Squirrelflight's Hope

CHAPTER 1

Greenleaf was giving way to leaf-fall, and shriveled leaves were already drifting along the forest trails. Ahead, a stream babbled, tumbling its way toward the lake, and beyond it the moor rose against a blue afternoon sky. Squirrelflight padded from beneath the trees and tasted the air. She could smell heather, dusty and browning.

Eaglewing, Plumstone, and Bumblestripe fanned out beside her.

“It’s quiet,” Eaglewing murmured.

Plumstone gazed at the heather stretching ahead. “It’s perfect hunting weather.”

Eaglewing stared at the trees as though he might see through them. “We’d best be on our guard.”

Squirrelflight nodded, knowing that the young warrior was probably thinking of Ambermoon, his former mentor, who had been attacked by an owl a moon before on a day very much like this. She had died. It’s good to remember, Squirrelflight thought, that even the clearest days hold their dangers.

Squirrelflight narrowed her eyes, straining to make out a dark shape near the top of the moor. She was leading the border patrol and had promised to report back on their neighbors. It had been nearly three moons since the Clans had redrawn their borders to make room for SkyClan, and the new scent lines had remained unchallenged. Bramblestar was happy—the new peace suited him—but he’d confided in her that he was worried that it was too good to be true.

The dark shape dipped beneath the heather. Another darted after it. “Is that a WindClan patrol?” Squirrelflight wondered.

Bumblestripe followed her gaze. “I think so.”

“They’re heading away.” Plumstone narrowed her eyes.

Squirrelflight shifted her paws. “We’d better check the border to make sure it hasn’t been crossed.”

Eaglewing padded forward and sniffed the edge of the stream. Plumstone headed along the bank.

Squirrelflight flicked her tail toward the stretch of prickly gorse beyond. “The border’s been moved,” she reminded them.

“Yeah, but the stream is where the forest ends.” Eaglewing blinked at her.

“We have to get used to our new borders, too.” Squirrelflight glanced at the ginger she-cat, surprised that a young warrior should already be so rooted in Clan traditions. Did her sister, Plumstone, feel the same way? “Have you ever marked the new border?”

“Thornclaw said there was no point,” Plumstone told her. “He says ThunderClan cats don’t hunt on moorland. We hunt in the forest.”

Squirrelflight widened her eyes, surprised. A strong Clan should adapt to change, not ignore it. Bramblestar would have to speak to his senior warriors. Has the peace only held because the Clans haven’t been trying to enforce our new borders? She padded downstream to where stones jutted out of the water, and hopped onto the first one. “ThunderClan cats hunt on ThunderClan land,” she called back to her Clanmates. “From now on we mark all our borders.” She scrambled onto the next stone, uncurling her claws as her pads slipped on the wet rock. Then she leaped onto the far shore. The air tasted peaty here and stringent with gorse scents. She was surprised that it could be so different only a few paces from the tree line. But the moor wind was brisk, always carrying fresh smells. In the calm of the forest, scents hung longer in the air.

Behind her, Eaglewing and Bumblestripe looked distrustfully at the crossing stones.

“Are you coming?” Squirrelflight whisked her tail impatiently.

Plumstone brushed past her sister and leaped onto the first stone. “Come on!” She pricked her ears. “We’ve never been on WindClan land before.”

“It’s ThunderClan territory now,” Squirrelflight corrected her. The stretch of moorland had clearly been left unhunted. The grass was untrampled, and no prey-scent sweetened the air. And yet ThunderClan hadn’t gone hungry since the border changes. It had been a good greenleaf. Prey had been plentiful. But when leaf-bare drove prey underground, they’d need this precious hunting territory. They had, after all, given a good swath of their forest to SkyClan.

Plumstone hopped onto the bank and stopped beside Squirrelflight. “It smells like WindClan here.”

Squirrelflight sniffed again as Bumblestripe and Eaglewing crossed the stream. There was a hint of WindClan, but the scent wasn’t fresh. “It’s probably the wind carrying the smell down from the high moor,” she told Plumstone.

