“What about the prisoners?” Beetlewhisker asked anxiously. “Are they okay? Will Darktail let them leave soon?”
Violetpaw wasn’t sure how to answer that. “They’re still alive,” she told him after a moment’s hesitation. “And they’re part of the reason that I’m here. But I need help.”
Dewnose nodded, a pleased look on his face. “I’d better bring you to Bramblestar,” he mewed.
“And Mistystar,” Podlight added sharply.
Dewnose flicked his tail in annoyance. “Sure, and Mistystar,” he muttered.
Violetpaw followed Dewnose through the forest, the two RiverClan warriors flanking her on either side. As she emerged into the clearing from the thorn tunnel, she halted for a moment, overwhelmed by the crowds of cats in front of her.
Have all the ShadowClan and RiverClan cats ended up here? Violetpaw hadn’t ever given much thought to what had happened to the Clan cats the Kin had displaced. Now she was stunned by just how crowded the ThunderClan camp was.
Over the other side of the camp she caught a glimpse of Juniperclaw and Strikestone, and felt a jolt of relief that at least Dawnpelt’s kits had made it here safely. But then she spotted Rowanstar beside them; he had seen her, and the look in his eyes was cold and unfriendly.
Violetpaw cringed inwardly, suddenly more nervous than ever. Why did I think these cats would greet me as a friend? I hardly know any of them—and the ones I do know probably think I’m a traitor.
“Come on, Violetpaw.” Dewnose touched her shoulder with his tail-tip. “I’ll take you to Bramblestar.”
Violetpaw hesitated. “Could I possibly talk to Twigpaw first?”
Dewnose’s gaze clouded with concern, making Violetpaw feel even more agitated.
“What—” she began.
“I think I know a cat who can help you,” Dewnose interrupted her gently.
He hurried off, weaving his way through the groups of cats in the clearing, until he disappeared behind a bramble screen; Violetpaw remembered that was the entrance to the medicine-cat den.
A moment later, Alderheart appeared; at the sight of him Violetpaw felt such a rush of relief that for a heartbeat she was unsteady on her paws. Alderheart is Twigpaw’s friend. Surely he will help me!
“Violetpaw, thank goodness you’re all right!” Alderheart meowed as he bounded up to her. “How are you? And how has Needletail been since I visited with Mothwing? I know she said things were fine—but they didn’t seem fine.”
“Not fine is right,” Violetpaw told him. “In fact, they could hardly be worse. I think Darktail has gone a bit crazy since he killed Rain. All he cares about is loyalty, and he punishes any cat he thinks isn’t loyal to him. And . . . and that includes Needletail.”
Concern flooded into Alderheart’s eyes, and for a heartbeat he seemed to gaze into the distance, as if he saw something terrible there. Violetpaw realized that he had been very close to Needletail, and must be upset to think of her being ill treated.
Soon Alderheart’s expression grew thoughtful. “Violetpaw, can I trust you?” he asked.
Violetpaw nodded eagerly. “Yes,” she assured him. “I know now it was a mistake to stay with Darktail. I should have left along with Rowanstar when the rogues took over ShadowClan. But I . . . I wanted to stay with Needletail, and I knew she would never leave.” Encouraged by Alderheart’s understanding look, she added, “I wanted to believe it would all turn out okay. Have you ever felt like that?”
Alderheart’s eyes were full of affection, and Violetpaw almost felt as if he was her kin. Truly my kin, she thought, not like Darktail.
“Yes, I have,” he replied. “Now listen close, Violetpaw. We’ve been looking for some cat in the rogue camp to help us, because we have an idea. We’ve come up with a plan. . . .”
As Alderheart explained the plan to her, Violetpaw’s pads began to prickle with excitement. She listened, intrigued, and her fur felt warmer as hope kindled within her.
“But for our plan to work,” Alderheart finished at last, “we need a cat who can influence Darktail.”
“I can!” Violetpaw told him, even more excitement beginning to flow through her, like an icebound stream when the sun shines on it. “Darktail trusts me. I can do whatever you want.”
Alderheart’s gaze was warm as it rested on her. “Thank you, Violetpaw.”
“No, thank you—thank ThunderClan.” Violetpaw felt a huge sense of relief. “You’re showing me a way out.”
