Squirrelflight's Hope

by Erin Hunter

  Squirrelflight sniffed again as Bumblestripe and Eaglewing crossed the stream. There was a hint of WindClan, but the scent wasn’t fresh. “It’s probably the wind carrying the smell down from the high moor,” she told Plumstone.

  Plumstone sniffed the grass. “Everything smells like WindClan here.”

  Bumblestripe reached them. “It was their land for a long time,” he commented, looking warily toward the moor. “I guess it’ll take a while for ThunderClan scent to take hold.”

  Squirrelflight headed toward the line of gorse that marked the border. “It’ll take hold quicker if we leave scent marks.” She grazed her cheek along a branch, wincing as the prickles snagged her fur. Bumblestripe padded stiffly along the border, leaving marks as he went, while Eaglewing and Plumstone plucked at the grass, rubbing their scent into the earth.

  “I can’t smell any WindClan scent markers.” Eaglewing looked puzzled. “They haven’t marked the new border.”

  “Perhaps they’ve been busy. Remember, Whitetail died recently, and they would have had her vigil. Wait till the weather starts to turn,” Squirrelflight warned her. “They’ll be more careful about borders when prey is scarce.”

  Bumblestripe jerked his muzzle toward the forest. His ears pricked with excitement. Eaglewing stiffened as she followed his gaze.

  “Rabbit!” Plumstone darted toward the stream as a fat buck bounded from the forest.

  Bumblestripe and Eaglewing pelted after her. They scrambled over the crossing stones that spanned the stream and raced into the trees toward their quarry. The rabbit squealed in panic as it saw them and fled for cover. But Bumblestripe was fast. With one leap, he crossed the stretch between hunters and prey and pinned the rabbit to the ground. He killed it with a bite before Eaglewing and Plumstone reached him.

  Squirrelflight watched them as they took turns sniffing the juicy fresh-kill, their pelts fluffed with excitement. Her Clanmates were clearly happier hunting in the forest. She rubbed her cheek on another branch and padded back to the stream. Bramblestar would have to remind his warriors to keep the markers on this border fresh. If they didn’t make this land their own, there might come a day when the WindClan scent markers on this stretch of land wouldn’t be stale anymore.

  “It won’t feel like a real Gathering.” Squirrelflight glanced at the night sky as she padded beside Bramblestar. “There’s no full moon.”

  “It’s not a real Gathering,” Bramblestar reminded her. “Just a meeting of the leaders and deputies.”

  Beside them, the lake lapped sluggishly over the shore. Beneath Squirrelflight’s paws, the pebbles were still warm from the day’s heat. She looked anxiously toward the island. Silhouettes moved across the tree-bridge. She couldn’t make out who they were. She tasted the air but smelled only moorland scents and remembered her patrol with Bumblestripe, Plumstone, and Eaglewing. Did Harestar want to challenge the markers they’d left? Surely he couldn’t complain. It was ThunderClan land now. “Why did Harestar call the meeting?”

  “Emberfoot didn’t say.” The WindClan warrior had visited the ThunderClan camp while she’d been resting after her patrol. “He just brought the message. Harestar wants to talk.” Bramblestar moved closer, letting his flank brush hers. “The moon may not be full, but it’s very bright tonight.” He glanced at her affectionately. “It’s nice to be alone.”

  She leaned against him. “I can’t remember the last time it was just us.”

  “Do you remember when this territory still felt new?”

  She did. “You’d just been made deputy.”

  “We used to sneak out and explore after the camp had gone to sleep.”

  Squirrelflight purred. “You were terrible at sneaking. I don’t know why we were never caught.”

  “Probably because I was deputy,” Bramblestar whispered.

  “More likely because our denmates were kind and pretended not to hear us. Even Dustpelt, and he was always a stickler about young warriors getting enough sleep.” Happiness warmed her pelt as she remembered her old mentor. It seemed countless moons since she’d been his apprentice. How young she’d been without realizing it. Recalling suddenly how she and Leafpool had planned great futures for themselves, she glanced self-consciously at her paws. I guess we haven’t done so badly. She didn’t feel old yet, but it had been a long time since she’d felt the rush of excitement she used to feel in her first moons as a warrior, whenever she was picked to go on patrol or attend a Gathering. She pressed closer to Bramblestar. “Do you miss being young?”