Plumstone sniffed the grass. “Everything smells like WindClan here.”

Bumblestripe reached them. “It was their land for a long time,” he commented, looking warily toward the moor. “I guess it’ll take a while for ThunderClan scent to take hold.”

Squirrelflight headed toward the line of gorse that marked the border. “It’ll take hold quicker if we leave scent marks.” She grazed her cheek along a branch, wincing as the prickles snagged her fur. Bumblestripe padded stiffly along the border, leaving marks as he went, while Eaglewing and Plumstone plucked at the grass, rubbing their scent into the earth.

“I can’t smell any WindClan scent markers.” Eaglewing looked puzzled. “They haven’t marked the new border.”

“Perhaps they’ve been busy. Remember, Whitetail died recently, and they would have had her vigil. Wait till the weather starts to turn,” Squirrelflight warned her. “They’ll be more careful about borders when prey is scarce.”

Bumblestripe jerked his muzzle toward the forest. His ears pricked with excitement. Eaglewing stiffened as she followed his gaze.

“Rabbit!” Plumstone darted toward the stream as a fat buck bounded from the forest.

Bumblestripe and Eaglewing pelted after her. They scrambled over the crossing stones that spanned the stream and raced into the trees toward their quarry. The rabbit squealed in panic as it saw them and fled for cover. But Bumblestripe was fast. With one leap, he crossed the stretch between hunters and prey and pinned the rabbit to the ground. He killed it with a bite before Eaglewing and Plumstone reached him.

Squirrelflight watched them as they took turns sniffing the juicy fresh-kill, their pelts fluffed with excitement. Her Clanmates were clearly happier hunting in the forest. She rubbed her cheek on another branch and padded back to the stream. Bramblestar would have to remind his warriors to keep the markers on this border fresh. If they didn’t make this land their own, there might come a day when the WindClan scent markers on this stretch of land wouldn’t be stale anymore.

“It won’t feel like a real Gathering.” Squirrelflight glanced at the night sky as she padded beside Bramblestar. “There’s no full moon.”

“It’s not a real Gathering,” Bramblestar reminded her. “Just a meeting of the leaders and deputies.”

Beside them, the lake lapped sluggishly over the shore. Beneath Squirrelflight’s paws, the pebbles were still warm from the day’s heat. She looked anxiously toward the island. Silhouettes moved across the tree-bridge. She couldn’t make out who they were. She tasted the air but smelled only moorland scents and remembered her patrol with Bumblestripe, Plumstone, and Eaglewing. Did Harestar want to challenge the markers they’d left? Surely he couldn’t complain. It was ThunderClan land now. “Why did Harestar call the meeting?”

“Emberfoot didn’t say.” The WindClan warrior had visited the ThunderClan camp while she’d been resting after her patrol. “He just brought the message. Harestar wants to talk.” Bramblestar moved closer, letting his flank brush hers. “The moon may not be full, but it’s very bright tonight.” He glanced at her affectionately. “It’s nice to be alone.”

She leaned against him. “I can’t remember the last time it was just us.”

“Do you remember when this territory still felt new?”

She did. “You’d just been made deputy.”

“We used to sneak out and explore after the camp had gone to sleep.”

Squirrelflight purred. “You were terrible at sneaking. I don’t know why we were never caught.”

“Probably because I was deputy,” Bramblestar whispered.

“More likely because our denmates were kind and pretended not to hear us. Even Dustpelt, and he was always a stickler about young warriors getting enough sleep.” Happiness warmed her pelt as she remembered her old mentor. It seemed countless moons since she’d been his apprentice. How young she’d been without realizing it. Recalling suddenly how she and Leafpool had planned great futures for themselves, she glanced self-consciously at her paws. I guess we haven’t done so badly. She didn’t feel old yet, but it had been a long time since she’d felt the rush of excitement she used to feel in her first moons as a warrior, whenever she was picked to go on patrol or attend a Gathering. She pressed closer to Bramblestar. “Do you miss being young?”

