Squirrelflight's Hope

CHAPTER 9

Leafpool sat back on her haunches. “I’ve stopped the bleeding for now.”

Anxiously, Squirrelflight sniffed the cobwebs wadded around the gash on Sunrise’s flank. The blood there was growing stale. But Sunrise was still not moving; her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow. The clearing beneath her was still damp with her blood.

Leafpool went on. “I need to make an ointment to keep infection at bay.” She glanced toward the medicine den and then at Bramblestar.

The ThunderClan leader had padded to the entrance, where Alderheart and Jayfeather had disappeared a few moments earlier. He met Leafpool’s gaze.

“May I fetch herbs?” she asked.

Please say yes. As Squirrelflight blinked at him hopefully, a growl rumbled in Thornclaw’s throat. The warrior was glaring at the Sisters, who pressed close together at the edge of the clearing. His gaze flicked accusingly at Leafpool. “We’re waiting for word from StarClan.”

Blossomfall fluffed out her pelt beside him. “We can’t do anything until they tell us it’s okay.”

Squirrelflight stared at them, shocked by their coldness. “But she might die while we’re waiting. What if StarClan says we can treat her then? We won’t be able to treat a corpse.”

Bramblestar crossed the clearing and stopped beside Leafpool. “Just keep her alive until Jayfeather and Alderheart return.”

Leafpool straightened. “The Moonpool is a long way. They won’t be back before moonhigh. The only way I can keep her alive is to stop infection forming in the wound.” As she spoke, Sunrise stirred. She slowly opened her eyes and, with a flick of her tail, tried to lift her head.

Bramblestar whisked his tail. “She looks strong,” he growled. “She’ll be okay.”

“She won’t be unless I put ointment on the wound.” Leafpool’s fur twitched anxiously along her spine.

Snow crept closer to Sunrise. Fear showed in the she-cat’s eyes. “Keep still,” she breathed to her wounded campmate. “You’ll reopen the wound.”

Bramblestar glared at her. “Get back with the others.”

As Snow flattened her ears and backed away, anger flared in Squirrelflight’s belly. Was Bramblestar going to deny Sunrise even the comfort of her campmates? The Sisters had been far kinder to her when she’d been in their camp.

Outside the warriors’ den, Mousewhisker shifted his paws. “Should we move her to the medicine den?”

Larksong lifted his tail hopefully. “We could carry her there.”

“She’ll be more comfortable out of the sun,” Sparkpelt mewed.

Bramblestar glanced at them. “She’ll stay where we can see her until Jayfeather and Alderheart bring word from StarClan.”

Finleap padded forward. “Can we at least make her more comfortable?”

“I can fetch ferns,” Twigbranch offered.

Bramblestar nodded, his gaze hard. “Very well.” He turned away as they hurried out of camp.

Squirrelflight wanted to go with them, to make sure they picked the softest leaves, but she couldn’t leave Sunrise. Someone had to fight for her.

The thorn tunnel shivered, and Hollytuft and Dewnose ducked into camp. Flippaw and Thriftpaw padded at their heels. They stopped as they saw the Sisters.

Hollytuft’s eyes widened. “What’s going on?” She looked at Sunrise.

“This cat has been hurt,” Bramblestar told her. “Leafpool is taking care of her until we get word from StarClan.”

“Word?” Hollytuft looked confused. “About what?”

Thornclaw crossed the clearing and stopped beside Bramblestar. “About whether we should treat her wounds.”

Dewnose tipped his head. “Why do you need StarClan to decide?”

“These cats attacked a ShadowClan patrol,” Blossomfall grunted.

Flippaw frowned. “I thought the Sisters never strayed onto Clan land.”

Thriftpaw’s hackles lifted. “Perhaps they think they can go where they like now.”

“Rest,” Leafpool breathed, touching her nose to Sunrise’s cheek. She looked at Bramblestar again. “Can I get her poppy seeds?” she meowed. “She’s in pain. Let me help—”

Thornclaw cut her off. “Why should we share our herbs?”

“I can’t watch her suffer.” Leafpool blinked at him.

As Thornclaw held her sister’s gaze, Squirrelflight felt sick. Why had she brought the Sisters here? She’d trusted her Clanmates to take care of them. How could she have been so wrong?

“Poppy seeds can wait.” Bramblestar flicked his tail briskly. “Flippaw and Thriftpaw,” he meowed. “Go and help Finleap and Twigbranch find ferns.” He nodded to Blossomfall. “Take Hollytuft and Mousewhisker hunting. We have extra mouths to feed. Rosepetal and Bristlepaw can help Birchfall strengthen the walls of the nursery.” His gaze swept the Clan. “We can’t ignore our duties just because we have visitors.”

