Thunder Аnd Shadow

Chapter 8

Violetkit narrowed her eyes as she glanced at the setting sun blazing between the treetops. Her paws ached. She was getting used to the walk back from the rogues’ camp. Needlepaw usually helped her over fallen trees and ditches, but it still felt like a long way. She was relieved to see the bramble wall of the camp ahead.

“Come on,” Needlepaw whispered, guiding her toward the dirtplace tunnel.

Violetkit stum bled wearily as a mew took her by surprise.

“Where have you been?” Tawny pelt strode from between the trees and blocked their path.

Her angry gaze fell on Needlepaw.

Needlepaw blinked back at her, unfazed. “I was showing Violetkit the best spot for squirrel hunting.”

Tawny pelt glared. “Violetkit is too young to hunt squirrels. She shouldn’t even be out of camp.”

Needlepaw rounded her eyes im ploringly. “But she gets so bored. Pinenose’s kits are apprentices now.”

“What about Grassheart’s kits?” Tawny pelt stood her ground. “She could be helping to entertain them.”

Violetkit stepped forward. “Pinenose say s they’re too young for m e to play with.” At least that was true. The kits were so cute, but Pinenose always had a reason why Violetkit should stay away from them.

“Nonsense,” Tawny pelt snapped. “When I was a kit, I play ed with m y denmates the m om ent

I opened my eyes, no matter how old they were.”

But you were Clanborn. Violetkit swallowed back resentm ent. She didn’t want to appear ungrateful. Pinenose and Grassheart were kind to her. They were just overprotective, that’s all.

“I’d play with them if I was allowed to,” she mewed defensively.

Tawny pelt narrowed her eyes. “I’ll speak with Pinenose and Grassheart.” Then she switched her gaze sharply back to Needlepaw. “If Violetkit is having problem s in the nursery, you won’t solve them by breaking rules. You should have come to m e straight away.” Her tail twitched irritably. “That’s an afternoon’s training wasted. I’d planned to teach you how to track scent trails.

It’s the m ost im portant warrior skill you can learn.”

Violetkit stiffened. What if Tawnypelt tracked our scent to the rogues’ camp?

But the tortoiseshell went on. “I went hunting with Snowbird and Stonewing instead.” She looked Needlepaw up and down. “Did you catch any squirrels?”

“They were too fast,” Needlepaw mewed quickly.

“So y ou’ve got nothing for the fresh-kill pile at all?” Tawny pelt looked exasperated. “The Clan comes first!”

“I was taking care of Violetkit,” Needlepaw protested.

“You were teaching her how to break rules.” Tawny pelt’s mew deepened to a growl. “Come with m e. This must be reported to Rowanstar.”

She turned away, tail twitching om inously.

Needlepaw glanced at Violetkit. “Don’t worry,” she m urm ured. “I won’t let you get into trouble.”

Violetkit’s heart was pounding. Rowanstar! The ShadowClan leader occasionally paused while crossing the camp to say hello and ask her how she was settling into Clan life, but she’d never m anaged more than a squeak in reply. Now she was going to be reported to him for breaking Clan rules.

As Needlepaw padded after Tawny pelt—shoulders loose, tail flicking breezily —Violetkit pressed back the panic rising in her chest. Forcing her pelt to sm ooth, she followed them, pretending to be calm.

The sun had dipped behind the trees and the Clan had settled around the clearing to eat.

Violetkit glanced at the fresh-kill pile, alm ost em pty now. Beepaw was rooting through it. Violetkit’s belly churned as the apprentice sniffed at a thrush. She felt too sick to be hungry.

Rowanstar looked up from the m ouse he was eating beside Crowfrost. “Tawny pelt.” He got to his paws, greeting the she-cat with a worried look. “What’s happened?” Clearly, he could see anger in her rippling pelt.

“Needlepaw took Violetkit out of camp.” Tawny pelt stepped aside and let Needlepaw face

Rowanstar.

Violetkit halted. Her paws felt shaky as she sensed the eyes of the other cats lifting from their fresh-kill and fixing on her. She glanced nervously at Needlepaw. Was her friend in serious trouble? And what about me? Did ShadowClan punish kits?

