Bramblestar’s Storm

Purdy was standing beside the tunnel entrance. “You come wi’ me,” he meowed kindly to Minty. “You can make a nest beside mine. I was a kittypet once, y’know. I’ll tell you all about it…”

Bramblestar followed them into the tunnel to make sure that Minty wasn’t too overwhelmed. Dewpaw and Snowpaw fetched more bedding and spread it out on the floor between their own nests and Purdy’s.

“There!” Snowpaw mewed. “It’s a bit wet, but it’s not too bad when you get used to it.”

Minty gasped when she saw the scanty heap of moss and bracken. “I can’t sleep on that!” she exclaimed. “At home I have a basket! And a blanket!”

The three apprentices looked at one another. “We don’t know what those are,” Amberpaw meowed. “But look, I’ve got some feathers in my nest. You can have them if you like.”

“Th-thank you.” Minty gave her nest a dubious look as Amberpaw generously added the feathers.

Bramblestar was distracted from Minty’s troubles as Squirrelflight and Leafpool walked into the tunnel and came up to him.

“There’s a real problem with the bedding,” Squirrelflight began. “Everything’s soaking wet, and cats are getting aches from sleeping on the cold stone floor in the tunnels.”

“Well, we can’t sleep outside,” Bramblestar told her. “It might rain again.”

Squirrelflight and Leafpool exchanged a glance.

“That’s true,” Leafpool meowed. “But we need to find some decent dry bedding or we’re all going to catch whitecough.”

As if to prove her words, a hacking cough sounded from where Briarlight was lying, deeper inside the tunnel. Bramblestar blinked, peering into the shadows. Jayfeather was crouched beside the dark-pawed she-cat, concern visible in every line of his body, while nearby Millie anxiously scuffled her claws on the rock floor.

Bramblestar felt heavy with worry as he headed outside. Where do they expect me to get dry bedding? Out of my ears?

Cloudtail was trudging up the slope, dangling a couple of mice from his jaws. Brightheart, Rosepetal, and Blossomfall followed him; Brightheart was carrying a squirrel, while Rosepetal and Blossomfall both had starlings.

“I think the prey is starting to come back,” Cloudtail reported when he had dropped his catch on the fresh-kill pile. “Better than yesterday, anyway.”

“Good,” Bramblestar mewed, grateful for any scrap of good news. There was already prey on the pile; hunting patrols must have been out earlier, too. “Squirrelflight, can you take charge of doling it out? There should be enough for every cat to have something.”

Squirrelflight nodded and set about efficiently dividing up the catch, while Brightheart helped carry each share to their Clanmates.

Minty stared in horror as Brightheart dropped a starling in front of her.

“I’m not eating that!” she declared, screwing her nose.

“It’s tasty,” Amberpaw reassured her. “And when you’ve eaten it, you can add the feathers to your nest.”

Minty just turned away with her nose in the air.

“Okay, I’ll have it if you don’t want it,” mewed Dewpaw, who had already gulped down his portion of squirrel.

“You will not,” Brightheart told him, gently shoving the apprentice away. “Queens and elders eat first, remember. Purdy, would you like it?”

The old tabby shook his head. “No, thanks, that mouse was plenty for me.”

“Then I’ll take it back to the fresh-kill pile for later,” Brightheart meowed. “Minty, if you change your mind, ask me and I’ll fetch it for you.”

Minty didn’t reply, but Dewpaw watched with a disappointed look as Brightheart picked up the starling and carried it away.

By the time the fresh-kill was eaten, the daylight was dying, and gray shadows invaded the tunnel. Bramblestar made a point of settling down near Minty; it had been his decision to bring her back to the Clan, so he felt responsible for her, at least until she was more settled.

The kittypet was crouching on the moss and bracken, her paws tucked under her. Bramblestar could hear her belly rumbling, but she looked too stunned to complain. After a few moments she heaved a gusty sigh and curled up with her tail over her nose.

But she didn’t go to sleep. Wakeful himself, Bramblestar heard her tossing and turning, and once she let out a miserable whimper. At the sound, Millie rose from her nest beside Briarlight and padded past Bramblestar to sit down next to Minty.

“I know just how you feel,” she murmured. “I was a kittypet once. It took me a long time to learn how to live in the wild.”

In the half light, Bramblestar saw Minty raise her head and stare at Millie. “You were a kittypet? Did your housefolk leave you behind, or did you choose to live out here like this?”

“I chose to go with Graystripe when he came back to the Clan,” Millie purred. “It’s worth all the soft beds and all the food the Twolegs gave me, to be here with him.”

“Don’t you ever wish you could go back?”