by Erin Hunter
“Are we going to practice hunting?”
“Of course.” Twigbranch had promised they would. “We’re heading for the beeches. There might be mice there.” Or fresher scents of Finleap.
“Why do you keep scanning the forest? Are you looking for something?”
Twigbranch hesitated. Flypaw was sharper than she’d thought. “I’m just looking out for squirrels,” she mewed lightly.
Flypaw straightened and gazed between the trees. “There’s one over there,” she mewed, nodding to a tall oak tree on the far side of a dip in the forest floor.
Twigbranch saw gray fur bobbing between leaves high up on a branch. “It’s too far to climb.”
“But you used to be a SkyClan . . .” Flypaw’s mew trailed away. Something else had caught her attention. The gray striped she-cat pricked her ears excitedly. “Look! It’s the border patrol! There are more cats with them. They smell like SkyClan.”
Twigbranch followed Flypaw’s gaze. Brackenfur, Lionblaze, and Cherryfall were heading toward them. The patrol was escorting a group of SkyClan cats through ThunderClan territory. It was hard to make them out between the trees. She glimpsed Sagenose and Macgyver, and excitement fizzed in her paws as she recognized Violetshine’s scent. As they came closer she could see that her sister was padding between them, Hawkwing at her side. Her father had come too! Quickly, she hurried to meet them, happiness bursting in her chest as she saw Finleap trailing behind. He’s safe! She tried to make eye contact, but he avoided her gaze. Unease sparked in her pelt. She wanted to greet him and ask him how he was, but she didn’t know if their Clanmates had discovered he’d been missing yet.
“Hi.” She greeted Lionblaze breezily. Finleap might have joined the patrol without mentioning he’d been gone. “What’s happened? Why are SkyClan cats here?”
“We met them at the border,” he told her. “Finleap was with them.” His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he stared at her. “But they won’t tell us why. They want to speak with Bramblestar.”
Her belly tightened. What was Finleap doing with SkyClan? “Is everything okay?” She caught her father’s eye, but was disappointed when she saw no answer in his gaze.
“Let’s save explanations for Bramblestar,” he meowed.
His coldness sliced into Twigbranch’s heart. Aren’t we kin anymore? Am I just another warrior to him now? Did Violetshine feel the same way? She glanced hopefully at her sister. Violetshine blinked at her reassuringly as Flypaw caught up to them.
“What does SkyClan want?” the young tabby asked Lionblaze.
“I think Finleap knows more than I do,” he answered pointedly.
Flypaw blinked at Finleap. “There you are! Snappaw was looking for you.”
Hawkwing flicked his tail irritably. “Can we hurry up?”
“Suits me.” Huffing, Lionblaze headed between the trees.
Twigbranch hurried to Finleap’s side. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” He looked away. She saw his pelt prickling self-consciously.
Was he going to explain why he’d stayed out all night? “Where have you been?”
“Let’s get back to camp,” he grunted. Pushing awkwardly past her, he followed the patrol. Flypaw bounced after them, her tail flicking as happily as if she were returning to camp with a juicy mouse.
Violetshine hung back and fell in beside Twigbranch. “Hi.” She rubbed her muzzle along Twigbranch’s jaw. Twigbranch purred as her sister’s scent infused her. How could she have thought, for even a moment, that Violetshine would stop loving her? They had been apart for so much of their lives and yet their bond was as strong as any littermates’. As relief swamped her, questions tumbled out. “What’s going on? Why was Finleap with your patrol?”
Violetshine watched the warriors disappear through a wall of ferns. “I’ve been told not to say anything until Hawkwing has spoken to Bramblestar. But don’t worry. It’s nothing serious. Warriors just like to show their claws once in a while.”
Show their claws? Twigbranch stiffened. “Is there going to be a fight?”
Violetshine’s eyes suddenly darkened. “Not with ThunderClan.” Before Twigbranch could ask more, Violetshine darted after her Clanmates. Twigbranch hurried at her heels. What was happening? Her heart lurched as she caught up with Violetshine, but her sister’s gaze was fixed on the cats ahead of them. She clearly didn’t want to discuss why SkyClan had come to ThunderClan territory.
“Are you okay?” Twigbranch asked tentatively.
“I’m fine.” Violetshine glanced at her.
“And Hawkwing?” Twigbranch hopped over a stick that crossed the trail. “He looked at me like he hardly knew me.”