Rowanstar glared at Needlepaw. “Kits don’t leave camp,” he meowed sternly. “What were y ou thinking? There m ay be rogues in the forest. There are certainly foxes, and Spikefur said he saw an adder yesterday. A warrior would be lucky to survive an adder bite. A kit would die.”

Needlepaw blinked at him coolly. “I look out for adders and foxes. I wouldn’t let any thing hurt her.”

Rowanstar’s hackles lifted as though he was surprised to hear her talk back. “Kits do not leave camp,” he repeated.

Needlepaw glanced calm ly at Beepaw beside the fresh-kill pile. “It’s a dum b rule.”

Beepaw leaned closer, her eyes sparking with interest.

Violetkit stared at Needlepaw, shock fizzing through her fur. Had she really said that? And why had she shot a sly glance at Beepaw? Had they been planning to challenge Rowanstar like this?

Crowfrost stood up. His tail twitched angrily as Needlepaw went on.

“Like I told Tawny pelt, Violetkit was bored in camp.” She flicked her m uzzle dismissively toward the clearing. “There’s nothing to learn here except how to grow old.”

Sleekpaw, Juniperpaw, Yarrowpaw, and Strikepaw were padding closer, their eyes flashing with interest. Birchpaw and Lionpaw hung back, ey eing each other nervously, but Beepaw pricked her ears excitedly, as though willing Needlepaw to say more.

Rowanstar’s gaze flicked toward them, then back to Needlepaw. It was blazing with anger.

“There is plenty to learn in camp,” he hissed. “The warrior code, for a start. Too many rules are being ignored.”

“It’s im possible to remember all your rules.” Needlepaw flicked her tail irritably. “Perhaps if we had fewer rules, we’d obey more of them.”

Crowfrost flattened his ears. “Perhaps if we had sm arter apprentices, they wouldn’t have such a hard time remembering.”

Sleekpaw and Strikepaw, Crowfrost’s kits, hissed at the ShadowClan deputy. “Are you calling us dum b?”

Strikepaw glared at his father. “If you treated us better, we might try harder,” he snarled.

“Don’t forget there are nearly as many of us as there are of y ou. You’d be wise to give us a little more respect.”

Was that a threat? Violetkit stared at him, her m outh open. She shifted her paws uneasily. The apprentices were edging nearer to Needlepaw, as though gaining confidence with every complaint. Had they planned this rebellion, or had Needlepaw’s boldness sparked resentm ents that had been sim m ering for moons?

Yarrowpaw and Juniperpaw flicked their tails irritably. Beepaw padded from the fresh-kill pile to j oin them.

“Respect!” Rowanstar narrowed his eyes. “Respect has to be earned.” His growl was hard.

Beepaw tipped her head. “I don’t see the older cats earning any respect. All they do is hunt and sleep.”

Snowbird padded forward quickly, her pelt ruffled. “Beepaw!” She blinked at her daughter anxiously. “You mustn’t speak about your elders like that.”

“Why not?” Beepaw m oved closer to Yarrowpaw. “You taught us that ShadowClan cats can say what they like.”

Alarm sparked in Snowbird’s gaze as her kits stared at her petulantly. “Where has all this come from?”

Beepaw stared at her mother. “If you ever listened instead of just talking, y ou’d know.”

Crowfrost fluffed out his fur, his nervous gaze on his own kits. Sleekpaw, Juniperpaw, and Strikepaw were bunched close, staring questioningly at Rowanstar.

Sleekpaw lashed her tail. “The elders used to tell stories about how ShadowClan was feared by the other Clans,” she meowed. “Now we only try to make peace.”

Strikepaw snorted. “We hide behind our borders like kitty pets.”

“It’s true!” Juniperpaw agreed. “Not even WindClan respects us any more. At the last

Gathering, Fernpaw called us a bunch of frog-eaters. In the old day s, apprentices from other Clans didn’t even dare speak to us. Ratscar told us that ThunderClan used to tell nursery stories about how terrify ing we were. I bet their nursery stories aren’t so scary now.”

Rowanstar shifted his paws. “Peace brings prey,” he meowed. “Why fight over borders when we have enough prey to feed every cat?”

Ratscar got to his paws. The brown tom’s eyes were narrow. “The apprentices have a point.

