Darkest Night

“Let’s stop worrying about StarClan and start sharing with them,” Jayfeather snapped. “I’m cold.”

The clear night sky sparkled overhead. A cool breeze whipped around the hollow, sending ripples across the Moonpool.

As Alderheart stopped beside Leafpool, Puddleshine cleared his throat. “There’s something we need to discuss first,” he meowed.

Kestrelflight pricked his ears.

Alderheart leaned closer, wondering what was making the ShadowClan medicine cat look so worried.

“It’s SkyClan,” Puddleshine told them. “They have no medicine cat. A few days ago, I was called out to help them.”

“Tinycloud?” Anxiety flashed beneath Alderheart’s pelt.

Puddleshine shook his head. “A branch fell on Finpaw’s tail. I had to cut him free.”

“Cut him free?” Leafpool looked shocked. “Is he okay?”

“He will be,” Puddleshine told her. “I’ve been visiting the SkyClan camp daily and dressing the wound. I managed to make a clean cut, and there’s no infection.”

“You did well.” Leafpool looked proud of her ex-apprentice.

“I did my best, and StarClan guided my paws,” Puddleshine mewed modestly. “But it’s dangerous for them not to have their own medicine cat, and I don’t have time to check on them every day. Tinycloud’s kits are very overdue. A medicine cat should be in the camp. Her kitting will be hard.”

Jayfeather swished his tail over the stone. “One of us will have to stay with them, like we did with you”—he nodded toward Puddleshine—“when ShadowClan had no medicine cat. Do any of SkyClan’s apprentices seem able to communicate with StarClan?”

“Well . . . I’m not sure. Twigpaw did want to be a medicine cat once,” Alderheart mewed wistfully.

“Hanging around the medicine den getting under other cats’ paws isn’t the same as being a medicine cat,” Jayfeather mewed sharply.

Leafpool ignored him. “SkyClan is planning to send a patrol to the gorge to look for lost Clanmates,” she told them. “Perhaps they’ll find a Clanmate who’s got some training in herbs.”

Puddleshine still looked worried. “They need someone now. Tinycloud’s kits will be at risk if they aren’t born soon.”

“I’ll go.” Alderheart realized with a rush that if he went to SkyClan, he’d see Twigpaw again. He’d be able to see how she was settling into her new home.

“Don’t be mouse-brained,” Jayfeather mewed impatiently. “Bramblestar just told you that you have to stay in camp to help me with my herb store.”

Alderheart glared at the blind medicine cat. Why did his hearing have to be so sharp?

“Besides,” Jayfeather went on, “Leafpool trained ShadowClan’s medicine cat. She’s used to working with other Clans. She should go.”

Leafpool dipped her head. “I’d be happy to do it.”

Frustration tightened Alderheart’s belly. Why did it seem like everyone was trying to stop him from seeing Twigpaw? He’d rescued her. He’d watched her grow up. Surely he had some right to see how she was doing?

Kestrelflight moved closer to the water. “Let’s begin.” The others followed his lead, crouching close to the edge.

Still upset, Alderheart hunched beside Leafpool and stretched his head forward. Closing his eyes, he touched his nose to the pool.

The ground under him seemed to drop away. He felt the familiar falling sensation in his belly and relaxed into it, let himself swirl down as countless stars rushed to meet him. Then, suddenly, he felt grass beneath his paws. Sunshine warmed his pelt and he opened his eyes to see the sunny meadows of StarClan’s hunting grounds. He was surprised to see the other medicine cats lined beside him. They sat up, blinking at one another in the sunlight. Alderheart tensed. A shared vision! It must be important.

“Where are they?” Puddleshine whispered, glancing around. The hilltop where they stood was deserted.

In the distance, Alderheart could see cats stalking, stretching in the sunshine, or gathered in groups.

Leafpool got to her paws. “Let’s go to them.”

“There is no need.” A deep mew took Alderheart by surprise. He recognized it and turned.

Firestar was padding toward them, his star-specked fur sparkling even in the bright daylight. Others followed him, and Alderheart stretched to see which StarClan cats had come to greet them. He recognized the lithe shapes of WindClan cats, the light tread of ShadowClan warriors, and the thick, glossy pelts of RiverClan cats. ThunderClan cats were among them, as sleek and tough-looking as they had been in life. The cats he did not recognize must, he guessed, be SkyClan’s ancestors. He saw Purdy and broke into a purr. He hoped he knew how much he was missed.

“Where are Willowshine and Mothwing?” A large RiverClan tom with a twisted jaw slid in front of Firestar and scanned the medicine cats with dismay. Crookedstar? Alderheart guessed it was RiverClan’s old leader.

Leafpool dipped her head to him. “They would be here if they could, I’m sure,” she mewed apologetically.

Crookedstar glanced at Firestar. “It is worse than we thought.”

Firestar nodded. “You must bring RiverClan back to the Clans,” he told Leafpool.