Thunder Аnd Shadow

Chapter 9

Fluffing her fur out against the cold, Twigkit followed Alderpaw through the moonlit forest. They were going to m eet Violetkit and Needlepaw. It had been over half a moon since they’d m et, and she longed to see her sister. She could tell Violetkit how she’d heard their mother’s voice and sm elled her scent when she’d nearly drowned. Perhaps Violetkit still remembered what their mother had sm elled and sounded like. As Twigkit followed Alderpaw up a leaf-strewn rise, she tried to ignore the sham e worm ing in her belly. “Do you think Bramblestar’s still m ad at m e for falling in the lake?”

Alderpaw stopped beside a clum p of frost-shriveled ferns. “He wasn’t m ad at y ou. He was just worried.”

“The other cats think I’ve got feathers in m y head.” Twigkit remembered the water pressing against her m uzzle. She’d been so afraid. “I wanted to prove to them I was special, but I just proved I’m a m ouse-brain.”

Since she fell into the lake, Leafkit and Honey kit had been teasing her constantly.

Did you want to be a RiverClan cat?

Perhaps she wants to be a fish.

They teased her the sam e way they teased each other—they were not try ing to be cruel at all.

But it had still hurt.

Alderpaw leaped onto a log, which was blocking the path, and waited for Twigkit to scram ble up beside him. “Jayfeather fell in the lake when he was a kit too,” he told her.

She blinked at him, surprised. “Really?”

Alderpaw purred. “He left camp, just like y ou, try ing to prove he was special.”

“But he was special. He was one of the Three.” Hope fluttered in Twigkit’s chest like a moth.

“And you are special too.”

Alderpaw’s words warm ed her. She couldn’t wait to tell Leafkit and Honey kit that she was just like Jayfeather. She knew from nursery tales that Jayfeather had helped save the Clans from the Dark Forest cats. She swallowed. Will I have to do that?

An owl shrieked far away. Twigkit m oved closer to Alderpaw, suddenly aware of how huge the forest seem ed at night and how deep the shadows were. She peered into them. “Do you think the Dark Forest cats will ever come back?” she asked Alderpaw.

His eyes widened in surprise. “What makes you ask that?”

“If I’m special like Jayfeather, m ay be I’m supposed to fight them too.”

Alderpaw whisked his tail. “The Dark Forest cats won’t dare return here.” He leaped from the log and trotted along a trail between brambles.

Twigkit hurried after him. “Did your prophecy say what I’m supposed to do?”

“No.” Alderpaw kept his gaze ahead. “It just said we must find what was in the shadows and it would help clear the sky.”

Twigkit frowned thoughtfully. “Do you think I’m supposed to make the sun shine?”

Alderpaw purred. “Even StarClan can’t do that.”

“But they can make clouds cover the moon if the Clans argue during a Gathering.” Twigkit wondered suddenly how powerful StarClan really was. If they could make clouds cover the moon, why did they need forest cats to help with their prophecies?

“Hurry up.” Alderpaw quickened his pace. He seem ed as excited as Twigkit about the m eeting. “We’re nearly there.”

As they neared the ShadowClan border, he broke into a run. Twigkit hared after him, the cold air burning her lungs. She caught up as he reached the clearing where they’d m et the two

ShadowClan cats last tim e.

Alderpaw was skirting the edge, sniffing the tree roots hopefully.

“Can you sm ell them?” Twigkit scanned the shadows, hoping to see Violetkit’s splotchy white fur glowing in the moonlight. “Are you sure we’re meant to m eet them here?”

“That’s what Needlepaw said when I saw her at the border the other day.” Alderpaw leaned forward.

Twigkit glanced through the branches. The moon was high. Why weren’t they here? Worry prickled through her pelt. “Perhaps that owl caught them.”

“Needlepaw could chase off an owl.” Alderpaw was still straining to see across the border.

“What about a fox?” Twigkit began to pace. “May be the rogues attacked the ShadowClan camp. What if Violetkit’s been hurt?”

“It’s more likely that they couldn’t sneak out of camp without being noticed.” Alderpaw reasoned. “I’m sure nothing bad has happened.”

“But what if y ou’re wrong?” Twigkit’s heart quickened. Surely her sister would find a way to m eet her. As fear m ade her thoughts spin, paw steps sounded bey ond the border. Her heart leaped. “Violetkit?”

“Who’s that?” A gruff mew sounded bey ond the brambles crowding the scent line.

Alarm ed, Twigkit hurried to Alderpaw’s side and pressed against him.

“It’s just m e,” he called. “Alderpaw.”

Twigkit could feel his fur spiking anxiously.

A ShadowClan warrior padded from behind the brambles. It was a broad-shouldered tabby tom. A gray tabby she-cat and a white tom followed him.

“Hi, Tigerheart.” Alderpaw dipped his head to the tom. “Cloverfoot, Rippletail.”

Twigkit tasted the air. She hadn’t m et these ShadowClan warriors before. Alderpaw must know them from Gatherings.

Tigerheart was scanning the shadows behind them. “Is Dovewing with y ou?”

