Night Whispers

RiverClan and WindClan gathered closest to the tree. ShadowClan hurried to take its place beside them. Dovepaw followed her Clanmates as they padded into a pool of moonlight and settled down to listen. She nosed her way past Rosepetal and Blossomfall, seeking the warmth of the crowd and settling between Thornclaw and Lionblaze.

Mistystar, huddled in the moonlight, looked like a small pool of silver. “It’s a tough leaf-bare, and with the lake frozen in the shallows, hunting has been hard.”

Nightcloud growled. “It makes a change for the fish-eaters to go hungry as well.”

Mistystar pressed on. “The bad weather has not kept us from training, and we are thankfully free of sickness.”

Onestar stood. “WindClan too is healthy, though rabbits are scarce and the snow is thick around the camp. We have improved our tracking skills and found a way to trace prey to its burrows.”

He nodded to Blackstar, who stood and gazed down at the gathered cats for several long heartbeats. “Rowanclaw has become ShadowClan’s deputy,” he announced at last, appearing to choose his words carefully. “We still mourn the loss of Russetfur. It was not her time to die.” He didn’t look at Firestar, but went on, “Hunting has been hard, and Littlecloud has been ill. But I’m pleased to report that we have found a remedy, and he will be here with us next full moon.”

Murmurs of approval rose from the ShadowClan cats. Dovepaw felt Thornclaw tense beside her and heard Lionblaze’s claws scrape the snowy ground.

Firestar stood up. His gaze was fixed on Blackstar. “And how did you find that remedy?” he challenged. Dovepaw heard breaths quicken and paws shift as the Clans tensed around her. Firestar didn’t wait for an answer. “You took one of our apprentices hostage, that’s how.”

There were muffled gasps from RiverClan and WindClan warriors.

“She was on our land!” Blackstar hissed.

“And you would have been within your rights to chase her off,” Firestar shot back. “But what true warrior takes a cat, too young to defend herself, and bargains with her like she was prey?”

Blackstar bared his teeth as Firestar pressed on. “A true warrior would have the courage to ask for what he wants.” The ThunderClan leader arched his back. “You’re lucky we didn’t strike back more harshly. We’ve beaten you once already this moon. Don’t think we wouldn’t do it again.”

Blackstar smoothed his fur. His eyes were slits. “Whatever happens,” he breathed, “ShadowClan will be ready.”

“We’re ready now!” Rowanclaw jumped to his paws, pelt bristling, at the bottom of the tree. Crowfrost and Smokefoot stood up beside him and glared into the crowd, their eyes fixed on the ThunderClan warriors.

Lionblaze curled his lip, and a growl rasped in Squirrelflight’s throat. Dustpelt flattened his ears. Gulping, Dovepaw unsheathed her claws. Were they going to fight here? She glanced at the bright, clear moon. There was no cloud in the sky to end the truce.

Dovepaw heard whispers spread through the Clans.

“Is this it?”

“Has the darkness come?”

“But the moon is still shining!”

That didn’t seem to matter. Every pelt was on end now. Eyes flashed in the moonlight as the warriors glared, half-wary, half-threatening, at the other Clans.

Mistystar got to her paws. “RiverClan! We’re going home.” She leaped down from the oak and led her Clan through the bristling warriors. Onestar jumped down after her, Blackstar following. They took their Clans out of the clearing in silence.

Dovepaw watched as Firestar scrambled down last from the oak. At the far side of the clearing, the bracken rattled and hissed as the Clans pushed their way through it.

I must speak to Tigerheart!

She raced after the departing cats, finally spotting the tip of his tail. She clawed at it, just scraping the tuft at the end, and he turned and glared at her.

“What?”

“We have to talk!”

His eyes softened. “Come on.” He guided her to a quieter spot, where the stiff bracken stems gave way to snow-covered mounds of grass. “Sorry I couldn’t talk to you before, but things are tense,” he murmured.

Dovepaw scowled at him. “You told Blackstar about Jayfeather’s herbs!”

He gazed steadily back at her without saying anything.

“How could you?” Dovepaw wailed. “If Sandstorm dies, it’ll be your fault!”

“But Littlecloud’s sick.”

“So is Sandstorm!”

“Not with greencough.”

Dovepaw’s rage grew. Tigerheart sounded so reasonable. Didn’t he understand what he’d done? Tigerheart stroked her flank with his tail, and she flinched.

He frowned. “If Jayfeather were a true medicine cat, he would have given us the herbs.”

“He has to put his own Clanmates first!”

Tigerheart tipped his head to one side. “So do I.”

Dovepaw felt sick. She wanted this conversation to stop now, but she had to know. “Even above me?”

Tigerheart’s tail quivered. “I didn’t mean it like that.” His amber eyes grew round. “I just—”

Dovepaw cut him off, her mew barely a whisper. “I think you did.” She turned and padded away. “I think that’s exactly what you meant.”

Chapter 23