Thunder And Shadow

Alderpaw brushed past her as he hurried toward the medicine store. “Don’t listen to him,” he whispered.

Twigkit hardly heard him. Why is Jayfeather so mean to me? She stiffened as a thought flashed in her m ind. He talks to StarClan. Have they told him I’m not special?

“There are only a few leaves left.” Alderpaw reached deep into the crack and hooked out a pawful of dusty stem s.

“Then we’ll have to collect more,” Jayfeather meowed briskly. “But not today. It’s too far to the lake. Give Whitewing all the waterm int we have; then chew up som e pulp for Birchfall’s cut while I gather fresh cobweb.”

As Jayfeather padded from the den, Twigkit watched Alderpaw drop the dusty leaves beside

Whitewing. They were large and pale. She tried to im agine what they’d look like when they were fresh. A thought struck her. I know how to prove I’m special! I’ll fetch more watermint from the lake. Then the Clan will see how clever and useful I am, and they won’t want to get rid of me. Her heart lifted like an escaping butterfly.

“I’ll see you later,” she called to Alderpaw.

“You don’t have to leave.” Alderpaw looked at her apologetically. “Jayfeather doesn’t mean half the things he say s.”

Twigkit lifted her tail happily. “That’s okay. I have som ething im portant to do.”

“What?” Alderpaw blinked at her curiously.

Twigkit hesitated. “Um m m… I have to find a new feather for Violetkit. In case you visit

Leafpool again,” she mewed hurriedly.

Alderpaw scooped up a m outhful of m arigold and began chewing. “Good luck.” His mew was m uffled.

“Thanks.” Twigkit nodded politely to Whitewing and Birchfall and backed out of the den. She bum ped into som ething soft.

“Look where y ou’re going!” Jayfeather’s hiss m ade her j um p as she got tangled in his paws.

Brushing her away, he ducked into the medicine den.

Twigkit stared after him crossly. Next time you’re going to be happy to see me!

She crossed the clearing, scanning the camp nervously. Graystripe was dozing outside the elders’ den. Honey kit was crouched beside the ferns nearby, clearly watching for frogs. Lily heart had disappeared. She must be resting in the nursery. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were sharing a m ouse on the Highledge, while Leafkit and Larkkit were inventing battle m oves in the clearing.

Poppy frost, Ambermoon, and Snowbush were watching them. The other cats must be in their dens or out on patrol, Twigkit decided as she padded toward the thorn barrier. She avoided the camp entrance. It was too risky. Instead she ducked behind the warriors’ den. Out of sight of the clearing, she searched the bottom of the thorn barrier for a gap. She could see a patch where the branches didn’t twine so thickly on the ground. She squeezed through, wincing as thorns scraped her pelt. Eyes screwed tight shut, she pushed forward until she burst free.

I made it! Quickly she checked the leafy rise outside camp. I’m outside! The trail was clear, and she hurried along it, her ears pricked for patrols. She veered off, then ducked between the bracken stem s crowding the slope. Excitem ent fizzed in her paws. Ordinary kits weren’t meant to leave camp. But she was special, and every one would know it when she returned with a huge bundle of waterm int. Jayfeather was going to be so grateful. He’d never be mean to her again!

And Rosepetal and Mousewhisker would be em barrassed that they’d ever suggested she wasn’t special.

She nosed her way out of the bracken and stared across a wide glade where the forest dipped down toward a dried stream bed before rising toward a wall of brambles. Which way was the lake? She paused, opening her m outh and letting forest scents wash over her tongue. Fear clutched her heart as unfam iliar sm ells crowded in. What was that sharp stench? Fox? Owl? Rogue? She glanced around, her heart thundering in her ears. Som ething sm all skittered across the stream bed.

Above, leaves fluttered in the chilly breeze, and branches creaked as they sway ed.