The Silent Thaw

Chapter 14

Bristlefrost poked a honeysuckle stem into the wall of the elders’ den and tugged to secure it.

“I can see the hole,” Flamepaw called to her from the roof. The young tom was balancing carefully on the delicate canopy of stems, a bracken frond in his paw.

“Can you reach it?” Bristlefrost called back.

“Yes.” Flamepaw began to thread the bracken into the woven honeysuckle.

Bristlefrost sat back on her haunches, relieved to be patching the final holes in the den at last. The sun was high, and ThunderClan had sent out two large patrols. Bristlefrost had asked Lilyheart if Flamepaw could stay in camp to help fix the den. He was nimble and light enough to work on the roof without crashing through it.

Lilyheart had taken the opportunity to clean out her nest and was hauling heather into the warriors’ den while Birchfall, Cinderheart, and Finchpaw rewove loose strands of brambles around the entrance tunnel. Alderheart and Jayfeather were sorting herbs in the medicine den. Poppyfrost was helping Cloudtail and Graystripe line their nests with fresh moss. It was rare these days to see a ThunderClan warrior resting. They preferred to work, which pleased Bristlefrost. StarClan would surely approve of their efforts. Even now, Sparkpelt, Spotfur, and Stemleaf were clearing old ferns from the patch beside the medicine den to give the young ferns more room to grow.

Below the Highledge, Bramblestar got up sleepily from his favorite patch of grass and padded toward the dirtplace tunnel. Squirrelflight scrambled to her paws as he disappeared and hurried across the clearing. Bristlefrost stiffened. Squirrelflight was heading toward her, her eyes glittering with worry.

She nosed Bristlefrost away from the den, away from their Clanmates. “I have to speak to you,” she whispered.

Bristlefrost’s pelt prickled. “Is everything okay?”

“Remember what Rootpaw said?” Squirrelflight told her urgently. “At the Gathering? That’s not Bramblestar.” She glanced nervously toward the dirtplace tunnel.

“Of course it is.” Bristlefrost blinked at her. “Who else could it be?”

“I know it sounds crazy,” Squirrelflight hissed. “But Bramblestar is my mate. I can tell. I had a feeling something was wrong . . . I just told myself it was because he’d lost a life. Now I think it’s more than that. I’ve been paying close attention to him today. He’s . . . different.”

“But he’s our leader.” Bristlefrost lifted her chin. “And he’s obeying StarClan.” How could he be any cat but Bramblestar? Things had been going too well. The Clan was following the warrior code more closely than ever. Prey was plentiful. StarClan must be pleased. Bramblestar was making ThunderClan the best Clan in the forest.

Squirrelflight stared at her, her gaze suddenly unreadable. Then she headed back to the Highledge, settling into the spot she’d left just as Bramblestar padded into camp.

“Bristlefrost.” The ThunderClan leader beckoned her with a flick of his tail.

She hurried to meet him, shaking out her fur smartly as she reached him. She narrowed her eyes. He looked like Bramblestar. His mew was exactly as it had always been. She glanced at Squirrelflight, puzzled. How had an apprentice from another Clan managed to convince her that her mate was some other cat? “What is it?” She blinked at him eagerly. Did he have another special duty for her?

“I want a word in private.” He padded slowly around the clearing and stopped at the far side, a distance from their Clanmates. “The camp is in good order.” He nodded toward Flamepaw, who was still weaving bracken. “And our Clanmates seem to be following the code. You’ve been a really big help making sure the Clan does its best.”

Bristlefrost’s pelt warmed with pride. She dropped her gaze shyly. “I want StarClan to come back, that’s all.”

“Of course.” Bramblestar’s gaze drifted toward the forest. “Prey has been running well, which is a good sign. I’m pleased to see the fresh-kill pile so full, but I think our warriors could be doing better.” He swung his gaze back to Bristlefrost. “Don’t you agree?”

She blinked at him. Was he about to criticize her? Had she let him down? Anxiety burrowed beneath her fur. “I—I guess?” She searched his gaze, trying to guess what he was thinking.