He shrugged. “I miss being irresponsible. Back then, the only thing we had to worry about was our next hunt. That was before we became leader and deputy, and before we had kits to look after.”

Squirrelflight felt a pang of longing. Sparkpelt and Alderheart were grown, and she’d never had a chance to know their littermates, Juniperkit and Dandelionkit, who had died. She’d been hoping to have a new litter by now—tiny kits to nurture and love. But they’d had no luck. “Having kits didn’t make me feel old. I liked the responsibility. It’ll be good to feel that way again.” She glanced hopefully at Bramblestar. When he didn’t comment, she prompted him. “Don’t you think?”

“Of course.” He didn’t look at her.

Anxiety prickled beneath her pelt. She’d wanted him to sound more enthusiastic about kits. “Let’s pretend we’re young again now. It’s almost like we’re sneaking out of camp.” Squirrelflight kept her mew light. “Half the Clan are already in their nests, and the rest will be asleep by the time we get home.”

“I wish we could.” Was that a sigh in Bramblestar’s mew? “But we can’t be late for the meeting. And we have to go straight back to camp afterward; Birchfall and Lionblaze will be waiting to find out what happened.”

He was worrying about the Clan again. He was a good leader; he always put his Clan before his own needs. But she couldn’t help wishing he could put her first this time. Disappointment jabbed at her heart as their moment of closeness passed, but she ignored it and focused on the meeting. “Surely Harestar can’t have anything serious to talk about. It’s been peaceful since the storm. It finally feels normal to have SkyClan with us beside the lake, and the other Clans seem happy with the new borders.”

“Then why call a meeting?” Bramblestar meowed.

“There could be sickness, or Twoleg trouble.”

“It’s pointless to guess. Let’s go find out.” Bramblestar quickened his pace. When the island was near, he broke into a run. Squirrelflight hurried after him, and as she followed him across the tree-bridge, she glanced down at the moon-dappled water. Pebbles crunched on the shore behind her. She looked back and saw Mistystar and Reedwhisker. She nodded a greeting, but the two cats had already plunged into the water and were swimming the short stretch of lake to the island.

On the far shore, Bramblestar pushed his way into the long grass. Fresh scents lingered here. SkyClan’s, WindClan’s, and ShadowClan’s leaders had already arrived. Squirrelflight pushed her way among the stems, following the passage Bramblestar had opened to the clearing.

As she emerged on the other side, she saw Tigerstar, Harestar, and Leafstar in a pool of moonlight at the center. Cloverfoot, Crowfeather, and Hawkwing hung back, exchanging watchful glances. Bramblestar was already hurrying to join them. As Squirrelflight caught up to him, branches swished overhead. The breeze tumbled fallen leaves across the ground. Squirrelflight shivered. She was used to the clearing teeming with warriors and apprentices, their scents and voices crowding the air.

Harestar nodded a greeting as they reached him. “Thank you for coming.”

Squirrelflight searched the WindClan leader’s eyes, but his gaze was unreadable. She could see stiffness and tension in the others that made her wary. Were she and Bramblestar the only ones who didn’t know what this meeting was about? She glanced over her shoulder as the long grass swished and Mistystar and Reedwhisker padded, dripping, into the clearing.

“Harestar.” Mistystar bowed her head respectfully as she reached them.

Harestar acknowledged her with a blink, then swept his gaze around the gathered cats. “I called you here because there’s a problem with SkyClan’s territory.”

Surprise lit Leafstar’s gaze. “A problem?”

Mistystar, Harestar, and Tigerstar were staring coolly at the SkyClan leader. Alarm pricked through Squirrelflight’s pelt. Had Harestar already discussed this with the other leaders?

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “If there’s a problem with SkyClan’s territory,” he meowed stiffly, “why isn’t Leafstar bringing it to us?”

“She clearly hasn’t noticed it,” Mistystar meowed pointedly.

“Have your Clans been talking behind SkyClan’s back again?” Leafstar’s fur ruffled.

