Thunder And Shadow

Needlepaw bristled. “Don’t be mean.” She tugged the m ouse from Sleekpaw. “Are y ou hungry?” she asked Violetkit, dangling the m ouse from her claw.

“No, thanks.” Violetkit shook her head. Her throat was too tight to swallow. She just wanted to get to Twigkit and Alderpaw. Sleekpaw was m aking her nervous. “Are we nearly there?”

Needlepaw glanced around. “Nearly.”

Violetkit opened her m outh to taste the air. “I can’t sm ell Alderpaw or Twigkit.”

Sleekpaw padded across a stretch of m uddy earth and peered between the shadowy trees.

The fur rippled along her spine. “I sm ell them.”

Needlepaw pricked her ears. As she turned her head to follow Sleekpaw’s gaze, the bracken rustled and a long-furred gray tom leaped out.

Fear shrilled through Violetkit. Rogue! She backed away, her heart pounding in her ears. Paw steps sounded behind her. She j erked her head around and saw a she-cat slide from the bracken, her dirty white pelt glowing in the dim moonlight. Beside her walked a long-furred black she-cat.

They were under attack!

A silver tom em erged and stopped beside the gray tom. “I thought she wouldn’t come.” He ey ed Needlepaw distrustfully.

“Of course she did.” The gray tom brushed past the silver one and stopped in front of Needlepaw. “She’s brave, for a Clan cat.”

Violetkit froze. Panic gripped her chest. She glanced at Sleekpaw. Was there going to be a fight? But Sleekpaw watched the rogue calm ly, her pelt sm ooth.

“Needlepaw.” The gray tom’s eyes sparkled as he spoke.

How does he know her name?

Needlepaw dropped her gaze. “Hi, Rain.”

She’s acting shy! As shock washed over Violetkit like cold water, needles showered from the pine above. She looked up. A shape m oved along a branch, then slithered down the trunk and landed on the ground.

It was a white tom.

“Hi, Darktail.” Needlepaw nodded to him.

Violetkit saw the m uscles rippling beneath his pelt. She began to trem ble. Why have Needlepaw and Sleekpaw come here? How does Needlepaw know these cats? “Are these the rogues who attacked WindClan?” The words tum bled out before she could stop them.

Behind her the tom purred with am usem ent.

“WindClan attacked us,” Darktail growled.

Violetkit wanted to race to Needlepaw’s side, but her paws felt rooted to the earth. She gazed at Darktail, fighting back terror.

“Of course they did.” Needlepaw swished her tail. “Clan cats are so defensive.”

Needlepaw was acting like they were friends. Suddenly Violetkit understood, and disappointm ent swam ped her. We didn’t come here to meet Twigkit! We came to meet them!

Sleekpaw hooked up a leaf idly. “Clan cats don’t like to share their land with any one.”

“They want all the prey for them selves,” Rain sneered.

Violetkit realized that all the cats were staring at her. Did they expect her to say som ething bad about the Clans too?

“Is this the kit you told us about?” The silver tom padded toward Violetkit, his eyes flashing with curiosity.

“Yes.” Needlepaw strode past him and stood beside Violetkit, her chin high. “This is Violetkit.”

The silver tom sniffed Violetkit. “She sm ells like a Clan cat. I thought you said she wasn’t one of y ou.”

Violetkit stared at Needlepaw in disbelief. Did she really say that?

“She’s been living with us,” Needlepaw told him. She glanced at Violetkit. “This is Roach,” she said, nodding to the silver tom. “That’s Rain and Darktail.”

Violetkit followed her gaze to the gray tom and the white one.

“And that’s Silt and Raven.” Needlepaw introduced the she-cats.

Violetkit swallowed. “Why are they here?”

Darktail sat down. “We have to live som ewhere.”

“Pinenose say s you don’t belong by the lake,” Violetkit whispered.

Darktail snorted. “Pinenose sounds like a greedy cat who wants all the prey to herself.”

“She’s not!” Violetkit mewed defensively.

Darktail ignored her and looked at Needlepaw. “You were right. There is lots of prey here.

We’re going to grow fat.”

“Are you going to stay here?” Violetkit could hardly believe her ears.

Roach narrowed her eyes. “Is there any reason we shouldn’t?”

Violetkit’s fur prickled with fear. The she-cat was staring at her as though she were prey. “This is Clan territory,” she whispered hoarsely.

Needlepaw flicked her tail irritably. “Why shouldn’t we share it? Why do Clan cats behave like they’re so special? They’re just cats, like these cats.”

Violetkit looked at the dark-ey ed rogues. You’re nothing like Clan cats.

Sleekpaw stepped forward. “No kit can help where she’s born. Why should the Clans deprive other cats of good hunting just because they weren’t born in a Clan?”

Darktail’s gaze flicked over Sleekpaw. “Who’s this?”

Needlepaw dipped her head. “Sleekpaw. I told her about you and she wanted to m eet y ou.”

“Can we trust her?” Rain padded closer, pelt prickling.