Chapter 9

"I've got my medicine cat name!" Leafpaw's excited mew woke Stormsong from her fitful sleep.

It was the first time in days since she'd had any real sleep. She forced back a groan and looked around to see that most cats were still asleep. Squirreltail and Sandstorm were the only cats out of the den.

With a start Stormsong realized that Leafpaw must have returned from the Moonstone. She jumped to her paws and bounded out of the warrior's den. Sure enough Leafpaw was standing near the gorse tunnel. Whiteleaf was still sitting vigil, but she was listening with keen interest.

"I'm called Leafpelt now," meowed the medicine cat. Her voice was filled with pride as she had been named after Cinderpelt, her old mentor.

"We should get some rest now," Sandstorm purred when she nuzzled her daughter. "I'm so proud of you though."

Leafpelt nodded and padded over to the cave where the medicine cat's den was. Squirreltail watched her sister happily before she followed Sandstorm back to the warrior's den.

I wish my father was here to say such things, Stormsong thought as her tail dragged across the snow-covered clearing. Ravenpaw was a loner though. She doubted he would return to the Clans after what he went through.

Her head shook in frustration before she curled back up in her nest. Thinking about her parents' past would get her nowhere. Ravenpaw had made his choice and so had Magnolia. Her mother had died because of the choices she'd made.

As sleep took over once more, Stormsong thought she saw the warm face of her mother in her dreams. Magnolia was still watching over her, despite what she thought.

OoOoOo

Morning soon followed with little to no news. The Clan had congratulated Leafpelt on receiving her warrior name. Whiteleaf had returned to the warrior's den after sitting vigil all night.

Stormsong was eating a skinny shrew when Graystripe approached her. His long fur made her a little jealous that he didn't feel the cold as much as other cats.

"WindClan has been getting more active near the border," he meowed to her. "I want you to take Larchpaw with me and Dustpelt. I'm sure that they're up to no good again."

A patrol of four, that's a big number, she thought with a nod. If he was right than they would need large numbers.

Once the patrol was gathered she followed the two older warriors. Larchpaw pranced alongside Stormsong as she explained the basics of meeting other warriors. This would be Larchpaw's first encounter with WindClan cats if they came across a patrol.

The snow was beginning to melt by the time the sun had risen. Stormsong's pelt warmed up as she began moving at a trot.

They came to a halt when they reached Fourtrees. This was the center point of all Clan territories. But ThunderClan had hunting rights in this area when there weren't Gatherings held. WindClan often tried to push their hunting grounds, but ThunderClan fought fiercely for them.

Sure enough Stormsong found a familiar scent filling the air. Her fur bristled slightly when she caught pelts moving in the undergrowth on the far side of Fourtrees. Larchpaw stood beside her, pelt standing on end while Dustpelt's lips curled in anger. Graystripe's eyes narrowed into tiny slits when he glared at the figures looming ahead.

"Onewhisker, what are you doing out here?" Graystripe's call had caused a slender looking brown tabby tom to emerge from the bushes. "You've moved the border markers!"

"Of course we have, because we need more hunting grounds," growled another WindClan cat.

Stormsong's fur stood on end with outrage when she saw that it was Tornear, a tabby tom who lived up to his name. One of his ears were shredded right off, while the other looked half-clawed. Tornear was WindClan's deputy. His lips were drawn in a snarl as he glared at Graystripe.

"We need more territory for our growing Clan," Tornear spat.

Before Stormsong knew what was happening the fighting broke out. She yowled in surprise when she felt claws bury into her chest. Stormsong threw her attacker off and managed to pin him to the ground. Much to her dismay she saw that it was Shadowpelt, one of the rogues that had come from the mountains.

"Why are you fighting?" she demanded as her claws buried into his skin.

"Because Mudstar ordered us to," he snapped.

Without warning he nipped at her shoulder, and agony coursed through her body. Stormsong screeched in surprise when his claws rolled across her skin, ripping right through it.

Blood soaked the ground as she struggled to her paws. The snow was now stained red as cats fought one another with tooth and claw. Stormsong glared at Shadowpelt, whose own eyes glowed with hate. She wasn't about to let him get away with what he'd done.

Her claws unsheathed and smoke began fuming from beneath them. Shadowpelt's eyes widened when he saw what was happening.

She lunged forward and slashed her claws across Shadowpelt's face. The WindClan warrior cried out in agony when they met their mark. Stormsong's ears flattened against the sound as she managed to send him fleeing across the border with his tail tucked between his legs.

By the time Stormsong was finished with Shadowpelt the rest of the WindClan cats were fleeing. Relief washed over her as she staggered to where the others were waiting. Larchpaw stood proudly beside Dustpelt, her pelt standing on end as she raised her chin.

"You fought well," Stormsong purred when she nuzzled her apprentice.

"We need to report this to Firestar," Graystripe hissed. His left shoulder was bleeding heavily - it was similar to the wound that Stormsong had received. "I doubt this will be left unpunished."

Silence filled the air as the patrol limped back to camp. Stormsong felt the sting of her wound when she pushed her way through the gorse tunnel.

Leafpelt was on the patrol in an instant when Graystripe announced what had happened. Firestar was furious. Stormsong didn't think she had ever seen the ThunderClan leader so angry when Graystripe told him what Tornear had said.

"This won't be left unpunished," Firestar hissed.

"Who has the worse injuries?" Leafpelt asked when the patrol gathered around her.

"Graystripe was badly injured," Stormsong murmured. "I don't think he wants the Clan to know." She glanced over her shoulder to see the long-haired warrior limping.

If his wounds get infected he could die, she thought. She tried to search his mind for any reason why he wasn't getting them checked.

I can't let the Clan think I'm weak, he told himself.

Pride was getting in the way, and her claws kneaded the ground when she realized just how severe his injuries were. She glanced desperately at Leafpelt, but the medicine cat was too occupied with Dustpelt's wounds.

"You need those wounds checked," Leafpelt meowed when she gave Stormsong's chest a sniff. "If you don't they'll get infected."

Stormsong's eyes clouded in confusion before she nodded. She followed Leafpelt into the little cave where the medicine cat slept. It was strange to not see Cinderpelt sorting through piles of herbs. Instead Leafpelt was on her own as she grabbed a few bitter-smelling leaves from the pile of herbs.

"These will sting, but they will make you feel better," Leafpelt told her as she applied the poultice. Stormsong winced when the poultice stung, but she held on. Once Leafpelt was finished applying the herbs she stepped back and stared at Stormsong critically. "Out of rain and sky comes the frost that falls." Leafpelt's next words made Stormsong's fur crawl.

How could she have heard about the prophecy? she wondered. "Erm, what did you say?" she demanded when the unease grew.

"I didn't say anything," Leafpelt replied with a shake of her head.

"But you just..." Stormsong broke off when she realized the words had been for her ears only. "Thanks for the herbs," she finally mewed and backed out of the den.

Her fur was still crawling with unease as those words echoed in her mind. They were the same words that Spottedleaf had told her. Maybe there was more meaning to them than she'd originally thought. She needed to find out what it meant before all was lost.