The Silent Thaw

Chapter 18

Dawn washed the forest with gray light as Shadowsight headed back to camp. The long walk home from the Moonpool hadn’t eased his sense of foreboding. The feeling that he had been watched as he tried to share with StarClan still prickled uncomfortably in his fur. He’d passed on their messages to the Clans, and the Clans had listened. But everything had gone so wrong after that, he was sure it couldn’t have been StarClan that had spoken to him. But if it had not been StarClan, then who was it? What have I done?

The Clan would still be asleep when he got back, but he had to warn them as soon as possible. StarClan’s not guiding them. Some other cat is! He broke into a run as he neared the camp, raced through the entrance, and scrambled to a halt. Alarm jabbed his belly. Scorchfur and Yarrowleaf were in the clearing. Snaketooth and Puddleshine stood with them, blinking anxiously at Tigerstar. Why were they up so early . . . and why did they look scared?

“What’s happened?” Shadowsight blinked at his father.

Tigerstar pricked his ears, clearly surprised. “Where have you been?”

He hesitated. Was he allowed to travel so far from camp by himself? He pushed the thought away crossly. I’m a medicine cat! Of course I am. “The Moonpool.” Shadowsight searched his father’s gaze. Was that fear glittering there? “I wanted to talk to StarClan, but—”

Tigerstar cut him off. “Dovewing’s gone to atone.”

“What?” Foreboding pulsed through Shadowsight.

“She’s left Clan territory for three days to atone for her . . . codebreaking.” Tigerstar growled, clearly irked by the idea that Dovewing needed to atone.

“Why didn’t you stop her?” Shadowsight could hardly believe his ears.

“She wanted to go,” Tigerstar told him.

Puddleshine’s gaze was solemn. “She said she couldn’t stay while her Clan suffered. She had to do something to let StarClan know she was sorry.”

Snaketooth glared pointedly at Shadowsight. “She wouldn’t have to atone if you hadn’t named her,” she grunted.

Scorchfur’s ears twitched. “Even if she hadn’t been named, it’s no secret that she’s a codebreaker,” he pointed out. “Shadowsight is living proof of that. If she’s atoning, she’s protecting her Clan,” Scorchfur mewed. “StarClan is clearly angry with us. Too many warriors have been injured.”

Yarrowleaf nodded. “If she atones, we might have better luck.”

The bushes around the entrance tunnel trembled. Hope flashed in Shadowsight’s chest. Had Dovewing changed her mind and come home? His heart sank as Whorlpelt, Blazefire, and Cloverfoot padded into camp. Why had they been out so early?

Cloverfoot pricked her ears as she saw Tigerstar. “You’re awake.”

Tigerstar glanced at the ShadowClan deputy. “Where have you been?”

“We went hunting,” Whorlpelt mewed quickly.

Cloverfoot whisked her tail. “We thought we’d try a night hunt since there’s been so little prey during the day.”

Scorchfur’s gaze flicked over her. “Where’s your catch?”

Blazefire shrugged. “It must still be too cold for night prey.”

Tigerstar didn’t question them further. He was clearly distracted. “Dovewing’s gone to atone.”

Cloverfoot’s ears twitched. “Gone?”

“She’s left Clan territory for three days,” Tigerstar told her.

Shadowsight noticed the ShadowClan deputy glance nervously at Whorlpelt, who looked away. Why were they behaving so furtively? He pushed the thought out of his mind. There wasn’t time to worry about it now. “We have to find Dovewing,” he told his father.

“Why?” Tigerstar tipped his head.

“It’s dangerous for her on her own.”

“I wish she hadn’t gone,” Tigerstar told him. “But don’t forget your mother is a warrior. She can take care of herself.”

“She might get hurt!” Shadowsight flicked his tail.

“She needs to atone,” Scorchfur growled.

As Shadowsight glared at the dark gray warrior, Tigerstar padded closer. “StarClan will watch over her,” his father mewed.

“They won’t!” Shadowsight’s heart began to race. Why wouldn’t they listen? “I’m not even sure they can.”

Puddleshine stiffened. “What do you mean?”

Scorchfur pricked his ragged ears. “Has something happened to StarClan?”

“They’re silent, remember?” Shadowsight snapped.

“They’ve been talking to you,” Scorchfur reminded him.

“But they haven’t! That’s the point.” Shame washed Shadowsight’s pelt. He’d been so wrong.

Puddleshine nosed him away from his Clanmates. “You must be tired.” He glanced back at Scorchfur as he guided Shadowsight toward the medicine den. “I’ll make sure he gets some rest.”

Tigerstar hurried after them, lowering his mew. “What do you mean, they haven’t been talking to you?”

Shadowsight faced his father. They were out of earshot of their Clanmates. “They’re gone. They’ve been gone for moons. Since the Moonpool froze.”

Puddleshine’s ears flattened. “What are you talking about?”

“But they’ve spoken to you,” Tigerstar mewed. “They’ve sent you visions.”

