Striking Storms

Chapter 13

~cat above is Bearnose
"What!" Thundersong screeched heaving herself to her paws. "Where is he!"

"In the medicine cat's den!" Windpaw called as he sped out of the den.

Thundersong darted after her brother  as fast as she could and shoved herself through the barrier into the medicine cat's den. She stood and gaped as she saw her father's limp body, blood pooling around his neck.

"What's happening to him!" she yowled to Honeyhope.

The medicine cat searched frantically around her den looking for the proper herbs to cure the dying deputy. "I...I don't know." she meowed unsurely. "I think, it's the same thing that happened to your mother."

Thundersong glanced nervously at her brother an padded up to her father. "Bearnose? Can you hear me?" she wailed.

Bearnose wearily lifted his head and groaned. "Th....Thundersong? Windpaw?" he stammered.

"Yes! It's me! Your going to be ok!" Thundersong panicked. "We can't loose you too!"

"No, listen to me." Bearnose gasped sternly. "You must watch out. They are coming for us all." With that, Bearnose sighed and his head thudded to the ground.

"No!" Thundersong wailed. She burrowed her nose into her fathers fur, tears streaming from her eyes.

Windpaw padded up to his father and  rested his muzzle on his bleeding "No..." he whined.

Fallenstar padded into the medicine cat's den. "How is Bear..." He broke off a he saw the limp body of his deputy. He padded forward and dipped his head. "Rest in peace, my old friend."

Why did this have to happen!

Thundersong raced out of the medicine den and pushed her way into the Warriors den and collapsed in the nest she shared with Heronflight. She heard Heronflight pad slowly into the den and he lauded down in the best beside her.

"I'm so sorry Thundersong." he meowed sympathetically. "He was a great cat."

Thundersong burrowed her nose into his fur sobbing. "Why did they have to take him! I'll kill them all!"

"Kill who?" Heronflight asked.

"The Dark Forest cats. They killed Flowerpool, and now Bearnose. An...And they're coming for you next." Thundersong told him.

"What!" Heronflight gasped, his eyes wide in shock. "How do you know?"

"Stormstar, my Starclan mentor, told me that "The great blue bird will be struck down by the poison in that lurks in the sky." "Heronflight, you are the great blue bird." Thundersong finished.

Heronflight stared at his mate. "So what do we do now." he asked.

"I think we should..."

Thundersong was cut off as she heard Fallenstar's yowl from outside the den. "We can talk later." she meowed. She padded slowly out of the den, Heronflight following behind her.

She seated herself next to Windpaw and glanced up at the strong leader.

"I have called you hear on behalf of some terrible news." Fallenstar began. "Bearnose has sadly passed on into Starclan."

Shocked meows of grief and disbelief were heard from the cats settled around the Great Willow.

"But it is my duty to appoint a new deputy before moon high. I say these words before Starclan, so that the spirit of Bearnose can hear and approve my choice. The new deputy of Willowclan will be Thundersong." Fallenstar yowled form the Long Branch.

Thundersong jumped to her paws and gazed at her leader, her eyes filled with shock, gratitude and grief. She shook out her pelt and dipped her head. "I will serve you well Fallenstar."

"I know you will." Fallenstar meowed. "I still have one more announcement."  He turned his gaze towards Windpaw.

"Windpaw you have passed your assessment and it is time for you to become a warrior. Rosehawk, is your apprentice ready to be a warrior?" he asked.

"He is more than ready Fallenstar." Rosehawk meowed proudly.

"Then I, Fallenstar, leader of Willowclan, 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. Windpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Windpaw meowed boldly.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. From this day forward you shall be known as Windstorm. Starclan honors you intelligence and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Willowclan!" Fallenstar yowled.

"Windstorm! Windstorm!" the clan chanted. Thundersong's cheer was the loudest of all.

Windstorm flicked his tail proudly and he padded up to his sister.

"Congratulations!" Thundersong meowed happily.

"And congratulations to you too!" he replied cheerfully, the thought of Bearnose behind him.

Thundersong purred and locked his cheek. She turned to Heronflight and grinned. She blushed as he licked her cheek. "Nothing will stop you now!"