ShadowClan used to rule the forest. Now we live like a bunch of ThunderClan cats. All we want is peace and food. We’re hardly better than kitty pets.”

Kinkfur growled. “What nonsense! ShadowClan will always be feared and respected by the other Clans.”

“Even if we’re not feared and respected by our own kits,” Ratscar rasped dry ly.

Oakfur crossed the clearing and faced Rowanstar. “Why can’t the m entors keep their apprentices under control? In m y day, we did what we were told.”

Stonewing shouldered his way through the gathered cats and glared at Juniperpaw. “How could you em barrass m e like this? Haven’t I been a good m entor to y ou? I’ve taught y ou every thing you know.”

Juniperpaw curled his lip. “Cats are born knowing how to hunt and fight. Why do I need you telling me what I already know?”

Stonewing swung his m uzzle accusingly toward Rowanstar. “I warned you the apprentices were getting too big for their pelts.”

Rowanstar glared back at him, pelt spiking. “I shouldn’t have to control your apprentice for y ou.”

Dawnpelt hurried forward and gazed im ploringly at Sleekpaw and her denmates. “I don’t understand why y ou’re so angry. When I was your age, I was proud to be an apprentice,” she mewed. “We all were. We wanted to learn the warrior code.”

“Only because you wanted to be like ThunderClan,” Needlepaw scoffed.

Dawnpelt bristled. “That’s not true!”

Tawny pelt hissed at Needlepaw. “Respect your elders!”

“Not until they respect us!” Sleekpaw butted in.

Angry y owls echoed around the camp. Violetkit shrank against Needlepaw’s flank as the Clan argued around her. Perhaps the warrior code was too restrictive. She’d heard Needlepaw complain about it often enough. But was it worth fighting about? Surely warriors had a code for a reason. Otherwise they’d be nothing but rogues or loners.

“Silence!” Rowanstar leaped onto the low rock at the edge of the clearing and glowered at his Clan. His fur stood on end, and his eyes blazed in the twilight.

The Clan fell silent and watched their leader expectantly.

“Needlepaw.” Rowanstar fixed his furious gaze on the silver apprentice. “You broke a rule and y ou will be punished. You will look after the elders. Clean their bedding, pull out their ticks, and hunt for them. They are your responsibility from now on.”

Needlepaw returned his gaze, unruffled. “For how long?”

Rowanstar showed his teeth. “Until I say so.”

“Okay.” Needlepaw shrugged and turned away. She shouldered her way between her denmates and headed for the fresh-kill pile. Violetkit stared at her. How could she act so cool?

“Violetkit.” Rowanstar’s mew m ade her j um p.

She stared at him, her heart in her throat.

“You shouldn’t have left camp.” The ShadowClan leader’s mew was stern. His gaze flicked toward the nursery. Pinenose watched from outside. He beckoned the queen forward with a flick of his tail. “You should have been keeping a closer eye on her,” he told the queen as she padded toward him.

She dipped her head. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t let her out of your sight,” Rowanstar warned.

Pinenose stopped beside Violetkit. “Couldn’t Grassheart take care of her now?” she mewed hopefully. “Now that m y own kits have left the nursery, I could return to warrior duties.”

Violetkit tried to ignore the hurt j abbing her heart. She’d known for a long time that Pinenose had never been fond of her. Of course she’d rather be hunting than watching me. I’m not her kit.

She sm elled pine and fresh air in the queen’s fur. Had she been out already?

Rowanstar scowled. “I know you miss patrolling and hunting, but it’s Grassheart’s first litter.

She won’t have the time to take care of another kit.”

Violetkit lifted her m uzzle defiantly. “I can take care of m y self.”

Rowanstar’s hopped from the stone and padded closer. “If that were true, you wouldn’t have left the camp today.” He turned to Pinenose. “Look after her. Make sure she learns the warrior code. I don’t want her turning out like them.” He glowered at Sleekpaw and her denmates. “She’s been spending far too much time with Needlepaw.”

Pinenose lowered her gaze. “Okay,” she grunted.

But Needlepaw is my only friend! Violetkit stared at Rowanstar, her heart as heavy as stone.

