Dark Clouds (Book I)

VIII

Now

The clouds had begun to obscure the moon as the tunnelers of WindClan thundered across the moor, eyes wide and fur spiked. Stormshade's heart thumped as he followed Sunclaw through the heather. Sunclaw ripped clumps of grass and soil from the ground as he sprinted, leading the patrol to the collapsed tunnel.

Suddenly, Sunclaw came to a clumsy halt, panting. "Here!" He began to claw at soft soil. "He's in here!"

Stormshade leapt to his side, attempting to join him, but Shaleflame shouldered between them with outstretched paws. "Make some room!"

It's too crowded! Stormshade felt claws graze his foreleg as Swiftleap tried to start digging. Soon, a cluster of warriors had assembled around the tunnel entrance. Goldenstar's doomed!

"Out of my way, apprentice!" Swiftleap was snapping at Hailstorm.

"I can't do anything with you waving your claws around!" Hailstorm's panicked mew was hardened with frustration.

Stormshade felt flanks brush his. Shoulder pressed against straining shoulder as the tunnelers clawed uselessly at the soil. The WindClan deputy's heart skipped a beat. Someone needs to do something, he realized. And I'm the deputy.

"Everyone stop!" He tried to pry Shaleflame from the dirt, but the warrior wouldn't budge. Stormshade suppressed a growl. "Stop!"

Sunclaw narrowed his eyes. "I see what you're doing," he snarled. "You want to become leader."

"I want to save Goldenstar, rabbit-brain!" Stormshade tossed his head. "Head uphill with Hailstorm and try to dig down to him."

Sunclaw seemed as though he was about to make a biting retort, but merely gave a hefty nod as he and Hailstorm withdrew.

Stormshade caught Woolshine's gaze. "Woolshine and Brambleblaze will try to reach him through a connected tunnel."

Woolshine blinked, horrified. "But–"

"What about me?" Swiftleap's eyes were wide with concern.

"You and I are digging here." Stormshade's tail whipped as he turned back towards the soil and began to tunnel. "Give me a paw!"

"Stormshade!" Woolshine's mew was urgent. "Brambleblaze is gone!"

Stormshade's paws froze. "What?"

"He left when my vigil started!"

"Fox-dung!" Stormshade's paws picked up speed, and he tore at the soil with frustration. Idiot! "Fox-dung, fox-dung, fox-dung! Swiftleap, go with her! I'll dig here!"

"Yes, deputy!" Swiftleap was away in an instant as he and Woolshine hared away.

Stormshade hunched, his paws a flash as he worked his way into the earth. Please let him be alive. He could feel droplets of mud falling onto his shoulders as he ducked into an ever-growing hole. I'm not ready.

There was a muffled groan. Stormshade's forelegs were sore with the effort. I'm not ready. He wrapped his forepaws around a stone, yanking it aside and plunging his forelegs into a cluster of gravel. He winced in pain as the tiny stones snagged his claws. I'm not ready, and the Clan knows I'm not ready.

Pebbles rained around him, dancing around his hindquarters as he shoveled them free. The whole lake will know how much of a failure I am.

He could hear a yelp through the dirt as his claws struck warm flesh.