Thunder Rising/Chapter 25

"There's something bad at the edge of the forest . . . something very bad."

— Pebble Heart to Gray Wing about his dream in Thunder Rising, page 267

Thunder Rising
Chapter number:	25 (of 27)
Page numbers:	266-274
Point of View:	Gray Wing
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter twenty-five of Thunder Rising. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 25 (of 27)

Page Numbers: 266-274

Chapter description

Gray Wing rests in his nest, finishing a hare brought to him by Hawk Swoop. He notices Lightning Tail struggling to bring a rabbit into camp and helps the young tom bring it into the center of the camp where the fresh-kill pile is. The cats draw back to allow Gray Wing to choose his prey, but he refuses, already full from the hare he ate earlier. Gray Wing sees Turtle Tail watching him from the other side of the camp and remembers their earlier disagreement. Pebble Heart pokes Gray Wing in the side, telling him about a dream he had of something horrible at the edge of the forest. The kit wants a patrol to investigate, but privately Gray Wing believes the moor cats probably will not want to go near Clear Sky's territory based only on a dream. Gray Wing begins to ask Pebble Heart about the dream, when Wind Runner and Gorse Fur rush into camp, and Wind Runner jumps onto the Tall Rock.

Wind Runner calls a meeting, and Gray Wing wonders when she amassed so much power as he slowly joins. Turtle Tail glares at Wind Runner, and Gray Wing notices other cats looking around uncertainly, as it is unclear who the leader in camp is anymore. Several of them look to Tall Shadow for clarification, but she avoids their gazes. Gray Wing decides that if Tall Shadow will not assert her authority, he will, and he thanks Wind Runner for coming and asks her what news she brings. Wind Runner reports that Clear Sky has become more aggressive and territorial, with his cats challenging her and viciously attacking her when she crossed over into his territory. She shows her wounds to the gathered cats who are shocked by what they see, and Jagged Peak demands to know who was responsible. Wind Runner confirms that it was Frost, one of Clear Sky's cats. Gray Wing, sensing there is more to the story, prompts her to continue, and the she-cat hesitantly adds that Thunder was in the group of cats along with Petal, and that he stood by and watched as Frost attacked her, further dismaying the moor cats. Gray Wing staggers in shock, unable to believe that the cat he raised could turn out this way. Gray Wing thinks back to his fight with Fox which estranged him from his brother. Gray Wing regrets killing the tom but still feels as if he had no other choice if he was to survive and is horrified by the thought of Thunder turning out to be like the violent, dead tom but reflects on what other choice Thunder could have now that he has joined his father.

Gray Wing realizes that all the other cats are watching him, waiting to see what he has to say. Turtle Tail is the only one to address Wind Runner, asking her if she is certain of what she saw. Wind Runner states that if any cat doubts her, they can come visit where she and Gorse Fur buried Misty, a rogue who lived at the edge of the forest. Wind Runner and Gorse Fur discovered her dead body covered in vicious wounds, with Clear Sky's scent marks there along with Thunder's. Gorse Fur continues, raising his voice to be heard, saying that Clear Sky has expanded his territory, now having to kill a cat to do so. The meeting begins to descend into chaos but before that can happen, Wind Runner adds that Misty had two kits who they searched for but could not find. Wind Runner concludes that either Clear Sky killed the kits, or they wandered off on their own after their mother was killed, being too young to survive on their own. Overwhelmed by the furious caterwauls of his groupmates, Gray Wing turns to Pebble Heart and asks his son if this is what his dream was about, but the gray tabby negates the question. Gray Wing is baffled as he cannot suppose what the dream could be about if it was not about the death of a queen and her kits, and worries over more bad things happening, wondering when this will all end.

Jackdaw's Cry exclaims that they need a leader and all the cats look at Wind Runner, with even Tall Shadow unsure as she looks from Gray Wing to the wiry she-cat. Although Gray Wing knows that neither he nor Tall Shadow are fully capable of leading, he is unsure that he wants a former rogue acting as a leader. He begins to address Tall Shadow, but Wind Runner interrupts him, proposing they take a patrol to meet Clear Sky and determine the fate of Misty's kits. The moor cats want vengeance and realizing that the situation is devolving fast, Gray Wing approves of Wind Runner's idea and asks if she and Gorse Fur will accompany him, along with Turtle Tail and Cloud Spots. Gray Wing tells Pebble Heart that he will keep watch for the bad thing and sends the kit to find his littermates, telling him to not worry. Turtle Tail says good-bye to her kits, telling them to behave and that she will return soon. Gray Wing looks at the eager cats around him and declares that it is time to go.

Characters

Major

• Gray Wing
• Wind Runner
• Tall Shadow

Minor

• Lightning Tail
• Acorn Fur
• Turtle Tail
• Pebble Heart
• Gorse Fur
• Jagged Peak
• Hawk Swoop
• Jackdaw's Cry
• Shattered Ice
• Cloud Spots
• Dappled Pelt
• Rainswept Flower
• Owl Eyes
• Sparrow Fur (Unnamed)

Mentioned

• Clear Sky
• Frost
• Thunder
• Petal
• Fox
• Misty
• Alder (Unnamed)
• Birch (Unnamed)

Important events

• Pebble Heart has an omen of something bad happening in the forest.
• Wind Runner informs the moor cats of Frost's attack on her and of Misty's death.
• Gray Wing takes a patrol consisting of himself, Wind Runner, Gorse Fur, Turtle Tail, and Cloud Spots to confront Clear Sky and find out what happened to Misty's kits.