“Just think what you’re saying,” Jayfeather challenged them. “Killing a leader—even if he’s not the true leader—isn’t like slapping your paw down on a mouse. Before we make a move, we have to think about what would happen next.”
“That’s right,” Bristlefrost agreed, thankful for another argument against killing Bramblestar’s body. “Berrynose is the ThunderClan deputy now. Does any cat think that he would make a good leader?”
The cats stood in a small pool of silence as each of them thought about that. Finally, Dovewing spoke. “But Squirrelflight, you’re the
“No, she’s not,” Jayfeather responded instantly. “However much we might like her to be. Her Clan leader banished her and appointed Berrynose, and how pleased do you think StarClan and every other cat would be if we didn’t follow the usual succession? It’s an outrageous idea!”
“Jayfeather’s right,” Crowfeather meowed, with a curt nod in the direction of the blind medicine cat. “Besides, Harestar and WindClan will not accept ThunderClan murdering their leader and putting another cat in his place. We’d never get away with it.”
“That’s true,” Violetshine agreed. “And Leafstar and Misty-star will probably feel the same way.”
“But Leafstar said she would act to stop Bramblestar hurting other cats,” Rootpaw pointed out. “Maybe if we told her about the time the impostor tried to kill Sparkpelt, SkyClan would turn against him.”
Twigbranch shook her head. “There’s not enough evidence. Bramblestar sent Sparkpelt to the place where she was attacked by dogs, and a trail of prey-scent led to that place, but there’s no actual proof that the false Bramblestar was responsible for the attack. I know Leafstar well, from the time I spent in SkyClan. She won’t even twitch a whisker until she’s sure.”
Lionblaze stepped forward, his voice rumbling deep within his chest. “Maybe killing Bramblestar is the right move,” he growled. “He’s controlling all five Clans now, not just ThunderClan, and he’ll destroy everything if he isn’t stopped. But we need to think it through first.”
Squirrelflight stared down at him from her place on the rock, shock and disbelief in her eyes. “I can’t believe I heard you say that!” she gasped. “I can’t believe you would even consider killing Bramblestar. He’s not just your Clan leader—he’s been like a father to you.”
Lionblaze opened his jaws to respond, then closed them again, shaking his head in confusion. He mumbled something that Bristlefrost couldn’t catch.
Tigerstar took control of the meeting again, raising one paw in a commanding gesture. “One course of action is before us,” he announced. “To kill Bramblestar’s body.” His gaze scorched across the assembled cats like flame through dry grass. “But Squirrelflight might be right that it’s not time yet. We don’t want to start a battle against RiverClan, WindClan, and ThunderClan, and right now they’d be allied against us, and we don’t know what Leafstar would decide.
As she headed away from ShadowClan territory, Bristlefrost felt her legs shaking with every paw step. She had suspected that telling the others about seeing Bramblestar returning to camp covered in blood would put his life in danger, and she was right. She wasn’t completely surprised that they were now suggesting killing Bramblestar’s body, but she was certain that it would be a huge mistake.
If they succeeded, what then? she asked herself despairingly. With his body dead, they might never get the real Bramblestar back—and ThunderClan would be ripped apart for good.
Chapter 7
All around him was gray mist; though he blinked several times, it didn’t clear. Dark shapes that might have been large rocks loomed around him. All he could see were twin points of yellow light, piercing the gloom. Gradually a shape formed around them and became a cat: a skinny black tom with yellow eyes fixed intently on him. Shadowsight felt that he ought to recognize him, but he was so confused that the name wouldn’t come to him.
Then the black tom spoke. “Greetings, Shadowsight.”
The voice was the same one that had been calling to him, and with a gasp Shadowsight remembered. “Spiresight!” Warm gratitude filled him. “I can’t believe it’s you! I thought you went to StarClan. That’s why my father gave you a warrior name.”