The Raging Storm

Violetshine flicked a feather from her nose with her paw. “How did you find us? We were so far from the lake.”

“We still are,” Tree grunted, his mouth full.

“The search patrol was Twigbranch’s idea,” Finleap explained.

“Tree led the way,” Twigbranch chimed in. “We’d never have known which trail to follow without him.”

“He’s smart for a loner.” Violetshine’s eyes flashed playfully.

“He’ll make a good Clan cat.” Twigbranch took another bite of pigeon.

Violetshine pricked her ears. “You sound as though you approve.”

Twigbranch swallowed. “I do.”

They finished their meal in contented silence. As they began to wash afterward, Hawkwing padded toward them. He was licking his lips. “There’s good hunting around here.” He stopped beside them. “I haven’t tasted squirrel that delicious since the gorge.”

Violetshine rolled her eyes. “Don’t talk about the gorge. We’re not going back there. You’ll have to get used to lake squirrels.”

He touched his nose to her head and settled beside her. The woods were dark now. Night had fallen. Behind him, the other SkyClan cats were climbing into their nests. Harrybrook was already snoring.

Violetshine stared into the shadows beyond the cave, her gaze thoughtful. “How did you know which route to follow after the hollow?” she asked. “Tree wouldn’t have known which way to go.”

“A loner had seen you,” Twigbranch told her.

“Spider!” Violetshine seemed to remember him.

“Yes.” Twigbranch purred.

“You caught up with us pretty quickly,” Hawkwing commented. “And just in time.”

“We knew you were in trouble.” Finleap washed his ear with a paw.

Hawkwing looked at him. “How?”

Finleap and Tree exchanged glances.

“Pebbleshine told Tree,” Twigbranch mewed softly.

Violetshine jerked her muzzle toward Twigbranch. Amazement flashed in her eyes.

“Pebbleshine?” Hawkwing stared at her, confusion clouding his gaze.

“Yes.” Twigbranch’s mew was no more than a whisper.

“She spoke to Tree?” Grief thickened his mew.

“Yes.” Twigbranch’s heart ached with pity as she realized how much her father still missed her mother. “While we were making camp here for the night.”

Violetshine’s pelt prickled. “Are you sure it was her?”

Tree brushed his tail along her flank. “She had Twigbranch’s eyes,” he murmured. “I should have guessed it was her mother.”

“Have you seen her before?” Violetshine blinked at him.

“Yes, we met briefly when she was alive. And she’s the warrior who told me that StarClan should stay by the lake.”

“Why didn’t you tell me it was Pebbleshine?” Violetshine sat up.

“I didn’t realize until I described her to Twigbranch,” he explained. “I had forgotten her name. But suddenly it was obvious.”

Hawkwing’s eyes had clouded. “Is she happy?”

“You can ask her yourself,” Tree mewed, looking up. “She’s here with us.”

Twigbranch’s heart lurched. “Here?”

Violetshine jumped to her paws. “Where is she?”

Hawkwing stared at Tree. “Can you see her right now?”

Tree nodded. “I can help you see her, too—like I did with the lost ShadowClan cats at the lake.” He got to his paws and closed his eyes. As he stood, still like a rock, the air around them seemed to shimmer. Twigbranch got shakily to her paws as a dark shape moved on the slope in front of the cave. A warm scent touched her nose, and her heart ached with joy. “Pebbleshine,” she whispered.

A white she-cat stopped a tail-length away. Her soft green eyes shone in the darkness. Her pelt was specked with brown, like owl feathers, and there was a sleekness to her fur that reminded Twigbranch of Violetshine. How familiar she looked, and yet Twigbranch had never seen her before.

Violetshine leaned forward, sniffing.

Hawkwing padded past them and touched his nose cautiously to Pebbleshine’s muzzle. “My love.” He closed his eyes, as though drinking in her scent. “I thought I would never see you again.”

“I’m so sorry I left you alone,” Pebbleshine whispered. “I was trapped in the monster. I could feel it taking me farther and farther away. I fought to get out, but there was nothing I could do.”

“I wish I’d been able to find you.” Hawkwing’s mew caught in his throat.

“Losing you was unbearable, but then . . .” Pebbleshine’s gaze drifted from Hawkwing’s. She blinked at Twigbranch and then Violetshine. “Then our kits came.” Love flooded her mew. She padded forward and wove around them. Twigbranch shivered as her mother’s fur brushed hers, no more than a breeze and as cool as stone. “I’ve been with you both since you were born,” Pebbleshine murmured. “Even after I died, I couldn’t leave you. I couldn’t go to StarClan, not while you faced life with only each other.”

“They have me now,” Hawkwing mewed softly. “And their Clans.”

Pebbleshine’s gaze flitted to Tree and then Finleap. “And they have cats who love them.” There was a purr in her mew. “Thank you for letting me speak to them, Tree—just for a moment.”

Tree stared at her, his ears peaked in concentration. “It’s my pleasure. I’m sorry I didn’t realize the connection earlier. I knew you were a Clan cat, but . . .”