Bramblestar's Storm

Bramblestar's Storm  is the seventh book in the Super Edition arc. Bramblestar is featured on the cover.

Dedication
To Akbar: Be brave and live the dream, and become the artist you always wanted to be.

Special thanks to Cherith Baldry

The Blurb
When water and blood meet, blood will rise......
 * A new Clan leader will be tested.


 * In the aftermath of the great battle, tensions between the four warrior Clans are running high. Allies have fallen. Loyalties have been challenged. And a new leader has risen to take Firestar's place.


 * Any cat would find it difficult to follow in Firestar's paw steps, and Bramblestar is already being put to the test. Cats are wounded, prey is scarce, and ThunderClan's strength is not what it once was. If the Clan is to survive, Bramblestar must find his footing quickly—for a new threat looms on the horizon. A storm is brewing . . . a storm the likes of which the warrior cats have never seen, and may not survive.

Detailed Plot Summary

 * Firestar is hunting in StarClan. He smells a squirrel that has swarmed up a nearby oak tree. He thinks that it has been a long time since he tested his tree-climbing skills. He reflects with amusement at how Lionblaze had hated it at first, while Cinderheart seemed ready to  sleep in a bird's nest once she learned how.  Bluestar comes to see him and asks him to walk with her. She adds that she'll happily leave tree-hunting to others. She asks if he's walked in Bramblestar's dreams yet. He replies no, and that he trusts Bramblestar. Firestar and Bluestar reflect on the hard moons after the defeat of the Dark Forest, including the greencough in ThunderClan. They also talk about ShadowClan having more elders than warriors, and WindClan losing many good hunters. Firestar feels frustrated, thinking he left his Clan when they needed him most. Bluestar asks him if he could have healed the cats wounds faster, or if he could have cured the greencough. He gave them nine good lives and that his Clan could ask for no more. Firestar later meets Cloudstar and purrs, thinking of his journey to rebuild SkyClan. They talk, and Firestar is angry that he could not save his Clanmates from the greencough, as Cloudstar states that he couldn't have stopped it. Cloudstar gives Firestar a prophecy: When water and blood meet, blood will rise.


 * Bramblestar is thinking about The Great Battle when Berrynose invites him on a border patrol with Spiderleg and his apprentice, Amberpaw. Bramblestar goes to see Leafpool, who is busy sorting herbs. Amberpaw walks into a stream and is confronted by WindClan cats who say that they are trespassing in their stream. Bramblestar leads away his cats after discussing with the WindClan cats. Berrynose states that ThunderClan has lost many she-cats and that none of the survivors were expecting kits. Bramblestar sees a branch with claw marks propped up by Jayfeather, with marks for all the cats who died in the Great Battle. Dewpaw is reciting all the names of the cats. When he gets to Firestar, Bramblestar is sad that he died. He asks Jayfeather if Firestar has walked in his dreams. He says no, but that's a good omen itself, and that he has had enough warnings to last him a lifetime. Bramblestar watches Ivypool take Snowpaw and Dewpaw for battle training. Meanwhile, Poppyfrost, Lilypaw, Seedpaw, and Bumblestripe go hunting while Amberpaw fetches moss for Purdy's den. Bramblestar wonders if he ever had as much energy as Amberpaw, as he discusses with Sandstorm about how there is new hope for their Clan and there may be some new kits soon. Bramblestar thinks that Sandstorm has served her Clan for long enough, but as she goes to help Daisy in the nursery, she remarks that there is plenty of life in her paws yet.


