Squirrelflight's Hope

by Erin Hunter

  Bristlepaw’s pelt bushed. “Rogues!”

  Snow dipped her head to the young she-cat. “We’re the Sisters.”

  “The Sisters!” Bristlepaw stared at her. “What are you doing on our land?”

  Squirrelflight pushed on. “I’ll explain later.” She padded down the slope toward the hollow and ducked through the tunnel into camp. “Jayfeather! Leafpool! Alderheart!” She called to the medicine cats as Larksong, Tempest, Hawk, and Mousewhisker carried Sunrise into the clearing and laid her down on the sunbaked earth.

  Alderheart hurried from the medicine den, Leafpool at his tail. Jayfeather followed, his nose twitching. “Who’s bleeding?” The blind medicine cat paused, his hackles lifting. “What are rogues doing here?”

  “They’re not rogues.” Squirrelflight swept her gaze around the camp. Thornclaw was staring in amazement from beside the fresh-kill pile. Below the Highledge, Berrynose and Birchfall were sharing a rabbit. They blinked at the Sisters, hostility glittering in their gaze. Outside the warriors’ den, Twigbranch and Finleap climbed warily to their paws. Hollytuft waved Flippaw back with her tail as the apprentice arched his back and hissed at Snow. Graystripe pushed away the mouse he was eating and narrowed his eyes. Squirrelflight ignored the tension sparking in the camp. “One of the Sisters needs our help.”

  Stones clattered on the rock tumble. “What’s going on?” Bramblestar leaped down from Highledge. He stopped beside Squirrelflight and glared at her accusingly.

  “Sunrise is injured,” Squirrelflight told him. “She needs a medicine cat.”

  Sparkpelt moved closer to her mother. “Squirrelflight was scared Sunrise might die.”

  Bramblestar narrowed his gaze.

  “I’ll fetch cobwebs.” Leafpool turned back toward the medicine den.

  “Stop!” Bramblestar yowled with a flick of his tail.

  Leafpool froze.

  Squirrelflight stared at him. “Aren’t you going to help her?”

  He thrust his muzzle closer. “Why are you putting me in this position?” he hissed, so low only she and Sparkpelt could hear. “I thought I told you to run decisions past me first.”

  “Squirrelflight just wanted to help,” Sparkpelt told her father earnestly.

  “It’s okay, Sparkpelt.” Squirrelflight was grateful to her daughter, but this wasn’t Sparkpelt’s fight. She jerked her nose toward Sunrise, who lay unmoving in the clearing, her blood staining the ground. “I didn’t think there was time for a meeting,” she growled icily.

  Bumblestripe padded forward. “You’re going to help her, right?”

  Thornclaw lashed his tail. “Why should we? We’ve only just rescued our Clanmates from these cats. We owe them nothing.”

  “But she’s hurt.” Finleap stared at the dark warrior in surprise.

  Leafpool blinked at Bramblestar. “I can’t stand by and watch her suffer.”

  Alderheart padded to her side. “That’s not the medicine-cat way.”

  “We can’t let her die.” Mousewhisker gazed around his Clanmates. His pelt was stained with Sunrise’s blood.

  Blossomfall glared at him. “Didn’t you hear Hawk say they attacked a ShadowClan patrol?”

  Mousewhisker narrowed his eyes. “ShadowClan invaded their territory.”

  “Two warriors doesn’t make an invasion!” Blossomfall hissed back. “The ShadowClan cats were outnumbered. These Sisters shouldn’t have attacked them.”

  Thornclaw lashed his tail. “We can’t treat rogues who attack warriors.”

  Hollytuft puffed out her chest. “The Sisters took our deputy captive and invaded ShadowClan land. They’re no better than Darktail’s Kin were. If we treat this cat, we’ll make our enemies stronger.”

  Tempest blinked at her in surprise. “We’re not your enemy.”

  “You held Squirrelflight hostage,” Hollytuft shot back.

  “You attacked ShadowClan,” Birchfall snarled.

  “Send them back to where they came from,” Thornclaw yowled.

  “Get them out of our camp!” Blossomfall chimed.

  Squirrelflight’s throat tightened. How could her Clanmates turn away such a gravely injured cat? She felt Sparkpelt move nervously beside her. Did her daughter want to send Sunrise away too?

  Twigbranch padded forward. “It doesn’t matter what they’ve done. Sunrise might die if we send her away.”

