Striking Storms

Chapter 16

Thundersong woke to another strange feeling in her belly. She rose to her paws, but staggered, almost tripping over Heronflight.

"Sorry!" she whispered. She padded out of the den to see the early dawn light shining down on the camp. The Great Willow's branches were bare and few cats scattered the clearing. She saw Olivedust and Wildgaze sharing a squirrel.

Thundersong padded over to the two and sat down. "Olivedust. Can you lead the dawn patrol?" she asked.

Olivedust rose to her paws and licked her lips. "Sure Thundersong. Who do you want me to take?"

"Me and Wildgaze." she meowed.

Olivedust shuffled her paws. "Sure Thundersong. But I wouldn't advise you coming. After all, you want the best for your kits."

"Kits!" Thundersong nearly shrieked. She jumped to her paws. "What do you mean, kits."

Olivedust and Wildgaze exchanged an awkward look. "I'm sorry... We thought you knew..." she mumbled.

Thundersong nodded and raced back into the warrior's den. She bounded over to where Heronflight was still fast asleep.

"Heronflight!" Thundersong meowed excitedly. She prodded her mate quickly with her paw.

"W..Wha...?" Heronflight mumbled sleepily.

"Heronflight! I'm expecting kits!"

Heronflight jumped up instantly, his deep, blue eyes beaming. "Really!" he meowed happily.

Thundersong nodded excitedly. She licked Heronflight's cheek purring.

"I'm going to be a father." Heronflight whispered into Thundersong's ear, his voice filled with joy.

Thundersong purred and padded out of the den with Heronflight at her side.

When she padded back outside, she noticed almost every cat was gathered around the elder's den. Thundersong looked at Heronflight then they both sprinter over to the den.

"What's going on!" Thundersong demanded.

"It's Fireplum!" she heard Olivedust wail.

Thundersong exchanged a horrified look with Heronflight then she pushed her way through the gathered cats, trying to get into the den.

Finally, they both managed to shove their way into the den. Thundersong and Heronflight's eyes both widened with horror. Fireplum laid dead on her side, blood pooling around her neck and belly. Scratches slashed her flanks, and her deep blue eyes were dull.

"No!" Thundersong screeched lunging for the dead elder. She began rapidly licking her wounds clean. "How could they take another one of us...." she whispered. "I'm so sorry Fireplum..."

Honeyhope and Fallenstar managed to squeeze their way into the den. Both had the same horrified look spread across their faces.

"H...How..!" Fallenstar stammered, his voice filled with rage.

"I don't know. But I intend to find out..." Thundersong growled, rising to her paws. "It's time for the clan to sit vigil."

Fallenstar nodded and grabbed Fireplum by the scruff, while Heronflight and Thundersong both pressed against her blood soaked flanks. They carried her out of the den and towards the center of the clearing. They set her down gently and let cats swarm around them. They were all screeching and yowling with rage.

"What! Who did this!"

"How could this happen!"

"Again!"

Thundersong tried to mute the angry yowls and tried to focus. Stormstar please come to me tonight...... She silently pleaded.

Thundersong and Heronflight both padded forward to pay their final respects to Fireplum. Thundersong crouched down next to the dead elder. "I will avenge you Fireplum...." she whispered. "I....." She was interrupted when Fallenstar yowled from the Long Branch.

"Cats of Willowclan! You all know about the death of Fireplum. Thundersong has told me and Honeyhope some valuable information, and I would like her and Windstorm to come up here and tell all of you." Fallenstar yowled.

Thundersong glanced at Windstorm then padded forward. She bunched up her legs and leapt onto the Long Branch. She settled next to Fallenstar, as Windstorm jumped up beside her.

"Cats of Willowclan!" Thundersong yowled. "Windstorm and I know who is doing this. But it may not be what it seems."

"Who!"

"Why haven't you said something before this!"

"We had our reasons." Thundersong replied calmly. "But the Dark Forest cats. They are killing us off one by one. First Flowerpool, then Bearnose, and now Fireplum. But, there is a way we can stop them."

"How!" she heard Rosehawk yowl.

"Us." she meowed simply, pointing her tail at her and Windstorm.

"What do you mean, you?" Wildgaze called.

Thundersong nodded at Windstorm. She leapt down from the branch and touched her muzzled to the ground. It rumbled ferociously, making the cats above tremble.

Windstorm pointed his nose to the sky and closed his eyes. The wind swept up all of the scattered leaves, and swirled them up and around the assembled cats.

Thundersong sent a shockwave through the sky, and all of the leaves whisked back to the ground.

They both turned to the assembled cats and gazed at them. All of them were wide eyed. Thundersong muffled a laugh and she sat down.

"We may be able to do that. But, we'll need all of your help, to face this evil."