Thornclaw narrowed his eyes. “Are we sharing our fresh-kill with them?” He eyed Hawk and Tempest resentfully.

Tempest lifted her chin. “We can catch our own prey,” she meowed.

Birchfall bristled. “Do you think we’d let you hunt on our land?”

Bramblestar looked suddenly weary. “They must eat, and since they can’t hunt here, they must share our prey.”

Squirrelflight couldn’t help feeling a jab of pity for him. Every Clanmate seemed to want something different. How could he please them all? Guilt pricked momentarily beneath her pelt. Was she judging him too harshly?

Rosepetal and Bristlepaw headed toward the nursery, Birchfall at their heels, while Blossomfall led Hollytuft and Mousewhisker out of camp.

“Go with the hunting patrol,” Bramblestar ordered, nodding to Larksong.

Larksong hesitated. “I’d rather stay with Sparkpelt.”

Bramblestar stiffened. “Your patrol needs you.”

“Can Sparkpelt come with me?” Larksong asked. “Squirrelflight let us join the same patrols. Now that she’s expecting kits, I don’t like to be away from—”

Squirrelflight flinched as Bramblestar swung his muzzle toward the black tom.

“I don’t care what Squirrelflight did,” he hissed. “Sparkpelt will be safe here with her Clan. Go join your patrol, as I ordered.”

Sparkpelt blinked reassuringly at Larksong. “I’ll be okay,” she promised.

As Larksong dipped his head and hurried away, Squirrelflight glared at Bramblestar. How long was he going to keep trying to prove that he made the rules in ThunderClan, not her?

He stared back. “I want to speak with you in my den. You need to explain why your patrol brought the Sisters here.”

Squirrelflight’s paws pricked. Did he want another argument, even while a cat lay dying in the clearing? As he leaped up the rock tumble, she looked at Leafpool. “Will you be okay here?”

“Yes.” Leafpool was watching Sunrise. “I’ll do what I can.”

Squirrelflight straightened and headed for the rock tumble.

“I’m coming too.” Sparkpelt’s mew surprised her. “I was part of the patrol.”

“No.” Squirrelflight felt a surge of affection for her daughter. “The decision was my responsibility.”

Sparkpelt stuck out her chin. “I said I’m coming with you.”

Squirrelflight dipped her head. She didn’t want to argue with Sparkpelt too. She scrambled up the rock tumble, stones crunching beneath her paws. Sparkpelt followed and ducked after her into Bramblestar’s den.

Bramblestar sat in the shadowy cave, his gaze icy. His ears twitched as he saw Sparkpelt. “I didn’t ask to speak with you.”

Sparkpelt met his gaze. “You said you wanted an explanation,” she mewed evenly. “I was on the patrol. I can help.”

Bramblestar grunted and flicked his gaze to Squirrelflight. “Why in StarClan did you bring them here?” Anger hardened his mew.

Squirrelflight bristled, pulling up short. “What did you want me to do? Leave Sunrise to die in the woods?”

“What would they have done if you hadn’t found them?” Bramblestar didn’t wait for her answer. “They would have taken their wounded home where they belong instead of making their problem our problem.”

“But I did find them.” Squirrelflight defended herself. She was not going to let him make her feel bad for trying to save a cat’s life. “I couldn’t turn my back on them.”

Sparkpelt blinked at Bramblestar. “You couldn’t have expected us to walk away.”

“You could have taken them to the border and let their campmates take care of them.” Bramblestar’s fur spiked along his spine. “Did you know they’d attacked a ShadowClan patrol when you brought them here?”

“Snow told me on the way to camp,” Squirrelflight told him. “ShadowClan had been on their land. They were only trying to find out why. They didn’t go looking for a fight.”

“Do you think that’s how Tigerstar will see it?” Bramblestar’s gaze darkened. “How will he react when he finds out we’re protecting them?”

Squirrelflight could hardly believe her ears. “Since when do you care what Tigerstar thinks?”

“Since StarClan told us there must be unity among the Clans!”

“So you’d let a cat die because Tigerstar might be upset?”

“I thought you wanted to keep the peace. Do you think this will help?”

Squirrelflight lifted her chin. “The Clans will understand when they find out what happened. We all follow the same code, and that code says nothing about letting cats die.”

“It does say something about protecting your Clan,” Bramblestar spat back. “How can you think that bringing a bunch of rogues into our camp is protecting ThunderClan?”

