The Raging Storm

Nervously, Twigbranch padded to the shadows beneath the Great Oak. Bramblestar was already waiting beside the wide, gnarled trunk. The ThunderClan leader’s gaze was unreadable.

Twigbranch’s paws pricked as she smelled SkyClan scent. The long grass swished, and SkyClan spilled into the clearing. Leafstar and Bellaleaf flanked Frecklewish. Sandynose and Plumwillow were at their heels. Hawkwing! Violetshine! Relief swamped her as she saw her father and her sister pad into the moonlight. She hurried to meet them. “Is it true?” She blinked at Hawkwing, her heart pounding. “Is SkyClan going to leave?”

Hawkwing’s gaze was solemn. “We’re not sure yet.” He glanced toward Leafstar, who was heading for the oak.

Violetshine pressed her muzzle to Twigbranch’s cheek. “I hope this Gathering will mean we can stay.” She stiffened as the long grass swished again and Tigerstar stalked into the clearing. Juniperclaw followed, his eyes narrow and watchful. Stonewing, Cloverfoot, and Scorchfur streamed out behind the skinny deputy. Strikestone and Tawnypelt brought up the rear. Wordlessly, the ShadowClan warriors moved around the edge of the clearing, keeping their distance from the other Clans.

“They haven’t brought any apprentices,” Violetshine whispered.

Twigbranch swallowed. “I guess it’s not an ordinary Gathering.”

Tigerstar padded toward the Great Oak. He nodded curtly to Bramblestar, then leaped onto the lowest branch.

“You’d better join your Clanmates,” Hawkwing whispered to Twigbranch. “The meeting’s about to start.”

“Will I see you afterward?” Twigbranch blinked at him expectantly. “You won’t leave without talking to me, will you?”

“Of course not.” He touched his nose to her ear.

Violetshine flicked her tail along Twigbranch’s spine. “Whatever happens, we’ll see you before we leave.” She hurried after Hawkwing as he joined the SkyClan cats clustering beneath the Great Oak. Before we leave. A shiver ran along Twigbranch’s spine. Did she mean leave the Gathering or leave the forest? Don’t be rabbit-brained! She shook out her fur. It’s all going to be fine. She watched Bramblestar leap into the Great Oak and take his place beside Tigerstar. Leafstar, Mistystar, and Harestar followed. The leaders had to come to an agreement. It was what StarClan wanted.

Across the clearing, Flypaw was chattering excitedly to Harepaw. “Twigbranch is going to show me how to catch a buzzard one day.” Dapplepaw crouched beside them, copying a hunting crouch Snappaw was demonstrating.

“Hurry!” She beckoned them with a flick of her tail. They scurried after her as she slipped between her Clanmates and stopped beside Finleap.

Bramblestar lifted his muzzle. “You know by now that our medicine cats have received a message from StarClan.” He looked down to where Jayfeather stood beside the other medicine cats, and nodded to Leafpool.

Leafpool’s moonlit gaze swept the gathered cats. “Last night, at the Moonpool, we shared a single vision.” A breeze swished through the branches overhead as she went on. “We saw five saplings standing together. A fierce wind raged around them, but each sapling wove its branches into the others’. The wind could not bend them. But when one broke away, the storm ripped them all from the earth.”

Kestrelflight leaned forward. “The message seems clear: The five Clans must support one another.”

“Or every Clan will be lost,” Willowshine chimed in.

Alderheart lashed his tail urgently. “We must put an end to conflict.”

“How?” Mallownose yowled. “There has always been conflict between Clans!”

“And there always will be.” Breezepelt called from the other side of the clearing. “We are five Clans, not one.”

Brackenfur’s eyes flashed in the moonlight. “The Gathering was once the only truce we obeyed.”

“We must protect our borders,” Cloverfoot growled.

Twigbranch shifted her paws uneasily. She gazed across the sea of pelts, which bristled beneath the stars.

Alderheart lashed his tail. “You speak as though peace were impossible!”

“We are warriors!” Tigerstar’s growl sounded from above.

“We are warriors!” Stonewing echoed the cry, repeating it like a cuckoo. “We are warriors! We are warriors!”

His Clanmates lifted their voices beside him, and the cry spread throughout the Clans. Twigbranch’s pelt spiked as she saw the yowling faces. This was not what StarClan wanted.

“We may be warriors,” Bramblestar called out from beside Tigerstar, “but we are not fools! Do we seek conflict for conflict’s sake? Sacrifice your life for your Clan, but don’t sacrifice your Clan for the sake of tradition!”

The yowling faded into an uneasy silence.

“Bramblestar.” Tigerstar curled his lip in disgust. “You’re always so smart with words. You want us to give up conflict, but what else must we give up for the sake of peace?”

Stonewing flattened his ears. “He wants ShadowClan to give up land.”

Bramblestar’s tail twitched as he stared back at Stonewing.