But surely things had improved since Twigpaw had left?
Leaving the last of the trees behind them, the cats struck out into open country, drawing nearer to the hill Twigpaw thought was close to the Clans’ territory. Sunhigh was long past by the time they reached it and trudged up the slope to the top.
As she crested the rise and looked out across the land ahead, Twigpaw halted as if she had just run into a tree. “Oh!” she exclaimed. She had expected to see the Thunderpath and the tunnel where she and Violetpaw had been born. Instead the ground sloped gently away in front of her, covered with bushes and clumps of fern. Down in the bottom of the valley the bushes gave way to dense woodland; here and there Violetpaw caught the glimmer of water.
“Is everything okay?” Leafstar asked, padding up to stand beside her.
“Oh—uh—yes,” Twigpaw stammered. She didn’t want to tell the SkyClan leader that, once again, she had no idea where she was.
Bracing herself resolutely, she led the way down into the trees.
A narrow stream trickled through the undergrowth, and Leafstar decided that they should hunt and camp there for the night. Twigpaw found it difficult to sleep, shifting restlessly in the nest she had made under an elder bush. She was too worried about the next day’s journey.
How long will SkyClan go on following me, if I can’t lead them to the lake soon?
Not long after the cats set off the following morning, they emerged from a thick bank of fern onto a strip of grass that bordered the hard black surface of a Thunderpath. Monsters were roaring up and down it in both directions, their bright colors glittering in the sunlight. Twigpaw’s belly churned as she remembered the monster that had struck her when she fell from the tree.
“Do we have to cross here?” Hawkwing asked.
Twigpaw nodded. She knew that a Thunderpath lay between the lake and the place where she had found SkyClan; she could only hope that this was the same one. It looked very different from the area where the tunnel was.
But it must be the right one, she told herself. How many Thunderpaths do Twolegs need?
Twigpaw waited with the SkyClan cats in a line along the grass verge until Leafstar gave the order to cross. Twigpaw could hear the growl of an approaching monster as her paws skimmed across the Thunderpath, but every cat had reached safety on the other side before it swept past on its round black paws.
“Now where do we go?” Tinycloud asked. The pregnant white she-cat was leaning on Sparrowpelt’s shoulder, and she looked exhausted. “Is it much farther?”
I hope it isn’t, Twigpaw thought, gesturing into the trees with her tail. “This way.”
Sunhigh was still some way off when Twigpaw rounded a bramble thicket and halted at the edge of a clearing. In the middle was a cluster of weird rocks made out of flat pieces of wood. Tasting the air, she picked up the faint scent of Twolegs.
“Oh, I don’t believe it!” Plumwillow exclaimed as she followed Twigpaw around the bramble thicket. “You have Twolegs near your territory, too?”
“Twolegs are everywhere,” Sandynose responded, touching his mate’s shoulder with his tail-tip. “We’re not staying here, are we?” he asked Twigpaw.
Memories were scrambling into Twigpaw’s head. She had never seen this place before, but she remembered Alderheart telling her about his journey to the gorge, and how he had his companions had stopped at a greenleaf Twolegplace and eaten delicious Twoleg food. This must be the very place!
“No,” she replied to Sandynose, “but it means we don’t have much farther to go.”
As they left the greenleaf Twolegplace behind, the trees began to thin out. Soon Twigpaw and the SkyClan cats were faced with a steep slope covered with wiry grass and gorse thickets; here and there outcrops of rock poked through the turf. A stiff breeze swept down from the ridge; Twigpaw’s whiskers twitched with excitement at the familiar scents it brought with it.
“Don’t tell me we have to climb that!” Tinycloud groaned.
“Yes, we do.” Twigpaw replied. “But we’re very close to the ThunderClan camp now. You’ll see!”
Leafstar took the lead as the cats toiled up the slope, while Sparrowpelt and Hawkwing helped Tinycloud. A few tail-lengths from the top, Twigpaw bounded ahead and let out a caterwaul of joy as she reached the ridge, digging her claws into the tough grass.
“Look down there!” she meowed as the SkyClan cats struggled up to join her. “There’s the lake—and the horseplace—and you can’t see it from here, but the ThunderClan camp is down there, too. We’re almost home!”
