Chapter 16

Cloudstorm padded after the other two warriors cautiously, his ears pricked for any signs of danger. Snowstorm and Thistlefang were only a tail-length or so ahead, their hackles raised. Ever since the fox discovery, ThunderClan had been very cautious. It had been a few sunrises, though, and still no trace of the fox cubs, except for some fox-dung here and there.

"I don't see or smell a thing," Snowstorm muttered. "Do you?"

Cloudstorm shook his head.

Thistlefang shrugged. "Me neither. Perhaps the cubs have left."

"But there would still be some sort of scent," Snowstorm said, her voice suspicious. "This is unexplainable. First, a dead fox is found in our territory, with no sign of the cause, and the cubs just vanish!"

Cloudstorm flicked his tail. "I agree, Snowstorm, it's strange."

Snowstorm hissed. "Well, let's head back to camp, then."

~oOoOoOoOoOo~

"Hi, Cloudstorm!" Lightheart purred. "Where have you been?"

Cloudstorm dipped his head in greeting. "Patrolling, and on the lookout for the fox cubs."

"Did you find anything?"

"No trace," Cloudstorm sighed.

Lightheart nuzzled her friend (or maybe more than friend) on the cheek. "That's weird, but I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this."

Cloudstorm nodded. "Hopefully." Since Dewleaf had left, and Clovernight was always grumpy, he hadn't had anyone to socialize with, besides for older warriors and younger apprentices, and it was usually awkward. But now, the empty void Dewleaf had left when she had gone was being filled by Lightheart. He swiped his tongue over her nose and butted her with his head affectionately.

She purred and lashed a sheathed paw out at him, managing to bat at his nose. He let out a hiss of mock-fury and pinned her down.

"Get off, you silly furball," she mewed, rolling over and shaking dust from her gray pelt. She licked down some ruffled fur and pulled away. "Oh, mouse-dung! I promised Frostpaw I'd help her collect herbs! I'll be back soon!" With that, the pretty she-cat raced off.

Cloudstorm stared after her lithe figure, then turned away and padded to the fresh-kill pile. He rummaged through it, then settled on a juicy looking vole. He sat down alone and began eating, but he was soon joined by Clovernight, who was grumbling to herself again, something about a stupid apprentice.

"What did Eaglepaw do this time?" he asked, amused.

Clovernight rolled her eyes. "It's not funny!" she growled. "He followed me around like a dog would follow a Twoleg all day! And he just wouldn't shut his mouth! And that tom's not good at taking hints, either."

"Clovernight, you can't blame him!" Cloudstorm purred. "After all, he's in loooove with you." He let out another amused purr before taking another bite of vole.

His sister shot him a furious look. "It isn't funny, Cloudkit!"

Cloudstorm rolled his eyes and kept eating. After a while, Clovernight left, hissing something about "getting away before that rat gets back from his hunting patrol."

~oOoOoOoOoOo~

Dewleaf leapt and caught the raven in mid-flight, purring as she brought it down. She bit into it and gulped it down ravenously, her belly finally feeling satisfied. She stiffened when she heard a hiss. RainClan! she thought.

"Who's there?" she called.

A rustle in the bushes revealed a muscular black and gray tom, whose amber eyes were gleaming with malice. He looked only a few moons older than her, yet very fierce and strong. "Get off our territory!" he spat. Behind him, an older, cream-colored she-cat appeared.

Dewleaf winced. "I-I'm sorry, but I've been looking for you."

The tom hissed. "I don't know you!"

"I meant that I've been looking for RainClan!" Dewleaf said hastily, glancing at the cream she-cat. "Please, take me to your leader, I must speak to him!"

When the black and gray tom didn't budge, the she-cat mewed, "Stormpelt, let's take her to see Stealthstar. She looks… familiar."

Dewleaf let out a sigh of relief. Maybe this she-cat had known Rainheart!

"What's your name?" the tom, Stormpelt, demanded.

"Dewleaf," she mewed timidly.

The two RainClan cats looked surprised, and they exchanged glances. "Are you a Clan cat?" the tom asked.

Dewleaf nodded. "Yes! I'm from ThunderClan! Please, let me speak to… Stealthstar."

The cats exchanged looks, then turned and bounded away, beckoning with their tails. She raced after them, scrabbling through the unfamiliar land. She spotted something ahead that looked like a camp. "Is that your camp?" she asked.

Stormpelt glanced back at her. "Um, yes. You really must be a Clan cat."

The cream cat turned. "Well, I'm Whispersong. I'll go speak with Stealthstar. Stormpelt, go tell Tigerstripe what happened." To Dewleaf, she said, "Tigerstripe is our deputy."

Dewleaf nodded. "Okay. Thank you." She followed the cream colored she-cat into a large den. An old looking tom stood there, his black fur gray at the ends. His eyes widened, but he only stood up.

