Warriors AU: Rising Storm

Chapter 4

Soft paws padded through Sandstorm's dreams that night. A tortoiseshell tom emerged from the forest beside him; his amber eyes glowing. Sandstorm gazed at Spottedleaf and felt the familiar ache in his heart. The pain of the medicine cat's death, so many moons ago, was as raw as ever. He waited eagerly for his gentle greeting, but this time Spottedleaf didn't press his nose to his cheek as he usually did. Instead he turned from him and walked away. Surprised Sandstorm began to follow, breaking into a run to chase the dappled cat through the woods. He called out to him, but even though his pace hadn't seemed to quicken, he stayed ahead of him, deaf to his cries.

Without warning, a dark reddish-brown shape loomed out from behind a tree. It was Oakstar, and the eyes of the Thunderclan leader were wide with fear. Sandstorm swerved to avoid her, desperately trying to keep Spottedleaf in sight, but then Brightpaw leaped at him from the ferns that lined the other side of the path, knocking him over. Lying winded for a moment, Sandstorm could feel Brindleface's eyes burning through his fur as the pale gray tabby warrior watched him from the branches of a tree.

Sandstorm scrambled to his paws and raced after Spottedleaf once more. She was still several fox-lengths ahead, padding steadily on without even turning to see who called her. Now the rest of Thunderclan had gathered along Sandstorm's path. As he dodged and wove through them, they called out to him—he couldn't make out their words, but their voices formed a deafening chorus of mews, questioning, criticizing, begging for help. The meows grew louder and louder until they drowned out his own cry so that even if she were listening, Spottedleaf could not have heard.

"Sandstorm!" One voice sounded above the others. It was Brindleface. "Mousefur and Longtail are waiting to leave. Wake up, Sandstorm!"

Half dreaming, clouded with sleep, Sandstorm pulled himself to his paws. "W-what?" he meowed groggily.

Early morning light was streaming into the warriors' den. Brindleface stood beside him in the empty nest where Silverstream used to sleep. "The patrol is waiting," he repeated. "And Oakstar wants to see you before you go."

Sandstorm shook his head to clear his mind. The dream had frightened him. Spottedleaf had always been closer to him in dreams than he had ever been even in life. His behavior last night stung like the bite of an adder. Was the gentle medicine cat abandoning him?

Sandstorm leaned back to stretch, his legs trembling beneath him. "Tell Mousefur and Longtail I'll be as quick as I can." He slipped quickly past the slumbering bodies of the other warriors. Whitestorm was sleeping near the wall of the den with Lionheart curled beside her, both she-cats had returned to their lives as warriors now that their kits had left the nursery.

Sandstorm pushed his way out into the clearing. It was already warm even though the sun had not et risen over the treetops, and the woods looked green and inviting at the top of the ravine. As he sniffed the familiar scents of the forest, the pain of Sandstorm's dream began to fade, and he felt his fur relax on his shoulders.

Longtail and Mousefur were waiting at the camp entrance. Sandstorm nodded to them as he headed toward Oakstar's den. What could the Thunderclan leader want so early in the day? Did she have a special mission for him? Sandstorm couldn't help feeling it was a sign that Oakstar was feeling more like her old self, and he called a cheerful greeting through the lichen.

"Come in!" The Clan leader sounded excited, and Sandstorm's hopes soared. Inside, Oakstar was pacing up and down the sandy floor. She didn't stop when Sandstorm entered, and he had to press himself against the wall to keep out of her way.

"Sandstorm," she began without looking at him. "I need to share dreams with Starclan. I must travel to the Moonstone." The Moonstone was a glittering rock that lay deep underground beyond Windclan territory, where the sun set.