Thunder Аnd Shadow

Chapter 18

“Alderpaw!”

A hiss woke him. He j erked up his head, blinking in the pale dawn light, which was seeping into the apprentices’ den. Leafpaw shifted in his nest but didn’t wake. Larkpaw and Honey paw were still snoring.

Ivy pool was standing beside his nest, her gaze sharp with worry. “Have you seen Twigpaw?”

Alderpaw stared at her, still befuddled with sleep. “Not since last night.” He glanced toward her nest. It was em pty.

“She was supposed to be coming on dawn patrol with m e,” Ivy pool mewed urgently. “But I can’t find her any where.”

“Have you checked the dirtplace?” Alderpaw kept his voice low.

“Of course I’ve checked the dirtplace.” Ivy pool looked exasperated. “I’ve checked all around camp. She’s not here.”

Alderpaw was awake now. Panic flashed through his pelt. Twigpaw had been quiet on the trek back from the Thunderpath. He knew she must be devastated. She’d been so full of hope. But he’d thought returning to camp and sharing prey with her Clanmates would make her feel better. He looked anxiously at Ivy pool. “You don’t think she’s done any thing dum b, do y ou?”

Ivy pool huffed impatiently. “What? Like thrown herself in the lake again?”

Alderpaw scram bled from his nest. “She’s probably just gone for a walk, to think about things.”

“She’s an apprentice,” Ivy pool snapped. “She’s meant to be on the dawn patrol. She can think about things later.” Alderpaw could see bey ond the exasperation in Ivy pool’s eyes. The silver-and-white she-cat looked worried. “She’s too young to be out in the forest alone.” Ivy pool began to pace. “What if a fox attacks her? She’s only learned basic battle m oves. She m ay have been gone all night. I should have kept a closer eye on her. I knew she was upset after our j ourney.”

“It’s not y our fault.” Alderpaw tried to press back the guilt welling in his own chest. He shared a den with Twigpaw. He should have been more alert. He should have noticed her leave. He shook out his pelt. “Worry ing won’t find her.” He headed out of the den. “Does Squirrelflight know she’s missing? We should tell her before she’s finished organizing the patrols. Som eone needs to look for Twigpaw.”

Bramblestar was on the Highledge. Below him, ThunderClan warriors m illed around

Squirrelflight.

Brackenfur, Whitewing, and Cinderheart were already padding toward the entrance, clearly heading out on patrol.

“There’s a m ouse nest near the birch trees.” Whitewing’s eyes shone eagerly.

“Let’s stalk squirrels first,” Cinderheart suggested. “They’ll still be sleepy and slow.”

Rosepetal trotted toward Alderpaw. “Is Larkpaw awake?”

“Not y et.” Alderpaw didn’t stop.

“Apprentices!” Rosepetal huffed. “They’re always the last ones up.”

As she headed away, grum bling, Alderpaw pushed between Blossom fall and Bum blestripe.

He caught Squirrelflight’s ey e. She was putting together another patrol.

“Cherry fall and Sparkpelt, you can—”

Alderpaw cut in. “Twigpaw is missing.”

Squirrelflight j erked her m uzzle toward him. “For how long?”

Ivy pool caught up. “We don’t know. I think she slipped out of camp in the night.”

“You’ve checked all the dens?” Squirrelflight looked up at Bramblestar, beckoning him with a flick of her tail.

“Yes,” Ivy pool reported. “And the dirtplace and around the outside of the camp. There’s no sign of her.”

“Any scents?” Squirrelflight m oved aside as Bramblestar leaped down the rock tum ble and stopped beside her.

“I can’t trace any,” Ivy pool told her.

“What’s happened?” Bramblestar frowned.

“Twigpaw is missing,” Squirrelflight told him.

Blossom fall stepped forward. “It rained just before dawn. She must have left before then; the rain has washed away her scents.”

Bramblestar’s gaze flicked to the thorn barrier. “Has any one come into camp?”

Alderpaw’s heart quickened. Did he think som eone had come and taken Twigpaw? No. He pushed the thought away. Twigpaw had been upset. “It’s more likely she’s gone because she wanted to go,” he told Bramblestar. “She was pretty upset about not finding her mother.”

