Veil Of Shadows

“Thank StarClan,” Bristlefrost murmured feebly. “And thank you, Brightheart.” Reaching out to put a paw over Flipclaw’s, she added, “What happened?”

Brightheart’s eye darkened and she backed away, while Flipclaw’s expression grew suddenly somber. “How much do you remember?” he asked his sister.

Bristlefrost struggled with the fog in her mind, thinking back until the picture of the battle’s aftermath grew bright and horrific in her memory. Her belly convulsed and she retched, vomit rising into her throat. “I think . . . I think Stemleaf is dead,” she whispered when she could speak again.

Flipclaw nodded sadly. “Yes, he is. Conefoot of ShadowClan and Dappletuft from RiverClan are dead too. And—”

He broke off as Bramblestar thrust his way past the bramble screen and into the den. “Good, you’re finally awake,” he began. “I have to speak to you—alone.”

Bristlefrost saw that apart from a scratch on his muzzle and a few missing clumps of fur, the impostor seemed to be uninjured. Whoever he is, he’s a formidable fighter, she thought.

“Flipclaw, you’re doing a great job,” Bramblestar continued. “You’re going to be a terrific medicine cat.”

Flipclaw looked doubtful but said nothing, merely giving his leader a nod and ducking out of the den.

As he departed, Bramblestar spotted Brightheart in the shadows by the herb store at the back of the den. “What are you doing here?” he demanded, giving her a startled look.

“I’ve just come to help Flipclaw,” Brightheart explained.

The false Bramblestar’s shoulder fur began to bristle, and he shook his head. “No, that won’t do,” he snapped. “You’re an elder, not a medicine cat! Sometimes the elders want special treatment, and sometimes they want to take over the duties of younger cats! I’m your leader, and I’m telling you to get out! How will Flipclaw ever learn if you’re here?”

“But how will he learn if there’s no cat to teach him?” Brightheart protested. “I only know a little, but—”

“Are you arguing with me?” Bramblestar growled. “I told you to go, so go!”

Brightheart let out a sigh, casting a regretful look at Bristlefrost, then brushed past the bramble screen and out into the camp.

Once she was gone, Bramblestar padded up to Bristlefrost, his shoulder fur lying flat again. “What a brave and loyal warrior you are!” he meowed. “I admit,” he continued with an uneasy twitch of his whiskers, “that I doubted your loyalty in the past. A smart leader must have some doubts about all his followers, even the best of them. But now you’ve proven yourself as my strongest ally in ThunderClan.”

Uncomfortable with his praise, Bristlefrost opened her jaws to protest, but the false Bramblestar swept on, disregarding her.

“I knew cats were working against me, and my suspicions have been proven right. Now we must travel to the other Clans and let them know about the traitors in their ranks. With you as my deputy, we can—”

“Wait—what?” Bristlefrost exclaimed, scrambling to sit upright. She was sure she couldn’t have heard what she thought Bramblestar had just said. “What happened to Berrynose? He’s a very good deputy. Without him, you might not be alive now!”

Bramblestar loomed over her, a purr rumbling in his chest. “You’re generous to say so, Bristlefrost, but I know the truth. Berrynose was too slow to bring help. He should have been there faster than the patrol. He should have fought to kill, instead of letting cats get away!”

“But Berrynose did his best,” Bristlefrost began to argue. “He ran as fast—”

“Calm down, Bristlefrost,” Bramblestar meowed. “I know who I can trust now, and that’s what’s important. That’s why I’m exiling Berrynose and making you my new deputy.”

He did say what I thought he said!

“But I haven’t had an apprentice yet,” Bristlefrost pointed out, “so I can’t be deputy. It goes against the warrior code!”

The false Bramblestar seemed untroubled by the implication that he himself might be codebreaking. “You won’t remember this,” he meowed, “because it happened long before you were born, but I myself was made deputy before I had an apprentice. StarClan sent a vision to Leafpool that I was the right cat. And now I feel the same certainty about you.”

But StarClan hasn’t sent you a vision—have they? Bristlefrost thought doubtfully. Every hair on her pelt was prickling with horror at the thought of trying to take authority over warriors who were so much more experienced than she was.

“Now that you’re awake, we’ll announce your new position to the whole Clan,” Bramblestar told her, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

Bristlefrost stared at him in disbelief. “But I—”

“No buts!” the impostor insisted. “Remember that the new deputy must be appointed before moonhigh. Get up; we’ll tell them all now.”

There was no way for Bristlefrost to refuse. Slowly she rose to her paws, feeling her legs shaking as she padded after Bramblestar. Her head swam, and she felt as though this must all be a hideous dream.