“Don’t worry,” Violetshine told her. “He hasn’t even spoken to me since we left camp. He’s on a mission, that’s all. Once he’s passed his message on to Bramblestar, I’m sure he’ll be back to normal.”
Twigbranch glanced at the camp wall ahead. The patrol had nearly reached it. What was so important that Hawkwing hardly acknowledged her? And what had Violetshine meant when she’d said there wasn’t going to be a fight with ThunderClan?
The bramble wall shivered as the ThunderClan warriors escorted the SkyClan patrol into the camp. Twigbranch slid in after them, Violetshine at her tail.
“What do you think he’s going to say?” Flypaw brushed past her excitedly as, around the camp, ThunderClan warriors got to their paws.
“I don’t know.” Twigbranch nudged Flypaw gently toward the apprentices’ den, where Snappaw and Spotpaw were straining to see over the heads of their Clanmates. “Watch with your littermates.” She slipped in beside Violetshine.
Bramblestar was already scrambling down the tumble of rocks. Tiny stones cracked beneath his paws and showered the clearing. Lionblaze stopped in front of him and nodded toward the SkyClan patrol. “We met them at the border.”
As the ThunderClan leader dipped his head to Hawkwing, Jayfeather padded from the medicine den, his nose twitching hopefully. Was he expecting to hear news of Alderheart? Twigbranch knew he’d been worried about him. Jayfeather’s blind blue gaze rested on the SkyClan patrol for a moment; then he turned back inside.
Outside the warriors’ den, Poppyfrost peered past Bumblestripe and Molewhisker.
Cinderheart narrowed her eyes. “Why is Finleap with them? I thought he was training Snappaw today.”
Graystripe poked his head out of the elders’ den.
“Who is it?” Millie called from inside.
“SkyClan has sent a patrol,” Graystripe called back.
“What?” Millie sounded irritable. “I can’t hear you.”
Rolling his eyes, Graystripe headed back inside.
Hawkwing met Bramblestar’s gaze evenly. “One of your warriors showed up in our camp without permission.”
Bramblestar’s hackles lifted. “Who?”
Hawkwing nodded at Finleap. Sharply, Sagenose nudged the warrior forward with his muzzle. Finleap padded miserably across the clearing as Hawkwing went on. “Did you send him to spy?”
Finleap jerked his head up. “I wasn’t spy—”
“You’re already in trouble.” Hawkwing flashed him an angry look. “Don’t make it worse for yourself.”
Twigbranch’s heart twisted as Finleap flinched. Why was Hawkwing being so hard on him? He had known him since he was a kit. They’d been Clanmates. How could he ever believe Finleap would spy on his former Clan? She glanced at Sagenose and Macgyver. They were standing stiffly, their gazes hard. They looked defensive, as though they were facing a battle patrol, not a peaceful Clan. Had something happened in SkyClan that had put them on edge? She looked furtively at Violetshine. Her sister was as still as a rock, her gaze fixed on Hawkwing.
Bramblestar lifted his chin. “If Finleap came to SkyClan, he did it without my knowledge or permission. I would not send a spy to your camp, and certainly not Finleap. Finleap doesn’t have a dishonest whisker on his muzzle. And he certainly would never betray anyone, let alone his former Clanm
ates.”
Finleap widened his eyes, as though surprised by Bramblestar’s praise. Hawkwing nodded, his ruffled pelt smoothing at last. He knows Bramblestar is telling the truth. Relief swamped Twigbranch. Whatever is troubling SkyClan, he knows that Finleap is a good cat.
Bramblestar looked sternly at Finleap. “When did you leave?”
“Last night.” Finleap stared at his paws.
“Last night?” His gaze flicked accusingly toward Twigbranch. She shrank beneath her pelt. He must have guessed that she’d known Finleap was missing.
“I was going to come back straight away, but Leafstar wouldn’t let me leave,” Finleap mumbled.
“Don’t blame Leafstar for your mistake,” Bramblestar snapped. “You shouldn’t have crossed the border without permission, let alone gone into another Clan’s camp.”
“I’m sorry.” Finleap’s shoulders sagged.
Bramblestar frowned. “I’m surprised no cat reported you missing.”
Twigbranch dropped her gaze guiltily.
“It’s all my fault,” Finleap meowed quickly. “I had to see Reedclaw. I’d heard she was sick and I was worried about her. I’m really sorry.”
