[ another series of insiders. This takes place before Albatross-star became leader ]

"Turtlespeck, do you have a tale to share tonight?" Wavestar sat regally on a rock in the middle of the sea-cave, white tail curled over his paws.

The Clan was spread out before him - it was a Gathering, and the time for sharing tales had come. Kits and apprentices sat restlessly at the back of the pack, junior warriors whipped each other with their tales, senior warriors shushed and talked quietly, and elders... elders prepared their tales. A particular calico she-cat sat directly below Wavestar, and began to make her way up the rock.

"Indeed, I do." The calico Turtlespeck responded; although she was old, she made her way up he rock with ease. Sharing tales was something she enjoyed, and something she often did.

Wavestar nodded, and jumped off the rock. He went to sit next to his deputy - the young Albatrossfeather. The two sat quietly with the other senior warriors, and Turtlespeck began to speak.

"Many, many moons ago, during my Moonridge climb, rain started to pelt from the sky. It rained so hard, and for so long, that we could barely hear each other speak. Lighting and thunder accompanied this rain, the cave flooded, but there was something else wrong. Something that I had to deal with..."

•••

"Turtlepaw!" A charcoal tabby she-cat yowled over the thundering sound of falling rain, "Its not safe out there!"

Turtlepaw trudged through the deep, wet sand outside the cave. Her pelt was slick the the cold rain, her ears flat. But her eyes held a determined look as she responded to the cat inside the cave.
"I can't, Reefclaw! Shrubpaw is still out there!" She took one last look at the cave before racing across the sodden sand.

Turtlepaw reached the limestone cliffs she had climbed earlier that day with her pelt dripping. She could see the crouched form of her friend Shrubpaw far up, at the top of the ridge.

Okay. I climbed this earlier today. I can climb it again.

Her heart pounded - the cliff would be slippery in the rain, and the darkness caused by clouds overhead didn't help. And to make matters worse...

CRASH

Lightning. Her one true fear.
I can do this.

Turtlepaw bunched her leg muscles, and sprang up onto the first ledge. Her eyes widened and fear took a hold of her chest as she almost slipped; she dug her claws in just in time.

She crouched low again, and sprang onto the next ledge. She tipped precariously, and jumped as the bay lit up with the light of lightning.

It took what seemed like moons to reach a ledge where she could finally see Shrubpaw.

"Turtlepaw?" The with brown apprentice cried as he saw the soaked form of his friend, "Go back to the cave! I can get down myself!"

"It's too dangerous!" Turtlepaw replied, sprinting onto the next ledge, "We'll have to wait out the storm up there."

Only a few more tail lengths of smooth, ledge free rock lay between the two friends. Turtlepaw breathed deeply, for a moment she forgot the lightning, the rain, the heights, and jumped. She dangled in open air for a moment, only to have Shrubpaw grab her scruff and drag her up.

Both cats panted heavily, pressing their fur together for warmth.
"You would've died of cold if I hadn't come up." Turtlepaw whispered, "And I can't have you dying before you get your warrior name."

•••

"And that's the story of how I - single handedly, I might add - saved our dear Shrubflight's life." Turtlespeck finished her story with a fantastic flourish in the direction of her wiry denmate.

"Thankyou, Turtlespeck." Wavestar dipped his head to the elder, climbing the rock once more as she descended, "Does anyone else have a story?"

•••
C'est fini

Enjoy! I'm going to make more of these, and they'll be published at the start of each new moon.