Starlight

Chapter 17

In the days following the Gathering, Brambletuft searched desperately for a chance to tell Skystar about his dream with Graystripe. But he was constantly being pulled away on patrols: moss gathering, border, hunting. He was even asked by Brackenfur to help Ashfur dig a hole at the side of the camp for rain water to gather. He didn't understand why he of all cats was being asked to do so many apprentice tasks. He wasn't the youngest warrior in the Clan by many moons, and Sorreltail and her brothers were always away on hunting patrols. Even Squirrelflight and Cloudtail were going more than he was!

Two days before the half moon, and his meeting with the other journey cats, Brambletuft returned from a quick hunting expedition. His jaws were crammed so full of prey, he swore his jaw was going to fall off before he had a chance to set his catch down. Along the way, he recognized Brackenfur coming out of the tunnel through the thorns. He bounded up to Sorreltail, who was on guard.

"Hi, there," he meowed, touching noses with the tortoiseshell warrior. "Do you want to come hunting later—just you and me?"

Sorreltail let out a purr. "Sure. I'm off duty at sunhigh."

"Great! I'll see you then." Brackenfur gave her ears a quick lick and pushed his way back through the tunnel.

Brambletuft wondered if he could use Brackenfur's trick on Squirrelflight. She'd been spending more time with Ashfur, Thornclaw, and Spiderleg than him lately, and he'd do anything to make her stand at his side again.

Placing his prey down on the pile and picking his lips, Brambletuft looked up to see Skystar touching noses with Longtail before the tabby warrior padded out of the camp with Cloudtail and Sandstorm behind him. The Clan leader was finally alone for the first time in days and he was not about to let this chance fly away like a scared bird.

"Skystar!" he called, bounding across the camp toward his leader. "May I have a word with you?"

The ginger she-cat blinked slowly at him, as if she was studying him. Nervousness suddenly flooded through him and he wondered if Skystar could sense how desperately he wanted to be deputy. Hawkfrost, a RiverClan warrior, could even see how much he deserved it. Skystar didn't say anything for a few heartbeats and Brambletuft's nerves rose with each passing moment.

Finally, she dipped her head. "Of course, I have time for all of my warriors, Brambletuft. What is it that you need?"

"Well, I can't really say it out here." He cast an uncomfortable glance across the camp where Willowpelt and her son, Sootfur, were sharing a vole.

Skystar's eyes narrowed a bit. "Very well. We'll speak in my den." She led him toward the cleft where she and Longtail now slept.

This was his first time inside, and he swore it looked much more comfortable than the one in the old camp, and thought that she and Longtail had done an amazing job in making it feel like home. Moss lined the walls around him, making the cold stone seem more like the warriors' den or the apprentices' den. The floor was dry, icy stone much like the rest of the den. And at the back of the cave, close to the wall, was a deep dip in the floor filled with moss and bracken. That must be where they've made their nest, he guessed.

Skystar sat down in her nest, getting comfortable before looking up at Brambletuft. "So, Brambletuft, what do you have to say to me?" she prompted.

"A few nights ago, I had a dream," he began awkwardly, scuffling his paws in the sand.

Skystar's ears pricked, and she leaned forward almost eagerly. "Was it from StarClan?"

Brambletuft didn't know how to answer. Surely it was StarClan showing him Graystripe's body because they also knew he was the obvious choice, right? "Yes," he meowed after a moment's hesitation. "I was in the old territory again. There was no sign of the Twoleg devastation or any stench of their monsters. I ran toward the camp, eager to see our old home; moving here almost felt like a dream and the Twolegs never came to the forest. But when I got there, the camp was almost completely empty."