Thunder And Shadow

“First we’re going to take them to Onestar so they can explain them selves to him.” Spite glittered in his gaze.

Tigerheart lifted his chin. “I’ll be happy to talk to Onestar. I’m sure he’ll understand why we cam e.”

Crowfeather and Leaftail exchanged glances. Was that am usem ent in their eyes? Violetpaw suddenly felt cold.

Puddleshine seem ed unaware of the m enace in the air. He blinked at the WindClan warriors.

“Are we going to y our camp?” His eyes lit up. “Good! I need to speak with Kestrelflight.”

Crowfeather’s whiskers twitched. “I doubt y ou’ll be doing much talking,” he meowed darkly.

Violetpaw’s belly tightened with foreboding as the WindClan warriors flanked them and began to guide them along the slopes. They crossed the m oor until she saw a dip surrounded by gorse.

Crowfeather led them to a gap in the thick green wall and ducked through it. Violetpaw followed Scorchfur and Tigerheart, Puddleshine at her tail.

The tunnel opened onto a wide stretch of grass. Heather clustered at the edges, backed by thick gorse. Sm all, sleek cats slid from dens and stared at them as the patrol m arched them across the clearing. Their eyes sparkled nervously. Violetpaw’s heart quickened. Tension hung in the air as though thunder was coming. She padded closer to Puddleshine, com forted by the touch of his flank against hers.

Onestar was sitting on a wide, flat rock at the end of the clearing.

His gaze sharpened as he saw them. He leaped onto the grass and stood m otionless as they approached.

Violetpaw blinked at him, her throat tightening. Was this how the rogues had felt when they’d first entered the ShadowClan camp? She doubted they’d been as scared. Rowanstar was stern, but his gaze had never been as icy as Onestar’s.

Her fear intensified when the WindClan leader looked right at her, nostrils flaring. “What is she doing on m y territory?”

Crowfeather looked confused he stopped in front of Onestar. “Er—we caught them inside our border.”

Fury flashed in Onestar’s eyes, turning ice into fire in a m om ent. He lashed his tail in her direction. “This one is a rogue. She lived am ong the sam e cats who killed Furzepelt!”

Violetpaw stiffened with fear.

The WindClan leader’s pelt spiked along his spine. “How dare y ou?” he hissed. “Get her off m y territory before I take m y revenge!”

Tigerheart stepped backward, and Violetpaw saw the two warriors’ claws curl into the grass as though preparing for a fight. She tried to back up as well, but hit a wall of tawny fur, thick with WindClan scent. Cats padded closer on every side. The gorse hem m ed them in. Her paws trem bled. They were trapped.

“Hear m e out. Violetpaw is a ShadowClan cat now. She poses no threat,” Tigerheart said in a steady voice.

Onestar snarled. “Make it quick.”

Tigerheart glanced at Puddleshine, whose gaze was frozen on Onestar. Violetpaw could sm ell his fear. Tigerheart said quickly, “Three of our Clanmates are ill with a sickness we’ve never seen before. StarClan sent Puddleshine a dream telling him which herb would cure it. They told him that he must gather it on the m oor.”

Onestar narrowed his eyes to slits. “I don’t care what StarClan told him. No ShadowClan cat crosses onto WindClan land.”

Tigerheart’s tail twitched and Violetpaw guessed he was angry, but he replied calm ly. “We mean no harm. But we can’t let our Clanmates die.”

Onestar snorted. “And y et you shelter rogues who killed my Clanmate.” He glared again at Violetpaw.

Scorchfur bristled. “Violetpaw is one of us! We’re not sheltering them!”

Onestar thrust his m uzzle close to the dark gray warrior. “Even if she is loy al to ShadowClan… you let the others live at the edge of y our territory, despite the fact that they are m urderers. Half y our apprentices left to j oin them. It just proves what I’ve always thought: ShadowClan cats are no better than rogues. You will not gather herbs on m y land.”

Violetpaw could hardly believe the rage in the WindClan leader’s mew. What was wrong with him? Was he really going to let Clan cats die just because of the rogues? Weren’t leaders meant to be wise?

She saw m ovem ent at the corner of her vision and saw Kestrelflight approach. “Surely Puddleshine can gather herbs?” The WindClan medicine cat blinked nervously at his leader. “The Clans have always allowed medicine cats to gather herbs when lives are at stake.”

Onestar turned on him. “No!”

“But our Clanmates need—”

Onestar cut Kestrelflight off with a hiss. “They will gather no herbs here.” His m alicious gaze flicked back to Tigerheart. “Get off m y land.”

Tigerheart returned his gaze without m oving.

“Go!” Onestar screeched. “Head for the border and don’t stop. The m om ent you leave the camp, I’m sending a patrol after y ou. If they catch up with y ou, they’ll tear the pelts from y our backs.”

Tigerheart shifted his paws. “Please,” he pleaded softly.

Violetpaw stared at the warrior in surprise. He was begging. He must care for his Clan more than his own pride.

“Leave!” Onestar’s y owl rang around the camp.