Darkest Night

She hurried toward Needletail. Could the ShadowClan warrior have survived Darktail’s attempt to kill her? I didn’t see her die. All she remembered from when she fled was that the rogues had heavily outnumbered Needletail. “What are you doing here?”

Needletail didn’t answer. She only stared. Her pelt looked as though she were lit from inside.

“What happened to you?” Violetpaw’s thoughts whirled. “Are you dead?”

Needletail snorted. “Of course I’m dead. Do you think Darktail had a change of heart after you got away?”

“But there are no stars in your pelt. . . .” Violetpaw’s mew trailed away. Wasn’t Needletail with StarClan? Her belly tightened. Had she come from the Dark Forest? She swallowed. The young warrior had betrayed her Clan, but StarClan must have known that it was a mistake. They must have seen her give her life to save her Clanmate. She didn’t deserve to go to the Dark Forest.

Needletail turned and began to walk away.

Violetpaw followed. “Am I dreaming you?”

Needletail didn’t answer. She kept walking, the pale light from her fur showing the way between the trees.

“Where are you going?” Violetpaw glanced around as Needletail led her deeper into the forest. She was aware of her sleeping Clanmates, farther behind her with each step. “Do you want me to come with you?”

Violetpaw’s mew echoed through the forest. The fox screeched again. Movement caught her eye and she looked up. An owl glided silently between the trees. Violetpaw’s heart quickened.

“Needletail!” Violetpaw stopped. Where was Needletail going? Why was she so silent? But as she spoke, the faint light disappeared. Needletail was gone.

Violetpaw stiffened, suddenly aware that she was alone in a strange forest.

She turned back, breathing rapidly. What if the owl decided she was prey? What if the fox picked up her scent? She had to get back to her Clanmates.

Why did you lead me so far away, Needletail? She shivered. Had her friend wanted to separate her from Hawkwing and the others? Is she angry with me? She sped up, hurrying back along the path she had come. Quickly she lost her scent trail. Had she gone the wrong way? She looked around. The trees looked the same in the dark. The strange scents of the unfamiliar forest confused her. What if she was heading farther away from the cleft in the rock? She froze, unsure what to do. I should stay here, she decided. When dawn comes it will be easier to find my way back.

She looked around for cover. A hollow between arching tree trunks would give her shelter for the night. She fluffed out her fur, determined not to be afraid. I can hunt and I can fight, she told herself. I will be safe until dawn.

Paw steps made her freeze. Leaves crunched nearby. Something was heading her way. She unsheathed her claws, blood thumping in her ears.

“Violetpaw?”

She recognized her father’s mew. Relief washed her pelt like a cool breeze.

“Hawkwing.” She raced toward the sound, joy bursting in her chest as she saw his familiar pelt in the starlight.

“What are you doing out here?” He hurried to meet her.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she told him. “So I thought I’d hunt. But I got lost.” She could never tell him about Needletail. She didn’t want to tell him about how her friend died, and she didn’t know if she could explain what had just happened.

“We’re not far from the boulders,” Hawkwing reassured her. “Let’s go back. You should get some more sleep. We’ve got a lot of traveling to do tomorrow.”

Violetpaw nodded and let him lead her between the trees, but she couldn’t resist glancing over her shoulder. Where did you go, Needletail? Another thought pricked her mind. And why did you come? Did Needletail want something? And, if she did, what could it be?

CHAPTER 7

Outside the camp wall, Twigpaw pulled up another fern frond. Earth showered her paws as she shook out the roots and laid it on the pile beside her. She would soon have enough to line every nest in the apprentices’ den. She shivered and fluffed out her fur. The clear sky had brought colder weather. She hoped Violetpaw and Hawkwing had found somewhere sheltered to spend the night.

At least they would come home to cozy dens. The juniper bush was rainproof at last, and Twigpaw had helped Fallowfern and Sandynose weave the bramble walls of the warriors’ den so thickly that no draft could get through. While Fallowfern and Sandynose had turned their attention to the clump of ferns that would become the elders’ den, Twigpaw had begun to build nests for Violetpaw, Reedpaw, Dewpaw, and herself. She hadn’t started Finpaw’s nest yet. He was still recovering in the medicine den.