“I’d better take you to meet with the leaders,” Alderheart meowed, beckoning her with his tail.
Violetpaw nodded, but before she moved to follow Alderheart, she let her gaze travel around the camp, looking for her sister among the groups of cats. “Could I talk to Twigpaw first?” she asked. “I haven’t seen her since the battle and I . . . I feel so terrible about what I did to her. I want a chance to explain how much I regret it.”
As she looked up at Alderheart, Violetpaw felt suddenly chilled to see his expression change. He almost looked as though he was in pain.
“I’m sorry,” he mewed at last. “Twigpaw left camp half a moon ago, and she never came back. We think . . . . I’m afraid we think that she may have been killed by a monster.”
Violetpaw stared at him, rigid with disbelief. She felt as though she had a chunk of ice in her belly, and for a brief moment black spots swirled over her vision. No . . . Twigpaw can’t be dead! When we met in the battle, I was attacking her. Oh, StarClan, don’t let that be the last time I’ll ever see her!
“Is this some sort of joke?” she asked. “Why didn’t you tell me right away?”
Alderheart shook his head, grief-stricken and confused. “I was so surprised to see you,” he replied after a couple of heartbeats. “And I’m struggling with the news myself. I wish I didn’t have to believe it.”
“But why did she leave camp?” Violetpaw meowed.
Now Alderheart couldn’t meet her gaze. “It was my fault,” he confessed quietly. “I thought . . . I thought I might have seen one of your kin in a vision.”
Violetpaw’s tone sharpened. “Our kin?”
“I had a vision of SkyClan,” Alderheart began. “They’re a Clan who was driven away from the other Clans long ago, back when we lived in the old forest. I saw a tom who looked like both of you.”
Her breath coming short and fast, Violetpaw felt as though the ground under her paws was beginning to shake. She couldn’t take in everything that Alderheart was telling her.
Does he mean this tom might be my kin? No. The only kin I ever had was Twigpaw, and now Alderheart says that Twigpaw is dead. Violetpaw stood still, her gaze unfocused, while thoughts raced through her mind like clouds in a gale. No, she decided at last. If Twigpaw had been killed, I would have felt it, wouldn’t I?
“You said you think she died. No cat saw it happen?” she asked. “No cat saw her body?”
“That’s true,” Alderheart mewed, “but we’re pretty sure, all the same.” His gaze rested gently on her. “I’m so sorry, Violetpaw. Do you still want to help us?”
Violetpaw’s heart ached so much that she thought it would crack in two. But the pain only made her more resolved.
I have to believe that Twigpaw is still alive somewhere. I’ll do what Alderheart is asking; I’ll help get the weaker cats out of Darktail’s claws. Then, when my sister comes back, she’ll have to forgive me for what happened in the battle. And if she doesn’t . . . or if she really is dead . . .
Violetpaw pushed the thought away, refusing even to consider that. “I’ll help you,” she meowed, meeting Alderheart’s gaze steadily. “You can take me to Bramblestar now.”
Alderheart took a pace toward the tumbled rocks that led up to the Highledge, then halted. “No, you’ve been away from your camp for too long,” he decided. “I’ll talk to Bramblestar; you get back before you’re missed. Just remember the plan. . . .”
Violetpaw listened to his rapid instructions, then dipped her head in farewell and left the camp, raci
ng through the forest and along the shoreline until she crossed the border into ShadowClan territory.
I wish I could stay, she thought, but once our plan works . . . once the rogues are defeated and Twigpaw comes home . . . maybe she and I and Needletail can all live in ThunderClan territory—together.
The moon shed silver light over the RiverClan camp, the ground blotched with shadows cast by bushes and clumps of reeds. Violetpaw crept furtively from one patch of darkness to the next, her ears pricked for the slightest sound of movement.
When she reached the bramble thicket, she spotted Zelda sitting alone on guard. As Violetpaw watched, the kittypet stretched her jaws in an enormous yawn, then rose and began pacing to and fro, obviously struggling to stay awake.
Violetpaw padded up to her. “Hi, Zelda.”
Zelda whipped around, her neck fur bristling, then relaxed as she saw who had spoken. “Violetpaw! You scared me out of my fur! What are you doing here?”
