Bramblestar’s Storm

Briarlight was sitting with Jayfeather and Leafpool at the mouth of their den, helping the medicine cats to sort herbs. Bramblestar realized with satisfaction that one of his Clanmates must have carried her down from the tunnel.

Jessy bounded over to Bramblestar, her eyes sparkling with triumph. “You have to see the nursery!” she announced.

Lionblaze was scrambling around on the nursery roof, patching the holes with tough stems of ivy. “Cinderheart!” he called, twisting around precariously to beckon his mate with one paw. “It’s nearly finished. Our kits will be warm and safe in here!”

Cinderheart hurried over and stood looking up with a warm glow in her blue eyes. “It’s perfect!” she purred.

Inside Bramblestar discovered Daisy with the other two kittypets, spreading huge bundles of moss over the nursery floor.

“Minty, make sure there aren’t any thorns in there,” Daisy mewed. “We don’t want Cinderheart’s kits to get scratched.”

“I’ll be careful, Daisy,” Minty responded, drawing her claws through the moss and setting aside a huge thorn.

Lionblaze dropped to the ground and stuck his head inside the entrance, with Cinderheart peering over his shoulder. “It’s great in here,” he meowed. “I can’t wait for our kits to be born. I’ll visit as often as I can.”

Daisy gave him a sharp flick with her tail. “You’ll visit if I say you can,” she told him. “Cinderheart and her kits will need a lot of rest. We all have to put mothers and their kits first.”

Lionblaze nodded. “Of course, Daisy.”

Jessy followed Bramblestar out as he left the nursery. “Daisy has enough help,” she remarked. “Is there anything else I can do?”

Bramblestar glanced around and spotted the apprentices, who were hauling a tangle of bramble tendrils up to the warriors’ den. “They could do with some extra paws,” he mewed.

“I’m on it!” Jessy responded, bounding across the camp toward the young cats.

Bramblestar watched her go, then went over to Squirrelflight, who was struggling with a hazel branch outside the elders’ den. “Let me help you with that,” he offered.

Together they began wrestling the branch into position. Squirrelflight kept darting swift glances at Bramblestar. “I’ve noticed how well you’re getting on with Jessy,” she murmured after a few moments.

Bramblestar’s pelt grew hot with embarrassment at the thought of discussing Jessy with Squirrelflight. “She’s a nice cat,” he responded; then, trying to sound lighthearted, he added, “for a kittypet.”

“She doesn’t seem like a kittypet now,” Squirrelflight mewed. After a pause, she added, “Do you think she’ll stay?” She didn’t look at Bramblestar. “I mean, if you want her to, that’s fine with me. Not that it’s up to me, of course…” Her voice trailed off; she sounded as awkward as Bramblestar felt.

Bramblestar blinked. Until now he hadn’t thought about what it would be like if Jessy stayed in the Clan forever, as a warrior and his mate. Is that what I want?

He looked at Squirrelflight, who had gone back to struggling with the branch. Behind him, he could hear Lionblaze talking to Cinderheart. “How many kits do you think we’ll have?”

Then Jayfeather’s voice, raised in annoyance, drifted across the camp. “How many times do I have to tell you apprentices? Watch where you’re putting your paws when you come into my den. That’s a whole bunch of yarrow crushed!”

My sons are so grown up, so confident and talented. How could I have regretted raising them for a single moment? Grief surged up inside Bramblestar. “I miss Hollyleaf,” he blurted out.

Squirrelflight let the branch drop. “So do I.”

She looked so heartbroken, her eyes wide and full of sorrow as if the pain had never left, that Bramblestar choked on the words he would have liked to stay. Instead he rested his head against Squirrelflight’s, hoping that the touch would bring her comfort.

Neither of them said anything more about Jessy.

As the sun reached its height, Cloudtail appeared at the entrance to the hollow with Blossomfall, Dovewing, and Berrynose. All four cats were loaded with prey.

“Hey, Bramblestar!” Cloudtail dropped his catch in the middle of the clearing and waved his tail at his Clan leader. “We brought our fresh-kill so we can eat here!”

“Good idea,” Bramblestar agreed.

Cheerful yowls rose from his Clanmates as they converged hungrily on the pile. Bramblestar chose a thrush and settled down to eat. As the noise died down while the cats gulped down their fresh-kill, he heard Blossomfall and Rosepetal talking together beside him.

“What’s this I hear, that Bumblestripe and Dovewing aren’t mates anymore?” Rosepetal asked.

Surprised, Bramblestar flicked a glance around the clearing and saw that the two warriors were eating on opposite sides of the group, about as far away from each other as they could get. Both of them looked downcast, and kept their gaze firmly fixed on their prey.