Darkest Night

Sparkpelt’s fur ruffled along her spine. “I know you wanted SkyClan to stay. But that didn’t mean I had to agree. I can have my own opinion. And of course I care that you’re worried.” She began to pace back and forth. “But you’re right. I guess I’ve been too caught up with Larksong to take the time to talk to you about stuff that’s important. And I’m sorry I saved you from that fat kittypet. . . .” She paused. “I’m not sorry exactly. I wasn’t going to let you get your fur ripped off. But I trained as a warrior and you trained as a medicine cat. If I was bleeding to death right now, you’d save me, wouldn’t you? Because that’s what you do. You save cats. I hunt and fight.” She stopped and gazed at him.

Guilt jabbed Alderheart’s belly. “I’m sorry.” He stared at the ground. “I know I’m being oversensitive. And you are allowed to have your own opinions.” He glanced at her quickly. “Even if they’re wrong.”

She purred. “I’m glad you’re sensitive. It makes you a great brother.” She nudged his shoulder with her nose. “Let’s go back to camp and take the biggest piece of prey from the pile, and if anyone complains, I’ll just tell them that you traveled all the way here and fought off the fiercest cat in the forest.”

Alderheart began to climb the slope. “Okay, but let’s not take the biggest piece. Just the second biggest piece.”

“Okay.” Sparkpelt fell in beside him. “Why did you come all the way here? And don’t tell me it’s medicine-cat stuff again.”

“I was hoping one of those kittypets might be the six-toed cat,” Alderheart told her.

“The one who’s going to save the Clans from the storm?”

He nodded.

“But no luck?” she asked.

“No.” Alderheart’s tail drooped.

“Don’t worry,” Sparkpelt mewed softly. “You’ll work it out. After all, you did find SkyClan.”

“Twigpaw found SkyClan,” he corrected her.

“Only because you told her where to look.” Sparkpelt lifted her tail. “And perhaps this prophecy isn’t as bad as you think. Maybe StarClan is just being cautious because so much bad stuff has happened already.”

They reached the top of the slope and turned toward the forest. Perhaps this prophecy isn’t as bad as you think. Alderheart tried to imagine that Sparkpelt was right, but anxiety still tugged in his belly. “No,” he murmured. “I can feel it’s important. StarClan wants us to figure it out. RiverClan has turned its back on us. ShadowClan is close to falling apart. I don’t know how a six-toed cat can fix everything, but even if it only leads us to the next clue, it’s worth trying for.”

As they headed into the trees, Sparkpelt padded closer, letting her fur brush his. “Tell me if you need help,” she mewed. “If you need to make another journey like this, I can come with you.”

He blinked at her gratefully, pleased that the anger that had been sitting like a stone in his belly for so long had dissolved. Affection swelled in his chest. The forest muffled the wind, but above the trees the sky was growing darker. “Tell me about Larksong. Do you really like him?”

Sparkpelt shrugged. “Yeah. A lot. But . . . I don’t know. I want to enjoy being a warrior right now. I don’t want to get serious. But I like being with Larksong, and I think he likes being with me.” She glanced nervously at Alderheart. “Do you think he likes being with me?”

“Why wouldn’t he?” Alderheart mewed. “You’re funny and smart and a great warrior.”

She nudged him. “Thanks, Alderheart.”

As Alderheart purred, an ominous growl sounded from the bracken beside them. The stench of dog washed his muzzle. Panic shrilled through him as the brown-and-white dog lunged from the undergrowth. Alderheart recognized it at once. Its vine trailed on the ground beside it. Its growl exploded into ugly barking.

Sparkpelt knocked Alderheart backward and swiped a paw at the dog’s muzzle. Fast as a fox, the dog thrust its nose low and snapped its jaws around Sparkpelt’s hind leg. With a tug, it yanked her onto her back and dragged her toward the bracken.

Alderheart’s chest seemed to burst with terror. Without thinking, he flung himself at the dog. Flailing with every paw, he clung to its head and tore at it wildly.

The dog yelped in pain, thrashing its head back and forth. Alderheart clung harder. Jaws snapped beneath him. Hot breath billowed around him. Blind with terror, he hooked his hind claws into the folds of fur around the dog’s neck and began churning.

Whimpering, the dog thumped Alderheart against a tree, and Alderheart let go. Winded and trembling, he scrambled to his paws, ready to fight for his life. But the dog turned and, with a howl, pounded away through the bracken and disappeared between the trees.

Blood roared in Alderheart’s ears. “Sparkpelt?” He saw her orange pelt beneath the bracken fronds. “Sparkpelt!” Throat tight with fear, he darted to her side.

She rolled over and stared at him, her green eyes wide. “That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.”