CHAPTER 9
Leafpool sat back on her haunches. “I’ve stopped the bleeding for now.”
Anxiously, Squirrelflight sniffed the cobwebs wadded around the gash on Sunrise’s flank. The blood there was growing stale. But Sunrise was still not moving; her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow. The clearing beneath her was still damp with her blood.
Leafpool went on. “I need to make an ointment to keep infection at bay.” She glanced toward the medicine den and then at Bramblestar.
The ThunderClan leader had padded to the entrance, where Alderheart and Jayfeather had disappeared a few moments earlier. He met Leafpool’s gaze.
“May I fetch herbs?” she asked.
Please say yes. As Squirrelflight blinked at him hopefully, a growl rumbled in Thornclaw’s throat. The warrior was glaring at the Sisters, who pressed close together at the edge of the clearing. His gaze flicked accusingly at Leafpool. “We’re waiting for word from StarClan.”
Blossomfall fluffed out her pelt beside him. “We can’t do anything until they tell us it’s okay.”
Squirrelflight stared at them, shocked by their coldness. “But she might die while we’re waiting. What if StarClan says we can treat her then? We won’t be able to treat a corpse.”
Bramblestar crossed the clearing and stopped beside Leafpool. “Just keep her alive until Jayfeather and Alderheart return.”
Leafpool straightened. “The Moonpool is a long way. They won’t be back before moonhigh. The only way I can keep her alive is to stop infection forming in the wound.” As she spoke, Sunrise stirred. She slowly opened her eyes and, with a flick of her tail, tried to lift her head.
Bramblestar whisked his tail. “She looks strong,” he growled. “She’ll be okay.”
“She won’t be unless I put ointment on the wound.” Leafpool’s fur twitched anxiously along her spine.
Snow crept closer to Sunrise. Fear showed in the she-cat’s eyes. “Keep still,” she breathed to her wounded campmate. “You’ll reopen the wound.”
Bramblestar glared at her. “Get back with the others.”
As Snow flattened her ears and backed away, anger flared in Squirrelflight’s belly. Was Bramblestar going to deny Sunrise even the comfort of her campmates? The Sisters had been far kinder to her when she’d been in their camp.
Outside the warriors’ den, Mousewhisker shifted his paws. “Should we move her to the medicine den?”
Larksong lifted his tail hopefully. “We could carry her there.”
“She’ll be more comfortable out of the sun,” Sparkpelt mewed.
Bramblestar glanced at them. “She’ll stay where we can see her until Jayfeather and Alderheart bring word from StarClan.”
Finleap padded forward. “Can we at least make her more comfortable?”
“I can fetch ferns,” Twigbranch offered.
Bramblestar nodded, his gaze hard. “Very well.” He turned away as they hurried out of camp.
Squirrelflight wanted to go with them, to make sure they picked the softest leaves, but she couldn’t leave Sunrise. Someone had to fight for her.
The thorn tunnel shivered, and Hollytuft and Dewnose ducked into camp. Flippaw and Thriftpaw padded at their heels. They stopped as they saw the Sisters.
Hollytuft’s eyes widened. “What’s going on?” She looked at Sunrise.
“This cat has been hurt,” Bramblestar told her. “Leafpool is taking care of her until we get word from StarClan.”
“Word?” Hollytuft looked confused. “About what?”
Thornclaw crossed the clearing and stopped beside Bramblestar. “About whether we should treat her wounds.”
Dewnose tipped his head. “Why do you need StarClan to decide?”
“These cats attacked a ShadowClan patrol,” Blossomfall grunted.
Flippaw frowned. “I thought the Sisters never strayed onto Clan land.”
Thriftpaw’s hackles lifted. “Perhaps they think they can go where they like now.”
“Rest,” Leafpool breathed, touching her nose to Sunrise’s cheek. She looked at Bramblestar again. “Can I get her poppy seeds?” she meowed. “She’s in pain. Let me help—”
Thornclaw cut her off. “Why should we share our herbs?”
“I can’t watch her suffer.” Leafpool blinked at him.
As Thornclaw held her sister’s gaze, Squirrelflight felt sick. Why had she brought the Sisters here? She’d trusted her Clanmates to take care of them. How could she have been so wrong?
“Poppy seeds can wait.” Bramblestar flicked his tail briskly. “Flippaw and Thriftpaw,” he meowed. “Go and help Finleap and Twigbranch find ferns.” He nodded to Blossomfall. “Take Hollytuft and Mousewhisker hunting. We have extra mouths to feed. Rosepetal and Bristlepaw can help Birchfall strengthen the walls of the nursery.” His gaze swept the Clan. “We can’t ignore our duties just because we have visitors.”
Thornclaw narrowed his eyes. “Are we sharing our fresh-kill with them?” He eyed Hawk and Tempest resentfully.
Tempest lifted her chin. “We can catch our own prey,” she meowed.
Birchfall bristled. “Do you think we’d let you hunt on our land?”
Bramblestar looked suddenly weary. “They must eat, and since they can’t hunt here, they must share our prey.”
Squirrelflight couldn’t help feeling a jab of pity for him. Every Clanmate seemed to want something different. How could he please them all? Guilt pricked momentarily beneath her pelt. Was she judging him too harshly?
Rosepetal and Bristlepaw headed toward the nursery, Birchfall at their heels, while Blossomfall led Hollytuft and Mousewhisker out of camp.
“Go with the hunting patrol,” Bramblestar ordered, nodding to Larksong.
Larksong hesitated. “I’d rather stay with Sparkpelt.”
Bramblestar stiffened. “Your patrol needs you.”
“Can Sparkpelt come with me?” Larksong asked. “Squirrelflight let us join the same patrols. Now that she’s expecting kits, I don’t like to be away from—”
Squirrelflight flinched as Bramblestar swung his muzzle toward the black tom.
“I don’t care what Squirrelflight did,” he hissed. “Sparkpelt will be safe here with her Clan. Go join your patrol, as I ordered.”
Sparkpelt blinked reassuringly at Larksong. “I’ll be okay,” she promised.
As Larksong dipped his head and hurried away, Squirrelflight glared at Bramblestar. How long was he going to keep trying to prove that he made the rules in ThunderClan, not her?
He stared back. “I want to speak with you in my den. You need to explain why your patrol brought the Sisters here.”
Squirrelflight’s paws pricked. Did he want another argument, even while a cat lay dying in the clearing? As he leaped up the rock tumble, she looked at Leafpool. “Will you be okay here?”
“Yes.” Leafpool was watching Sunrise. “I’ll do what I can.”
Squirrelflight straightened and headed for the rock tumble.
“I’m coming too.” Sparkpelt’s mew surprised her. “I was part of the patrol.”
“No.” Squirrelflight felt a surge of affection for her daughter. “The decision was my responsibility.”
Sparkpelt stuck out her chin. “I said I’m coming with you.”
Squirrelflight dipped her head. She didn’t want to argue with Sparkpelt too. She scrambled up the rock tumble, stones crunching beneath her paws. Sparkpelt followed and ducked after her into Bramblestar’s den.
Bramblestar sat in the shadowy cave, his gaze icy. His ears twitched as he saw Sparkpelt. “I didn’t ask to speak with you.”
Sparkpelt met his gaze. “You said you wanted an explanation,” she mewed evenly. “I was on the patrol. I can help.”
Bramblestar grunted and flicked his gaze to Squirrelflight. “Why in StarClan did you bring them here?” Anger hardened his mew.
Squirrelflight bristled, pulling up short. “What did you want me to do? Leave Sunrise to die in the woods?”