The Raging Storm

“No,” Molewhisker told her as he passed. “Is she okay? Do you want help finding her?”

“No, thanks. I’ll find her myself.” Twigbranch shifted her paws. How far from camp had Flypaw wandered?

“Listen!” Finleap was still gazing at her.

“What?” Twigbranch dragged her attention back.

“Reedclaw’s my littermate,” Finleap mewed urgently.

“I know that.” What did he want from her?

“I need to visit her.” Finleap searched her gaze.

Twigbranch stared at him. “She’s in SkyClan.”

“So?”

“You’re a ThunderClan warrior now,” she reminded him. “You can’t just visit SkyClan whenever you feel like it.”

“You used to visit Violetshine.”

“When we were apprentices,” she mewed. “We were young. We didn’t care so much about rules.”

“But Reedclaw’s sick.”

“I know.” This conversation was taking too long. Flypaw could be on the other side of ThunderClan territory by now. “And I’m sorry. But SkyClan has a medicine cat. Frecklewish will take care of her. She’ll be fine.”

“What if she’s not?”

“You have to stop worrying about your kin in SkyClan,” Twigbranch told him. “There’s nothing you can do to help them. You left them when you joined ThunderClan.”

Anger sparked in Finleap’s eyes. “I only joined ThunderClan to be with you.”

Twigbranch bristled. “Are you regretting it?”

“No!” Finleap’s eyes glistened. “But I thought we’d be mates by now. I thought we’d be starting a family.”

Twigbranch’s chest tightened. She fought to steady her breathing. Was he going to press her into a relationship before she was ready? “What’s the rush?”

“There’s no rush,” he meowed pointedly. “I thought it’s what you wanted. That’s why I left SkyClan. I thought it’s what we both wanted, but I guess you need more time to be sure.”

Guilt hollowed her belly as he marched away. I should go after him and tell him that I am sure. I don’t need more time. Shame washed her pelt as she stood rooted to the spot and watched him go. I am sure, aren’t I?

CHAPTER 6

Violetshine’s heart quickened as she followed Tree across the bridge to the island. Would Twigbranch be at the Gathering? It would be good to share tongues with her sister again. The smooth bark was cold beneath her paws. Moonlight shimmered on the water below her. Ahead, her Clanmates were already swishing through the tall grass toward the clearing. She could smell ShadowClan scents. Tigerstar and his warriors must already be here. ThunderClan cats were pacing on the shore behind, waiting for SkyClan to cross. She glanced back and spied her sister’s pelt, pale in the moonlight. Twigbranch didn’t see her. She seemed distracted, frowning at the young tabby at her side.

“Hurry up!” Sagenose pressed at Violetshine’s heels. His apprentice, Gravelpaw, was trying to squeeze past.

“Sorry!” Violetshine ran along the log and leaped onto the far shore.

She caught up to Tree as he shouldered his way into the long grass. “Are you nervous?”

“Why should I be?” Tree padded beside her.

“What if they ask you to mediate?”

He shrugged. “Then I’ll mediate,” he meowed. “That’s what I’m here for, right?”

She wondered how he could be so calm at the thought of addressing the Clans. Did he realize how many cats would be there?

As she nosed her way out of the grass, her Clanmates were already streaming across the moonlit clearing. The scent of ShadowClan was stronger here, and Violetshine’s pelt prickled with alarm as she saw the Clan shifting beneath the trees. Moonlight dappled their thick pelts. They moved with confidence, muscles rippling beneath their fur. And there were so many of them! She remembered the last time she’d seen ShadowClan cats at a Gathering. They’d bowed their heads and hardly spoken, avoiding the gaze of the other Clans. How different they seemed now.

Violetshine caught Tawnypelt’s eye without meaning to. The tortoiseshell stared back coldly, as though she had no memory that they’d shared a camp a moon ago. Grassheart and Strikestone watched the arriving Clans, their gazes betraying nothing. Unnerved, Violetshine shivered and moved closer to her Clanmates.

As ThunderClan padded into the clearing, they nodded friendly greetings to ShadowClan and SkyClan. Only SkyClan returned them.

“Hi!” Pigeonpaw called out to a ThunderClan apprentice. The black-and-ginger apprentice blinked back excitedly. Violetshine guessed it must be her first Gathering.

Leafpool and Jayfeather padded to the Great Oak and sat down without speaking. When Frecklewish and Fidgetflake joined them, the ThunderClan medicine cats greeted them with a curt nod but barely returned their gazes. Violetshine narrowed her eyes. They seemed anxious. Was there sickness in ThunderClan?

WindClan and RiverClan entered the clearing. Their apprentices hurried to greet the apprentices from ThunderClan and began showing off battle moves.

Gravelpaw glanced hopefully at Sagenose. “Can we join them?”