Long Shadows

“Mousefur’s as cranky as a badger with a sore paw,” Foxpaw went on. “We never get any thanks.”

“No, it’s always, ‘It’s too damp,’ or ‘There are thorns in there,’” Icepaw whispered back.

Jayfeather turned until he was looming over the two apprentices. “You should be making yourself useful by fetching clean bedding for Mousefur,” he snapped. “Show a bit of respect for your elders. How would you like to sleep in a dirty nest?”

“You’re not our mentor,” Foxpaw protested. “You can’t tell us what to do.”

Jayfeather bent his head until he was almost touching noses with Foxpaw. “Fetch Mousefur’s bedding now. Otherwise I’ll tell Daisy that you were planning to make Toadkit eat rabbit droppings by telling him they were a new kind of berry.”

He felt a jolt of shock from Foxpaw. “How did you know that?”

“Never mind how I know,” Jayfeather replied. “Just do it.”

“You wouldn’t really tell Daisy,” Foxpaw blustered.

Jayfeather bared his teeth. “Try me.”

“Okay, okay, we’re going. Come on, Icepaw, why are you standing around like that?”

Jayfeather heard Foxpaw push his sister, and both young cats scurried off toward the barrier. Icepaw’s bewildered voice drifted back. “Rabbit droppings? What’s he talking about?”

“Never mind,” Foxpaw meowed. “We have to fetch some moss now!”

Picking up the sharp tang of strengthening herbs, Jayfeather realized that Leafpool had reappeared from their den and was distributing the leaves to all the warriors.

“Thanks, Leafpool,” Brambleclaw mewed. “Have you enough for the sick cats as well?”

“Yes, plenty,” Leafpool replied. “I’ll send Jayfeather to the Twoleg nest with them. There’s something else,” she added.

“Can you ask the hunting patrols to look out for young prey?

That’s easier for the sick cats to eat, and now that we’ve got the catmint they’ll start to feel hungry again.”

“No problem,” Brambleclaw replied. “You all heard that, right? Sandstorm, will you lead a patrol for the Twoleg nest?

Take Spiderleg, Berrynose and… er… Ashfur. Now, we need a border patrol to go over to the ShadowClan border. I’ll lead it, and—”

“You do realize,” Berrynose broke in, “that you’ve just assigned Ashfur to both those hunting patrols? Is he supposed to split himself in two?”

“Oh, mouse dung!” Brambleclaw exclaimed. “Sorry, Ashfur. You can—”

“Ashfur, for StarClan’s sake!” Squirrelflight broke in. Jayfeather winced at the fury spilling over from her. “Can’t you speak up, instead of standing there like a tree stump?”

“Sorry, but—” Ashfur sounded startled.

“‘Sorry’ catches no prey,” Squirrelflight snarled. “Why didn’t you say anything? Can’t you see how much pressure

Brambleclaw is under? Does the Clan deputy have to sort everything out on his own?”

“Hey, Squirrelflight…” Brambleclaw sounded embarrassed by his mate’s fierce defense.

Squirrelflight ignored him. Jayfeather realized that her anger was fueled by frustration that she still wasn’t fit enough to hunt or patrol, as well as fear for her father and her Clanmates. “There’s more than one cat that would like to be deputy if anything happened to Brambleclaw,” she spat.

“You’re all quick enough to blame Brambleclaw for his mistakes, but would any of you like to be in his position now?”

“Squirrelflight, be quiet,” Brambleclaw interrupted again, more forcefully. “It’s no big deal.”

Squirrelflight let out a furious hiss, spun around, and stalked off toward the warriors’ den. Jayfeather felt a glow of pride in her for speaking up. He was proud of his father, too, for taking on all the leadership responsibilities and holding ThunderClan together while Firestar was ill.

“Sorry about that, Ashfur,” Brambleclaw went on. “You go on leading the camp patrol. Sandstorm, you can have Mousewhisker instead.”

“Very well.” Ashfur’s voice was cold; he collected his patrol together and left.

For StarClan’s sake, get over it! Jayfeather thought. Brambleclaw made an honest mistake.

Padding with Leafpool back to his den, he couldn’t help wondering whether there was more to the quarrel than he realized. So much fury from Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw so quick to make amends, Ashfur clearly not forgiving him…

Had Jayfeather missed something really obvious between these three cats?

He shook his head to clear it. Whatever the problem was, they could deal with it themselves. It had nothing to do with him, that was for sure.

Chapter 22

Gray-green clouds hung low over the forest and the air felt thick and clammy. Hollyleaf’s pelt prickled with the warning of an approaching storm. As she padded through the forest at the rear of Ashfur’s hunting patrol, the looming storm clouds seemed to echo the uneasiness inside her. However much she tried to push her worries away, she couldn’t ignore the feeling that something was wrong.