Chapter 27

The warm greenleaf air was slowly drifting away and the first of the leaf-fall winds were being tasted by the warriors of JayClan. Squirrels had begun to hoard their nuts for the upcoming seasons while voles dug holes where they would spend leafbare when the lakeside was blanketed in a soft layer of snow. Birds were becoming less common and elder warriors told the apprentices and kits that this was because of the cold winds. Birds were migrating to warmer place to spend leafbare as were the fish for in time the lake would become frozen. Every warrior in JayClan could tell that this would be a harsh leafbare, but no one spoke of it out loud in fear of confirming the omen.

Airstorm was at all concerned with the upcoming leafbare, at least not yet, but after deciding to visit Talonclaw due to a bellyache, he accidently eavesdropped on a conversation between the medicine cat and Woodstar:

"Talonclaw," Woodstar had greeted the medicine cat with a dip of his head while Airstorm had huddled outside the den, debating on whether to reveal himself to Talonclaw and his father.

"Woodstar," Talonclaw had nodded to his leader, "How can I be of assistance?"

"I know that the two of us have never been close and for good reason, but I would like to thank you for not revealing what I told you last time," Woodstar had whispered and his amber eyes glanced around nervously.

"Of course, Woodstar," Talonclaw had meowed in an equally quiet tone, "But I knew. I wouldn't be a good medicine cat if I didn't know how many lives our leader had left."

Airstorm had stopped breathing at this part. Everyone in JayClan thought that Woodstar had three lives left... was that a lie?

"I know, but I thank you for not telling anyone even Gingereye," Woodstar had meowed, "I don't know how she or the kits would react if they found out I only had one life left."

Airstorm had completely forgotten about his stomach ache and padded away, his gray eyes wide at the information he should have never found out. For the rest of the day, Airstorm's head had been in a cloud, thoughts entering his mind like the warriors entered the camp. Why was Woodstar talking to Talonclaw about his lives? Was he worried about the upcoming leafbare?

Airstorm shook his head. That had been a moon ago and Woodstar was still going strong. Despite his earlier thoughts, Airstorm had convinced himself that there was nothing to be afraid of. If there was then both Woodstar and Talonclaw would be more nervous.

"Airstorm!" Airstorm had no time to turn his head before two tiny bodies jumped onto him, "Airstorm! Airstorm!"

Airstorm purred and glanced at his two nieces: Dawnkit and Featherkit. The two kits were barely a moon old yet they had grown quickly and Dawnkit alone could tackle Airstorm if she tried hard enough.

"Airstorm!" Dawnkit squeaked in her small kit voice, "Are you going out into the forest?"

"Can you take us with you?" Featherkit pleaded, her ice blue eyes hopeful.

"You two know the rules," It wasn't Airstorm who talked, but the kits' father, Darkshadow, who padded towards his brother and daughters. "Now come on you two. Don't bruise your senior warrior."

"Senior?" Airstorm purred, "You calling me old, Darkshadow?"

"He is old!" Dawnkit piped up, her green eyes alive with humor.

"Older than you two, maybe," Airstorm purred, cuffing Dawnkit on the ear, "But I'm younger than your father."

"Only by a couple moons," Darkshadow protested.

"Six," Airstorm purred, flicking Darkshadow on the shoulder with his tail tip.

Darkshadow rolled his eyes and flicked Featherkit on the flank with his tail, "Why don't you two annoy some other cat and let Airstorm have some peace and quiet?"

Featherkit's eyes lit up, "What about Flamepaw and Thunderpaw?"

Airstorm purred and shook his head as the two kits raced over to the apprentices' den. Thunderpaw adored his two nieces while Flamepaw complained that the two kits were too noisy although he would never do it openly. After all, his mentor was the kits' mother.

"They're good kits, Darkshadow," Airstorm meowed, nodding towards the disappearing bodies of Dawnkit and Featherkit.

"Yes they are," Darkshadow watched his kits with an affectionate stare, "They take after Lakesky more than me so thank StarClan for that."

There was silence for a moment before Airstorm meowed, "Do you ever think of Birdheart's kit? After all, he or she is your kin as well."

