Thunder and Shadow

Violetpaw pressed dripping moss to Kinkfur’s mouth, just as Twigpaw had taught her. The den felt stuffy, warmed by the bright newleaf sun. Outside, sunshine sliced across the clearing.

  After Twigpaw had left, Violetpaw hadn’t been able to go back to sleep. Instead she’d come to help Puddleshine. At least here the stench of sickness blocked out the lingering scent of Twigpaw.

  Kinkfur wheezed, pushing the moss away as a spasm of coughing gripped her. The old she-cat jerked weakly in her nest, helpless against the seizure. Fear sparked through Violetpaw’s pelt. “Puddleshine!” She jerked her muzzle toward the medicine cat. He was leaning over Snakekit, gently dabbing green pulp around her jaws.

  He turned sharply as Violetpaw called. His gaze flicked to Kinkfur, still twitching in her nest. The coughing gave way to a rattling wheeze. She seemed no more than fur and bones, shaken by a cruel wind. “Fetch thyme!” Puddleshine ordered.

  Violetpaw stared at him. “I don’t know what it looks like!”

  “It has woody stems and small leaves—” Puddleshine stopped as Kinkfur fell limp.

  Violetpaw stiffened with panic. “I’ll go and look.”

  “There’s no need.” Puddleshine’s mew was desolate. He stared at the old she-cat, his eyes misting.

  “She’s dead?” Violetpaw felt cold. Kinkfur was lying still, as though she was sleeping. “Perhaps the sickness has gone away and she’s just resting.” Kinkfur couldn’t be dead.

  Gently Puddleshine touched Kinkfur’s flank with his paw. “She’s with StarClan now.”

  “No!” Shock sparked through Violetpaw’s fur as she suddenly saw the stillness of death. She looked like prey. Overwhelmed, Violetpaw bolted for the entrance. She raced across the clearing, ignoring the surprised stares of her Clanmates.

  “Where are you going?” Dawnpelt’s mew rang across the clearing.

  Violetpaw didn’t answer. She raced through the entrance tunnel and burst from the camp. Gulping the pine-scented air outside, she tried to fight the waves of grief washing over her. Her Clanmates were dying. Twigpaw was gone. There was no one in the Clan she could talk to. Not really talk to. For a moment she wondered where Needletail was. Needletail would know what to say. She’d flick her tail carelessly and tell Violetpaw not to worry. She’d say that Kinkfur would be happier lying in the warm sunshine of StarClan’s hunting grounds than coughing in a stuffy nest. She’d tell her that she didn’t need Twigpaw because she had her.

  I should have stayed with her. Violetpaw had tried not to think of her friend since she’d rejoined ShadowClan. She’d tried not to worry how Needletail might be getting along with the rogues and had kept her thoughts focused on the present. She’d tried to put her Clanmates first. Now, with a stab of grief, Violetpaw realized that Needletail had never abandoned her. When she’d left, she’d taken Violetpaw with her. I abandoned her. Guilt pricked through Violetpaw’s pelt.

  She headed away from camp.

  “Where are you going?” Dawnpelt padded from the camp and called after her.

  Violetpaw looked over her shoulder. “Kinkfur died,” she meowed bluntly. “I need to get some fresh air.”

  Dawnpelt stared at her, shock sparking in her gaze. “She’s dead?”

  “Yes.” Violetpaw turned away and headed between the trees. She heard Dawnpelt’s fur brush the brambles as the cream-colored she-cat hurried back into camp.

  Paws heavy, Violetpaw walked on. The forest floor was warm where the sun reached it and chilly where shadows lingered. Pushing all thoughts from her mind, Violetpaw found herself wandering toward her old territory—the land held by the rogues. Do I want to see Needletail? Violetpaw couldn’t decide. She wanted Needletail to comfort her, like she had when Violetpaw was a kit. But she knew that Needletail was unlikely to treat her kindly if she ever ran into her again.

  As Violetpaw felt her chest sink in regret, she heard a familiar voice.

  “Well, well.” Needletail slid out from behind a pine and blocked her path. “Look who we have here.”

  Violetpaw’s heart leaped. “Needletail!” Her old friend’s fur looked glossy. Muscles rippled over her shoulders. Violetpaw broke into a purr.

  Needletail scowled and looked over her shoulder. Rain followed her onto the path and stopped beside her. His injured eye was gone. Pale fur covered the space where it had once been. His remaining eye flitted coldly over Violetpaw.

