Thunder And Shadow

“I’ll fetch herbs and come as soon as I can.” Leafpool turned toward the rock tum ble. She paused at the top and called over her shoulder, “Alderpaw, travel with m e. I’ll need help carry ing the herbs.”

“To ShadowClan’s camp?” Alderpaw blinked in surprise.

“Of course!” Leafpool whisked her tail.

Jayfeather’s pelt twitched. “Are you going to leave m e to take care of the whole Clan m y self?” he asked crossly.

Leafpool glanced at him, am used. “I’m sure you can handle it. But don’t worry. I’ll send

Alderpaw straight home.”

Jayfeather nosed his way past Alderpaw and followed Leafpool down the rocks. “I’d better help you choose the herbs. I don’t want you leaving m e with nothing but a pile of stale tansy.”

Alderpaw began to follow, but he felt Bramblestar’s tail flick against his spine. “Wait.”

Alderpaw glanced back in surprise as Bramblestar dipped his head to Rowanstar. “You should leave now. Your Clan must need you at this tim e. Leafpool will travel to your camp as soon as she can.”

Rowanstar nodded. “Thank you for your help,” he meowed form ally. Alderpaw wondered what it had cost him to come to ThunderClan for assistance. ShadowClan cats were not known for swallowing their pride. Chin high, Rowanstar padded past Alderpaw and leaped down the tum ble of rocks. He crossed the clearing, avoiding the curious gazes of Whitewing, Brightheart, and Cloudtail, and disappeared through the thorn tunnel.

Alderpaw faced Bramblestar expectantly. Why had he asked him to wait? Did he have news of Violetkit after all?

“I’m sending a patrol.” Bramblestar’s mew was soft, his gaze flicking past Alderpaw as though checking for twitching ears am ong the cats in the clearing below. But Whitewing and Brightheart were talking to each other, heads close. Cloudtail had followed Rowanstar out of camp, and Lily heart and Daisy were dozing while the kits clambered along the fallen beech. Bramblestar went on: “To search for Sky Clan.”

Alderpaw’s heart leaped. Thank StarClan! His quest to find Sky Clan had failed. Vicious rogues had driven the long-lost Clan from their home in the gorge. He’d found one Sky Clan survivor, but Darktail, the rogues’ leader, had killed him, and there was no sign of his Clanmates.

StarClan’s prophecy had been hard to understand from the beginning: Embrace what you find in the shadows, for only they can clear the sky. But it had led to the quest: Bramblestar and Sandstorm had been convinced that they must find Sky Clan. Instead Alderpaw and Needlepaw had found Twigkit and Violetkit, abandoned in a shadowy tunnel. Every one believed now that the two motherless kits would “clear the sky,” but Alderpaw couldn’t help wondering if they needed to find Sky Clan after all. He wanted to finish the quest he had started. “Can I go?”

“I’m sending Squirrelflight, Lionblaze, and Cinderheart,” Bramblestar told him. “We need you here.”

“But they don’t even know Sky Clan exists,” Alderpaw pointed out.

Only Firestar and Sandstorm had known the truth. Asham ed that the Clans had driven Sky Clan from the forest long ago, Firestar had shared the secret only with the cat he had trusted m ost. But Sandstorm had told Bramblestar, and now Alderpaw, Sparkpaw, Cherry fall, and Molewhisker knew too. Surely Firestar wouldn’t want the secret spread any further?

“I told them,” Bramblestar confided. “They couldn’t search for a Clan they’d never heard of.

But they’re under strict orders to keep it to them selves. As far as the rest of the Clan will know, they are going to search for Twigkit’s mother.”

Alderpaw tensed. “Then Twigkit mustn’t hear about it. I don’t want her getting her hopes up.”

When he’d found Twigkit and Violetkit, they were only a few day s old. No queen would abandon kits so young and helpless unless she had no choice, or was dead.

Bramblestar shifted his paws. “The Clan will be as worried as you about getting Twigkit’s hopes up unnecessarily. No cat will want to tell her any thing. All Twigkit will know is that a patrol is out… patrolling.”

Alderpaw glanced at the top of the hollow, remembering the long j ourney to the gorge. “Do you think they’ll find Sky Clan?”

“Only StarClan knows.” Bramblestar blinked at Alderpaw. “You’d better get back to your duties. It looks like som e cat is waiting for you.”

Alderpaw glanced over his shoulder, following Bramblestar’s gaze. He expected to see Jayfeather beckoning him impatiently. Instead he saw Twigkit, shifting her paws impatiently at the edge of the clearing, her eyes fixed on him. How long had she been there? Had she overheard their conversation?

As Bramblestar turned toward his den, Alderpaw scram bled down the tum ble of rocks.

Twigkit scampered across the clearing to m eet him. “Leafpool says you’re going to ShadowClan.” Her eyes were bright with excitem ent. “Can I come?”