave a sigh of relief – finally our adventure was over, and we were back in ThunderClan territory.
"Should we rest a bit?" I asked my companions, but they shook their heads. Even Blaze was ready to go on, although I could tell how tired he was, unaccustomed to such long journeys. "All right, let's follow the trail of those ShadowClan cats."
We saw four sets of pawprints and picked up the scent not far from the bank, and started following it, entering the dense forest of oaks. The large trees sheltered us from the rain and wind, but my wet fur was still clinging uncomfortably to my body.
"The trail is fresh, but very faint... it seems they took great pain to mask their scent," Cloudtail remarked, stopping from time to time to sniff at the ground. "I don't like this."
About halfway to the camp, we could make out the sound of cats yowling in the distance. With ears pricked forward, we started running in the direction of the noise, and soon enough, we arrived to a small clearing. Peering out from behind a tree trunk, an upsetting scene unfolded before our eyes, making us realize that the Clan was in danger.
Sandstorm was lying unconscious on the ground, blood oozing from a gash on her neck, and the shape of Blackstar was looming above her, ready to give the final blow. Firestar and Brackenfur were standing at a distance, eyes wide with terror, but unable to help, as three other ShadowClan cats stood between them and their leader – and anyway, a wrong move would have likely cost the life of Sandstorm.
"So, Firestar, what is your choice?" Blackstar's voice rang in the silence. "Either you cease a third of your territory to ShadowClan – or your mate dies a gruesome death."
"No..." Firestar meowed, his voice breaking. "Do not hurt her." I never saw my leader this desperate and defenceless.
"So I take you agree to cease your territory, then?" Blackstar sneered. "Just what I expect from a soft kittypet. The better for me, I guess."
We stared at the scene, petrified for some moments, but then I knew we had to do something. The ShadowClan warriors were with their backs toward us, so we could try surprising them. "I will attack Blackstar from behind," I whispered to my companions. "Cloudtail, you will protect Sandstorm while I fight Blackstar, and help Firestar and Brackenfur to defeat the three remaining cats. Mothwing, you stay here with Blaze; we will need your help as a medicine cat once this is over."
Without expecting a reply, I pushed past the oak tree and started stalking silently forward, with Cloudtail behind me. Firestar saw us and a glimmer of hope flashed through his eyes, but he quickly averted his gaze, lest it betray us, and continued begging for his mate's life as Blackstar came up with more and more demands.
By that time, I was only about two foxlengths from the ShadowClan leader. Flexing my muscles, I jumped on his back, knocking him to the ground, trying to keep him at a safe distance from Sandstorm. The expression of utter surprise on his face quickly turned to burning anger, and he threw me aside with a powerful kick of his hind legs.
The small clearing suddenly came alive, with all warriors joining the battle. Russetfur, another of the ShadowClan cats, came to her leader's aid, hurling herself at me. I scored my claws down her muzzle and she retreated a couple of steps, screeching with pain, but Blackstar took her place, sending me to the ground with a massive blow. He jumped on me and slashed his claws across my chest, tearing at the healing wound that I got in the battle with Hawkfrost.
Agony exploded in my head and my body went limp; all I could do was trying to protect my exposed throat with my paws – but the final blow never came. Through blurry vision, I saw the small shape of a cat pouncing on the leader's back, clawing at his eyes from behind. Blackstar let out a painful yowl and started rolling on his back until he finally flung his attacker aside. It was Blaze! Blackstar whipped around to face the kit, but by then, Mothwing and Cloudtail came to our help, sending the leader running for his life.
My eyes darted around the clearing – blood, torn fur and injured ThunderClan warriors everywhere. Nevertheless, we were victorious; the other ShadowClan cats were on the run as well, murmuring threats and promises of revenge as they disappeared among the trees in the direction of the border.
Mothwing rushed to my side. "Brambleclaw, are you alive? Here, let me help you."
"I will manage," I replied. "You should assist Sandstorm first. If any of us needs the help of a medicine cat, it is her."
She did not argue, but walked over to the fallen warrior, who was already surrounded by the other cats. Examining Sandstorm's wound, she tried to stop the bleeding with a paw, while Brackenfur and Cloudtail dashed away to search for cobwebs, large leaves and any herbs they could find close by.
"Will she live?" Firestar asked with anxiety and despair in his voice. "Oh, Sandstorm, please don't leave me."
"I'm doing everything I can," Mothwing replied, accepting a pawful of cobwebs from Brackenfur and applying it to the gash. "She will likely live."