  Violetpaw felt an icy chill settle in her belly. Needletail didn’t look pleased to see her. “I’m sorry I left like I did,” she mewed hurriedly. “I just didn’t know what else to do.”

  Needletail narrowed her eyes. “So you ran away in the night.”

  “I wasn’t running away.” Violetpaw pushed back guilt. “I just didn’t feel like I belonged there anymore.”

  Was that hurt sharpening Needletail’s gaze? Violetpaw leaned closer. “I’m really sorry. I should have talked to you. But . . .” Her mew trailed away as she glanced at Rain. Were Needletail and Rain mates now? Perhaps she’d chosen the right time to leave. Maybe Needletail didn’t have room for friends in her life anymore.

  She realized that Needletail was staring at her, malice shimmering in her green gaze. There was no hurt there now, only threat. Violetpaw backed away. “H-how are the others?” she asked nervously.

  “What do you care?” Needletail hissed. “You’re a ShadowClan cat now. That is where you went, isn’t it?” She sniffed Violetpaw’s pelt. “You smell like a Clan cat.”

  Violetpaw suddenly felt very small.

  “Why did you go back?” Needletail’s question sounded more like an accusation.

  Violetpaw glanced at Rain again, staring at his lost eye.

  Rain’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “I think she was scared someone would spoil her pretty face.”

  “Coward, eh?” Needletail stepped closer.

  Violetpaw flinched. “I belong in a Clan,” she mewed quietly.

  “Traitor!” Needletail’s ears flattened.

  You betrayed your Clan! Violetpaw wished she had the courage to say it. Needletail had been born in ShadowClan. They were her kin. They only took me in because of the prophecy. But Rain and Needletail were staring at her malevolently. “Every cat has to find their own path.”

  Needletail snorted. “You even sound like a Clan cat!”

  “It’s where I belong.” Violetpaw was determined to appear brave, even though her heart was pounding.

  Needletail backed away, her eyes glittering. “So you let me wake up alone, wondering where you’d gone!”

  Violetpaw hesitated. That is sadness! Was the sleek silver she-cat truly hurt that Violetpaw had left her? “I couldn’t stay,” she mewed helplessly.

  Needletail showed her teeth. “We could take you back with us now. I’m sure Darktail would be delighted to have his special Clan cat back.”

  “I don’t want to go back to the rogues!” Violetpaw tried to stop her paws from trembling.

  “Who says you get a choice?” Needletail hissed.

  Violetpaw stared at her pleadingly. “I’m sorry, Needletail. I just want to go home.”

  Needletail glanced at Rain. “What do you think?” she asked. “Should we take her back to camp with us?”

  Rain stared at Violetpaw, his gaze betraying nothing.

  Violetpaw’s breath stopped in her throat. She glanced around the forest, looking for some escape. Perhaps if she bolted for the brambles beyond the ditch, she’d be able to lose them in the tangled branches. Or she could just head back the way she’d come. She was light on her paws. She might be able to outrun them.

  “Well?” Needletail pressed. “Should we take her?”

  “No.”

  Rain’s mew washed Violetpaw like a cool breeze. She let out a breath as he went on.

  “We don’t want cats who don’t want us. Besides, she’s too soft.” He sniffed. “There’s still kit fluff behind her ears.”

  As her shoulders loosened, he glared at her. “But I’m sure we’ll be seeing you again.”
>
  Fear jabbed her belly. As he stalked away with Needletail, Violetpaw realized she was shaking. She backed away, then turned and raced for camp.

  Damp air settled over the clearing as the sun sank behind the trees. Violetpaw crouched at the edge of camp, a half-eaten mouse beside her. Her Clanmates moved quietly around the body lying in the middle. Kinkfur had been carried from the den and placed there, her paws tucked neatly beneath her. Tawnypelt and Dawnpelt had smoothed her fur. Mistcloud, Sparrowtail, and Ratscar had gathered pinecones and early primrose and laid them around her body. Now they sat in the twilight, ready to begin the vigil.

  Violetpaw watched them, her thoughts jumbled. Twigpaw had left; Kinkfur had died; Needletail was no longer her friend. Did I think she would be, after I left her like that? She couldn’t forget the flash of pain in Needletail’s gaze as she’d spoken about waking up and finding Violetpaw gone.

  Crowfrost padded from his den. He moved stiffly, like an elder. His fur was unkempt. Violetpaw sat up, unease tugging in her belly. Was he just grieving? Or was something else wrong? He stopped beside Kinkfur’s body and beckoned his Clanmates closer with a flick of his tail.

