Thunder And Shadow

Twigpaw hesitated, then dipped her head. “I’m okay,” she prom ised. “Just a bit sad, that’s all.”

She lifted her gaze, and he saw affection there.

Relief washed over him. The bond between them wasn’t broken. She just needed time to sort out whatever she was going through. “I’m always here if you need m e,” he told her.

“Thank y ou.” Turning, she left the den.

“Alderpaw!” Jayfeather’s mew sounded from the clearing.

Alderpaw hurried out, his paws still sticky with m arigold pulp.

Jayfeather and Leafpool were waiting beside the entrance. Jayfeather turned his blind blue gaze toward the half-moon. “We don’t want to be late for the m eeting,” he meowed gruffly.

“Especially not tonight.”

Excitem ent surged in Alderpaw’s chest. He couldn’t believe the time had finally come. As he hurried to j oin Jayfeather and Leafpool, Bramblestar padded across the clearing toward him.

“It’s a big night for y ou.” His father licked his ear affectionately.

Alderpaw blinked at him, suddenly nervous. “I hope I don’t m ess up the cerem ony. What if I forget the words?”

“What do you have to say?”

“I do.”

Bramblestar purred. “I think y ou’ll remember. I just wish I could be there to see y ou.” Pride warm ed his gaze.

So do I. Alderpaw half wished that his nam ing cerem ony could happen in front of his Clanmates instead of at the Moonpool with the other medicine cats. He wanted to hear them cheer his name, just as they’d cheered Sparkpelt. But this was a StarClan cerem ony, not a

ThunderClan cerem ony. It was right it should be held in their sacred place. Would they share with him afterward? He hoped so. He wanted to know if his ancestors were proud of him.

Squirrelflight paced the clearing a few tail-lengths away.

“Blossom fall, Berry nose, Sparkpelt, and Tawny pelt.” She flicked her tail toward the warriors at the edge of the clearing. “I want you to come hunting with m e.”

Alderpaw blinked happily at his sister. Her eyes were bright, and she blinked back at him affectionately as Squirrelflight went on.

“We could do with a few more pieces of prey on the fresh-kill pile now that we have extra m ouths to feed.” Her gaze flicked toward Rowanstar and Tigerheart, who were sharing a pigeon beneath the Highledge.

Tigerheart leaped to his paws. “I’ll hunt with y ou!” he offered eagerly.

Squirrelflight flicked her tail. “You stay here. Tawny pelt can help us.”

Tawny pelt looked toward Rowanstar. “Is it okay if I hunt?”

Squirrelflight’s hackles lifted. “You don’t need to ask him!” she snapped. “I organize the hunting parties in ThunderClan.”

Squirrelflight’s pelt spiked angrily as Rowanstar nodded to Tawny pelt and the ShadowClan she-cat crossed the clearing.

As Blossom fall and Berry nose j oined the patrol, the ThunderClan deputy glowered at them.

“Do you need to ask Rowanstar’s permission too?” She glanced pointedly at Tawny pelt. “Or are m y orders enough?”

Blossom fall and Berry nose glanced at each other, confused. Tawny pelt looked away, as though she hadn’t heard the ThunderClan deputy’s barbed reproach.

Alderpaw shifted his paws, unsettled by the discord the ShadowClan cats had sent rippling through the Clan. They won’t be here forever, he told him self. He glanced at Tigerheart. The broad-shouldered tom’s gaze was fixed on Dovewing again.

He always seem ed to have one eye on the blue-eyed she-cat. Dovewing seem ed unaware of it now, deep in conversation with Bum blestripe. But Tigerheart kept watching, his eyes narrowing as Bum blestripe m oved closer to his Clanmate.

A shiver ran through Alderpaw’s fur. Do Dovewing and Tigerheart share some kind of history?

The sooner these ShadowClan cats are gone, the better.

“Hurry up.” Leafpool’s mew shook him from his thoughts. Jayfeather was already heading through the entrance tunnel.

“Good luck!” Sparkpelt called to him from beside Squirrelflight.

Squirrelflight gazed at him proudly. “We’ll wait up for y ou!”

“Thanks!” Alderpaw ducked through the tunnel after Leafpool and Jayfeather, his heart quickening as he followed them toward the Moonpool.

“Do you think he’s coming?” Kestrelflight’s gaze was fixed on the rim of the hollow.

Alderpaw followed it, tasting the air for Puddleshine’s scent. “I guess if the rogues didn’t come to the Gathering, they won’t let Puddleshine come here either.”

Jayfeather flicked his tail. “He’s not coming,” he meowed.

Leafpool jerked her nose toward the blind medicine cat. “You know for sure?”

“No,” Jayfeather mewed. “But I’m pretty certain. I’m also pretty certain that I don’t want to sit here freezing m y fur off all night. Let’s get on with it.”

For newleaf, the night was clear and cold. The crow-black sky sparkled with stars. Mothwing nodded her agreem ent, and the medicine cats drew into a circle around Alderpaw.