Tawnypelt narrowed her eyes. “I’ll speak with Pinenose and Grassheart.” Then she switched her gaze sharply back to Needlepaw. “If Violetkit is having problems in the nursery, you won’t solve them by breaking rules. You should have come to me straight away.” Her tail twitched irritably. “That’s an afternoon’s training wasted. I’d planned to teach you how to track scent trails. It’s the most important warrior skill you can learn.”
Violetkit stiffened. What if Tawnypelt tracked our scent to the rogues’ camp?
But the tortoiseshell went on. “I went hunting with Snowbird and Stonewing instead.” She looked Needlepaw up and down. “Did you catch any squirrels?”
“They were too fast,” Needlepaw mewed quickly.
“So you’ve got nothing for the fresh-kill pile at all?” Tawnypelt looked exasperated. “The Clan comes first!”
“I was taking care of Violetkit,” Needlepaw protested.
“You were teaching her how to break rules.” Tawnypelt’s mew deepened to a growl. “Come with me. This must be reported to Rowanstar.”
She turned away, tail twitching ominously.
Needlepaw glanced at Violetkit. “Don’t worry,” she murmured. “I won’t let you get into trouble.”
Violetkit’s heart was pounding. Rowanstar! The ShadowClan leader occasionally paused while crossing the camp to say hello and ask her how she was settling into Clan life, but she’d never managed more than a squeak in reply. Now she was going to be reported to him for breaking Clan rules.
As Needlepaw padded after Tawnypelt—shoulders loose, tail flicking breezily—Violetkit pressed back the panic rising in her chest. Forcing her pelt to smooth, she followed them, pretending to be calm.
The sun had dipped behind the trees and the Clan had settled around the clearing to eat. Violetkit glanced at the fresh-kill pile, almost empty now. Beepaw was rooting through it. Violetkit’s belly churned as the apprentice sniffed at a thrush. She felt too sick to be hungry.
Rowanstar looked up from the mouse he was eating beside Crowfrost. “Tawnypelt.” He got to his paws, greeting the she-cat with a worried look. “What’s happened?” Clearly, he could see anger in her rippling pelt.
“Needlepaw took Violetkit out of camp.” Tawnypelt stepped aside and let Needlepaw face Rowanstar.
Violetkit halted. Her paws felt shaky as she sensed the eyes of the other cats lifting from their fresh-kill and fixing on her. She glanced nervously at Needlepaw. Was her friend in serious trouble? And what about me? Did ShadowClan punish kits?
Rowanstar glared at Needlepaw. “Kits don’t leave camp,” he meowed sternly. “What were you thinking? There may be rogues in the forest. There are certainly foxes, and Spikefur said he saw an adder yesterday. A warrior would be lucky to survive an adder bite. A kit would die.”
Needlepaw blinked at him coolly. “I look out for adders and foxes. I wouldn’t let anything hurt her.”
Rowanstar’s hackles lifted as though he was surprised to hear her talk back. “Kits do not leave camp,” he repeated.
Needlepaw glanced calmly at Beepaw beside the fresh-kill pile. “It’s a dumb rule.”
Beepaw leaned closer, her eyes sparking with interest.
Violetkit stared at Needlepaw, shock fizzing through her fur. Had she really said that? And why had she shot a sly glance at Beepaw? Had they been planning to challenge Rowanstar like this?
Crowfrost stood up. His tail twitched angrily as Needlepaw went on.
“Like I told Tawnypelt, Violetkit was bored in camp.” She flicked her muzzle dismissively toward the clearing. “There’s nothing to learn here except how to grow old.”
Sleekpaw, Juniperpaw, Yarrowpaw, and Strikepaw were padding closer, their eyes flashing with interest. Birchpaw and Lionpaw hung back, eyeing each other nervously, but Beepaw pricked her ears excitedly, as though willing Needlepaw to say more.
Rowanstar’s gaze flicked toward them, then back to Needlepaw. It was blazing with anger. “There is plenty to learn in camp,” he hissed. “The warrior code, for a start. Too many rules are being ignored.”
“It’s impossible to remember all your rules.” Needlepaw flicked her tail irritably. “Perhaps if we had fewer rules, we’d obey more of them.”
Crowfrost flattened his ears. “Perhaps if we had smarter apprentices, they wouldn’t have such a hard time remembering.”
