Warriors: Air (Warrior Cats Fan Fiction Book Three)

Chapter Seven

Weatherfall's thoughts were still racing with everything Cloudyfang had said in his dream, and with everything he had talked about with Dovepelt... That he could get magical powers by killing innocent cats, and that it was the only way to fight against the Darkness that was coming... But what exactly was the Darkness, and what were the powers? Weatherfall had wanted to talk to Cloudyfang again, to demand answers, but the gray ghost had gone silent on him. Had he given up on asking for Weatherfall's help?

Weatherfall was currently training Vinepaw near the edge of Waterclan territory. He looked through the woods and thought he saw silver shapes in the trees... Rockflight and Cloudyfang had been popping up in his vision the past few days, but neither of them had stopped to talk to him. He wasn't sure if they were really there as ghosts, or if he was imagining them, since the two gray cats consumed most of his thoughts, asleep and awake...

"Um, shouldn't we be heading back?" Vinepaw asked suddenly, shaking out her brown tabby pelt and looking up at the darkening sky.

Weatherfall had been so deep in thought, he hadn't even noticed that it was now dusk.

"Yes," Weatherfall said, shaking his head to clear it as he smiled at his apprentice. "Good call, Vinepaw! I was just testing you to see if you'd notice, and you passed."

"Yeah, right," Vinepaw said, raising an eyebrow. "You've been so distracted lately, Weatherfall! Are you bored with training me?"

"Of course not!" Weatherfall cried, shocked and saddened at his apprentice's thoughts. "You're a great apprentice, Vinepaw, and I adore you, I just..."

"I get it," Vinepaw meowed, her green gaze softening.

Suddenly, Weatherfall heard rustling in the bushes nearby. He leaped around, his neck fur bristling, but a moment later, Briarclaw came out of the undergrowth.

"Briarclaw?" Weatherfall gasped, letting his neck fur lie flat. He tilted his head to one side and blinked at his old Clanmate. "Ah, what are you doing here?"

Briarclaw stared at Weatherfall for a long moment, then ducked his head. "I took a wrong turn," he mumbled, licking his chest fur. "I... I was looking for the two-leg place..."

"Oh, that's not that far from here!" Vinepaw piped up, jumping up and down. "I remember from the tour of the camp Weatherfall gave me! We can take you there, if you want..."

"Hold on, Vinepaw," Weatherfall said quickly. He turned back to Briarclaw. "Um, why are you heading there?"

"You're not going ot turn me in, are you?" Briarclaw said, narrowing his dark green eyes. "I'm a medicine cat, the only one in Snowclan, mind you. I can go where I please."

"I know that," Weatherfall said, his expression softening. "And even if you weren't, I wouldn't report you for crossing into Waterclan land. Clan borders mean something, yes, but you're my oldest friend."

"Yeah, friend," Briarclaw mumbled, glaring at Weatherfall. "Some friend you've been, Weatherfall! You left me!"

Weatherfall gaped at Briarclaw. He realized suddenly that he hadn't talked to Briarclaw in so long, hadn't even explained to him why he had left Snowclan... He had left him.

"I..." Weatherfall faltered. He didn't know what to say. What could he say?

"You ran away right after my sister died," Briarclaw's voice broke as he continued. "And then my mentor died shortly after, and I was left picking up the pieces of a broken Clan! I couldn't do it alone, I needed you, Weatherfall!"

"I know," Weatherfall swallowed hard, hanging his head. "I'm sorry, Briarclaw, I know I should have told you before I left, but I'm happier in Waterclan then I ever was in Snowclan. I made a selfish choice, but it had to be done. I..."