“I want to check on Needletail,” Violetpaw explained. “I’m worried about her.”
Zelda’s eyes stretched wide in dismay. “I can’t let you do that! What if Darktail found out? He’d claw my ears off.”
“Please . . . ,” Violetpaw mewed. “I only want to talk to her. You know she’s my friend. What harm could it do?” She paused for a moment, then added, “You could curl up for a nap while I’m in there. I won’t let the prisoners escape.”
Zelda looked even more distraught. “No! Darktail might see me . . . or one of the Kin would tell him.”
“They’re all snoring in their nests,” Violetpaw told her. “Zelda, please . . . Aren’t we friends?”
Zelda slid her claws in and out, tearing at the grass. “Okay, Violetpaw,” she mewed at last. “But be quick!”
“Thanks, Zelda.” Violetpaw touched her nose to the kittypet’s ear, then slipped past her and into the thicket, until she reached the clear space in the center.
The RiverClan prisoners were curled up together in a mound of fur, with Needletail close beside them. Violetpaw thought her friend was asleep too; but as she approached, Needletail raised her head and gazed at her, blinking.
“Violetpaw?” Her voice was hoarse.
“I had to talk to you.” Violetpaw crouched down beside her friend and spoke softly into her ear. “I’ve been to ThunderClan and spoken to Alderheart. We have a plan to get you and the prisoners out! I promise, all of you are going to be fine.”
Needletail listened quietly and did not respond when Violetpaw had finished speaking. Her eyes closed, and Violetpaw thought that she had gone back to sleep. Pity clawed at her heart when she saw how weak her friend was.
Violetpaw was beginning to edge backward, ready to leave, when Needletail stirred again, her eyes opening a slit. “All this that’s happening to me . . . it’s not your fault, Violetpaw. All the mistakes we made were mine.”
“That doesn’t matter now,” Violetpaw responded, briefly burying her nose in Needletail’s shoulder fur. “Don’t worry about anything. I’m going to get you out of here.”
Needletail shook her head. “Don’t take risks for me, Violetpaw. You have to survive, any way you can.”
She fell silent again with a small sigh, and Violetpaw realized that this time she really had gone to sleep.
Violetpaw remained crouching beside her for a moment, smoothing her fur with one paw. Poor Needletail, she thought. I’ve got to make this plan with ThunderClan work. . . .
Warily she slid out of the thicket with a nod to Zelda, then crept back across the camp in the direction of the elders’ den.
I have something to discuss with Ratscar and Oakfur. . . .
CHAPTER 14
Alderheart crouched in the bushes beside the small Thunderpath that separated ShadowClan territory from RiverClan. Sparkpelt and Ivypool were by his side, while Lionblaze, a tail-length or so away, was keeping watch in case any rogues were patrolling on the ShadowClan side.
Two nights had passed since Violetpaw’s visit to ThunderClan. Clouds were covering the moon, casting a welcome darkness over the trespassing patrol. The only sound was the faint creaking of branches as a breeze wafted through the trees.
“Do you think Violetpaw is close enough to Darktail?” Sparkpelt whispered, sounding doubtful. “Would he really tell her when the patrols go out?”
“Yes, does she really have that much influence?” Ivypool added. “She’s an apprentice, for StarClan’s sake!”
“I believe her,” Alderheart responded, keeping his voice low. “She told me that a patrol goes by at sunset, and then another at moonhigh. Besides, she doesn’t need Darktail to tell her that—if she keeps her wits about her, she can see it for herself.”
Ivypool nodded slowly, her blue eyes gleaming in the dim light. “After all,” she murmured, “this isn’t a real boundary anymore, now that Darktail holds both territories. There’s not a lot of need for regular patrols.”
“True,” Alderheart responded. “Besides, I trust Violetpaw. She may be an apprentice, but there’s something very capable and serious about her.”
“Yes.” Ivypool sighed out the word. “She reminds me so much of Twigpaw.”
All the cats were silent for a moment; Alderheart knew that his Clanmates were remembering the young cat, sharing in his grief for her.
Then behind him, Alderheart heard Lionblaze spring to his paws. “Look! Across the Thunderpath!” he hissed.
