Chapter 21

"This way!"

Cloudpaw's mew made Tinyclaw jump. A white shape tore itself from the doorway, bolting across the lawn, yowling as loud as she could manage. The moment the Twoleg turned, Ravenpaw and Sandstorm bolted. Tinyclaw followed, catching up to them as they joined Cloudpaw in streaking across the yard. A dog yapped behind them – but the cats did not slow as they burst through the hedge and away from the Twoleg nest.

They settled together in a patch of nettles lengths away from the nest. Sandstorm pressed against him, her panting filling his ears. Tinyclaw looked her over – she's safe, she's safe – and then swept his gaze over Ravenpaw and, finally, Cloudpaw. All here, all safe. Cloudpaw's tail was fluffed like her namesake, but otherwise she seemed to be fine.

She stared back at him, blue eyes wide. Tinyclaw stared at her, ice to sky, and relief flooded him. Now that they were safe, his doubts and worries nag at his mind. Tinyclaw had no idea what to say.

"Thank you for coming for me," Cloudpaw said. Her eyes drifted to her paws, one ginger one white.

"Do you want to come back to the Clan?" Tinyclaw asked, blunt like a blow. Cloudpaw was safe – now the needs of the Clan had to come first.

She lifted her chin. "Of course!" she said. "I know I should never have gone to Twolegs. I've learned my lesson Tinyclaw; I'll never do it again."

"Why should we believe you?" Sandstorm wondered. Tinyclaw frowned at her – her tone was mild. Ravenpaw stayed silent, tail curled over his paws.

"You… you came all this way to find me," Cloudpaw meowed uncertainly. "You must want me back."

"I need to be able to trust you," Tinyclaw said evenly. The world doesn't revolve around you, Cloudpaw. "The Clan needs to be able to trust you, they need to know that you can obey the warrior code."

"You can trust me!" Cloudpaw insisted, on her paws.

"You can convince me," Tinyclaw meowed gravely, "but can you convince the Clan? All they'll see is that you left the Clan to live with Twolegs, during a time when we need you most. What makes you think they'll trust a cat that chose the kittypet life over the Clan?"

"I didn't choose!" Cloudpaw meowed. "I didn't want to go with the Twolegs! I belong with the Clan. I do!"

Sandstorm leaned into Tinyclaw's ear, her breath warm: "Don't be too hard on him."

The seriousness in Cloudpaw's eyes must have moved Sandstorm to be more sympathetic. Would that look convince the rest of the Clan? Keeping his anger inside was getting tiring, and Tinyclaw knew he wouldn't be able to be so hard on his niece. He leaned forward and licked Cloudpaw between the ears. "Make sure you listen to me in the future," he warned just loud enough to be heard over the purr rumbling in Cloudpaw's chest.

"The moon's rising," Ravenpaw meowed, "if you want to be home before sunhigh, you'd best be going."

Tinyclaw nodded. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes," Sandstorm agreed, stretching her legs one by one.

"Good," Tinyclaw meowed. "Then let's get going."

Ravenpaw led them as far as the uplands before moving off. WindClan's territory stretched before them, dying grass glistening with dew as dawn touches the sky with oranges and purples. In the height of greenleaf, they'd made good progress.

"Thanks, Ravenpaw," Tinyclaw had told the black tom, before he left. "It must have been hard, coming back into Clan territory. But I am glad you did."

"So am I," Ravenpaw had agreed, glancing briefly at Cloudpaw. "Even if we aren't Clanmates anymore, you will always have my friendship and loyalty."

Tinyclaw and Ravenpaw had touched noses, and then Ravenpaw trotted away. Tinyclaw watched him until he disappeared into the hedges, and then he turned to the others. "If we hurry, we can reach Fourtrees before WindClan sends out their dawn patrol."

He set off, Sandstorm and Cloudpaw flanking him. The uplands were quiet in the dawn light, old badger sets silent and empty. Beside Tinyclaw, Cloudpaw gasped at the growing dawn. The young cat looked more than happy to watch the sun rise with her own eyes, unobstructed by Twoleg glass. That look in her eye gave Tinyclaw hope for her future within the Clan.

"I smell home," she breathed.

"Really?" Sandstorm chuckled. "All I smell is old badger dirt."

"And I smell ThunderClan intruders!"

Tinyclaw and the others turned, bristling. Deadfoot, the WindClan deputy, loped out of a patch of heather, his sleek shape and lopsided gate distinctive. Beside him came Mudclaw, and his small tabby apprentice, Webpaw. Tinyclaw tensed, heart pounding. How many more were there?

None came. Deadfoot growled, "You seem to be making WindClan territory your home lately, Tinyclaw. Last I checked, you were a ThunderClan cat."

We're evenly matched. "There's no other way from the forest to the lands beyond," Tinyclaw explained, trying to keep his tone patient. He didn't want to start a fight with WindClan – but the way he and Tigerstar had been treated before was something he couldn't forget.

"Are you trying to travel to Highstones again?" Deadfoot wondered, growling. "What, is Tigerstar dead?"

