The Silent Thaw

“Our two new ’paws will soon be warriors,” he told the Gathering confidently. “And ThunderClan will be stronger than ever.”

Mistystar stepped forward. “RiverClan is strong too.” Rootpaw looked away as she began to address the Clans. How could he concentrate on what they were saying when the ghost of a living cat was skulking at the edge of the clearing? He tried not to look at the apparition. He’d been avoiding its eye since the first time he’d seen it, pretending as hard as he could that he was as unaware of its presence as his Clanmates. He could see ghostly Bramblestar now, pacing impatiently, like a loner trapped in a kittypet den, his gaze flashing from the leaders to the warriors. Was it hoping some cat here would see it?

I know how you feel. Rootpaw scanned the gathered cats. Were any of them looking at Bramblestar’s ghost? He glanced at Tree. Could his father see it? He hesitated. But Bramblestar wasn’t dead. He was staring at the Gathering from the Great Oak. Rootpaw blinked hopefully at the medicine cats. Perhaps they could see the ghost? But their gazes were fixed on the leaders, unaware that anything was wrong.

“Rootpaw!” Violetshine hissed in his ear. “Stop staring around the clearing and concentrate. This is a Gathering. You need to pay attention.” She nudged him sharply, and he dragged his gaze back to the Great Oak. Harestar was looking toward the medicine cats, lined beneath the branch. “Kestrelflight joined the other medicine cats for the half-moon meeting at the Moonpool.” The WindClan leader’s eyes glittered with worry as he looked expectantly at the mottled gray tom. “He wants to tell you what they saw.”

Kestrelflight glanced at Frecklewish and Alderheart before he spoke. “The Moonpool has begun to thaw,” he reported. “We expected to be able to share with StarClan.” His ears twitched uncertainly. “But there was no word from them.”

“Was there no vision at all?” Tawnypelt blinked from among the ShadowClan cats.

“We thought it was the ice that stopped you seeing StarClan!” Hootwhisker yowled, the fur rising along his spine. His Clanmates exchanged nervous glances.

Kestrelflight shrugged. “Perhaps they have nothing to share with us,” he suggested.

Alderheart shifted beside him. “We’ve made it through leaf-bare,” he agreed. “If there’s no threat to the Clans, why would StarClan want to share with us?”

Hopeful murmurs of agreement rippled among the warriors.

“No news is good news,” Sandynose meowed loudly.

“Perhaps they want to see if we can manage without them,” Snowbird suggested.

“Why would they do that?” Tawnypelt looked unconvinced. “They’ve always shared with us in the past. Why would they suddenly stop?”

In the uneasy silence that followed, Bramblestar frowned. “Has Shadowsight heard anything?”

“None of us have,” Kestrelflight told him.

“But Shadowsight has a special connection with StarClan,” Bramblestar pressed. “He was the only medicine cat who shared with them during leaf-bare.” His gaze fixed on the young ShadowClan medicine cat. “Are you sure you’ve heard nothing?”

Shadowsight stared at his paws, his fur pricking around his shoulders. “I’m sure,” he mumbled.

Bramblestar swept his gaze around the Clans. “Perhaps StarClan is angry at us for not following the code.”

Rootpaw stiffened as the gathered cats swapped uneasy glances. Not this again. Bramblestar had mentioned the code at the last Gathering too. His suggestion that cats should accuse one another of crimes against the code had made Tree wonder about leaving the Clans. Did the other Clans think the ThunderClan leader was right?

Could that be why Bramblestar’s ghost was here now? Had StarClan somehow sent the ghost of his first life to support the living leader’s message? Should I tell some cat? Rootpaw’s pads tingled nervously. There was no way he was telling any cat he could see dead cats. He wasn’t weird like Tree. He glanced at the apparition, wishing it would go away.

The dead Bramblestar was staring at the living Bramblestar, his ghostly pelt spiked with fury. Why was he angry? Wasn’t he relieved to see he still had a body to return to? And yet how could he return to his body, when he was already in it? Rootpaw’s head began to ache. This was too confusing. He glanced again at the medicine cats. They were trying to contact StarClan, and here was a ghost, walking among them. Surely one of them must see him!