Darkest Night

Alderheart shifted his paws impatiently. “If it is a real cat . . . do we know any six-toed cats in the Clans?”

Willowshine shook her head, and Bramblestar tipped his head to one side thoughtfully. “None that I can think of,” he meowed.

Alderheart sighed and nodded. “There’s one way to find out,” he mewed. “Can we travel to the other Clans?”

“Now?” Bramblestar blinked.

“Yes.”

“You should have an escort.” The ThunderClan leader glanced around the camp. Dovewing had left. Only Graystripe, Millie, Blossomfall, and her kits remained. “Can you wait until Brackenfur’s patrol gets back? They won’t be long.”

Willowshine’s tail twitched nervously. “I should get back to my camp. Mothwing will be worried.”

Alderheart glanced at her. He wanted Willowshine to share her vision with the other leaders. They wouldn’t question it as much if they heard it from her directly. “If we leave straight away, we could visit ShadowClan and SkyClan before sunhigh—it won’t take long.” It would be a start. They could make the longer trip to WindClan another day.

Willowshine shifted her paws. “All right, but we’ll have to hurry.”

Alderheart nodded and stared straight at his father. “We’re medicine cats. We don’t need an escort.”

Bramblestar dipped his head. “All right, but be careful.”

As Alderheart turned to head down the rocks, he remembered Jayfeather. “Share the news with Jayfeather!” he called over his shoulder. “Tell him I’ll talk to him when I get back.” He knew Jayfeather would be angry that Alderheart had acted without him, but there wasn’t time to guide a cantankerous blind cat through the woods.

Willowshine raced beside him as he headed out of camp. Together they burst into the woods and ran for the border. Alderheart slid into the lead, showing Willowshine the way as they crossed SkyClan territory and headed toward Leafstar’s camp.

They arrived, panting, and burst through the fern tunnel.

Leafstar looked up from the mouse she was sharing with Macgyver and got to her paws, her eyes round with worry. “Has something happened?” she asked, eying their ruffled pelts.

“Willowshine had a vision.” Alderheart nodded toward the RiverClan medicine cat as he struggled to catch his breath.

“I saw a six-toed cat,” Willowshine puffed.

Leafstar blinked at her. “Where?”

“In my vision.” Willowshine took a long gulp of air. “StarClan told me that we will need an extra claw to fend off the storm. They want us to find a six-toed cat.”

“Do you know any?” Alderheart urged. “Have there ever been any six-toed cats in SkyClan?” Perhaps Hawkwing’s patrol would bring back an old Clanmate with six toes.

Leafstar shook her head. “We’ve never had a six-toed cat.”

Macgyver padded to join them, still chewing. “Have we counted the toes on Tinycloud’s kits?”

“She’d have told us by now.” Leafstar gazed at Alderheart. “Are there any six-toed cats in the other Clans?”

“Not that we know of.”

“At least we know that there is a way to fend off the storm.” The SkyClan leader looked relieved.

“If it really is a cat.” Alderheart didn’t want her to think their troubles were over. “And we can find the cat.”

Leafstar turned back to her mouse. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out,” she mewed, settling down beside it.

Macgyver swished his tail. “StarClan is watching over us. They’ll help you find the cat you’re looking for.”

As he turned away, Alderheart sighed and glanced at Willowshine.

She met his gaze. “Don’t they care?” she whispered.

Alderheart headed out of the camp. “Perhaps SkyClan’s ancestors never sent prophecies. Maybe their StarClan solved SkyClan’s problems themselves instead of warning them.” He headed toward the ShadowClan border, his pelt ruffled. At least Rowanstar would understand that beside the lake, StarClan didn’t have the power to save anyone. They can only guide our paws.

At the ShadowClan border, they met Juniperclaw and Ratscar. Alderheart had been surprised to see an elder patrolling but, as Juniperclaw had explained, with so few Clanmates left, every cat must help. And Ratscar had seemed happy with his duties. “I’m old,” he had told them. “But I’m not dead yet.”

Now they faced Rowanstar at the head of the ShadowClan clearing. Beside him, Puddleshine listened eagerly. Juniperclaw and Ratscar waited at the entrance. Scorchfur, Grassheart, and Stonewing watched from the edge of the camp as Whorlpaw and Flowerpaw shifted nervously nearby. Tawnypelt stood beside the wide, flat rock beside Rowanstar’s den while Tigerheart hung back in the shadows. The dark tabby’s eyes narrowed with interest as Willowshine told Rowanstar her vision.

“We will need an extra claw.” The ShadowClan leader repeated her words thoughtfully.

“Do you know any cats with six toes?” Alderheart asked.

“Not in ShadowClan,” Rowanstar answered.

“One of the rogues, perhaps?” Alderheart pressed.

Willowshine shuddered beside him.

Scorchfur growled from the edge of the clearing. “Why would a rogue help us fend off a storm?”