Warrior Cats: Sky of Storms

Chapter 19

Echostar sat on the edge of their territory, waiting. Wavefire had to go back and check on something, so she waited, and had a fairly awkward conversation.

Rockheart emerged from the water a little ways away, a fish in his mouth. He trotted over to her, dropping it. "You need to keep your strength up." He said. Echostar looked down at it. It was small, and a piece of black slime was stuck to it.

"You shouldn't have gone swimming." She said,looking at his slime coated fur. "Any sign of the Twolegs on your patrol?" Rockheart flicked his tail, rubbing leaves on himself to get the black water off.

"No." He said. "But we say a puddle of black water pouring into the river, and Hopepaw and Mosspelt helped me block it and cover it with dirt." Echostar looked down into the river, where she could see trails of the poison merging with the currents. On the other side of the river a dead fish stunk up that part of ThunderClan's territory.

"Do you think Moonwhisker and Sunfur told everyone about our problem?" Rockheart asked, guessing her thoughts about ThunderClan. Echostar glanced at him, trying to seem taller and imposing. 

She looked up at the sky, where she could see Waterstorm's star shining the brightest on her. She winced and said, "No. I asked them not too, and I believe they will not."

"Because you're their daughter?" Rockheart asked quietly. Echostar turned to him, rage bubbling inside her.

"Just because my blood is ThunderClan does not mean I am not qualified to lead RiverClan." She said, and immediately felt guilty that she had raised her voice to one of her clanmates. Rockheart took a step back.

Wavefire bounded through the bushes, her mouth clamped around herbs. She dropped them at Echostar's feet. "I forgot these traveling herbs." She said. "I can't believe I didn't remember them." She glanced at Rockheart.

"Rockheart is leaving now." Echostar said to Wavefire, but her voice implied it was meant for Rockheart. The gray warrior stared at her, his expression broken as they used the stepping stones across the river.

The current was strong tonight, with the moon almost full. Echostar liked to think she felt Waterstorm's star guiding her through the outskirts of ThunderClan territory.

As they approached WindClan, strong scent told them that the Moon high patrol had just passed. She looked ahead of her and saw them waiting for the two cats on a tall rock. The leader of the patrol, Robinwing, she recognized, ran over.

Behind her followed Thistlepaw, her apprentice, Tornear, and Webfoot. 

Tornear hissed in fury, spitting, "RiverClan on our territory!" Robinwing silenced him with a flick of her tail. Thistlepaw hung back behind her mentor, staring at Echostar.

"We are no trouble to you." Echostar said, holding her tail high to show she was not afraid. Wavefire however, looked completely defeated by the obstacle. "We are traveling to the Moonstone."

Webfoot flicked his ears curiously. "Why?" He said, a little harshly. Echostar began to continue on the path. "That is RiverClan's business."

Tornear was about to say something else, but Robinwing silenced him again, catching up to Echostar. She stopped her in the path and said, "I'm afraid you can't go that way."

Echostar swallowed her hiss. "You have no right to stop us." Robinwing hesitated. "It would be better if Tallstar just showed you."

She ran down the moor, picking up dust behind her.  Webfoot and Tornear surrounded the two cats, while Thistlepaw stayed off to the side.

"You will not travel to the Moonstone." Tornear hissed, coming inches away from Echostar's nose. "Why would StarClan want to see smelly RiverClan cats?"

Wavefire finally spoke up. "You can't stop us from sharing tongues with StarClan!" A cloud crossed the moon as Wavefire and Echostar turned to continue walking.

"See!" Webfoot said. "Even StarClan doesn't want you to go." Echostar didn't respond, instead just gawping up at the moon. 

Has StarClan abandoned us, when we need them the most?