Bramblestar’s Storm

“I wouldn’t change a thing,” Millie assured her. “Except that I wish my daughter Briarlight hadn’t been injured. I’ll never leave ThunderClan, but I’ll never forget that there’s another way to live, either.”

I never knew Millie felt like that, Bramblestar thought, with a pang of guilt that Millie had never been one of his favorite cats, with her perpetual fussing over Briarlight. I’ll show her more respect in the future.

At least the conversation with Millie seemed to have settled Minty; soon she curled up again and her steady breathing told Bramblestar she was asleep at last.

Bramblestar woke to see pale dawn light trickling into the tunnel. It looked as dull and gray as the day before, he thought. We need proper sunlight to dry out the forest.

While he was giving his pelt a quick grooming, he heard the sound of paw steps, and cats brushing through the undergrowth. Rosepetal, who was on guard at the entrance to the tunnel, stuck her head inside.

“Bramblestar, there are a couple of cats coming up from the direction of ShadowClan.”

“Thanks, Rosepetal.” Bramblestar looked around and saw that Lionblaze and Mousewhisker were stirring too. He beckoned them with a flick of his ears. “Let’s go see what they want.”

As Bramblestar stepped out of the tunnel he spotted two cats emerging from the sodden undergrowth: Rowanclaw, the ShadowClan deputy, and Littlecloud, their medicine cat. Bramblestar’s paws tingled. Could he guess what this visit was about?

“Greetings,” he meowed, padding forward.

“Greetings, Bramblestar,” Littlecloud responded. With a glance at Rowanclaw he added, “We’re on our way to the Moonpool. I don’t know if it’s escaped the flooding, but it’s high up in the mountains, so we’re going to take the risk that it’s survived.” He sighed. “If it hasn’t, I fear for the Clans…”

“I’m ShadowClan leader now,” Rowanclaw explained, though no explanation was necessary. “Blackstar lost his ninth life in the storm.”

“I’m sorry.” Bramblestar regretted the death of any Clan leader, though he was pleased that Rowanclaw would succeed Blackstar. His sister Tawnypelt’s mate would make a strong and vigorous leader. “May he walk in peace with StarClan. And may your leadership go well,” he added.

Rowanclaw nodded. “Thanks. How are things in ThunderClan?” he asked. “Did all your cats survive?”

“Yes,” Bramblestar replied. “It was a struggle, but we’re all okay.” He stopped himself from saying more, especially not that the whole Clan was living in the tunnel.

Rowanclaw didn’t offer any more information about ShadowClan, either. I know how tough it is for them, Bramblestar thought, remembering the journey through their waterlogged territory the day before.

“This is a hard day for all the Clans,” Rowanclaw mewed. He seemed subdued, clearly grieving for Blackstar and worried about his own leadership in this crisis. “StarClan grant that we all survive.”

Bramblestar murmured agreement. He watched the two ShadowClan cats trek farther up the hill in the direction of the Moonpool until they were out of sight. Then Bramblestar turned back to the tunnel to meet Jayfeather, who was just emerging. The medicine cat raised his head and gave a good sniff.

“Rowanclaw and Littlecloud were here?” he meowed.

“Yes. On their way to the Moonpool.”

Jayfeather bowed his head for a heartbeat. “I’m not surprised Blackstar lost his last life,” he mewed at last. “He was old, and he’d seen so much.”

Bramblestar felt how odd it was to hear Jayfeather talking like this. It’s like he’s an old cat himself. But then, Jayfeather has seen more than most of us, in spite of being blind.

By now the other cats were waking up and climbing stiffly into the open. The day was growing brighter, though the sun had not yet risen, and a cold breeze rattled the branches and spun raindrops into the air.

Squirrelflight appeared from the tunnel and spoke through a massive yawn. “What patrols do you want today?”

“We need to concentrate on hunting,” Bramblestar told her. “Get Sandstorm and Cloudtail to lead patrols. And will you lead one too, along the WindClan border? I’ll take one to ShadowClan.”

Squirrelflight nodded. “What do you want done about the WindClan stream?”

Bramblestar hesitated, remembering the WindClan patrol’s frenzied assertion of their rights over the water. “Nothing, for now,” he decided. “I hope the problem will resolve itself once the floodwater goes down. Take cats with you who’ll keep their heads if WindClan cats challenge you.”

As Squirrelflight turned away to divide the cats into patrols, Briarlight emerged from the tunnel with Millie beside her. Bramblestar noticed that the young she-cat winced as she dragged herself along the ground.

“Is something wrong?” he called.