Chapter 23

Dewleaf sighed. "Stormpelt, be nice!"

The gray and black tabby hissed at her. "No! Why should I be? Stealthstar should've kicked her out of the territory the moment he laid eyes on her!"

Dewleaf rolled her eyes and glanced over at Amberpaw. The tortoiseshell she-cat was sitting beside Ivypaw, eating a small mouse. Stormpelt still hadn't warmed up to her. "She's just an apprentice," she pointed out.

Stormpelt scoffed. "Whatever."

"Stormpelt, I hate being around you when you're in one of those stupid prickly moods!"

The tabby tom calmed down, his fur lying flat once more. "I'm sorry, Dewleaf. I just don't think it's a good idea for Stealthstar to let Amberpaw stay in RainClan."

"Why do you dislike her so much?" Dewleaf asked.

Stormpelt shrugged. "I don't know. I just… I don't like her," he growled.

Dewleaf rolled her eyes. "You don't even know why? You're such a mouse-brain," she teased.

"Take that back!" Stormpelt hissed with mock-anger, knocking the black she-cat over. "Take it back, you little---Oof!"

Dewleaf kicked him off with her hind legs, sending the tom flying. She sat up and began grooming her fur as if nothing had happened. The stunned tom shook his fur free of dust and loped up to her. "That's what you get when you mess with me!"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you just took me by surprise."

"Sure," Dewleaf purred, brushing Stormpelt's shoulder with her tail.

He nudged her playfully and got up to his paws. "Well, I have to go on patrol with Tigerstripe and Ivypaw. I'll see you later, alright?"

"Okay," Dewleaf replied, flicking her tail in reply. She watched the tom leave, then padded toward the nursery to visit Petaltail's kits.

Flowerkit was the oldest. Just like her mother, she was a light brown tabby with green eyes. Her younger brother was Owlkit, a dark brown tom with amber eyes most likely inherited from his grandfather, Tigerstripe. Dewleaf padded into the nursery quietly, and was knocked down by two brown furballs.

"Hey!" she spat, grabbing Flowerkit by the scruff and setting her down. She shook Owlkit off and glowered down at them. "Every time I come in here, you just attack me!"

The two kits had begun talking, and Owlkit piped up, "Let's play!"

Petaltail shook her head. "Sorry about that, Dewleaf. They've grown out of their moss ball game."

Dewleaf rolled her eyes and sat down. "Don't worry, Petaltail. If they weren't cute, I'd… well, never mind. How are you feeling?"

"Oh, tired, of course," Petaltail replied with a flick of her tail. "But it's good that Redfur visits us often."

Dewleaf nodded. "Yes, I've noticed he spends half of his life here in the nursery!"

Petaltail purred. "He's so sweet, I love him. And the kits sure seem to like him, too."

Dewleaf purred and watched as Owlkit and Flowerkit began tossing a ball of moss around.

"Well, Dewleaf, when are you going to have some kits of your own?" Petaltail asked, her eyes glowing with interest.

Dewleaf felt her ear-tips grow red. "Oh, well, not for a while, I don't think."

"Why not?"

"Oh, I don't even have a mate yet," Dewleaf replied, shrugging.

Petaltail purred. "You don't have anyone in mind?"

Dewleaf winced. "Um, well…"

"Oh, come on. Everyone knows that you and---" The queen was cut off when a loud yowl sounded through the clearing.

Dewleaf's eyes widened. "What's going on?" She padded out of the nursery and saw Tigerstripe and Stormpelt flanking two strange cats. Ivypaw was racing toward Stealthstar's den, probably to fetch him.

"Who are they?" Dewleaf wondered aloud, narrowing her eyes at the two strangers. One was a muscular gray and white tom with long hair. The other was a ginger tomcat, slightly smaller than the other. They seemed familiar…

"CLOUDSTORM!" Dewleaf yowled, racing over to her brother. He looked so different! The last time she had seen him, he had still been smaller than her and Clovernight. But now, he was a head taller, and he had strong muscles that rippled beneath his longer, coarser fur.

"Dewleaf!" he said, his voice full of relief. "I was so worried about you!"

Dewleaf licked her brother's nose and pressed her muzzle into his fur. "I missed you so much!" She glanced over and realized that the ginger tom was Falconpaw. "Falconpaw? What are you doing here?"

The ginger tom dipped his head. "Hello, Dewleaf. It's Falconclaw now."

"Really? Congratulations," Dewleaf purred.

By now, both Tigerstripe and Stormpelt were confused.

"Dewleaf, you know these two?" Tigerstripe asked calmly.

Stormpelt, however, wasn't as calm. "Who are they, Dewleaf?" he growled.

Dewleaf glanced up at them and mewed, "Oh, they're from ThunderClan. You see, they're---"

She was cut off when Stealthstar approached. He looked weary and tired. "More strangers?" he said, a bit exasperated and in a small snarl.

Dewleaf winced. "Stealthstar, I know them. They're from ThunderClan." She glanced at Cloudstorm and purred.

Stealthstar sighed. "Dewleaf, Tigerstripe, and you two," -he flicked his tail at Cloudstorm and Falconclaw- "come with me."

Dewleaf glanced over at Cloudstorm and Falconclaw, then followed Stealthstar and Tigerstripe. She caught Stormpelt's eye and twitched an ear, but he looked away, a bitter expression on his face.

***

"Yes, Cloudstorm's my brother," Dewleaf explained. "I suppose Smokestar sent the two of them to fetch me."

Stealthstar nodded. "Hello, Cloudstorm, Falconclaw. I'm Stealthstar, leader of RainClan."

