Warrior Cats: Sky of Storms

Chapter 28

Echostar opened her eyes, feeling oddly peaceful. Hadn't she just been killed? By her best friend?

No. I just lost a life. Right? She looked around and saw to her surprise she was in the same field where she saw the kit with wings. Except today the meadow was muddy and dark while clouds covered the bright rays of the sun.

She looked around for a familiar face and saw Mudfur. The brown medicine cat stared softly at her but with sympathy as well.

"You have lost a life, Echostar." He said. "Calm yourself so you may heal quicker." Echostar stamped her feet impatiently.

"Why would Mosspelt do that to me?" She hissed, her voice cracking with pain. Her neck suddenly blistered, but when she reached up to touch it her skin was still intact.

Mudfur's face darkened. "That answer has never been more obvious. And you know. You saw that Sunpaw would die, but for some reason you still brought him. You deserve the pain that is coming your way."

And suddenly, the dream faded. She lurched back into her body with a sickening thud. Her heart raced as she was plunged into coldness. Her fur was plastered to her side as she stood up.

Wavefire screamed with relief, hugging her friend. Echostar licked her ear, whispering, "It's okay. I'm fine." She looked around and saw her whole Clan staring at her, their gazes mixed with relief and anger.

But two cats were crouching down on top of Mosspelt. It was Swallowtail and... Waterstorm. She blinked several times, and he disappeared. But Ecostar could still feel his presence.

Even though Swallowtail was an elder, she was still as fierce as ever. She glared down at Mosspelt, who writhed and hissed in the pouring rain. Swallowtail looked up at Echostar, raising her voice so the whole Clan could hear.

"I agree that Echostar should be blamed for bringing untrained apprentices into battle, but new leaders make mistakes. Our leader has been punished enough by her losses." She then continued to glare down at Mosspelt. "But death as a punishment?"

Pebblewing yowled. "No cat deserves that!" But another cat hissed at her, and some others had uneasy expressions.

To her dismay, it was Twigpaw. "But this mistake cost a cat to die!" Sunbeam stepped forward, her first word since they had entered the camp. She stared down at Mospelt.

"Every leader goes through the same punishment." She said softly. Cats pricked up their ears to hear her above the rain. "Mistystar's punishment for not running the dog out of our territory was Waterstar's death, and Waterstar's punishment for not opposing the other Clans was Dawnflower's death.

Echostar looked down at the name, but Sunbeam showed no sympathy. "Does anyone dare defy a cat who learns from her mistakes and others?"

Twigpaw scoffed. Echostar felt stricken. This apprentice had always been very quiet. So why speak up now? His brother's death gave him courage. She answered herself.

Poor Mossplet. She lost two of her kits, both to the decisions of her leader. She looked over at Volelimp, who was staring down at Mosspelt with disappointment. He had trusted her and took her in as his mate, but she had attacked his leader.

Echostar had grown up with Volelimp, and she even thought he deserved a little bit better.

Finally, the RiverClan leader flicked her tail. "Let her up." Swallowtail respectfully stepped back.

Mosspelt avoided all eye contact with any cat. She stared down at the floor, and Echostar carefully stepped forward, slightly nervous. But she knew she had the power of eight more lives behind her. 

Mosspelt suddenly ran over to crouch next to her fallen son, whimpering. Echostar stared down at her, feeling sadness creep at her. She had never felt so bad for a single cat.

Echostar bent her head to give Sunpaw a final lick, and to her disappointment, all the warmth from his fur had disappeared in the pouring rain. Echostar sighed, but she turned to the Highrock and gathered her Clan. 

"Cats of RiverClan." She realized her voice was drowned by the rain, so she spoke again, louder this time. "Cats of RiverClan. Today we mourn the death of Sunpaw, a brave warrior. He was the son of Volelimp and Mosspelt and an amazing warrior at heart." She paused, but no cat murmured anything.

"In honor of his courage in battle at the Twoleg Den, I would like to give him his warrior ceremony... with Mosspelt's and Volelimp's permission." Volelimp stepped up to his mate, and a light blazed in Mosspelt's eyes, damp, but bright.

"I give you the permission of StarClan," Mosspelt said softly. "And mine." Volelimp nodded, and the Clan let out murmurs of shock. No cat was able to give the permission of StarClan. 

She must mean Sunpaw. Echostar thought. She hoped. She hoped Mosspelt wasn't becoming too full of herself, as if the sudden spotlight made her leader of the four Clans.

But Echostar shook it off and cleared her throat. "I, Echostar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn."

The Clan held their breaths. Sunbeam flicked her tail nervously, and Rockheart stamped his feet. This was the moment Echostar was supposed to ask Sunpaw a question, but she had already figured that part out. 

"Sunpaw promised to uphold the warrior code by fighting in battle for his Clan. He protected and defended us, with the cost of his life." She paused, taking a deep breath. "And by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Sunpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Suntree, in honor of your brother and mother."

The Clan started to cheer the warrior's name to the sky, but the only one who didn't cheer was Mosspelt. She stared at Echostar, and the RiverClan leader nodded to her. 

The clouds suddenly broke apart to reveal a small draft of sunshine, shining directly on Suntree's body. Echostar smiled. If that's not a sign, I don't know what is. 

She studied the warrior's body for another moment. We are like Suntree's body. We've been left in the dark for so long, but now we are finally free. Free of all our troubles.

The Twolegs, the dog, the dry storms. The other Clans now know that we are strong, confident, and independent. 

And we do too.