Yowls of excitement followed her announcement, and Hawkwing gave Twigpaw’s ears an approving lick. “I knew you would find the way,” he meowed, resting his tail over Twigpaw’s shoulders. “I’m very glad Alderheart took you and your sister in,” he added.
“So am I,” Twigpaw purred.
CHAPTER 16
The sun was setting as Violetpaw led her hunting patrol back into the rogue camp. The rest of the patrol—Loki, Nettle, and Scorchfur—dropped their prey on the fresh-kill pile, grabbed some for themselves, and padded off to eat.
Left to herself, Violetpaw chose several of the best pieces of prey and carried them to a dip in the ground not far from Darktail’s den. The shadow of an elder bush sheltered her from the rest of the Kin.
Violetpaw had already hidden the leaf wrap of poppy seeds among the roots of the bush. Now she drew it out and carefully counted out three seeds for each piece of prey before she pushed them inside the fresh-kill.
Darktail and his friends will really enjoy this, she thought grimly. Even though her heart was pounding hard at the risk she was taking, she took a kind of joy in the thought that she was playing such an important part in defeating the invaders.
Darktail’s den was beneath a jutting rock, screened by overhanging fronds of fern. When Violetpaw was sure all the poppy seeds were well concealed, she padded up to the entrance, trying not to let her legs shake with apprehension.
“Darktail!” she called out. “The hunting patrol is back, and I’ve picked out some good prey for you.”
The fern fronds shook as the white tom brushed past them into the open. “Good,” he meowed, swiping his tongue around his jaws. “I’m starving!”
“So am I.”
The voice came from behind Violetpaw; she spun around, her belly lurching as if she had swallowed crow-food. Sleek-whisker was standing a fox-length away, her yellow pelt gleaming in the last light of the sun.
How long has she been there? Violetpaw asked herself, fighting against panic. Did she see what I did to the prey?
Then Violetpaw forced herself to be calm, telling herself that if Sleekwhisker had spotted her, she would surely have asked what she was doing.
I know she’s desperate to catch me doing something wrong, because she can’t stand it that Darktail likes me better than her. So, if she hasn’t said anything, she couldn’t have seen me. . . . I hope.
“The prey is over here.” Violetpaw waved her tail in the direction of the elder bush. “Should I fetch it for you, Darktail?”
“No, we can eat over there,” Darktail replied. Glancing around, he beckoned with his tail to his closest followers, who were stretched out together in a patch of sunlight. “Raven! Roach! Nettle—come over here! It’s time to eat.”
As the rogues padded over to the prey pile, Violetpaw dipped her head to Darktail. “I’ll just go and get some sleep,” she mewed.
Darktail twitched his whiskers. “Don’t you want to eat with us?” he asked.
“No thanks, Darktail. I had a mouse while I was out,” Violetpaw replied, thankful for once that the rogues didn’t follow the warrior code, so no cat would be surprised that she had eaten before she brought food back for the Kin.
For a moment, Darktail looked concerned. Oh, StarClan! Violetpaw thought, her muscles tensing. Don’t let him order me to share the prey!
Then Darktail gave her a brusque nod. “Suit yourself,” he responded with a shrug, and padded o
ff to join his Kin around the prey pile.
Trying not to let her relief show, Violetpaw slipped away to the new den she had made for herself among some reeds at the edge of the stream, so she could get some privacy from Zelda. That went well, she congratulated herself. Now, I just have to wait. . . .
Violetpaw lay curled up in her den until night had fallen and the noises outside in the camp had faded into quiet. Expecting that every cat would be asleep, she slid out of her den, shook some scraps of moss from her pelt, and arched her back in a good long stretch. Then, her ears pricked alertly, she headed across the camp to Darktail’s den.
He should be in a really deep sleep, she told herself with satisfaction. Along with the other three mange-pelts he calls his closest Kin. Then ThunderClan and I can put our plan into action.
But as Violetpaw approached the den, Sleekwhisker rose up out of the shadow of the fern clump. Her green eyes glinted; she was fully awake.
“Oh, good, there you are,” she purred.