Sleekpaw and Strikepaw, Crowfrost’s kits, hissed at the ShadowClan deputy. “Are you calling us dumb?”
Strikepaw glared at his father. “If you treated us better, we might try harder,” he snarled. “Don’t forget there are nearly as many of us as there are of you. You’d be wise to give us a little more respect.”
Was that a threat? Violetkit stared at him, her mouth open. She shifted her paws uneasily. The apprentices were edging nearer to Needlepaw, as though gaining confidence with every complaint. Had they planned this rebellion, or had Needlepaw’s boldness sparked resentments that had been simmering for moons?
Yarrowpaw and Juniperpaw flicked their tails irritably. Beepaw padded from the fresh-kill pile to join them.
“Respect!” Rowanstar narrowed his eyes. “Respect has to be earned.” His growl was hard.
Beepaw tipped her head. “I don’t see the older cats earning any respect. All they do is hunt and sleep.”
Snowbird padded forward quickly, her pelt ruffled. “Beepaw!” She blinked at her daughter anxiously. “You mustn’t speak about your elders like that.”
“Why not?” Beepaw moved closer to Yarrowpaw. “You taught us that ShadowClan cats can say what they like.”
Alarm sparked in Snowbird’s gaze as her kits stared at her petulantly. “Where has all this come from?”
Beepaw stared at her mother. “If you ever listened instead of just talking, you’d know.”
Crowfrost fluffed out his fur, his nervous gaze on his own kits. Sleekpaw, Juniperpaw, and Strikepaw were bunched close, staring questioningly at Rowanstar.
Sleekpaw lashed her tail. “The elders used to tell stories about how ShadowClan was feared by the other Clans,” she meowed. “Now we only try to make peace.”
Strikepaw snorted. “We hide behind our borders like kittypets.”
“It’s true!” Juniperpaw agreed. “Not even WindClan respects us anymore. At the last Gathering, Fernpaw called us a bunch of frog-eaters. In the old days, apprentices from other Clans didn’t even dare speak to us. Ratscar told us that ThunderClan used to tell nursery stories about how terrifying we were. I bet their nursery stories aren’t so scary now.”
Rowanstar shifted his paws. “Peace brings prey,” he meowed. “Why fight over borders when we have enough prey to feed every cat?”
Ratscar got to his paws. The brown tom’s eyes were narrow. “The apprentices have a point. ShadowClan used to rule the forest. Now we live like a bunch of ThunderClan cats. All we want is peace and food. We’re hardly better than kittypets.”
Kinkfur growled. “What nonsense! ShadowClan will always be feared and respected by the other Clans.”
“Even if we’re not feared and respected by our own kits,” Ratscar rasped dryly.
Oakfur crossed the clearing and faced Rowanstar. “Why can’t the mentors keep their apprentices under control? In my day, we did what we were told.”
Stonewing shouldered his way through the gathered cats and glared at Juniperpaw. “How could you embarrass me like this? Haven’t I been a good mentor to you? I’ve taught you everything you know.”
Juniperpaw curled his lip. “Cats are born knowing how to hunt and fight. Why do I need you telling me what I already know?”
Stonewing swung his muzzle accusingly toward Rowanstar. “I warned you the apprentices were getting too big for their pelts.”
Rowanstar glared back at him, pelt spiking. “I shouldn’t have to control your apprentice for you.”
Dawnpelt hurried forward and gazed imploringly at Sleekpaw and her denmates. “I don’t understand why you’re so angry. When I was your age, I was
proud to be an apprentice,” she mewed. “We all were. We wanted to learn the warrior code.”
“Only because you wanted to be like ThunderClan,” Needlepaw scoffed.
Dawnpelt bristled. “That’s not true!”
Tawnypelt hissed at Needlepaw. “Respect your elders!”
“Not until they respect us!” Sleekpaw butted in.
Angry yowls echoed around the camp. Violetkit shrank against Needlepaw’s flank as the Clan argued around her. Perhaps the warrior code was too restrictive. She’d heard Needlepaw complain about it often enough. But was it worth fighting about? Surely warriors had a code for a reason. Otherwise they’d be nothing but rogues or loners.
“Silence!” Rowanstar leaped onto the low rock at the edge of the clearing and glowered at his Clan. His fur stood on end, and his eyes blazed in the twilight.
