Bluestar's Prophecy

Pinestar blinked. “But there was fox scent?”

Sparrowpelt flexed his claws. “There’s fox scent everywhere if you sniff for it!”

Mumblefoot padded stiffly forward. “WindClan has done this before,” he reminded them.

Stonepelt nodded. “Leaf-fall always makes them nervous. The rabbits start to go to ground when the forest is still prey-rich. This won’t be the first time hunger has driven WindClan past Fourtrees and over our border.”

“And it won’t be the last,” Sparrowpelt added darkly.

Swiftbreeze swished her tail through the air. “They can’t be hungry. Leaf-fall’s not yet ended.”

“Why didn’t they steal from RiverClan or ShadowClan?” Bluekit ventured. “They share borders with them.”

Adderfang swung his yellow gaze toward her. “They probably think having Fourtrees between the moor and our territory makes them safe from anything we might do in revenge.”

“Or they think we’re easy to steal from!” Stormtail, who had been watching through half-closed eyes from the edge of the clearing, stepped forward. “If they’re willing to steal prey before leaf-fall has ended, how much will they steal in the darkest days of leaf-bare? We must warn them off now, before they think they have the right to help themselves to our prey whenever they like.”

Bluekit tingled with pride. Her father was a true warrior, ready to fight to defend his Clan.

Pinestar shook his head slowly, then turned and bounded up onto Highrock. “There will be no fighting yet,” he ordered.

Stormtail flattened his ears. “You’re going to let them steal from us?” he growled.

“There isn’t enough proof that it was WindClan,” Pinestar answered.

Adderfang let out a low hiss.

“No one saw a WindClan cat, and no scent markers were left behind,” Pinestar pointed out.

“Only because they’re cowards!” Sparrowpelt yowled. Murmurs of agreement rippled around the Clan.

Pinestar turned to Goosefeather. “Has StarClan given any warning?”

Goosefeather shook his head. “Nothing,” he reported.

“Then cowards or not,” Pinestar growled, “I won’t risk a battle on so little evidence. But I’ll warn all the Clans at the Gathering tomorrow that we are being extra vigilant.” He stared down at Sunfall. “Organize extra patrols along the Fourtrees border. If you see a WindClan patrol, warn them off.” He narrowed his eyes. “With words, not claws.”

Sunfall nodded. “We’ll re-scent the markers, too.”

Bluekit saw the fur ripple along her father’s spine as he padded over to sit with Adderfang. The two warriors bent their heads in quiet conversation while Sparrowpelt circled them, his tail bristling.

“Will they go and fight WindClan anyway?” she whispered to Moonflower.

The silver-gray she-cat shook her head. “No.”

Snowkit plucked at the ground beside them. “I would.”

Bluekit wrinkled her nose. “We don’t know if WindClan stole our prey.”

“But they might have!” Snowkit insisted. “It’s better to be safe than sorry! I’d go and rip them to shreds so they’d never dare steal from us again.”

Moonflower looked at her. “Even if your leader told you not to? A Clan leader’s word is law, remember.”

Bluekit put her head on one side, puzzled. “Shouldn’t a warrior put the Clan above everything? What if Pinestar’s wrong?”

Moonflower smoothed Snowkit’s ruffled fur with her tail. “Pinestar will always do whatever is best for ThunderClan. Don’t forget that he is guided by StarClan.”

“I suppose.” Snowkit looked disappointed.

Bluekit stared at the ground, her mind buzzing. How could leaders always be right? Would they still be right if StarClan didn’t guide them?

Patchpaw was padding back to the apprentices’ den. “It would have been our first battle,” he sighed.

Leopardpaw bounded ahead of him, spinning and dropping into an attack crouch. “We would have shredded them.”

The Clan began to wander away, but Pinestar, still sitting on Highrock, let out a soft call. All eyes turned back to the ThunderClan leader. “There is something else,” he began.

Bluekit gazed up at Highrock, curiosity fluttering in her belly.

“I want to appoint two new apprentices.”

Who?

Then she realized.

“It must be us!” she hissed to Snowkit.

But Snowkit’s eyes were already sparkling with anticipation.

“I didn’t think he’d do it today!” Moonflower was hurrying toward them. She sounded flustered. “Look at you!” Bluekit stared in dismay at her pelt, dusty and mud-stained from her climb up and down the ravine.

“Quick! Wash!”

It was too late.

“Bluekit and Snowkit.” Pinestar was beckoning them forward with his tail.

Swiftbreeze stepped aside. Mumblefoot and Sunfall backed away to make space beneath Highrock.

Snowkit was already scampering forward, but Bluekit hesitated, ashamed of her scruffy pelt and uncomfortably conscious of the gaze of her Clanmates.

“Go on,” whispered Moonflower, nudging Bluekit forward. “Your pelt doesn’t really matter.” Pride was lighting her eyes. “It’s your spirit he wants to welcome into ThunderClan.”

Taking a deep breath, Bluekit followed her sister and stood below Highrock, hoping no one could see her legs trembling.