Squirrelflight's Hope

by Erin Hunter

  “The Sisters came onto ShadowClan land and attacked a patrol,” Tigerstar told him.

  Squirrelflight’s paws prickled with indignation. ShadowClan had gone onto the Sisters’ land first, surely. The Sisters had only tracked them to find out why they’d come. That was what Snow had told her. With a sickening feeling, she wondered which version of the story was true.

  Tigerstar went on. “They shredded Strikestone’s ear. The wound was so deep that the infection was hard to treat. He will never hear in that ear again.”

  Squirrelflight stiffened. She didn’t realize Strikestone had been so badly injured. Growls of anger rose from the Clans.

  “Fox-hearts!”

  “They’re no better than badgers!”

  Harestar leaned forward. “The Sisters are clearly a threat to the Clans.”

  Tigerstar nodded. “We need to drive them away.”

  Squirrelflight stared at him. “There aren’t enough of them to threaten us.”

  Leafstar nodded. “We outnumber them countless times.”

  “They are big cats, and dangerous.” Tigerstar stared at the SkyClan leader. “You saw that for yourself.” His gaze switched to Squirrelflight. “They could easily cross the border and pick off our patrols one by one.”

  “They’d never do that!” Squirrelflight’s ears twitched with indignation. “They are peaceful.”

  “They don’t look for fights,” Leafstar chimed.

  “Tell that to Strikestone.” Tigerstar lashed his tail.

  Yowls erupted from the ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan cats.

  “The Sisters must go!”

  “Drive them out!”

  Thornclaw watched them, satisfaction glittering in his gaze. Twigbranch and Molewhisker exchanged uneasy glances.

  Squirrelflight blinked helplessly at Hawkwing. “Why is he picking on the Sisters?” she whispered. “They couldn’t hurt us. They don’t want to hurt us!”

  Hawkwing met her gaze. “They permanently wounded one of his warriors,” he murmured through the yowling of the Clans. “He has to react. And don’t forget, ShadowClan nearly fell apart only a few moons ago. Tigerstar needs an enemy to unite his Clan behind him.”

  Squirrelflight blinked at him as she began to understand. “And if StarClan wants the Clans to be united, he has to pick a fight with outsiders.”

  “Exactly.” Hawkwing’s eyes glittered with unease.

  “You don’t think we should fight them, do you?” Squirrelflight was unnerved by the support of the other Clans for Tigerstar’s plan.

  “Why fight?” Hawkwing shrugged. “They’ll be gone in a moon.”

  Above them, Bramblestar shifted on the branch. His tail swished ominously behind him as he stared out at the crowd. Gradually WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan fell silent. Macgyver and Sandynose blinked up at him warily from among their Clanmates. ThunderClan’s warriors moved closer to one another, avoiding the gazes of the other Clans.

  “There is no need for war,” Bramblestar yowled. “The Sisters have promised to leave soon. Why fight a retreating enemy? It’s better to let them go.”

  Tigerstar flattened his ears. “It’s just like ThunderClan to defend the enemies of ShadowClan.”

  “Are you sure they’re your enemy?” Bramblestar challenged.

  “They attacked us. They captured Leafstar.”

  Leafstar’s ears twitched. “We were trespassing on their land—”

  Tigerstar pressed on. “They took your deputy hostage. They should be your enemy too.” Tigerstar stared at Bramblestar, then flicked his gaze toward the ThunderClan cats gathered below. “And yet ThunderClan is silent tonight. The Sisters were last seen heading for your territory. Their scent was detected on your border.” He narrowed his eyes as he looked back at Bramblestar. “Do you know something about the Sisters that we don’t?”

  “Of course not.” Bramblestar lashed his tail.

  Squirrelflight saw Thornclaw look away. Beside him, Molewhisker dropped his gaze as Bramblestar went on.

  “We haven’t heard from the Sisters since they returned Leafstar and Squirrelflight to us unharmed.”

  Squirrelflight flinched. She hated hearing Bramblestar lie.

  Leafstar fluffed out her fur. “I’m not sure you need to declare war on them. They treated us kindly while we were with them.”

  Squirrelflight nodded eagerly, relieved that Leafstar was defending the Sisters. “They fed us and treated Leafstar’s wound.”

  Tigerstar huffed. “They caused Leafstar’s wound!”