Now I’ll have no one to talk to! Anger sparking beneath her pelt, Violetkit padded to the nursery and squeezed inside. Grassheart’s kits were squirm ing and mewling in their nest while Grassheart dozed. Violetkit scowled at them. They’d never know what it was like to lose a mother and a sister.

Slinking into the shadows at the edge of the den, she curled up and buried her nose beneath her paw.

“Violetkit!” Needlepaw hissed across the clearing.

Violetkit looked up, blinking in the afternoon sunshine. She was tired after a m orning spent play ing with Grassheart’s kits. Tawny pelt must have kept her word and spoken to her. As soon as she’d woken that m orning, Grassheart had asked her to take Snakekit, Whorlkit, and Flowerkit outside to play. She’d enj oy ed teaching them the rules of m oss-ball and cat and m ouse. For a while she’d felt less alone. But the kits were resting now, snuggled in their nest beside their mother, and Violetkit had nothing to do.

“Violetkit,” Needlepaw called again.

Violetkit glanced toward Pinenose. The queen was picking irritably through the fresh-kill pile at the far end of the camp. Violetkit scram bled to her paws and hurried across the clearing.

Needlepaw was dragging a large bundle of bracken toward the elders’ den. She let go as Violetkit reached her. “Dum b old cats,” Needlepaw huffed. “They’re always wanting something.

‘Pull this tick, Needlepaw.’ ‘Bring m e food, Needlepaw.’” Needlepaw m im icked their husky mews.

“‘I need new bedding, Needlepaw.’” She sat down wearily.

“Can I help?” Violetkit offered eagerly.

Needlepaw’s eyes brightened. “Yes.”

Violetkit leaned closer, preparing for orders. Would Needlepaw want her to look for m oss around the camp? Or fetch prey from the fresh-kill pile?

Needlepaw leaned close and whispered in Violetkit’s ear. “I need you to travel to the rogues’ camp tonight.”

“Me?” Violetkit blinked at her in surprise. “Are you coming too?”

“Of course not!” Needlepaw rolled her eyes. “How can I leave with every old fleabag in the Clan watching to make sure I stick to m y stupid elder duties?”

Violetkit frowned. “Then why do I need to go?”

“I want you to give a m essage to Rain. I prom ised to m eet him tonight, but I can’t now, since I got caught with y ou.”

Violetkit felt a prickle of guilt in her belly.

“So y ou’ll go?” Needlepaw was staring at her im ploringly.

Violetkit shifted her paws. “How can I? Pinenose will be watching m e. And Grassheart.”

“They’ll be asleep by the time the moon’s up,” Needlepaw mewed. “They sleep like hedgehogs. Nothing will wake them until dawn.”

Violetkit glanced at the nursery. Both queens did sleep heavily. The kits too. She probably could slip out of the nursery without any one noticing. But she’d never been in the forest at night alone.

What if she m et a fox? And what if she was caught? Rowanstar would be m ad. Fear sparked beneath her pelt.

Needlepaw seem ed to read her m ind. “You’ll be fine. If a warrior patrol catches y ou, tell them I m ade you go. And keep an eye out for foxes and owls. Fox stench is easy to spot. Just stay away from it. Check the canopy for owls. Their eyes flash in the dark.”

Owls? Violetkit shivered. She never wanted to see an owl again!

“You have to go!” Needlepaw looked desperate. “Rain will be expecting m e, and if I don’t turn up, he might not like m e any more.”

Sy m pathy filled Violetkit’s heart. Needlepaw was her only real friend in the Clan. She’d been so kind. No one else had taken her to see Twigkit. “Okay,” she agreed.

Needlepaw’s eyes brightened at once. “Thanks! You must reach their camp before moonhigh.”

An owl screeched. Violetkit glanced nervously up through the dark canopy, looking for eyes flashing in the shadows. But this deep into the pine forest, there was hardly a glim pse of light between the closely packed trees. Her heart leaped into her throat as the owl sounded again. She felt sure it had been following her since she crossed the last ditch.

Pelt bushed, she padded onward, fear pushing exhaustion away.

