The Raging Storm

He regrets SkyClan’s leaving! Hope sparked in Alderheart’s belly. But before he could ask whether Tigerstar would let them return, Pouncekit peered from the nursery. “Dovewing, we’re hungry! Can we have fresh-kill?”

“I’ll bring you some,” Dovewing told the gray tabby she-kit. As she turned toward the fresh-kill pile, she called to Pouncekit. “Will the two of you share a shrew with Shadowkit?”

“Shadowkit’s not here.” Pouncekit blinked at her mother.

Dovewing’s eyes darkened. She hurried toward the nursery. “What do you mean?”

Tigerstar was at her heels. He pushed past her and raced inside. “Where is he?” Pouncekit and Lightkit crowded around him as he ducked out again.

“He was playing a game,” Lightkit told him. “He was pretending he had an important mission to save his Clan. Pouncekit wanted to go with him, but he said it was something he had to do by himself.”

“Search the camp!” Tigerstar’s desperate gaze flashed toward his Clanmates.

Dovewing wove frantically around Lightkit and Pouncekit. “Did he say where he was going?”

Pouncekit looked frightened. “No.”

“He just said he had to save us and then he sneaked out of the den,” Lightkit told her.

Bramblestar was already searching the dripping grass at the edge of the camp. Scorchfur had hurried into the elders’ den while Blazepaw hunted behind it. Tawnypelt and Strikestone left their post outside the warriors’ den and began sniffing the ground.

Alderheart stared toward the entrance tunnel. Could the kit have left the camp without anyone noticing? He remembered with a jolt the dirtplace tunnel and hurried to check it. Dodging around the back of the warriors’ den, he saw black fur disappear into shadow. His eyes widened with surprise. The fur was too dark to be Shadowkit’s. Who was sneaking out? He hurried to the narrow tunnel entrance and smelled Juniperclaw’s scent. The former ShadowClan deputy smelled frightened. “Juniperclaw’s escaped!” Alderheart raced back to the clearing.

Tigerstar glanced at him distractedly. “Let him go,” he snapped. “We don’t need rogues like him in the Clan.” He pushed his way past Strikestone and sniffed the muddy path to the entrance. His pelt spiked. “Shadowkit went this way.” He followed the trail through the tunnel before darting back. “He’s left the camp!”

“I didn’t see him leave!” Dovewing’s eyes were round with guilt.

“Perhaps we should send a cat to WindClan,” Bramblestar suggested.

Tawnypelt bounded over to her son. “I’ll go!”

Tigerstar nodded at the tortoiseshell. “Yes . . . Go to WindClan and tell them that Shadowkit is missing. Tell Harestar and Mistystar that he must be found. He’s in . . .” His voice was now barely a whisper. “. . . he’s in great danger.”

As Tawnypelt raced from the camp, Alderheart watched his father. Bramblestar was gazing at Tigerstar. The ShadowClan leader’s eyes were bright with fear. “We will find him,” Bramblestar promised. Tigerstar stared wordlessly back, and Alderheart’s throat tightened with pity. “Have faith, Tigerstar,” Bramblestar went on. “If the Clans work together, we will save him.”

CHAPTER 23

Twigbranch stared through the rain. The sky darkened as night drew in. SkyClan scents filled her nose. Behind her they crowded into Tree’s shallow cave, thankful to be out of the rain and to be heading back to the lake. She shifted her paws uneasily. She and Finleap hadn’t spoken on the journey back from the flooded moor. His former Clanmates had clustered around him as they’d traveled, praising him for saving Leafstar and sharing stories of their adventure.

When they’d reached the cave, the nests they’d made were still there, and dry, thanks to the shelter of the overhanging rock. They’d needed to make more. But there was enough space, and even though the fresh bedding they dragged from the woods was wet, there would be a chance to get dry and warm while they rested overnight.

“Hey.”

Fur brushed her flank, and she turned her head to see Finleap beside her. Her heart ached. Would she ever be able to stand this close to him again? “Hey.”

He gazed at her, his yellow eyes glittering with uncertainty. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” She blinked at him. “What for?”

“For saying you were getting too close to Tree.” He glanced back to where Violetshine was making nests for the SkyClan apprentices. Flypaw was helping, excitedly showing Nectarpaw how to shape the ferns with her paws. “I was just angry. I never really thought—”

“It’s okay.” She cut him off. “It doesn’t matter now.”

He tipped his head questioningly. “Now that Violetshine’s back?”

“Now that we’ve found SkyClan.” She turned her face to the woods. “You’ll be going back to them, I guess.”

“Back to SkyClan?”

“If I’m not going to have your kits, you might as well return to your kin.” Sadness pricked Twigbranch’s eyes. Should she change her mind? Having kits now might not be so bad.

“But I thought you loved me.” He sounded surprised. “You told Violetshine you loved me very much.”