“They’re not rogues!”

“They’re not loners or warriors.” Bramblestar curled his claws into the sandy floor of the cave. “What were you thinking when you decided to bring them into our camp?”

Frustration surged in Squirrelflight’s chest. “I was trying to save a cat’s life. And they’re not rogues! They’re the Sisters! There are more ways to live than being a warrior or a rogue!”

Bramblestar lashed his tail. “You spend two days in another camp and suddenly you’re questioning our beliefs?”

“I’m not questioning our beliefs. I’m just pointing out that there are other ways to live.”

“And how does that solve the problem that we are sheltering ShadowClan’s attackers? How does that bring unity to the Clans?”

“Not everything is about the Clans!” Anger burned beneath Squirrelflight’s pelt. There seemed so much more at stake here than whether the Clans were united. “What about the warrior code? What about honor and integrity? What about doing the right thing?”

“So you’re the only cat who knows what’s right?”

Squirrelflight felt Sparkpelt press against her.

“Please don’t—” Her daughter’s mew turned into a gasp. With a jerk, Sparkpelt dropped into a crouch.

Heart lurching, Squirrelflight twisted toward her. “Sparkpelt? What’s wrong?”

“Cramp.” Sparkpelt’s eyes were glittering with pain. “My belly! The kits.” Fear edged her mew.

Squirrelflight forced her fur to smooth. “Take a breath,” she mewed. She lapped at Sparkpelt’s shoulder, trying to calm her as she’d done when Sparkpelt was a kit. Her thoughts whirled. Were the kits coming? It was too early. She caught Bramblestar’s eye.

He was leaning toward Sparkpelt, anxiety sparking in his gaze. “Fetch Leafpool.”

“Wait.” Sparkpelt blinked at her father. “It will pass. It’s happened before. When I get upset.”

Guilt seared Squirrelflight’s pelt. Had she and Bramblestar caused this? “It’s okay, Sparkpelt.” She pressed closer. “We won’t argue anymore. The kits will be fine.”

“Will they?” Sparkpelt looked at her with round, anxious eyes.

“Of course.” She remembered her own pregnancy. “I used to get cramps too. Usually when I’d eaten too much fresh-kill. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong.”

Bramblestar was staring at her. “Should I fetch Leafpool?”

“Is the cramp easing?” Squirrelflight blinked at Sparkpelt.

“Yes.” Pain still showed in her daughter’s gaze, but her body was relaxing.

“Leave Leafpool with Sunrise for now,” Squirrelflight mewed softly. She touched her nose to Sparkpelt’s ear. “Cramps are normal. You just need to make sure you rest and don’t get upset. In the days before Alderheart and you were born, I used to run to Jayfeather every night, certain the kits were coming too soon. He’d check me over, tell me there was nothing wrong, and send me back to the nursery. When the kits finally came, Daisy had to drag him out of his nest. He kept waving her away, telling her that I was just imagining the pain.” She purred, the memory washing away her fear. “Can you imagine his surprise when he arrived to find you already born and Alderheart on the way? He stomped around the camp for a quarter moon, grumbling about queens who couldn’t tell the difference between birth pains and indigestion.”

A pang of longing tugged at her belly. If only she could have kits again. As the memory of her first litter filled her heart, she glanced at Bramblestar. He was listening, his gaze soft for the first time in days. He caught her eye and she saw love there. For a moment, it was as if they’d never quarreled. They’d been so happy together for so long that it seemed dumb to be arguing.

She blinked at him hopefully. If he was softening, was he ready to change his mind about the Sisters? “Please will you let Leafpool treat Sunrise?”

His gaze hardened in an instant. “Why don’t you understand?” he snapped. “I can’t help an enemy of the Clans without StarClan’s blessing.”

As he looked away, pain tightened its grip on Squirrelflight’s heart once more. He wasn’t ready to see sense.

He nodded curtly. “I’d better check to see that the Clan’s okay.” Stalking past them, he padded from the den.

“Don’t worry.” Squirrelflight brushed her cheek against Sparkpelt’s. “It’s all going to be fine.” She wondered who she was reassuring, herself or Sparkpelt. “Stay here and rest. I’ll go and see if he’s all right. And I’ll send Leafpool to check on you when she can.”

Sparkpelt blinked at her gratefully and touched her nose to her mother’s. “Be kind to him.”

Squirrelflight flinched. I wish he’d be kind to me.