I felt the soft fur of a cat brushing against me, and turning my head, I saw the concern-filled amber eyes of Blaze. "You are injured... will you survive?"
"Of course, it is nothing a warrior cannot survive," I reassured him, trying to clean the wounds with thorough licks. "Thanks for the help back there, Blaze."
He stared at the spot where Blackstar vanished among the trees. "That was the cat who slew my siblings. I will make him pay one day."
"You can count on my help with that," I grunted. "Even if we cannot kill him, I would like to rip a few lives out of him."
"What do you mean?" Blaze asked, his question reminding me that he did not know much about Clan ways and tradition yet.
"He is the leader of ShadowClan... and leaders are granted nine lives by the ancestor spirits," I explained. "They can survive accidents and injuries that would normally claim their lives. They don't live longer than other cats, though."
From his curious gaze, I could guess that he had more questions, but Firestar left Sandstorm's side to come over to me. "Brambleclaw, you are alive!" he exclaimed. "The Clan thought you and Cloudtail drowned in the lake... although I was sure you would return. What happened, where were you?" I sketched our adventures in a few words.
"It was StarClan's wish that you brought Mothwing along," Firestar remarked after I finished my story. "Sandstorm would have died without the immediate help of a medicine cat."
Hearing her name, my sister padded over to us. "I tended to her as well as I could," she meowed. "She will need a lot of rest, and we must take her back to the camp." Then she started to tend to my wounds, placing a bundle of cobwebs on them.
"What happened here, anyway?" I asked my leader. "How did they attack you?"
"Those crowfood eaters thought that if they couldn't take our territory by force, they would do it through blackmail," Firestar grunted. "We were on a hunting patrol; Sandstorm separated from us to chase down a squirrel, and they ambushed her. We heard the sounds of fighting, but by the time we arrived, she was already defeated, and Blackstar told he would kill her if we did not cease a part of our territory, or if we tried to fight him. That was when you arrived." He dipped his head. "Thanks, all of you."
I got up to my paws, wincing with pain; it was time to leave this place behind. Firestar, Mothwing and Brackenfur gently took Sandstorm on their backs to carry her back to the camp, while Cloudtail, Blaze and me followed them at a short distance.
Soon, we arrived at the stone hollow and pressed through the thorn tunnel. Some warriors emerged from their den; there was surprise, relief and horror in the eyes that were fixed on us. "What happened? Who attacked you? Cloudtail, Brambleclaw, you are back!"
Firestar and Mothwing carried Sandstorm to the medicine cat's den, while the other warriors surrounded me and Cloudtail, throwing questions at us. Before I could reply to any, I saw a flash of dark ginger fur, and in the next moment, Squirrelflight crashed into me, almost knocking me off my paws.
"Oh Brambleclaw," she meowed, her forest green eyes shining with tears of relief. "We feared you had perished... I was so desperate..." She pressed her body to mine, and I rested my chin on the top of her head, soothing her.
"True," Thornclaw remarked. "I never saw a cat more desperate in my life."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Squirrelflight snorted. "Of course I am worried about a fellow Clanmate."
"Come on, Squirrelflight," Stormfur purred. "Every cat knows you have a soft spot in your heart for Brambleclaw."
"I... what... no way," she protested, then rounded on me. "Where have you been, anyway, you stupid furball? Again hiking around the lake, trying to kill yourself, as if you didn't learn your lesson the last time!"
"It was not my fault this time," I meowed, taking a step back. Then I started to relate our adventure: how were we taken away, how we escaped, how we saved Mothwing. More and more warriors gathered around us, listening to the story.
"So I must take that we are at war now with RiverClan as well, because of your stupid heroics," Ashfur broke in. "As if the ShadowClan conflict was not enough."
"Ashfur is right," Dustpelt added. "We cannot interfere with other Clans' affairs. Especially a deputy cannot have divided loyalties."
"What do you mean?" I hissed incredulously. "They wanted to kill my sister. I could not just stand about!"
"Maybe they had a good reason to do it," Spiderleg sneered. "After all, we know well what Tigerstar's kits are capable of if let loose," he continued, waving his tail in my direction. "I bet they just wanted to protect their Clan."
There was a general uproar at this, with some warriors agreeing, others protesting; several of them flexing their claws menacingly. Squirrelflight stepped forward, blocking my way, to prevent me from launching myself at Spiderleg and Ashfur. At that moment, Firestar emerged from Leafpool's den with a morose face, and bounded up to us.
