Thunder And Shadow

Alderpaw felt a wave of sy m pathy for the she-cat. She looked weary and anxious. He wouldn’t have liked to have to ask an apprentice like Sleekpaw to help with m undane duties like m oss gathering.

Leafpool’s gaze softened. “I’m sure you’ve done your best. But we need to get him more com fortable.”

“Should I fetch m oss now?” Dawnpelt offered.

“Not y et.” Leafpool straightened. “I need to speak with Rowanstar and Crowfrost, then check on Grassheart.” She looked worried, as though she feared the queen might be as poorly cared for as Littlecloud. “Stay here until I get back.” Deftly she unwrapped the bundle of herbs and pulled out a few stalks of tansy. “Chew this into a pulp and try to get Littlecloud to swallow it. It should ease his breathing.” She shoved the tansy toward Dawnpelt, then hurried out of the den.

Alderpaw paused, uncertain what to do.

“Alderpaw!” Leafpool’s call m ade him j um p. He hurried after her, catching up as she reached Rowanstar and Crowfrost. He tried to ignore the gazes of the other ShadowClan cats, who were still watching from the edge of the clearing. Tawny pelt stood, looking anxious, beside

Stonewing. A dark gray warrior with a torn ear was whispering to a lithe white she-cat. Two young toms were crouching beside the fresh-kill pile, a half-eaten thrush ly ing between them.

“Make it quick.” Leafpool’s mew was brisk as she addressed the ShadowClan leader.

Alderpaw’s ears twitched hotly. Were medicine cats allowed to speak to Clan leaders that way?

Rowanstar seem ed unruffled. His solem n gaze rested on Leafpool. “I have som ething im portant to ask you.”

“Then ask,” Leafpool told him. “I need to check on Grassheart.”

Rowanstar exchanged glances with Crowfrost before speaking. “We were hoping you would agree to stay with us for a while.”

“I’ll stay for as long as Littlecloud and Grassheart need m e.”

Rowanstar leaned closer. “We were hoping you’d stay long enough to train our apprentice medicine cat.”

“You have an apprentice?” Leafpool’s ears pricked with surprise. “About tim e! Where is he?

Or have you chosen a she-cat this tim e?” She scanned the camp eagerly.

“Puddlekit’s a tom, and he hasn’t been apprenticed y et,” Crowfrost explained.

“Puddle kit!” Leafpool stared at the deputy in disbelief. “You want to put a kit in charge of your Clan’s medicine den?”

“Puddlekit is six moons and will be m ade an apprentice any day now, along with his littermates,” Rowanstar told her sharply.

“Did Littlecloud choose him?” Leafpool asked.

“No.” Rowanstar shifted his paws.

“Then you’ve had a sign from StarClan?” Leafpool pressed. “Or has Puddlekit had a vision?”

Crowfrost’s fur rippled along his spine. “We don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Leafpool’s eyes widened. “Does this kit have any connection with StarClan at all?”

Rowanstar lifted his chin, his gaze hardening. “ShadowClan must have a medicine cat. We have decided Puddlekit will be the one. I am asking if you would be willing to train him.”

Alderpaw stared at Leafpool. He understood her shock. It seem ed like m adness to choose a random kit to take care of a whole Clan. Would she agree to help?

Leafpool closed her eyes for a m om ent as though gathering her thoughts. “I suppose a starving cat can’t choose its prey,” she growled. “How long would you need m e to stay?”

Crowfrost answered. “We thought a couple of moons would be enough.”

“You think it’s that easy?” Leafpool stared at him. In ThunderClan, medicine cats stay ed apprentices for many more moons than warriors. “I’m not training him to stalk birds. There’s a lot to learn. And even then a medicine cat needs experience—m ore experience than you can get in a couple of moons.”

Rowanstar held her gaze. “As you said, a starving cat can’t choose its prey.”

Leafpool glanced up to the canopy, as though try ing to glim pse Silverpelt sparkling above.

“StarClan help you.” With a sigh, she faced Rowanstar. “Very well. I will stay and help for a couple of moons. But I can’t prom ise it will be enough.”

“It will be plenty,” Rowanstar growled softly. “Puddlekit is a ShadowClan cat. He will learn quickly and perform his duties well.”

Leafpool stared at him. Alderpaw could sense the tension between them and wondered how

Leafpool would react.

“Alderpaw.” Leafpool looked at him. “While I check on Grassheart, find som e m oss and soak it in water. Littlecloud will be thirsty.” She glanced at Rowanstar. “Is there an apprentice who can help?”

Rowanstar turned his head, scanning the shadows beneath the bramble wall. “Needlepaw!”

Alderpaw’s heart quickened. Two bright green eyes flashed beneath the trailing branches.

Slowly a sleek, silver she-cat with white chest fur slid out. Alderpaw straightened, forcing his ruffled fur to sm ooth along his spine.

Needlepaw caught his eye and nodded a curt greeting before padding toward her leader.

“What do you want?”

“Go with this ThunderClan apprentice and gather wet m oss for Littlecloud to drink from,” Rowanstar told her.