  He shrugged. “I miss being irresponsible. Back then, the only thing we had to worry about was our next hunt. That was before we became leader and deputy, and before we had kits to look after.”

  Squirrelflight felt a pang of longing. Sparkpelt and Alderheart were grown, and she’d never had a chance to know their littermates, Juniperkit and Dandelionkit, who had died. She’d been hoping to have a new litter by now—tiny kits to nurture and love. But they’d had no luck. “Having kits didn’t make me feel old. I liked the responsibility. It’ll be good to feel that way again.” She glanced hopefully at Bramblestar. When he didn’t comment, she prompted him. “Don’t you think?”

  “Of course.” He didn’t look at her.

  Anxiety prickled beneath her pelt. She’d wanted him to sound more enthusiastic about kits. “Let’s pretend we’re young again now. It’s almost like we’re sneaking out of camp.” Squirrelflight kept her mew light. “Half the Clan are already in their nests, and the rest will be asleep by the time we get home.”

  “I wish we could.” Was that a sigh in Bramblestar’s mew? “But we can’t be late for the meeting. And we have to go straight back to camp afterward; Birchfall and Lionblaze will be waiting to find out what happened.”

  He was worrying about the Clan again. He was a good leader; he always put his Clan before his own needs. But she couldn’t help wishing he could put her first this time. Disappointment jabbed at her heart as their moment of closeness passed, but she ignored it and focused on the meeting. “Surely Harestar can’t have anything serious to talk about. It’s been peaceful since the storm. It finally feels normal to have SkyClan with us beside the lake, and the other Clans seem happy with the new borders.”

  “Then why call a meeting?” Bramblestar meowed.

  “There could be sickness, or Twoleg trouble.”

  “It’s pointless to guess. Let’s go find out.” Bramblestar quickened his pace. When the island was near, he broke into a run. Squirrelflight hurried after him, and as she followed him across the tree-bridge, she glanced down at the moon-dappled water. Pebbles crunched on the shore behind her. She looked back and saw Mistystar and Reedwhisker. She nodded a greeting, but the two cats had already plunged into the water and were swimming the short stretch of lake to the island.

  On the far shore, Bramblestar pushed his way into the long grass. Fresh scents lingered here. SkyClan’s, WindClan’s, and ShadowClan’s leaders had already arrived. Squirrelflight pushed her way among the stems, following the passage Bramblestar had opened to the clearing.

  As she emerged on the other side, she saw Tigerstar, Harestar, and Leafstar in a pool of moonlight at the center. Cloverfoot, Crowfeather, and Hawkwing hung back, exchanging watchful glances. Bramblestar was already hurrying to join them. As Squirrelflight caught up to him, branches swished overhead. The breeze tumbled fallen leaves across the ground. Squirrelflight shivered. She was used to the clearing teeming with warriors and apprentices, their scents and voices crowding the air.

  Harestar nodded a greeting as they reached him. “Thank you for coming.”

  Squirrelflight searched the WindClan leader’s eyes, but his gaze was unreadable. She could see stiffness and tension in the others that made her wary. Were she and Bramblestar the only ones who didn’t know what this meeting was about? She glanced over her shoulder as the long grass swished and Mistystar and Reedwhisker padded, dripping, into the clearing.

  “Harestar.” Mistystar bowed her head re
spectfully as she reached them.

  Harestar acknowledged her with a blink, then swept his gaze around the gathered cats. “I called you here because there’s a problem with SkyClan’s territory.”

  Surprise lit Leafstar’s gaze. “A problem?”

  Mistystar, Harestar, and Tigerstar were staring coolly at the SkyClan leader. Alarm pricked through Squirrelflight’s pelt. Had Harestar already discussed this with the other leaders?

  Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “If there’s a problem with SkyClan’s territory,” he meowed stiffly, “why isn’t Leafstar bringing it to us?”

  “She clearly hasn’t noticed it,” Mistystar meowed pointedly.

  “Have your Clans been talking behind SkyClan’s back again?” Leafstar’s fur ruffled.

  Hawkwing moved closer to his leader. “We hoped those days were over.”