Squirrelflight’s tail twitched irritably. “She’s probably wandering through the woods feeling sorry for herself.”

Ivy pool bristled. “And I suppose you never did that when you were young?”

Squirrelflight m et the silver-and-white she-cat’s eyes, her gaze softening. “I’m sorry. You’re right. She must be upset.” She nodded to Blossom fall. “Will you lead a patrol to search the lakeshore, Blossom fall? Lionblaze.” She turned to the golden tom. “Take two warriors toward the ShadowClan border. Ivy pool can take Storm cloud and Holly tuft to the WindClan border.”

Alderpaw felt a glim m er of relief. It felt good to be doing som ething. “Can I j oin a search patrol?” he asked.

Bramblestar shook his head. “You’ll be more use here, getting on with y our medicine-cat duties.”

As he spoke, Jayfeather padded from the medicine den. His blind gaze scanned the clearing.

“Alderpaw?”

Alderpaw’s shoulders drooped. Jayfeather must be able to read m inds. There was no way the grum py medicine cat would let him roam the forest when he could be counting poppy seeds or rolling herb bundles. He slouched toward the medicine den. “I’m coming.”

“We’ll find her!” Ivy pool called after him.

He glanced back at her. “Thanks.”

Jayfeather shooed him into the medicine den. “What’s the fuss about? Has one of the apprentices forgotten how to hunt?”

Alderpaw ignored the medicine cat’s sarcasm. He padded past Briarlight, sleeping in her nest, and reached into the medicine store. “Twigpaw is missing.” He pulled out a j um ble of leaves and began to sort them into piles.

Leafpool was dipping leaves into the water collecting beside the rocky wall of the den and lay ing them out to dry. “Missing?” She stopped and blinked at Alderpaw.

“Let’s hope she hasn’t gone swim m ing again,” Jayfeather grunted.

Why did every one keep say ing that? Alderpaw turned on him, anger sparking though his pelt.

“Don’t you care about any one except y ourself?”

Jayfeather stiffened, his blue eyes fixing on Alderpaw as though he saw him as clearly as an ordinary cat would. “Of course I do!” he snapped. “I can sense every cat’s feelings in the camp.

From their mew, from the way they walk, from the swishing of their tails. The noise of it never stops. If I took every feeling seriously, I’d never be able to focus on m y work.”

Alderpaw stared at him, shocked. Was Jayfeather really that sensitive to his Clanmates’ moods? “Did you know Twigpaw was upset?”

“She trudged into camp yesterday like there was a badger sitting on her shoulders,” Jayfeather replied. “Of course I knew she was upset. But I didn’t know she was going to run off in the m iddle of the night. I can’t read thoughts.”

Alderpaw turned back to the herbs. “Do you think she’ll be okay?”

“I’m sure she’ll be back soon,” Leafpool reassured him.

“Fresh air and exercise will do her good,” Jayfeather mewed briskly. “She’ll probably come home once she’s caught som e prey. Twigpaw’s the sort of cat who can’t enj oy fresh-kill unless she’s sharing it with her Clanmates.”

Alderpaw glanced at him, surprised. Had Jayfeather actually said som ething kind about Twigpaw?

Briarlight stretched in her nest, waking. She y awned. “Is the sun up already?”

“It’ll be above the hollow.” Jayfeather padded toward Alderpaw and swept the herbs away from him. “I’ll sort these. You can help Briarlight with her exercises.”

Relief shim m ered through Alderpaw’s pelt. Helping Briarlight would be more distracting than sorting dry old herbs.

“Is som ething wrong?” Briarlight frowned as he approached her nest.

Alderpaw didn’t try to hide the worry that was m aking his fur twitch. “Twigpaw is missing.”

He hooked his paws under Briarlight’s and helped her stretch them.

“For how long?” Briarlight rolled her shoulders to extend her stretch.

“She disappeared in the night.”

“Are there any signs of a struggle?” Briarlight’s eyes sparkled with worry.

“No.” Alderpaw m oved to her hind legs and grasped one between his paws. Pulling it, he worked the weak m uscles. “There’s no sign a fox has taken her. Or scents of strange cats. I think she decided to leave on her own.”

