ColdClan: Sky Of Blood [2]

2. Sunstorm

"Are you suggesting a ColdClan cat did it!?"

The sudden uproar from the clan made Sunstorm cower away from the masses. Mudstar looked flustered as he tried to calm them, and the usually level-headed Redflight was about a mouse-length away from Reedfang's face, naming every curse word Sunstorm had ever heard. Right now, she knew Larkwing would have stopped the nonsense. But Sunstorm was not Larkwing; she did not have her confidence, her manner or her knowledge.

From the sky above, Sunstorm saw a drop of water fall in front of her. Another one followed, but slightly to the right. As the cats began to notice too, they finally started to quieten down.

"This is a sign from StarClan!" Called out Berrystep, her head turned to the sky and her eyes partly shut to keep out the falling rain.

Suddenly, as if Berrystep's words were being listened to, it was like the skies were ripped open, and rain fell like stars to the ground.

"Berrystep is right. StarClan want us to think logically about this. This meeting is dismissed!" Shouted Mudstar in an angry tone. "I want all my senior warriors, plus Redflight and Sunstorm, in my den... now."

With his tail held high, he left his high-rock and strutted away from the rather confused cats. Webfall and Silvernose guided Ivypaw and Reedfang away, though both ColdClan warriors looked like they could murder the two HeatClan cats if they weren't careful. Sunstorm hoped they both wouldn't be brash.

Pausing for a moment, Sunstorm took a minute to look at her clan. She found herself reminiscing about the past, and everything that had happened to her in the last few moons. Life was different now, to when she was an apprentice. Everything had changed and if Sunstorm were brutally honest, she'd give anything to go back to the way things were. Letting the rain wash her thoughts away, she followed the warriors into Mudstar's den: this consisted of Berrystep, Lakeheart, Creekwillow, Stagfoot and Mosspelt, and of course Redflight and Mudstar himself.

Comfortably, she sat herself between her mother and her friend Stagfoot -- he had been in the clan long enough to be seen as one of the most loyal warriors, and Sunstorm had a lot of respect for him.

As if on cue, Stagfoot, level-headed as ever, spoke first. "This is a serious accusation, Mudstar. We must be careful how we tread." The other warriors glanced at each other, the silence in the pause like a dead cat's heartbeat. An agitated Mudstar let out a look of despair to his closest confidants.

"I know. I just don't see any member of ColdClan being capable of murder. Especially Foxstar -- I know we didn't exactly get on, but he was a respectable leader." Murmurs of agreement rippled through the den, and Sunstorm took the moment to remember Foxstar. The fire coloured tom had truly been a good leader; he had never let his clan go hungry or let a threat hurt them. However, Foxstar had always been mislead by power, blinded by a craving Sunstorm had seen in no other. Considering that fact, she wondered if someone had wanted his power... That would be a likely explanation. The first cat that came to mind was her own father. Was he the source of this incident? Part of her wanted to believe that it was just some rogue, but her head was telling her that all the indicators pointed to Cloudmask.. well, he'd be Cloudstar now, she guessed.

Berrystep flicked her tail, signalling that she wanted to speak. Mudstar gave a small nod, his chocolate brown body exhaling heavily. "We mustn't let our anger cloud our judgement. Whoever did this will be brought to face the consequences in time. For now, we need to think rationally about this."

"Perhaps a visit to HeatClan itself is in order?" Questioned Lakeheart, sending a look to each other member of the small council.

Nodding in agreement, Mudstar's ears pricked. "Yes! Good idea, Lakeheart; Berrystep, you're certainly right." His features were lighter now, and much more relieved. "Tomorrow, I shall go. Redflight and Berrystep, you shall accompany me as my advisers. Sunstorm, you shall come so we can show them that we mean them no harm."

More advising. More waiting. Sunstorm was tired. Tired, confused, and missing Larkwing's good advice. She had known as an apprentice what she was getting into as medicine cat, and yet she felt so young.. Young and unprepared and alone. Skyleap was understandably busy with her kits, whom were a breath of fresh air with their comic ways when she got to see them, however she missed the days when they had been young and free -- yet also more vulnerable. Loneliness led to Sunstorm being filled with doubt about herself, but there was something inside her, quietly fighting the darkness.

She was the last to leave the leader's den, and it was then that she spotted Spidertail and felt her heart rise to her throat, gagging her momentarily. The light tabby was sat alone in the sun, cleaning his paws thoroughly.

"Long time, friend." Making her way over to him, she dipped her head, partly out of respect but mostly so she didn't have to meet his hard gaze.

A little surprised, Spidertail looked up. "Sunstorm, I--I didn't expect to see you right now. Well, I did. We're in the same clan... But after all that...I'm babbling, aren't I?"

Letting out a short giggle, Sunstorm sat down in front of her old friend. "I've missed your talkative ways." A moment of silence held between the two, before both of them tried to speak at the same time.

"Ah, I'm sorry.. Please, you first." Spidertail said firmly, nodding his head to her.

"Thank you." Grimacing, the orange tabby wrapped her tail around her body. "I, uh, haven't been avoiding you. But you know how it is. I'm the medicine cat now.. With responsibility comes expectations."

Nodding in agreement, Spidertail pricked his own ears at her words. "I understand, Sunstorm -- I'm sorry if I seem to have been avoiding you. I suppose life gets in the way of a lot of things."

This conversation had meant to cheer Sunstorm up, but she had begun to feel worst. It was true, the past few moons had been rough, but she felt selfish now. To her, it seemed that she had abandoned all her relationships, leaving them to rot like mouldy prey. Never had she stopped caring about those around her. Being medicine cat meant she was meant to care more. But there was always something working against her, keeping her from spending time with her friends and family. Light trickling through the leaves of the tree above her, Sunstorm bent her head to the ground, slightly ashamed.

"I miss the old days." She stated simply, not meeting Spidertail's eyes.

"As do I."

There it was. The moment of recognition for their feelings. Though silent, the romantic moment between them drifted around, attempting to gain access to each of their hearts. Could either cat shut it out any longer? For Sunstorm, she knew that if she didn't keep her heart under lock and key, the world around her would crumble into nothingness. Everything she would have worked for would be for nothing.

So she stood up. Her legs wobbled beneath her as emotion rushed around her body. She couldn't let it show. Heart racing, she gave one last look at Spidertail. His face said it all: slightly upset, though his eyes were completely understand, he gave her a firm yet half-hearted smile.

"I'll see you around, yeah?" His voice was gentle, which made her stomach writhe with guilt even more.

Sunstorm turned, though she could feel the tears building in the corner of her eyes. "Yeah." She replied, walking away. With work to do and a murder to solve, she had to get moving.