I woke up back in Thunderclan. My bones were aching and I was super tired. I yawned and stumbled to my paws. Then I padded out of the den to see everyone doing their daily routines. Tigerclaw padded through the entrance with Longtail and a soaked Fireheart. Water streamed from the orange tom's fur and he was breathing heavily. I padded over to him. "What happened?" I asked. Fireheart wheezed and looked at me.
"We went to go test the stream to see if we can go to the gathering tonight. I tried to test how deep it was and it dragged me under." he meowed. I gasped and Longtail padded over to us.
"I had to save his life. Thanks to me, he can live to see another day outside his Twoleg home." he snickered. I rolled my eyes and shoved him away.
"Wow, you are such a hero. Now go be a hero somewhere else!" I snapped. Longtail grumbled and stalked off. I turned to Fireheart. "Are you alright?" I asked.
"I'm fine. A little water isn't going to kill me." Fireheart smirked. I gave him a look.
"I think a little water isn't the proper term for the state you're in." I chuckled. Fireheart rolled his eyes and flicked my ear. Then he padded to Yellowfang's den. I looked around and saw Brokentail. He was lying on the ground bathing in the sun. Dustpelt was guarding him, looking slightly bored. I narrowed my eyes at the pathetic Shadowclan cat. He's planning something. I can sense it. He's getting too comfortable in Thunderclan.
"Calm down." a mew sounded beside me. I jumped in surprise and looked to see Mousefur. "I don't like him here as much as you do but glaring at him isn't going to make him go away." I sighed and rolled my eyes.
"He's getting too comfortable. I think he's just rubbing in our faces that we can't attack him." I growled. Mousefur scoffed in agreement.
"He won't be so comfortable when we make him deaf as well as blind." she muttered. I nodded. "We need to keep an eye on him. Just to make sure he doesn't try anything."
"You will do nothing of the sort." a snap sounded behind us. I looked around to see Tigerclaw. "Brokentail is just a lousy tom. He doesn't deserve our claws swiping at him." I narrowed my eyes. Since when does he defend other cats? Especially if they're from another clan? Something's going on and I don't like it. Tigerclaw padded off to join Brokentail in the sun. He shooed Dustpelt away then settled beside the blind tom. I shared a look with Mousefur.
"Are you seeing this or am I just ready to retire to the elders den?" Mousefur asked.
"Oh I'm seeing it alright. That, or we're both ready to go to the elders den." I said. Mousefur nudged me.
"You were just made a warrior. You're not that old." she chuckled. I purred in amusement and nudged her back.
"You're not that old either!" I retorted.
"Well when I wake up with Brambleclaw sleeping on me all the time, it feels like it." Mousefur muttered. I laughed.
"I tried to stop him." I chuckled.
"You sat there and watched!" Mousefur snapped with sparks of amusement glittering in her gaze. I rolled my eyes and looked around to see Bluestar sending out patrols.
"Leopardstorm! You're on patrol with Tawnypelt and Sandstorm!" Bluestar called. I nodded and waved to Mousefur before padding over to them.
"What are we patrolling?" I asked.
"Riverclan border. We smelt their scents on our side of the river so we're going to check it out." Sandstorm meowed. Then we headed out. I breathed in the fresh air as the wind ruffled my fur while Tawnypelt growled.
"Why is it so windy? This isn't Windclan!" she snarled, as the wind tossed her around. I rolled my eyes and helped her stay on her paws.
"At this rate, any sign of Riverclan on the border will be blown away!" Sandstorm snapped. We quickened the pace to Sunning Rocks. The river was flooding over the banks as we gotten closer. I hissed as the water splashed my face and legs. Tawnypelt swatted at the waves in anger and annoyance.
"Great! It's windy, I'm cold, and now I'm soaked!" she snarled. Sandstorm was looking around us with worry.
"That's the least of our problems! If the river keeps flooding like this, our whole territory will be covered in water! It might reach the camp!" she exclaimed. I looked at the rising water.
