Chapter 24

Author's Note: Hey everyone. What's new? I have big plans for this chapter and the next which involve a death, a new love interest for one of our cats, and a hawk. So please read and review.

It had been half a moon since Airstorm and Waterdrop had become warriors and Darkshadow, Airstorm, and Waterdrop had slowly eased their way back into JayClan, leading patrols through a territory they hardly remembered and relearning how to catch fish since there had been no lakes by SkyClan's territory. Even though Airstorm had been nervous about running around with the warriors, he proved to be stronger than most of them. After all, the journey had strengthened him and his siblings in a way that his Clanmates could never understand. They hadn't climbed the mountains day and night, never stopping even when their paws began to bleed. They hadn't had to fight nearly a hundred rats with barely a handful of warriors. Airstorm and his siblings were forever stronger because of their adventures.

"Airstorm!" Airstorm looked up as Voleheart called his name. He was on patrol with the Clan deputy, Lakesky, and Flamepaw and the four cats were just heading back to JayClan. "Airstorm, come on!"

Airstorm followed Voleheart obediently and the four cats crossed the treebridge before entering their camp. Even after half a moon with his Clanmates, Airstorm was still astonished that he was back home. Sometimes he woke up, forgetting where he was. He was so used to sleeping in the gorge with the SkyClan cats.

As soon as they entered the camp, the patrol broke apart. Voleheart hurried over to Woodstar, no doubt going to tell him that the borders had been quiet. There had been no sign of the rogues. Lakesky immediately went to Darkshadow's side and brushed her fur against his as the dark warrior talked with Gingereye, Thunderkit and Sleetkit dancing around them. Flamepaw, who Airstorm noticed was a loner, went to get a piece of freshkill before stalking to the shadows that surrounded the apprentices' den. Pawsteps mad, Airstorm looked up and he was surprised to see Maroonfeather padding towards him. Despite being Clanmates, Airstorm didn't have a lot of experience dealing with the young warrior.

"Airstorm," Maroonfeather meowed, dipping his head, "How was the border? Any sign of the rogues?"

Something that always puzzled Airstorm about Maroonfeather was that the ginger tom always seemed interested in the rogues. Airstorm didn't care though. Who wouldn't be interested in the group of cats trying to wipe out the Clan?

"No, thank StarClan," Airstorm answered, "Lakesky said they haven't been sighted for nearly two moons so maybe they have decided to leave us alone and get on with their own lives."

Maroonfeather shook his head and meowed, "Not with Toby as their leader. I met Toby my first night out as an apprentice and he was very much like he is now. Ambitious and violent. He won't stop until JayClan is wiped out."

Airstorm was silent before he asked, "Would we have to kill him to have peace with the rogues?"

Again Maroonfeather shook his head, "Woodstar used to tell me about how things were before Toby got to power. Back then the cats were led by a tom named Barker who was very much like Toby is now: out of control, a real menace to the Clan. Woodstar had met Toby back then and like a lot of the rogues, he was quiet, only obeying the orders of his leader. He wasn't a monster back then."

"If he wasn't violent back then what made him become like this?" Airstorm asked, unsure on how they got to the subject of the rogues, but very interested in the topic. He had never heard the story about the rogues before.

"The way rogues choose their next leader is by strength," Maroonfeather explained, "Toby was the strongest cat in the rogues and everyone expected him to be made leader when Barker was killed."

"Killed?" Airstorm asked.

Maroonfeather nodded, "To become leader then the rogue who was next in line, in this case Toby, would have to kill the leader."

"What if the leader died naturally? Or by another cat's paw?" Airstorm asked.

"If another cat killed the leader then they would become leader of the rogues, no questions asked," Maroonfeather explained, "It's like signing an agreement with blood. And if the leader dies of old age or by nature then a Gathering is held. But-" Maroonfeather began, seeing the surprise on Airstorm's face, "It is not the Gatherings our ancestors held. Two elected toms fight to the death and whoever lives is the next leader. For a group of savages, the rogues are very well organized."

Airstorm was silent, everything sinking in, before he meowed, "So Toby killed Barker? Just to be leader?"

"He did more than just kill his leader," Maroonfeather growled, "He killed his father."

Airstorm didn't know what to say to that and Maroonfeather sighed, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tell you all of this. I really wanted to ask you about Flamepaw. I'm worried that he's becoming a loner since their are no other cats his age."

"I noticed that too," Airstorm meowed, "Would you like me to do something about it?"

"You're bright, Airstorm, yes," Maroonfeather mewed, "Can you just try to be a friend to Flamepaw? Talk to him or take him hunting? I would really appreciate it and I'm sure he would love the company."

Airstorm nodded, "I'll talk to him, Maroonfeather."

"Thanks," Maroonfeather purred, "Now if you excuse me I promised that I would go hunting with Sunfoot and Reedtail. I'll see you later, Airstorm, okay?"

"Bye," Airstorm meowed and waited a couple seconds before padding over to where Flamepaw sat alone. "Hey Flamepaw, how are you?"

"Save the best friend act," Flamepaw snarled, "I know why you're here."

"What do you mean?" Airstorm asked calmly, trying to feign innocence.

"I saw you talking with my father," Flamepaw growled, "I know he talked you into coming to talk with me. He thinks I'm a loner."

"I'm just trying to be friendly," Airstorm snapped, "I know we haven't known each other that well and I want to change that."

"Right," Flamepaw hissed with a roll of his eyes, "You can shove that-" Flamepaw's violet eyes widened and both cats whirled around as a shadow fell across JayClan's camp.

"Hawk," Airstorm whispered and then yowled, "Hawk!"

Everyone's eyes snapped towards him and then up at the hawk before scattering into their dens. Woodstar sprang over to Gingereye's side and the two of them, plus Darkshadow and Lakesky, headed into the nursery. Voleheart, Waterdrop, and Orangepelt were heading into the warriors' den and Airstorm glanced at Flamepaw, meowing, "Move!"

"Why?" Flamepaw snarled, "We can fight it."

"You think hawks are only dangerous to kits?" Airstorm growled, "I've seen hawks that could carry Maroonfeather or a warrior to StarClan knows where! Hawks are serious matters and-" Airstorm was cut off by a high pitch yowl,

"Sleetkit!" Airstorm whirled around and saw the giant bird swoop down towards the nursery where the white tom had curiously peered out of the entrance. A wail was heard and a second later the hawk was rising. Airstorm and Flamepaw instantly raced towards the hawk, but the brown tabby was faster. Airstorm sprang up and sank his teeth into the bird. The hawk screeched in surprise and released Sleetkit, but his talons attacked Airstorm's shoulders. Airstorm yowled, but slowly felt himself be carried away by the hawk.

The last thing he heard as he was carried away was: "Airstorm!"

Author's Note: Cliffhanger.