The Raging Storm

Alderheart sniffed the vine once more. “If it is Twoleg poison making Puddleshine sick, herbs might not be enough to cure him.” Worry jabbed in his belly.

“You’ll find a way,” Sparkpelt mewed encouragingly.

“I hope so.” As he spoke, movement caught Alderheart’s eye. A rabbit hopped clumsily from beneath a bramble a few tail-lengths away. Hadn’t it scented the cats?

Sparkpelt had already seen the prey. She’d dropped into a hunting crouch, and her gaze was fixed on the rabbit as it stumbled into the open.

“It’s injured,” Alderheart whispered. He could see dried blood on its swollen hind leg.

“So it’ll be easier to catch.” Sparkpelt’s tail quivered with excitement as Berrynose and Ambermoon stood as still as rocks behind her.

“Wait!” Alderheart detected a familiar scent wafting from the rabbit—the same sweet scent of decay that clung to Puddleshine. “It’s not just wounded; it’s infected.”

Sparkpelt looked at him questioningly. “Are you sure?”

“Can’t you smell it?”

Ambermoon’s nose was twitching. “He’s right. It smells sour. Let’s leave it. We don’t want to poison the Clan.”

Sparkpelt straightened, disappointment in her eyes. “I guess we’ll have to try elsewhere.”

Berrynose nodded toward the rabbit as it lolloped heavily toward the deathberry bush, eyes dull with pain. “Look, it’s so sick, it can’t even tell we’re here.”

“Come on.” Sparkpelt jerked her head toward the slope. “Let’s head for the beeches. There will be healthy rabbits there.” Berrynose picked up the shrews again and Ambermoon grabbed the squirrel. “Will you be okay?” Sparkpelt asked Alderheart.

“Sure,” he told her. “I’m about to head back to camp. There are herbs I want to pick on the way.”

Sparkpelt dipped her head politely before heading away. Berrynose and Ambermoon followed, nodding as they passed.

Alderheart glanced back at the rabbit. Why was it snuffling around the deathberry bush? Alarm sparked through him as the rabbit paused and reached up with its teeth to pluck a deathberry from the tip of a branch. What’s it doing? Alderheart watched in horror as the rabbit dropped the berry at its paws and began to nibble delicately at the flesh. Doesn’t it know that it’s poisonous? He thought all woodland creatures knew to stay away from deathberries. Their bitter tang betrayed the poison they carried. Perhaps it knows it’s dying and wants to end its suffering. It must be in a lot of pain to choose death. For the first time, Alderheart felt a twinge of sympathy for prey. Perhaps he should kill it himself. It would die quickly. But Alderheart didn’t trust his skills. He’d begun training as a warrior before he’d become a medicine-cat apprentice, but he’d never been very good. He could hunt if he had to, but he couldn’t be sure his killing bite would be as quick or as painless as it should be. And the thought of biting into infected prey made him hesitate.

He turned away. If the rabbit wanted to die, he’d leave it in peace. Besides, he’d promised Puddleshine he’d fetch the wood sorrel as quickly as he could.

Heading away from the silverthorn, he tried not to think of the rabbit’s suffering. Whatever poison the silverthorn carried, it was clearly deadly. He quickened his step. The sooner he treated Puddleshine the better. He just hoped that the wood sorrel would be enough to cure the stricken medicine cat.

CHAPTER 4

Alderheart dreamed that he was padding through unfamiliar woods. His paws caught on sticks that littered the ground. Cracks scarred the uneven earth and he had to weave around them. Trees crowded close, their branches twisted, their bark gnarled. Hazy light filtered between them and the air felt too thick to breathe. Alderheart’s pelt prickled uneasily and he glanced over his shoulder, sensing danger behind him. He quickened his pace.

Behind him, a faint growl lifted to a roar like wind rushing toward him. His heart lurched as he broke into a run. Shadow pursued him, swallowing the light until darkness pressed at his heels. Fear surged in his chest as he smelled a deadly scent. Smoke! Acrid clouds blasted over him, and he felt heat on his tail. Looking over his shoulder, he saw fire pierce the smoke. It was chasing him down like a fox driving prey. Alderheart dashed between trees, leaping fissures and branches. Terror scorched beneath his pelt as the roar of the flames drowned out the pounding of blood in his ears.