Sandstorm arched her spine, hissing, "Tigerstar is fine!"

"So why are you here?" Mudclaw growled, matching Sandstorm for bristling fur and arcing spine.

"Just passing through!" Cloudpaw piped up. Her smaller mew sounded even smaller next to the larger warriors; but she stepped up bravely, eyeing Deadfoot with that usual arrogance of hers. Tinyclaw tensed.

"I see Tinyclaw is not the only one in need of a lesson in respect!" Deadfoot snarled.

Tinyclaw opened his jaws – perhaps he could explain their presence, maybe they didn't need to fight – but it was too late. Deadfoot's tail twitched, and the big black tom leaped. Deadfoot landed heavily on Tinyclaw's back, but the smaller cat rolled with the impact and slammed his hind paws into the WindClan deputy's stomach, sending him away.

Deadfoot got to his paws quickly. "Slow," he growled, "like all forest cats!" Daedfoot's paw flashed, and Tinyclaw felt claws raking his ear.

"I'm fast enough!" Tinyclaw spat back. He gathered his muscles and leaped, slamming his side into Deadfoot's and knocking the bigger tom off balance. As Mudclaw and Sandstorm grappled just in the corner of his eye, Tinyclaw hooked a claw into one of Deadfoot's hind legs. There was violent tug, and Deadfoot fell onto his side.

Behind him, Webpaw and Cloudpaw were wrestling in a whirl of ginger-and-white and tabby fur. Tinyclaw could hear their growling even as he kept himself focused on Deadfoot. The WindClan deputy was getting to his paws – but before he was all there Tinyclaw lunged, slamming into his side again. Tinyclaw held Deadfoot down, pressing the black tom into the scrub and digging his claws into his side. Deadfoot thrashed.

A tabby streaked by – Webpaw, fleeing from a whooping Cloudpaw. Mudclaw hissed and aimed a last attack at Sandstorm before streaking away after his apprentice. Tinyclaw dug his claws into Deadfoot once more before letting the bigger tom go.

"I'll show you respect when you've earned it," Tinyclaw growled after Deadfoot. The black tom fixed him with a venomous look before loping away.

Tinyclaw waited until all three were gone before turning about. "We need to get out of here," he panted, "before they come with reinforcements." Sandstorm meowed in agreement – Cloudpaw's eyes were shining, but she fell in step as Tinyclaw started back on their way to Fourtrees.

"Did you see that apprentice run?" Cloudpaw purred. "Looks like I haven't forgotten my training after all!"

"Hush," Tinyclaw hissed.

Cloudpaw shut her jaws – for once, listening without a fight. But her eyes still shone. Tinyclaw felt a little bit of relief at that. So long as she listens, and makes an effort, she can be as proud of her achievements as she wants.

They didn't talk, running full-pelt to Fourtrees. It was only when they were clambering down the rocky slope that WindClan took to Gatherings, Fourtrees looming in the hollow before them, that Sandstorm sidled up to Tinyclaw to mew: "Did you see Cloudpaw fight?"

Tinyclaw shook his head as he slid down to another stone. Sandstorm went on, bounding down to his level, "She saw that WindClan apprentice off in about three rabbit hops," she said. "The poor tabby was terrified!"

"Webpaw probably just started his training," Tinyclaw reasoned, ignoring the glow of pride in his chest.

"Cloudpaw's spent the last moon holed up in a Twoleg nest," Sandstorm reminded him, her breath warm against his whiskers. "She's so out of shape – but she still managed to fend off Webpaw as if he were a mouse."

Sandstorm nudged him, her green eyes boring into his, willing Tinyclaw to listen. She doesn't have to try hard, and she knows it. "Cloudpaw will make a great warrior," she said. "Once she's been trained, of course."

Ahead, Cloudpaw was just skidding down the rest of the way, tail puffed out. She bounced excitedly at the base of the hill, her jaws open to taste the air and her eyes sparkling and wide. She was home, and she knew it.

"She needs a bit of a lesson in humility," Tinyclaw meowed to Sandstorm, watching Cloudpaw sniff about the clearing. The great oaks of Fourtrees creaked against a hot breeze. "But I agree."

Sandstorm's whiskers twitched in amusement. She pressed her muzzle against his for a long moment before bounding down the slope after Cloudpaw, catching up the ginger-and-white apprentice at the bottom.

Tinyclaw padded down a bit more slowly, watching them. Sandstorm might have faith in Cloudpaw – and Tinyclaw did, too; he just couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that Cloudpaw might never fully understand the warrior code.

The air was stifling and hot, a storm looming in the distance like a great enemy. Tinyclaw and the others rushed through the familiar forest, paws eating the undergrowth. Tinyclaw was paces ahead, anxiety gnawing at his mind. The forest was quiet, birdsong in the air and prey on the ground, but there was no time to stop and hunt. I left the Clan almost defenseless – did Bluefur come? Did she attack?

