Dark Clouds (Book I)

IV

Now

The evening light was beginning to recede, and Stormshade wondered if he'd ever return home.

He was far, far away from RiverClan's camp. On all sides, Stormshade was surrounded by damp, gnarled branches. A silver warrior blocked the den entrance.

"Can't spy on us all the way out here, can you?" Oceaneyes was smirking. "I wonder what secrets Tigerstorm will give."

"Tigerstorm won't talk," Stormshade huffed back. He contorted his face into a nasty scowl, but Oceaneyes only seemed amused.

"I bet he's talking right now."

Stormshade glared at her, throat burning with frustration. Goldenstar won't leave us, he reminded himself. He hunched, trying to ignore the biting cold against his damp pelt. He isn't that kind of cat. His chest felt tight with anxiety, and a strange feeling pressed up against his sternum. She can't die. Beestream can't die.

This den is freezing. He shifted uncomfortably on the pebble floor. The stench of fish wafted through the wall's cracks and into his nose.

Stormshade didn't want it to bother him. Beestream has it so much worse.

Oceaneyes was reveling in his suffering. Stormshade could almost see the distrust dripping from her whiskers, as though she fished in a river of hatred.

"Don't look at me like that," Stormshade growled, turning away. He had to avoid her gaze.

"Why?" Oceaneyes smirked, shifting on her paws. The pebbles groaned against each other under her weight. Stormshade struggled to meet her malicious blue eyes.

"Because you think I'm weak," he replied. "But I'm not weak. I'll never be weak."

"I've never seen you be strong," she countered.

"You wouldn't know," Stormshade leapt to his paws, eyes narrowing defensively. "You know nothing about me!"

"He's right," an older tom mewed gruffly. "We should start questioning him."

"Brilliant idea, Timberclaw." It's the RiverClan deputy. Oceaneyes stepped aside, allowing the senior warrior to take her place.

"Why are you here?" He began.

"I told you!" Stormshade snapped. "My friend Beestream was wounded, and we needed to find painkiller!"

"And so you came to our territory?"

"You're the only Clan with willow bark," Stormshade replied sharply.

Timberclaw waited for a moment. Disbelief was evident in his gaze. "You could've asked," he pointed out. "Our medicine cat would've been happy to help. You know that."

Stormshade wanted to reply, but had no retort. Why didn't we try that?

Timberclaw leaned forward. His whiskers gave a mocking twitch. "That's how we know you're lying, rabbit-stench."

"I--"

"How was your friend wounded?" Oceaneyes yawned. She doesn't expect me to have an answer.

Stormshade shuddered. "She was caught on a twoleg fishing twig," he mewed.

Oceaneyes blinked. She exchanged a knowing glance with Timberclaw. Stormshade's heart stopped.

"What did you do?" He murmured.

"We didn't do a thing," Oceaneyes replied awkwardly.

Stormshade stood. His fur rose. "What did you do?! What did you do?!"