  Violetpaw crossed the clearing and stopped beside Lionpaw and Birchpaw. Puddleshine blinked at her from the other side of Kinkfur’s body. Scorchfur and Spikefur sat together, their gazes dark.

  “Kinkfur was a loyal ShadowClan cat for many moons before I was born.” Crowfrost’s mew was hoarse. “And she remained loyal and kind to the end. She fought beside us against the Dark Forest cats. She was at the front of every battle. She defended her Clanmates as though she were defending her own kits.”

  As the ShadowClan deputy went on, Spikefur narrowed his eyes, watching him as though watching prey.

  “StarClan will welcome her. She has many friends there, and a kit, Dewkit, and long days of endless hunting lie ahead of her.” He dipped his head. “She will be remembered.”

  Ratscar leaned down to grasp a primrose between his teeth. He lifted it and laid it on Kinkfur’s body. Kinkfur’s surviving kits, Mistcloud and Sparrowtail, leaned close, touching their noses to her pelt one last time. As Ratscar settled down beside his old friend, Crowfrost began coughing.

  His Clanmates turned to watch as Crowfrost crouched, his body jerking. His rasping coughs echoed in the evening air. Violetpaw stiffened. For the first time she saw that his gaze was glassy with fever. Fear spiked through her chest as Puddleshine hurried to the deputy’s side.

  “Fetch tansy!” Puddleshine called.

  No cat moved.

  The ShadowClan deputy was ill. No one was left to lead.

  Violetpaw felt weak with dread. Was sickness going to destroy the Clan?

  CHAPTER 21

  Catching his breath, Alderpaw paused on the last rocky slope that led to the Moonpool. His pads burned from the climb. Leafpool leaped ahead of him. Jayfeather stopped at his tail.

  “Hurry up,” the blind medicine cat grunted. “The moon won’t stay up all night.”

  Still Alderpaw hesitated. A warrior was standing on the rim of the hollow, looking down at them. Alderpaw couldn’t make out who it was, but he caught the scent of WindClan. “It looks like Kestrelflight brought an escort again,” he told Jayfeather.

  “It’s Harespring.” Jayfeather pushed past Alderpaw.

  “How do you know?” Alderpaw clambered after him.

  “I’ve smelled his scent all the way along the trail,” Jayfeather puffed. “I wonder why Kestrelflight only came with one warrior this time.”

  “Perhaps Onestar thinks that his deputy is as good as two ordinary warriors,” Alderpaw guessed.

  “Perhaps.” Jayfeather sounded unconvinced. He nodded to Harespring as he reached the top, and padded past him.

  Alderpaw followed, glancing nervously at the WindClan deputy, who watched them, betraying no expression. After his trip to the WindClan camp with Leafpool, he didn’t trust any of WindClan. Perhaps they all shared Onestar’s rage and paranoia.

  He padded down the dimpled stone path. The Moonpool shone at the bottom. The half-moon’s reflection was rippling in the wind, which spiraled down between the sheltering cliffs. It ruffled Alderpaw’s fur, but he didn’t feel cold. Newleaf had finally loosened the stone grip of leaf-bare. The night air was fragrant with scents.

  Willowshine was sitting beside Mothwing and Puddleshine, but as the ShadowClan medicine cat spotted Leafpool, he hurried forward.

  “How’s Twigpaw?” he asked as she reached the pool.

  “She’s fine.” Leafpool dipped her head politely.

  In the days since the ThunderClan patrol had brought her home, Twigpaw had been quiet, her thoughts drifting easily. When Alderpaw had asked her about her time with ShadowClan, she’d told him that they’d treated her well but she was glad she didn’t have to live in such a disorganized Clan. Sadness had tinged her gaze as she’d said it, and, when he’d pressed her, she’d admitted that even though she didn’t miss ShadowClan, she wished she could still be with Violetpaw.

  “It felt good to have kin close by,” she had murmured.

  Alderpaw had touched his nose to her cheek, wishing there was something he could say to comfort her.

  In the hollow, Puddleshine’s eyes flashed with gratitude. “Twigpaw was amazing.”

  Alderpaw blinked at him as he reached the pool. What had Twigpaw done that had impressed the medicine cat so much? “Amazing?”

  “She helped me with the sick cats,” Puddleshine explained. “She knew which herbs to give and how to make even the sickest cats swallow them.”