Alderheart saw three dark shapes emerge from the bushes on the RiverClan side. His muscles tensed as he tasted the air, not sure at first which cats were heading toward him over the hard surface of the Thunderpath. Violetpaw’s scent flowed between his jaws, and Alderheart relaxed as he recognized her and saw that she was leading the two ShadowClan elders, Oakfur and Ratscar.
Both the old cats let out huge sighs of relief as they reached the bushes and flopped down beside Alderheart and the other ThunderClan cats.
“Good job, Violetpaw,” Oakfur meowed. “The plan worked!”
“Great StarClan!” Ratscar huffed. “I thought that mange-ridden Darktail would catch us for sure.”
“Shh!” Sparkpelt warned them. “We still have to get you safely through ShadowClan territory.”
“Rest for a few moments, and let’s have a look at you,” Alderheart mewed.
Though there was little light, he could just make out the skinny shapes of the elders and see claw marks scored across their sides. The sweetish scent that rose from them told him that some of the wounds were infected, and he remembered Juniperclaw telling him that Darktail made Puddleshine save all his herbs for the Kin.
“I’ve chewed up some marigold,” he told them as he began to dab the pulp on Oakfur’s wounds and then Ratscar’s. “That should help, and I’ll see to you properly tomorrow in camp.”
Oakfur sighed and gave a wriggle of pleasure as the healing juices sank into his wounds. “That feels great, youngster,” he rasped.
“I caught some mice for you,” Ivypool added, dropping one in front of each of the elders. “Eat up quickly, and then we can go.”
The elders didn’t need telling, gulping down the prey in huge mouthfuls.
It’s like they haven’t eaten for a moon, Alderheart thought, disgusted at the state of these honorable cats who had served their Clan so well.
“Is this how Darktail treats elders?” he asked Violetpaw, who was standing close by, her eyes shining with triumph at the success of her first mission.
Violetpaw shrugged. “Darktail always lets the strongest cats eat first. And they’re not allowed to share any prey unless he gives permission.”
Alderheart remembered that Darktail had done the same in the gorge when he and his rogues had claimed to be part of SkyClan. He must have been lying through his teeth when he said he and his rogue friends wanted to be part of a Clan. He just wanted to collect Clan cats to follow him and live by his twisted rules.
“Are you up for the journey through ShadowClan territory?” he asked the elders. “It’s
a long way, and it might be dangerous.”
“We sure are,” Ratscar assured him.
“Yes,” Oakfur added. “Anything to get away from those crow-food-eating rogues!”
Alderheart gave each of the old cats a bunch of traveling herbs that he had brought with him from ThunderClan to give them strength for the rest of their journey. Then, while they licked them up, he turned to say good-bye to Violetpaw.
“You’ve done brilliantly,” he meowed. “You’re a brave cat, Violetpaw.”
The young she-cat ducked her head, embarrassed. “I just want to help,” she murmured.
“You’ve certainly helped us,” Oakfur told her. “More than we can ever thank you for.”
Ratscar echoed his Clanmate’s thanks. “We’ll be seeing you again, I hope,” he mewed.
“I hope so,” Violetpaw responded. “Alderheart, I’ll try again three nights from now.”
“Okay,” Alderheart agreed. “But be careful.”
“I will. Good-bye for now, and a safe journey.”
For a moment Alderheart wanted to ask Violetpaw about Needletail, but he stopped himself, knowing that, with every heartbeat that the apprentice delayed getting back to Darktail’s camp, she put herself in more danger.
“Good-bye,” he called softly after her as Violetpaw raced back over the Thunderpath and vanished into the bushes on the RiverClan side.
Lionblaze took the lead as the patrol set off toward ThunderClan territory. Alderheart and Sparkpelt flanked the elders, one on either side, while Ivypool brought up the rear.
The elders were shaky on their paws, and progress was slow, though at first the forest was silent, with no sight or scent of any rogues. Lionblaze led them along the edge of the trees, where the going was easier as the undergrowth thinned out toward the lake.
Alderheart was just beginning to hope that they would get home without any trouble, when suddenly Lionblaze halted. “Fox dung!” he hissed.
“What?” Alderheart craned to see past Lionblaze’s muscular form.
A little way ahead, he spotted two cats crouching on the narrow strip of pebbles that separated the forest from the lake. Both of them seemed to be focused on a hole in the bank.