The Clan fell silent and watched their leader expectantly.
“Needlepaw.” Rowanstar fixed his furious gaze on the silver apprentice. “You broke a rule and you will be punished. You will look after the elders. Clean their bedding, pull out their ticks, and hunt for them. They are your responsibility from now on.”
Needlepaw returned his gaze, unruffled. “For how long?”
Rowanstar showed his teeth. “Until I say so.”
“Okay.” Needlepaw shrugged and turned away. She shouldered her way between her denmates and headed for the fresh-kill pile. Violetkit stared at her. How could she act so cool?
“Violetkit.” Rowanstar’s mew made her jump.
She stared at him, her heart in her throat.
“You shouldn’t have left camp.” The ShadowClan leader’s mew was stern. His gaze flicked toward the nursery. Pinenose watched from outside. He beckoned the queen forward with a flick of his tail. “You should have been keeping a closer eye on her,” he told the queen as she padded toward him.
She dipped her head. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t let her out of your sight,” Rowanstar warned.
Pinenose stopped beside Violetkit. “Couldn’t Grassheart take care of her now?” she mewed hopefully. “Now that my own kits have left the nursery, I could return to warrior duties.”
Violetkit tried to ignore the hurt jabbing her heart. She’d known for a long time that Pinenose had never been fond of her. Of course she’d rather be hunting than watching me. I’m not her kit. She smelled pine and fresh air in the queen’s fur. Had she been out already?
Rowanstar scowled. “I know you miss patrolling and hunting, but it’s Grassheart’s first litter. She won’t have the time to take care of another kit.”
Violetkit lifted her muzzle defiantly. “I can take care of myself.”
Rowanstar’s hopped from the stone and padded closer. “If that were true, you wouldn’t have left the camp today.” He turned to Pinenose. “Look after her. Make sure she learns the warrior code. I don’t want her turning out like them.” He glowered at Sleekpaw and her denmates. “She’s been spending far too much time with Needlepaw.”
Pinenose lowered her gaze. “Okay,” she grunted.
But Needlepaw is my only friend! Violetkit stared at Rowanstar, her heart as heavy as stone. Now I’ll have no one to talk to! Anger sparking beneath her pelt, Violetkit padded to the nursery and squeezed inside. Grassheart’s kits were squirming and mewling in their nest while Grassheart dozed. Violetkit scowled at them. They’d never know what it was like to lose a mother and a sister. Slinking into the shadows at the edge of the den, she curled up and buried her nose beneath her paw.
“Violetkit!” Needlepaw hissed across the clearing.
Violetkit looked up, blinking in the afternoon sunshine. She was tired after a morning spent playing with Grassheart’s kits. Tawnypelt must have kept her word and spoken to her. As soon as she’d woken that morning, Grassheart had asked her to take Snakekit, Whorlkit, and Flowerkit outside to play. She’d enjoyed teaching them the rules of moss-ball and cat and mouse. For a while she’d felt less alone. But the kits were resting now, snuggled in their nest beside their mother, and Violetkit had nothing to do.
“Violetkit,” Needlepaw called again.
Violetkit glanced toward Pinenose. The queen was picking irritably through the fresh-kill pile at the far end of the camp. Violetkit scrambled to her paws and hurried across the clearing.
Needlepaw was dragging a large bundle of bracken toward the elders’ den. She let go as Violetkit reached her. “Dumb old cats,” Needlepaw huffed. “They’re always wanting something. ‘Pull this tick, Needlepaw.’ ‘Bring me food, Needlepaw.’” Needlepaw mimicked their husky mews. “‘I need new bedding, Needlepaw.’” She sat down wearily.
“Can I help?” Violetkit offered eagerly.
Needlepaw’s eyes brightened. “Yes.”
Violetkit leaned closer, preparing for orders. Would Needlepaw want her to look for moss around the camp? Or fetch prey from the fresh-kill pile?
Needlepaw leaned close and whispered in Violetkit’s ear. “I need you to travel to the rogues’ camp tonight.”
“Me?” Violetkit blinked at her in surprise. “Are you coming too?”
“Of course not!” Needlepaw rolled her eyes. “How can I leave with every old fleabag in the Clan watching to make sure I stick to my stupid elder duties?”
Violetkit frowned. “Then why do I need to go?”