Tinyclaw sped ahead, leaving Sandstorm and Cloudpaw panting in his wake as concern gave his paws wings. He didn't stop until he slid down the ravine and all but stumbled into camp – only to find that everything was fine.

A few cats, early risers who wanted some sun before the heat grew too intense, looked up at him, concern in their gaze. Tinyclaw took a deep breath and did his best to settle himself before alarm spread.

Whitestorm approached, almost glowing in the sunlight. "I'm glad you're back safely," he meowed.

Tinyclaw dipped his head apologetically. "I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly," he meowed. "Ravenpaw came to find me, saying he'd found Cloudpaw."

"Swiftpaw told me," Whitestorm assured him.

Sandstorm and Cloudpaw appeared then, rustling the gorse as they padded through the tunnel. Their fur was specked with dust from the trip down the ravine, but both looked more than happy to be home. Cloudpaw especially, her eyes wide as she took in the clearing. When the whole Clan turned their eyes on her in shock, Cloudpaw lowered her gaze to her paws.

Whitestorm's sandy eyes passed over Cloudpaw. "We heard you'd gone to live with Twolegs," he meowed evenly.

"Yeah," Longtail sneered, stalking across the clearing. "We thought you went to be a kittypet again!" The striped tom stared down at Cloudpaw, his long tail twitching in challenge. The other cats watched, curious, their eyes unblinking as they awaited Cloudpaw's response.

Cloudpaw raised her chin. "I was stolen by Twolegs!" she said defiantly.

A murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd. Ashpaw and Fernpaw darted out, nuzzling their littermate with purrs that rivaled the growl of a monster. "I knew you'd never go!" Ashpaw meowed. "I knew!"

Cloudpaw raised her head, with a nod. "I hissed and spat and fought but they still took me!" she said.

"Typical Twolegs!" Speckletail decided from the back. "So rude!"

Tinyclaw blinked in amazement. Is she really going to win over the Clan with this tale? He wondered. If so, then Cloudpaw could tell stories to rival Ravenpaw.

"I was lucky Ravenpaw saw me," Cloudpaw meowed, her tone turning somber and desperate. "He went to find Tinyclaw, and he and Sandstorm came to rescue me. If not for them, I'd still be in that stinky nest, trapped with that dog!"

"Dog?!" Smallear repeated, his tone worried.

"Did I hear someone say dog?" One-eye asked from where she lay beside Smallear.

"I did!" Cloudpaw answered. "It was loose in the nest with me."

Tinyclaw saw the elder's eyes fill with alarm. Well, she's always had their hearts in his paws, he reasoned.

"Loose!" Ashpaw repeated. Fernpaw fretted, "Did it hurt you?" Swiftpaw and Brightpaw watched from the crowd, anxious as if the dog were in the crowd with them now.

"No," Cloudpaw assured them, shaking her head. "It barked a lot, though."

Tinyclaw coughed, interjecting: "You can tell your Clanmates later," he said. "What matters is that you're home, and that things are going to be different. You need to eat, and get some rest. Tomorrow your training resumes, presuming Tigerstar wishes you to stay."

Cloudpaw's eyes flashed, and she meowed, "But I didn't even get to the part about WindClan attacking us!"

"WindClan?" Dustpelt hissed. "That explains that nick in your ear, Tinyclaw. Did they chase you off?" With Cinderpelt beside him, what would have been a jibe sounded instead like concern.

Sandstorm shook her head. "We chased them off, actually," she said. "Cloudpaw fought like a warrior!"

"Did she?" Oakheart wondered, sharing a glance with Whitestorm.

"She fought off a WindClan apprentice all on her own," Sandstorm went on. "Sent them running for their mother!"

Cloudpaw raised her chin at the praise, eyes sparkling. Tinyclaw frowned slightly – Cloudpaw had arrogance enough; she didn't need Sandstorm adding to her hubris.

"Well done," Longtail decided begrudgingly. Beside him, Mousefur nodded, still subdued by her losses. Tinyclaw knew that Cloudpaw would take that news harder than anything, if she wasn't already too swept up to wonder where Runningwind and Thornpaw were.

"Is that it, though?" Dustpelt wondered. "Do we just take her back?"

Whitestorm and Oakheart exchanged another glance. "That would be for Tigerstar to decide," Whitestorm meowed finally. "But ThunderClan needs warriors more than ever before. It would be foolish of us to send Cloudpaw away."

"Can we trust her not to run away again?" Dustpelt wondered. He didn't sound biting, just worried. Like any Clan cat would be.

"I didn't run away!" Cloudpaw insisted. "I was stolen!"

Dustpelt's hackles rose, but it amounted to nothing – Tinyclaw swept over the tabby tom before he could say or do anything: "Whitestorm is right, and Dustpelt's point is fair. As I said before – this is up to Tigerstar." It would take more than a good story to convince the Clan to accept Cloudpaw again – they wanted, needed, Tigerstar's assurance.

Tinyclaw stifled a sigh. "I'll go and speak with Tigerstar," he decided.