Briarlight j erked her gaze toward him. “Do you think she’s gone for good?”

“I don’t know.” Alderpaw didn’t want to think about it. And y et Briarlight’s words j abbed his heart. Could the realization that her mother was dead have m ade Twigpaw rethink her place in the Clan? Surely it would have m ade her understand that the Clan was her only fam ily now. His belly tightened. Or it made her think that she doesn’t truly belong anywhere. He grabbed Briarlight’s other hind paw and began working it back and forth. As he felt the stiffness in her m uscles ease, Jayfeather cleared his throat.

“She’d be a fool to turn her back on her Clan now,” he grunted. “And Twigpaw is not a fool.”

Alderpaw prickled with irritation. “You’ve called her one often enough.” Perhaps if Jayfeather hadn’t been so hostile toward Twigpaw, she’d have felt more at home in the Clan.

“I call every one a fool.” Jayfeather placed a fresh bundle of herbs with the others. “Twigpaw wouldn’t have wanted m e to tiptoe around her like she was a newborn kit.”

How do you know? As Alderpaw m oved Briarlight’s leg back and forth, a y owl of surprise sounded from the clearing.

He dropped Briarlight’s leg and pricked his ears.

Jayfeather was already tasting the air. “ShadowClan cats.”

“In our camp?” Alderpaw’s heart lurched. He headed for the entrance and barged through the brambles.

Foreboding gripped him as he saw Crowfrost, Scorchfur, and Tawny pelt in the clearing. Did they have news of Twigpaw?

Lionblaze, Dovewing, and Bum blestripe flanked them. Graystripe stood outside the elders’ den with Millie, while Larkpaw, Leafpaw, and Honey paw whispered excitedly beside the fresh-kill pile. Rosepetal and Molewhisker paced the edge of the camp, their hackles high.

Bramblestar was already hurry ing to m eet them. “Why have you come?” His eyes blazed as he stopped in front of Crowfrost.

Lionblaze stepped forward. “They were waiting beside the border. They approached us as soon as we neared. They want to speak with y ou.”

Crowfrost dipped his head. “We thought y ou’d like to know that Twigpaw is safe.”

Alderpaw darted forward. “Where is she? What happened to her?”

Crowfrost didn’t take his eyes from the ThunderClan leader. “We found her in our camp in the m iddle of the night.” His tail twitched. Alderpaw suspected that the ShadowClan deputy was enj oy ing this. “Does ThunderClan teach its apprentices to invade other Clans’ camps while they’re sleeping?”

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “Of course not,” he snapped. “I don’t know what she was doing there.”

Alderpaw hurried to his father’s side. “She probably went to see Violetpaw. She was upset about her mother. She probably just wanted to talk—”

Crowfrost spoke over him. “Do none of y our apprentices have m anners, Bramblestar? Or is it usual for ThunderClan warriors to take advice from the youngest cats in the Clan? Perhaps y ou should check the nursery in case a kit has any thing to say.” His mew dripped with sarcasm.

Graystripe snorted. “Don’t lecture us on our younger cats,” he growled. “At least they don’t abandon their Clan to fight for rogues.”

Crowfrost’s hackles lifted. But he ignored the ThunderClan elder and went on. “Twigpaw will be stay ing with us for a while.”

Shock pulsed through Alderpaw. Had Twigpaw decided she’d rather live in her sister’s Clan?

Bramblestar flicked his tail. “I don’t believe it. No ThunderClan cat would choose ShadowClan over ThunderClan.” His gaze instantly flicked to Tawny pelt and flashed with guilt.

Tawny pelt blinked at him slowly. “Yes, they would.” Bramblestar’s sister had chosen to live in ShadowClan moons ago.

Bramblestar shifted his paws, clearly ruffled. “That was different. Our father was in ShadowClan.”

Tawny pelt’s pelt sm oothed along her spine. “Twigpaw’s sister is in ShadowClan,” she reminded Bramblestar. “But that is not why she is stay ing with us.”

Scorchfur curled his lip. “We’re keeping her with us until you agree to help us.”

Alderpaw glanced at his father, fear tightening his belly. Twigpaw!