She’d crept from the warm m oss beside Pinenose as soon as she was sure that the two queens and the kits were asleep. Gentle snores had filled the nursery as she squeezed through the entrance. She’d stiffened as she hit the chilly night air, her heart thum ping as she’d crept through the dirtplace tunnel. Alone in the forest, she’d felt like prey. Now she was close to the edge of ShadowClan territory. The rogues’ camp was near. Even in the dark she remembered the route, and she crawled under a bramble that still sm elled of Needlepaw’s scent from last tim e.

The trees thinned bey ond the border where the land sloped up, and Violetkit trekked onward, com forted by the moonlight that began to light her path. At last pine gave way to alder and beech and stars sparkled reassuringly between the bare branches. She strained to see ahead, glim psing the rowan bushes that m arked the edge of the rogues’ camp. I made it!

As pride surged through her, a screech sounded above. She j erked her head up and glim psed the m assive silhouette of an owl. It swooped toward her so fast she froze in panic. Claws glinted as the owl stalled in m idair, twisting its wings as it dropped toward her. She felt a rush of air, then pain as talons dug into her fur.

A cat’s y owl pierced the night. Feathers whipped her ears. The owl’s grip loosened as som ething slam m ed into it, knocking it away.

She glim psed gray fur, and silver. Rain and Roach reared and dragged the owl to the ground.

“Run!” Rain screeched as he grappled against the owl’s powerful wings.

Violetkit couldn’t m ove. Her heart nearly burst as she watched Roach leap onto the owl’s back and sink his teeth into its thick plum age. The owl flapped wildly, its wings thum ping against the ground as it threw him off. It wrenched free of Rain and struggled into the air, screeching as it beat the air and flapped up between the branches.

Rain turned on her, panting. “I said run!”

Violetkit shrank away, trem bling as he glared at her.

“Be gentle!” Raven bounded from between the rowan bushes and slithered to a halt beside

Violetkit. “She must be terrified.” She curled her tail around Violetkit, searching her gaze.

“Where’s Needlepaw?”

Rain stiffened. “Did the owl get her?”

Violetkit shook her head, struggling to find her voice. “Sh-she couldn’t come,” she stam m ered.

“That’s why I’m here. She sent m e to tell y ou.”

“You cam e through the woods alone?” Raven looked shocked.

“So?” Rain was unim pressed. “I thought Clan cats could do any thing. A little forest walk in the night isn’t hard.”

“She’s barely three moons old.” Raven crouched close to Violetkit, pressing her warm flank close.

I’m trembling. Violetkit realized she was shaking like trapped prey.

Roach nudged Rain, his eyes glinting. “Needlepaw couldn’t make it, Rain. She must have better things to do.” He sounded as though he was teasing his campmate.

“She doesn’t,” Violetkit mewed quickly. “She got in trouble and has to stay in camp and look after the elders.”

Flam e slunk from the rowan bushes, her orange pelt pale in the moonlight. “Ain’t that sweet,” she drawled m ockingly, her voice light now that her terrible whitecough had passed—and, with it, her kindness. “Needlepaw has to look after the old cats.”

“She’ll come as soon as she can,” Violetkit prom ised.

Raven touched her m uzzle to Violetkit’s head. “I’m sure she will.”

Violetkit felt a wave of gratitude for Raven’s kindness. For the first time since leaving the nursery, she felt safe. “I guess I’d better go home.” She glanced at the sky, hoping the rogues had scared the owl off for good.

Paw steps sounded in the shadows behind a beech. “You mustn’t leave now.” Darktail padded from the darkness, his eyes round with concern. “It’s too dangerous for you to travel alone.”

“But I have to be back in the nursery by dawn.” Violetkit’s heart skipped a beat. What if Pinenose woke and found her gone?

Darktail padded past her, weaving around his campmates. “Don’t worry, little one. We’ll have y ou home by then.” He exchanged glances with Rain. “You must be tired and hungry. Nettle!”

He called into the shadows.

The brown tabby padded out, a rabbit hanging from his jaws. Silt followed, carry ing a squirrel.

“We’ll share our catch with you and you can sleep.” Darktail stopped in front of Violetkit and leaned so close that his breath washed her m uzzle. It sm elled of blood.

She blinked at him uneasily. She didn’t want to stay, but she didn’t want to walk home by herself either. “Could you take m e home now?” she asked hopefully.