  A breeze ruffled Harestar’s pelt. “WindClan agrees with ShadowClan,” he yowled. “StarClan has decreed that the Clans be united. So we stand with ShadowClan to honor our ancestors and strengthen our alliance.”

  Mistystar nodded slowly. “We stand with ShadowClan too. Leafstar has agreed to move to new territory—”

  Leafstar bristled. “That decision isn’t final!”

  “And yet it would solve all the Clans’ problems,” Mistystar countered. “We need the fishing land we gave to ShadowClan. WindClan needs their moorland back.” She blinked at the SkyClan leader. “The sooner we move the Sisters from your new territory, the sooner the Clans can reestablish their rightful borders.”

  Squirrelflight’s heart filled with dread. Three leaders were determined to fight the Sisters. And she could see by the excited murmuring of the watching cats that they had the full support of their Clanmates. How could she expect any cat to resist the promise of a return to their traditional borders? She looked helplessly at Bramblestar. Surely he could find a way to stop them! She searched his gaze expectantly. Was he going to defend the Sisters, despite everything?

  “We have a Clan mediator.” Bramblestar lifted his chin. “Why not use him?”

  Leafstar pricked her ears. “Tree.” She scanned the crowd, her gaze settling on the yellow SkyClan warrior. Tree blinked back at him, pelt bristling in surprise. “Could you go to the Sisters and persuade them that it is in everyone’s best interests for them to leave?”

  Tree’s gaze glittered with unease. “I mediate between the Clans, not with outsiders.”

  Mistystar narrowed her eyes. “But they’re not outsiders to you,” she told Tree. “They’re kin. Moonlight’s your mother, right?”

  Tree’s hackles lifted. “I barely know her. She forced me out when I was a kit.”

  “In that case you won’t mind asking her to leave,” Mistystar shot back.

  Tree looked away for a moment, then turned back to face Mistystar, clearly uncomfortable. “She won’t listen to me,” he said finally. “I’m happy to be a Clan cat; I’m happy to do my duty by mediating between the Clans. But please, if it’s all the same to you, I would like to be left out of this. I much prefer my life without Moonlight or the Sisters in it.”

  Squirrelflight stared at the yellow tom in surprise. She heard murmurs of sympathy, and some shocked exclamations.

  “So you want to be a Clan cat until we ask you do to something you’d rather not?” she heard Crowfeather mutter.

  Squirrelflight raised her voice. “I think we should listen to Tree,” she said, shooting Leafstar a glance. “Leafstar and I have seen the tension between him and Moonlight. Perhaps we should wait until we have no other voice.”

  Leafstar nodded at Squirrelflight, then raised her voice above the din. “Very well, Tree,” she said. “We’ll consider other options . . . for now. But if your connection to Moonlight might help—”

  “It won’t,” Tree interrupted.

  Bramblestar heaved a sigh. “Let’s move on,” he said. “In terms of moving the Sisters, I believe we must do nothing without the counsel of StarClan.”

  Hope flashed beneath Squirrelflight’s fur. Perhaps that would stall them.

  “StarClan has been silent lately,” Harestar pointed out. “They must feel we can make our own decisions.”

  Squirrelflight saw Bramblestar hesitate. He pricked his ears, as though ready to speak, but said nothing. She wanted to call
out for him, But StarClan isn’t silent! They had shared with Jayfeather. But how could she tell them without giving away the secret of the Sisters’ presence in the ThunderClan camp? Worse, if the Clans knew StarClan’s message, with its talk of enemies, it might convince them that StarClan wanted war against the Sisters.

  It was better to say nothing.

  Bramblestar dipped his gaze for a moment, then lifted it to meet Harestar’s once more. “They won’t be silent on a matter of war,” he growled. “And there is no unity among the Clans in this plan. SkyClan isn’t with you.” He glanced at Tigerstar. “And ThunderClan will not agree to any action against the Sisters without the approval of StarClan.”

  Squirrelflight felt a rush of pride. How could any leader argue with him? She watched as Tigerstar eyed Bramblestar ominously.

  Then the ShadowClan leader dipped his head. “Very well.” He exchanged glances with Harestar and Mistystar. “We will wait to hear from StarClan. Until then, we must all be vigilant. Who knows when the Sisters will strike again? And next time it might cost a cat more than their hearing.” As he leaped from the branch, his Clanmates gathered around him, eyeing ThunderClan and SkyClan defiantly.