Bramblestar bristled. “You’re holding an apprentice hostage!” Outrage filled his mew.

“She’s our guest,” Crowfrost told him sm oothly. “And she will be well cared for.”

Bramblestar’s gaze hardened. “What help do you want?”

Tawny pelt exchanged glances with Crowfrost. Alderpaw saw a question in her gaze.

Crowfrost nodded, and Tawny pelt padded forward. “Our Clanmates are sick. Wasptail and Oakfur are fighting for their lives. Kinkfur has come down with the sam e sickness. Rowanstar is so ill that Puddleshine dares not leave his side. And now Yarrowleaf and Snakekit are sick.”

“A kit?” Squirrelflight stepped from the shadow of the Highledge.

Tawny pelt blinked at her. “The sickness is spreading through the Clan, and we can’t cure it.”

“Not without lungwort.” Crowfrost stared at Bramblestar. “But you heard Onestar. He won’t let us gather it.”

Bramblestar’s gaze flitted away from the ShadowClan leader uneasily. “How do you think we can help?”

“Onestar is not angry with y ou,” Crowfrost meowed. “ThunderClan has always had a closer relationship with WindClan than we have. You might be able to persuade him to share the herb.”

Tawny pelt’s eyes rounded pleadingly. “You could tell him you need it for y our own Clan.”

“I will not lie.” Bramblestar lifted his chin.

Tawny pelt stared at him. “But will you help us?”

Squirrelflight padded to her mate’s side. “We can’t let elders and kits die, even if they are not from our Clan.”

Bramblestar lowered his voice as he answered her. “What makes you think Onestar will let us have the herb?”

“Surely we must try?” Squirrelflight pressed.

Molewhisker crossed the clearing, his brown-and-cream pelt bristling. “Why should we help

ShadowClan? They’re holding one of our Clanmates hostage!”

Crowfrost narrowed his eyes om inously. “That’s exactly why you should help us.”

Alderpaw stared at the ShadowClan deputy in alarm. “Will you harm her if we don’t help?”

Crowfrost curled his claws into the earth. “She will stay with us until we get the herb.”

That’s not an answer! Alderpaw wanted to rake the ShadowClan’s deputy’s m uzzle. How dare he threaten an apprentice! A growl rum bled in his throat.

“Hush, Alderpaw.” Bramblestar silenced him. He m et Crowfrost’s gaze grim ly. “We will discuss y our offer and send word when we have decided.”

Crowfrost dipped his head. “Very well.”

“Are you going to let them bully us?” Molewhisker stared in surprise at the ThunderClan leader.

Bramblestar ignored him. “You should go now,” he told Crowfrost. “Dovewing and Bum blestripe will escort you back to y our border.” He nodded to the two warriors.

A chill seeped beneath Alderpaw’s pelt as he watched the ShadowClan patrol head for the entrance.

Molewhisker padded to Bramblestar, his tail lashing. “We should attack their camp and rescue

Twigpaw.”

Rosepetal j oined her denmate, eyes glittering with rage. “It will be easy to get her back. Half their Clan is sick and the other half has j oined the rogues!”

Graystripe crossed the clearing. “And if we get Twigpaw back, what then?” He stopped in front of Bramblestar. “ShadowClan will still need the herb.”

Bramblestar blinked at the elder. “Is that our problem?”

Squirrelflight stiffened. “Of course it is! A sick kit is every Clan’s problem.”

Bramblestar’s gaze darkened. “And what if WindClan still refuses to help when we ask?”

Alderpaw watched the warriors gaze at one another, worry worm ing in his belly. Twigpaw must be terrified. She was being held hostage in a strange Clan. “We have to do som ething!” he blurted.

Bramblestar gazed at him solem nly. “We will,” he prom ised. “But first we have to decide what.” He turned and leaped up the rock tum ble, signaling with a flick of his tail for Squirrelflight to follow.

Breath quickening, Alderpaw watched them disappear into his den. What would they decide?

Alderpaw padded into camp, thyme dangling from his jaws. He’d been pleased to find it this early in newleaf, but his thoughts were still on Twigpaw. He’d spent all m orning wondering if he could find an excuse to visit Puddleshine in the ShadowClan camp. He might get a chance to talk to her.