Bramblestar didn’t move. His gaze was stern. “It’s natural that you miss your kin. But it’s no excuse for sneaking around behind your Clanmates’ backs. We have to be able to trust you, and we need to know you’re safe. You will clean out the elders’ den for the next moon. And Twigbranch can help you. She should have reported you missing as soon as she knew. You might have been in danger.”
Twigbranch’s ears grew hot as her Clanmates glanced at her.
“Did you know he was leaving?” Violetshine whispered.
“I knew he wanted to see Reedclaw,” Twigbranch whispered back. “But I didn’t think he would go without telling any cat. I guess I should have reported him when I saw he was gone, but I didn’t want to get him in trouble.”
Violetshine nudged Twigbranch’s shoulder with her nose. “You must love him a lot.”
Twigbranch shifted her paws self-consciously. “I guess.”
“Why didn’t you come with him? You could have visited me and Hawkwing.”
Guilt pricked through Twigbranch’s pelt. “I didn’t want to break the rules. I’ve got an apprentice now; I can’t act like a kit anymore. I’ve got responsibilities here.” She glanced at her paws. “Besides, he didn’t ask me,” she added ruefully. She glanced at Finleap. Would she have gone if he had?
Violetshine’s pelt brushed hers. “We still miss you.”
“I miss you too.” Twigbranch leaned closer.
“Violetshine!” Hawkwing called across the clearing. “We’re leaving now.”
Twigbranch looked hopefully at her father. Was he going to speak to her? He blinked at her, affection brimming in his eyes, but Sagenose and Macgyver were shifting impatiently beside him. He dipped his head and turned away.
Violetshine brushed her tail along Twigbranch’s spine. “Maybe we’ll see you at the next Gathering,” she meowed. “We can catch up then.”
“Yeah.” Sadness welled in Twigbranch’s chest as she watched Violetshine hurry out of camp after Hawkwing and Sagenose. She’d forgotten how comforting it felt to have kin close by.
Bramblestar headed up the rocks back to Highledge as the rest of the Clan returned to their duties.
Finleap caught her eye. He looked apologetic as he padded toward her. “I’m sorry,” he meowed. It was the first time they’d spoken since their argument. “You must have been worried.”
“I was, but it’s okay.” She hurried to meet him, pressing her muzzle to his. “I should have realized how important it was for you to see Reedclaw.” Violetshine’s scent was still in her nose. “Kin don’t stop being kin just because they’re in a different Clan.”
Finleap pulled away. “But I got you into trouble.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Twigbranch gazed at him. It was so good to have him back. “Besides, it might be fun cleaning out the elders’ den if we do it together.”
“I guess.” He looked at her uncertainly.
She frowned. Wasn’t he happy to be home? “Did you miss me?”
“Of course.”
“I missed you. I wondered where you’d gone.”
“I told you,” he protested.
“You said you were worried about Reedclaw. You didn’t say anything about sneaking away for the night!”
“I didn’t plan—” He stopped and took a breath. “Let’s not argue again. Seeing my old Clan and my kin made me think.”
“Think?” Twigbranch shifted uneasily as Finleap looked suddenly serious.
“You’re the only one I feel truly close to in ThunderClan,” he explained. “I miss being around cats I’ve known all my life.”
Her heart began to race. Was he going to tell her he was leaving? “But you’ll settle in soon. In a few moons, you’ll feel like you’ve known ThunderClan forever. You heard how much Bramblestar thinks of you.” You can’t leave. Twigbranch didn’t even dare say it out loud. Didn’t Finleap love her after all?
“I like it here, but I don’t feel like I belong.” Finleap glanced at his paws. “Which is why I want to start a family. Here, in ThunderClan. Then I’ll feel part of the Clan. I’ll feel like I have something here that is truly my own. I want to have kits.”
“Kits?” Twigbranch’s mouth was so dry, she could hardly speak.
Finleap watched her, his gaze expectant.
“But you know how I feel about kits,” Twigbranch blurted. “I’m not ready. I want to concentrate on mentoring. I’ve told you all this.”
“I know.” Finleap held her gaze. “But I need you to think about it again. I have to feel I belong here—that you want me. If you don’t ever want to have kits with me, I’m not sure I’ll ever feel at home in ThunderClan.”
CHAPTER 12
Violetshine’s paws trembled. The smooth bark of the pine branch felt slippery beneath her pads. Trying not to look at the forest floor below, she shuffled closer to Hawkwing. What if she timed her jump wrong? What if she landed badly and twisted a paw? This would be the first time she’d fought since Darktail had infiltrated the Clans. Was she ready to face battle again? “Hawkwing?” she whispered. “How long will we have to wait?” Waiting was making her anxiety worse.