Hawkwing moved closer to his leader. “We hoped those days were over.”

“It’s not a question of talking behind your back.” Crowfeather whisked his tail. The WindClan deputy seemed impatient. “If you’d lived here longer, you’d have seen the problem already.”

Squirrelflight stared at him. Was he trying to insult SkyClan?

“We settled the issue of SkyClan’s territory three moons ago,” Bramblestar growled. “We all agreed.”

“It was the best plan we could think of at the time.” Tigerstar shifted his paws. The division of land had been the ShadowClan leader’s idea. Was he regretting it now?

Harestar was still staring at Leafstar. “Three moons has given us time to see the flaws in that plan.”

“What flaws?” Leafstar demanded.

“We shifted our borders to make room for SkyClan.” Harestar glanced around at the other leaders. “We were happy to do it. We know SkyClan belongs beside the lake. StarClan has made that clear. But moving borders means that now some of us have land we can’t use.”

“The water channels on the land RiverClan gave us make it hard for us to patrol,” Tigerstar agreed.

Mistystar fluffed out her fur. “Yet they’re full of fish that only RiverClan can catch and eat,” she meowed.

“And you were given moorland.” Harestar nodded at Bramblestar.

Bramblestar’s pelt ruffled along his spine. “We use the land beyond the stream.”

“Really?” Harestar looked unconvinced.

“Larksong caught a rabbit there yesterday,” Bramblestar told him.

“Only one?” Harestar narrowed his eyes.

“One was all we needed.”

Harestar pressed on. “Today your patrol barely crossed the stream.”

Squirrelflight felt heat beneath her pelt. Had the WindClan leader been spying on them? “It was a border patrol, not a hunting patrol,” she pointed out.

“And yet you hunted.” Harestar stared at her. “But in the forest, not on the moorland.”

Bramblestar shifted his paws. “We hunt wherever the prey runs.”

“And catch one rabbit where we would have caught three,” Harestar meowed.

“Are you insulting my warriors?” Bramblestar’s hackles lifted.

“Of course not.” Harestar swished his tail. “We’re more experienced at hunting on moorland, that’s all.”

“We’ll be experienced at hunting there eventually,” Squirrelflight put in. “We all just need time to adjust to our new territories.”

Leafstar turned to Harestar and puffed out her chest. “What are you trying to say?” she asked. “Do you want SkyClan to leave again? If you—”

“No cat thinks you should leave,” Harestar said quickly.

Leafstar went on. “If you want us gone, you’ll have to take it up with our ancestors!”

Squirrelflight felt a rush of sympathy for the SkyClan leader. “Haven’t they moved enough?”

Harestar met her gaze. “All I’m saying is that territory is being wasted. WindClan is growing—Featherpelt is expecting kits—and we need every bit of land we can get.”

“You act like you need land more than we do. But SkyClan is growing too!” Leafstar blinked at him. “Violetshine has kits.”

“All the Clans are growing,” Harestar meowed evenly. Squirrelflight shifted her paws self-consciously. It seemed everyone was having kits except her. The WindClan leader went on. “Which is why no Clan should hold on to land it can’t use.” He looked pointedly at Bramblestar.

Bramblestar met his gaze. “ThunderClan uses all its land.”

Squirrelflight stared at the ground. Perhaps she’d been wrong to insist that ThunderClan adapt to its new territory. The Clans might work better hunting land that they were used to. “We don’t use the moorland as much as we should,” she admitted. “The border had barely been marked before today.”

Bramblestar swung his gaze toward her. “We’re not giving up territory. It would leave us with less than the other Clans.”

“I’d happily give RiverClan’s marshland back,” Tigerstar meowed. “But SkyClan would have to return our forest.”

Bramblestar lashed his tail. “No cat takes territory from SkyClan. We all fought too hard for this settlement. If we destroy it now, we’ll be back where we started.”

“But is it fair to give SkyClan prey-rich land in exchange for marsh we can’t use?” Tigerstar blinked at him.

“You should have thought of that before you suggested it!” Bramblestar snapped.

