The Raging Storm

Violetshine’s chest tightened as she watched her Clanmates. Sunnypaw was filthy. Tiredness dulled Frecklewish’s eyes. Fidgetflake was shivering. “Everything’s going to be okay.” She lifted her voice, surprised to find herself speaking out. “Remember, we are SkyClan. It doesn’t matter where we are or what problems we face. We will face them together.” Leafstar blinked at her as Violetshine went on. “You are the first true Clan that I’ve known. I was raised in ShadowClan when it was falling apart. The cats there turned on one another. When they faced problems, they were no better than rogues. But SkyClan is different. You took me in and welcomed me. You taught me how cats can overcome even the worst times. You lost your home, you lost one another, but you found one another again and kept on going. I’m proud to be a SkyClan cat. I would never want to belong anywhere else.” She looked around at the faces of her Clanmates. Warmth rose beneath her pelt as she saw hope spark in their weary gazes.

“Let’s go.” Leafstar flicked her tail, less with anger now and more with determination. She padded up the grassy slope beyond the mud pool and headed toward the stretch of heather.

Hawkwing bounded after her as the rest of the Clan followed. Tinycloud rested her flank against Sunnypaw and guided her up the slope. Violetshine glanced back at the wide stretch of mud. The stick that had saved Sunnypaw’s life had been washed clean by the rain already.

As she padded after her Clanmates, Frecklewish fell in beside her. “Do you think the rain will stop tomorrow?” Violetshine murmured, glancing at the heavy gray sky.

“I’ve never seen the sky this dark.” Beyond the hilltop, the gray clouds stretched into black. “It looks as though the rain will get worse before it gets better.”

Violetshine stifled a shiver. Rivulets streamed over the grass as she climbed. The storm wasn’t going to lift anytime soon. But she’d meant what she’d said. She could get through anything as long as she had her Clan around her. Tree was far behind them now, and though his loss sat in her heart like a stone, she knew that she had to keep moving forward.

Even if it meant never seeing Tree again.

CHAPTER 19

Alderheart was glad to reach the ShadowClan border. There would be better shelter on the other side, where oak turned to pine and the canopy grew thicker. The rain was harder than ever, streaming along branches and down trunks so that the springy forest floor squelched beneath his paws.

He paused and glanced along the scent line. When he didn’t see a patrol, he crossed it. If any cat challenged him, he would tell them he was on his way to check on Puddleshine’s wounds. There was no need to admit that he wanted to ask the ShadowClan medicine cat a few questions about his Clanmates.

Bramblestar had dismissed his worries about how Sparrowpelt had come to be poisoned, but Alderheart couldn’t forget it so easily. Even though the victim had recovered and was gone, there was still a cat living among them who was willing to murder another cat. That was dangerous. Alderheart had brought deathberries into the ShadowClan camp, and the trail seemed to lead from there to SkyClan. Had Puddleshine seen anything suspicious while he was ill? Had he heard gossip since SkyClan had left? Some cat in ShadowClan must know more than they were saying.

The ditches that cut into the earth here like claw marks were brimming with water. Alderheart had never seen them full before. He shuddered. If parts of ShadowClan territory were underwater, what must RiverClan be like? Yesterday, the evening patrol had brought news of flooding around the river. After another night of heavy rain, the flooding must be worse now. StarClan, protect them, he prayed, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that StarClan would have little sympathy for the stricken Clan. They tried to warn us. Alderheart picked his way past the flooded ditches. Five saplings must stand together. Mistystar had chosen to ignore the warning. Did she expect to be unaffected by the storm now that SkyClan had gone?

Pelts, slicked by rain, moved in the shadows ahead. Alderheart halted and lifted his tail. If it was a patrol, they would pick up his scent and come to question him. He waited as eyes flashed through the gloom.

“Alderheart?” Cloverfoot hailed him through the rain. “What are you doing here? Is everything all right?”

She hurried toward him. Berryheart and Juniperclaw were with her.

“I’ve come to check Puddleshine’s wounds,” he called.

Berryheart blinked at him warmly as she reached him. Cloverfoot dipped her head in greeting. “Puddleshine is doing great,” she told him.

“That’s good to hear, but I’d still like to see his wounds,” Alderheart insisted. “He had an infection I’d never seen before. I’d like to see how it’s healing.”

“That’s kind of you.” Cloverfoot looked at Juniperclaw.