Shadows of the Storm, Part I: Rising

Thunderpaw and Shadowpaw had spent that quarter moon of no border patrols going on hunting patrols and cleaning out the nursery and the elders’ den, but the time flew faster than Thunderpaw had expected. Now, it was another quarter moon since she and her sister and the others had been allowed back onto border patrols, and the gathering was imminent, those chosen to go congregating near the leader’s den.

“You have to tell us what happens at the gathering!” Thunderpaw pleaded of Duskpaw. “Every juicy detail!”

“Okay,” Duskpaw acknowledged, though distracted by the crowd around him.

Along with Duskpaw, the cats chosen were Jaygaze, Snakefang, Birchscar, Spiritpaw, Sandtail, and Fogpelt. It made sense that Wrenstar hadn’t chosen any of the cats who’d escorted the SilverClan prey-thieves to their own camp, but Thunderpaw still wished that she was able to go to the gathering.

Well…at least I’ll have more time to talk to Shadowpaw! 

Thunderpaw and Shadowpaw watched as the cats chosen to go to the gathering headed off for the Sacred Hollow, led by Wrenstar, who had left her kits – who were now only a moon away from their apprenticeships – with Stormwind, whose kits were approaching a moon old.

“I hope Wrenstar tells Crimsonstar that she’ll rend their pelt if their warriors put one whisker over the border,” Shadowpaw grumbled once all the gathering cats were gone.

“Me too,” Thunderpaw agreed. “But for now, why don’t we share some gossip? We gotta stay up so we can hear what happened at the gathering from Duskpaw!”

“Good idea,” Shadowpaw sighed. “It’ll get my mind off of things.”

The sisters found a comfortable spot to lay down near the apprentices’ den, taking in the night air – newleaf still embraced the moor gently, though the days and nights were growing steadily warmer.

“So, have you noticed Snakefang and Cloudybreeze lately?” Thunderpaw inquired of her sister, her whiskers twitching.

“Oh yes,” Shadowpaw purred. “They’ve been real friendly with each other lately, haven’t they?”

“They have,” Thunderpaw chuckled. “I wonder how long that’s been going on!”

“Probably not that long,” Shadowpaw pointed out, “since they only started going on lone walks together half a moon ago.”

“True.”

“But the one that gets me the most is Jaygaze and Lakebreeze.”

Thunderpaw blinked in surprise. “Wait, what?”

“Yeah,” Shadowpaw meowed. “They’ve been real chatty lately. You haven’t noticed?”

“I mean, they talk,” Thunderpaw admitted. “But I really don’t think they’re…”

“A couple?” The dark-furred she-cat’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “They’re getting there.”

“But Lakebreeze doesn’t seem the type!” Thunderpaw objected. “Jaygaze might be short-tempered like her, but they’re a lot more compassionate. Lakebreeze is a bit of a grouch.”

“I think Jaygaze digs that,” Shadowpaw giggled. “He really likes her. It’s obvious. She’s more hesitant, as you might expect, but she’s coming around.”

“Do you spy on them or something?” ventured the black-and-white molly, her yellow eyes teasing.

“Nah, it’s obvious,” Shadowpaw laughed. “You’re just oblivious to it.”

Thunderpaw shrugged.

“Speaking of which, how about you and Spiritpaw?” Shadowpaw teased, her green eyes filled with mischief.

“What? No!” Thunderpaw protested. “He’s too bossy! Hey, what about you and Duskpaw?”

“Ew, no.” Shadowpaw stuck her tongue out. “He’s too timid and boring.”

“He is not boring!” Thunderpaw gasped. “You just gotta take the time to talk to him!”

“Oh, and you have?” Shadowpaw pressed, curiosity in her tone.

“As a matter of fact, I have,” Thunderpaw informed her sister. “And he’s very interesting. He’s just shy.”

Shadowpaw looked like she wanted to say something, but was stopping herself, her emerald gaze speaking a thousand unreadable volumes.

“What?” Thunderpaw queried, confused.

“You’re so clueless,” Shadowpaw sighed, shaking her head. “It’s…nothing. You’ll find out.”

Thunderpaw was perplexed by this, but shrugged it off.

It’s probably not important, she discerned.

