Darkest Night

Violetpaw pricked her ears. She was as keen as Twigpaw to hear what happened next.

Hawkwing flicked his tail. “Pebbleshine realized her mistake as soon as she reached the camp. She knew Billystorm couldn’t be far behind. I was waiting at the entrance to see how she had done. When she saw me, she begged me to help. She was so out of breath she could hardly talk. She told me to distract Billystorm. She said I must run to a Twoleg nest nearby and climb a tree and wait there. I thought she had bees in her brains. How would climbing a tree distract Billystorm? But I did it. I ran to the nearest Twoleg nest and climbed the first tree I came to. Before long, I saw Billystorm racing toward me. His fur was standing on end. He stopped below the tree and called up to me.” Hawkwing roughened his mew, clearly impersonating Billystorm. “‘Hawkwing! Are you okay? Pebblepaw told me she thought she’d seen a dog chasing you.’”

“She lied?” Twigpaw sounded horrified.

“Not exactly. She only said that she’d thought she’d seen a dog chasing me. And there was a dog barking nearby. I could have been chased. Your mother was smart. Her story distracted Billystorm long enough for her to race back and fetch her rabbit and get back to camp before him.”

Twigpaw whisked her tail happily. “Was Billystorm impressed?”

“Yes. He let her pick the first prey from the pile that night.” Hawkwing’s eyes shone affectionately. “And when he found out she’d used me as a decoy, he said it was quick thinking and a sign of a good warrior. Pebbleshine purred about it for days.”

Violetpaw glanced back at him. Talking about Pebbleshine seemed to have made him happy, even though she was dead. Was that how it was when you lost someone you loved? Her thoughts drifted to Needletail. Even thinking of her friend made Violetpaw’s chest tighten with grief. I could never talk about Needletail happily. Not after what happened.

She carried on walking, her paws suddenly heavy.

A pelt brushed her side. Hawkwing fell in beside her. “I hope you don’t mind me talking about Pebbleshine,” he meowed softly. “I know you must miss her.”

“I don’t really remember her.” Violetpaw guiltily avoided his gaze.

“You were very young when you lost her.” His mew was soft.

“Don’t you find it hard to talk about her?” Violetpaw asked.

“I like to remember her,” Hawkwing meowed. “And it’s easier now that I have found you both.” He looked back at Twigpaw, raising his voice. “She was the kindest, sweetest cat I’ve ever known, and I miss her every day. But missing her doesn’t have to feel so sad anymore because I have part of her with me.”

“Do we remind you of her?” Twigpaw called from behind.

Violetpaw felt a rush of irritation. Couldn’t Twigpaw ever let a moment pass in silence without filling it with questions?

Hawkwing stopped and looked at Twigpaw. “You remind me of her very much,” he meowed fondly.

Twigpaw puffed out her chest happily.

“Thank you for finding SkyClan. It’s the sort of thing your mother would have done. She was brave and adventurous too.”

Violetpaw swallowed back jealousy. Aren’t I brave and adventurous?

Hawkwing touched his nose to Violetpaw’s ear. “You’re more like me,” he purred. “Your mother would have loved you both very much, just as I do.”

Violetpaw held his gaze, saying nothing. The grief in her heart seemed to melt into warmth. Purring, she rubbed her muzzle along Hawkwing’s jaw, and then Twigpaw’s. She suddenly was happier than she could have ever imagined possible.

For the first time in her life, Violetpaw felt like she belonged.

CHAPTER 4

Twigpaw glanced nervously at the towering pines. A fierce wind was hollering through the branches, rocking the trees. She missed ThunderClan territory, where the trees seemed sturdier, their ancient roots thick and twisted deep into the earth. Here in the pine forest, she felt as if a tree could topple anytime.

“Twigpaw! Stop staring at the trees and help,” Finpaw called. The brown-and-ginger apprentice blinked at her.

Leafstar had sent Twigpaw with Finpaw and Dewpaw to find twigs to build the camp, while Reedpaw had stayed behind to pick burrs from the moss they’d gathered yesterday. Finpaw had already collected a pile of sticks. His brother was a little farther off, reaching beneath a bramble bush.

Twigpaw padded toward them, still craning her neck to watch the swirling treetops. “Aren’t you scared a tree might fall down?”

Dewpaw wriggled out from the bramble, his brown tabby fur ruffled. “Why should they? They’ve been here as long as StarClan.”

“But it’s so windy.” Twigpaw had to raise her voice against the swish of the branches. She squeaked with alarm as a small twig tumbled down and landed on her back.

Finpaw’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “I thought you were used to living in a forest.”