“No.” Alderpaw sounded surprised at his question.

Tigerheart shrugged. Was that disappointm ent in his gaze? “What are you doing here?”

“Gathering herbs,” Alderpaw answered a little too quickly.

“At night?” Rippletail padded into the clearing, ears twitching.

“Som e herbs are best gathered after dusk,” Alderpaw told him.

Rippletail looked at Twigkit. “Does ThunderClan often send kits out of camp at night to help medicine cats with their duties?”

Cloverfoot padded around them. “Isn’t that a bit dangerous?”

“She was worried about her littermate,” Alderpaw told the tabby she-cat. “I said she could come in case we bum ped into a ShadowClan patrol.”

Twigkit was im pressed by his story. She alm ost believed it herself.

“We’re lucky we m et y ou,” Alderpaw went on. “Is Violetkit okay?”

“Of course.” Tigerheart pushed between his Clanmates. “Why shouldn’t she be?”

Twigkit lifted her chin. “I was worried the rogues might hurt her.”

Tigerheart flexed his claws. “She has ShadowClan to protect her.”

“Besides,” Rippletail added, “the rogues are no threat.”

Alderpaw stared at the young warrior. “They killed Furzepelt.”

Rippletail huffed. “WindClan started that fight.”

Alderpaw stared at the ShadowClan tom, surprise showing in his face.

Twigkit edged forward. “You’ll protect her, though, won’t y ou?” Didn’t ShadowClan realize how dangerous the rogues were?

“Of course we will,” Tigerheart growled. “It would be easier if she didn’t keep sneaking out of camp with Needlepaw.”

Alderpaw blinked. “She’s been sneaking out of camp?”

Twigkit frowned, confused. She hadn’t seen her sister for over half a moon. Where had

Violetkit been going?

“Tawny pelt caught them the other night,” Tigerheart told Alderpaw. “Rowanstar’s put Needlepaw on elder duty and told Pinenose not to take her eyes off Violetkit for a m om ent.”

Twigkit felt a flicker of relief. At least she knew why her sister hadn’t come to the m eeting. But then her heart sank. That meant that she wouldn’t see her littermate tonight after all! She realized with a j olt that Tigerheart was staring at her.

“Why can’t you and Violetkit stay in camp like norm al kits?” he asked bluntly. “Clan kits are asleep in their nests by moonhigh.”

Twigkit whipped her tail indignantly. “We’re special,” she told him.

Tigerheart snorted. “Let’s wait and see about that.” He turned, nodding to his patrol. Then he leaned toward to Alderpaw. “I hope you find the herbs y ou’re looking for. But I think you should get Twigkit home. It’s going to be a cold night, and her pelt is still only kit fluff.”

Alderpaw dipped his head. “I will,” he prom ised. “She’ll sleep well now that she knows her sister is safe.” He glanced at Twigkit as Tigerheart led his Clanmates back onto ShadowClan territory and disappeared into the darkness.

“That was close,” Alderpaw whispered. “It’s probably a good thing Needlepaw and Violetkit couldn’t come. We’d have been in trouble if the patrol had found us together.”

Twigkit gazed at him sadly. “I guess.” How long would it be before she got another chance to see Violetkit?

Alderpaw must have seen the sadness in her gaze. He touched his m uzzle to her head. “Let’s go home. I’ll speak to Needlepaw as soon as I can and arrange another m eeting.”

“What if Violetkit can never get away?” Twigkit followed Alderpaw as he headed back along the trail.

“I’m sure she will,” Alderpaw prom ised.

“Perhaps it would be better if no one thought we were special.” Twigkit sighed. “Then we could have stay ed together.” She stopped, a sudden thought piercing her like a thorn. “What if we’re not special? Rowanstar will have taken her away for nothing!”

Alderpaw turned, his eyes round with sy m pathy. “Of course y ou’re special,” he reassured her.

Twigkit lashed her tail determ inedly. “I’m going to be. Otherwise there’s no point. I’m going to grow up big and strong and be im portant just like y ou.”

Alderpaw’s whiskers twitched. “I’m not very im portant.”

“But you will be,” Twigkit insisted. “Once y ou’re a medicine cat like Jayfeather.” She puffed out her chest. “I’m going to be a medicine cat too. I know about herbs already, and I know I’ll be good at it. And I won’t be a grum py medicine cat like Jayfeather. I’ll be a nice one like you and Leafpool.”

Alderpaw’s gaze glistened fondly. “I’m touched that you want to be like m e. But y ou’re young.

Don’t decide on your future yet. Your paws will walk wherever they must go. And you m ay change your mind about becoming a medicine cat.”

“But I want to be im portant,” Twigkit insisted.

“You will be,” Alderpaw draped his tail over her spine and guided her forward. “But there are other way s to be im portant in a Clan. Look at Bramblestar and Squirrelflight. Or Graystripe and Millie. All cats find their own places in the Clan. And one day y ou’ll find y ours.”

Twigkit padded closer, her pelt brushing his. “Do you really think so?”

Alderpaw wrapped his tail tighter around her. “I’m certain.”