Raven purred softly beside her. “You must be exhausted, m y dear.” She glanced at Darktail, whose gaze was unreadable. “Eat with us and rest for a while. Then we’ll take you home.”

Violetkit woke up. Her heart lurched as she saw pale dawn light seeping between the trees. She sat up, the bracken rustling around her. Raven had m ade her a bed to rest in after they’d shared the rabbit. She’d lined it with m oss, and it had been so warm and soft that Violetkit couldn’t resist closing her eyes for a m om ent and dozing for a little while before the rogues took her home.

“It’s dawn!” She glanced around her. The rogues sprawled in their nests. They’d fallen asleep too! She leaped from the bracken and crossed the sm all hollow in the hillside where they had m ade their camp. She stopped beside Raven. “Wake up.” She poked the she-cat with a paw.

Raven j erked away, baring her teeth. “Who is it?” she snarled.

Violetkit j um ped back, shocked. “It’s m e! We fell asleep. I’m meant be back at camp.”

Raven’s gaze softened quickly. “Oh, you poor thing,” she mewed. She got to her paws and stretched. “Darktail.” She called softly to the rogue leader, who was still snoring in his nest.

His tail twitched.

“Darktail,” Raven called again. “It’s time we took Violetkit back to her camp.”

Darktail lifted his head and stared at her blearily. “Is it that time already?”

“I thought you were going to take m e home last night,” Violetkit ventured uneasily.

“I guess the fine prey Nettle and Silt caught for us m ade us sleepier than we expected.”

Darktail sat up. “Rain! Roach! Wake up!” He called to the sleeping tom s. “We’re taking Violetkit home.”

Violetkit watched anxiously as the rogues y awned and stretched. She could see the fiery tip of the sun bey ond the forest now. The Clan would be waking. What would Pinenose say when she found her gone? She began to pace.

Darktail nodded to Rain and Roach. “You two can come with m e. The rest of you stay here.”

Violetkit glanced at Raven. She wanted the kind she-cat to come with them. But she wasn’t going to argue with Darktail. He seem ed friendly, but there was a darkness that never left his gaze, and it scared her.

“Come on.” The rogue leader headed from the camp. Violetkit followed, Rain and Roach at her heels.

The sun was up by the time they reached the bramble wall of the ShadowClan camp. Mist swirled between the trees. Violetkit pricked her ears as they neared, her heart sinking as she heard the sounds of the Clan preparing to start their day.

“Needlepaw!” Kinkfur mewed huskily. “Tell Leafpool I need m ouse bile. I’ve found another tick near m y tail.”

“Tawny pelt and Stonewing.” Crowfrost’s order sounded through the chilly air. “You’ll each lead a hunting party. And make sure your apprentices catch som ething worth eating this tim e.

Crow-food doesn’t count.”

“Yarrowpaw! Strikepaw!” Wasptail sounded cross. “You should be out of your nests by now.

Crowfrost is organizing the patrols.”

Darktail’s ears pricked. He stopped at the entrance. “Patrols? Apprentices?” He looked intrigued. “It’s awfully regim ented here, isn’t it? You must not have a lot of freedom.”

Violetkit didn’t answer. She was straining to hear if any one was looking for her. Perhaps she’d been lucky. Perhaps Pinenose and Grassheart hadn’t noticed she was missing. She blinked at Darktail. “Thanks for bringing m e home.” Her gaze flitted to Roach and Rain. “And thanks for saving m e from the owl.” She turned, heading for the dirtplace tunnel so she could slip into camp unnoticed.

“Wait.” Darktail’s mew sent a chill through her pelt.

“What?” She faced him uneasily.

“I want to make sure you don’t get into trouble.” Darktail was ey eing the camp entrance.

“It’s okay.” Foreboding tightened Violetkit’s belly. What was he planning? “I’ll be fine.”

But Darktail was already ducking through the entrance tunnel.

Rain nudged Violetkit after him. “Go on,” he encouraged. “We might as well see you safely into camp.”

Heart pounding, Violetkit followed Darktail through the tunnel. Rain and Roach followed.

As they em erged into the camp, Violetkit felt the eyes of the Clan flash toward her. She wanted to run and hide. What would Rowanstar say? She’d brought rogues into the camp.