Darkshadow paused and then nodded slowly, "A lot actually, Airstorm. I wonder if he or she looks like me or what they are like. I wonder if they are getting fed properly or who is their mentor."

"Was," Airstorm corrected, "They should nearly be a warrior by now."

Darkshadow nodded, "I think about that too. What is their name? Sometimes I would love to go back to SkyClan and see them, Cloudleaf too, but I have a life here. I have a mate, two kits, and an apprentice. As much as I would want to I can't just drop everything and see them. Maybe one day, but not anytime soon."

"Maybe they will seek out you?" Airstorm suggested, "After all, Birdheart would have to tell them something about their father."

Darkshadow nodded, but didn't say anything else so Airstorm meowed, "I'm going hunting."

Darkshadow's black eyes lit up, "Want some company?"

At that moment Flamepaw yowled, "You stupid kit!"

Airstorm shared a glance with Darkshadow, "I think you might have to stay here."

Darkshadow rolled his eyes, "I bet you a moon worth of dawn patrols that it was Dawnkit's fault."

*

Airstorm padded towards RiverClan's border with ShadowClan, following the stench of rogue- and the occasional JayClan warrior, Waterdrop mostly- until he arrived at a small Twoleg den, nestled in the forest. Airstorm sat outside and waited and suddenly an opening- door, Airstorm had learned- opened and a ginger she-cat with white paws padded at, violet eyes glowing as she spotted Airstorm.

"Airstorm!" Violet purred and touched Airstorm's cheek with her soft pink nose.

"Violet," Airstorm meowed with a dip of his head, "How have you been?"

"I'm good," Violet mewed, sitting next to Airstorm, their pelts brushing. "My house- Twolegs adopted a dog. A little yappy thing, but I soon put him in his place."

Airstorm nodded and purred while Violet touched his shoulder with her tail, "You haven't been by in awhile, I thought that maybe- that maybe you didn't want to see me anymore."

"Never," Airstorm purred, pressing his face into Violet's soft fur, "I've just been really busy with JayClan. Woodstar, our leader and my father, has only one life left-"

Violet cut him off.

"One life? We all have one life."

Airstorm shook his head, "Clan leaders have nine lives."

"Nine lives," Violet meowed in wonder, "But I always thought that-"

The stench of two cats drifted over them and Violet paused, "Those aren't two cats I know."

Airstorm had frozen.

Rogues.

"Violet, go back to your Twolegs," Airstorm warned.

"What? Why, Airstorm?" Violet asked softly, hearing the worry in the brown tabby's voice.

"Go," Airstorm meowed, "I'll see you tomorrow."

After making sure Violet had gone back into the Twoleg den, Airstorm raced towards where the two scents were the strongest. He heard voices and ducked behind a small bush.

"My father is suspicious of me," A rogue meowed in a gruff voice, "I'm worried for your safety. If he was to find us here-" The tom's voice trailed off.

His companion added something in a quieter voice.

"He wouldn't attack me," The tom answered.

Again the other cat added something else that Airstorm couldn't hear.

"My scar?" The tom meowed, "He got angry, but he would never kill me. You. He wouldn't think twice about killing you and if anything were to happen... and it was my fault, I couldn't live with myself. I won't let anything happen to you, Waterdrop."

"Cody," Waterdrop sighed.

"Waterdrop!" Airstorm couldn't help, but screech and both cats whirled around to face the brown tabby.

"Airstorm!" Waterdrop growled, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Airstorm hissed.

"I'm merely visiting a good friend," Waterdrop meowed simply, twining her tail with Cody's.

"Looks like more than that," Airstorm growled, "Waterdrop! He's a rogue!"

"And your little friend is a kittypet!" Waterdrop hissed, causing Airstorm to freeze.

"What?"

"Cody saw the two of you one day," Waterdrop snapped and Cody ducked his head.

"I'm sorry, Airstorm," Cody meowed gently, "I thought Waterdrop knew."

Airstorm growled and Waterdrop added, "Airstorm, I won't tell. If you don't."

Airstorm stared at his sister and sighed, "Fine."

And although he wouldn't know for many moons, Airstorm's one word, condemned a friend to death.