Bramblestar’s Storm

“I’ll come with you,” Lionblaze offered, rising from his nest and pushing between Birchfall and Cloudtail to reach his leader.

Bramblestar noticed that the golden-furred warrior was still limping badly from the wounds he had suffered in the battle with the kittypets. “No, you need to rest,” he ordered.

“I’ve rested until I’m sick of it!” Lionblaze snapped.

“Bramblestar’s right,” Cinderheart mewed, stroking Lionblaze’s side with her tail. “You need to be more patient.”

Lionblaze glared at his mate. “I’ve been patient!”

“I’ll come with you, Bramblestar,” Cloudtail offered, heaving himself to his paws.

“Thanks. Let’s go,” Bramblestar meowed, turning away from Lionblaze. He’ll have to accept that things are different for him now.

Outside the rain was as heavy as ever, but after the crowded tunnel Bramblestar didn’t mind the cold water seeping through his pelt. He took deep breaths of the damp air as he and Cloudtail headed through the dripping trees.

“The Great Battle seems so long ago,” Cloudtail meowed after they had trotted in silence for a while. “And at the same time, it feels as if it was less than a moon away.” He sighed deeply. “I miss Firestar.”

Is he telling me I’m no good as leader? Bramblestar wondered for a moment, guilt clawing at him. Then he remembered that Cloudtail was Firestar’s kin.

“I miss him too,” he murmured.

“Oh, you’re doing a great job!” Cloudtail assured him, suddenly cheerful. “Just trust your instincts, and trust Firestar to have made the right choice!”

The older warrior’s praise warmed Bramblestar, and he felt more optimistic as they came into sight of the floodwater. But he was puzzled as he padded along the water’s edge looking for the marker sticks.

“Have they all fallen over?” he muttered. “I’m sure I put one just here!”

“Hey, Bramblestar!” Cloudtail called.

Turning, Bramblestar saw that the white warrior was standing a couple of fox-lengths up the slope, a marker stick poking out of the ground beside him. Another stick stood a few tail-lengths away, and another: a whole line of them stretching along the slope well above the edge of the flood.

Relief surged through Bramblestar, making him dizzy. “The water’s going down!”

“Brilliant!” Cloudtail’s blue eyes gleamed. “We will get our home back; you can be sure of that.”

Chapter 24

“What?” Mousewhisker was the first cat to leap to his paws when Bramblestar and Cloudtail returned to the tunnel to announce that the water was going down. “I’ve got to see this!”

He charged out of the tunnel, almost knocking Bramblestar and Cloudtail off their paws. Rosepetal, Thornclaw, Birchfall, and several other cats streamed after him and disappeared into the trees.

Lionblaze rose and tried to limp after them, but Jayfeather blocked him before he could leave the tunnel. “Stay here, flea-brain!” he hissed.

Lionblaze raised a paw as if he was going to swipe his brother across his ears, but he stopped himself at the last moment and went back to his nest with an angry twitch of his tail. Cinderheart gave his ears a lick as he flopped down into the moss, but Lionblaze didn’t respond to her. The gray she-cat’s blue eyes were filled with worry and frustration.

“Speak to Cinderheart.” Sandstorm appeared at Bramblestar’s side and spoke quietly. “Tell her that all warriors get hurt, and it’s tough learning how to heal.”

Bramblestar sighed. I’m no good at talking to cats about their feelings. But he recognized the wisdom in Sandstorm’s words, and he called Cinderheart over to him with a wave of his tail.

“I know you’re having a tough time…” he began awkwardly.

“I’m so afraid!” The words burst out of Cinderheart. “Lionblaze just won’t accept that he’s not invincible anymore. He’ll end up getting himself killed!”

“No, he won’t.” Bramblestar tried his best to reassure her. “He’s not stupid. He’ll adjust in time.” He tried to understand how Lionblaze must be feeling, after living so long without fearing injury. “He’ll have to find a different kind of courage, that’s all,” he went on. “One that takes account of his limitations. He can’t fight alone now; he must stay with his Clanmates. That might feel like failure to him, even though it’s not.”

Cinderheart nodded. “I know I shouldn’t nag him about being reckless,” she mewed. “I need to try to understand what it must feel like, to be in danger of getting hurt when it’s never happened before. You’re right: He must feel like he is letting us all down because he can’t fight like he used to. Thanks, Bramblestar.” Looking much happier, she went back to Lionblaze and curled up beside him in silent sympathy.

“There was good sense in what you told her,” Sandstorm murmured, appearing at Bramblestar’s side once more.

Bramblestar hadn’t realized that the ginger she-cat was listening. “You gave me good advice,” he responded.