Cloudstorm dipped his head, and Falconclaw flicked his tail.

Tigerstripe voiced, "I'm the deputy, Tigerstripe."

"Well, then, would you like to explain why exactly you are here?" Stealthstar asked.

Cloudstorm nodded. "Of course. When Dewleaf left, she told us that she'd only be gone for a short while. It's been nearly two moons, so we were all worried. Smokestar sent us to find out what happened, and to bring her back."

Stealthstar nodded. "Alright then." He turned to Dewleaf. "You'll be leaving us soon?"

She nodded slowly. "I suppose I should. I've enjoyed my stay here, Stealthstar, thank you so much."

He nodded. "Okay. But stay a few days, so that your brother and your friend can rest."

Cloudstorm and Falconclaw both dipped their heads gratefully. "Thank you."

Stealthstar nodded. "It's settled then. After a few days of rest, you may return to your Clan."

"Thank you," Dewleaf mewed, nodding. "Cloudstorm, Falconclaw, let me show you the warriors den."

"Great, I'm tired!" Cloudstorm groaned, stretching his muscles.

Falconclaw purred. "Let's go!"

Dewleaf flicked her tail and led the way out of the leader's den and toward the warriors den. Stormpelt was standing at the fresh-kill pile, but he wasn't picking fresh-kill. He was snarling at Cloudstorm and Falconclaw, his hackles raised.

"What's his problem?" Falconclaw muttered in a low voice.

Dewleaf shrugged. "I don't know. He's a sweet tom, trust me, but he doesn't like strangers."

"Do you know him well?" Cloudstorm asked with an amused twitch of his whiskers.

Dewleaf ducked her head, embarrassed. "We're friends."

"Really?" Cloudstorm asked, nudging Dewleaf with his shoulder.

"Stop," Dewleaf hissed playfully. She led the two toms into the den, then lay down beside Cloudstorm. "Tell me everything that's happened in ThunderClan!"

Cloudstorm purred. "There's so much to say!"

Falconclaw rolled his eyes. "Here's one thing, Clovernight broke her foreleg. Eagletalon, who was Eaglepaw at the time, spooked her while she was hunting."

Dewleaf gasped. "Oh, no. Is she okay?"

Cloudstorm licked her nose comfortingly. "Don't worry, she'll be fine. She's almost fully healed."

"Good," Dewleaf purred. "I didn't know Eagletalon would actually cause her to break a bone. Well, what else?"

Cloudstorm hissed bitterly. "Feathercloud's having more kits. Thorntail's kits, of course."

"Oh," Dewleaf replied, blinking. "So…"

Cloudstorm licked his sister between the ears and meowed, "Who care about her anyway?"

Dewleaf shrugged. "Anything else?"

Cloudstorm's eyes clouded. "Yes. Something very important."

"What?" Dewleaf asked curiously.

Cloudstorm sighed. "You see…"

***

Cloudstorm explained to his sister about Lightheart, and the very abrupt farewell they had shared. She sympathized.

"Cloudstorm, she must know that you love her. She told you that she loved you, and you love her, too, right?" Dewleaf mewed.

He nodded. "I do love her. I just didn't realize it until she said those three words. And I didn't even get to tell her before I left."

Dewleaf nuzzled her brother. "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll wait for you."

Cloudstorm shook his head, unable to forget the hard look in Snowstorm's eyes when she had glared at him. "I don't think so, Dewleaf."

Before the she-cat could reply, a gray and black tabby padded in. He bristled, glancing from the sleeping Falconclaw to where Cloudstorm and Dewleaf lay.

Cloudstorm looked up in surprise, then flicked his tail. "Hello."

Dewleaf got up instantly and purred, "Stormpelt." Her voice was so tender, and full of affection.

They must be very close, Cloudstorm thought.

"What?" Stormpelt growled, facing the smaller black pelted she-cat.

Or not, he reconsidered.

Dewleaf flinched visibly, and she tilted her head. "Stormpelt, are you okay? You're not acting like yourself."

"Leave me alone," the tom snarled, baring his teeth at her.

Dewleaf backed away, her tail low. Cloudstorm jumped to her defense. "Hey! Leave her alone!"

***

Dewleaf cringed as Stormpelt whipped around to face Cloudstorm. Why is being like this? He's not the tom I spoke to just this morning!

"Stormpelt, what's wrong?" Dewleaf asked quietly, almost in a soft whimper.

He turned to look at her, and his eyes reflected sadness.

Dewleaf got up and mewed, "Come with me." Leading him by placing her tail on his shoulder, she led him out of the den. "What's wrong?"

Stormpelt's eyes flashed. "It's hard to explain, but, them." He flicked his tail toward the warriors den, where Cloudstorm and Falconclaw were.

Dewleaf rolled her eyes. "I know you don't like strangers, I mean, I found out personally. But what's wrong? I mean, Cloudstorm's my brother, and Falconclaw's a friend---"

"He's your brother?" Stormpelt yelped with surprise.

Dewleaf nodded. "Yeah, you didn't know?"

Stormpelt slowly shook his head. "No. No one told me." Looking down at his paws sheepishly, he said, "I'm sorry for being such a jealous mouse-brain."

Dewleaf purred. "You were jealous? Jealous? Jealous that I was spending time with by brother and old friend?"

Stormpelt licked his chest fur, obviously embarrassed. "Yes."

Dewleaf rolled her eyes. "You're such a silly fur ball."

Stormpelt reached over to lick her ear. "I know, you've told me that countless times already."

"Right," Dewleaf purred, nuzzling the tom's cheek. "Want to meet them? Come on."

"Well…" He hesiated, then said, "Okay."

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