Leafstar glanced around the ravaged camp, determination in her gaze. Violetshine held her breath.
“I’ve thought hard about what is best,” she meowed slowly. “I’ve decided that SkyClan will leave the lake. We are returning to the gorge.”
More claws seemed to rake Violetshine’s gut. She stared at Leafstar, wishing she’d misheard, hoping wildly that perhaps the SkyClan leader would see the disappointment in her eyes and change her mind. But Leafstar stared resolutely at her Clanmates. She was being so strong, and yet it was clear that she needed her Clan’s support. Violetshine knew suddenly that she couldn’t stay if her Clan left. She turned to Tree and saw grief glittering in his eyes. He knew what she was going to say. She swallowed. “I have to go with them.” Her mew was no more than a whisper.
“I know.” Tree pressed against her. “I’ll miss you. But I must stay.”
Hawkwing dipped his head respectfully to Leafstar. “When do we go?”
“Now.” The SkyClan leader flicked her tail. “There’s no reason to hesitate. Gather what you need. We leave immediately.”
Frecklewish’s eyes widened. “I don’t know if Sparrowpelt is strong enough to travel.”
“His Clanmates will help him,” Leafstar told her. “The poison is out of his belly. He’ll grow stronger on the journey.”
Frecklewish hesitated. “If he grows tired, we must rest.”
Leafstar nodded. “All right.”
Frecklewish ducked inside her den and began tossing bundles of herbs into the clearing. They were neatly wrapped in leaves and tied with grass. Fidgetflake darted out and picked up a bundle. “Carry this, please.” He dropped it at Harrybrook’s paws and darted back for another as Frecklewish guided Sparrowpelt from the den. The dark tabby tom’s amber eyes were dull, and he moved slowly. Mintfur and Macgyver hurried to help, slipping to either side of him and pressing against him as he headed toward the entrance.
Plumwillow padded to the fresh-kill pile. Sadness darkened her gaze as she picked up a mouse left from last night and began to head for the entrance. Sagenose grabbed a sparrow and followed her.
Violetshine’s paws felt frozen to the earth. She pressed her muzzle against Tree’s cheek. “Please keep an eye on Twigbranch.”
“I’ll do what I can,” he promised.
“We must always remember each other.”
“I could never forget you.” His eyes clouded with grief.
“I love you.” As she tore away from him, Violetshine’s heart seemed to split. She hurried after her Clanmates as they headed out of camp. Hawkwing gently took the mouse from Plumwillow. She nodded her thanks and caught up to Sandynose.
“Don’t dawdle.” Reedclaw hurried Quailpaw and Sunnypaw onward as they paused to look back at the camp.
Nectarpaw bounced around Harrybrook. “Is it far?” she mewed excitedly.
“Far enough,” he told her. “Calm down. You’ll need your energy for the journey.”
Violetshine blinked back sorrow. She was following her Clan away from the two cats she loved best. A lump lodged in her throat as she pictured Tree alone in the deserted camp, but she didn’t look back. She had made her decision.
SkyClan was leaving the lake.
CHAPTER 16
He fluffed his fur against the cold and turned back inside. Crossing the den, he sniffed the patch where he’d buried the deathberry seeds. He’d sifted through it while Puddleshine and Grassheart had been sleeping and had found seeds mixed with the soil, but it was impossible to tell if any were missing.
“Are you still worrying about them?” Puddleshine sat up in his nest. His pelt was slick from a thorough wash.
Alderheart had told him about the Gathering. “Frecklewish said they’d poisoned Sparrowpelt.”
Grassheart shifted stiffly in her nest. “A ShadowClan warrior would never poison another cat. We’re warriors, not fox-hearts. We settle arguments with our claws.”
“I know.” Alderheart couldn’t believe that ShadowClan would use poison to harm another Clan. The warrior code wouldn’t permit such slyness, and he’d spent long enough in the ShadowClan camp to see for himself that they were as honorable as any other Clan. And yet the coincidence nagged at him.
“Is SkyClan really going to leave?” Grassheart’s question distracted him from his thoughts.
“Leafstar promised she’d think about it, but the Clans didn’t say anything to make her want to stay.” His belly tightened.
“I can’t believe the leaders didn’t take your vision seriously.” Puddleshine climbed out of his nest.