Chapter 3

Thorncloud was padding through an unfamiliar rocky outcrop. She felt as if she had been there before, but could not say when. It was hot, the sun beating overhead in a cloudless sky, and Thorncloud realized that it was greenleaf.

A scent of another cat wafted around her, and Thorncloud perked up. It was a smell she instinctively recognized, but could not place.

"Thorncloud!" The ghostly voice of a she-cat sounded like it was in her head, yet all around her. "A sapling grows at Fourtrees. Both sun and rain cannot co-exist."

Thorncloud ran across the rocks, looking around to find the source of the voice. "What does that mean?" she called, desperate to find the cat that the voice belonged too. Part of her felt as if she recognized them. "Who are you?"

A fresh wave of the she-cat's smell surrounded her. "Who are you? Please!" she called.

Suddenly she was bowled aside by an unseen force and, wailing, Thorncloud careened off the rocks toward the plains below…

"Thorncloud!" Tigerfang's voice cut through the rain, and she jerked awake. Her sister was pressing roughly into her shoulder with her huge paws. So that was what pushed her.

Like water down the feathered back of a bird, Thorncloud's dream began to fade from her mind. She sat up, shook her head, and looked around, seeing that the warriors den was full except for Copperfur and Berryleaf on the night patrol. Blizzardpelt lifted his head and blinked across the den at her. "Sounds like a nightmare, Thorncloud," he murmured, half asleep.

"Sorry, Blizzardpelt."

The senior warrior just lowered his head onto his paws and fell back asleep. Tigerfang was also curling up in her spot, leaving only Thorncloud awake.

She decided she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. Padding out of the den, she made her way toward Tallfeather's. The medicine cat was awake when she entered, eating the thrush that Thorncloud had brought earlier.

"You're only just having that now?" she asked, amused.

"I had to replenish my supplies earlier. With new leaf, many of the herbs I was low on are now growing back," replied Tallfeather, who looked utterly exhausted. Thorncloud suddenly felt bad for bothering him. "What brings you back to my den?"

"A dream," Thorncloud answered, feeling self-conscious. She had discussed dreams like this with Tallfeather before. He was the only one of her friends who seemed to take them seriously.

"Something from StarClan?" he asked.

"It might be nothing - it was just very vivid," she explained, sitting opposite him. She searched her mind for images from the dream, and came up empty. "I can barely remember it now."

"Dreams can be like that." He smiled at her kindly. "I'm sorry that you're troubled. Other than my dream about you, my dreams have been few lately."

"Is that a good sign?"

"I hope so." Tallfeather finished his meal and drew his tongue over his muzzle.

Thorncloud thought hard about her dream. "I remember scenting a cat. She smelled familiar, but I couldn't recognize her."

"Someone you've met before?"

"I don't think so."

"How did you know it was a she-cat?" Tallfeather asked.

"Huh?"

"You called the cat a 'she', but only said you scented her."

Thorncloud's eyes lit up. "Because she spoke to me! If only I could remember what she said…"

"If it's important, it will return to you in time," Tallfeather said. "And if it doesn't, perhaps she will."

Thorncloud found herself nodding. "You're right." The sound of pawsteps drew her attention, and she stood. "Thank you. I'll let you get some sleep."

Tallfeather dipped his head gratefully - she could see the tiredness in his eyes. "Good night, Thorncloud."

"Good morning," she corrected, as pinpricks of dawn light started shining into the den through gaps in the foliage. She padded from the den, and out into the clearing.

The night patrol was just returning. Blizzardpelt was emerging from the warriors den. He met Copperfur and Berrynose in the centre of the clearing to report. Thorncloud headed towards them.

She waited for Copperfur to finish, and then stepped forward. "Can I join the dawn patrol, Blizzardpelt?" she asked.

Blizzardpelt looked to her, and nodded. "Sure, Thorncloud. You'll go with Twigpaw and I."

"Hopefully its more exciting than the night patrol," Copperfur said, blinking at Thorncloud tiredly.

"Hopefully not. I don't think I'm awake enough for trouble yet," Blizzardpelt said, stifling a yawn. As he spoke, a small tabby Tom with a white chest emerged from the apprentices den and began making his way toward them. It was Twigpaw, Blizzardpelt's apprentice. "All ready?" The warrior asked.

"Yeah!" Twigpaw said, and hopped, almost rabbit-like towards the camp entrance.

"Ah… I remember being that young," sighed Blizzardpelt, stifling a yawn. "We better follow him before he gets too far ahead."

Once again along the border between SnowClan and RainClan, Thorncloud scented the air. The forest was crisp here by the river, except for the RainClan scent markers that plagued the air.

"They've marked their border recently!" Twigpaw announced proudly walking a few tail-lengths ahead of Thorncloud and Blizzardpelt.

"Very good," his mentor said. He glanced at Thorncloud with amusement. As Twigpaw strayed farther away, Blizzardpelt leaned in and said in an undertone, "How come so keen to join the patrol today?"

Thorncloud paused, waiting as Blizzardpelt renewed their scent markers. She thought about her answer. "Just restless," she decided.

"It sounded like you had a dream troubling you in the night," he said.