"She's right." I mewed. I climbed onto the rocks and looked out over Riverclan's territory. "Riverclan's flooding as well!"
"Who cares? They can swim! We'll drown!" Tawnypelt snapped. I narrowed my eyes as rain started to pour. "And now it's raining!" The rain started to pour faster and the waves grew bigger.
"Let's get out of here before-" Sandstorm broke off as a rumbling noise filled the air. Then her eyes widened as she looked at me. "Leopardstorm, look out!" she screeched. I turned around to see a huge wave crashing towards me. I yelped as it splashed on me but I jumped out the way before it could drag me under. I shook out my drenched fur and looked around.
"Where's Tawnypelt?" I asked. A screech sounded above us. I looked up to see Tawnypelt hanging onto a tree as waves threatened to swallow her.
"Help me!" she screeched. I ran to another tree and climbed up.
"I'm coming, Tawnypelt! Just hold on!" I called. My paws slipped under the bark and I tried to climb up the tree.
"Hurry! I'm slipping!" Tawnypelt screamed. I forced my claws into the bark and reached a branch. I looked out over the tree to Tawnypelt. The wind shook the branch roughly and I struggled to hold on. How am I supposed to save her? I looked down to see Sandstorm swimming through the shallow water and trying to reach Tawnypelt's tree. I looked at her in thought before I bunched my haunches then leapt to the branch on Tawnypelt's tree. The branch quivered as the wind tossed it around and I dangled in the air. I got my balance then climbed to Tawnypelt.
"Tawnypelt, let go." I ordered.
"What?! Ok Leopardstorm, I know when we were kits, I tricked you into eating rabbit droppings but I'm sure there's another way to work things out!" Tawnypelt chuckled nervously. I gpped at her.
"You what?! You told me those were berries!" I snapped. I shook my head. "I'll deal with you later. But trust me. Just let go." Tawnypelt looked in my eyes then sighed.
"If I die, I'll haunt you for life." Tawnypelt threatened. Then she released the tree. Tawnypelt screamed as she fell then landed on Sandstorm.
"Goodness, Tawnypelt! It's like I'm carrying a badger!" Sandstorm grunted. I quickly jumped down from the tree and into the water. The wind blew in my face and was dragging me back into the water. I growled and shivered as I followed my clanmates through the flood and to camp. We burst through the entrance with water streaming down our bodies and we were shivering violently. Yellowfang ran to us with Cinderpaw behind her. Bluestar followed.
"Are you three alright?" she asked.
"The flood is rising faster and higher! The territory might be covered in water and it might reach the camp!" Sandstorm reported. My teeth were rattling and my body was numb. Bluestar looked at me as she noticed my shivering.
"Leopardstorm?" she asked.
"I hate water." I stammered. Bluestar rolled her eyes.
"You three go to Yellowfang's den and get seen to." she meowed. I nodded and followed them to Yellowfang's den. Cinderpaw bounced beside me.
"Did you drown?" she asked. I looked at her.
"Of course I didn't! I actually saved Tawnypelt." I said. Tawnypelt rolled her eyes while Cinderpaw widened her eyes in awe.
"Whoa! Really?" she breathed. I lifted my chin.
"Yep." I chuckled.
"I could've saved myself!" Tawnypelt snapped. I raised an eyebrow and looked at her. Tawnypelt flattened her ears and rolled her eyes. "Eventually." she muttered. Me and Cinderpaw purred in amusement. Yellowfang stopped us.
"You will not come any further than this line." she meowed, drawing a line through the dirt with her claw. "If you cross it, I will personally, rip out your eyes and shove them down your throat so you can see my claws tear your stomach open. Understand?" she threatened. I shared a scared look with Tawnypelt and Sandstorm. Yellowfang nodded in satisfaction. "Wait here and I'll be right back with your herbs. Feel free to sit down and dry off until I come back." she mewed sweetly. Then she padded off to her store. Cinderpaw chuckled at our scared faces and zipped mouths.
