Chapter 4

A paw prodded Stormsong in the shoulder. She groaned and tried to ignore the pestering paw. When the paw jabbed harder her eyes snapped open to find Squirreltail looking down at her in amusement. The dark ginger she-cat's green eyes were filled with mischief when Stormsong glared at her.

"We're on clean-up patrol," Squirreltail explained when Stormsong rose from her nest. "It rained hard last night, so Firestar wants to clean away any mud that might be slipped on."

Stormsong narrowed her eyes into tiny slits before she followed.

Sure enough the camp was soaked when she entered the clearing. Cats were trying to stay dry as the rain continued falling. Stormsong's nose wrinkled in disgust when she realized that the rain had started in the middle of the night.

Sootpelt and Rainstorm were trying to keep the nursery dry while Ferncloud complained to them. Dustpelt, Brambleclaw and Cloudtail were returning from a hunting patrol. Cloudtail's usually white pelt was now stained with mud and dirt when he dropped a sodden sparrow on the fresh-kill pile.

"Keep the elder's den dry for StarClan's sake!" Dappletail's yowl was heard among the frantic scramble.

"Stop trying to rake my ears with your voice!" Speckletail yowled back.

Stormsong exchanged an amused look with Squirreltail. "Looks like we've found our job," she meowed.

Squirreltail bounded after her as she led the way towards the elder's den. Sure enough Speckletail and Dappletail were glaring at each other. Both elders looked like they were at each others throats.

"You grab Dappletail and I'll see where the leak is," Stormsong told Squirreltail.

As soon as Squirreltail had pulled Dappletail away Stormsong crept over to check the den. There was a network of leaves that had been torn apart by the wind. Stormsong sighed before she pulled at the torn branches and wrapped freshly grown leaves around them.

Snowpaw bounded over when she returned from training practice. Brightheart's single eye was glowing with pride as she watched her first apprentice.

"Need help?" Snowpaw asked. When Stormsong nodded she grabbed a pile of leaves and helped weave them around the branches that surrounded the elder's den.

"Thanks," Stormsong murmured once they were finished. "I don't think this rain will ever end," she added in a sigh.

"Just be thankful it's rain and not snow," Speckletail snorted when she peered out of the den. "No offense," she added when she looked at Snowpaw.

The apprentice glanced at her mother before ducking her head in embarrassment. Stormsong eyed the pair cautiously. It seemed as though Speckletail couldn't get past the fact that her daughter was alive. Snowpaw was one of the cats that had been found in the mountains. The Clan had discovered that she was Speckletail's missing kit, and eventually she was accepted and taken in as an apprentice.

Memories of that day washed over Stormsong. She remembered what had happened during the battle, when Spiderfang was killed. Thornclaw had died also during that terrible battle. So many cats had lost their lives because of Frostwind. Stormsong felt a shudder course through her as she imagined what could have happened if Frostwind had won the battle.

"Where's Hollykit?" Ferncloud's wail suddenly raked through the clearing.

Alarm coursed through Stormsong when she dropped everything she was doing. Ferncloud's kits were always on the move. Most likely during clean-up they slipped away while their mother was distracted.

Squirreltail and Sandstorm were the first to reach Ferncloud, who was huddled next to Larchkit and Birchkit. Dustpelt looked like he was ready to burst with outrage when he realized his daughter was missing. They had already lost Spiderfang.

"Where did you last see her?" Dustpelt demanded.

"I was watching them but than I started talking to Ashfur... Oh Dustpelt, she must have wandered off!" Her voice broke out into another wail.

"We will look for her," Stormsong murmured. "I'm sure if we split up we'll find her in no time."

Ferncloud looked like she was ready to panic when Dustpelt nodded in agreement. He was about to say something when Firestar and Graystripe approached them.

"That's a good idea," Firestar told them. "Stormsong, I want you and Squirreltail to check the Owl Tree. Dustpelt and Ashfur can check the area around Fourtrees. Graystripe and I will check Sunningrocks."

Stormsong nodded to Firestar and bounded out of camp with Squirreltail at her heel. She wasn't about to give up on Hollykit. Though kits were often known for scampering off on their own, it was rare for them to leave camp.

The two cats continued wandering aimlessly through the forest, trying desperately to pick up Hollykit's scent. Stormsong suddenly remembered what Cinderpelt had told her just when they reached a bracken bush. She could read the minds of those around her. Maybe she could pick up Hollykit's thoughts, young as they were.

