Thunder And Shadow

Darktail nodded to Rain and Roach. “You two can come with m e. The rest of you stay here.”

Violetkit glanced at Raven. She wanted the kind she-cat to come with them. But she wasn’t going to argue with Darktail. He seem ed friendly, but there was a darkness that never left his gaze, and it scared her.

“Come on.” The rogue leader headed from the camp. Violetkit followed, Rain and Roach at her heels.

The sun was up by the time they reached the bramble wall of the ShadowClan camp. Mist swirled between the trees. Violetkit pricked her ears as they neared, her heart sinking as she heard the sounds of the Clan preparing to start their day.

“Needlepaw!” Kinkfur mewed huskily. “Tell Leafpool I need m ouse bile. I’ve found another tick near m y tail.”

“Tawny pelt and Stonewing.” Crowfrost’s order sounded through the chilly air. “You’ll each lead a hunting party. And make sure your apprentices catch som ething worth eating this tim e.

Crow-food doesn’t count.”

“Yarrowpaw! Strikepaw!” Wasptail sounded cross. “You should be out of your nests by now.

Crowfrost is organizing the patrols.”

Darktail’s ears pricked. He stopped at the entrance. “Patrols? Apprentices?” He looked intrigued. “It’s awfully regim ented here, isn’t it? You must not have a lot of freedom.”

Violetkit didn’t answer. She was straining to hear if any one was looking for her. Perhaps she’d been lucky. Perhaps Pinenose and Grassheart hadn’t noticed she was missing. She blinked at Darktail. “Thanks for bringing m e home.” Her gaze flitted to Roach and Rain. “And thanks for saving m e from the owl.” She turned, heading for the dirtplace tunnel so she could slip into camp unnoticed.

“Wait.” Darktail’s mew sent a chill through her pelt.

“What?” She faced him uneasily.

“I want to make sure you don’t get into trouble.” Darktail was ey eing the camp entrance.

“It’s okay.” Foreboding tightened Violetkit’s belly. What was he planning? “I’ll be fine.”

But Darktail was already ducking through the entrance tunnel.

Rain nudged Violetkit after him. “Go on,” he encouraged. “We might as well see you safely into camp.”

Heart pounding, Violetkit followed Darktail through the tunnel. Rain and Roach followed.

As they em erged into the camp, Violetkit felt the eyes of the Clan flash toward her. She wanted to run and hide. What would Rowanstar say? She’d brought rogues into the camp.

Darktail m arched across the clearing, tail high.

Hisses sounded around him. Stonewing arched his back. Spikefur and Snowbird burst from the warriors’ den, their eyes wide with shock.

Crowfrost pushed through the warriors that were gathered around him. “What are you doing here?” He m et Darktail in the clearing.

Darktail signaled to Rain and Roach with a flick of his tail. They stopped a few paw steps behind. Violetkit halted between them, her pelt lifting along her spine. “I found this kit wandering in the woods,” he told Crowfrost. “I thought I should bring her home. It’s dangerous out there.”

Spikefur lunged at him, but Darktail batted him away with a swift swipe of his paw.

“Is that the gratitude you show to a cat who has returned a lost Clanmate?” The rogue leader sounded hurt.

“Violetkit!” Pinenose burst form the nursery, her pelt bristling. “Are you okay? Did they harm y ou?”

Violetkit stared at the queen. “They looked after m e,” she whispered hoarsely.

“What were you doing out in the forest?” Pinenose dem anded, her fear sharpening to anger.

Needlepaw hurried from the elders’ den. “Violetkit. There you are. Did you get lost try ing to find the dirtplace again?”

Violetkit blinked at her, confused. What had happened to the plan for Violetpaw to say that Needlepaw had sent her out?

But she is trying to cover for me, in a way, Violetkit thought. Maybe she’s just changed her mind about how.

Kinkfur snorted. “Who gets lost finding the dirtplace? You only have to follow your nose.”

Spikefur hissed, glowering at Darktail. “Why are we talking about the dirtplace? There are strangers in our camp.”

“Worse than strangers.” Dawnpelt fell in beside Spikefur, flexing her claws. “Rogues.”

“What are you doing in our camp?” Rowanstar’s growl cut through the angry m urm uring of his Clanmates. The ShadowClan leader strode across the clearing and stopped a whisker away from Darktail.

“I brought your kit home.” Darktail nodded toward Violetkit.

Violetkit shrank beneath her pelt as Rowanstar’s gaze flicked toward her.

Darktail went on. “I don’t understand why y ou’re being so unfriendly.” He blinked at Rowanstar with round eyes. “We were just try ing to help your Clan.”

Rowanstar narrowed his eyes. “Like you helped WindClan?”

Darktail returned his gaze innocently. “We were just defending ourselves. We have the right to do that, surely?”

“Rogues have no right to be on Clan territory!” Spikefur snarled.

Sleekpaw padded into the clearing. “Why not?”

Her Clanmates j erked their gazes toward her.