He glanced at her reassuringly over his shoulder. “When you see a ShadowClan patrol, get ready. But don’t jump down until you hear Leafstar give the order.”
The SkyClan leader was crouching in the next tree, on the same branch as Macgyver. Her mottled brown-and-cream pelt was camouflaged among the sun-dappled branches. Bellaleaf and Harrybrook were hunkering down in a pine on the other side of the trail. It would be sunhigh before long. The ShadowClan patrol would come soon, surely? ShadowClan had crossed into SkyClan territory every day since the Gathering. Each time, they’d used this trail to venture deeper and deeper into SkyClan land.
Leafstar’s anger had grown. Each ShadowClan incursion had fed her fury. “We have to make a stand,” she’d told her Clanmates last night. “At the gorge we were the only Clan. We never had to fight to preserve our boundaries. But things are different here. We have to defend ourselves.” No cat had argued. Since the meeting with Juniperclaw, less than a quarter moon earlier, ShadowClan’s incursions had become more and more brazen. They’d even left markers to show they’d been there. “Let’s teach them that no part of SkyClan land is safe for intruders. After tomorrow, they won’t dare set paw here again!”
Violetshine could feel her heart beating. She was proud Leafstar had chosen her for the attack, but she was scared she’d let her Clanmates down. Nervously she scanned the trail. A bird was hopping over leaves there. It froze for a moment, then fluttered into the air and flitted high into the treetops. Hawkwing stiffened as ShadowClan scents drifted through the pine. Violetshine pricked her ears and heard the rustle of leaves, and then paw steps. They were coming.
She stared along the trail, hardly daring to brea
the as Snaketooth padded into view. Strikestone was with her, Blazepaw trotting at his side. Grassheart followed, her pale tabby tail flicking like a snake behind her.
Guilt pricked in Violetshine’s belly. Grassheart had been one of the queens in the nursery when Violetshine had been a kit in ShadowClan. She’d been kind enough—not exactly motherly, but more caring than Violetshine’s foster mother, Pinenose. It seemed strange that they were enemies now, but as long as ShadowClan was trying to steal SkyClan’s land, what else could they be? She had to defend her Clan. The ShadowClan cats looked at ease, as though they were patrolling their own territory. How dare they? She glanced toward Leafstar, waiting for the signal to attack.
Leafstar watched the ShadowClan cats, her hackles lifting as they neared. Stiff as an adder waiting to strike, she tracked them until they were padding beneath her. Then she signaled with a hiss: “Attack!”
Violetshine’s heart lurched as Hawkwing dived onto the ShadowClan patrol. Yowls of surprise exploded into the air as Harrybrook, Macgyver, Bellaleaf, and Leafstar dropped onto their victims. With a hiss, Violetshine unsheathed her claws and leaped from the tree. She landed squarely on Strikestone’s back. The tom collapsed beneath her. Violetshine dug in her claws and clung on fiercely as Strikestone dropped and rolled in a practiced movement.
She grunted as Strikestone rolled over her, but she didn’t let go. She remembered her training. Never expose your belly. Gripping hard, she clung on while Strikestone staggered clumsily to his paws. Then she sank her teeth into his scruff and began pummeling his spine with her hind legs. He shrieked and bucked beneath her.
Beside them, Blazepaw wailed in pain as Harrybrook battered the young tom’s nose with a flurry of swipes. Bellaleaf hooked her claws into Snaketooth’s shoulders and flung the ShadowClan she-cat to the ground. Leafstar hissed at Snaketooth, “Did you think you could invade our land whenever you liked?” As the SkyClan leader slashed at Grassheart’s nose, Strikestone reared beneath Violetshine. She dug her claws in harder as he staggered backward. I’ve got you! Triumph surged in her chest.
Suddenly her spine slammed against hard wood. Stars flashed in her vision and merged into jagged lightning. Strikestone had shoved her against a tree. With a groan, she let him go and slithered to the ground. Strikestone turned on her, his eyes flashing. Panic flowed through her as the ShadowClan tom lifted his forepaw. He curled his lip and swung a blow at her muzzle. Then dark gray fur blurred at the edge of her vision. Hawkwing lunged at the ShadowClan tom and sent him reeling before his claws could reach Violetshine’s nose. Strikestone’s blood spattered the forest floor.
