Chapter 25
Airstorm?
Airstorm's ear twitched as someone said his name. It was a familiar voice, but he couldn't place to the sound to the face.
Airstorm?
Whoever it was clearly knew him and Airstorm again wondered who it was.
Airstorm?
Realization flashed through Airstorm as he pictured the golden brown she-cat with stars in her pelt: Jaystar.
Airstorm?
Airstorm opened his eyes as he realized he should answer his ancestor, but when his vision cleared, he was laying on stone and Jaystar's mews had been silenced. He lifted his head, but blood pounded in his ears and the world started spinning. He laid his head down on the cold stone and the last thing he realized before losing conscious was two hairless paws scooping him up.
*
Airstorm's eyes fluttered open and he pulled himself to his paws, legs shaking badly. He stared around him with sleep filled eyes as he realized he was standing in a brightly colored den, his paws on top of black-and-white stone. There were square rocks all around him that glowed silver and as Airstorm scented the air around him, his nose burned, similar to when he passed by a monster. He was in a twoleg den.
"Hello?" Airstorm's eyes flashed to a cat walking towards him. She was tiny and had small delicate white paws, dark blue eyes soft as she stared at Airstorm. Her muzzle was white as was the tip of her long tail that waved behind her. Her fur was a pale ginger and she had darker stripes running through it, but in her neck fur was a shiny purple collar.
Kittypet, Airstorm thought to himself.
"Hello?" The kittypet asked again, "How are you feeling?"
"Fine," Airstorm meowed, glancing around, "Where am I? How did I get here?"
"This is my housefolk's den," The she-cat explained gently, "Perry saw you outside and yowled until the housefolk went outside and brought you in. You were badly cut and had to deep wounds in your shoulders."
Airstorm glanced at his shoulders and his memory returned to him. The talons of the hawk. His shoulders were scarred, probably for life, but they looked like they had healed. "Excuse me-" Airstorm's voice trailed off. He realized he didn't know the she-cat's name.
"Violet," The she-cat answered, "Who are you?"
"Airstorm," The brown tom meowed, "Violet, how long have I been here?"
"In here? About three dawns," Airstorm sighed. That wasn't so bad. "But you were at the vet for about four."
"The vet?" Airstorm asked confused, his heart pounding.
"You were really hurt," Violet answered, "Perry and my housefolk took you to the vet."
"Perry?" Airstorm asked, wondering who the tom was that Violet mentioned so often.
"Perry is my denmate," Violet answered, "He's a couple moons older than me."
Airstorm nodded, "I'm sorry Violet, but I've got to go home. I'm grateful for everything you did, but my family will be wondering where I am."
Violet nodded as though she knew he was going to say that, "I understand, Airstorm. Where is your housefolk's den? I would very much like to see you again."
Airstorm looked away, "I don't live with housefolk. I live in a Clan."
Airstorm didn't expect Violet to understand, but he was shocked when she meowed, "I thought they were wiped out?"
"How do you-"
"Perry's the descendant of one of the Clan cats," Violet answered, "The water one, I believe."
"RiverClan," Airstorm whispered, amazed. Other than the rogues he had never met any other cats who had the blood of the ancient Clans. "That's interesting, but I must be returning home."
"Will you visit?" Violet asked.
"Maybe," Airstorm allowed. He didn't want to make a promise to the pretty she-cat and not follow it through.
"Okay," Violet meowed cheerfully, "Bye Airstorm."
"Bye Violet."
*
Airstorm raced back to JayClan's camp, his shoulders on fire as he jumped over trees and splashed through streams. If he was smart he would have rested more at Violet's home, but he didn't want his Clanmates to worry. Nor did he want any twolegs coming to try and put a collar on him. He had heard the stories of Clan cats who were captured by twolegs back in the old forest and he vowed not to get caught and dragged away from his Clan. He wouldn't even go back to the brightly colored den. Although Airstorm made the promise, he had a feeling that for some reason he would break it.
Airstorm jumped on top of the treebridge, still running, before crashing into his camp, glancing around him excitedly.
Woodstar was sitting by Gingereye, talking to Reedtail quietly. Orangepelt was talking to Flamepaw, Maroonfeather pacing around them, his eyes guarded. Darkshadow was laying outside the warriors' den, Lakesky hovering over him and giving him small licks on his head. Waterdrop was playing with Thunderkit although Airstorm could tell she wasn't into it.
Sunfoot was the first one to notice him.
"Airstorm!"
Everyone's heads snapped towards the brown tabby.
"Airstorm!"
"Airstorm!"
"Airstorm! Airstorm!"
Airstorm blinked and suddenly nearly every cat in the Clan was struggling to reach him. Gingereye had practically thrown herself at her son, covering his face with fierce licks. Waterdrop and Thunderkit danced around them while Woodstar, Darkshadow, Reedtail, and Orangepelt purred, nodding their heads.
"Airstorm how?" Woodstar purred, giving his son a lick on the head.
"The hawk dropped me," Airstorm meowed with a shrug, trying to step away from Gingereye.
"You survived a fall from that high?" Voleheart growled in shock, "You are a very lucky cat."
"StarClan watches over me," Airstorm meowed simply.
"Where were you for seven days?" Talonclaw asked, coming over to Airstorm and sniffing his wounds.
"Yeah," Darkshadow meowed, "If you survived why didn't you come home?"
"Would have saved us a lot of patrols," Sunfoot added.
"I was out," Airstorm explained and then paused before adding, "And I had help."
"Who?" Lakesky asked.
Airstorm glanced away and then meowed quietly, "Twolegs."
"Twolegs?!" Flamepaw snarled in disbelief.
"They did!" Airstorm growled.
"Twolegs helped a cat?" Reedtail hissed quietly, "Why would they do that?"
"Don't judge the work of StarClan," Orangepelt meowed calmly, "Had twolegs not helped Airstorm, my nephew would not be alive right now."
Airstorm nodded.
"Maybe we should let Airstorm sleep," Waterdrop meowed gently, "You look exhausted brother."
Airstorm nodded and yawned, shocked that he had slept for so long and still was tired.
Gingereye led him to the warriors' den and he curled up into a tight ball, passing out.