Bramblestar stood in the clearing, Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, and Leafpool beside him. He looked up as Alderpaw reached the edge. “You’re back!” The ThunderClan leader sounded pleased.

Alderpaw headed toward them and laid the thyme on the ground. They were looking at him expectantly. Did they have news about Twigpaw? “What’s happened?”

“We have a plan.” Squirrelflight told him.

Alderpaw leaned closer, his heart quickening.

Bramblestar m et his gaze. “I want you and Leafpool to travel to WindClan and speak with Kestrelflight and, if possible, Onestar.”

Alderpaw’s m outh dried. He glanced at Jayfeather. He could understand why Bramblestar would entrust the mission to medicine cats. It would seem less confrontational. But surely Jayfeather would be a better choice. “Why me?”

Jayfeather grunted. “Apparently, y ou’re less likely to offend any one.” He sounded prickly, as though Bramblestar’s decision had irritated him.

Leafpool blinked at Alderpaw. “This is a mission that requires tact and politeness.” Her gaze flashed toward Jayfeather.

The blind medicine cat huffed. “I don’t know why we don’t just travel to the moor and take some of this lungwort.”

Bramblestar stared at him. “We want to settle this peacefully, not make it worse.”

“Besides,” Leafpool interj ected gently, “we don’t know what it looks like.”

“It’s dark green with gray spotted leaves. How hard can it be to find?” Jayfeather grunted.

“Bramblestar has m ade his decision,” Leafpool meowed firm ly. “Alderpaw is coming with m e. We will speak with Kestrelflight and see if there’s any chance of getting our paws on this herb.”

Alderpaw shifted nervously. “What if WindClan is angry that we crossed their border?”

“That’s why I’m sending medicine cats,” Bramblestar explained. “Even Onestar can’t obj ect to that.”

Squirrelflight’s gaze darkened. “I wouldn’t be so sure. He’s been getting more unreasonable every moon.”

“Will he listen to us?” Alderpaw asked nervously.

“I don’t know,” Leafpool confessed. “That’s why we need to speak with Kestrelflight first. If we can get his support, perhaps he can persuade Onestar to see reason. We have to try. Not just for Twigpaw’s sake, but for Puddleshine’s sake too.” Her eyes glittered with worry. Alderpaw suddenly realized that she must be concerned about her form er apprentice coping alone with the illness that was raging through ShadowClan.

Alderpaw lifted his chin. “When do we leave?”

“The sooner the better,” Bramblestar meowed. “I want Twigpaw home as soon as possible.”

“Can we leave now?” Alderpaw whipped his tail.

“I’m ready if you are,” Leafpool told him.

Nodding good-by e to their Clanmates, they headed out of camp and followed the trail to the WindClan border, as though traveling to the Moonpool. But instead of following the stream uphill, they leaped over it and crossed onto the m oor. Heather crowded around them as they clim bed the slope. Gorse rose ahead, its y ellow buds bright in the afternoon sunshine.

Alderpaw glanced around nervously. “Should we stop and wait for a WindClan patrol to find us?” he asked Leafpool.

“Let’s find them.” She ducked into a swath of heather.

Alderpaw followed. The peaty earth felt soft underpaw, and the prickly fronds scraped his pelt. As they em erged at the far side, Alderpaw glim psed the pale gray-and-white pelt of Gorsetail across a stretch of grass. Emberfoot was with her.

Leafpool halted and lifted her tail. “Hi!” she called across the slope.

The WindClan cats j erked their heads around and stared, anger sparking in their gazes.

Alderpaw m oved closer to Leafpool, his heart pounding.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “We’re medicine cats, remember?”

She held her tail high as the WindClan cats bounded across the hillside to m eet them.

Emberfoot reached them first, his pelt bristling. “What are you doing on our territory?”

Leafpool m et his gaze, unflinching. “We need to speak with Kestrelflight.”

Gorsetail caught up. “What about?”

Leafpool sniffed. “It’s medicine-cat business.”

Alderpaw blinked at her adm iringly. Wasn’t she afraid? Gorsetail’s and Emberfoot’s ears were flat. Mistrust glittered in their eyes.