  “It’s not a question of talking behind your back.” Crowfeather whisked his tail. The WindClan deputy seemed impatient. “If you’d lived here longer, you’d have seen the problem already.”

  Squirrelflight stared at him. Was he trying to insult SkyClan?

  “We settled the issue of SkyClan’s territory three moons ago,” Bramblestar growled. “We all agreed.”

  “It was the best plan we could think of at the time.” Tigerstar shifted his paws. The division of land had been the ShadowClan leader’s idea. Was he regretting it now?

  Harestar was still staring at Leafstar. “Three moons has given us time to see the flaws in that plan.”

  “What flaws?” Leafstar demanded.

  “We shifted our borders to make room for SkyClan.” Harestar glanced around at the other leaders. “We were happy to do it. We know SkyClan belongs beside the lake. StarClan has made that clear. But moving borders means that now some of us have land we can’t use.”

  “The water channels on the land RiverClan gave us make it hard for us to patrol,” Tigerstar agreed.

  Mistystar fluffed out her fur. “Yet they’re full of fish that only RiverClan can catch and eat,” she meowed.

  “And you were given moorland.” Harestar nodded at Bramblestar.

  Bramblestar’s pelt ruffled along his spine. “We use the land beyond the stream.”

  “Really?” Harestar looked unconvinced.

  “Larksong caught a rabbit there yesterday,” Bramblestar told him.

  “Only one?” Harestar narrowed his eyes.

  “One was all we needed.”

  Harestar pressed on. “Today your patrol barely crossed the stream.”

  Squirrelflight felt heat beneath her pelt. Had the WindClan leader been spying on them? “It was a border patrol, not a hunting patrol,” she pointed out.

  “And yet you hunted.” Harestar stared at her. “But in the forest, not on the moorland.”

  Bramblestar shifted his paws. “We hunt wherever the prey runs.”

  “And catch one rabbit where we would have caught three,” Harestar meowed.

  “Are you insulting my warriors?” Bramblestar’s hackles lifted.

  “Of course not.” Harestar swished his tail. “We’re more experienced at hunting on moorland, that’s all.”

  “We’ll be experienced at hunting there eventually,” Squirrelflight put in. “We all just need time to adjust to our new territories.”

  Leafstar turned to Harestar and puffed out her chest. “What are you trying to say?” she asked. “Do you want SkyClan to leave again? If you—”

  “No cat thinks you should leave,” Harestar said quickly.

  Leafstar went on. “If you want us gone, you’ll have to take it up with our ancestors!”

  Squirrelflight felt a rush of sympathy for the SkyClan leader. “Haven’t they moved enough?”

  Harestar met her gaze. “All I’m saying is that territory is being wasted. WindClan is growing—Featherpelt is expecting kits—and we need every bit of land we can get.”

  “You act like you need land more than we do. But SkyClan is growing too!” Leafstar blinked at him. “Violetshine has kits.”

  “All the Clans are growing,” Harestar meowed evenly. Squirrelflight shifted her paws self-consciously. It seemed everyone was having kits except her. The WindClan leader went on. “Which is why no Clan should hold on to land it can’t use.” He looked pointedly at Bramblestar.

  Bramblestar met his gaze. “ThunderClan uses all its land.”

  Squirrelflight stared at the ground. Perhaps she’d been wrong to insist that ThunderClan adapt to its new territory. The Clans might work better hunting land that they were used to. “We don’t use the moorland as much as we should,” she admitted. “The border had barely been marked before today.”

  Bramblestar swung his gaze toward her. “We’re not giving up territory. It would leave us with less than the other Clans.”

  “I’d happily give RiverClan’s marshland back,” Tigerstar meowed. “But SkyClan would have to return our forest.”

  Bramblestar lashed his tail. “No cat takes territory from SkyClan. We all fought too hard for this settlement. If we destroy it now, we’ll be back where we started.”

  “But is it fair to give SkyClan prey-rich land in exchange for marsh we can’t use?” Tigerstar blinked at him.

  “You should have thought of that before you suggested it!” Bramblestar snapped.

  Tigerstar glared at the ThunderClan leader. “How could I know that WindClan would have to watch your warriors waste their prey?”

  Bramblestar bared his teeth. “My warriors don’t waste prey!”

