Darkest Night

“We will welcome any ShadowClan warriors who wish to join us,” the SkyClan leader meowed calmly. “We will be honored to have them. But those who do not join must leave the territory. I will not have outcasts living on the land Rowanstar has given us.”

Anxious mews sounded from among the other Clans.

Nightcloud’s ears twitched anxiously. “SkyClan must not replace ShadowClan!”

“That’s not what StarClan meant when they led them here,” Leafpool called.

Passion surged in Alderheart’s chest. “There must be five Clans!”

He saw Sparkpelt lean forward to speak. Was she going to agree with him this time? “It didn’t take long for SkyClan to claim more territory!” She stared accusingly at the SkyClan cats. “I knew they shouldn’t have come here.”

“We didn’t claim territory!” Sandynose yowled back. “We have taken nothing that wasn’t given to us freely.”

“The lake Clans were falling apart when we arrived,” Sagenose added. “It’s not our fault.”

The words struck Alderheart like a blow. Sagenose was right. The rogues had torn ShadowClan apart. They’d driven RiverClan to hide within their borders like loners. Five Clans was supposed to be our destiny, and now we are three. The ground seemed to shift beneath Alderheart’s paws. This is the storm. Bringing SkyClan back was supposed to have made the Clans stronger, but instead it had brought about the end of ShadowClan.

He stared desperately at Leafpool. “This is all wrong!” he breathed.

She gazed at him, her eyes like dark pools. “There is nothing we can do but listen for StarClan.”

StarClan! Anger choked Alderheart. StarClan’s meddling had caused this storm. Why should he believe that they would fix it?

CHAPTER 21

Wind blustered across the lake, whipping small waves into whitecaps. The sun lifted into a vivid blue sky. Violetpaw breathed in the musty scents of the leaf-fall forest. She smelled the peaty tang of moorland and looked toward the heather-covered hill, wondering if WindClan cats were watching her patrol’s progress around the shore.

Her paws ached. She glanced back at Cloudmist and Cherrytail. Their paws must be raw from the journey. They weren’t used to such traveling and looked weary and anxious.

Cloudmist looked nervously from water to forest. “Where does SkyClan live?”

Hawkwing, padding beside her, nodded to the halfbridge and the pine trees beyond. “Our land is there.”

Tree narrowed his eyes. “Last time I was here, warriors chased me off.”

“They won’t chase you off this time,” Hawkwing promised.

Cherrytail tasted the air as they neared the trees, her pelt suddenly rippling excitedly. “I can smell SkyClan scent!”

Fidgetpaw and Frecklewish lifted their noses, their eyes brightening as they smelled it too.

Gravelpaw glanced at his littermates. “It doesn’t smell like our scent,” he grunted.

“Yes it does,” Fringepaw argued. “It’s just a bit muskier, that’s all.”

Violetpaw flicked her tail happily. “Your scent will smell the same once you’ve eaten forest prey for a moon.”

Gravelpaw huffed. “I don’t want to smell different.”

Mintfur padded closer to her kit, brushing beside him. “Change can be hard,” she mewed sympathetically. “But you’ll be among Clanmates.”

“I was already among Clanmates at the gorge,” Gravelpaw grumbled.

Violetpaw fell in beside him. “Wait till you meet Twigpaw. She’s great. So is Finpaw. And Reedpaw and Dewpaw. They’re really nice.”

Behind them, Molewhisker halted. “I should leave you here.” He glanced toward the oak forest at the top of the shore. They were crossing ThunderClan territory.

Hawkwing faced the brown-and-cream tom. “Thank you for your help.” He dipped his head formally, then touched his muzzle to Molewhisker’s shoulder. “If you ever need help, SkyClan is in your debt.”

Molewhisker blinked at him warmly. “It’s been fun.” He glanced at Frecklewish. “And I’m always happy to help rescue a Clan cat from Twolegs.”

Frecklewish purred. She’d relished the journey more than anyone, running ahead to see what lay over the next rise and scrambling up hills to feel fresh wind in her fur. Clearly she was delighted to be free of her Twoleg prison.

Violetpaw blinked gratefully at Molewhisker as the ThunderClan tom headed toward the oaks. “Good-bye!” she called. “Thanks!”

He flicked his tail in reply before disappearing among the undergrowth.

Hawkwing picked up the pace as they neared the halfbridge, turning inland and heading toward the pines. Violetpaw’s heart quickened. How was Twigpaw? Had she missed them? She couldn’t wait to share her adventures with her sister.

As Hawkwing led the way up the short steep bank, Rabbitleap’s pelt began to prickle uneasily.

Violetpaw glanced at him. “Are you okay?”

Blossomheart wrinkled her nose. “Can you smell that?”

The patrol slowed behind Hawkwing as they padded into the pine forest.

Violetpaw tasted the air. What had spooked her Clanmates? A sour tang touched her tongue. “Is that ShadowClan scent?”