Hootwhisker yowled from the back of the crowd. “What will Gatherings be like without ThunderClan and ShadowClan bickering like starlings?”
Mistystar purred. “I’m sure they’ll still find things to bicker about.”
Bramblestar flicked his tail impatiently. “Are the territories settled?”
“Yes.” Tigerstar dipped his head.
“From now on, each Clan will have equal land and an equal voice,” Harestar meowed.
“And SkyClan can start building yet another camp.” Leafstar rolled her eyes dramatically.
“We’ll send warriors to help,” Bramblestar offered.
“And ShadowClan will send warriors to help RiverClan rebuild their camp,” Tigerstar chimed in.
Happiness washed Alderheart’s pelt. He’d never seen the Clans cooperating like this before. Was this the beginning of a new era of peace? He glanced at Tree. They might even learn to listen to a mediator when they had disputes from now on.
Tree touched his muzzle to Violetshine’s ear. She buried her nose in his neck fur. Her pelt looked lustrous in the moonlight. Carrying kits clearly agreed with her.
Beside her, Twigbranch’s eyes brimmed with joy as she watched the leaders. She seemed bigger than usual, and Alderheart wondered if she’d grown. She looked every bit as much as a warrior as Squirrelflight now. Flypaw nosed in between her and Finleap. Twigbranch glanced at her apprentice warmly and shifted to make room.
A rush of pride warmed Alderheart’s belly. It seemed only a few moons since he and Needletail had found the tiny kits and brought them back to the Clans. If only he’d been able to see the future. He could never have imagined what a difference they’d make. He glanced again at the stars. Was Needletail there now, watching? Was she proud of what the kits had become?
Breathing the soft night air, he prayed that this peace between the Clans would last.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ERIN HUNTER
is inspired by a love of cats and a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior. She is also the author of the Seekers, Survivors, and Bravelands series.Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com
.BOOKS BY ERIN HUNTER
THE PROPHECIES BEGIN
THE NEW PROPHECY
POWER OF THREE
OMEN OF THE STARS
DAWN OF THE CLANS
A VISION OF SHADOWS