Veil Of Shadows

“I never will, I promise,” Twigbranch responded; her whiskers twitched, but she didn’t utter a word of complaint.

“Hmm . . .” Bramblestar began pacing back and forth in front of the line of prey. “Now every cat can see how important it is to be true to your Clan,” he began. “That is such a crucial part of the warrior code, even though so many cats seem to forget it these days.”

What is he rambling on about? Bristlefrost wondered, flicking raindrops from her ears. Why can’t he just welcome Twigbranch back and let us all get back someplace dry? She guessed that Twigbranch was just waiting to settle down and get some rest, and Finleap, his eyes shining as he gazed at his mate, clearly couldn’t wait for the chance to share tongues with her and hear all about her adventures.

“So, among you all,” Bramblestar continued, “I imagine no cat has had her allegiance tested as much as Twigbranch.”

The gray she-cat nodded agreement, seeming to relax a little.

Bramblestar halted in his pacing and fixed her with a cold, unforgiving gaze. “That’s why it’s such a pity that I can’t allow you back into ThunderClan.”

“What?” Several warriors let out yowls of shock. Finleap didn’t speak, but Bristlefrost was shaken at his look of stunned disappointment as he glanced from his mate to Bramblestar and back again. Twigbranch simply stared at the Clan leader, her disbelief at what she was hearing obvious.

“You can atone all you want, Twigbranch,” Bramblestar went on, “but that can’t undo the fact that you are a codebreaker, one of those so named in Shadowsight’s vision. I can’t possibly let you back into the Clan. Given what happened to Squirrelflight”—he paused, a pained look flashing in his eyes—“and Flipclaw’s prophetic dream, I’m more sure than ever that leniency for the codebreakers is not what StarClan wants.”

“But—but I atoned!” Twigbranch stammered, casting a confused glance at Flipclaw. “If you were just going to kick me out anyway, why did you let me atone?”

“You insisted on atoning,” Bramblestar sneered. “I never said it would make a difference one way or the other.”

Even before he had finished speaking, Twigbranch’s Clanmates began to let out furious protests in her defense.

“That’s not fair!”

“You did promise her!”

“Twigbranch is a loyal warrior!”

Bramblestar raked the assembled cats with a hard glare, his shoulder fur bristling. “Do you like living in safety?” he demanded. “Having plenty of prey to hunt and a warm camp to return to at night? Then you should want me to exile Twigbranch! We’ve seen how StarClan has punished us with wind and rain this newleaf. So far, ThunderClan has been spared the struggles some other Clans have faced . . . don’t you wonder why?”

Bristlefrost looked around at her Clanmates’ faces. Do they believe that? Newleaf was often windy and rainy, and it was ThunderClan’s location in the forest that kept them well fed and protected. But of course Bramblestar would try to take credit.

It seemed to be working. The warriors’ protests died into an indignant muttering, but soon Finleap’s voice rose above them all. “If Twigbranch is leaving, then so am I,” he meowed, pressing himself against his mate’s side.

Bramblestar let out a snort of amused contempt. “You won’t be missed,” he mocked. “I want loyal warriors only—warriors who will serve without question! Not cats who just followed their mate from one Clan to another.”

For a few heartbeats the Clan seemed frozen between anger at the way Bramblestar was treating Twigbranch, and fear of what might happen if she was allowed to stay. Then a quiet voice spoke up from the direction of the medicine cats’ den, and Alderheart padded up to stand beside Twigbranch and Finleap. Bristlefrost was stunned by the suppressed fury in the gentle medicine cat’s voice and in his eyes as he faced Bramblestar.

“In all the times I have shared dreams with StarClan,” Alderheart began, “our warrior ancestors have never asked any cat to serve a leader without question. Sometimes it’s right to question! How much more devastation would Darktail have caused if none of his followers had questioned him?”

Bristlefrost suppressed a shudder as she remembered the stories the older warriors told about the cat who had brought a band of rogues into the lake territory and almost destroyed the Clans before he was killed and his followers scattered. Alderheart is right! No leader should be obeyed without question.

Bramblestar thrust out his head toward Alderheart. It was still a shock to see so much hostility from their leader toward his son—but she reminded herself that this cat was not the real Bramblestar, and he was not Alderheart’s father.