  “ThunderClan mustn’t have another cat’s blood on their paws,” Finleap meowed in agreement. His Clanmates glanced uneasily at each other, as though they were unconvinced.

  “What will Tigerstar say if he finds out we’ve taken her in?” Birchfall nodded toward the Sisters.

  “Since when do we let Tigerstar dictate how we act?” Mousewhisker flicked his tail angrily. He looked at Bramblestar. “We can’t let this cat die.”

  Bramblestar looked around his Clan. Anger flared in Thornclaw’s eyes. Birchfall’s ears twitched menacingly. Twigbranch and Finleap stared at him. “StarClan must decide,” Bramblestar announced with a jerk of his muzzle toward Jayfeather. “Take Alderheart to the Moonpool and share with our ancestors. They will tell us what to do.”

  Squirrelflight blinked at him in surprise. “What does StarClan have to do with this? Do we need them to tell us how to be honorable?”

  Bramblestar gazed back at her coldly. “These cats have threatened you and attacked ShadowClan. They clearly don’t care who they harm or how. If we treat this cat, we show them we can be pushed around. And we might make an enemy of Tigerstar forever. StarClan has already told us that the Clans must stand together. For all we know, helping the Sisters might be no better than helping Darktail. We need StarClan’s guidance. Jayfeather and Alderheart will travel to the Moonpool.”

  Hawk blinked at him. “Is the Moonpool far?”

  Tempest padded closer. “There’s no time to consult with ancestors.” Panic edged her mew.

  “We have no choice.” Bramblestar turned to Jayfeather. “Be as quick as you can.”

  Squirrelflight could hardly believe her ears. Was Bramblestar going to risk this cat’s life? He should act, not question. “We have to help,” she breathed.

  Bramblestar didn’t look at her. Instead he blinked at Leafpool. “Can you keep Sunrise alive until Alderheart and Jayfeather return?”

  Leafpool stared anxiously at the bleeding cat. “I’ll do my best.”

  As Jayfeather and Alderheart hurried toward the camp entrance, she ducked into the medicine den and returned with a thick wad of cobweb between her jaws.

  Squirrelflight followed her to where Sunrise lay unconscious and hardly breathing. “Don’t let her die,” she whispered.

  Leafpool began to draw the edges of the wound together. “If I can stop the bleeding—”

  Squirrelflight hardly heard her. “How could Bramblestar let this happen?”

  “He has to listen to his warriors.” Leafpool wadded cobweb along the gash.

  “Even when they’re wrong?” Squirrelflight remembered how tenderly the Sisters had treated Leafstar’s wound. Her heart seemed to twist inside her chest. Suddenly there seemed more honor among the Sisters than among her Clanmates. If Sunrise died because of ThunderClan’s fox-heartedness, she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to forgive them.

  CHAPTER 9

  Leafpool sat back on her haunches. “I’ve stopped the bleeding for now.”

  Anxiously, Squirrelflight sniffed the cobwebs wadded around the gash on Sunrise’s flank. The blood there was growing stale. But Sunrise was still not moving; her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow. The clearing beneath her was still damp with her blood.

  Leafpool went on. “I need to make an ointment to keep infection at bay.” She glanced toward the medicine den and then at Bramblestar.

  The ThunderClan leader had padded to the entrance, where Alderheart and Jayfeather had disappeared a few moments earlier. He met Leafpool’s gaze.

  “May I fetch herbs?” she asked.

  Please say yes. As Squirrelflight blin
ked at him hopefully, a growl rumbled in Thornclaw’s throat. The warrior was glaring at the Sisters, who pressed close together at the edge of the clearing. His gaze flicked accusingly at Leafpool. “We’re waiting for word from StarClan.”

  Blossomfall fluffed out her pelt beside him. “We can’t do anything until they tell us it’s okay.”

  Squirrelflight stared at them, shocked by their coldness. “But she might die while we’re waiting. What if StarClan says we can treat her then? We won’t be able to treat a corpse.”

  Bramblestar crossed the clearing and stopped beside Leafpool. “Just keep her alive until Jayfeather and Alderheart return.”

  Leafpool straightened. “The Moonpool is a long way. They won’t be back before moonhigh. The only way I can keep her alive is to stop infection forming in the wound.” As she spoke, Sunrise stirred. She slowly opened her eyes and, with a flick of her tail, tried to lift her head.