Disconcerted, Violetpaw took a pace back. “Oh, uh . . . I just went to make dirt,” she explained desperately. “I’ll get back to my den now.”
Sleekwhisker slid out her claws. “I don’t think so,” she responded, amusement in her voice.
With a hard shove, Sleekwhisker thrust Violetpaw through the screen of ferns and into Darktail’s den. It took a couple of heartbeats for Violetpaw’s vision to clear in the dim light—but when it did, she felt as if terror had turned her whole body into a block of ice. Darktail and the rest of his close Kin were all there, and every one of them was awake. Their eyes gleamed in the darkness, their baleful gazes fixed on her.
Before Violetpaw could speak, Roach and Raven grabbed her neck fur with one forepaw each. Violetpaw cringed as their claws sank deep into her pelt. The two rogues dragged her forward until she was standing in front of the leader.
“Get off me!” she yowled, trying to dig her claws into the earth floor of the den. “What’s gotten into you?”
Darktail gazed down at her, quite calm, his eyes filled with a dreadful gentleness. “Do you have anything you’d like to tell me?” he asked.
“Like what?” Violetpaw tried to sound innocent, desperately wondering if there was any plan that would save her now.
Darktail reached behind him into the shadows and drew out a leaf; on it were the poppy seeds, sticky now from prey juices. “Like what your plan was, exactly, with this little trick,” he responded as he pushed the leaf in front of Violetpaw.
Violetpaw felt her blood turn icier still. “I’m—I’m not sure what those are,” she stammered.
“Oh, very funny,” Darktail meowed. “I wasn’t sure, either, so I asked Puddleshine. He was so helpful. He explained that these are poppy seeds, and powerful enough to put a cat to sleep.” He paused, examining the claws on one forepaw. “Which makes it interesting that several of them were found in the pieces of prey you brought for me and my closest Kin.”
Violetpaw shook her head, still trying to cling to innocence. “I’m not sure . . . I didn’t . . .”
Darktail suddenly shook off his calm demeanor. “Don’t waste our time pretending you didn’t do it,” he snapped. “Sleek-whisker saw you doing something suspicious to the prey, and she was smart enough to warn us before we could eat it. You know,” he went on, a menacing rumble in his throat, “it’s almost impressive, how good you are at this: lying, pretending to be a friend when in fact you’re an enemy. I suppose it’s all the time you spent among those useless Clan cats. I thought you were like me—”
“I am—really!” Violetpaw protested, her voice squeaking as if she were a frightened kit.
Darktail ignored her. “No,” he continued. “I don’t believe that anymore. In fact, I’m beginning to wonder: Is it possible that you had something to do with those former ShadowClan elders and queens who have gone missing? Don’t think I haven’t noticed. I notice everything that happens among my Kin.”
Now Violetpaw couldn’t stop herself from shaking. She had known that she was taking a risk by agreeing to put the poppy seeds into Darktail’s food, but she had never imagined a moment like this, and what it would actually feel like to be caught.
So this is it, she thought. He’s going to kill me. She realized that if Twigpaw ever did return to her Clan, she wouldn’t be there to greet her. She would never have the chance to say that she was sorry and be reconciled with her sister. Or perhaps Twigpaw is already in StarClan, and I’ll see her there. The thought made a violent shudder pass through her from ears to tail-tip.
“Oh, I’m not going to kill you,” Darktail mewed, as if he could read her thoughts. “Killing you wouldn’t be enough punishment for the traitorous act you tried to perform tonight—the act you almost pulled off.”
Before Violetpaw could ask what he meant, Darktail stalked past her out of the den, flicking his tail at Roach and Raven, “Bring her,” he snarled.
The two rogues grabbed Violetpaw again and dragged her out after Darktail, with Sleekwhisker padding behind. To her horror, Violetpaw realized that the white tom was heading toward the prisoners’ den.
Is he going to throw me inside? she wondered, her legs almost giving way out of fear. She had seen how Needletail and the RiverClan prisoners had been starved and intimidated; she shivered at the thought of having to go through that herself.
Outside the den, Zelda and Nettle were on guard, straightening up and looking alert as Darktail approached. The white tom said nothing to them, simply growling, “Wait here,” to Roach and Raven before pushing his way through the brambles and into the den.
