Bramblestar’s Storm

“Purdy needs company,” Squirrelflight mewed. “And I don’t just mean those pesky apprentices. I know you could run the Clan without us—and so could Purdy, for that matter—but could you at least pretend that you want to spend more time with him? Don’t worry, we’ll still find things for you to do.”

Sandstorm’s green eyes glimmered. “I’ll do what I can,” she promised. “But perhaps the answer isn’t banishing more cats to the elders’ den, but getting Purdy more involved in Clan life. Why not put him in charge of bedding distribution along with Daisy?”

“That’s a great idea!” Bramblestar meowed. He headed farther up the tunnel to where Daisy was still struggling to share out the bedding she had collected. “You look as if you could do with another set of paws,” he told her. “Why not get Purdy to help?”

Daisy’s harassed expression brightened immediately. “Oh, I wonder if he would? I’ll go ask him right away.”

She headed down the tunnel and Bramblestar followed a few paces behind. Purdy looked taken aback when Daisy made her request. “Well… I’ve got my paws full keepin’ an eye on these young ’uns,” he meowed. “But I reckon if you really need me…”

“I do, Purdy!” Daisy assured him. “I’m so busy I don’t know where to start.”

“Well, then… you’d better show me what to do. You young cats behave now,” he added to the apprentices, “an’ I’ll tell you the story when I come back.”

Daisy padded back up the tunnel with Purdy at her flank, passing Bramblestar on their way to the heap of bedding. There was a proud gleam in Purdy’s eyes, and Bramblestar guessed there wouldn’t be any more fuss about taking his fair share of fresh-kill. Sandstorm, you know Purdy so well!

Hoping for a few moments alone, Bramblestar headed out of the tunnel and sharpened his claws on a nearby ash tree. They felt all clogged up with dirt and leaves, and he experienced a fierce satisfaction in seeing them gleaming again. I wish every problem could be solved by good fighting skills and a dose of courage, he thought, remembering how much simpler it had been to rip his claws through the pelt of a Dark Forest warrior. Coping with all these different cats is more exhausting than going into battle!

Night was beginning to fall by the time Bramblestar returned to the tunnel. His Clanmates were settling down among the sparse bedding, huddling together to share the precious moss. Before he went to his own nest, which Squirrelflight had prepared for him, Bramblestar set Cloudtail on watch at the entrance and Lionblaze farther down the tunnel beyond the last cats.

Now enemies can’t sneak up on us, and neither can the flood!

But the makeshift nests weren’t comfortable; the moss and leaves were damp in spite of Daisy’s efforts, and there wasn’t enough to go around. Even worse, a chilly draft whistled down the tunnel, lifting the cats’ fur.

“Can’t we go deeper into the tunnels?” Spiderleg asked Bramblestar. “That wind is freezing my ears off.”

“No, we can’t,” Bramblestar told him. “We can’t risk the river in the cave rising any higher.”

Spiderleg twitched his tail-tip. He didn’t argue, but Bramblestar heard him grumbling to himself as he curled up in his nest.

Eventually Bramblestar fell into an uneasy doze, and woke to see gray light flooding through the entrance. The Clan was rousing around him, looking tired and rumpled. But at least they’re all alive.

Bramblestar stood up and arched his back in a long stretch, trying not to wince as his muscles protested. At the entrance he spotted Squirrelflight with a number of cats clustered around her.

“We need hunting patrols,” she was meowing. “Sandstorm, will you lead one? And you, Mousewhisker… and Brightheart.”

Bramblestar relaxed from his stretch and stepped through the scattered bedding to join her. “We only need one border patrol,” he meowed. “I’ll lead it.”

Squirrelflight dipped her head. “Sure, Bramblestar. Which cats do you want?”

Bramblestar thought quickly. “Dovewing, Graystripe, and Thornclaw,” he decided. All levelheaded cats who can cope with whatever we find.

Venturing out at the head of his patrol, Bramblestar discovered that a light rain was falling, and a stiff breeze blew clouds across the sky, carrying the scent of the sun-drown-place from the lake. But the worst of the storm was over, and above his head he spotted an occasional glimpse of blue.

“We’ll avoid the WindClan border for today,” he meowed. “I need to think before we tackle that problem. Let’s go the other way and see what we can find out about ShadowClan.”