  Squirrelflight’s tail bushed. She couldn’t let them fight. “Perhaps there’s another solution,” she mewed quickly. “One that means no land will be wasted, but SkyClan will still have equal territory.” Her thoughts whirled as she reached for a plan offered many moons ago before the Clans had come to their final arrangement. At the time, the leaders had been wary of a plan that would place SkyClan far from the others. But now it seemed like the most sensible solution. “What about the land beyond the abandoned Twolegplace?”

  “Where’s that, again?” Leafstar narrowed her eyes.

  “At the far edge of ThunderClan and ShadowClan’s forest.” Squirrelflight looked at her eagerly, hoping the SkyClan leader would like the idea.

  But Leafstar looked unconvinced. “If that’s such good hunting territory, why hasn’t ThunderClan or ShadowClan claimed it already?”

  Squirrelflight blinked. “When there were just four Clans, no cat needed it.”

  “We’d have no access to the lake,” Hawkwing meowed.

  Tigerstar pricked his ears. “Why do you need the lake? You don’t catch fish.”

  “You’d be nearer the Moonpool,” Harestar meowed encouragingly.

  “What about herbs?” Leafstar countered. “There are some plants that only grow on the lakeshore.”

  “They could keep a narrow strip of forest,” Squirrelflight meowed quickly. SkyClan shouldn’t be cut off completely. “Enough to let them get to the lakeshore. And there might be herbs on the new land. We don’t know what lies up there, except forest. It might be richer territory than this, for all we know. It must be worth exploring.”

  Leafstar narrowed her eyes. “We’ve only just built our new camp and marked our borders. Why should we have to build another new home?”

  “You’re right,” Tigerstar agreed. “That wouldn’t be fair. But if it’s better for all the Clans, then it’s the right thing to do. And this time we will help you.” The ShadowClan leader looked at the others. “I’m sure all the Clans will help.”

  Hawkwing stared at the ShadowClan leader, clearly unconvinced. “When was the last time any cat visited this land?”

  Squirrelflight tensed as the cats glanced doubtfully at each other.

  “I’m not sure any cat’s ever fully explored it,” Mistystar admitted.

  “Then why should we?” Hawkwing snapped. “It might be infested with foxes or Twolegs.”

  Squirrelflight leaned forward. “But it’s worth looking at, isn’t it?
What if it’s perfect Clan territory? We’d all have enough land to hunt on, and nothing would be wasted.”

  Leafstar flicked her tail irritably. “You want to exile us again.”

  “It wouldn’t be exile,” Squirrelflight objected. “You’d be living right beside us.”

  Leafstar looked unimpressed. “Beside you, not among you. You’d always see us as outsiders.”

  Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. “That would be up to you.”

  Squirrelflight ignored the ShadowClan leader. “We’d see you at Gatherings. And you’d still share borders with ThunderClan and ShadowClan.”

  Harestar nodded. “SkyClan wouldn’t be left out. We are one beneath StarClan now. We share ancestors.”

  Leafstar looked thoughtful for a moment, as though she were seriously considering the idea. Then she seemed to blink the thought away and squared her shoulders defensively. “Moving into unknown territory would be dangerous and difficult. Who knows what’s hiding in that forest?”

  “SkyClan is no stranger to dangerous situations,” Mistystar meowed. “I’m sure whatever challenges await you, you will face them with courage and skill.”

  Leafstar snorted. “Try telling that to my elders and queens.”

  Squirrelflight felt Bramblestar shift beside her. He was watching the others, his eyes dark with rage. She blinked at him hopefully. “We’d help SkyClan with the move, wouldn’t we?”

  Before he could answer, Harestar spoke. “New land for a new Clan! This could be the best solution.” He sounded delighted.

  Hawkwing flexed his claws. “Nothing’s changed here. You carve up territory as it suits you, without listening to what we want.”

  “We didn’t carve up territory.” Tigerstar’s pelt ruffled. “We came up with the best plan we could.” He met Hawkwing’s gaze. “You’re one of us now. Surely you care about our problems as well as your own? We only want to please StarClan. Don’t you?”

  Leafstar’s ears twitched. “Would moving us yet again please them?”

  “If it brings lasting peace, perhaps it would,” Squirrelflight meowed quickly. “Let’s consult with our medicine cats. To make sure that StarClan approves.”