Bramblestar was talking with Thornclaw, their heads bent, as Squirrelflight scrambled down the rock tumble. She hesitated beside them, but they turned away and carried on talking. Disappointed, she walked on and stopped beside Leafpool. Thriftpaw and Twigbranch were gently tucking fern leaves around Sunrise. The wounded Sister hardly moved as they tried to make her comfortable. Pain glazed her eyes. “She needs poppy seeds,” Squirrelflight whispered to Leafpool.

“And marigold.” Leafpool touched a paw to Sunrise’s flank. “I don’t like how hot she’s getting. It might be the beginning of infection.”

Snow, who was watching from the edge of the clearing, leaned forward. “Why don’t you do something?”

Leafpool glanced at Bramblestar. “I have to obey him,” she whispered to the white she-cat.

Snow stared at her. “Can’t you think and act for yourselves?” Frustration edged her mew. “First you have to consult with dead cats to see if you can treat her, and now you don’t dare help a suffering cat because a tom tells you not to.”

“He’s our leader,” Leafpool told her.

As she spoke, Thornclaw lifted his gaze and glared at Snow. “Stop talking,” he hissed.

Squirrelflight’s pelt prickled with anger. Had Thornclaw forgotten what it was like to need help? She shifted as Twigbranch nosed her softly aside and pressed a fern beneath Sunrise’s shoulder. “Thank you.” She blinked gratefully at the young warrior, relieved that not all her Clanmates were acting like fox-hearts, and leaned closer to Leafpool. “Can you check on Sparkpelt? She’s in Bramblestar’s den. She had some cramps. They’ve passed now, but I think she needs reassuring.”

Leafpool nodded toward Sunrise. “Can you keep an eye on her?”

“Of course.” Squirrelflight settled beside Sunrise, pressing her flank along the wounded cat’s spine. Her heart ached as she watched her sister pad wordlessly past Bramblestar and climb the rock tumble. When had Bramblestar become so heartless? Did he really believe that Clan unity was worth paying for in another cat’s blood?

Squirrelflight could see stars twinkling through the leafy canopy. The moon was high, and her Clanmates sat stiffly around the clearing, murmuring softly to one another, their gazes never straying for long from Hawk, Tempest, and Snow. She pressed closer to Leafpool. Beside them, Sunrise’s breath had quickened and grown shallow.

Surely Jayfeather and Alderheart must return soon. Had StarClan given an answer? Squirrelflight sent another desperate prayer toward the glittering sky. Please let us treat her. Sunrise had slipped into unconsciousness as the sun had slipped below the trees. At least it won’t hurt now, Squirrelflight had thought.

Leafpool had settled Sparkpelt into the nursery, where Daisy could keep an eye on her and reassure her if necessary. Larksong was there too. He’d hurried to check on Sparkpelt as soon as he’d returned with the hunting patrol.

Squirrelflight fluffed her pelt against the evening chill. “Shouldn’t Jayfeather and Alderheart be back by now?” she whispered to Leafpool.

“They’ll be here soon,” Leafpool murmured.

As Bramblestar paced beneath the Highledge, Thornclaw sat motionless, eyes glinting like quartz in the moonlight. Birchfall, Blossomfall, Hollytuft, and Flippaw had gathered around the old warrior, and they sat close, staring with undisguised hostility at the Sisters.

Bramblestar had kept his word and shared the patrol’s catch with their visitors, but the Sisters had eaten little. They had edged nearer to Sunrise, close enough now to breathe in her scent, which had grown hotter and sourer as the evening had drawn in.

“I pray StarClan will let us treat her,” Leafpool murmured. “The wound is festering already. She needs those herbs.”

Squirrelflight’s heart quickened. Even she could see the swelling around the gash on Sunrise’s flank. The cobweb was soggy now and couldn’t hide the fiery red flesh beneath.

She pricked her ears as paw steps sounded outside the stone hollow. Bramblestar halted as the Clan shifted nervously around the edge of the clearing. Thornclaw got to his paws as Jayfeather led Alderheart into camp. Squirrelflight jumped up, straining to read Alderheart’s expression. His round amber eyes gave nothing away.

“Well?” Bramblestar crossed the clearing to meet the two medicine cats. “What did StarClan say?”

Alderheart frowned. “We’re not quite sure.”

Bramblestar’s pelt rippled along his spine. “But you’re medicine cats! You must know. Did they say anything?”

“I had a vision,” Jayfeather told him. “I spoke to Hollyleaf.”

Squirrelflight held her breath. Surely StarClan must have told him they could treat Sunrise! Perhaps Jayfeather hadn’t understood their message. “What did she say?”