Tigerstar glared at the ThunderClan leader. “How could I know that WindClan would have to watch your warriors waste their prey?”

Bramblestar bared his teeth. “My warriors don’t waste prey!”

Squirrelflight’s tail bushed. She couldn’t let them fight. “Perhaps there’s another solution,” she mewed quickly. “One that means no land will be wasted, but SkyClan will still have equal territory.” Her thoughts whirled as she reached for a plan offered many moons ago before the Clans had come to their final arrangement. At the time, the leaders had been wary of a plan that would place SkyClan far from the others. But now it seemed like the most sensible solution. “What about the land beyond the abandoned Twolegplace?”

“Where’s that, again?” Leafstar narrowed her eyes.

“At the far edge of ThunderClan and ShadowClan’s forest.” Squirrelflight looked at her eagerly, hoping the SkyClan leader would like the idea.

But Leafstar looked unconvinced. “If that’s such good hunting territory, why hasn’t ThunderClan or ShadowClan claimed it already?”

Squirrelflight blinked. “When there were just four Clans, no cat needed it.”

“We’d have no access to the lake,” Hawkwing meowed.

Tigerstar pricked his ears. “Why do you need the lake? You don’t catch fish.”

“You’d be nearer the Moonpool,” Harestar meowed encouragingly.

“What about herbs?” Leafstar countered. “There are some plants that only grow on the lakeshore.”

“They could keep a narrow strip of forest,” Squirrelflight meowed quickly. SkyClan shouldn’t be cut off completely. “Enough to let them get to the lakeshore. And there might be herbs on the new land. We don’t know what lies up there, except forest. It might be richer territory than this, for all we know. It must be worth exploring.”

Leafstar narrowed her eyes. “We’ve only just built our new camp and marked our borders. Why should we have to build another new home?”

“You’re right,” Tigerstar agreed. “That wouldn’t be fair. But if it’s better for all the Clans, then it’s the right thing to do. And this time we will help you.” The ShadowClan leader looked at the others. “I’m sure all the Clans will help.”

Hawkwing stared at the ShadowClan leader, clearly unconvinced. “When was the last time any cat visited this land?”

Squirrelflight tensed as the cats glanced doubtfully at each other.

“I’m not sure any cat’s ever fully explored it,” Mistystar admitted.

“Then why should we?” Hawkwing snapped. “It might be infested with foxes or Twolegs.”

Squirrelflight leaned forward. “But it’s worth looking at, isn’t it? What if it’s perfect Clan territory? We’d all have enough land to hunt on, and nothing would be wasted.”

Leafstar flicked her tail irritably. “You want to exile us again.”

“It wouldn’t be exile,” Squirrelflight objected. “You’d be living right beside us.”

Leafstar looked unimpressed. “Beside you, not among you. You’d always see us as outsiders.”

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. “That would be up to you.”

Squirrelflight ignored the ShadowClan leader. “We’d see you at Gatherings. And you’d still share borders with ThunderClan and ShadowClan.”

Harestar nodded. “SkyClan wouldn’t be left out. We are one beneath StarClan now. We share ancestors.”

Leafstar looked thoughtful for a moment, as though she were seriously considering the idea. Then she seemed to blink the thought away and squared her shoulders defensively. “Moving into unknown territory would be dangerous and difficult. Who knows what’s hiding in that forest?”

“SkyClan is no stranger to dangerous situations,” Mistystar meowed. “I’m sure whatever challenges await you, you will face them with courage and skill.”

Leafstar snorted. “Try telling that to my elders and queens.”

Squirrelflight felt Bramblestar shift beside her. He was watching the others, his eyes dark with rage. She blinked at him hopefully. “We’d help SkyClan with the move, wouldn’t we?”

Before he could answer, Harestar spoke. “New land for a new Clan! This could be the best solution.” He sounded delighted.

Hawkwing flexed his claws. “Nothing’s changed here. You carve up territory as it suits you, without listening to what we want.”