 * As Purdy tells Amberpaw a story, Bramblestar talks to Lionblaze about how Cinderheart may be expecting kits soon. Dustpelt is still filled with grief for Ferncloud, but none of the other cats seem to feel the same way about their fallen Clanmates. Squirrelflight sends a hunting patrol by the ShadowClan border only to find that ShadowClan has crossed their border. Bramblestar, noting that some Dark Forest trainees want to fight, decides to talk peacefully to Blackstar. Making sure not to choose cats with Dark Forest associations, Bramblestar brings a patrol over. Noting that Leafpool has seem to found her place as a medicine cat in the Clan again, Bramblestar talks to Brackenfur about losing Sorreltail to the battle. Not sure that the forest will ever recover from the Great Battle, they find a patrol at the ShadowClan border. Allowed into the camp, Blackstar claims that no ShadowClan warrior has crossed their border. He continues to say that they should mark their borders more often, otherwise their cats may stray across. They angrily decide to strengthen the scent marks across both sides of the border, tension between them as they leave. Littlecloud runs to catch up to them, asking Squirrelflight about Leafpool, but Bramblestar makes him go, as they may be forced to fight ShadowClan sooner or later. He says that the Great Battle is over, but the Clans aren't at peace with one another.


 * As they return to the Clan, every cat is interesting in how ShadowClan is coping after the Great Battle. Their camp is more or less back to normal, but prey is not running too well for them. ThunderClan seems to be pleasured by this, and Bramblestar feels uneasy. Thornclaw and others think that they need to be taught a lesson, but Bramblestar decides to do it peacefully and organize extra patrols on that border instead of fighting. Briarlight, still not fully recovered from the greencough, flops down in a sunny spot, looking weak. Bramblestar talks to her, and Briarlight says she's fed up with being treated special, and wants to be like any other cat, but Bramblestar tells her that all the other cats have problems as well. As Purdy goes to tell Briarlight a story, Bramblestar notes it is a full moon and decides to take all five apprentices to the Gathering, much to the shock of other Clanmates. As they walk, Snowpaw falls into the water, much to Cloudtail's annoyance. The Clan notes that the water has risen a bit higher than usual, but Squirrelflight claims it is because of the full moon. Almost afraid that they won't be able to go to the Gathering because of the water, they eventually reach the horseplace, passing WindClan, who seems to be very mysterious. Daisy sees and calls for Smoky, but he peeks at them, and then retreats.


 * As they reach the island, Bramblestar notes the usually sleek-furred RiverClan cats are now ruffled and battered. Bramblestar and the other leaders go up onto the tree, but Blackstar begins to speak the names of all the dead cats from each Clan. Blackstar protests that they need to remember the dead cats, but Mistystar says they don't remember dead pieces of prey. Angry that his dead Clanmates are compared to pieces of prey and disrespected, he begins to stalk away from the oak tree, but Rowanclaw stops him, saying they cannot be weak and broken like after the battle, they have to be strong and a Clan he can be proud of. Blackstar goes back up onto the Oak, and Mistystar tells them about Petalfur and Mallownose's new kits, two toms and a she-cat. In WindClan, Sedgewhisker and Emberfoot are expecting kits as well. Bramblestar notes that the other Clans seem to be making a huge deal about new kits, and lists the five new apprentices. A scrap of cloud drifts over the moon, and Onestar claims the Gathering is over. Bramblestar goes over to talk to Tawnypelt, saying that Rowanclaw did a great job talking to Blackstar, and that he'll make a good leader. Tigerheart is looking for Dovewing, but Ivypool tells him that she is in camp. Tigerheart continues to ask if she is with Bumblestripe, but Ivypool says that's none of his business. Bramblestar, almost forgetting he is a leader and has to order the cats to leave the Gathering, departs, thinking he'd be lost without Squirrelflight as his deputy to help him.