She cleared her own mind until she picked up the thoughts of Squirreltail.

I hope we find Hollykit soon, Squirreltail was thinking. Maybe Firestar will let me mentor her!

Amusement washed over Stormsong when she heard those thoughts. She doubted Firestar would let warriors as young as them mentor apprentices.

Gotta get out of here! The sudden storm of words echoed within Stormsong's thoughts. Her heartbeat quickened until she realized that they were Hollykit's thoughts. Where's mommy and daddy? Where's camp?

Stormsong's eyes widened when she imagined herself pushing her way through a barrel of ferns and brambles. Hollykit had managed to get herself trapped in a bush!

"I know where she is," Stormsong exclaimed when Squirreltail was still tasting the air.

"Good, because in this condition I can't pick up her scent," the dark ginger she-cat muttered crossly.

Without giving Squirreltail time to react, Stormsong bounded forward until she nearly ran into the bush that Hollykit had found. Sure enough she heard the shuffling of paws. Blood roared in Stormsong's ears when she realized that Hollykit was close to the Thunderpath. One wrong move and Hollykit could end up like Cinderpelt had.

"There she is!" Squirreltail yowled.

The two older cats spotted Hollykit almost as quickly as Stormsong had picked up her thoughts. She recognized the tiny kits' black and brown fur. It reminded her of Spiderfang's pelt color.

Her heartbeat quickened when she picked up the scent of blood in the air. Something was wrong. She waved her tail at Squirreltail, but her friend ignored the signal. With a roll of her eyes Stormsong bounded after Squirreltail until they were within a couple of tail-lengths of Hollykit.

"She's been wounded," Stormsong whispered. Her voice was filled with dread when she saw the cuts on Hollykit's body. All along her shoulders and ribs there were scratches. Someone had done this just for the fun of it!

"We have to take her back to Leafpaw," Squirreltail growled.

There was something else among the scent of blood that Stormsong did not miss. Her pelt bristled with unease when she picked up the stench of ShadowClan. There was no mistaking the rancid odor of those foxhearted cowards.

"Come on, let's get back before we're spotted," she hissed.

Squirreltail shot her a confused look. Hollykit was grasped gently between her teeth. The tiny kit looked helpless against Squirreltail's larger form.

OoOoOoOo

It was almost dusk by the time they reached the camp. By now Hollykit's thoughts were faint. Stormsong was alarmed by the tiny breaths that escaped from the kit's lungs. Squirreltail too was worried about Hollykit's condition, but she was more concerned about bringing her to Leafpaw.

"Hollykit! What in StarClan's name happened to her?" Squirreltail was nearly tackled to the ground when Ferncloud found her.

"We don't know," Squirreltail explained. Her voice was muffled by the kit's fur as she spoke. "We found her like this, near the Thunderpath."

Ferncloud stared at Squirreltail in disbelief. "My little Hollykit knows better than to venture that far," she protested. "Why would she?"

Because someone told her to go there, Stormsong guessed. She had a feeling that someone from ShadowClan had led her to the Thunderpath. Once she was far enough away from camp, the cat attacked her.

"Look, we need to get her back to Leafpaw," Stormsong meowed. "She needs to be looked over."

The queen continued glaring at Stormsong as if she was to blame for Hollykit's injuries. Stormsong focused her intense gaze on Ferncloud's own piercing green eyes. Finally Ferncloud gave in and backed away.

When they reached Leafpaw's den Stormsong wasn't surprised to see Sandstorm there. The pale ginger she-cat had been spending more time with her daughter since Cinderpelt's death. She had admitted that she was afraid of leaving Leafpaw alone.

Sandstorm looked up from the pile of herbs she was sorting and gaped at Hollykit. Squirreltail wasted no time in explaining what had happened again. Leafpaw was quick to assess the damage that was inflicted upon Hollykit.

"Who could have done this to her?" Sandstorm whispered when Leafpaw went to work.

"That's what I'd like to know," Squirreltail snarled. "No kit deserves to be treated this way."

Stormsong couldn't help nodding in agreement. Hollykit didn't deserve to be treated this way. Someone had done this on purpose to scare them. Someone was plotting something against ThunderClan. And she knew exactly how she was going to find out.