Veil Of Shadows

He was thankful for the excuse of sitting vigil, but he realized that wasn’t the only reason he wanted nothing to do with the plan. At last he was truly a SkyClan warrior, and his whole being tingled with a fierce loyalty to his Clan and his leader. If Leafstar decided that SkyClan would follow Thun-derClan’s lead, then Rootspring would trust that was the right thing to do.

I only hope that Bramblestar can wait that long. . . .

Chapter 15

Raised voices from outside in the camp woke Bristlefrost from her nap in the warriors’ den. Still heavy with sleep, she stumbled to her paws and poked her head out of the entrance to see what was going on. The wind of earlier in the day had dropped, but a thin drizzle was falling; Bristlefrost flicked her ears at its chilly touch.

A moment later her eyes widened and she forgot all about the rain. Rosepetal and Bumblestripe, the border patrol, had returned to the camp, and between them, limping and weary but with her head held high, came Twigbranch.

Several of her Clanmates were rushing across the camp to greet her, letting out yowls of welcome. Bristlefrost joined them, delighted to see the gray she-cat returning from her atonement.

Twigbranch’s eyes were bright and determined, though she looked skinny, and her pelt could do with a good grooming. Bristlefrost guessed that her scruffy appearance was at least partly faked, in case any cat should ask awkward questions about where she had been staying.

Dipping her head in response to her Clanmates, Twigbranch drew to a halt as Berrynose shouldered his way through the crowd around her and looked her over, wrinkling his nose as if he were faced with a piece of crow-food.

“Greetings,” he meowed, his tone disdainful.

Twigbranch gave him a brisk nod but otherwise ignored him. “I need to see Bramblestar,” she announced, her tail-tip twitching with impatience.

Berrynose swiveled around until his gaze fell on Bristlefrost. “Go get him,” he ordered.

Bristlefrost bounded across the camp and climbed the tumbled rocks to the Highledge. Peering into Bramblestar’s den, she saw the false leader curled up asleep in his nest.

“Like he does anything else these days,” she muttered to herself.

Padding forward into the den, trying not to gag at the smell of stale prey scattered on the floor, Bristlefrost shook the impostor by the shoulder. “Wake up,” she mewed. “Twigbranch has come back.”

Bramblestar gazed up at her, blinking and bleary-eyed. “What?” he mumbled.

With an effort, Bristlefrost stopped her neck fur bushing up at his evident confusion. “Twigbranch has come back,” she repeated. “Remember, you sent her to atone for half a moon, and said she couldn’t come back unless she brought twenty pieces of prey.”

For a moment Bramblestar gaped in surprise, then jumped to his paws and strode out of his den. His confusion had vanished; he was focused and purposeful.

In the center of the camp Bramblestar threw his head back and let out a yowl. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here around me for a Clan meeting!”

The summons was hardly necessary, because so many of the cats were already out in the open, welcoming Twigbranch back home. The last few stragglers bounded up, while Twigbranch stepped forward to face the Clan leader, giving him a respectful dip of her head.

“Well?” Bramblestar asked. “Have you carried out the task I gave you?”

Twigbranch’s eyes shone with pride. “I have,” she replied. “And I need some cat to help me carry my prey into camp. It’s hidden under a bush just outside.”

Bramblestar twitched his ears toward the nearest warriors. “Finleap, Thriftear, go and help her.”

Bristlefrost watched as Twigbranch led the way out of the camp; moments later the three cats returned, laden with prey, and set it down at Bramblestar’s paws. They had to go back a second time before they had brought it all: a row of mice, voles, squirrels, and a few birds, neatly set out in front of the Clan leader.

Wow! Bristlefrost thought. She knew the exiles had helped, but Twigbranch had insisted on catching most of the prey herself. She’s a brilliant hunter!

Bramblestar strolled along the line of prey, sniffing each piece as he counted it. When he reached the end he turned back to Twigbranch and gave her a nod. “So, Twigbranch,” he meowed. “What have you learned in the course of your atonement?”

Twigbranch straightened herself, exchanging a swift glance with Bristlefrost. She seemed eager to get this over with.

“I learned the importance of my Clan,” she replied, “and how wrong I was to doubt that I’m a ThunderClan cat. But I know now—I’m ThunderClan through and through!” Lowering her head in the deepest respect, she added, “In the hearing of every cat, I pledge my allegiance to ThunderClan, and to you, Bramblestar, as my leader.”

“And you will never question my authority?” Bramblestar demanded.