  Bramblestar whisked his tail. “She looks strong,” he growled. “She’ll be okay.”

  “She won’t be unless I put ointment on the wound.” Leafpool’s fur twitched anxiously along her spine.

  Snow crept closer to Sunrise. Fear showed in the she-cat’s eyes. “Keep still,” she breathed to her wounded campmate. “You’ll reopen the wound.”

  Bramblestar glared at her. “Get back with the others.”

  As Snow flattened her ears and backed away, anger flared in Squirrelflight’s belly. Was Bramblestar going to deny Sunrise even the comfort of her campmates? The Sisters had been far kinder to her when she’d been in their camp.

  Outside the warriors’ den, Mousewhisker shifted his paws. “Should we move her to the medicine den?”

  Larksong lifted his tail hopefully. “We could carry her there.”

  “She’ll be more comfortable out of the sun,” Sparkpelt mewed.

  Bramblestar glanced at them. “She’ll stay where we can see her until Jayfeather and Alderheart bring word from StarClan.”

  Finleap padded forward. “Can we at least make her more comfortable?”

  “I can fetch ferns,” Twigbranch offered.

  Bramblestar nodded, his gaze hard. “Very well.” He turned away as they hurried out of camp.

  Squirrelflight wanted to go with them, to make sure they picked the softest leaves, but she couldn’t leave Sunrise. Someone had to fight for her.

  The thorn tunnel shivered, and Hollytuft and Dewnose ducked into camp. Flippaw and Thriftpaw padded at their heels. They stopped as they saw the Sisters.

  Hollytuft’s eyes widened. “What’s going on?” She looked at Sunrise.

  “This cat has been hurt,” Bramblestar told her. “Leafpool is taking care of her until we get word from StarClan.”

  “Word?” Hollytuft looked confused. “About what?”

  Thornclaw crossed the clearing and stopped beside Bramblestar. “About whether we should treat her wounds.”

  Dewnose tipped his head. “Why do you need StarClan to decide?”

  “These cats attacked a ShadowClan patrol,” Blossomfall grunted.

  Flippaw frowned. “I thought the Sisters never strayed onto Clan land.”

  Thriftpaw’s hackles lifted. “Perhaps they think they can go where they like now.”

  “Rest,” Leafpool breathed, touching her nose to Sunrise’s cheek. She looked at Bramblestar again. “Can I get her poppy seeds?” she meowed. “She’s in pain. Let me help—”

  Thornclaw cut her off. “Why should we share our herbs?”

  “I can’t watch her suffer.” Leafpool blinked at him.

  As Thornclaw held her sister’s gaze, Squirrelflight felt sick. Why had she brought the Sisters here? She’d trusted her Clanmates to take care of them. How could she have been so wrong?

  “Poppy seeds can wait.” Bramblestar flicked his tail briskly. “Flippaw and Thriftpaw,” he meowed. “Go and help Finleap and Twigbranch find ferns.” He nodded to Blossomfall. “Take Hollytuft and Mousewhisker hunting. We have extra mouths to feed. Rosepetal and Bristlepaw can help Birchfall strengthen the walls of the nursery.” His gaze swept the Clan. “We can’t ignore our duties just because we have visitors.”

  Thornclaw narrowed his eyes. “Are we sharing our fresh-kill with them?” He eyed Hawk and Tempest resentfully.

  Tempest lifted her chin. “We can catch our own prey,” she meowed.

  Birchfall bristled. “Do you think we’d let you hunt on our land?”

  Bramblestar looked suddenly weary. “They must eat, and since they can’t hunt here, they must share our prey.”

  Squirrelflight couldn’t help feeling a jab of pity for him. Every Clanmate seemed to want something different. How could he please them all? Guilt pricked momentarily beneath her pelt. Was she judging him too harshly?

  Rosepetal and Bristlepaw headed toward the nursery, Birchfall at their heels, while Blossomfall led Hollytuft and Mousewhisker out of camp.

  “Go with the hunting patrol,” Bramblestar ordered, nodding to Larksong.

  Larksong hesitated. “I’d rather stay with Sparkpelt.”

  Bramblestar stiffened. “Your patrol needs you.”

  “Can Sparkpelt come with me?” Larksong asked. “Squirrelflight let us join the same patrols. Now that she’s expecting kits, I don’t like to be away from—”

  Squirrelflight flinched as Bramblestar swung his muzzle toward the black tom.