“I’ve been out in the forest, and I’ve seen prey trails that haven’t been followed and undisturbed mouse nests. I’m worried that some of our warriors aren’t pulling their weight.”

Relief swamped Bristlefrost. She’d been hunting more diligently than ever before. He couldn’t be blaming her. “I think every cat is trying,” she told him earnestly. Her Clanmates had been working hard too. She didn’t want Bramblestar to be disappointed in them.

“Every cat?” He tipped his head to one side.

She met his gaze. “Every cat.”

“Are you sure?”

As he stared at her she hesitated. Am I sure? She tried to remember, feeling less sure by the moment. Had every warrior on her patrols hunted as hard as she had? She frowned as she remembered yesterday’s patrol with Sparkpelt, Spotfur, and Thornclaw. Sparkpelt hadn’t caught as much prey as usual, even though she’d ventured deeper into the forest than the others. Bristlefrost could feel Bramblestar’s gaze boring into her. It couldn’t do any harm to mention Sparkpelt. After all, she was Bramblestar’s kit. If she was having trouble keeping up with her Clanmates, surely he’d just want to help her. “Sparkpelt went off by herself during yesterday’s patrol,” she mewed. “She said she knew a good hunting spot near the edge of our territory, but she didn’t bring any prey back.”

“None?” Bramblestar narrowed his eyes.

“She caught a mouse later and a shrew on the way home,” Bristlefrost told him quickly. “She’s a really good hunter. I think she was just having a bad day.”

She held her breath as Bramblestar’s eyes clouded in thought. This was the sort of information he wanted, right? So his warriors could please StarClan. She stiffened as he stalked away, his tail twitching ominously.

“Sparkpelt!” He yowled his daughter’s name, and she turned and blinked at him.

Bristlefrost’s belly tightened. She crept around the clearing so she could see Bramblestar’s expression. Was he as angry as he sounded?

“What is it?” When she saw her father’s face, her emerald gaze sharpened. She glanced toward Squirrelflight.

“Don’t look at her.” Bramblestar snapped. “I’m your leader.”

Bristlefrost’s pads itched with foreboding. Should she have kept quiet?

Squirrelflight got to her paws slowly as Sparkpelt crossed the clearing.

“Is something wrong?” Sparkpelt stopped in front of Bramblestar. Bristlefrost hung back at the edge of the clearing, her fur pricking with fear.

“You disappeared during your hunting patrol yesterday,” Bramblestar growled. “Where did you go?”

Sparkpelt stuck out her chest. “I was hunting,” she told him. “I wanted to check the territory near the border. We hadn’t hunted there for a while.”

Bramblestar held her gaze. “Why didn’t the rest of the patrol go with you?”

“I don’t know,” she told him. “I didn’t ask. I didn’t realize I had to ask. I’ve hunted alone before. We all have.”

“But things are different now,” Bramblestar growled. “StarClan is angry. We have to be careful what we do. We must stay with our Clanmates.”

“How will that make StarClan happy?” Sparkpelt’s ears twitched.

“It will make me happy,” Bramblestar snapped. “And while StarClan is silent, I’m their voice in the forest. They gave me nine lives. I think they must trust me to care for my Clan, don’t you?” He leaned closer to Sparkpelt. “Or do you think you know better than StarClan?”

“Of course I don’t!” Sparkpelt bristled.

“Where did you go?” Bramblestar snarled.

“I was hunting!”

“Then why didn’t you bring any prey back? Did you forget how to catch it?”

“No!” Sparkpelt was angry now. As her hackles lifted, Squirrelflight padded closer. Flamepaw slid quietly from the elders’ roof and watched, his eyes rounding with alarm.

Bristlefrost glanced guiltily at the apprentice. She hadn’t meant to get his mother into trouble. She’d only wanted to help Bramblestar take care of the Clan.

“Where did you go?” Bramblestar demanded again.

Sparkpelt glared at him. “I went to look for Lionblaze, okay? Has StarClan made a rule against caring about our Clanmates now?”

