Thunder And Shadow

Muttering crossly, Sparkpaw crouched beside the medicine cat and grabbed a m outhful of herbs. “Ewww!” she gasped. “How do you stand this?”

“You get used to it.” Alderpaw nosed his way through the trailing brambles. Rain battered his face. Outside, his Clanmates were sheltering beneath the ferns edging the camp. Alderpaw could sense tension in the air. Graystripe looked out from the elders’ den. Snowbush and Ambermoon huddled beneath the thorn barrier. Cinderheart sat in the downpour, guarding the entrance to the nursery.

Bramblestar sheltered with Onestar, Lionblaze, and Birchfall beneath a j utting branch of the fallen beech. Alderpaw hurried toward them, slowing as he neared.

“Did you chase them onto ThunderClan territory?” Bramblestar asked Onestar.

“They were already on your territory.” The WindClan leader’s eyes were still dark with fury.

“They were scouting for som ething. I’m not sure what. We crossed the border to warn them off. I was planning to come and tell you once they were gone.”

Lionblaze narrowed his eyes. “But they attacked y ou.”

“Did you provoke them?” Birchfall asked.

Onestar growled. “If you mean did we ask them why they were nosing around Clan territory, then yes.”

Alderpaw caught Bramblestar’s ey e. “Can I speak to you alone?” He was aware that he was interrupting. But this was im portant.

Bramblestar’s ears twitched.

Onestar scowled at him. “What is it?”

“I need to speak with m y father.” Alderpaw m et the WindClan leader’s gaze.

Onestar growled and looked away.

Bramblestar frowned, his fur rippling uneasily. “What is it?” He guided Alderpaw quickly to a clum p of ferns sprouting near the camp entrance. They ducked beneath the browning fronds.

Alderpaw shivered as rain dripped onto his spine. “The rogues who attacked WindClan are the sam e rogues we found in the gorge.”

Bramblestar closed his eyes, sighing. “I feared as much. It was too much of a coincidence for a band of rogues to show up now.”

“Do you think they followed us home?” Guilt worm ed beneath Alderpaw’s pelt.

“Probably.” Bramblestar m et his gaze. “But you can’t blam e y ourself for what other cats choose to do.”

Alderpaw shifted his paws, wishing it were that sim ple. “Why do you think they’ve come here?” The question had been niggling in Alderpaw’s thoughts since he’d recognized Darktail.

“Darktail said he had a reason.”

Bramblestar looked away. “Who can say why rogues act like rogues? All we can do is protect our Clan.” He leaned closer to Alderpaw. “How many of them were there in the gorge?”

“I don’t know.” Alderpaw tried to remember. “But it was definitely a bigger group than the one that attacked the WindClan patrol.”

Bramblestar’s gaze darkened. “So there might be more of them in the forest.”

“Yes. Squirrelflight said that there were none left in the gorge.” Alderpaw shifted uneasily.

Was the forest full of rogues? Why had they come here? “We should warn Leafpool,” he whispered.

“We should warn all the Clans.” Bramblestar padded from the ferns and called to his Clanmates. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey j oin here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting.”

Alderpaw watched as his father leaped onto the Highledge.

Brackenfur, Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Thornclaw padded from the warriors’ den. Whitewing, Berry nose, and Poppy frost slunk out from beneath the j uniper. Squirrelflight slid from Bramblestar’s den on the Highledge and j um ped down to stand with her Clanmates. As Jayfeather and Sparkpaw em erged from the medicine den, Dovewing and Cherry fall padded from the shelter of the fallen beech.

Dovewing glanced around. “Has any one seen Ivy pool?” Her blue eyes brim m ed with worry.

“She’s hunting with Fernsong.” Alderpaw padded to her side.

Dovewing’s pelt spiked anxiously. “I hope they don’t bum p into those rogues.”

Cherry fall pressed closer to her friend. “Ivy pool survived the Dark Forest. She can handle a few rogues.”

“I hope so.” Dovewing huddled against the rain.

Onestar wove through the crowd and stood at the front. Water stream ed down his whiskers as he lifted his face to the Highledge. “I want to take Furzepelt back to our camp so we can sit vigil.”

Jayfeather stepped forward. “Oatclaw and Emberfoot are too wounded to help carry her.

Movem ent will reopen their wounds. They should stay here for a few day s.”

Onestar glared at him. “They are warriors. They are strong. They will travel with m e.”

Unseeing, Jayfeather held the WindClan leader’s gaze. “I have an apprentice; Kestrelflight has none. Let him save his herbs and his energy for his Clanmates on the m oor. We can take care of Oatclaw and Emberfoot until they are fit to travel.”

Onestar glared at Bramblestar, whose m anner turned gentle and coaxing. “I will send a patrol home with y ou, Onestar. They can help carry Furzepelt’s body.”

Onestar’s tail flicked angrily.

Jayfeather held his ground. “You’ve lost one Clanmate today,” he meowed steadily. “Don’t risk another.”

Onestar snorted. “Very well.”