“It wasn’t them!” Shadowsight hissed. “All the visions came from somewhere else. The voice that told me to take Bramblestar to the moor wasn’t StarClan. Neither was the message about the codebreakers. Some cat is trying to control the Clans.”

Tigerstar’s pelt bristled. “Who?”

“I don’t know, but they want to harm us,” Shadowsight told him.

“How do you know this?” Puddleshine padded closer. His gaze burned into Shadowsight’s.

“I felt it,” Shadowsight told him, his mew rising with panic. “Tonight I realized—I haven’t seen any StarClan cats in my visions. I haven’t been to their hunting grounds. I just hear a voice. And see shadows. I can’t really explain, but I felt a presence while I was at the Moonpool.” He looked at Tigerstar and Puddleshine, hoping they’d understand. “It was watching me. It made my fur crawl. I don’t know what it was, but it felt too . . .” He hesitated. How had it felt? He shivered at the memory. “Too evil to be StarClan. And I’ve let it guide me. It’s been guiding me all along.”

“Keep your mew down,” Puddleshine ordered. “We can’t let the Clan know. They trusted you and they’ve done what you told them.”

Shadowsight’s throat tightened. “I know.”

Tigerstar ran his tail along Shadowsight’s spine. “Slow down,” he mewed. “We can fix this.”

“Fix it?” Puddleshine blinked at the ShadowClan leader. “Bramblestar lost a life because of Shadowsight’s visions. The Clans are turning on one another because of the codebreakers. What will they say if they find out Shadowsight’s been mistaken all along? They won’t just blame him—they’ll blame all of ShadowClan.”

Dread hollowed Shadowsight’s belly. “I’m sorry.” He gazed desperately at Puddleshine. “I thought I was helping.”

“We can’t let this get out,” Puddleshine warned Tigerstar.

Shadowsight stiffened. “But we have to! We have to warn them.”

“And have every Clan turn against us?” Puddleshine’s hackles lifted.

Tigerstar flicked his tail. “Let me worry about that,” he told Puddleshine. “We have to do what’s best for the Clans. If StarClan’s not guiding us, the Clans are in danger.”

Shadowsight nodded. “Whoever named the codebreakers must mean them harm.”

Tigerstar’s eyes widened. “Dovewing is out there on her own.”

“We have to find her.” Shadowsight blinked at his father, but Tigerstar was already heading for the camp entrance.

“Where are you going?” Cloverfoot called as he passed.

“I’m going to fetch Dovewing,” Tigerstar told her. “She should be with her Clan.”

“But she has to atone!” Scorchfur called after him.

Shadowsight raced after Tigerstar, his heart pounding as he ducked through the tunnel and followed him into the forest.

Tigerstar halted and sniffed the ground, mouth open as he searched for scents. “This way.” He headed along a trail that led toward the Clan border. Shadowsight fell in beside him, panting as he fought to keep up. Tigerstar leaped over the ditches that cut through the pine forest like claw marks. Shadowsight followed him, scrambling to keep his footing on the slippery forest floor. His lungs burned as they neared the Thunderpath and began to follow it as it snaked toward the sunrise. The sun burned orange through the trees, setting the forest aflame. As they raced silently side by side, the birds began to chatter, their calls growing louder, sounding the alarm as Tigerstar and Shadowsight passed.

The roar of a monster howled beyond the trees, and Shadowsight’s pelt prickled nervously. “Are we going to cross the Thunderpath?” he puffed, glancing sideways at Tigerstar.

“We will if that’s where her trail leads.” Tigerstar pulled up and sniffed the ground.

Shadowsight opened his mouth. He could taste his mother’s scent. It was as clear here as it had been back at camp. Tigerstar hadn’t lost it for a paw step, and this was the first time he’d stopped to check that they were still heading in the right direction.

“How can you follow Dovewing’s scent so easily?” he mewed.

“I once followed it for a moon, when she traveled to the city,” Tigerstar told him, scanning the trees. “It smells like she’s heading for a Twolegplace again.” He padded forward, moving slower this time, and Shadowsight was relieved at the chance to get his breath back. Tigerstar kept his gaze ahead. “Are you sure those messages didn’t come from StarClan?”

“Yes.” Shadowsight shivered as he remembered the presence at the Moonpool. “Some cat has been pretending to be StarClan,” he mewed. “I think they chose me to pass on their messages because I’m not as experienced as the other medicine cats.” Shame burned his pelt. “I shouldn’t have been so eager to listen.”

Tigerstar sniffed. “Experience has nothing to do with it. Any medicine cat would have been eager to hear from StarClan when they’d been silent for so long.” He let his pelt brush Shadowsight’s. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You believed you were doing the right thing.”

This was the first time Tigerstar had spoken to him kindly since Shadowsight had shared his vision with the other medicine cats against his father’s wishes. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you and keep the vision to myself,” Shadowsight murmured.

“What’s done is done.” Tigerstar whisked his tail.