"Stealthstar, this is Dewleaf. She says she has been looking for RainClan," Whispersong explained. She brushed the leader's ear with her tail.

Dewleaf was confused. The leader hissed a little at her, then told her to leave. Were they mates?

"Dewleaf," Stealthstar mewed. His voice was raspy with age. "I suppose you're a Clan cat. What brings you here?"

Dewleaf dipped her head. "I understand that my… my mother and father… once lived here."

Stealthstar's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"Rainheart and Feathercloud," Dewleaf said boldly.

Stealthstar's eyes twinkled. "Ah, yes, your father used to be the leader, and I his deputy. And Feathercloud was a good warrior."

Dewleaf's eyes widened. "My father was the leader?"

Stealthstar nodded. "He didn't tell you?"

Dewleaf took in a deep breath, then went on to tell the RainClan leader everything.

~oOoOoOoOoOo~

Dewleaf watched with anticipation as Stealthstar slowly made his way to the Highledge, his movements slow. The other RainClan cats glanced at her, then back to the leader.

"I have an announcement to make," Stealthstar yowled. "Some of you may remember Rainstar, former leader of RainClan, and Feathercloud, his mate. One of their kits, Dewleaf, has returned." He told them briefly what Dewleaf's ordeal was. "She will be staying with us. I invited her to stay a few moons. It is leaf-fall, there is still lots of prey to go around, and she can help us stock up for leaf-bare."

A few cats let out yowls of protest, while some turned to look at Dewleaf with amazement etched on their faces.

Whispersong was the first to come over to Dewleaf. Her eyes were narrowed, and she spoke with an edge in her voice. "I thought you looked familiar, Dewleaf. You look very similar to Rainheart, but you have your mother's eyes."

Dewleaf purred. "I guess so." Why does she sound kind of mad?

Whispersong turned away without replying.

Dewleaf glanced around nervously. A golden she-cat was striding toward her.

"Hello, Dewleaf," the cat purred. "I'm Honeytail, the medicine cat. Welcome to RainClan."

Dewleaf dipped her head respectfully. "Thank you."

"I was good friends with your mother," the golden she-cat admitted, her amber eyes glowing.

"Really?" Dewleaf's eyes sparkled with interest.

Honeytail nodded. "Well, let me introduce you to the rest of the Clan."

~oOoOoOoOoOo~

"Tigerstripe, meet Dewleaf," Honeytail said.

Dewleaf purred. Tigerstripe was an orange and brown striped tom with soft amber eyes. "You're the Clan deputy, right?"

Tigerstripe nodded. "Yes. Glad to have you, Rainstar was a good leader." He motioned to a brown she-cat standing beside him. "This is Ivypaw, my apprentice."

"Hi," Ivypaw piped up.

A silver she-cat, who looked kind of like Feathercloud, but with green eyes, padded up. "Hello, I'm Skyfur."

"My mate," Tigerstripe added. "We have to kits, who are both grown up now. They should only be a few moons older than you." He pointed his tail to Stormpelt. "My son, who you've already met. And Petaltail. She's in the nursery expecting kits now."

Skyfur purred proudly. "The father is Redfur. He joined our Clan a green-leaf ago." She beckoned to a pale ginger tom. "Redfur, come here and meet the newcomer!"

The pale ginger tom strode over, his green eyes narrowed. "Um, hello, Dewleaf. I'm Redfur."

Skyfur and Tigerstripe began talking about something else and padded away.

Dewleaf nodded. "Hello, Redfur." She glanced around nervously.

"Well, come meet Petaltail," Honeytail mewed. "Let me grab some herbs first." She loped away, but was back in a flash. "Let's go."

The medicine cat led the way to a thicket, layered with soft moss and feathers. Inside, a tabby she-cat lay, her belly swollen. "How are you feeling, Petaltail?" Honeytail asked, setting down the herbs.

The brown tabby she-cat sighed. "I'm okay. Redfur's been keeping me company." She looked up at Dewleaf. "Who is this?"

Dewleaf flicked her tail in greeting, and Honeytail introduced her. Petaltail looked only a few moons older than her.

Petaltail purred. "I remember your parents! Feathercloud came and visited me almost everyday in the nursery!"

"Really?" Dewleaf's eyes lit up with surprise. She had never known her mother to be… well, like that.

Petaltail nodded. "Yes, actually. But I'm afraid I don't remember anymore. You may want to ask my mother, or father, or even Honeytail."

Honeytail purred. "Yes, I'll tell Dewleaf what I know."

Ugh, I think this came out kind of crappy. I wasn't really in 'the zone' when I wrote this. Oh well, just review please.

Try Reading: The series about Rosethorn and Thorntail by T.-Roxie.-I

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