Bristlefrost’s heart quickened with fear. She hadn’t known Sparkpelt had been looking for Lionblaze. If she had, would she have told Bramblestar about his daughter’s disappearance? Had Sparkpelt broken the code? She no longer knew.

She glanced at the ThunderClan leader, seeing that his ears had flattened. “How dare you!” he snarled at Sparkpelt. “I banished Lionblaze. You had no business going after him.”

“I didn’t go after him. The quarter moon was up two days ago, and he’s still not back yet. I went to see if he might be on his way home.”

As Sparkpelt stood her ground, Bramblestar stared at her. Around them, the Clan had fallen silent. They were watching, pelts ruffled with unease.

Squirrelflight padded softly to Bramblestar’s side. “She only went to check on a Clanmate,” she mewed.

He rounded on her. “This has nothing to do with you. Keep your whiskers out of it.”

“She’s my kit!” Squirrelflight snapped.

“She’s a ThunderClan warrior and she broke the rules!” Bramblestar snapped back.

“What rules?” Squirrelflight demanded.

Bramblestar bared his teeth. “She left her patrol without permission and she went to look for a codebreaker I banished!”

Sparkpelt stared at her father, her gaze glittering suddenly with fear as he loomed over Squirrelflight. “I’m sorry,” she blurted. “Okay? It was wrong of me and I won’t do it again.”

Bristlefrost flinched as Bramblestar turned back to his daughter. He looked ready to rake her muzzle with his claws. She held her breath, relief swamping her as the ThunderClan leader’s fur finally began to smooth.

Flamepaw was shivering as he watched his mother. Sparkpelt seemed suddenly small as she blinked at Bramblestar. “Don’t banish me too,” she mewed quietly. “I can’t leave my Clan, and my kits are still only apprentices. They need me.”

Bramblestar stared calmly at Sparkpelt. Bristlefrost pressed back a shudder. Was he enjoying the look of fear on his daughter’s face? Of course not. He’s not a fox-heart. But if she’d known he’d react like this, she’d never have told him. And yet Sparkpelt had broken the rules, hadn’t she? Bramblestar was only making sure his Clan was obeying StarClan. It was more important than ever now that Shadowsight had shared his vision about the codebreakers.

Slowly, Bramblestar turned his head. “Alderheart, are we running low on catmint?” His yowl rang across the clearing.

Catmint? Bristlefrost blinked at her leader. What did that have to do with anything?

Alderheart stuck his head out of the medicine den, looking puzzled. “I guess we’re a little low, but we don’t really need any at the moment.”

Bramblestar looked back at Sparkpelt. “But it doesn’t do any harm to make sure we have enough.”

Alderheart frowned. “I’m not sure it will be growing yet. It might be best to wait another moon.”

Bramblestar was still staring at Sparkpelt. “Do you want to wait another moon until your Clan has enough catmint?”

Sparkpelt looked puzzled. “N-no.”

“Then why don’t you go to the abandoned Twoleg nest and check whether the catmint is growing yet?” Bramblestar’s tail swished over the ground.

“If you want me to.” Sparkpelt glanced at her mother uneasily.

Bramblestar padded closer. “It would be a good way to prove to your Clanmates that you’re more interested in helping them than in wandering off on your own private missions.” He glanced ominously at Flamepaw. “A mother who’s so worried about taking care of her kits would want to set them a good example.”

Bristlefrost felt suddenly cold, unnerved by the threat in Bramblestar’s mew.

“Sure.” Sparkpelt nodded. “If that would help.”

“Go on, then.” Bramblestar nodded toward the camp entrance. “Off you go.”

Sparkpelt headed away, glancing back nervously as she crossed the clearing.

But Bramblestar had already turned to pad to his spot beneath the Highledge. He settled down and looked expectantly at Squirrelflight.

The ThunderClan deputy watched her daughter leave the camp, then flashed a look at Bristlefrost, which seemed to say, See? It’s not him.

