Warrior Cats: SkyClan Returns #2

Chapter Eleven

The vigil stretched long into the night before Goldcloud felt tired. Across the clearing, Berrycloud's kits were asleep at her paws. Sandystar looked exhausted, and stared down at her paws. A pang of sympathy hit Goldcloud's heart. She's had a rough day, she told herself. Suntail pressed close beside Goldcloud. There was tiredness in her mentor's eyes, and Goldcloud had to force herself to stifle a yawn.

The clearing was silent until dawn light filtered into the camp. Thymewhisker and Raindrip came forward, looking tired.

"We'll bury him now,"

Thymewhisker said quietly to Ashleaf, letting out a loud yawn. Stoneclaw and Hailforce came forward.

"We can help, too,"

Stoneclaw suggested. Ashleaf nodded, and the cats helped Lemonpelt's corpse onto Hailforce's shoulders. As they left the camp, Goldcloud followed Suntail into the makeshift medicine den. She settled down into her mossy nest and sunk into sleep.

Her dreams were filled the forest of StarClan. Goldcloud's heartbeat quickened with joy. StarClan! They are watching us! A cat slunk out of the bushes to greet her.

"Maplebreeze!"

Goldcloud purred. Maplebreeze dipped her head in greetings. Her starry eyes gleamed.

"I'm sorry for your loss,"

Maplebreeze said.

"Lemonpelt! Is he here?"

Goldcloud looked around, half expecting to see the tabby warrior. Maplebreeze nodded.

"Of course he's here. He's not happy about it, but he's here,"

Maplebreeze said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"But when is Lemonpelt ever truly happy?"

She joked, but Goldcloud was confused.

"Why is he unhappy? What's wrong?"

"Nothing,"

Maplebreeze replied.

"But he would give anything to go back and continue serving his clan,"

The tabby medicine cat sighed, and for the first time, Goldcloud wondered if her StarClan mentor still wished she was alive.

"Would you like to see him? He'd love to see a familiar face,"

Maplebreeze offered. Goldcloud's heart skipped with delight. Then maybe she could see Duststorm, and meet other SkyClan ancestors. Maplebreeze purred as she picked up Goldcloud's excitement. She flicked her tail and walked away, Goldcloud at her heels.

They soon reached a large clearing, and Goldcloud was taken aback by the amount of cats there. A white she-cat was sharing tongues with a brown and red tom in a patch of sunlight. A blue grey cat was carrying a plump squirrel. Goldcloud felt a sudden pang of sadness. A group of kits were chasing a butterfly. One was almost the size of a new apprentice. A black and white one looked about three moons old, and two ginger kits seemed to be less than a moon old. They were so young. They didn't even get a chance to grow up...

"Goldcloud!"

Maplebreeze called from up ahead. Goldcloud scurried to join her. Sadness hit her again as she saw the starry figure of Lemonpelt, free from the wounds that killed him, next to a pale grey tom. Lemonpelt looked over to Goldcloud, and his eyes lit up.

"Goldcloud! Maplebreeze said you would come! It's so good to see you!"

He meowed. Goldcloud blinked at his pale grey companion.

"This is Doveheart. You're probably too young to have met him. He was Ashleaf's mate, and Spiderweb and Barnfeather's father,"

Lemonpelt explained. Goldcloud dipped her head to Doveheart. He purred.

"Is Duststorm here?"

Goldcloud asked. As she spoke, a handsome tabby tom appeared from behind her.

"That can't be young Goldcloud, can it?"

He asked. Goldcloud gasped.

"Duststorm! You look so young!"

She exclaimed. The others purred. Goldcloud felt embarrassed.

"I mean, no offence. But, wow!"

Maplebreeze looked at Goldcloud, her eyes serious again.

"Head towards the mountains. That's where you'll find the clans. Follow the direction that the sun sets until you can see them,"

She instructed, and the dream began to fade.