"What?" Trail was sure he had misunderstood. "My mother Tulip?"

"Poor, senile old she-cat," sighed Scythe. "With her son so distant from the world, false rumours were bound to reach her. She happened to hear one too many about you killing cats, and deciding you were evil, sent me after you."

Trail clamped his paw down on Scythe's muzzle to keep the rogue from saying anything more. The brown tom's head was spinning. Had he been so separated from every other cat there was, Tulip had thought he was a bad cat? She had kitted him and raised him for six moons!

Goosewind reappeared over the crest of the hill, looking ashamed. There wasn't any prey in his jaws.

As the grey warrior placed his paws on Scythe's head again, Trail spoke. "Goosewind, do you think you could take care of Scythe alone for a little while? I want to check on Pinestripe."

Goosewind's eyes softened slightly with understanding. "Of course. Heavywhisker should be along for the next shift soon anyways."

"Thanks." Trail began to walk away, needing to put distance between himself and Scythe. "Keep your paws on his muzzle. Don't let him tell you anything."

After a cold trek through strong winds across the Windclan moor, and a muddy hike with a patrol through Riverclan territory, Trail sat beside the unconscious Pinestripe in the Riverclan medicine den. The black-and-white cat's wounds were covered with poultices and cobwebs, and her expression was furrowed slightly, as though she was still in pain.

If what the medicine cat Ravenbelly said was true, she would wake up eventually. He hoped it was soon.

"Trail?"
Her voice was crackly and feeble, but it was Pinestripe's meow. She was awake!

"Pinestripe!" he hurried over to her. Her eyes were half open, and she looked a little confused.

"Where am I?" she rasped.

"In the Riverclan medicine den. They're treating you."

"...What happened?"

"A monster hit you. I brought you to the Clans. They said you'll hopefully recover."

Pinestripe nodded. Her eyes were opening more, and were clearing.

"I wanted to thank you," Trail continued. "For everything you did to help me while I was traveling."

Pinestripe flicked her tail. "I only did what any good medicine cat would do."

"I wouldn't have," Trail told her. "At least, the me from a few moons ago wouldn't have."

"I think you're right," the Windclan cat responded. "When I first met you, you were quite different than you are today."

"I think grief changed me," Trail admitted. "I'd never lost someone close to me before in my life, because there had never been anyone close to me. But then there was… was Pepper… and how you were dying while I tried to drag you over the hill. Those things changed me."

"I think it changed you for the better."

As the stars emerged, Trail lay separated from the other warriors for another night in the Windclan camp. Shadestar had left for a meeting with the Clan leaders and the medicine cats about what to do with Scythe. A chilling, strong wind blew overhead. It made Trail grateful for the dip in the moor that was the camp, which kept them mostly out of the wind.

As the warriors headed off to their nests, Trail tried to fall asleep as well. But he couldn't. Something was gnawing at him. Several things from the tumultuous day he'd had.

Trail was awoken for the second night in a row. The first thing he noticed was the wind so strong it blew his tail backward in the air. The second thing he noticed was the screaming cats.

The cats of Windclan were gathered around one of the bushes that made their dens. Trail remembered a queen leading kits into it, and realized it was probably the nursery.

Hurrying forward to see what was going on, Trail was frozen in his tracks as the bush actually lifted up in the air slightly.

"Keep it down!" Tallclaw's commanding voice yowled.

The warriors dug their claws into the nest and forced it down. Trail spotted a detached root sticking from the ground. The wind was so strong, it was throwing the bush up in the air!

The loner rushed forward and grabbed the branches with his teeth, trying to pull it back to the ground. How could the wind possibly be so strong? It seemed to have more force than a group of warriors did.

The Windclan cats cleared a path as the queen and her kits hurried out of the nest while they could use the opening. One of the kits had a scratch over her eye from the bush's brambles, but apart from that, they seemed fine.

A strong gust of wind sent a few warriors sprawling and lifted the nursery higher into the air. It was like fighting a battle against a living, malevolent creature! Trail dug his claws into the ground and pulled harder.

Shadestar rushed in and threw himself onto the nest. His weight dragged it down. As soon as it touched the earth, several warriors threw themselves on top as well. The nursery was flattened, but it was back on the ground.

"I want everyone digging it back into the ground, firmly," Shadestar ordered. "As well, reinforce the other nests. Get started!"

"How long can this go on for?" Tallclaw burst. "We've been having heavy rain and crazy winds. All the Clans have. Terrible weather for at least a quarter-moon! How much worse can it get?"

"Worse," Shadestar uttered ominously. He leapt up onto his stump. "Cats of Windclan, I've just returned from a meeting with the other leaders and medicine cats. The medicine cats say a terrible storm is coming, unlike any we've seen before. We've agreed to move all the cats into the Stormcaves tonight."

"What are the Stormcaves?" Trail whispered to Tallclaw.

"Some underground caves where the Clans hide when there's a really bad storm," she explained.

Shadestar headed over to them. "Maybe you two can transport Pinestripe on a stretcher," the leader suggested to Trail and Tallclaw.

"Pinestripe's awake," Trail told him accusingly.

The leader's ears flattened. He looked scared. Good. Trail hoped he knew it was his fault.

Just then, a patrol of Windclan cats walked in. They were clustered around a scared-looking Windclan she-cat with long whiskers.

"Heavywhisker!" Tallclaw rushed forward. "What happened?"

"We found her hiding," said one of the cats in the patrol. "Apparently, she'd been there for an hour. The strong wind blew over a tree that almost hit her."

"But Heavywhisker was supposed to guard Scythe…" Trail had a realization. "That means Goosewind has been alone with him for-"

As he spoke, Goosewind staggered into the camp.

"Trail!" he yowled. "Scythe is gone!"