A chill slid beneath Bristlefrost’s fur. It has to be him! Who else could it be? She pushed back a tingle of foreboding as Squirrelflight joined Bramblestar, her pelt rippling along her spine.

Bristlefrost glanced again at the camp entrance. Sparkpelt had been gone all afternoon. Would she be back soon? Most of the patrols had returned, and Flamepaw had finished patching the elders’ roof.

Bristlefrost’s belly growled and she headed toward the fresh-kill pile. As she took a shrew from the top and headed to the patch of grass where Thriftear was sharing a mouse with Twigbranch, paw steps sounded at the entrance. Her heart leaped as Lionblaze padded into camp. His pelt was unkempt and his eyes hollow. He crossed the clearing, his head high as he stopped in front of Bramblestar.

His Clanmates turned to watch, relief showing in their eyes, but no cat spoke as Lionblaze faced Bramblestar.

“The quarter moon is up,” the golden warrior mewed. “I’ve come home to take care of my Clan.”

“The quarter moon was up two days ago,” Bramblestar grumbled. “What took you so long?”

Lionblaze stared down at his paws. “I didn’t want to hunt close to Clan territory,” he growled, “so I ended up farther and farther away from the lake. I ran into a Clan of Twolegs, whose mouse-brained kits seemed intent on making me their kittypet. They wouldn’t stop chasing me! I managed to lose them, but I lost track of my way home, too.”

Bramblestar snorted a laugh as he got to his paws. Bristlefrost searched his gaze. Was he relieved to see Lionblaze home and safe? His face gave nothing away.

“He looks thin,” Thriftear whispered, looking at Lionblaze.

“But he’s safe now.” Bristlefrost shifted guiltily. If she hadn’t reported him, he’d never have been exiled. Is he really safe now? She remembered Bramblestar’s warning at the Gathering. He’d said the codebreakers must atone. And Lionblaze had been named. Perhaps the ThunderClan leader was planning to punish Lionblaze again.

Bramblestar’s gaze flitted over Lionblaze. “It looks like your time away will make you appreciate your life here,” he meowed.

Lionblaze shook out his pelt. “A warrior is not meant to live without a Clan,” he answered. “But I’m home now and ready to return to my duties.”

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “Not so fast.”

Bristlefrost pricked her ears. Was he going to send Lionblaze away again?

“While you were away, StarClan named you as a codebreaker.” Bramblestar stared darkly at the tom.

Lionblaze stiffened. “What?”

“Shadowsight had a vision,” Bramblestar explained. “It named all the codebreakers in the Clans. They must atone, or their Clans will suffer.”

“Who’s suffering?” Lionblaze looked pointedly around his Clanmates, then at the fully stocked fresh-kill pile.

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “The suffering hasn’t started yet,” he mewed ominously.

“You believe the word of a ShadowClan cat over your own Clanmate’s honor?” Lionblaze squared his shoulders. “I haven’t broken any code!”

“What about crossing the WindClan border?” Bramblestar growled.

“I’ve paid for that.” Lionblaze glared at him.

Squirrelflight got to her paws, her fur ruffled. “I was named too,” she told Lionblaze, as though she wanted to reassure him. “So was Jayfeather and—”

“Jayfeather?” Lionblaze’s gaze flashed toward the medicine den. “What’s he ever done but help his Clan?”

Squirrelflight looked at the ground. “I think you are paying for my mistake.”

“Because you and Leafpool lied about who our mother was?” Lionblaze sounded as though he couldn’t believe his ears.

She nodded meekly.

“But that was moons ago!” Lionblaze snapped. “Why should StarClan drag that up now? And what has it got to do with me and Jayfeather? Did we break the code by being born?”

Bramblestar shrugged. “It’s pointless arguing,” he mewed smoothly. “StarClan has spoken. We must obey them.”

“How?” Lionblaze snapped. “Am I supposed to apologize for being alive?”

“No.” Bramblestar padded to the middle of the clearing and looked around at his Clanmates. “But I think it’s time we began to atone.”

Bristlefrost glanced at Thriftear. She was staring at Bramblestar, her eyes round with worry. Around the clearing, her Clanmates exchanged uneasy glances.