  “I don’t care what Squirrelflight did,” he hissed. “Sparkpelt will be safe here with her Clan. Go join your patrol, as I ordered.”

  Sparkpelt blinked reassuringly at Larksong. “I’ll be okay,” she promised.

  As Larksong dipped his head and hurried away, Squirrelflight glared at Bramblestar. How long was he going to keep trying to prove that he made the rules in ThunderClan, not her?

  He stared back. “I want to speak with you in my den. You need to explain why your patrol brought the Sisters here.”

  Squirrelflight’s paws pricked. Did he want another argument, even while a cat lay dying in the clearing? As he leaped up the rock tumble, she looked at Leafpool. “Will you be okay here?”

  “Yes.” Leafpool was watching Sunrise. “I’ll do what I can.”

  Squirrelflight straightened and headed for the rock tumble.

  “I’m coming too.” Sparkpelt’s mew surprised her. “I was part of the patrol.”

  “No.” Squirrelflight felt a surge of affection for her daughter. “The decision was my responsibility.”

  Sparkpelt stuck out her chin. “I said I’m coming with you.”

  Squirrelflight dipped her head. She didn’t want to argue with Sparkpelt too. She scrambled up the rock tumble, stones crunching beneath her paws. Sparkpelt followed and ducked after her into Bramblestar’s den.

  Bramblestar sat in the shadowy cave, his gaze icy. His ears twitched as he saw Sparkpelt. “I didn’t ask to speak with you.”

  Sparkpelt met his gaze. “You said you wanted an explanation,” she mewed evenly. “I was on the patrol. I can help.”

  Bramblestar grunted and flicked his gaze to Squirrelflight. “Why in StarClan did you bring them here?” Anger hardened his mew.

  Squirrelflight bristled, pulling up short. “What did you want me to do? Leave Sunrise to die in the woods?”

  “What would they have done if you hadn’t found them?” Bramblestar didn’t wait for her answer. “They would have taken their wounded home where they belong instead of making their problem our problem.”

  “But I did find them.” Squirrelflight defended herself. She was not going to let him make her feel bad for trying to save a cat’s life. “I couldn’t turn my back on them.”

  Sparkpelt blinked at Bramblestar. “You couldn’t have expected us to walk away.”

  “You could have taken them to the border and let their campmates take care of them.” Bramblestar’s fur spiked along his spine. “Did you know they’d attacked a ShadowClan patrol when you brought them here?”

  “Snow told me on the way to camp,” Squirrelflight told hi
m. “ShadowClan had been on their land. They were only trying to find out why. They didn’t go looking for a fight.”

  “Do you think that’s how Tigerstar will see it?” Bramblestar’s gaze darkened. “How will he react when he finds out we’re protecting them?”

  Squirrelflight could hardly believe her ears. “Since when do you care what Tigerstar thinks?”

  “Since StarClan told us there must be unity among the Clans!”

  “So you’d let a cat die because Tigerstar might be upset?”

  “I thought you wanted to keep the peace. Do you think this will help?”

  Squirrelflight lifted her chin. “The Clans will understand when they find out what happened. We all follow the same code, and that code says nothing about letting cats die.”

  “It does say something about protecting your Clan,” Bramblestar spat back. “How can you think that bringing a bunch of rogues into our camp is protecting ThunderClan?”

  “They’re not rogues!”

  “They’re not loners or warriors.” Bramblestar curled his claws into the sandy floor of the cave. “What were you thinking when you decided to bring them into our camp?”

  Frustration surged in Squirrelflight’s chest. “I was trying to save a cat’s life. And they’re not rogues! They’re the Sisters! There are more ways to live than being a warrior or a rogue!”

  Bramblestar lashed his tail. “You spend two days in another camp and suddenly you’re questioning our beliefs?”

  “I’m not questioning our beliefs. I’m just pointing out that there are other ways to live.”

  “And how does that solve the problem that we are sheltering ShadowClan’s attackers? How does that bring unity to the Clans?”

  “Not everything is about the Clans!” Anger burned beneath Squirrelflight’s pelt. There seemed so much more at stake here than whether the Clans were united. “What about the warrior code? What about honor and integrity? What about doing the right thing?”

  “So you’re the only cat who knows what’s right?”

  Squirrelflight felt Sparkpelt press against her.

  “Please don’t—” Her daughter’s mew turned into a gasp. With a jerk, Sparkpelt dropped into a crouch.