The Raging Storm

They trekked through the afternoon, following Tree as he led them to the Thunderpath and then following it until it turned toward the flat land. They left it then, and their path grew steeper, lifting onto moorland, which rose and dipped until the patrol was lost in a sea of heather. The rain was relentless and the wind seemed to strengthen as evening drew closer. Drenched to the skin, Twigbranch tried to ignore the growling hunger in her belly. She followed Tree, hardly seeing or feeling, aware only of the rain streaming over her face and the wet earth beneath her paws.

“That’s where I met SkyClan.” Tree’s mew took her by surprise. She looked up and found him gazing toward a stretch of heather on the hillside. “I don’t know which route they might have taken from here.”

She glanced at him anxiously. “Do you think we’ll be able to pick up their scent?”

“It might be hard in this weather,” Tree meowed. “We’ll have to guess where they went next. If we’re lucky, there might be a loner who saw them.”

“I hope so.” Twigbranch’s heart quickened. Had they come this far only to lose SkyClan’s trail? She saw a sheltered dip among the bushes. “We could make camp there for the night.”

Tree shook his head. “The earth will be too boggy,” he told her. “I know this place. There’s shelter farther up.” He nodded to the trees, which grew where the slope steepened.

Twigbranch looked at them wearily. They seemed a long way off. “Is there anywhere closer?”

“Come on.” Tree’s mew was gentle. “It’ll be worth the climb.”

Twigbranch glanced back at the others. Their eyes were dull with exhaustion. “We’re heading for shelter,” she told them.

Lionblaze pricked his ears. “Is it far?”

“Beyond those trees,” Tree told him. “There’s good hunting and a cave.”

Lionblaze trudged past her. Hootwhisker and Icewing followed him, lifting their heads for the first time since sunhigh. Flypaw stumbled and Twigbranch hurried to her side. “It won’t be long until you can rest,” she mewed encouragingly.

Finleap hurried ahead with Cherryfall, and Tree took the lead while Twigbranch stayed close to Flypaw. The young she-cat was struggling to keep her footing on the uneven grass. Pushing into the wind, Twigbranch pressed her flank against her apprentice and guided her forward as the slope steepened. She felt Flypaw relax as they reached the woods. Sheltered from wind and rain, the patrol quickened its pace. Darkness was falling, and soon they were following Tree through shadow. At last the trees opened into a clearing where a wall of rock cut into a steep bank. It made a shallow cave against the dark hillside, and Tree padded inside and turned to face the others.

Flypaw was shivering as Twigbranch nudged her into the cave. It was hardly more than an overhang, but with its back to the wind, it provided shelter.

Once inside, Flypaw sat down heavily. “I’m hungry.”

“Rest while I hunt,” Twigbranch told her.

Flypaw shook her head. “If you’re hunting, so am I.” Determination flashed in her eyes.

Twigbranch felt a rush of pride. She touched her nose to Flypaw’s head. “Okay.”

Nightcloud was sniffing the back of the cave. “It’s dry here.” Her mew echoed against the stone.

Lionblaze shook rain from his pelt. “Take Gorsetail and fetch some bedding,” he told her. “The rest of us will hunt.” He glanced at Twigbranch. “Is that okay?”

Twigbranch nodded. It felt strange to have such an experienced warrior ask her permission. She noticed Finleap gazing at her and met his eye hopefully. He dropped his gaze and hurried from the cave.

“Are you ready to hunt?” She blinked at Flypaw.

“Yes.” The young tabby got to her paws.

Twigbranch led her among the trees, following a rabbit trail through the undergrowth. Night swathed the forest. She opened her mouth, tasting for prey, but even here the rain had washed the scents away. She pushed deeper into the woods. Wind roared through the branches. Rain pierced the canopy. She scanned a stretch of brambles but there was no sign of prey. Weariness pulled at Twigbranch’s bones. She felt suddenly dizzy and realized that she was too tired to hunt. She could be more help to the patrol if she built warm nests for the night.

Finleap’s pelt flashed beyond the brambles. He looked as though he was stalking something.

“Go and help Finleap.” She waved Flypaw toward him with her tail. “I’m going to help Nightcloud.”

As Flypaw hurried toward Finleap, Twigbranch headed back to the cave. Had SkyClan sheltered here? How far ahead were they? She paused as she reached a clump of brambles and tore out as many fronds as she could carry. Grasping the stems between her jaws, she dragged them to the cave and dropped them beside Nightcloud.

The WindClan warriors had already heaped piles of ferns at the back to the cave. Nightcloud nodded thanks to Twigbranch and spread the bracken with the rest of the bedding. “We’ll be cozy tonight.”

“Good.” Twigbranch purred. “We’ll need our strength if we’re going to catch up to SkyClan.”