  Mistystar and Harestar scrambled down the trunk, and Leafstar jumped after them. The SkyClan leader nodded politely to Squirrelflight as she passed. Squirrelflight nodded back, longing to know when she would make the final decision to move her Clan onto the Sisters’ territory. Suddenly she found herself hoping Leafstar would delay it. As long as she wasn’t sure she wanted the Sisters’ land, it would weaken the other Clans’ support for Tigerstar’s plan.

  Squirrelflight’s Clanmates were heading for the long grass. She watched them trail after the other Clans.

  “Trust Tigerstar to find an excuse to turn this into a war,” Jayfeather grumbled as he passed.

  Alderheart padded beside the blind medicine cat, nervously twitching his whiskers. “Do you think any of the Clans suspected?”

  “Hush!” Bumblestripe fell in beside him. “Let’s wait until we get clear of the island before we say anything.”

  Fur brushed Squirrelflight’s flank. Bramblestar was beside her, staring after their Clanmates. His ears twitched uneasily. “I’ve made liars out of my whole Clan,” he murmured. He looked accusingly at Squirrelflight. “Are the Sisters worth sacrificing our honor and our pride for?”

  Guilt wormed beneath Squirrelflight’s pelt. She knew that asking his Clanmates to lie must have wounded Bramblestar deeply. “We couldn’t have told the truth.” She blinked at him. “Who knows what Tigerstar would have done?”

  “I warned you he’d react badly.”

  “We can’t live in fear of what Tigerstar might do.”

  “But what Tigerstar does matters, whether you like it or not.”

  Squirrelflight shifted her paws uneasily. “He seems determined to drive the Sisters off their land.”

  “Would it be such a bad thing if he did?” Bramblestar stared at her darkly.

  Squirrelflight blinked back at him, shocked. “Moonlight’s expecting kits,” she gasped. “We have to protect them.”

  Exasperation seemed to flash in his gaze. Was he irritated that she was still worrying about kits? “And who will protect Sparkpelt’s kits if Tigerstar finds out we’re sheltering his sworn enemy?”

  Squirrelflight’s heart lurched. “He won’t find out!”

  “We won’t give him the chance.” Bramblestar watched their Clanmates disappear into the long grass. “Sunrise and her campmates must leave our territory tonight.”

  CHAPTER 11

  Squirrelflight leaped down from the tree-bridge and headed along the shore. She could see the shapes of ShadowClan and WindClan, moving like shadows over the stony beach as they trekked back to their territories. RiverClan had already crossed the shore and disappeared into the marshes. Her paws pricked. How was she going to break the news to the Sisters that they had to leave now, in the middle of the night?

  Pebbles crunched behind her as Alderheart hurried at her heels.

  She glanced at him as he fell in beside her. “Do you think Sunrise is well enough to travel?” she asked.

  “She’ll be okay if her campmates help her.” Alderheart gazed across the lake as though his thoughts were elsewhere. “And she can rest once she’s home.”

  “Do you think it’s fair?” Squirrelflight’s tail twitched.

  “Do I think what’s fair?” Alderheart looked at her.

  “To make them leave. Now. Before they’re ready?”

  Alderheart returned her gaze steadily. “I think it’s for the best.”

  “For whose best?” Squirrelflight asked crossly.

  “Every cat’s.” Alderheart’s hopped over a rotting branch that had washed onto the shore. “The Sisters will be safer on their own territory. And our Clanmates will be happier knowing they’re gone. If Tigerstar wants war, it’s dangerous having them in camp.”

  Squirrelflight looked away. She knew Alderheart was right, but she wished the Sisters could have seen ThunderClan at its best. Her Clanmates hadn’t always been so unwelcoming and defensive. The Sisters had come at a bad time.

  The patrol trailed behind them, murmuring to one another. Bumblestripe and Honeyfur walked side by side. Hollytuft shadowed Jayfeather while Bristlepaw and Thriftpaw padded behind. Bramblestar hung back with Thornclaw. As they neared camp, Squirrelflight’s heart quickened. She wanted to break the news to the Sisters before Bramblestar ordered them out of camp. She turned and called to Bramblestar. “I’m going ahead to tell Leafpool that Sunrise has to leave.”

  Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “Okay.” He nodded to Bumblestripe. “Go with her.”

