The snake, apparently, is not to be worried about. Dewpaw and Snowpaw decided to pull a prank on Amberpaw, who panicked and went to Seedwhisker. By the time Lilyfeather and I arrive, the cats of ThunderClan are hassled yet safe and Dewpaw and Snowpaw are facing Bramblestar’s wrath.
“Mouse-brained idiots,” Sandstorm mutters. “Went with Seedwhisker all this way and for what?”
Sandstorm recently retired from the elders’ den, however, she insists on carrying out patrols. Mousefur used to say that once there was an old elder called Mumblefoot who said that ‘The day I stop hunting is the day you can sit vigil for me’. Same goes for Sandstorm. Bramblestar, she’d meowed crossly, just because I’m old doesn’t mean I’m frail. I’m ready for a life of peace but I can’t have that unless I contribute to the Clan.
So she always joins the sunhigh patrol and a hunting patrol, then lounges around with Purdy on the basking rocks.
“My mother, Sorreltail,” says Poppyfrost as she scares the fur off me, “She says that these stones remind her of Sunningrocks, back in the Old Forest. Well, I never saw Sunningrocks, but I think they’re gone now.”
“Why?” I ask curiously.
Suddenly, my mother’s voice is full of venom. “Twolegs,” she spits. The fur rises on her spine. “They tore apart my parents’ home. They were forced to walk for many moons, scared and vulnerable, across ice and snow and rock, and lost many of their numbers. StarClan was silent. It was all the Twolegs’ faults.”
Wow.
She composes herself and inhales deeply. “Come on, it’s the Gathering tonight.”
The Island is beautiful, and it never ceases to amaze me. The full moon shining above the softly rippling lake, the majesty of the tall oak tree where the leaders address the Clans, the glow on the pelts of all the attending cats. Around us the undergrowth murmurs with the sounds of small prey animals. But we don’t hunt here. This is sacred ground; who are we to disturb it?
Almost immediately, RiverClan appears on the tree-bridge. ShadowClan and WindClan are already here. Cats lay in groups, sharing tongues with each other. One sleek RiverClan warrior and I make eye contact and he walks toward me.
“Hi!” he says brightly.
I narrow my eyes. “I’ve seen you before…"
“Yes, and I’ve seen you,” he replies. “Cherrypaw, is it?”
“It’s been Cherrystorm now for a while,” I laugh. “I was messenger, do you remember?”
“Of course. Almost everyone I-” He stops himself. “I’m Rushtail by the way."
“How’s prey running?” I ask.
He considers this. “It’s been better, but the fish weren’t mating like they normally do in newleaf because of the battle. They were all scared, I guess. You?”
I’m wondering about what he would have said. “Sorry, what? Oh, the squirrels and birds have returned. The other rodents are more hesitant, but of course, they’re more skittish. Yeah, an aftereffect of the Dark Forest.” I glance at Bramblestar, but he’s busy greeting Tawnypelt, his sister, with Squirrelflight and their kits, who just became apprentices.
He gazes at me. Honestly it’s a tad uncomfortable. I decide to go ahead and say, “So, what’s life like in RiverClan?”
She’s beautiful. One of the most beautiful cats I’ve ever seen. Probably more so than Mossyfoot, but she is dead. I know I shouldn’t think this way, but I can’t help being entranced by her beauty. Occupational hazard, says a voice in my head.
“So, what’s life like in RiverClan?” she inquires. I see curiosity shining in her wonderful round green eyes.
“Right now?” I force a laugh. “It’s being announced tonight that three apprentices became warriors, but there’s also bad news.” I lower my tone. “Mistystar, in her old age, was unable to outrun a dog. It caught and killed her. Mistystar’s son, Reedstar, now leads RiverClan.”
She gasps. “That’s awful, Rushtail!”
She’s definitely the prettiest she-cat I’ve met in my whole life, I think. And she’s so nice.
The realization hits me like a wave. I think I love her.
YOU ARE READING
Cherrystorm's Choice
AdventureAfter the warriors of the Dark Forest attacks, the Clans are left grieving. Now, it's been many moons, and ThunderClan thrives. It was only ever a Gathering. Harmless. Meant to talk and share news. But when Cherrystorm falls in love with a RiverCla...