Darktail m arched across the clearing, tail high.

Hisses sounded around him. Stonewing arched his back. Spikefur and Snowbird burst from the warriors’ den, their eyes wide with shock.

Crowfrost pushed through the warriors that were gathered around him. “What are you doing here?” He m et Darktail in the clearing.

Darktail signaled to Rain and Roach with a flick of his tail. They stopped a few paw steps behind. Violetkit halted between them, her pelt lifting along her spine. “I found this kit wandering in the woods,” he told Crowfrost. “I thought I should bring her home. It’s dangerous out there.”

Spikefur lunged at him, but Darktail batted him away with a swift swipe of his paw.

“Is that the gratitude you show to a cat who has returned a lost Clanmate?” The rogue leader sounded hurt.

“Violetkit!” Pinenose burst form the nursery, her pelt bristling. “Are you okay? Did they harm y ou?”

Violetkit stared at the queen. “They looked after m e,” she whispered hoarsely.

“What were you doing out in the forest?” Pinenose dem anded, her fear sharpening to anger.

Needlepaw hurried from the elders’ den. “Violetkit. There you are. Did you get lost try ing to find the dirtplace again?”

Violetkit blinked at her, confused. What had happened to the plan for Violetpaw to say that Needlepaw had sent her out?

But she is trying to cover for me, in a way, Violetkit thought. Maybe she’s just changed her mind about how.

Kinkfur snorted. “Who gets lost finding the dirtplace? You only have to follow your nose.”

Spikefur hissed, glowering at Darktail. “Why are we talking about the dirtplace? There are strangers in our camp.”

“Worse than strangers.” Dawnpelt fell in beside Spikefur, flexing her claws. “Rogues.”

“What are you doing in our camp?” Rowanstar’s growl cut through the angry m urm uring of his Clanmates. The ShadowClan leader strode across the clearing and stopped a whisker away from Darktail.

“I brought your kit home.” Darktail nodded toward Violetkit.

Violetkit shrank beneath her pelt as Rowanstar’s gaze flicked toward her.

Darktail went on. “I don’t understand why y ou’re being so unfriendly.” He blinked at Rowanstar with round eyes. “We were just try ing to help your Clan.”

Rowanstar narrowed his eyes. “Like you helped WindClan?”

Darktail returned his gaze innocently. “We were just defending ourselves. We have the right to do that, surely?”

“Rogues have no right to be on Clan territory!” Spikefur snarled.

Sleekpaw padded into the clearing. “Why not?”

Her Clanmates j erked their gazes toward her.

“Why not?” Tawny pelt’s fur spiked. “I can’t believe you would ask that. They’re not Clan cats.”

Yarrowpaw padded to Sleekpaw’s side. “If they weren’t on our territory, they couldn’t have rescued Violetkit.”

Sleekpaw blinked at her leader. “And what would your precious StarClan have said if som ething had happened to their special cat?”

“Be quiet!” Rowanstar glared at the y ellow apprentice.

Darktail glanced at Rain and Roach. “I think we should leave,” he meowed calm ly. “We seem to be causing an argum ent.”

He turned toward the entrance.

“Wait!” Rowanstar lifted his chin. “We’re grateful you returned Violetkit to us. But you don’t belong here.”

Rain and Roach exchanged am used glances.

“A patrol will make sure you leave our land,” Rowanstar went on. “Tawny pelt, Spikefur, and Dawnpelt.” He nodded to his warriors. “Go with them and make sure they cross the border.”

Tawny pelt nodded.

“Can I come with y ou?” Needlepaw hurried toward her m entor hopefully.

Tawny pelt curled her lip. “You’re looking after the elders, remember?”

Violetkit saw anger flash in Needlepaw’s eyes. Then she saw the silver apprentice’s gaze dart toward Rain. Rain blinked at her, then looked away. He turned and followed Darktail and Roach as they headed for the entrance.

Tawny pelt, Dawnpelt, and Spikefur hurried after them.

Belly hollow with dread, Violetkit turned to face Rowanstar. The ShadowClan leader stared at her, exasperation glittering in his gaze. Hanging her head, Violetkit prepared for her punishm ent.