  Squirrelflight stiffened. Was he sending Bumblestripe to keep her safe, or because he didn’t trust her? What did he think she would do? Hole up in the medicine den and fight for the Sisters to stay?

  She nodded politely and pulled away from the patrol, breaking into a run. Bumblestripe fell in beside her and matched her, paw step for paw step, as she zigzagged between ferns and veered onto the rabbit trail that would bring her out close to the camp entrance. It was too narrow to run side by side here, and she slipped into the lead, speeding up as she neared home. She ducked first through the thorn tunnel and hurried into camp.

  The clearing was hidden in shadow. The Clan must be asleep. Only Whitewing’s pelt showed on the far side of the clearing, bright in the moonlight. She hurried forward as she saw Squirrelflight. “Did ShadowClan know the Sisters are here?” she whispered anxiously.

  “No.” Squirrelflight flicked her tail as Bumblestripe followed her into camp. “Bumblestripe will tell you what happened.” As Whitewing turned away Squirrelflight padded quickly to the elders’ den. She stuck her head through the entrance. The scent of the Sisters bathed her muzzle and she blinked, adjusting to the darkness. “Snow? Are you awake?”

  The white she-cat lifted her head and blinked sleepily in the shadows. “What’s happened?”

  “You have to leave tonight,” Squirrelflight told her.

  Tempest jerked her head up. “Right now?” Alarm glittered in the tabby’s bright gaze.

  “As soon as Bramblestar gets back,” Squirrelflight told her. “He wants you to leave tonight. He’s following with the rest of the patrol. They’ll be here soon.”

  Hawk scrambled to her paws. “Is Sunrise well enough to travel?”

  “I hope so. I’m going to see Leafpool now,” Squirrelflight blinked at her. “She’ll know what to do.” She ducked out of the elders’ den, sensing Bumblestripe’s gaze as she crossed the clearing. She ignored it and nosed her way through the brambles that draped the entrance to the medicine den.

  Leafpool was sitting beside Sunrise’s nest, her face hidden in shadow. She pricked her ears as Squirrelflight slid inside. “Was the Gathering okay?”

  Sunrise shifted in her nest. “Did ShadowClan make trouble?” Anxiety glittered in her gaze.

  Squirrelflight crossed the den. “ShadowClan wants to de
clare war against the Sisters. Leafstar and Bramblestar convinced them to hold off until we hear from StarClan.” She gazed evenly at Sunrise. “But Bramblestar says you have to leave here tonight.”

  Leafpool’s pelt prickled. “Tonight?” She glanced anxiously at Sunrise’s wound. Squirrelflight guessed what she was thinking. The gash had closed, but a mistimed jump or a fall could reopen it. And the infection had sapped the she-cat’s strength.

  “I’ve warned Snow.” As Squirrelflight spoke, the white she-cat pushed her way into the den, Tempest and Hawk at her heels. They crowded inside, appearing bigger than ever in the tight hollow.

  Snow blinked at Leafpool. “Is she well enough to travel?”

  Leafpool shifted her paws. “She’ll have to be. If ShadowClan is talking war, it’s too dangerous for you to stay.”

  “War?” Hawk asked, her eyes wide. “You didn’t mention that before. Do you really think the other cats would attack because you’ve helped us?”

  “You attacked their warriors,” Leafpool replied evenly. “They would see it as defending their own.”

  “But we were only defending our own,” Tempest meowed.

  Leafpool’s ear twitched irritably. “We could argue about who was in the right all day. What matters is that you must leave if we want to avoid violence.” She caught Squirrelflight’s eye nervously.

  Does she think I’m going to argue? Squirrelflight felt uneasy about sending Sunrise home while she was still weak, but she realized Alderheart had been right, and Leafpool clearly felt the same way—if ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan were ready to start a war with the Sisters, they wouldn’t be safe here, and their presence would put ThunderClan in danger.

  Leafpool flicked her tail. “I’ll make up a bundle of herbs for you to take.” She padded toward the cleft in the rock at the back of the den where the herbs were stored. “I hope you can find more when you get home.” She crouched and began tugging leaves from the shadowy crack. “Use marigold, and goldenrod if you can find it. That wound will need to be kept clean until it’s fully healed.”

  Snow dipped her head. “We are grateful for your care, Leafpool. Sunrise would have died without you.”