“I want you to give a message to Rain. I promised to meet him tonight, but I can’t now, since I got caught with you.”
Violetkit felt a prickle of guilt in her belly.
“So you’ll go?” Needlepaw was staring at her imploringly.
Violetkit shifted her paws. “How can I? Pinenose will be watching me. And Grassheart.”
“They’ll be asleep by the time the moon’s up,” Needlepaw mewed. “They sleep like hedgehogs. Nothing will wake them until dawn.”
Violetkit glanced at the nursery. Both queens did sleep heavily. The kits too. She probably could slip out of the nursery without anyone noticing. But she’d never been in the forest at night alone. What if she met a fox? And what if she was caught? Rowanstar would be mad. Fear sparked beneath her pelt.
Needlepaw seemed to read her mind. “You’ll be fine. If a warrior patrol catches you, tell them I made you go. And keep an eye out for foxes and owls. Fox stench is easy to spot. Just stay away from it. Check the canopy for owls. Their eyes flash in the dark.”
Owls? Violetkit shivered. She never wanted to see an owl again!
“You have to go!” Needlepaw looked desperate. “Rain will be expecting me, and if I don’t turn up, he might not like me anymore.”
Sympathy filled Violetkit’s heart. Needlepaw was her only real friend in the Clan. She’d been so kind. No one else had taken her to see Twigkit. “Okay,” she agreed.
Needlepaw’s eyes brightened at once. “Thanks! You must reach their camp before moonhigh.”
An owl screeched. Violetkit glanced nervously up through the dark canopy, looking for eyes flashing in the shadows. But this deep into the pine forest, there was hardly a glimpse of light between the closely packed trees. Her heart leaped into her throat as the owl sounded again. She felt sure it had been following her since she crossed the last ditch.
Pelt bushed, she padded onward, fear pushing exhaustion away.
She’d crept from the warm moss beside Pinenose as soon as she was sure that the two queens and the kits were asleep. Gentle snores had filled the nursery as she squeezed through the entrance. She’d stiffened as she hit the chilly night air, her heart thumping as she’d crept through the dirtplace tunnel. Alone in the forest, she’d felt like prey. Now she was close to the edge of ShadowClan territory. The rogues’ camp was near. Even in the dark she remembered the route, and she crawled under a bramble that still smelled of Needlepaw’s scent from last time.
The trees thinned beyond the border where the land sloped up, and Violetkit trekked onward, comforted by the moonlight that began to light her path. At last pine gave way to alder and beech and stars sparkled reassu
ringly between the bare branches. She strained to see ahead, glimpsing the rowan bushes that marked the edge of the rogues’ camp. I made it!
As pride surged through her, a screech sounded above. She jerked her head up and glimpsed the massive silhouette of an owl. It swooped toward her so fast she froze in panic. Claws glinted as the owl stalled in midair, twisting its wings as it dropped toward her. She felt a rush of air, then pain as talons dug into her fur.
A cat’s yowl pierced the night. Feathers whipped her ears. The owl’s grip loosened as something slammed into it, knocking it away.
She glimpsed gray fur, and silver. Rain and Roach reared and dragged the owl to the ground.
“Run!” Rain screeched as he grappled against the owl’s powerful wings.
Violetkit couldn’t move. Her heart nearly burst as she watched Roach leap onto the owl’s back and sink his teeth into its thick plumage. The owl flapped wildly, its wings thumping against the ground as it threw him off. It wrenched free of Rain and struggled into the air, screeching as it beat the air and flapped up between the branches.
Rain turned on her, panting. “I said run!”
Violetkit shrank away, trembling as he glared at her.
“Be gentle!” Raven bounded from between the rowan bushes and slithered to a halt beside Violetkit. “She must be terrified.” She curled her tail around Violetkit, searching her gaze. “Where’s Needlepaw?”
Rain stiffened. “Did the owl get her?”
Violetkit shook her head, struggling to find her voice. “Sh-she couldn’t come,” she stammered. “That’s why I’m here. She sent me to tell you.”
“You came through the woods alone?” Raven looked shocked.
“So?” Rain was unimpressed. “I thought Clan cats could do anything. A little forest walk in the night isn’t hard.”
“She’s barely three moons old.” Raven crouched close to Violetkit, pressing her warm flank close.
I’m trembling. Violetkit realized she was shaking like trapped prey.