Thunder And Shadow

Crowfrost lifted his head sharply, baring his teeth as he saw the rogues. He hurried across the clearing to m eet them. “What are you doing here?” His ears were flat as he stopped in front of Rain.

Leafpool poked her head from the medicine den, her eyes rounding with surprise.

Rowanstar bounded from his den and skidded to a halt beside his deputy. “I told you to leave our territory!” he told the rogues.

Rain laid the pigeon in front of the ShadowClan leader. “We brought you these offerings.” He dipped his head as Flam e placed a young rabbit beside the pigeon and Raven dropped a fat thrush on top. It was fine prey.

Crowfrost stared at the heap warily. Rowanstar flexed his claws.

“We want to j oin y our Clan,” Rain meowed before either cat could speak.

“Join ShadowClan?” Rowanstar stared at the rogue, eyes widening.

Tawny pelt, Tigerheart, and Spikefur padded from the shelter of the great stone. Leafpool m oved closer to Puddlepaw. The other apprentices lined up at the edge of the clearing, their eyes sparkling with interest.

Needlepaw! Violetkit suddenly realized that her friend was am ong her denmates. She blinked.

Where had she been?

Rain crouched submissively in front of Rowanstar and gazed hopefully at the Clan leader.

Rowanstar glared at him. “Did you think you could bribe y our way in with prey you caught on our land?”

Crowfrost hissed. “No cat hunts in ShadowClan territory except ShadowClan.”

Rain crouched lower. “I’m sorry. We didn’t realize.” He glanced at his campmates, who both dipped their heads hum bly. “Forgive us,” he went on. “If we have offended y ou, we will leave.”

As he turned, Rowanstar leaned forward. “Wait.”

Rain faced the leader, a faint glow lighting his eyes.

“Where in our territory did you find such good prey?” Curiosity softened Rowanstar’s mew.

“We are lucky when it comes to hunting,” Rain told him. “Perhaps we can bring som e of that luck to y our Clan.”

“No.” Crowfrost stepped forward, his black-and-white pelt bristling. “Take y our prey and leave!” He glared at Rowanstar. “We can’t accept prey from cats who attacked another Clan!”

“Why not?” Needlepaw dem anded.

Violetkit stiffened as her friend padded forward.

“Is WindClan our friend now?” Needlepaw looked around her Clanmates. “I thought

ShadowClan stood alone. The only truce we recognize is the truce of the Gathering. Why deny ourselves prey on WindClan’s behalf?”

Sleekpaw and Strikepaw were nodding.

So was Berry heart. The young black-and-white she-cat lashed her tail. “Would WindClan do the sam e for us?”

Sleekpaw j oined Needlepaw. “WindClan has never brought us prey. Nor has ThunderClan or RiverClan. But we’re supposed to feel loy al to them. Why?”

Violetkit frowned. If the Clans weren’t meant to stick together, did that make Twigkit her enemy? Anxiety prickled in her fur.

“Why?” Rowanstar repeated Sleekpaw’s question, his eyes widening with surprise. “Because they are Clanborn like us. They follow the warrior code.”

“These are rogues!” Crowfrost puffed out his chest. “They have no code.”

“We could learn,” Rain mewed softly.

Rowanstar stared at him. “Why should we believe y ou?”

Rain glanced around the camp. “We see how you live,” he meowed. “How you thrive. We want to be like y ou.”

Tigerheart m arched forward, his eyes glittering with outrage. “Then go and start y our own

Clan, on y our own land!”

Rowanstar drew him self up. “I’ve had you escorted from our land before. Today you will be escorted again.” He nodded sharply to Tigerheart, Spikefur, and Tawny pelt. “Next time we find y ou on ShadowClan territory, you will feel the sharpness of our claws.”

The rogues glanced at one another. Violetkit searched their gaze for som e sign of fear, but they showed only calm acceptance.

Rain blinked at Rowanstar. “We will respect y our wishes.”

Rowanstar stiffened. “You have no choice.”

Rain flashed him an am used look before turning away and letting Tawny pelt lead the way out of camp.

Violetkit swallowed. She realized that her heart was beating hard. Needlepaw had taken a risk speaking out for the rogues. Why had she done it? Wasn’t her Clan more im portant than her new rogue friends?

As the patrol disappeared through the bramble tunnel, Needlepaw crossed the clearing.

Violetkit’s breath caught in her throat as Needlepaw stopped in front of Rowanstar.

She kicked the prey toward him. “What are you going to do with this?” she snarled. “Throw it out with the rogues?”

Rowanstar’s eyes widened with shock. “ShadowClan catches its own prey.”

“We’d catch more if we had Clanmates like them.” Needlepaw flicked her tail toward the entrance. “Why didn’t you let them j oin?”

Dawnpelt padded from the edge of the clearing. “They’re not Clanborn.”

“Neither is Violetkit,” Needlepaw retorted. “But you let her j oin. And what did she offer the Clan but another m outh to feed?”

Violetkit’s heart lurched. Was that truly what Needlepaw believed? I thought you were my friend!