  Jayfeather grunted. “I suppose all that time she spent getting under my paws wasn’t entirely wasted.”

  Alderpaw ignored the grumpy medicine cat, relishing the pride warming his belly. “Twigpaw loves to help.”

  Leafpool leaned forward anxiously. “How are the sick cats?”

  The glow faded from Puddleshine’s gaze. Alderpaw suddenly noticed how weary he looked, his pelt dull and unwashed, his tail drooping. “Kinkfur died a few days ago,” he mewed.

  Kestrelflight shifted his paws uneasily, avoiding the ShadowClan medicine cat’s gaze. Had he known about Kinkfur’s death before the meeting? Did he feel responsible?

  Puddleshine went on. “No cat has shown signs of improvement. Snakekit is just fur and bones, and Rowanstar’s lives are ebbing away.” He lowered his voice, one eye on Harespring, still standing at the top of the hollow. “And now Crowfrost has been taken ill.”

  Alderpaw saw Leafpool swap anxious looks with Kestrelflight. His heart lurched. ShadowClan had no leader now. They would be more vulnerable than ever.

  Mothwing padded forward. “We’ve scoured RiverClan territory for lungwort, but we’ve found nothing that fits your description.”

  Willowshine pricked her ears. “We wondered if birch sap might help. There’s a young tree near the river. The bark is soft enough to score into. We can gather sap and bring it to you if you like. Its sweetness will give the sick cats energy when they can’t eat.”

  Jayfeather tipped his head curiously. “Birch sap? Does it cure coughs?”

  “We don’t know yet. We’ve only just discovered it,” Willowshine told him. “But it won’t do any harm. It might be worth trying until Onestar changes his mind.”

  Alderpaw’s belly tightened. From what he’d seen of the WindClan leader, Onestar was never going to change his mind. His thoughts quickened. And if he doesn’t? How many ShadowClan cats will die? Would there be any cat left? Anger surged through him. “Why don’t the Clans join together and make Onestar give ShadowClan the herb?”

  Kestrelflight’s fur rippled uneasily.

  Leafpool blinked at Alderpaw, clearly surprised by the anger in his mew.

  Puddleshine’s ears twitched. “If only it were that easy.”

  “It is that easy!” Alderpaw’s pelt bristled. “We need to stand up to Onestar.”

  Leafpool’s tail swished over the stone. “You’re right, Alderpaw. But we need the support of our lea
ders. I’m not sure they are ready to start a war over this yet.”

  Alderpaw growled. “They should be! Don’t they care that ShadowClan is dying? Aren’t all cats’ lives important?”

  Kestrelflight glanced at Harespring. He nodded to the warrior, who turned and disappeared over the edge of the rim. “I think I have a more peaceful solution.”

  The medicine cats swung their heads toward him.

  Alderpaw’s heart leaped into this throat. “What?”

  Kestrelflight padded to the pool. “I need to share with StarClan before I tell you. I need to know that what I want to do is right.”

  Alderpaw watched the WindClan medicine cat crouch at the edge of the pool and touch his nose to the water. Curiosity gnawed in his belly. “What do you think he means?” he blinked at Leafpool.

  “Let’s share with StarClan,” she mewed softly. “And then he can tell us.”

  Alderpaw followed Leafpool as the cats fanned out around the pool. Mothwing lay down by the pool to wait. Closing his eyes, Alderpaw crouched and touched his nose to the water.

  Sun-drenched meadows opened in front of him. A warm breeze ruffled his pelt. The stone beneath his paws turned to soft grass, tickling where the wind set it rippling against his fur.

  A broad-faced gray she-cat padded toward him, stars sparkling in her thick, long fur. She purred as she neared. Alderpaw dipped his head, wondering who she was.

  “I am Yellowfang.” She stopped in front of him.

  Yellowfang. Alderpaw had heard stories of the brave she-cat who had killed her own son to save her Clan. He blinked at her, his heart quickening. “Have you come to tell me if Twigpaw and Violetpaw are what we were meant to find in the shadows?” He’d come to the pool with the same question burning in his thoughts every half-moon.

  Yellowfang’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “Haven’t you wondered whether finding out for yourselves might be part of the prophecy?”

  Alderpaw leaned forward eagerly. “Does that mean they are?”

  Yellowfang gazed at him steadily. “It means I’m not telling you.”

  Alderpaw frowned, frustration pricking through his fur.