Leafpool lifted her chin. “Are you going to take us to him or do we have to find our own way?”

Gorsetail’s ears twitched. “We’ll take y ou,” she growled grudgingly.

Leafpool brushed against Alderpaw as the WindClan cats turned and headed up the slope.

“Stick close to m e,” she whispered.

Alderpaw’s heartbeat thundered in his ears as he followed Gorsetail and Emberfoot into the WindClan camp. Although it was tucked into a dip in the hillside, the wide, grassy clearing felt exposed. Wind whipped over the encircling gorse and tugged at Alderpaw’s fur.

WindClan cats stared from the long grass rippling at the edges of the camp, surprise glinting in their eyes. Breezepelt strode toward them, chest puffed out indignantly. “What are they doing here?”

“They want to speak with Kestrelflight,” Emberfoot told him.

Breezepelt narrowed his eyes.

Nearby, Nightcloud’s gaze flicked nervously toward a den entrance at the head of the clearing.

Was that Onestar’s den?

Gorsetail stopped. She nodded toward an opening in the gorse wall of the camp. “He’s in there.”

Leafpool dipped her head and ducked inside.

Alderpaw followed her quickly, relieved to be out of the wind and hidden from the curious gazes of the WindClan cats.

Kestrelflight was tearing borage leaves into strips and rolling them into tight bundles. He looked up as Leafpool and Alderpaw entered. “What are you doing here?” Surprise edged his mew.

Leafpool whisked her tail. “One medicine cat m ay visit another, surely?”

Kestrelflight glanced nervously toward the den entrance. “Does Onestar know y ou’re here?”

“He probably does by now,” Leafpool answered m atter-of-factly.

Alderpaw looked over his shoulder, half expecting the WindClan leader to barge angrily into the den.

“He won’t be pleased,” Kestrelflight warned.

“We’re not ShadowClan cats,” Leafpool pointed out.

“Onestar doesn’t trust any cat these day s,” Kestrelflight lowered his voice. “Not even his own

Clanmates.”

Leafpool’s eyes rounded. “Why not?”

Kestrelflight looked at his paws, not answering.

“Surely losing a life can’t have affected him so badly?” Leafpool’s ears twitched impatiently.

“Have the rogues done som ething else to unsettle him?”

Kestrelflight bristled defensively. “Wasn’t killing Furzepelt and bringing sickness to the lake enough?”

Leafpool stiffened. “Is the sickness here?”

“Not y et.” Kestrelflight’s eye shone with worry. “But what if it comes?”

Leafpool shrugged. “If Puddleshine’s dream is correct, you have the cure growing right here on y our territory.”

Kestrelflight padded past her to the entrance and peered out as though checking to see if any one was listening. “Is that why y ou’re here?” he whispered, turning back to Leafpool.

Alderpaw’s heart quickened. Would the WindClan medicine cat agree to help them?

Leafpool m et his gaze. “ShadowClan is holding Twigpaw hostage. They won’t return her to us until we persuade Onestar to give them lungwort.”

Kestrelflight’s eyes widened. “Did they kidnap her?”

Leafpool sighed. “The silly young cat decided to visit her sister in the m iddle of the night.

They caught her in their camp.”

Alderpaw puffed out his fur. “She was upset about her mother,” he mewed defensively.

Leafpool blinked at him. “Let’s not worry about why she did it. The situation is that she is ShadowClan’s hostage until we give them lungwort.”

Kestrelflight frowned. “I wish I could help.”

“Then help!” Leafpool urged.

“I can’t go against Onestar’s wishes.” Kestrelflight argued.

“Cats are dy ing!” Leafpool thrust her m uzzle closer to his. “You’re a medicine cat. How can y ou sit back and let that happen?”

“Onestar blam es ShadowClan for Furzepelt’s death and for losing a life,” Kestrelflight lowered his gaze.

“You know that’s nonsense!” Leafpool exclaim ed.

Alderpaw could hardly believe his ears. “The rogues killed Furzepelt, not ShadowClan!”

“But ShadowClan hasn’t retaliated,” Kestrelflight argued. “Onestar thinks ShadowClan is defending the rogues.”

