Thunder And Shadow

Puddleshine went on. “No cat has shown signs of im provem ent. Snakekit is just fur and bones, and Rowanstar’s lives are ebbing away.” He lowered his voice, one eye on Harespring, still standing at the top of the hollow. “And now Crowfrost has been taken ill.”

Alderpaw saw Leafpool swap anxious looks with Kestrelflight. His heart lurched. ShadowClan had no leader now. They would be more vulnerable than ever.

Mothwing padded forward. “We’ve scoured RiverClan territory for lungwort, but we’ve found nothing that fits y our description.”

Willowshine pricked her ears. “We wondered if birch sap might help. There’s a young tree near the river. The bark is soft enough to score into. We can gather sap and bring it to you if y ou like. Its sweetness will give the sick cats energy when they can’t eat.”

Jayfeather tipped his head curiously. “Birch sap? Does it cure coughs?”

“We don’t know y et. We’ve only just discovered it,” Willowshine told him. “But it won’t do any harm. It might be worth try ing until Onestar changes his m ind.”

Alderpaw’s belly tightened. From what he’d seen of the WindClan leader, Onestar was never going to change his m ind. His thoughts quickened. And if he doesn’t? How many ShadowClan cats will die? Would there be any cat left? Anger surged through him. “Why don’t the Clans j oin together and make Onestar give ShadowClan the herb?”

Kestrelflight’s fur rippled uneasily.

Leafpool blinked at Alderpaw, clearly surprised by the anger in his mew.

Puddleshine’s ears twitched. “If only it were that easy.”

“It is that easy!” Alderpaw’s pelt bristled. “We need to stand up to Onestar.”

Leafpool’s tail swished over the stone. “You’re right, Alderpaw. But we need the support of our leaders. I’m not sure they are ready to start a war over this y et.”

Alderpaw growled. “They should be! Don’t they care that ShadowClan is dy ing? Aren’t all cats’ lives im portant?”

Kestrelflight glanced at Harespring. He nodded to the warrior, who turned and disappeared over the edge of the rim. “I think I have a more peaceful solution.”

The medicine cats swung their heads toward him.

Alderpaw’s heart leaped into this throat. “What?”

Kestrelflight padded to the pool. “I need to share with StarClan before I tell y ou. I need to know that what I want to do is right.”

Alderpaw watched the WindClan medicine cat crouch at the edge of the pool and touch his nose to the water. Curiosity gnawed in his belly. “What do you think he means?” he blinked at Leafpool.

“Let’s share with StarClan,” she mewed softly. “And then he can tell us.”

Alderpaw followed Leafpool as the cats fanned out around the pool. Mothwing lay down by the pool to wait. Closing his eyes, Alderpaw crouched and touched his nose to the water.

Sun-drenched m eadows opened in front of him. A warm breeze ruffled his pelt. The stone beneath his paws turned to soft grass, tickling where the wind set it rippling against his fur.

A broad-faced gray she-cat padded toward him, stars sparkling in her thick, long fur. She purred as she neared. Alderpaw dipped his head, wondering who she was.

“I am Yellowfang.” She stopped in front of him.

Yellowfang. Alderpaw had heard stories of the brave she-cat who had killed her own son to save her Clan. He blinked at her, his heart quickening. “Have you come to tell m e if Twigpaw and Violetpaw are what we were meant to find in the shadows?” He’d come to the pool with the sam e question burning in his thoughts every half-moon.

Yellowfang’s whiskers twitched with am usem ent. “Haven’t you wondered whether finding out for y ourselves might be part of the prophecy?”

Alderpaw leaned forward eagerly. “Does that mean they are?”

Yellowfang gazed at him steadily. “It means I’m not telling y ou.”

Alderpaw frowned, frustration pricking through his fur.

Yellowfang purred louder. “I’d forgotten the impatience of y outh.” She padded around him, letting her thick tail trail across his flank. “I cam e only to praise you for speaking out.”

“When?” Alderpaw m et her gaze, puzzled.

“Just now. With the other medicine cats.” She stood still. “I wondered at first if you had what it takes to be a medicine cat, but now that I see that you are willing to say what you believe, I trust that StarClan m ade the right choice after all.”

After all? Alderpaw frowned. “Didn’t you choose m e?”

“StarClan does not always speak with one voice.”

Alderpaw remembered many dream less moons. “Sometimes you don’t speak at all.”

“Would you rather we guided y our every paw step?” Yellowfang tipped her head. “Wouldn’t y ou rather walk y our own path?”

“I guess.” Alderpaw glanced past her, wondering if any other StarClan cats were here. “But there are som e paths that are too hard to walk alone. And we can’t see som e paths at all.” He thought of the missing Clan. “You never m ention Sky Clan. Do you know where they are?”