Lionblaze padded after Bramblestar. “How do we ‘atone’?”

“The codebreakers must make things right.”

Bristlefrost’s belly tightened. What was he going to demand of the named cats? She glanced nervously at Twigbranch. The gray she-cat sat up, her ears twitching.

Bramblestar looked at Lionblaze. “The codebreakers must swear an oath.”

Is that all? Relief swamped Bristlefrost’s pelt. Beside her, Thriftear’s shoulders loosened. Twigbranch let out a long breath. Around the clearing, their Clanmates seemed to relax, their pelts smoothing.

“Okay.” Lionblaze lifted his chin. “Whatever you want, if it will get this over with. If StarClan thinks I’m a codebreaker, then I’ll atone.”

Twigbranch got to her paws and padded into the clearing. “So will I.”

Bramblestar lifted his muzzle. “Jayfeather!”

A few moments later, Jayfeather hurried from the medicine den. Flecks of herbs were caught in his pelt. “What is it?” He blinked blindly toward the camp entrance. “Is Sparkpelt back?” His nose twitched suddenly. “Lionblaze!” He hurried to the clearing as he smelled his brother’s scent and, purring, touched his nose to Lionblaze’s cheek. “Are you well? Have you had enough to eat?” He sniffed Lionblaze anxiously.

“I’m fine,” Lionblaze promised.

“I want you to come to the medicine den so I can check you over properly,” Jayfeather told him. “You smell a bit sour.”

“That’s just from sleeping on strange bracken,” Lionblaze told him.

Bramblestar flicked his tail. “You can have your reunion later. First you must swear your oath.”

“Oath?” Jayfeather’s eyes widened.

“He wants us to make amends to StarClan for breaking the code,” Lionblaze explained.

Jayfeather snorted. “If I’ve broken the code then I’m sorry for it, but every cat knows I’m loyal. I don’t need to swear an oath.”

“Just do it,” Lionblaze told him. “Then perhaps we can get back to normal.”

Bramblestar’s pelt twitched. “We can get back to normal when I say so,” he growled. “This oath is just so that your Clanmates can see that you’re sorry and that you are committed to obeying the code from now on.”

“Next time,” Lionblaze muttered, “I’ll check who my parents are before I’m born.”

Bristlefrost’s heart sank in her chest when she saw Bramblestar’s eyes light up with rage. Why was Lionblaze provoking him? The ThunderClan leader looked ready to spit something back at the warrior, but Squirrelflight hurried forward before he could speak.

Her eyes flashed with guilt. “Do I have to take the oath too?”

Bramblestar waved her away with a flick of his tail. “You’ve spent time in StarClan recently. Our ancestors sent you back to us.” Bristlefrost had been told the story of how the deputy, and her medicine-cat sister, Leafpool, both went to StarClan after being injured in a landslide. Squirrelflight returned, but Leafpool did not.

“They have clearly forgiven you,” Bramblestar went on. “There’s no need for you to take the oath.”

Squirrelflight stared at him, surprised.

You see! Bristlefrost felt a rush of happiness. Bramblestar hasn’t changed. He’s still fair. She blinked expectantly at Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Twigbranch. What would the oath be? This would help their ancestors forgive them, she was sure. I hope you’re listening, StarClan.

Bramblestar turned to face Jayfeather, Lionblaze and Twigbranch. “Repeat after me,” he ordered. “‘StarClan, forgive me for breaking your code.’”

Haltingly, the three cats echoed his words. Lionblaze shifted his paws awkwardly as Bramblestar went on.

“‘I promise I will always obey my leader without question.’” The ThunderClan leader paused to let them repeat it. “‘And I will do whatever I’m asked for the good of the Clan.’”

“As if we didn’t before,” Jayfeather mumbled when he’d finished saying the words.

Bramblestar grunted. “Just repeat it,” he growled. “You don’t need to comment. This is for the good of the Clan—to bring StarClan back.” He pressed on. “‘I will hunt only for my Clan. I will protect my Clanmates with my life. . . .’”