“What else can they do?” Leafpool’s tail whisked over the sandy floor of the den. “So many of their apprentices left to live with the rogues. Would Onestar attack his own cats?”

“He would if they betray ed their Clan,” Kestrelflight answered grim ly.

Leafpool flexed her claws. “This isn’t getting us any where. Why should we care who attacks who? We’re medicine cats. Our duty is to heal. We need lungwort, not just to bring Twigpaw home, but because ShadowClan cats will die without it.”

She was staring deep into Kestrelflight’s eyes. Alderpaw willed the WindClan medicine cat to agree.

Kestrelflight’s pelt prickled uneasily. “You will have to ask Onestar.”

Dread dropped like a stone in Alderpaw’s belly. He didn’t want to face the angry WindClan leader. He’d seen him raging at the Gatherings. And if Onestar’s own Clanmates feared him, how would he react to unwelcome visitors?

“Come on.” Kestrelflight slipped past them and nosed his way out of the den.

Alderpaw blinked nervously at Leafpool. “Do you think we’ll be able to persuade him?”

“We have to try.” Leafpool followed Kestrelflight into the clearing.

Belly hollow with fear, Alderpaw hurried after her.

Onestar was pacing the head of the clearing as Alderpaw em erged from the gorse den. The WindClan leader’s furious gaze tracked Leafpool and Kestrelflight as they approached him.

Alderpaw trailed behind, his paws as heavy as stone.

Onestar curled his lip, his gaze flashing toward Alderpaw. “You’ve brought Bramblestar’s kit,” he snarled. “Was Bramblestar too m ouse-hearted to come him self?”

Outrage surged in Alderpaw’s chest. “Nothing scares Bramblestar!”

“Perhaps he’s just too proud.” Scorn laced Onestar’s mew. “I assum e y ou’ve come to beg for lungwort. Has ShadowClan been whining in his ear?”

Alderpaw faced the WindClan leader, try ing to stop his paws from shaking. “ShadowClan is holding Twigpaw hostage until you give them the lungwort.”

He felt Leafpool’s warning gaze flashed toward him. Had he said too much?

Onestar drew him self up, eyes blazing. “Ty pical ShadowClan. If they can’t get what they want fairly, they resort to sly tricks.”

“They’ve promised not to hurt her,” Alderpaw blurted, hoping to sm ooth over his m istake. He didn’t want to make Onestar hate ShadowClan more.

Onestar sniffed. “Then why are you worried? Let her stay with them. She has a sister in their Clan, doesn’t she? Perhaps she’ll enj oy living there.”

Leafpool stepped forward. “Twigpaw is not the issue. We miss her, of course, but if Rowanstar has prom ised not to hurt her, he will not hurt her. He will keep his prom ise.”

Onestar’s ears flattened. “Just as he’s kept his prom ise to the rogues.”

Alderpaw’s tail twitched with anger. Onestar was being so unreasonable! “He’s prom ised nothing to the rogues!”

“Then why are they still here?” Onestar glared at Alderpaw.

Alderpaw groped desperately for a reply, but the WindClan leader went on.

“ShadowClan allowed them to stay near their territory.” His mew rose to an angry y owl.

“They paid for this foolishness by losing som e of their best apprentices. When the so-called ‘special’ kit returned, they took her back in, and now she lives am ong them —giving who knows what inform ation to her rogue friends! They are weak and foolish! They deserve no help. They don’t even deserve the name of Clan cats. They are no more than rogues them selves. Let them keep Twigpaw. Let them die of sickness. I will not be tricked or bullied into helping them. They deserve every thing StarClan has brought upon them.”

Alderpaw stared into Onestar’s wild, blazing eyes. Fear ran beneath his pelt like icy water. He glanced at Leafpool. She was staring in disbelief at the WindClan leader.

“Come on,” she mewed loudly to Alderpaw. “We’re wasting our time here.” She shot a last pleading look at Kestrelflight, but the WindClan medicine cat had backed away, his gaze on his paws as though sham e washed his pelt.

Leafpool turned and headed for the camp entrance.

Alderpaw hurried after her, his pelt burning as he felt Onestar’s intense gaze on it. “What are we going to do?” he whispered desperately.