Thorncloud looked away sheepishly as they continued walking. "Sorry if I woke you."

"As if I could sleep with Tigerfang's snoring, anyway," he replied. His green eyes twinkled mischievously. "Was Tallfeather able to help?"

"He always knows what to say," Thorncloud said.

"This is true. He not only mends wounds. Twigpaw!" Blizzardpelt called out to his apprentice, who had disappeared ahead. A scuffle from a nearby bush announced that the Tom was not far away. He emerged from the bush with a squirrel in his jaws, his tail proudly in the air.

"Nice catch," thornfeather praised, her stomach rumbling in agreement.

"Let's pause for a moment to eat, then we'll continue towards Sunningrocks," Blizzardpelt said, and they all sat to share the squirrel.

Twigpaw didn't hesitate to take the first bite. Thorncloud thought it would have been more respectful to let the senior warrior eat first, but Blizzardpelt didn't seem to mind. "Hey, Thorncloud! Did you really fight over Sunningrocks yesterday?" Twigpaw asked around a mouthful of squirrel.

"It wasn't a fight," Thorncloud said. "Just a discussion with the deputy and another warrior, Pebblefoot."

Blizzardpelt was nodding. "I'm glad it was Pebblefoot there and not another more hostile warrior. Brookpelt is as fierce as the river itself," he said. He dipped his head to take a bite of the squirrel.

"Sunningrocks has always been a point of tension between our clans," Thorncloud explained to Twigpaw, who was listening intently. "It's been ours since I can remember… but it goes back and forth."

"When I was an apprentice, it belonged to RainClan," Blizzardpelt said. "Though that was many moons ago now. I'm surprised RainClan hasn't asked for it sooner."

"I can't believe they exiled Sunstream!" Twigpaw exclaimed. "Do you think he'll try to come to SnowClan territory?"

"I doubt it," Blizzardpelt said. "He is a very intelligent cat; there's a reason Goldenstar made him deputy. He will know that the Gathering has passed, and that Goldenstar will have told the other clans. If he was going to attack, he would have done it before we knew about his exile."

The great white cat got to his paws. "Finish up that squirrel; it's time we finished our patrol."

Twigpaw bounded after his mentor, leaving Thorncloud to finish the meal. When she was done, she quickly buried the remains and silently thanked StarClan for the meal. She hurried to catch up with the other two.

They circled back once they reached the end of their territory, and headed towards camp. Once again, Twigpaw was eager to lead the trail, and he went ahead.

"My apprentice has too much energy for these old paws," Blizzardpelt said. Thorncloud smiled. The deputy wasn't as old as he pretended to be, but he was the most senior warrior in the clan. She imagined it must be hard to keep up with a young cat like Twigpaw. "You must be excited to get your first apprentice."

Thorncloud perked up. "Yes, of course. But I suspect I won't have one for many moons." There was only one litter of kits in the nursery at the moment – Barktail had her kits three moons ago – but Rosewhisker was now expecting and would be due in a while.

"As long as you keep up your good work, you'll have an apprentice in no time," Blizzardpelt assured her.

"Thank you, Blizzardpelt," Thorncloud said, taken aback by his kind words.

"For a young warrior, you have a very level head. Even as an apprentice, I remember you being very responsible. It's uncommon," he said. "I would have liked to mentor you, myself, but Copperfur was desperate for his first apprentice. He did a good job."

"He did," Thorncloud agreed. The thought of the russet-furred tom made her smile. "I feel honoured to have a place in SnowClan."

"I'm glad. We need more strong-minded warriors like you." Blizzardpelt sped up his pace. "Now let's catch up with Twigpaw before he hurts himself."

Much later, Thorncloud was still reeling from Blizzardpelt's praise. He was one of the most well respected cats in the clan, after all. Feeling light as a feather, she headed over to the warriors' den for a quick nap. The weight of her poor sleep was beginning to make her paws drag, and she hoped to sleep before going out hunting with Copperfur in the afternoon.

Tigerfang was leaving as she approached. "Thorncloud!" she exclaimed, blocking the tortoiseshell's path to the den. "Guess what I caught this morning."

"A cold, hopefully, so you can go see Tallfeather and get out of my way," Thorncloud said. Tigerfang didn't seem to hear her.

"A fish!" the tabby announced.

"How in StarClan's name did you do that?" Thorncloud asked, genuinely curious.

"I wanted to show those stupid RainClan cats," Tigerfang said, bristling her fur. "They're not the only ones who can use the river!"

"You didn't go into their territory, did you?" Thorncloud asked, bewildered that Tigerfang would be so bold to go fishing.

Tigerfang groomed her chest proudly. "No. I did it by Sunningrocks," she said.

"Be careful, Tigerfang," Thorncloud said, growing worried. "RainClan will take any opportunity to fight over that place."

Tigerfang scoffed. "If they set foot on our territory, I'll shred them! That stupid Brookpelt too – what a pain in the tail!" She looked up at Thorncloud. "The least you could do is be proud of me."

Thorncloud sighed. "I'm very impressed, Tigerfang. Just be careful." She brushed past her sister into the den, ready for a long nap. Over her shoulder she heard Tigerfang call, "You're not the clan leader, you know!"