Veil Of Shadows

Outside in the camp the rain had stopped, but the air was still raw and damp. Bristlefrost shivered as the chill penetrated her pelt. Clouds covered the sky, and the daylight was fading; she guessed she had lain unconscious in the medicine cats’ den for a long time.

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me here for a Clan meeting!” Bramblestar yowled.

The warriors began to gather, most of them exchanging confused glances as they formed a circle around their Clan leader. Bristlefrost heard Thornclaw mutter to Mousewhisker, “For StarClan’s sake, what now?”

Flipclaw reappeared to stand outside his den, and Cloudtail led the elders over to stand at the back of the crowd. Even Daisy emerged from the nursery to see what was going on.

“My life was in danger today,” Bramblestar began when all the Clan was assembled. “Some of my warriors rose to the occasion—and others didn’t. Berrynose, come here.”

The cream-colored tom stepped forward eagerly, his head raised with pride as he stood beside his leader. Bristlefrost couldn’t help feeling sorry for him; he had worked hard as Bramblestar’s deputy, and he clearly had no idea of what was coming.

“You failed me today.” Bramblestar’s voice was harsh. “I can’t trust you any longer. From this moment you are no longer deputy of ThunderClan.”

Berrynose stared at him, his jaw dropping and his eyes wide with dismay. “But—but Bramblestar,” he stammered. “I did my best—”

The impostor cut through his excuses. “Then your best wasn’t good enough. You are no longer deputy, or a member of this Clan. Leave now.”

For a moment longer Berrynose stared at his leader. Bristlefrost heard a low wail from a cat in the crowd, and realized it came from Berrynose’s mate, Poppyfrost. He turned his head to give her a long look, then headed for the thorn tunnel, his tail trailing in the mud.

Shocked murmurs were rising from the crowd of cats as they watched the exiled deputy leave. Berrynose had never been a popular cat, but he had been an efficient deputy, and Bristlefrost could see how his Clanmates thought his banishment was unfair.

“So, now I must appoint a new deputy,” Bramblestar announced proudly when Berrynose had vanished. “I say these words before StarClan, that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve my choice. Bristlefrost will be the new deputy of ThunderClan.”

Bristlefrost cringed as the Clan erupted in yowls of protest and concern. Several of her Clanmates were glaring at her, their fur bristling. She wished that she could vanish like a mouse into a gap beneath a tree root. But she had to stay and listen to the warriors arguing over their leader’s decision.

“Bristlefrost?”

“But she’s barely even a warrior!”

“She hasn’t had an apprentice!”

“Enough!” Bramblestar cut off the objections with a furious lash of his tail. “Who is leader?” he demanded. “What is the only thing standing between you and StarClan’s wrath? Remember that StarClan already killed Squirrelflight—or have you forgotten already?”

The warriors grew silent, staring at their leader with open mouths. Bristlefrost’s pelt prickled with anger: So Bramblestar had already gone from blaming himself for Squirrelflight’s supposed death to implying that it was a punishment from StarClan. Was there any situation he wouldn’t twist to his own ends?

After several moments, Molewhisker spoke up hesitantly. “We’re loyal to you, Bramblestar. It’s just . . . well, if we’re being so careful to follow the code, isn’t it against the code to choose a cat as deputy when she hasn’t had an apprentice?”

Bristlefrost expected Bramblestar to unleash his fury. Instead he seemed to grow calmer. He glared at Molewhisker, his eyes flickering; as Bristlefrost watched him, her pads tingled with a mixture of fear and confusion.

For a heartbeat there, I thought his eyes looked blue.

Then Bramblestar spoke, his voice quiet, but full of menace. “I am your leader. My word is the code.”

Chapter 16

Shadowsight woke to see the pale light of dawn creeping into the SkyClan medicine cats’ den. He stretched his jaws in a massive yawn and glanced around. Frecklewish and Fidgetflake were beginning to stir toward the back of the den, and in a nest beside Shadowsight’s, Kitescratch was still deeply asleep.

The young SkyClan warrior had returned to camp the previous day bearing the marks of claws, including one deep wound all along his flank. He had told the medicine cats that he had been injured fighting an owl, though Shadowsight had his doubts.

Kitescratch is too big for an owl to attack, and he must have bees in his brain if he tried to take one as prey.