The Raging Storm

Pebbleshine purred. “You are a good cat, Tree. You have always helped me when I needed help. I’m glad they are loved. They don’t need me anymore.”

Panic flared in Twigbranch’s belly. “We will always need you!”

Violetshine stared frantically at her mother. “We’ve only just found you.”

“You have much more now than I could ever give you.” Pebbleshine backed away toward the shadowy woods.

Violetshine darted forward, but Hawkwing waved her back with his tail. “Let her go,” he breathed. “Let her take her place in StarClan, where she belongs. She must be lonely here.”

“She has us!” Twigbranch flashed him an angry look. Hawkwing returned it, his gaze soft. Shame washed her pelt. She was being selfish. She dipped her head. “I’m sorry. Of course she must go.”

“I will still be able to see you from StarClan,” Pebbleshine promised.

“But you won’t be close.” Grief pressed in Twigbranch’s throat.

“I will always be in your heart, just as you are in mine.” Pebbleshine blinked at her fondly. “You will be a great warrior, Twigbranch. I can see that already. And you.” She turned her gentle green gaze on Violetshine. “You’ll be a wonderful mother to those kits.”

“Kits?” Violetshine tipped her head, puzzled.

Pebbleshine glanced at her belly. “Don’t you know?”

Shock showed in Violetshine’s eyes. “I’m going to be a mother!”

Twigbranch pricked her ears. A mother! She lifted her tail happily. Violetshine was going to have the family she’d always wanted. She heard Tree purring loudly. He rubbed his muzzle against Violetshine’s cheek. “I can’t wait to be a father.”

Hawkwing’s eyes shone. “Is that why you’ve been so tired and irritable?” he mewed. “I thought it was just the weather getting you down.”

“So did I!” Violetshine purred at him.

Twigbranch glanced at her mother. Pebbleshine was turning away. “Wait!” Twigbranch hurried after her into the rain. She wanted to drink in her scent once more, but by the time she reached her, the scent had vanished. Her mother moved like a shadow toward the trees.

“I will always love you!” Hawkwing called after her.

“Good-bye!” Violetshine wailed.

“Good-bye, Pebbleshine.” Twigbranch’s words were hardly more than a whisper as she watched her mother disappear into darkness. Her heart ached with loss as she felt the rain pound against her pelt. And then she saw, on the grass where Pebbleshine had walked, that stars seemed to sparkle in her paw prints.

CHAPTER 24

As they crested the hill, Violetshine narrowed her eyes against the rain. It swept up from the lake, carried on a wind that seemed hungry for fresh bones to chill. She thought of her kits, warm and safe inside her, and felt protective. She was happy to bear the brunt of the storm if it sheltered them from its fury.

Tree was at her side. He hadn’t left her as they’d trekked back from the cave. Last night, SkyClan had decided to approach the lake through RiverClan territory, staying clear of the flood and making straight for ShadowClan’s camp. Tigerstar was the only leader left to convince. Leafstar had already dispatched messengers to WindClan and ThunderClan territory, begging them to send patrols to support them as they faced the ShadowClan leader.

“Go to WindClan,” Leafstar had told Macgyver and Plumwillow. “Ask Mistystar and Harestar to send cats to ShadowClan. We don’t intend to fight, but we need voices to support our claim.” She’d told Nettlesplash and Sandynose the same as she’d sent them to ThunderClan.

Now, as they headed down the slope into RiverClan territory, Violetshine’s heart pricked with hope. Perhaps, at last, the question of land for SkyClan could be settled. Tigerstar couldn’t hold out against four Clans, could he?

Hawkwing followed them, Leafstar at his side. Frecklewish and Fidgetflake trailed behind with their Clanmates. Nectarpaw was limping. A clumsy jump had twisted her paw. Sandynose and Bellaleaf pressed beside her, helping her to walk.

Tree led the group toward the river, which tumbled downhill. It was swollen by rainwater but still narrow here. As it flowed to the lake, it grew wider. Where once it had gently encircled RiverClan’s camp and spread idle streams through their land, now it churned angrily. The camp had disappeared beneath the muddy torrent.

Violetshine halted. She stared down at the shore, shocked by how high the lake had risen. “The rain must stop soon, or every camp will be lost!”

“The five Clans are together,” Tree reminded her. “We will survive this storm.”

“We’re not together yet.” Doubt pricked at her pelt.

Leafstar padded to her side. “Have faith,” she mewed gently. “We didn’t come this far to fail.”

Violetshine met the SkyClan leader’s gaze, relieved to see her so determined.

Tree stopped at the river’s edge. He nodded to the fallen tree that bridged the water. “Let’s cross here.”