Chapter 5

Gingerpaw went with the patrol through WindClan territory. The moorland breeze blew in her face. Suddenly the wind started blowing in the opposite direction and she caught the scent of a ThunderClan she-cat. "Starheart!"

The white she-cat opened her mouth to say something until she caught the scent too. "Sandstorm! Go back to the camp."

The elderly she-cat opened her mouth to protest. But Starheart interrupted her, "Please, Brackenstar will kill me. Especially if something happens."

"Well to bad." Sandstorm padded on and Starheart sighed.

"Please! You're my mother, I don't want anything to happen to you!"

"Too bad." Sandstorm padded on.

"You are Squirrelflight's mother! You know that!" Starheart padded ahead and Gingerpaw stared in shock as the headed on.

"Are you truly this desperate, Sandstorm? Do you really want to see Ravenpaw badly enough that you may not make it back."

Sandstorm mewed, "I have not seen him since the Clans left. That was seasons ago Gingerpaw. When Squirrelfight, Starheart and Leafpool were apprentices." Gingerpaw's eyes stretched wide.

"Wow…"

Sandstorm sighed and padded ahead leaving Gingerpaw on her own.

As the patrol started to leave the WindClan territory and toward Twolegplace and Horseplace the cats started heading toward a wide Thunderpath and Gingerpaw saw mountains upon mountains. They started climbing up the mountains. Before they even got high up they saw a solid gray tom and a tabby heading down towards them.

Squirrelflight ran over to them. "Stormfur! Brook!"

The tom jumped down first and ran over to her. "Squirrelflight! How are you guys! How's my father?"

"Graystripe's great."

"We were on our way to see you guys. A black tom is with us. It's Ravenpaw. We haven't seen him for so long!"

"We know. There was a tom with him. He came to see us."

"A tom? We met him with a brown tabby she-cat and her kit."

Gingerpaw stared curiously.

"It doesn't matter. Come to the Cave of Rushing Water. You've got to be tired."

The cats trudged on. The cold wind blew in Gingerpaw's face. This is worse then leaf-bare! And now it's New-leaf! I can't imagine what it must be like to live up here.

Gingerpaw ran over to where Squirrelflight was talking with Stormfur.

"How do you know him?" Gingerpaw asked as she flicked her ear in his direction.

"He's Stormfur, Graystripe's son that went with me to Sundrownplace."

"Were you one of the four cats who was spoken to by StarClan?"

"No my sister did and I went on the journey to protect her."

"Feathertail?" Gingerpaw asked.

Stormfur nodded as they came to a pile of rocks.

Brook, Stormfur and Squirrelflight sighed as they stared at the rocks.

Gingerpaw headed to the back of the patrol. She's let them mourn. She saw Thornclaw and heard him mew. "I see the entrance to the Tribe's cave." All Gingerpaw saw was water rushing over a cliff, like it did at the Moonpool, except it was higher and faster.

Stormfur and Brook rushed ahead and they went behind the rushing water.

The other cats followed. Gingerpaw saw that there was a cave behind the water. I can see how the Tribe got its name.

She ran in to where Squirrelflight followed Brook and Stormfur. "Where's Feather?" Squirrelflight asked.

"In the nursery with her kits." Brook answered proudly.

"Congratulations, Brook, you must be so proud." Squirrelflight mewed.

"Amberfoot must have had her kits." Stormfur mewed.

"Two she-cats, Icepaw and Gingerpaw." Squirrelflight mewed, "Actually," Squirrelflight looked to Gingerpaw, "Gingerpaw, come here."

"Yes Squirrelflight?"

"This is Gingerpaw,"

Brook held out a paw in the Tribe's fashion of greeting, "Nice to meet you,"

Gingerpaw stared at the paw strangely then held out her own, "You too,"

"Let's go see Feather's kits." Squirrelflight mewed as she, Brook and Stormfur headed to what must be the nursery.

Gingerpaw saw Sandstorm sniffing at an elderly black tom. He was exactly as Sandstorm and the black and white tom described. There were some other ThunderClan cats and a black she-cat that was looking after him. She must be the Tribe's medicine cat.

"Night, is he going to be okay?" Sandstorm asked.

The she-cat nodded, "He should be. But I really don't think he could make it past the mountains."

Sandstorm sighed. "There's a horseplace by the foot of the mountains. Could he make it there?"

"Maybe, I wouldn't advise it though."

The black tom looked up at Night. "I can make it to the barn. Easy."

"I'm sure Smoky would take you in if Squirrelflight and Cloudtail brought you there." Thornclaw mewed.

Cloudtail nodded with a smile as he let out a mrow of laughter. Brightheart glared at him. He had taught Daisy, Smoky's mate, to protect her kits, Mousekit, Berrykit and Hazelkit. It had even made Brightheart, his mate, jealous.

Gingerpaw saw a brown tabby watching as a kit, about her age tried to get her to play. The tabby didn't smell like a Tribe cat. She noticed Flamefur, Amberfoot's brother, looking from the tabby to her. Gingerpaw wasn't surprised, she looked just like her other then her ear and tail which were brown. Even their eyes were the same shade of golden-amber. She noticed the tabby look from her to the little white kit, a small tom, playing with her tail.

"And I saved you and brought you to Amberfoot and Dewspot. Right?" Starheart's words echoed in her ears.

"How did you know?" Gingerpaw questioned.

"It happened."

Gingerpaw looked back at the she-cat and the kit that was exactly her age.

Could she be my mother?

Gingerpaw shivered, and padded up to the she-cat. "Hi,"

"Hello," the tabby answered as nudged her kit away from her tail.

"Mother, she looks like Robin." The little tom mewed. He tipped his head as he starred at Gingerpaw's ginger ear.

"She does…" the tabby trailed off. "Bramble go play with the To-Bes."

"Yes mother,"

"So, were you born to your Tribe-"

"Clan,"

"Clan, right,"

Gingerpaw sighed, "No, my mentor found me as a kit."

The tabby stared, "I think you may have been the kit I lost."

Gingerpaw sighed, "I could never know."

"Tell me, did a black and white tom come to where your Clan lives?" now the tabby was serious.

"He claimed to know Ravenpaw."

The tabby's eyes narrowed. "I'll flay that piece of Fox Dung!"

"Do you want to come back with us? He said he was going to stay with the Clan."

"And you let him!" the tabby looked astonished.

"I have no say in it; it's my leader's choice."

"Oh," the tabby looked at Gingerpaw, "I'm Cotton,"

"Gingerpaw," Gingerpaw mewed. She padded away sadly. I now know my mother!

Gingerpaw ran to Starheart, "Starheart!"

"You're excited! What happened?"

"I found my mother!" Gingerpaw let her voice drop to a whisper.

Starheart licked her on the top of the head.

"Congratuations, we'll be staying with the Tribe and leaving at dawn."

"Kay,"

Gingerpaw padded off to sleep happily. Today has been quite the success.