As the rules went on, Bristlefrost glanced at the entrance. Sparkpelt still wasn’t back. She wondered if the she-cat had found no catmint at the Twolegplace and had gone farther in search of new growth. She looked back at the clearing. Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Twigbranch were repeating the last words of their oath.

“‘If I break the code again, I will be exiled from my Clan to protect them from StarClan’s anger.’”

Exiled? Bristlefrost frowned, noticing her Clanmates glancing at one another questioningly. She knew they were thinking the same thing she was—would this exile be permanent?

Thornclaw padded forward. “Surely a cat must do more than break the code to be exiled.”

Bramblestar eyed the dark warrior accusingly. “If a cat chooses to break the warrior code again, they must be prepared to face the consequences.”

“But—” As Thornclaw began to object, a groan sounded at the entrance. Bristlefrost jerked her muzzle toward the noise, heart lurching as she smelled blood. A moment later Sparkpelt staggered into camp. Blood showed on her pelt. Tufts of fur were missing. Every stumbling paw step seemed to take more strength than she had.

Squirrelflight raced forward, reaching her as she dropped to the ground.

Jayfeather rushed to Sparkpelt’s side. “Alderheart! Bring cobwebs,” he yowled across the clearing.

“What happened?” Squirrelflight pressed her muzzle to Sparkpelt’s ear.

“There were dogs,” Sparkpelt gasped. “At the abandoned Twoleg den. They attacked me. . . .” Jayfeather quickly sniffed along her flank.

Bristlefrost leaped to her paws. How could this have happened? She looked at Bramblestar. He must feel terrible that he’d sent Sparkpelt to the Twolegplace. But when she spotted the leader, she froze. Shock pulsed through her. The ThunderClan leader was watching Sparkpelt coldly, as though staring at a piece of prey. As Sparkpelt’s Clanmates clustered around her and began to help her to the medicine den, Bramblestar sat down and began washing his face.

Bristlefrost stared at him, a chill running through her body. She backed away, ducking behind the elders’ den, and caught her breath. What was wrong with Bramblestar? Dogs had just attacked his daughter. Didn’t he care?

She headed for the entrance. If he didn’t care, she did! She was going to find out what those dogs were doing on ThunderClan territory. If they’d made a home there, the Clan needed to know. No cat should risk being attacked by them again.

Outside camp, she broke into a run. Dusk was seeping through the forest, darkening the shadows. She raced through them, her pelt bushed, her nose twitching. She was breathless by the time she neared the abandoned Twoleg den. She slowed, tasting the air. There were dog scents here, but they were stale. There was no sound of movement as she crept around the crumbling stones and sniffed the ground. Sparkpelt’s scent was here too, but there was another scent, just as familiar. Bristlefrost padded toward it, her whiskers twitching.

The earth beside the stone walls of the den was soaked with blood. It wasn’t Sparkpelt’s blood, or a dog’s. She sniffed it. Prey blood. This spot smelled like fresh-kill. Her thoughts quickened. Some cat had made a fresh-kill pile here.

She frowned. Rogues didn’t gather their prey. They ate it as they caught it. Only Clan cats made fresh-kill piles. Had Lionblaze sheltered here on his way back to the Clan?

She sniffed the stone walls around the blood-stained earth, but smelled only dog-scent. Lionblaze couldn’t have stayed here. It would have been too dangerous.

She stiffened as a thought flashed through her mind. Had some cat gathered prey here on purpose? Had they wanted to lure dogs here? The earth seemed to shift beneath her paws, and she pictured Bramblestar washing his face while Squirrelflight helped their daughter to the medicine den. Not only had he not been concerned, but he’d seemed unsurprised that she’d returned to camp injured. Had he known about the dogs when he sent her here? She felt sick. Squirrelflight’s warning rang in her ears. Rootpaw was right. It’s not Bramblestar. Had she been wrong to dismiss it? She leaned against the wall, her paws trembling.

Had Bramblestar tried to murder his own daughter?