Chapter 11

A day had passed since Willowcloud set eyes upon the tom. She'd not seen him or scented him since their first meeting. In a way she was grateful that he had not returned. In other ways, she was sad. She was alone now, more than ever. Her heart was twisted in self-pity, something she didn't enjoy. Most of the time she'd spent the other day gathering moss and searching for prey. The tom had been right when he said there was little prey around this area. Her searches had spread out through the thicker undergrowth. It was harder to travel across the reeds and sharp blades of grass.

Willowcloud's pelt was ruffled against the rain that had begun to fall during the morning. She was right about the moisture in the air. Thunderstorms had ravaged the land for what felt like moons. They finally ended when daybreak arrived. Willowcloud had stayed up for most of the night for fear that the area might flood. She was relieved to find that no water damage had ruined her new home.

Cool breezes came from the north, signaling that it colder air was moving in. Willowcloud's teeth ground together as she spotted a mouse hiding under the leaves of a dead oak. The tiny creature had not yet noticed her stealthy approach. It seemed to be warming itself despite the cool air. Willowcloud took another step forward, tail twitching in anticipation. Two days had passed since she last ate anything. By now she was starving, and even a mouse seemed like a good piece of fresh-kill. The mouse was within striking distance when she heard a clap of thunder roll across the land. It squealed in surprise at the sudden noise and ran off before she could make her move.

Frustration gnawed at Willowcloud's stomach as she raced after it. By the time she managed to find it the mouse had found a bolt hole. There was no hope in catching it by the time the storm passed. By then she would feel even worse, and her hunting skills would have diminished.

Sighing in annoyance, Willowcloud turned back to where her den was. The wind had picked up by the time she returned. Rain lashed at her face, sending icy beads of water across her skin. Willowcloud shivered from the cold as she tried to dry herself off. She was soaked to the skin. Her ears flattened as she made her way back to the gave. By now the river had swollen to twice it's size, but the cliffs made it difficult for the river to flood over the plains. She was thankful for the canyons, and prayed to StarClan that it wouldn't get worse.

Her eyes widened in disbelief when she caught a familiar scent in the air. She'd reached her den, and saw that two pieces of fresh-kill had been placed near the entrance. A mouse and a thrush. Both were still warm, telling her that they capture had been recent. She glanced around warily, wondering who would leave such obvious prey.

It must have been that tom, she decided after leaning forward to nose the mouse. His scent had escaped her mind as she drooled over the fallen mouse. The thrush was something that she didn't fancy, but anything was better than what she had now.

"Willowcloud!" The pale gray she-cat stiffened when her name was called. She whirled around and stared at what might have been behind her. To her surprise there was no cat hiding. Only the rain that blinded her made things difficult to see. "Willowcloud!" The voice sounded louder, almost as if it was an alarm call. Her fur was beginning to bristle as she tried to figure out who was speaking. She was alone, as far as she could tell.

"Where are you?" she demanded. Her voice was thick with fear and frustration as she tried to make out her intruder.

"Willowcloud." The voice spoke in a softer tone this time. "You will need your strength for what lies ahead. Courage is something that is needed as well. Use both gifts well, young one." Willowcloud stiffened when she saw the outline of a cat standing before her. A silver-gray she-cat with darker splotches of fur stood before Willowcloud. Her dark green eyes gleamed with starlight as she held Willowcloud's astonished gaze. "My name is Silverleaf. I was the medicine cat before Ruststripe many seasons ago. My time came during leafbare, when a young cat known as...him arrived."

Willowcloud blinked when she realized that no name was offered. Silverleaf seemed reluctant to name the cat that had murdered her.

"We thought that he was taken care of for good by our ancestors." Silverleaf closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "But we were wrong. He has returned, and has come back for revenge."

"Who is he?" Willowcloud asked. She was afraid to ask. She had a feeling that she already knew.

"In time you will recognize him," Silverleaf replied. "For now, rest and eat. You will need your strength for the future." Silverleaf stepped forward and brushed her muzzle against Willowcloud's forehead. A sudden burst of energy coursed through Willowcloud, giving her the strength she needed to recover from the bitter cold air. Silverleaf was already fading by the time Willowcloud recovered from the shock.

She blinked several times in confusion as she tried to put together what had happened. A warrior from StarClan had come to see her. What's more, she even gave her a message. The mouse and the thrush were gifts from StarClan. She knew that now.

A/N: Short chapter, but to the point. The next few chapters will likely be shorter because of her exile, but a bit more informative. Silverleaf's name sounds kind of mary-suish, but that's the way it was intended. I might include her character in my book of one-shots once I get the next few chapters written for that. Please remember to review, they are appreciated :)