Bramblestar’s Storm

“We’re going to be washed out of here,” Bramblestar meowed. “Brackenfur, can you check the other dens, and see if anywhere is watertight?”

“Sure.” Brackenfur slipped out into the storm and pelted across to the nursery.

“Do you think we need to leave the hollow?” Squirrelflight suggested.

Bramblestar glanced at Graystripe, wondering what he thought.

Graystripe shook his head. “It’s just as wet out in the forest as it is here,” he pointed out. “And it’s too dark to see where we’re putting our paws.”

“There’s more danger out there, too,” Bramblestar agreed. “The wind is still strong enough to knock over trees. No, I think we’ll stay put.”

“What are you going to tell the others about the lake?” Squirrelflight asked.

Bramblestar hesitated for a moment. “Nothing,” he decided. “They’ll find out soon enough, and there’s no point scaring them in the middle of the night.”

Squirrelflight didn’t look as if she agreed with him, but she just dipped her head and mewed, “Okay.”

Behind them in the warriors’ den, more cats were waking as the rain forced its way through the roof. Startled squeals sounded through the darkness.

“This is no good, Bramblestar,” Cloudtail grumbled, squelching his way through the soaked moss and picking up each paw to shake it. “It’s like trying to sleep under a waterfall!”

“We’ll all die of greencough at this rate!” Spiderleg called out.

For a moment Bramblestar didn’t know what to tell his Clanmates. I can’t make it stop raining!

Just then Brackenfur returned, his pelt drenched and his legs splashed with mud. “The nursery is dry,” he reported. “And so is the apprentices’ den.”

“Good.” Bramblestar puffed out a breath of relief. “Jayfeather should be able to fit a couple of cats into his cave, and my den on the Highledge will be sheltered, too.” He turned to face the shivering cats in the warriors’ den, raising his voice so they could hear him above the clamor of wind and rain. “We have to move out of this den. Graystripe, take Blossomfall, Dustpelt, and Sandstorm to join Millie and Briarlight in my den. Mentors, you can bed down with your apprentices in their den. Brightheart and Cloudtail, go to Jayfeather. The rest of us will sleep in the nursery.”

He stood with Squirrelflight at the entrance to the den, watching as his Clanmates darted out into the storm, hunched and miserable. Sandstorm and Dustpelt bounded toward the tumbled rocks, while Berrynose touched noses with Poppyfrost before she scurried off to join her apprentice. Whitewing seemed reluctant to leave Dovewing, who looked spooked by what was happening, as if she was straining to listen to all the forest at once.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Lionblaze promised.

Whitewing flashed him a grateful glance, then dashed through the teeming rain after Poppyfrost.

As the last of the warriors left the soaked den, another cat raced up to Bramblestar; peering through the darkness he made out Leafpool’s pale tabby pelt.

“Jayfeather and I have spare dry bedding,” she mewed. “Where do you need it?”

“Take some to the Highledge,” Bramblestar ordered. “They’ll be short up there. And check the apprentices’ den. The nursery should have enough.”

“Okay.” Leafpool sped off again.

“Thanks, Leafpool!” Bramblestar called after her.

When all the cats had left, he and Squirrelflight headed for the nursery, but Bramblestar veered aside to check on the apprentices. When he stuck his head inside the den, he saw that all of them were awake now, squashed up tightly with their mentors.

“Are you all okay?” he asked.

“Fine,” Whitewing replied. “We could do with a bit more bedding—”

“And a bit more space,” Spiderleg added. “Lilypaw, take your tail out of my eye.”

“This is exciting!” Amberpaw squeaked, her eyes gleaming in the dim light.

“No, it isn’t!” Ivypool retorted. She was licking herself to dry off her pelt. “We’re cold and wet, and StarClan knows what the camp will look like in the morning.”

“Apprentices think everything is exciting,” Bumblestripe pointed out as he burrowed into the dry moss.

“Except finding Purdy’s ticks.” Seedpaw yawned.

“I just thought of something!” Dewpaw exclaimed. “We must be warriors now, because we’ve got warriors sleeping here, so this is the warriors’ den.”

“Yay! No more ticks!” Snowpaw yowled.

“In your dreams!” Spiderleg meowed.

Poppyfrost rolled her eyes. “Very funny. Now be quiet and go to sleep.”

Obediently the apprentices curled up, but Bramblestar could hear stifled snuffles of amusement, and see the glimmer of mischievous eyes peeping out over the tails that wrapped their noses. He drew back and spotted Leafpool scurrying across the clearing with a load of bedding. Jayfeather loomed up beside Bramblestar at the entrance to the apprentices’ den, a bundle of moss wedged between his chin and his chest, with another bundle in his jaws.

When he shoved his burden through the ferns that sheltered the den, Bumblestripe’s voice called out, “Thanks!” and there was an outraged squeak from Lilypaw.

“Hey! You buried me!”