River Of Fire

CHAPTER 10

Twigpaw bounded across the camp toward the medicine-cat den, impatient to speak to Alderheart. A few fox-lengths away she made herself slow down. The sick cats won’t want an apprentice charging in on them, she told herself.

She brushed past the bramble screen at the entrance to the den and found Alderheart at the back, where the herbs were stored. She padded toward him, careful not to disturb Leafpool and Whitewing, who were curled up in their nests.

“Hi, Alderheart,” Twigpaw mewed. “I have a little time before I have to hunt with Sparkpelt. Is there anything I can do to help you?”

“There certainly is,” Alderheart replied with a welcoming twitch of his whiskers. “I’m just sorting herbs for the sick cats in the apprentices’ den. You can take them over there for me if you like.”

“Sure,” Twigpaw responded.

Although she was happy to help, that wasn’t the only reason Twigpaw was visiting Alderheart. A couple of sunrises had passed since the Gathering, and this was her first opportunity to ask him about the prophecy. The sight of only three leaders at the Gathering had felt so wrong, so strange and frightening.

Shall I tell Alderheart what I saw at the Moonpool? she asked herself. A sick feeling gathered in her belly as she wondered what Alderheart’s reaction would be. He’s a medicine cat. I’m afraid he’d be very angry.

“I know you’re worried that StarClan wants us to have five Clans,” she began at last. “But it looks like ShadowClan isn’t coming back.”

Alderheart looked up from portioning out stems of watermint. “We don’t know that,” he responded. “After all, Sleekwhisker and Yarrowleaf have returned, even if they might not be the shadows the vision spoke of. Besides, StarClan sent us that vision, and so far we’re following their advice. Perhaps we need to look for more signs.”

We could do that until the storm strikes us, Twigpaw thought. “Maybe we should be doing more,” she suggested. “Maybe talk to the ShadowClan cats about rebuilding.”

Alderheart shook his head. “That won’t work. They would just think that bossy ThunderClan was interfering again! Besides, ShadowClan doesn’t have a strong leader. Rowanclaw won’t change his mind, and no other cat has come forward to replace him. Without a strong leader, no Clan can survive.” Sighing, he added, “There’s nothing else we can do now except wait and see.”

When she left the medicine-cat den with the leaf wraps of herbs, Twigpaw felt frustrated. Even though her apprenticeship was going well now, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she should be doing something really important to show her commitment to ThunderClan. She knew she ought to be going out to hunt with Sparkpelt, but she felt too tense; she was sure that she could never concentrate on finding and stalking prey.

I know I’ll get caught, and Sparkpelt will have me on tick duty for a moon, but I really need to sneak off and find Violetshine. It’s been more than a moon since I left, and the SkyClan warriors left the Gathering before I had a chance to speak with her. She can’t still be angry with me, can she?

As Twigpaw delivered the herbs to the apprentices’ den, her mind was racing ahead of her through the forest. She looked forward to talking to Violetshine about ShadowClan.

After all, she was raised as a ShadowClan cat. It has to mean something to her.

Twigpaw hoped too that together she and her sister might be able to convince one of the other ShadowClan cats to be leader. Surely one of them could manage?

Twigpaw waited at the SkyClan border, shivering in the cold, damp-laden breeze, until she scented an approaching patrol. As they emerged into the open around a bramble thicket, she recognized Sagenose and Harrybrook.

“Hi!” she called out, stepping right up to the border.

The two cats swerved and bounded up to her, both of them gazing at her warily.

“What do you want?” Harrybrook asked.

“I need to talk to Violetshine,” Twigpaw responded. “Will you go and fetch her for me? Please,” she added, as the two SkyClan warriors exchanged a doubtful glance. “It’s really important.”

“I suppose so,” Sagenose meowed after a moment’s pause. “But don’t even think about setting a paw over the border. You’re not a SkyClan cat anymore.”

The two cats swung around and disappeared into the undergrowth. Twigpaw sat down to wait, her ears pricked and her pelt tingling with apprehension. If a ThunderClan patrol came this way while she waited, she would be in terrible trouble, with nothing to show for it.

As Twigpaw waited, her nervousness mounted, until she felt as if she had a whole swarm of bees nesting in her belly. Every rustle in the undergrowth was an approaching patrol of her Clanmates; every scent wafted on the breeze threatened discovery.

Twigpaw felt she could hardly bear the rising tension for another heartbeat when ferns on the far side of the border parted and Violetshine came into view, her whiskers quivering and her eyes watchful. “Okay, I’m here,” she mewed as she padded up to her sister. “What’s this all about?”

Twigpaw’s tail drooped. I missed Violetshine! Isn’t she pleased to see me? But there was no affectionate greeting for her from her sister.

“I’m worried about the prophecy,” Twigpaw explained, ignoring her hurt. “There have to be five Clans, and how can there be, when there’s no ShadowClan anymore? We have to do something!”