 * Daisy, worried about Smoky, asks Bramblestar if she can go to the horseplace to see if everything is all right with Smoky and Floss. Bramblestar, thinking this could be important and trying to help his cats, says he'll go with Daisy after sunhigh. Graystripe wonders if Daisy is considering leaving ThunderClan after the Great Battle, with no kits to care for. As sunhigh passes, Bramblestar, Daisy, and the three mentors and apprentices walk towards the horseplace. Amberpaw, Snowpaw, and Dewpaw almost hurt Daisy, but Daisy finds it all right. Bramblestar notes Daisy deserves as much respect as any warrior, as she takes care of the kits and does lots of great things for them, remembering Ferncloud's words during his leader ceremony. Passing the horses quickly, they find Smoky, who says it is great to see Daisy. Daisy tells Smoky that Brambleclaw is now Bramblestar, but Smoky doesn't seem impressed. Daisy wants to look for Floss, but Smoky tells her Floss is dead, caught by greencough. Smoky leads Daisy to her burial spot, back by the horseplace where Floss and Pip the dog are buried. Daisy realizes that a lot has happened, and Smoky says that Daisy did choose to leave them. Daisy sees a new, tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat, and Smoky introduces her as Coriander, "replacing" Floss. Bramblestar, seeing Daisy getting angry at Smoky relying so much on Coriander now instead of Floss, says they should be leaving. Smoky sounds cheerful to let them go. As they leave, Bramblestar remembers how Squirrelflight's kits were not actually his own, and as Daisy mourns the loss of her friends, Bramblestar tells her nothing stays the same, no matter how much you want it to.


 * Bramblestar goes on a patrol, and Blossomfall notes the lake is rising. She falls in and has to be rescued. As they continue to check the borders, they see WindClan hunting a bird, which crosses over into ThunderClan territory, where Molewhisker kills it. They get into a brief skirmish. Hootpaw, Nightcloud's apprentice, starts to meow that they need to have it because of lack of prey on their territory, but Nightcloud scolds him, obviously not wanting to give anything away. Sandstorm whispers to Bramblestar that Firestar would have given the bird to them, but Bramblestar snaps that he's not Firestar. In the end, ThunderClan gets the big bird. When the patrol returns to the camp, the cats start to crowd around Molewhisker and praise him for his great catch. Molewhisker brags that it wasn't that difficult to kill. Bramblestar thinks with amusement that that's because it was already very injured, but he lets Molewhisker bask in the Clan's praise. Bramblestar asks Squirrelflight what the smell of the bird reminds her of. Squirrelflight sniffs it and realizes that it reminds her of the salt water in the sun-drown-place. Bramblestar comments that the wind must have blown the bird all the way over to the Lake. Squirrelflight has the Clan come and take a good look at the dead bird, and then says that there's enough for every cat to eat. Later on in the night, Bramblestar was finding it difficult to sleep peacefully. He was having nightmares of falling down holes on top of badgers. At dawn, Jayfeather prods him awake. Jayfeather tells Bramblestar that he found new plants in the wind, and tells Bramblestar that he has to come and see them for himself. Jayfeather takes Bramblestar along the path until they reach the place where Jayfeather and Leafpool had planted herbs. The herbs had been destroyed. Bramblestar reassures Jayfeather that he will send a patrol later in the day to help Jayfeather and Leafpool clear up the mass damage done to the area where Jayfeather grows his herbs. Jayfeather states that Bramblestar doesn't understand how this was an omen. He says that darkness is going to close in on their Clan once more. Bramblestar fears that the Dark Forest might be coming back to attack the Clans. Jayfeather replies in a dark voice that this was different from the Dark Forest. He says that he doesn't know exactly, but he can feel it coming on the wind.
 * Dawn had just broken by the time Jayfeather and Bramblestar padded back into the ThunderClan camp. Most of the Clan was already awake, and pacing restlessly, with the wind blowing their fur the wrong way. Squirrelflight remarks that the weather reminded her of the day that the tree fell down in the camp, when Longtail was killed and Briarlight injured.
 * Dawn had just broken by the time Jayfeather and Bramblestar padded back into the ThunderClan camp. Most of the Clan was already awake, and pacing restlessly, with the wind blowing their fur the wrong way. Squirrelflight remarks that the weather reminded her of the day that the tree fell down in the camp, when Longtail was killed and Briarlight injured.



Trivia

 * Vicky originally announced the title for this book during her 2013 tour of the US before revealing it on her Facebook page.
 * Vicky has said on her Facebook page that this book takes place six moons after The Last Hope.
 * Due to a mistake at the end (in which Graystripe says that his daughter is Mistystar), Vicky has said that this book will be reprinted, with the original non-edited book becoming a collectors' edition.