Violetpaw was aware of Zelda’s scared gaze fixed on her, but she dared not speak to, or even look at, her kittypet friend.
A moment later, scuffling sounds came from among the brambles, and Darktail reappeared, thrusting Needletail in front of him. From behind, yowls of dismay came from the other prisoners.
“What are you doing?”
“What’s happening?”
Violetpaw could see every one of Needletail’s ribs as her friend staggered to a halt beside her. Her pelt was matted and her eyes were dull, but she tried to hold herself erect and face Darktail.
“Yes, what is happening?” she challenged him. “What do you want?”
“Violetpaw has betrayed me,” Darktail replied, his voice a soft, menacing purr. “She tried to put me to sleep by slipping poppy seeds into my prey. Needletail, I’m afraid that you are the cat who must pay the price for her treachery, but don’t worry. . . . You’ll be doing the other prisoners a favor. There’ll be more fresh-kill to go around now.”
His words ended with a harsh mrrow of laughter; Violetpaw thought she had never heard a more evil sound. She didn’t know what Darktail meant when he said that Needletail must pay the price, but fear swelled from deep in her belly. It won’t be anything good.
Needletail cast an alarmed glance at Violetpaw just as Darktail and Sleekwhisker seized hold of Needletail and began dragging her across the camp. At first Needletail tried to fight, writhing in their grip and striking out with all four paws. But she was too weak to win a battle against the two fit, muscular rogues, and soon Darktail and Sleekwhisker held her pinned to the ground until her struggles stopped; then they hauled her up and dragged her onward.
Roach and Raven followed with Violetpaw. As they splashed through the stream that formed the camp border, Violetpaw realized that they were heading toward the lake.
Terror welled up inside her like dark floodwater. Why would Darktail take us there? Unbidden, a memory flashed into her mind, of how Dawnpelt had argued with Darktail in the middle of the night. The rogue leader’s words echoed in her mind. If you don’t want to be with us anymore, then you are no longer our Kin.
Icy claws of horror pricked at Violetpaw’s belly. Is he taking us wherever he took Dawnpelt?
On the lakeshore, Darktail halted and turned to face his prisoners. “Why are you looking so scared?” he asked Violetpaw. “You have nothing to worry about. Your
good friend Needletail will take your punishment for you.”
Without warning, he leaped forward and sank his claws into Needletail’s shoulders, dragging her backward into the lake until the water reached their belly fur. Needletail let out a screech and began striking out at Darktail in an effort to free herself, but as the water rose around them, it was all she could do to stay on her paws.
Then with a powerful spasm of his forelegs Darktail pushed Needletail’s head under the surface. Her screeches of alarm were cut off with a choking sound as water flowed into her mouth.
Violetpaw stared in utter disbelief as Needletail’s struggles churned up the water. Once, her head broke the surface, and she managed to take a gasping breath. Then Sleekwhisker bounded through the shallows, throwing up splashes that hit Violetpaw in the face. She flung herself on Needletail, pressing her down harder into the lake.
“Stop!” Violetpaw yowled. “Please stop!”
She tried to race down the pebbly shore and into the water, to help her friend, but Roach and Raven held her back while her paws raked helplessly at the ground. Their eyes were mocking as they bared their teeth and dug their claws into her shoulders on either side. With every heartbeat, Violetpaw felt her friend’s life slipping away, while she could do nothing to save her.
“Punish me instead!” she begged Darktail, desperation beginning to overwhelm her. Needletail is the only friend I have left! “I admit it—I was trying to put you to sleep!”
Curiosity flickered in Darktail’s dark-rimmed eyes. He relaxed his grip on Needletail and jerked his head, motioning for Sleekwhisker to step back. Needletail staggered to her paws, water streaming from her pelt, her chest heaving as she fought for breath.
“Why did you do it?” Darktail asked Violetpaw.
“I wanted to sneak out the prisoners,” Violetpaw confessed. She was beyond caring about her own punishment, as hope revived within her. I’ve managed to stop Darktail hurting Needletail, at least for now. “It was all me, though. I put poppy seeds in the prey so you and your Kin would eat them. Needletail had nothing to do with it! She didn’t even know what I was up to!”