Morning Clouds

Chapter 5

Trouble was in the air.

It was the first thing Hail Breeze noticed when he woke up. Early, this time. Only Ice Shard, Windstar, and Slate were awake.

And there was something else. Every twitch of an ear, rustle of the breeze, footstep of an awakening Clanmate, rock rolling down a slope, startled him.

"What're you so nervous about?" Golden Streaks asked as they shared a mouse with Feather Plume.

"Yeah," Feather Plume squeaked. "Nothing is wrong."

But somehow Hail Breeze couldn't agree.

He yawned and stretched. "You're right. It's probably nothing. I'm going to go find Dew Nose." He took another bite and stood up.

"Aren't you hungry?" Golden Streaks asked worriedly.

"I'm okay," Hail Breeze mewed. "You two finish it."

Truth be told, he was actually too nervous to eat. No matter what Feather Plume and Golden Streaks told him, he had a nagging feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.

//-//

Hail Breeze found Dew Nose chatting with her brother, Storm Pelt, and their Clanmate Ice Shard by the camp entrance. "...Any day now," Dew Nose was meowing as he padded up. "He's- Oh hi, Hail Breeze."

Ice Shard and Storm Pelt added their greetings as well. "How ya doin' buddy?" Ice Shard purred, ruffling Hail Breeze's head fur with his tail.

"Not good, actually," Hail Breeze admitted, ducking. "I'm really nervous."

"About what?" Dew Nose asked.

"I don't know," he mewed. "I just have this feeling telling me something is going to go wrong."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Dew Nose meowed breezily. "Did you have a bad dream?"

Hail Breeze frowned. "I don't think so..."

Dew Nose shrugged. "Sometimes you don't remember your dreams."

Storm Pelt nodded. "Listen to my sister, she's smart," he joked.

Hail Breeze nodded. "Yeah, that must be it." I don't even believe myself.

They chatted for a bit about other things, but Hail Breeze couldn't focus.

I just can't ignore this feeling!

Ice Shard nudged him. "Why don't you go play with Sun Song?"

Hail Breeze swiftly scanned the camp. "Don't see her." Thank StarClan. That would be awkward, especially after what happened yesterday.

But what he did see was Fern Leaf staggering to Moth Flight's den with a groan. "Moth Flight!"

The medicine cat poked her head out. "Wha- Reed Tail!"

Hail Breeze's father raced over. "Come on, Fern Leaf, let's get to the medicine den..."

"Are the kits coming?!" Clover Petal shrieked.

"Bright Storm, get Eagle Feather," Windstar ordered as she and Slate hurried to Moth Flight's den. "He's hunting with Dust Muzzle."

Bright Storm nodded and shot out of camp.

//-//

It was a tough day.

Fern Leaf yowled her head off. It sounded like she was in a lot of pain. Hail Breeze flinched every time.

But it went well, and she gave birth to three tiny, very, very cute kits.

"Have you named them yet?" Stagnant Pool squeaked when Swift Minnow took her kits to see.

Fern Leaf shook her head. "I'm waiting until Eagle Feather gets back." She glanced worriedly at the late sunlight sprinkling into the den.

But then a new voice came from the entrance to her den.

"You'd better name them, Fern Leaf," Gorse Fur meowed sadly.

"Eagle Feather is dead."

//-//

Echo glared at the camp entrance where Slash and Flame had disappeared.

They had been going out for a couple days now.

It wasn't fair that Slash took him out first just because he was bigger. She was obviously more enthusiastic and eager to learn.

It's not fair!

But soon Echo had a bigger distraction.

Splinter, Beetle, and Ember were back, after leaving early in the morning. Now the sun was high in the sky, creeping past the middle.

But that wasn't what shocked her.

They had blood on their paws.