To Twigpaw’s dismay, her sister’s yellow eyes were cold. “What do you care about the future of ShadowClan?” she asked. “Besides, I’m a SkyClan cat now. ShadowClan has nothing to do with me either.”

“But you were brought up there!” Twigpaw protested.

“Yes, and it was no fun, believe me,” Violetshine retorted. “I had to watch Darktail take over and cats die. Going back there is the last thing I want.”

“But—” Twigpaw tried to interrupt.

Violetshine ignored her. “Besides, I can see how vulnerable it was under Rowanstar’s leadership,” she went on, “so perhaps it’s not so bad that it fell apart. Rowanstar’s weakness gave Darktail the opportunity to take over. And things are going well now, with SkyClan and ShadowClan combined. It’s taking some getting used to, but—”

“Going well?” Twigpaw interrupted. “Really? Couldn’t you feel the tension at the Gathering? The SkyClan cats were supporting Leafstar, but the ShadowClan cats were furious when she was talking about Yarrowleaf and Sleekwhisker.” Twigpaw reached out a paw to her sister. “Please, Violetshine, tell me the truth. Was it really as simple as Leafstar made it sound?”

Violetshine relaxed with a sigh, though she swept the surrounding forest with a glance before she replied. “No, you’re right, it wasn’t.” Seeming relieved to be telling some cat, she went on, “It was really awkward. Leafstar turned them away at first, and then some of the ShadowClan cats—their kin—snuck them into their old camp. Tree and I found them there, and we had to tell Leafstar.”

Twigpaw blinked in astonishment. “I don’t suppose she was pleased.”

“She was furious! She wanted to drive them out all over again. It was Tree who convinced her to let them stay.”

Twigpaw felt even more astonished to hear that. “Wow—he must be a good talker!”

“He is,” Violetshine admitted. “A bit like you. Except he follows through.”

Twigpaw gasped, stung by her sister’s words. “Look,” she meowed, “I’m sorry about leaving SkyClan, but I just didn’t belong there, as much as I wanted to.” When there was no response from Violetshine, she asked, “Haven’t you ever felt that way?”

“More times than I would have liked,” Violetshine sighed.

Twigpaw was encouraged to feel that her sister was warming to her a little. “All right,” she began, “so hear me out about the prophecy. StarClan wants there to be five Clans. And I have to tell you something I’ve told no cat before. . . .” Twigpaw hesitated, swallowing nervously. She had no idea how Violetshine would react, and after she had spoken there could be no going back. “At the medicine cats’ half-moon meeting, I went to the Moonpool.”

Violetshine’s eyes stretched wide with shock. “You went? What did the medicine cats think about that?”

“They never knew,” Twigpaw explained. “I hid in the bushes until they left. But after that, I saw a vision . . . a dreadful vision of fire and a ruined camp. StarClan showed it to me! And now I’m afraid terrible things will happen unless we can find a fifth Clan.”

Before Violetshine could reply, the ferns near the border parted, and a muscular yellow tom stepped into the open. Twigpaw recognized Tree. He padded up to the border, sat down beside Violetshine, and lifted one hind leg to scratch his ear.

“You Clan cats are so afraid of StarClan,” he meowed, not bothering with a greeting. “If StarClan wants you to do stuff, why can’t they be clearer about it?”

“Any medicine cat would ask the same question,” Violetshine commented wryly.

Twigpaw turned to Tree. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

“Oh, I was bored,” Tree replied. “I just thought I would follow Violetshine. I’ve been missing you, too.”

Twigpaw could see a glimmer of amusement in Tree’s eyes, but she couldn’t see what the joke was. I never could see why some cats think Tree’s so funny.

Violetshine batted Tree over the head with her tail. “You should stop following me!” Twigpaw sensed she didn’t mean that seriously. “What do you think about all this?” she added.

Tree shrugged. “I never thought I’d be saying this, but Twigpaw is making a lot of sense. StarClan does seem to want there to be five Clans, and for all five Clans to work together. And there is tension in the SkyClan camp. Sooner or later it’s going to break out into fighting. Perhaps it would be better if the ShadowClan cats split off again.”

“But how can we make that happen?” Violetshine asked.

“We should at least talk to the ShadowClan cats,” Tree replied. “Surely one of them could make a decent leader.”

For a few moments Violetshine was silent, clearly deep in thought. “Perhaps we could talk to Tawnypelt,” she suggested at last. “She was Rowanstar’s deputy after Tigerheart left, and she truly cared about her Clan. Once I saw her with Rowanclaw at ShadowClan’s old camp, and she seemed so regretful about all they had lost. Maybe she would be willing to try reviving the Clan.”

“Okay,” Twigpaw mewed, feeling a tingle of hope in her pads. Is this plan of mine actually working? “Let’s go and talk to Tawnypelt.”