Thunder Rising/Chapter 20

==Chapter description==
:Gray Wing wakes up and glances over to Turtle Tail and the kits, realizing that they are still sleeping. He watches her and remembers her expression of delight when he had caught up to the other journeying cats. He understands now why she left the moor to live with Twolegs, knowing that he had drove her into it. He thinks about Turtle Tail coming back to the moor and remembers all the comfort she had given him. Gray Wing realizes that he loves her.
:A paw prods him on the side, and he realizes that Turtle Tail is awake. She asks him to fetch her some prey. He steps out of the den and hears squealing, and sees Sparrow Fur, Pebble Heart, and Owl Eyes running towards him. The three kits ask if they can hunt with him. At first, Gray Wing denies their request, saying that they are too young, but concedes after the kits continue pleading.
:Gray Wing leads the kits onto the moor and scents a hare. When he tells the kits, Pebble Heart exclaims that the rabbit is only a kit, and all three of the kits becomes upset. Gray Wing tells the three young cats that they need to be tough in order to survive, because he does not want to see any cat starve. He asks if the kits understand, and they nod. He tells the kits to stay where they are, and the dark gray tom begins to stalk the hare. He reaches half the distance when he realizes the hare has scented him. He springs at the hare as it began to move out from its spot and kills it. He gestures over to the kits to come over, but as they bound towards him, he feels a stab of pain in his lungs, making it difficult for him to breathe. While trying to regain his breath, Gray Wing pushes the three kits away, but realizes he had pushed the kits too hard when he hears a yowl with pain come from one of the kits.
:Gray Wing recovers, and Pebble Heart asks to listen to his chest. Gray Wing lets the kit do so. The kit listens for a moment before announcing that his breathing is not that bad and drops a juniper berry beside Gray Wing, urging him to eat it. Gray Wing begins to eat the herb and feels the remaining tightness around his throat loosen. He gazes in astonishment at Pebble Heart and asks how he knew which herb to treat him with. The dark gray tabby modestly says it is because he listens to Cloud Spots and Dappled Pelt. Gray Wing asks the kit if he had any dreams. The kit looks away when he replies that he hasn't, giving Gray Wing a hint that he is lying.
:Gray Wing leads the kits back to camp. Turtle Tail runs towards them and notices that the kits are shivering. She demands Gray Wing what happened, but Sparrow Fur tells Turtle Tail that Gray Wing caught a hare, but was struggling to breathe and pushed them away. Turtle Tail asks Gray Wing to go on a walk, leaving the kits with Jagged Peak. The duo goes to the top of the hollow, and Turtle Tail begins to pour her frustration about Gray Wing's illness since the fire. Gray Wing retorts, saying that he's struggling to feel like a leader without cats worrying about him. The two apologize before heading back to camp. 
:On their way back, two dogs jump out of a bush and blocks their path. Gray Wing and Turtle Tail run to a thorn tree and climb up the tree to take shelter. The dogs follow them and surround the tree, standing on their hind legs, trying to get them. However, a Twoleg arrives and straps a long tendril onto the dogs' necks to pull them away. When the dogs and Twolegs are gone, the two cats hop down from the tree and begin to make their way back to camp. Gray Wing thanks Turtle Tail for keeping his breathing problems a secret, but Turtle Tail replies that she did not agree to anything.
==Characters==
====Major====
*Gray Wing
====Minor====
====Mentioned====
==Errors==
*Sparrow Fur is mistakenly described with green eyes.
==Notes and references==
de:Donnerschlag/Kapitel 20
Category:Dawn of the Clans arc
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Thunder Rising