The Raging Storm

Tigerstar’s tail flicked irritably. “Do you really expect ShadowClan and SkyClan to settle their border dispute alone? I know you believe this cat Tree can help, but what does a loner understand of Clan borders?”

“He understands how cats think,” Bramblestar shot back.

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. “Does he understand how Clan cats think?”

Bramblestar shifted his paws impatiently. “Why come to me, Tigerstar? I’m not taking sides.”

“I come to you because we share a border. I come because you can help. If SkyClan and ShadowClan are left to settle the dispute alone, there are only two outcomes. SkyClan can either give us back our land peacefully”—Tigerstar fixed his dark gaze on Bramblestar—“or they can fight to keep it.”

Bramblestar did not flinch. “Would you really drive SkyClan from the lake after all we have suffered to bring them here?”

“We won’t drive them from the lake.” Tigerstar meowed evenly. “But we will drive them away from our land.”

“The pine forest is huge,” Bramblestar reasoned. “Surely there is enough territory for two Clans?”

Tigerstar gazed toward the camp wall, as though seeing the forest beyond. “Yes, you might be right—if other Clans were to give up some land as well. It shouldn’t just be SkyClan that moves its border. If ThunderClan were to also move its border, then there might be more than enough room for—”

Bramblestar cut him off. “We decided at the Gathering that Tree would mediate between you and SkyClan to settle this dispute. It has nothing to do with the other Clans. And Leafstar won’t be happy if she hears you have been talking behind her back. She will see it as a lack of respect.” There was a warning in his gaze.

Tigerstar frowned. Foreboding prickled through Alderheart’s pelt as the dark tabby tom stared at Bramblestar.

“Fine.” Tigerstar swished his tail. “But don’t say that I never came in peace.” He glanced around the camp. “Since I’m here, I may as well take my medicine cat home.”

Alderheart stiffened. “He’s not well enough to travel.” Fear jabbed his pelt.

“Still?” Tigerstar swung his incredulous gaze toward Alderheart.

Alderheart looked at the ground. “We’re having trouble curing the infection from the Twoleg thorns.”

Suspicion glittered in the ShadowClan leader’s eyes. “Let me see for myself.” Tigerstar pushed passed him and shouldered his way into the medicine den.

Alderheart hurried after him.

Inside, Tigerstar had stopped. He was staring in horror at Puddleshine’s nest. “He looks half dead!”

“Keep your voice down!” Jayfeather bristled. “If yowling helped, we could have cured him already.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Tigerstar demanded.

“I told you.” Alderheart darted between Tigerstar and Puddleshine’s nest. “We can’t cure his infection.”

“Why not?” Tigerstar was bristling. “You’ve had more than a quarter moon.”

“None of our herbs are working.” As he spoke, Alderheart caught sight of the deathberries he’d left on a dock leaf beside Puddleshine’s nest. Dread froze like ice in his belly as Tigerstar followed his gaze.

Tigerstar stared at the berries. Slowly he padded across the den and sniffed them. “Are these deathberries?” Disbelief clouded his gaze as he looked at Alderheart. “In a medicine den?”

Alderheart nodded, his heart lurching as Tigerstar’s gaze hardened with rage.

“Are you trying to poison him?” His rage seemed to howl like a storm through the den.

Bramblestar pushed through the entrance. “No cat is trying to poison any cat.” He nudged Alderheart to one side and stood facing the ShadowClan leader. “In fact, I was sending Molewhisker and Cloudtail to warn you that Puddleshine is gravely ill. But you intercepted them at our border. Alderheart, Jayfeather, and Leafpool have been doing everything they can to heal Puddleshine. Alderheart’s barely slept in days. Look!” He nodded toward Puddleshine’s nest. “He’s washed and he’s lying on fresh bedding. We’ve taken the best possible care of him. But we can’t fight Twoleg poison.”

Tigerstar’s gaze was still fixed on Alderheart. “So you decided to put him out of his misery instead!” His yowl dripped with anger.

Alderheart stiffened against the trembling in his legs. Was his plan to save Puddleshine going to cause war between ThunderClan and ShadowClan?

Jayfeather lifted his muzzle. “Puddleshine was close to death,” he meowed calmly. “Alderheart saw a rabbit cured from the same infection by eating deathberry flesh. He wanted to see if the cure would work on Puddleshine. We’d tried everything else. It was our only chance to save him.”

Tigerstar glared at Jayfeather. “It doesn’t seem to have worked.” He narrowed his eyes accusingly. “But I know how little you value ShadowClan lives.”

Jayfeather seemed to recoil.

Alderheart frowned. “What do you mean? Jayfeather values every life.”

“What about Flametail, my littermate?” Tigerstar showed his teeth.

Bramblestar lashed his tail. “No cat ever believed Jayfeather killed your brother. No cat except Dawnpelt, and she was out of her mind with grief!”