Эрин Хантер - The Raging Storm

Relieved to see every cat so relaxed, Twigbranch settled beside Finleap. He tore a wing from the pigeon and passed her the carcass. Her mouth watered as she smelled its warm scent. She sank her teeth into its soft breast and tore away a juicy mouthful. Chewing, she looked at Tree. “Finleap was right. You do know where all the best prey lives.”

Tree’s eyes sparkled. “There’s a difference between knowing where it lives and being able to catch it.” He glanced teasingly at Finleap. “Do you want to catch another scrawny sparrow? Twigbranch might get hungry in the night.”

Finleap huffed. “I was having a bad day.”

Tree purred. “Perhaps you should try fishing instead of hunting. You’re a natural swimmer.” He glanced at Leafstar. “I don’t know how you managed to pull her out of that flood. You were amazing.”

“I guess StarClan guided my paws.” Cheerfully, Finleap tore a bite from the pigeon wing.

Violetshine flicked a feather from her nose with her paw. “How did you find us? We were so far from the lake.”

“We still are,” Tree grunted, his mouth full.

“The search patrol was Twigbranch’s idea,” Finleap explained.

“Tree led the way,” Twigbranch chimed in. “We’d never have known which trail to follow without him.”

“He’s smart for a loner.” Violetshine’s eyes flashed playfully.

“He’ll make a good Clan cat.” Twigbranch took another bite of pigeon.

Violetshine pricked her ears. “You sound as though you approve.”

Twigbranch swallowed. “I do.”

They finished their meal in contented silence. As they began to wash afterward, Hawkwing padded toward them. He was licking his lips. “There’s good hunting around here.” He stopped beside them. “I haven’t tasted squirrel that delicious since the gorge.”

Violetshine rolled her eyes. “Don’t talk about the gorge. We’re not going back there. You’ll have to get used to lake squirrels.”

He touched his nose to her head and settled beside her. The woods were dark now. Night had fallen. Behind him, the other SkyClan cats were climbing into their nests. Harrybrook was already snoring.

Violetshine stared into the shadows beyond the cave, her gaze thoughtful. “How did you know which route to follow after the hollow?” she asked. “Tree wouldn’t have known which way to go.”

“A loner had seen you,” Twigbranch told her.

“Spider!” Violetshine seemed to remember him.

“Yes.” Twigbranch purred.

“You caught up with us pretty quickly,” Hawkwing commented. “And just in time.”

“We knew you were in trouble.” Finleap washed his ear with a paw.

Hawkwing looked at him. “How?”

Finleap and Tree exchanged glances.

“Pebbleshine told Tree,” Twigbranch mewed softly.

Violetshine jerked her muzzle toward Twigbranch. Amazement flashed in her eyes.

“Pebbleshine?” Hawkwing stared at her, confusion clouding his gaze.

“Yes.” Twigbranch’s mew was no more than a whisper.

“She spoke to Tree?” Grief thickened his mew.

“Yes.” Twigbranch’s heart ached with pity as she realized how much her father still missed her mother. “While we were making camp here for the night.”

Violetshine’s pelt prickled. “Are you sure it was her?”

Tree brushed his tail along her flank. “She had Twigbranch’s eyes,” he murmured. “I should have guessed it was her mother.”

“Have you seen her before?” Violetshine blinked at him.

“Yes, we met briefly when she was alive. And she’s the warrior who told me that StarClan should stay by the lake.”

“Why didn’t you tell me it was Pebbleshine?” Violetshine sat up.

“I didn’t realize until I described her to Twigbranch,” he explained. “I had forgotten her name. But suddenly it was obvious.”

Hawkwing’s eyes had clouded. “Is she happy?”

“You can ask her yourself,” Tree mewed, looking up. “She’s here with us.”

Twigbranch’s heart lurched. “Here?”

Violetshine jumped to her paws. “Where is she?”

Hawkwing stared at Tree. “Can you see her right now?”

Tree nodded. “I can help you see her, too—like I did with the lost ShadowClan cats at the lake.” He got to his paws and closed his eyes. As he stood, still like a rock, the air around them seemed to shimmer. Twigbranch got shakily to her paws as a dark shape moved on the slope in front of the cave. A warm scent touched her nose, and her heart ached with joy. “Pebbleshine,” she whispered.

A white she-cat stopped a tail-length away. Her soft green eyes shone in the darkness. Her pelt was specked with brown, like owl feathers, and there was a sleekness to her fur that reminded Twigbranch of Violetshine. How familiar she looked, and yet Twigbranch had never seen her before.

Violetshine leaned forward, sniffing.

Hawkwing padded past them and touched his nose cautiously to Pebbleshine’s muzzle. “My love.” He closed his eyes, as though drinking in her scent. “I thought I would never see you again.”

“I’m so sorry I left you alone,” Pebbleshine whispered. “I was trapped in the monster. I could feel it taking me farther and farther away. I fought to get out, but there was nothing I could do.”

“I wish I’d been able to find you.” Hawkwing’s mew caught in his throat.

“Losing you was unbearable, but then . . .” Pebbleshine’s gaze drifted from Hawkwing’s. She blinked at Twigbranch and then Violetshine. “Then our kits came.” Love flooded her mew. She padded forward and wove around them. Twigbranch shivered as her mother’s fur brushed hers, no more than a breeze and as cool as stone. “I’ve been with you both since you were born,” Pebbleshine murmured. “Even after I died, I couldn’t leave you. I couldn’t go to StarClan, not while you faced life with only each other.”

“They have me now,” Hawkwing mewed softly. “And their Clans.”

Pebbleshine’s gaze flitted to Tree and then Finleap. “And they have cats who love them.” There was a purr in her mew. “Thank you for letting me speak to them, Tree—just for a moment.”

Tree stared at her, his ears peaked in concentration. “It’s my pleasure. I’m sorry I didn’t realize the connection earlier. I knew you were a Clan cat, but . . .”

Pebbleshine purred. “You are a good cat, Tree. You have always helped me when I needed help. I’m glad they are loved. They don’t need me anymore.”

Panic flared in Twigbranch’s belly. “We will always need you!”

Violetshine stared frantically at her mother. “We’ve only just found you.”

“You have much more now than I could ever give you.” Pebbleshine backed away toward the shadowy woods.

Violetshine darted forward, but Hawkwing waved her back with his tail. “Let her go,” he breathed. “Let her take her place in StarClan, where she belongs. She must be lonely here.”

“She has us!” Twigbranch flashed him an angry look. Hawkwing returned it, his gaze soft. Shame washed her pelt. She was being selfish. She dipped her head. “I’m sorry. Of course she must go.”

“I will still be able to see you from StarClan,” Pebbleshine promised.

“But you won’t be close.” Grief pressed in Twigbranch’s throat.

“I will always be in your heart, just as you are in mine.” Pebbleshine blinked at her fondly. “You will be a great warrior, Twigbranch. I can see that already. And you.” She turned her gentle green gaze on Violetshine. “You’ll be a wonderful mother to those kits.”

“Kits?” Violetshine tipped her head, puzzled.

Pebbleshine glanced at her belly. “Don’t you know?”

Shock showed in Violetshine’s eyes. “I’m going to be a mother!”