“Fernkit and Owlkit are only a moon away from becoming apprentices,” the black-and-white apprentice changed the subject. “I wonder who their mentors will be!”

“Probably Cloudybreeze,” Shadowpaw speculated. “She hasn’t had an apprentice yet. And Speckletalon, he hasn’t had an apprentice in a while.”

“That makes sense,” Thunderpaw realised.  “Sandtail finished mentoring Cloudybreeze shortly after our apprentice ceremonies, and Lakebreeze and Fogpelt finished mentoring Snakefang and Magpietail shortly before our apprentice ceremonies. Stormwind has kits to take care of, and Wrenstar probably wouldn’t mentor one of her own kits.”

“Exactly.” Shadowpaw sounded satisfied that Thunderpaw saw her point. “So Speckletalon’s the only other logical choice.”

“Do you think we might mentor one of Stormwind’s kits?” Thunderpaw suggested, the thought exciting her. “By the time they’re apprentices, we’ll have been warriors for at least a few moons.”

“I hope so.” Shadowpaw yawned, her green eyes betraying how tired she was. “I’d love to mentor Willowkit, they’re quieter than the other three.”

“Cinnamonkit would be my choice,” Thunderpaw purred. “He’s so happy all the time! Such a little sweetie.”

Shadowpaw yawned again. “I think I’m going to rest for a bit. Wake me up when the gathering cats arrive.”

“Okay!”

Thunderpaw watched as her sister laid her head down to rest, closing her emerald eyes. Thunderpaw wasn’t particularly tired, so she stared into the starry night sky, her thoughts drifting towards her mother. She knew that Lightningclaw was watching her from StarClan, and she figured she was proud of her and Blazepaw, but Thunderpaw couldn’t help but wonder what her mother would have thought of Shadowpaw. Shadowpaw hadn’t joined the clan until a moon after Lightningclaw’s death, but Redstripe adopted her anyway, taking her in as his own. Thunderpaw and Shadowpaw had been close sisters since then, though Blazepaw was always more distant, especially from Shadowpaw.

Thunderpaw still remembered how she’d found out about her mother’s death – the black-and-white molly was just three moons old at the time, and Lightningclaw had caught a disease that had been raging throughout both DawnClan and SilverClan, killing off a large chunk of each clan’s warriors. Lightningclaw was one of the cats who died because of this horrible disease, and the reason why Blazepaw wanted to become a medicine cat in the first place. Skypelt was the one who told Redstripe, Thunderpaw, and Blazepaw, and it was around the same time that Wrenstar had lost one of her nine lives to the disease as well.

Thunderpaw pushed away these thoughts, not wanting to think of the scores of cats who’d been lost to what was now called the Great Plague. Thankfully, it was just then that the gathering cats had returned, wandering tiredly into DawnClan’s camp. Thunderpaw turned to Shadowpaw, prodding her with one paw.

“Hey, wake up,” Thunderpaw meowed gently. “They’re back.”

Shadowpaw opened her eyes. “I wasn’t asleep.”

Thunderpaw had figured as much – Shadowpaw didn’t sleep as easily as Thunderpaw did. The golden-eyed she-cat waited for her sister to get up and stretch, and then the two sisters rushed towards the gathering cats in search of Duskpaw. Thunderpaw spotted Spiritpaw instead, who was heading towards them.

“Duskpaw didn’t pay attention to the gathering,” the seal point lynx tom told them. “He was too overwhelmed by the amount of cats, so he made me promise I’d tell you two about the gathering.”

“So?” Shadowpaw pressed. “Tell us.”

“Wrenstar warned Crimsonstar that if SilverClan cats were found over our border one more time,” Spiritpaw explained, “they’d have to suffer severe consequences. That was pretty much it, to be honest. Crimsonstar didn’t have much to say on the matter – they didn’t even comment on the fact that you guys escorted a bunch of their warriors to their own camp.”

“Of course they didn’t,” Shadowpaw spat. “They’re a coward.”

“Yeah!” Thunderpaw concurred. “Crimsonstar is a disgrace to the clans. Hopefully, though, SilverClan has finally learned its lesson.”

“I doubt it,” Shadowpaw muttered.

“I guess we’ll find out,” Spiritpaw shrugged. “All we can do is watch and wait.”