Bramblestar’s Storm

Jayfeather was out in the weak sunshine too, taking Briarlight through her exercises. Bramblestar was pleased to see that she had regained some of her strength; she was fast and nimble on her front paws. She was practicing pulling herself up on the low-hanging branch of an elder bush, then letting herself roll onto her back with a yowl of triumph.

“What? What’s all the yowlin’ about?” Just below Bramblestar, Purdy rushed out of the tunnel. “Is it badgers? Just let me at ‘em!”

“It’s okay, Purdy,” Millie reassured him. “It’s only Briarlight.” She turned to Graystripe, her eyes glowing with pride. “Just look what she can do!”

Briarlight repeated her exercise, while her mother and father stood close together to watch, their pelts brushing. Bramblestar felt his heart warmed, his troubles fading for a moment.

Movement behind Bramblestar distracted him and he turned, expecting to see Jessy. But the newcomer was Squirrelflight.

“You’re going to take us into battle against those badgers, aren’t you?” she mewed, coming to sit beside him.

Bramblestar nodded; until that moment he hadn’t realized that he had made the decision.

“Why would you risk your own Clan to help Tawnypelt and ShadowClan?” Squirrelflight asked.

Bramblestar thought of the scene he had just watched in the clearing. He knew that it might be destroyed if he went ahead with his plan. But it didn’t change a thing in his mind.

“Because I’d do anything to help my sister,” he meowed, meeting his deputy’s green gaze. “As would you.”

As he spoke, Bramblestar finally understood why Squirrelflight had lied to him about the kits. He had already forgiven her, because he knew that she had been trying to do the best for every cat, but only now did he appreciate the impulse that had made her build so much upon something that wasn’t true. “That’s why you did what you did, isn’t it? You took Leafpool’s kits because you loved her.”

Squirrelflight nodded, her eyes so full of feeling that he guessed she couldn’t find words to answer.

“I have nothing but respect for your courage,” he told her. Looking down into the clearing again, he saw Lionblaze sprawled contentedly beside his mate, and Jayfeather happily bossing Briarlight around. “We raised three fine cats,” he mewed, remembering Hollyleaf’s brave death when she sacrificed herself to save Ivypool.

He and Squirrelflight sat in silence, gazing down at their kits and their other Clanmates, cheerful in the sunlight below. Bramblestar felt Squirrelflight’s fur touch his, and he felt closer to her than he had for seasons, as if the glow of sunshine was enfolding them.

“I’ll support you, Bramblestar,” Squirrelflight murmured. “If you want to take ThunderClan into battle on ShadowClan’s behalf, I will be with you.”

Chapter 29

Bramblestar scrambled to the top of the mudpile. “Let all cats who are old enough to catch their own prey join here outside the tunnel for a Clan meeting!” he yowled.

The cats who were already outside looked up at him curiously, then clustered closer together at the foot of the mudpile. Leafpool emerged from the tunnel with Sandstorm and Purdy. Daisy and the apprentices trotted out of the undergrowth carrying balls of moss, which they dropped near the tunnel entrance before sitting down to listen. Jessy sprang down from the branch of a tree, where she had been practicing climbing techniques with Frankie and Minty.

Bramblestar looked down at his Clan and took a deep breath. They aren’t going to like what I have to tell them.

“Cats of ThunderClan,” he began. “I’ve thought hard about this, and I’ve come to a decision. It’s possible that ShadowClan will drive out the badgers by themselves, but if that doesn’t happen within the next quarter moon, then we will help them.”

“What?” Thornclaw sprang to his paws. “Have you got bees in your brain?”

“After what Rowanstar said to you?” Dustpelt challenged.

Daisy was looking up at Bramblestar with outrage in her eyes. “Must mothers watch their kits die again?”

More angry yowls rose up from the rest of the Clan. Bramblestar felt as if he were standing in the blast from a storm, and he dug his claws deep into the mud as if he was afraid of being swept away. For a moment he was tempted to start justifying himself. No, he thought, the word of the Clan leader has to be obeyed. It is part of the warrior code.

But Bramblestar was still worried that he was wrong. This was the first decision he had made as Clan leader that was unpopular with all his Clan—except for Squirrelflight, standing silently supportive above the tunnel entrance, and Jessy, who was watching him with bright eyes and ears pricked. I respect each one of these warriors, he thought unhappily. I don’t like it when they challenge me.