Shattered Sky

Concern flooded into Alderheart’s eyes, and for a heartbeat he seemed to gaze into the distance, as if he saw something terrible there. Violetpaw realized that he had been very close to Needletail, and must be upset to think of her being ill treated.

Soon Alderheart’s expression grew thoughtful. “Violetpaw, can I trust you?” he asked.

Violetpaw nodded eagerly. “Yes,” she assured him. “I know now it was a mistake to stay with Darktail. I should have left along with Rowanstar when the rogues took over ShadowClan. But I… I wanted to stay with Needletail, and I knew she would never leave.” Encouraged by Alderheart’s understanding look, she added, “I wanted to believe it would all turn out okay. Have you ever felt like that?”

Alderheart’s eyes were full of affection, and Violetpaw almost felt as if he was her kin. Truly my kin, she thought, not like Darktail.

“Yes, I have,” he replied. “Now listen close, Violetpaw. We’ve been looking for some cat in the rogue camp to help us, because we have an idea. We’ve come up with a plan…”

As Alderheart explained the plan to her, Violetpaw’s pads began to prickle with excitement. She listened, intrigued, and her fur felt warmer as hope kindled within her.

“But for our plan to work,” Alderheart finished at last, “we need a cat who can influence Darktail.”

“I can!” Violetpaw told him, even more excitement beginning to flow through her, like an icebound stream when the sun shines on it. “Darktail trusts me. I can do whatever you want.”

Alderheart’s gaze was warm as it rested on her. “Thank you, Violetpaw.”

“No, thank you—thank ThunderClan.” Violetpaw felt a huge sense of relief. “You’re showing me a way out.”

“I’d better take you to meet with the leaders,” Alderheart meowed, beckoning her with his tail.

Violetpaw nodded, but before she moved to follow Alderheart, she let her gaze travel around the camp, looking for her sister among the groups of cats. “Could I talk to Twigpaw first?” she asked. “I haven’t seen her since the battle and I… I feel so terrible about what I did to her. I want a chance to explain how much I regret it.”

As she looked up at Alderheart, Violetpaw felt suddenly chilled to see his expression change. He almost looked as though he was in pain.

“I’m sorry,” he mewed at last. “Twigpaw left camp half a moon ago, and she never came back. We think… I’m afraid we think that she may have been killed by a monster.”

Violetpaw stared at him, rigid with disbelief. She felt as though she had a chunk of ice in her belly, and for a brief moment black spots swirled over her vision. No… Twigpaw can’t be dead! When we met in the battle, I was attacking her. Oh, StarClan, don’t let that be the last time I’ll ever see her!

“Is this some sort of joke?” she asked. “Why didn’t you tell me right away?”

Alderheart shook his head, grief-stricken and confused. “I was so surprised to see you,” he replied after a couple of heartbeats. “And I’m struggling with the news myself. I wish I didn’t have to believe it.”

“But why did she leave camp?” Violetpaw meowed.

Now Alderheart couldn’t meet her gaze. “It was my fault,” he confessed quietly. “I thought… I thought I might have seen one of your kin in a vision.”

Violetpaw’s tone sharpened. “Our kin?”

“I had a vision of SkyClan,” Alderheart began. “They’re a Clan who was driven away from the other Clans long ago, back when we lived in the old forest. I saw a tom who looked like both of you.”

Her breath coming short and fast, Violetpaw felt as though the ground under her paws was beginning to shake. She couldn’t take in everything that Alderheart was telling her.

Does he mean this tom might be my kin? No. The only kin I ever had was Twigpaw, and now Alderheart says that Twigpaw is dead. Violetpaw stood still, her gaze unfocused, while thoughts raced through her mind like clouds in a gale. No, she decided at last. If Twigpaw had been killed, I would have felt it, wouldn’t I?

“You said you think she died. No cat saw it happen?” she asked. “No cat saw her body?”

“That’s true,” Alderheart mewed, “but we’re pretty sure, all the same.” His gaze rested gently on her. “I’m so sorry, Violetpaw. Do you still want to help us?”

Violetpaw’s heart ached so much that she thought it would crack in two. But the pain only made her more resolved.