"Don't worry! She just doesn't want you to get our nests wet with your soaking fur!" she chuckled. Then she looked at me. "Especially you, Leopardstorm. Your fur is really long and we're not trying to sleep in an ocean." I rolled my eyes.
"My fur's not that long." I muttered. Then Yellowfang padded back to us. She sniffed the dirt on her side of the line then nodded and walked closer to us with her herbs. She looked at me with disapproval.
"Go out and shake your fur." she ordered. I growled and stomped outside before shaking my fur out roughly.
"Hey!" a snap sounded beside me. I looked over to see Whitestorm and Willowpelt who were sharing a crow in the shelter of Yellowfang's roof. I smiled nervously while Whitestorm shook out his fur. "You just ruined a perfect moment." he muttered.
"Ooops! Sorry." I chuckled. Then I padded back inside Yellowfang's den. She was in the middle of treating Tawnypelt and she looked over at me with narrowed eyes.
"You're still dripping." she stated bluntly. I gaped at her in dismay.
"This is as dry as I'm gonna get! You know how long it takes for my fur to dry out!" I snapped. Yellowfang rolled her eyes and beckoned me over. She gave me some herbs and nodded.
"All done. Now get out before my threat becomes a promise." Yellowfang snapped. I ran out with Sandstorm and Tawnypelt on fast paws. We retreated from the rain in our den.
"Let's rest so we can be fit enough to go to the gathering." Sandstorm meowed. I nodded and settled in my nest. Then we went to sleep.
I woke up to hear Bluestar's yowl for the gathering. I padded out of the den and to the entrance. I padded beside Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw. Tigerclaw looked at us then followed Bluestar out the camp. We made our way through the forest to Four Trees. The way was blocked by water and I gaped at it in dismay. "How are we supposed to cross that?" Graystripe asked.
"We don't. I'm sure Shadowclan will let us cross through their territory for tonight." Bluestar meowed. Then she led the way to Shadowclan's territory.
"Stop!" a snarl sounded. We stopped and looked around to see Nightstar with his cats.
"Greetings, Nightstar. We were wondering if we could journey with you to Four Trees for this gathering. The way we usually go is blocked off." Bluestar meowed calmly. Nightstar snarled.
"Why our territory? Are you here to spy?" he growled. Bluestar looked taken aback.
"Excuse me Nightstar, but Thunderclan does not spy! Certainly not on the night of the gathering!" she snapped. Nightstar scoffed.
"Fine. We do need Thunderclan to be at the gathering so I guess you can come with us." he snickered. Then he beckoned his cats to surround us. Dawncloud padded to my side.
"Hello, Leopardstorm." she meowed. I looked at her and almost snapped until Silver Frost's words rang through my ears. You're not the only cat who has scars they can't hide, Leopardstorm. Think of that when you look at someone. I sighed.
"Good evening, Dawncloud." I said cooly. Dawncloud brightened up and purred. This doesn't mean I forgive you for lying to me. I bit my tongue and kept my mouth shut. Then we walked to Four Trees and Tawnypelt leaned over to me.
"What does Nightstar mean he needs Thunderclan at the gathering?" she whispered. I narrowed my eyes.
"I don't know but it's not good." I murmured. Finally we made it to Four Trees. Nightstar leapt onto the Great Rock with Bluestar.
"Cats of the clans! Hear me speak!" he yowled. Everyone turned to him while Tallstar and Crookedstar sat down. "Listen to my words. Brokenstar was the last leader of Shadowclan. We have-"
"Why do you speak of that horrid name?" Tallstar snapped.
"Horrid is correct, but forgotten. I think not." Nightstar meowed. I shared an uneasy look with my siblings. "We have found out that Brokenstar is still in the presence of our clans. Was he chased off or killed? No! Do you know why? Because Thunderclan is sheltering them in their camp!" he spat. Gasps filled the air and furious yowls broke out. I sagged lower and flattened my ears as hate filled glares pointed at me and my clanmates. Oh, great Starclan...