The medicine cat turned his blind blue gaze on her. “She said that clouds from the mountains will make it difficult to tell friend from enemy. But if the Clans stay united, the way forward will be clear.”

Thornclaw grunted. “‘Clouds from the mountains …’” He stared at the Sisters. “I think the message is clear. These cats bring trouble. We must send them away.”

“No!” Squirrelflight hurried forward. “The message doesn’t say they are the enemy, only that clouds will make it hard to tell who the enemy is.”

Bramblestar frowned. “But they say the Clans must stay united. If we treat this cat, Tigerstar will see it as betrayal.”

“You don’t know that!” Squirrelflight flicked her tail angrily. “Sunrise needs herbs. Her wound is infected. StarClan would not ask us to let her die. And if they did, perhaps we shouldn’t be listening to them.” Silence gripped the Clan, and a chill ran beneath her pelt.

Bramblestar looked at her in disbelief. “If we turn our tails on StarClan, then we might as well turn our tails on the whole warrior code.” His gaze hardened. “We might as well live like them.” He flicked his muzzle toward Tempest, Hawk, and Snow. “Or would you prefer that?”

“Of course I wouldn’t prefer that, but I can’t stand by and let you decide to let a cat die. It’s wrong!”

Thornclaw’s ears twitched. “And what if the future of the Clans depends on it?”

Mousewhisker padded forward. “No future is decided by a single life!”

“We can’t ignore StarClan!” Blossomfall called.

“We can’t sit by while a cat suffers,” Twigbranch countered.

Murmuring spread among the watching cats, as ears flattened and pelts prickled.

Squirrelflight looked imploringly at Bramblestar. “You have to decide! You have to save this cat!”

Bramblestar returned her gaze, his eyes glistening with doubt. “I can only try to do what’s best.”

Tempest started forward. “We’ll take her home. She can at least die among friends.”

“You should never have brought her here in the first place!” Thornclaw spat.

As Hawk and Snow clustered protectively around their campmate, Leafpool got to her paws. “You can argue until dawn for all I care.” She turned toward the medicine den. “All I know is that StarClan hasn’t told us to let this cat die. I’m fetching herbs to treat her. I will not sit vigil for a cat I could have saved.” She began to head across the clearing.

“No!” Bramblestar leaped in front of her, squaring his shoulders as he stared at her. Leafpool froze, her eyes wide.

Squirrelflight’s paws seemed rooted to the ground. Was Bramblestar going to fight her sister to stop her treating a wounded cat? As she blinked in disbelief, Sunrise let out a low groan. She was dying! Energy surged beneath Squirrelflight’s pelt. She crossed the clearing and pushed in front of Leafpool, meeting Bramblestar’s fierce gaze with her own. “Let her go,” she growled.

Bramblestar stared at her miserably. “We can’t keep doing this,” he whispered only loud enough for her to hear. Desperation edged his mew. “If you keep undermining my authority, you could destroy the whole Clan.”

Squirrelflight held her ground. “I have to do what I think is right.”

“Even if it costs you your Clan?”

“ThunderClan is stronger than that,” Squirrelflight spat. “At least I hope it is. If our future depends on letting a cat die, then it’s not the Clan I thought it was.”

Bramblestar stared at her. Uncertainty glittered in his gaze. “Why are you doing this to me?” His words pierced her heart. “You’re my deputy. You’re my mate. You’re supposed to support me.”

“Being a good deputy doesn’t mean blindly following orders.” Squirrelflight didn’t move. “It means standing up for what I believe, and this time, I believe I’m right.” The camp seemed to swim around her. She knew she was hurting him. But she had to convince him. As the Clan watched her silently, their eyes round in the moonlight, Bramblestar backed away.

His gaze flicked to Leafpool. “If you insist on treating Sunrise, go ahead. But take her to the medicine den. If she’s out of sight, perhaps the Clan will feel less angry.” He nodded toward the Sisters. “They can stay in the elders’ den. Berrynose and Bumblestripe will stand guard tonight. Move Millie, Brightheart, Cloudtail, and Graystripe to the nursery.” Around him, the Clan got to their paws. Mousewhisker and Twigbranch helped Tempest and Hawk lift Sunrise. Leafpool nosed her way into the medicine den. Bramblestar narrowed his eyes, his face like stone. Squirrelflight tried to drag her gaze from his, her heart cracking as he curled his lip. “StarClan wanted unity among the Clans,” he snarled. “Thanks to you, there’s not even unity in ThunderClan anymore.”