"Enough of that," he growled, his tone matching his expression. The cats shrank back. "I will not allow this kind of dissension in the Clan. Mothwing saved the life of Sandstorm, and any cat talking bad about her will answer to me personally. She is welcome to stay with us until the conflict in RiverClan is over, and will help Leafpool in her medicine cat duties."
There was a moment of silence, no cat wanting to disagree with the leader. Finally, Dustpelt spoke up. "And what about the kit? Is he joining the Clan? At this rate, ThunderClan will soon have more kittypets than Clanborn cats."
The cats looked at Blaze curiously, who still sat by my side, tail curled around his paws, taken aback by the hostile welcome. "His name is Blaze, and we rescued him from ShadowClan territory. Blackstar wanted to kill him to take revenge on his parents," I replied, choosing my words carefully. The cats gasped, and looked at the kit with much more sympathy. "I will not neglect a kit in danger. As for being accepted in the Clan or not, that is up to Firestar to decide."
"All right then," Firestar broke in before any cat could ask more questions. "This is sorted out, so we can return to our duties. Brackenfur, please see to the patrols. Ashfur and Spiderleg, you will help Birchpaw to change the beddings in the warriors' den. Brambleclaw and Cloudtail, have those wounds of yours checked by Leafpool. Blaze, you will come with me to the nursery."
As I entered the medicine cat's den, shaking the raindrops off my coat, Leafpool and Mothwing had just finished tending to Sandstorm. The pale ginger warrior was asleep, her flank rising and falling with shallow breaths. "She will be all right," Leafpool meowed, seeing my anxious glance. "You did well, Brambleclaw. The entire Clan is grateful to you, never mind what some troublemakers might say."
I lay down on a mossy bedding, and she removed the blood-stiffened cobwebs from my wound, applying a poultice of herbs. Mothwing tended to Cloudtail in the meantime.
"You were at the Moonpool," I remarked after she finished her job. "Did the ancestors let you know how can I stop Tigerstar? Or resist him, at least?"
"Unfortunately, no," the tabby she-cat sighed. "On the contrary, they told that the Dark Forest was getting stronger, putting all Clans in danger. But they also told that..." She trailed off, then continued after a short while. "Oh well, it is about you, so I guess I can tell about it. You will go on a quest, probably to defeat the Dark Forest, helped by three other cats. However, I am not sure if you will succeed or not. Maybe the ancestors don't know it either."
I pondered what I heard for long moments. "A quest, then. Where should I start?"
"That I do not know. I am sure the ancestors will let you know in time." She padded to the back of the den and returned with some poppy seeds wrapped in a leaf. "This will ease your pain. You must rest for a few days before you can take up warrior duties."
I lapped up the seeds, curled up on the bedding and slipped in a deep, dreamless sleep.
By the time I woke, it was sunset and the rain had already stopped. Dark shadows crept up the cliffs of the stone hollow. Although it was not cold, I was shivering, and my head spinning. I looked around in the dim light – Cloudtail had already left, and Leafpool was sorting some herbs in the back of the den. Sandstorm was still asleep, her breathing deeper and more regular.
Suddenly, a familiar scent drifted up my nostrils, and I inhaled deeply, taking it in. The next moment, Squirrelflight's lithe shape appeared in the entrance, a mouse dangling from her jaw. She took a look at Sandstorm and exchanged a few muffled words with Leafpool, then padded over to me. "I brought you some fresh-kill," she meowed and gently touched her nose to mine.
I devoured the mouse with quick bites, purring gratefully. "Is everything all right in the Clan?" I asked after finishing the meal.
"The spirits have calmed down," the ginger she-cat replied. "Firestar called a meeting while you were asleep. He recounted the ShadowClan ambush and the RiverClan trouble, telling the warriors that we must stand united to face the dangers; there must be no conflicts. He also accepted the kit in the Clan, and gave him a Clan name – he is now Blazekit."
She lay down next to me to groom my pelt with affectionate licks. "I am so relieved to have you back," she purred softly, and I moved closer to her. We lay beside each other with our pelts touching, looking at the first stars of Silverpelt shining through fast-moving clouds in the deep blue sky.
Note: Again a long delay in the update – I guess it goes along the lines of 'not much feedback – not much enthusiasm'. ;) In all cases, thanks for all people who read, reviewed or favourited the story – especially Macey-the-Invisible, SymphoniaFreak and BramblexSquirrel.