“We didn’t carve up territory.” Tigerstar’s pelt ruffled. “We came up with the best plan we could.” He met Hawkwing’s gaze. “You’re one of us now. Surely you care about our problems as well as your own? We only want to please StarClan. Don’t you?”

Leafstar’s ears twitched. “Would moving us yet again please them?”

“If it brings lasting peace, perhaps it would,” Squirrelflight meowed quickly. “Let’s consult with our medicine cats. To make sure that StarClan approves.”

“And what if StarClan doesn’t send a message?” Leafstar’s gaze darkened. “They’ve been silent since the storm.”

Mistystar whisked her tail. “That’s probably because there’s nothing to worry about. They’d warn us if we were doing something wrong.”

Bramblestar growled softly. “So we can move a Clan off their land as long as our ancestors don’t complain.” His pelt twitched. “Is that how the warrior code works now?”

“Our complaints matter too,” Tigerstar told him. “The warrior code tells us to respect the living as well as the dead.”

Harestar tipped his head thoughtfully. “Let’s at least think about Squirrelflight’s suggestion,” he meowed.

Mistystar nodded. “We don’t need to make a decision until everyone is happy. Perhaps if SkyClan has a chance to get used to the idea.” She glanced hopefully at Leafstar.

The SkyClan leader frowned. “Come on, Hawkwing. We’re wasting our breath here.”

“No, you’re not—” Squirrelflight began. But Leafstar and Hawkwing were already heading away.

“I hope they’ll come around.” Tigerstar looked uncertainly at the other leaders.

“It would solve all our problems,” Harestar agreed.

“Leafstar is a sensible cat.” Mistystar glanced after the SkyClan leader.

Bramblestar grunted. “Let’s go.” He beckoned to Squirrelflight with a sharp flick of his tail.

Mistystar dipped her head as he marched away. “It was a good plan, Squirrelflight.”

“Thanks.” Squirrelflight turned to follow him.

At the edge of the clearing, she darted in front of Bramblestar. As he stopped, she blinked at him eagerly. She had kept the leaders from fighting. But her heart lurched as she met his gaze. He was glaring at her.

“What’s wrong?” she mewed.

“I don’t think SkyClan should move,” he growled.

“I know,” Squirrelflight mewed sympathetically. “But something needs to change. Tigerstar’s solution might have been the best one at the time. But the Clans are growing. We all need territory. This plan means that no one has to give up land.”

“No one except SkyClan,” he muttered darkly.

Squirrelflight blinked at him. “They’ll have new land. They’re used to moving, and this might be the last move they ever have to make. This land beyond the abandoned Twolegplace might be perfect for them.”

“Might be.” Bramblestar’s tail twitched angrily. “Or it might be overrun with snakes, or dogs, or foxes. Warriors might die thanks to your idea.”

Squirrelflight’s heart pounded. Why was Bramblestar so angry? “SkyClan is strong and resourceful. They have survived so much. They can survive this.”

“Why do they have to survive anything?”

“Land is being wasted!” Frustration burned beneath Squirrelflight’s pelt, but she kept her voice low, aware that the other leaders were watching them from across the clearing. “Bumblestripe and Plumstone didn’t even want to mark the WindClan border today. I don’t think Eaglewing had ever crossed the stream. And the same thing’s clearly happening in ShadowClan. Who ever heard of a ShadowClan cat getting their paws wet? They’re never going to hunt on that marshland.”

Bramblestar turned away and began to pad into the long grass. “They’ll get used to it, just like we’ll get used to the moorland beyond the stream.”

“But we’d all have bigger territories if SkyClan moved.” Squirrelflight hurried after him. “And you heard Harestar and Leafstar. The Clans are growing. There’ll be more kits by newleaf, more mouths to feed, more apprentices to train—”

“More kits!” Bramblestar lashed his tail. “Is that all you think about now?”

His words stung like claw marks. She watched him disappear into the grass, her chest tightening. “Don’t you think about it?” She pushed after him, but he was already hurrying ahead. He was on the tree-bridge by the time she caught up to him. She followed him over it and jumped onto the far shore.

