Lost Stars

“Not at all,” Bramblestar responded to Mistystar, his eyes wide and innocent. “All I want is to drive out the darkness that is threatening the Clans. And how can we do that, if we can’t even speak about it openly?” He paused and then continued, his tone deeper and more serious. “All of us keep talking about our connection with StarClan being broken by the cold, as if we’re assuming we’ll hear from our warrior ancestors again when the Moonpool thaws. But how do we know that will happen? It hasn’t been long since they told us they wanted us to draw closer to them. Have we done that? Have we even tried? What if StarClan isn’t ignoring us because of the cold? Who’s to say they haven’t turned away from us because too many cats aren’t following the code anymore? Maybe this ‘darkness’ is what has severed us from StarClan. Maybe that’s what’s causing this dreadfully cold leaf-bare.”

Tigerstar was gazing at Bramblestar, and Shadowpaw was alarmed at how meek his voice sounded, as if he was frightened even to speak. “Is that what StarClan told you when you lost your life?”

Bramblestar looked up at the dark sky, his muzzle twisted as if he was pondering what to say. “What StarClan told me is no cat’s concern but mine,” he replied in a low, cool voice. “I’m just posing some questions that I feel the Clans need to consider.”

Shadowpaw felt a wave of relief that Bramblestar hadn’t been told to drive out any codebreakers—especially not Tigerstar and Dovewing—but the silence that followed still made him uneasy. Every cat seemed unsure what to do.

“Don’t forget Shadowpaw’s other vision,” Bramblestar added after a moment. “The lake of fire that destroyed the Clans. That could be telling us what will happen if we get this wrong.”

A shudder passed through Shadowpaw as Bramblestar reminded him of that terrible warning. He could see fear in the eyes of every cat as they gazed at him and then turned aside to mutter to one another.

“It makes sense that StarClan might be upset about the code being broken,” Harestar meowed at last. “We’ve had some troubled times, so maybe we’ve been more forgiving than in the past. And if that’s the case, then we’d better not be so forgiving in the future.”

“Then the only way to draw closer to StarClan is . . . what?” Mistystar added. “Find cats who are breaking the code and stop them? Punish them?” She didn’t sound as if she was looking forward to the prospect.

Shadowpaw thought that all the cats in the clearing seemed uncomfortable, too, but before any of them could argue, Bramblestar spoke again.

“We will take it one paw step at a time,” he meowed, his voice warm and reassuring. “All of you should think about the warrior code, and how it is being followed in your Clan, before we meet again at the next full moon.” He gave a swish of his tail. “The Gathering is at an end.”

As Bramblestar leaped down from the Great Oak, the meeting began to break up. Shadowpaw watched as many cats from all the Clans ran up to the ThunderClan leader, congratulating him on his recovery.

“It’s great to see you back, Bramblestar.”

“The forest wouldn’t be the same without you.”

Bramblestar seemed uncomfortable with all the attention, shifting his paws and flattening his ears. “There’s no need for grown warriors to act like excitable kits.” His voice was a low growl. “Have you never seen a leader come back from the dead before?”

He thrust his way through the crowd and headed toward the tree-bridge, followed by his Clanmates.

Shadowpaw spotted his mother and father looking uneasily at each other—and more ShadowClan cats looking uneasily at them. He knew that his parents had broken the warrior code by becoming mates, because they were from different Clans. My very existence breaks the warrior code, he thought miserably. But if that were true, Shadowpaw added to himself, then why would StarClan have chosen him to save Bramblestar?

He knew that he ought to feel happy, even triumphant, because of the way he had helped ThunderClan. Instead, as he trailed after his parents on their long march back to ShadowClan territory, all he could feel was apprehension.

What have I done?

Chapter 24

Rootpaw had just finished carrying in fresh bedding for Fallowfern in the elders’ den when he heard his sister, Needlepaw, calling for him from outside in the camp. Dipping his head to Fallowfern, he padded out of the den. “What’s the matter?” he asked Needlepaw.

“Violetshine and Tree want to talk to us,” Needlepaw replied. “Tree says it’s important.”

Rootpaw glanced around, but he couldn’t see either of his parents. At the same moment, Needlepaw gave him a shove.

“Out in the forest,” she mewed. “Tree doesn’t want any cat to overhear what he has to say.”