Thunder Rising/Chapter 7

Chapter Summary

 * Gray Wing looks down affectionately at Thunder, who settles at his side and is struggling against sleep. Hawk Swoop bundles up Acorn Fur and Lightning Tail off to bed. Gray Wing guesses that Thunder prefers listening to the older cats talking instead of going with his foster littermates. Jagged Peak creeps closer and Gray Wing is glad that Jagged Peak almost looked happy. He watches Cloud Spots, Dappled Pelt curling up and relaxing.


 * Wind Runner wants to tell the cats more about the tunnels, she explains that they are full of rabbits. Tall Shadow interrupts her, Gray Wing guesses that Tall Shadow didn't want any of the cats to go to the twoleg place or risk themselves in the tunnel. She thanks Wind and Gorse for their help and states that it is time to leave the hollow. Shattered Ice and Jackdaw's Cry look interested, and Shattered Ice suggests Wind and Gorse to spend the night here. He is dismissed by Tall Shadow, who says the hollow is only for the mountain cats. Wind and Gorse are disappointed, but they exchange goodbyes and leave the hollow.


 * Jackdaw's Cry complains about their leave. Hawk Swoop joins in and agrees with him, stating that they saved Jagged Peak once and she remarks that they'd be really great cats to have with them. Shattered Ice challenges Tall Shadow, saying that she let Wind and Gorse leave but let a kittypet stay. Turtle Tail is shocked, and asks what he meant but that. Shattered Ice tells her that her loyalty couldn't be trusted. Furious, Turtle Tail glares at the gray and white tom and tells him that she will not stay where she is not welcome. Gray Wing comforts her, telling her to think about her kits. Hesitating, Turtle Tail nods.


 * Tall Shadow tells Shattered Ice to apologize to Turtle Tail. Grumpily, Shattered Ice apologizes and Gray Wing draws in a breath of relief, hoping that it was over, but Shattered Ice faces his leader. He questions her why she made Wind and Gorse go. Tall Shadow began to answer, but Shattered Ice cuts her off and he challenges her leadership, saying that Gray Wing would make a better leader than her. Protests rise up from the other cats and Rainswept Flower says he can't change a leader just like that. Tall Shadow stares blankly and Gray Wing willed her to not just rely on Rainswept Flower to stand up for her.


 * Hawk Swoop agrees with Shattered Ice and yells out Gray Wing's name. Cloud Spots shoulders his way forwards but his voice is drowned out by the yowling. Tall Shadow draws herself to her full height and bristles. She is sill looking too shocked to say anything. Gray Wing feels really shocked and he orders Shattered Ice to stay quiet. hattered Ice retorts that they needed a better leader to be capable of dealing with the dangers. Gray Wing casts an angry glance at Thunder, who is struggling back to wakefulness. He thinks angrily that he never told him anything about that. Gray Wing tells Shattered Ice that Tall Shadow is the leader they need. Shattered Ice retorts, saying that she isn't. Everyone is shocked and Tall Shadow growls angrily, ready to attack Shattered Ice.


 * Cloud Spots asks them if they wanted a leader who led dogs into the camp. Gray Wing is furious and he asks Cloud Spots what else would he have done. Thunder calls Gray Wing brave and he glares at Shattered Ice. Gray Wing realizes that he needed to calm himself down. Shattered Ice wants a leader who will do something. He and Cloud Spots argue and eventually it breaks out into a fight. Gray Wing yells at them to stop, he grabs Cloud Spots and hauls him off. He tells them that it is enough and tell them that they had to be united or what hope they'd have in the future.


 * The toms grow quiet.

Important events

 * Turtle Tail is expecting Tom's kits, and she returns to the moor.