She fell in beside Bramblestar, breathless as she tried to keep up. “Don’t you think about kits, Bramblestar?”

“I have kits,” he snapped.

“Alderheart and Sparkpelt? They’re grown up now!”

“I know!” Bramblestar didn’t look at her. “They’re old enough to look after themselves. Why are you so desperate to be responsible for new lives? Isn’t being deputy enough?”

“It should be, but it’s not.” Squirrelflight felt panic welling. “I’m getting older with each season. One day I won’t be able to have more kits. I just want another litter before it’s too late.”

“I know.” Bramblestar sounded weary. “And of course I want kits. Just not as much as you do.”

Squirrelflight stopped and stared after him. “Don’t you love me anymore?”

Bramblestar turned, his eyes sparking with exasperation. “Yes! But I am responsible for our Clan. And if the other Clans are planning to start up more trouble with SkyClan, I need to focus on that. I don’t have as much energy as I used to. I’m getting older too.”

“No, you’re not!” Anger flared in Squirrelflight’s chest. “You have more lives than me—” She broke off as a realization washed over her like ice water. Was that why he didn’t care about kits? He had plenty of time to have kits in the future, maybe even with another mate, when she was dead. The thought made her feel sick. Bramblestar’s next litter might have a mother who wasn’t her. She stared at him, unable to speak.

His gaze shimmered suddenly as though he saw her pain. “I’m sorry.” He hurried to her side and pressed his muzzle against her cheek. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I was angry. I felt you weren’t on my side at the meeting. I was trying to protect SkyClan.”

“So was I!” She pulled away indignantly. “I was trying to find a solution that would keep the peace.”

“Maybe you’re right. But that isn’t the point. You’re my deputy.” His tail twitched. “You’re supposed to back me up in front of the other Clans. We need to look united. You know how quickly Tigerstar smells weakness, and how he exploits it.”

“It’s not weak to have different opinions.” Squirrelflight’s pelt pricked.

“It looks a lot like weakness when a deputy disagrees with her leader in public.” Bramblestar shifted his paws. “You should know better! You should have discussed your idea with me in private and we could have taken it to the other Clans together.”

“It might have been too late by then.” Squirrelflight paused. She didn’t want to argue. And besides, the issue with SkyClan wasn’t what was worrying her now. “I’m sorry I spoke up without talking to you first. But is that really why you said you don’t want to have kits?”

Bramblestar gazed at her, his eyes round. “I’m sorry if I made it sound that way. I do want to have kits with you.”

“Really?” Her heart lifted.

“Yes. If that’s what you want.”

Squirrelflight stared at him. There was resignation in his eyes. Grief twisted her belly as he stared back at her blankly. She turned away. I want you to want it too.

They followed the trail back to camp in silence. When they arrived, Larksong was guarding the entrance. His eyes flashed in the darkness as he saw them. “How was the meeting?” The black tom hurried forward. “What did Harestar want?”

“It was the usual argument,” Bramblestar meowed heavily as he ducked through the thorn tunnel. Squirrelflight let Larksong slip in front of her and followed them into camp. Birchfall and Lionblaze were waiting in the moonlit clearing as Bramblestar had predicted. As the three warriors clustered around Bramblestar, Squirrelflight hesitated.

They hardly seemed to notice she was there. She felt barely there herself. The argument with Bramblestar buzzed in her head. He might have kits with another cat when I’m dead. She’d never really considered before that he would likely outlive her—by several lifetimes. Her heart sank as she understood suddenly, for the first time, that she would never become ThunderClan’s leader. The kithood dreams she’d shared with Leafpool would come to nothing. Bramblestar would outlive her, and she’d only ever be the leader’s mate. Sadness swamped her. What would she leave behind when she died? Would another cat replace her as soon as she was gone?

Quietly, she padded toward the warriors’ den. She’d sleep in her old nest tonight. Her heart ached too much to lie beside Bramblestar now.