“But Dovewing wouldn’t be out here on her own if I hadn’t shared it.” Shadowsight mewed guiltily.

“We wouldn’t be trying to find her if you hadn’t told us you were wrong,” Tigerstar told him. “A true warrior admits their mistakes.”

Shadowsight glanced gratefully at his father, and he remembered his mother’s words too. There’s no harm in admitting mistakes. Gratitude swelled in his chest. He was lucky to have Dovewing and Tigerstar as parents.

Tigerstar broke into a run. “I can see Twoleg nests ahead. Beyond the trees.”

Shadowsight followed his father, struggling to keep up as the trees thinned and large square dens cut into the early morning sunshine. High walls blocked their way, and Tigerstar veered closer to the Thunderpath, ducking past the tattered bushes that lined it. They followed the strip of stone as it curved past the Twoleg dens, stopping as it stretched away across a wide, barren meadow.

Tigerstar lifted his muzzle to taste the air. As his father’s ears pricked uneasily, a new scent touched Shadowsight’s nose. Fear pricked in his belly. He could smell the stale scent of dogs. This place was dangerous. He scanned the meadow. It was brown, the grass dead, pitted with small hollows and dotted with Twoleg clutter and mounds of dirt. High mesh walls enclosed it, rattling each time a monster roared along the Thunderpath. Around the mesh, Twoleg dens stretched out in identical rows.

Why had Dovewing chosen such a filthy place? Shadowsight flattened his ears against a low rumble that seemed to shake the air. He remembered the sound from his kithood. Monsters were patrolling the Thunderpaths between the Twoleg nests. “Why did she come here?”

“Perhaps she thought StarClan would forgive her if she made her atonement as hard as possible.” Tigerstar began to cross the dried-up meadow, picking his way between piles of trash Twolegs must have left behind.

Shadowsight followed, keeping close as they scanned the meadow for a sign of Dovewing. He tasted the air, but the stench of monsters and Twolegs fouled his tongue. “How will we find her?” Panic began to spiral in his chest. What if she’d gone deep into the Twolegplace, or kept traveling? They might not catch up to her until it was too late.

“Look.” Tigerstar halted and sniffed a smudged paw print beside a dirty puddle.

“Is it Dovewing’s?” Shadowsight stared at his father, hope piercing his heart, almost too sharp to bear.

Tigerstar frowned. “I don’t know. The stench here drowns out every scent.”

“Are you sure she didn’t go around the Twolegplace?” Shadowsight blinked anxiously at his father.

“Her scent led here,” Tigerstar told him. “We left not long after her. She has to be nearby.” As he spoke, a clatter split the air. Shadowsight turned, his heart bursting with fear, as he saw a scrapcan rolling along the ground, its top bowling away and spinning until it tumbled onto its side. An orange cat streaked away from it, bristling, while a black-and-white tom raced after it, ears flat and tail down.

“Scavengers.” Tigerstar stared after them, the fur prickling along his spine.

Shadowsight felt sick. Dovewing was here somewhere, among loners and rogues. He moved closer to Tigerstar. “We have to find her.”

Tigerstar had stiffened. He was staring toward the scrapcan.

Shadowsight followed his gaze. Gray fur moved in the shadows beneath a pile of Twoleg clutter. He recognized the pelt. “Dovewing!” Joy bursting in his chest, he raced across toward her, his paws sliding on the slimy earth.

As he neared, Dovewing slid out of the darkness, her eyes wide. “Shadowsight! What are you doing here?” Her gaze slid past him to Tigerstar. “Is something wrong in ShadowClan?”

“No.” Shadowsight slithered to a halt in front of her and thrust his muzzle against her cheek as Tigerstar pulled up beside them and blinked happily at Dovewing.

“You have to come home,” Tigerstar mewed.

“But I haven’t finished my atonement,” Dovewing told him.

“You don’t have to atone,” Shadowsight told her, quickly explaining that it had not been StarClan sending him visions, but some other cat.

When he’d finished, Dovewing met his gaze. “If you’re lying to protect me, you don’t have to.”

“I’m not,” he mewed earnestly. “You told me to always tell the truth. This is the truth. I can feel it in my heart.”

Tigerstar padded to his side. “I believe him,” he mewed. “Some cat wants to hurt the Clans, and they’ve used Shadowsight to reach us. It’s too dangerous for any of us to be away from our Clanmates. Until we find out what’s happening, we need to stick together.”

Dovewing glanced back at the pile of Twoleg trash where she’d been sheltering. She flicked her tail decisively. “In that case, we’d better go home.”

Shadowsight took a long, deep breath. Dovewing was safe. Once they were home, they could figure out what was going on and come up with a plan to deal with it. As Tigerstar and Dovewing began to pick their way across the grimy meadow, he slid between them. With or without StarClan, they’d always be with him. He shivered as foreboding pricked his pelt. Unless it was too late, and the visions he’d shared with the Clans were already enough to destroy them.