Treacherous Skies

Chapter 10

"Nice catch, Hailstorm!" Sparktail purred.

Hailstorm smiled, then buried the robin by the log it'd been standing on.

He followed his Clanmates through the forest once more, the sunlight brightening his mood, even if it was just by a little.

* * *

By the time the four had returned to camp, prey filling their jaws, Clovertail and Raypaw had returned from the stream after collecting moss for the nursery. It was sunhigh, and the Clan was gathered in the clearing, sharing tongues and talking. Thick, fluffy white clouds scattered the sky, merging and blotting out the warm new-leaf sun.

There might be rain on its way, Hailstorm thought. Better than snow.

Hailstorm sighed and glanced around him. Rosekit, Needlekit, and Pinekit were chasing each other in the clearing, squealing in excitement. Rustypelt sat beside Twilightfoot and Eveningstar, while Copperleaf and Spruceclaw lay spread out on the sunning-stones, basking in the scattered patches new-leaf sun. Hailstorm saw Yellowpaw across the clearing, whispering something to her mentor. Goldheart nodded at her, then together they headed over to Eveningstar, who cocked his head in confusion. The DawnClan leader dipped his head to Rustypelt and Twilightfoot then he and the medicine cats disappeared into the leader's den.

What was that all about?  Hailstorm wondered.

His thoughts were interrupted by Aspenleaf's three kits, racing toward him. "Hailstorm?" Pinekit asked, amber eyes shining. "Will you be my mentor?"

"No!" Needlekit protested. "He'll be my mentor!"

"Well I'm going to have Sunfur as my mentor," Rosekit meowed importantly, shoving past her brothers with her fluffy cream-colored tail twitching and pink nose high in the air.

"Woah," Hailstorm laughed. "Eveningstar is the one to choose who your mentors will be."

"I know," Rosekit nodded. "But I think I'll get Sunfur. Mother said that she's already had an apprentice, so she's more experienced." Rosekit stuck her chest out proudly. "And she's a brave and loyal warrior."

Hailstorm laughed at the she-kit's excited stubbornness. "Well, if Eveningstar doesn't choose one the older warriors, you might get a younger warrior to mentor you. He's got to give the younger warriors apprentices sometime."

"Like, maybe Eaglefeather?" Needlekit asked brightly.

"Maybe," Hailstorm meowed. "But there's also Sparrowtail, Whispersong, and... Echoheart," He pointed out, then sighed. "But Echoheart and Whispersong are gone."

"Gone?" Rosekit tipped her head to one side.

"They disappeared over a quarter-moon ago," Hailstorm murmured.

"Weren't they older than you?" Pinekit asked.

"Yes," Hailstorm replied quietly.

"I think I remember them!" Rosekit squealed. "They were nice."

"Yes," Hailstorm smiled sadly.

"But since they're not here, who will mentor the last one of us?" Pinekit persisted. "If Eaglefeather and Sparrowtail are already taken."

"Well, Clovertail and I haven't had apprentices yet, but were too new of warriors I think. So you'll probably get one of the older warriors."

"Like Sunfur?" asked Rosekit eagerly.

Hailstorm smiled. "Maybe."

"Or what about Rustypelt?" asked Needlekit. "He's wise and loyal. That's what Creekfall and Aspenleaf told me."