Thunder And Shadow

Alderpaw. “Did you m anage to sneak out of camp without being seen?” Violetkit saw a glint in Needlepaw’s eyes. She sounded like she was teasing Alderpaw. She frowned. Were they friends?

“Let’s play!” Twigkit’s mew took Violetkit by surprise. A paw thum ped her flank. “Got y ou!

You’re the warrior now and I’m the m ouse.” Twigkit raced toward the root and scram bled over it.

Violetkit watched her go, wondering what to do.

“It’s a gam e, toad-brain,” Needlepaw told her. “Go and chase her. Alderpaw and I can talk.

Don’t go far though. There are owls here too.”

Owls? Violetkit’s heart lurched.

The tips of two sm all ears showed behind the root. “Come on, Violetkit! Chase m e!” Twigkit called. Her ear tips twitched enticingly.

Excitem ent tugged at Violetkit’s paws. In a m om ent she forgot owls and, with a squeak of delight, leaped over the root and bowled into Twigkit, rolling them both through the leaf litter.

Twigkit struggled away. “Now you’re the m ouse!” She raced for a patch of blackberry bushes.

Violetkit darted away, leaves brushing her face as she pushed through the blackberries. Ferns rustled behind her as Twigkit dived into a clum p.

“I’m going to catch y ou!” Twigkit called happily. Violetkit plunged through the ferns, squirm ing between the fronds until she felt soft paws touch the tip of her tail. Twigkit tugged. “I’m the m ouse now!” she cried. Turning, she squeezed her way out and hared across a stretch of open ground.

As Violetkit ran after Twigkit, her heart leaped. She’d been so lonely in ShadowClan. Now she was with her littermate again. And they were play ing like she hadn’t play ed since they’d been parted. She felt like she might burst with j oy.

They play ed until they were both out of breath and scram bled to a halt in front of Alderpaw and Needlepaw. The apprentices were talking, Alderpaw watching Needlepaw with wide, beseeching eyes, while Needlepaw paced back and forth, her tail high.

“I bet Tawny pelt is a grum pier m entor than Jayfeather.”

“No cat is grum pier than Jayfeather.”

Violetkit interrupted them. “Why don’t you play?”

Alderpaw blinked at her. “I’ve been training all day,” he told her. “I don’t want to play.”

Needlepaw rolled her eyes. “ThunderClan cats are so dull.”

“That’s not true.” Alderpaw nudged her shoulder teasingly with his nose.

Needlepaw stepped away. “Come on.” She nodded at Violetkit. “We’d better head home.”

“Hom e?” Grief j abbed Violetkit’s heart. Weren’t she and Twigkit meant to be together now?

Wasn’t that why Needlepaw had brought her here? She blinked desperately at the ShadowClan she-cat. “Is Twigkit coming with us?”

“Twigkit can’t come to ShadowClan.” Needlepaw sounded surprised.

“Then why did you bring m e here?” Violetkit asked. She wanted to wail.

“To visit your sister.” Needlepaw shrugged. “You’ve had fun, haven’t y ou? Now it’s time to go.”

Sorrow threatened to knock Violetkit off her paws as Alderpaw glanced up through the branches. “Dawn will be coming soon. We should get home before the camps start to wake up.”

“Ours is already awake,” Needlepaw sniffed. “Littlecloud died yesterday. The old cats are sitting vigil.”

Alderpaw’s gaze darkened with sorrow. “I’m sad to hear that.”

Needlepaw shrugged. “It’s not exactly a surprise. He was, like, the oldest cat in the forest.”

Needlepaw headed upslope toward the pines. “Come on, Violetkit.”

Violetkit stared at her num bly, struggling to understand. Why would Needlepaw bring her here and then just take her away?

Needlepaw flicked her tail. “We need to get back before Pinenose notices y ou’re gone.”

Violetkit’s throat tightened. She stared desperately at Twigkit. “Did you know we were just visiting?”

“Alderpaw explained.” Her sister touched her m uzzle gently to her cheek. “He and Needlepaw wanted to cheer us up. This was the best way he could think of.” Her warm, sweet breath tickled Violetkit’s ear. Violetkit pressed against her, trembling. Suddenly she remembered what it felt like to sleep beside her sister, curled tight against her soft fur.

“We’ll see each other again soon,” Twigkit prom ised.

Violetkit wasn’t convinced. “How do you know that?”

“Because we have to.” Twigkit pulled away, her eyes round. “We’re kin.”

Alderpaw dipped his head toward Twigkit. “Come on. We’d better hurry.” Gently he nosed her away, up a leaf-strewn bank.

Violetkit’s belly grew hollow as she watched him guide her over the top. Leaves swished as they disappeared into the shadow of the woods.

“No!” The wail escaped her before she could swallow it back. Sadness pressed around her like freezing water. She had to go back to ShadowClan, where no one wanted to play with her; where she couldn’t sm ell her sister’s warm scent. She’d be alone again.

A warm m uzzle touched the top of her head. Violetkit’s heart lurched. She looked up, surprised to see Needlepaw gazing at her with soft, sympathetic eyes.

“Don’t worry, toad-brain,” Needlepaw mewed gently.

“But I belong with her! Not with ShadowClan.” Anger surged through Violetkit’s chest.