Warriors: Storm Clouds

Chapter Nine

The cats held an early vigil for Mistfur that evening due to the gathering. The cats that had been particularly close to her, like Duskpelt, her mother, and Rabbitflight would stay behind. Hawkstar and many of the other cats wanted to stay behind too, but they knew it would look suspicious if ThunderClan didn't show up at the gathering. So the leader chose a small group of cats to go with him; Emberheart, because she was the deputy, Stormclaw, Lilystream, Snowblaze, Fallingleaf, Ravenfoot, and Brookpaw.

     She wished she could have gone to her first gathering in good spirits, but that was not the case. Brookpaw still felt sick as she padded alongside Ravenfoot towards Fourtrees.

     "Despite whatever happened, you fought amazingly today," her mentor murmured.

     Maybe I did, but Mistfur's still dead.

     Ravenfoot said something else to her, but she wasn't listening. Her thoughts had traveled back to earlier, when they had told the camp Mistfur was dead. Duskpelt had let out a yowl of agony.

     "She can't be dead! Where is she?! What happened?!"

     Brookpaw had never heard the old she-cat be so loud. She had gestured numbly with her tail, pointing towards the gorse tunnel. "We couldn't get her body through the tunnel," she meowed miserably.

     It was then Rabbitflight had emerged from the warriors den. "What's happened?"

     "Mistfur's dead." Ravenfoot had answered this time.

     Her friend had given a screech of disbelief and followed Duskpelt out through the gorse tunnel.

     Shaking her thoughts away, Brookpaw tried to focus on the path ahead of her. The forest was thinning out. They were almost at Fourtrees. Ravenfoot had given up trying to talk to her, and was now walking side by side with Lilystream. Their pelts were brushing, and they were chatting quietly to each other. She heard Lilystream laugh.

     How can you be so light-hearted after what happened today? She thought, but deep inside she knew it was probably better that they weren't all depressed and irritated. This was a gathering, after all. But she could imagine how Crowstar was going to twist the story of the battle tonight and make it seem like ThunderClan was all at fault.

     Berrypaw came up alongside her. "You smell bad. None of the other apprentices are going to want to hang around you tonight."

     Of course I smell, I'm covered in herbs you mouse brain! Her injuries hadn't been serious, but she had a large cut on her flank thanks to Willowlight.

     "None of the apprentices are going to want to hang around you either if you insult them every five seconds," she replied, keeping her tone dull and uninterested.

     Berrypaw shrugged. "A real warrior can take some criticism."

     "I'm covered in herbs, what did you expect?!"

     The red tabby ignored her and padded ahead, catching up to her mentor, Mapleclaw. Rolling her eyes, Brookpaw turned her attention back to Ravenfoot and Lilystream. They were talking to each other very quietly, but she could hear a piece of their conversation every now and then.

     "It'll be nice to talk to Suncloud again," Lilystream murmured. "I wonder how her kits are doing."

     Brookpaw couldn't hear Ravenfoot's reply. In all honesty, she just found it hard to believe he hadn't caught her listening in on them yet. He usually was so alert. I guess he lets his guard down with Lilystream. In a way, it was nice to see him like this, relaxed and friendly.