CHAPTER 10
Soft waves swished against the pebbles at the edge of the lake. A bright full moon dappled the water. Squirrelflight gazed toward the island as she padded along the shore toward the Gathering. Would Harestar and Tigerstar bring up the question of borders again? She glanced at Bramblestar beside her. “What are you going to tell them?” Would he mention that the Sisters were still in the ThunderClan camp nearly a quarter moon after they’d arrived?
“Nothing.” He nodded toward the patrol of SkyClan cats in the distance, waiting to cross the tree-bridge. “Let the others do the talking. I have nothing to say.”
They had hardly spoken in the past few days, not even trying to hide the rift between them from the Clan. Squirrelflight had grown used to keeping her thoughts to herself. From time to time, she missed the closeness she had once shared with Bramblestar, with a pang of grief that startled her. But tonight there seemed to be an unspoken agreement between them that, in front of the other Clans, they would pretend that nothing had changed. The ThunderClan patrol followed quietly, murmuring to one another. In the days since the Sisters had come to the camp, the Clan had been tense. At least Sunrise was healing thanks to Leafpool’s treatment. Leafpool had remained in camp tonight to watch over her. Hawk, Tempest, and Snow were still in the elders’ den.
“What do we tell the other Clans if they ask about the Sisters?” Thornclaw’s terse mew sounded behind her.
Bramblestar glanced back at the tabby warrior. “There’s no need for them to ask. As far as we know, the other Clans don’t know that they are staying with us.”
Hollytuft flicked her tail irritably. “But what if they ask if we’ve seen them? ShadowClan is bound to mention the attack on their patrol.”
“We tell them we know nothing.” Bramblestar jerked his muzzle forward, the fur prickling uneasily along his spine.
“You want us to lie?” Thornclaw frowned.
“Yes.” Bramblestar kept his gaze ahead.
“We should have sent them home already,” Bristlepaw growled.
Alderheart glanced at the young she-cat. “Sunrise needs more time to heal properly.”
“The others aren’t wounded,” Bristlepaw shot back. The she-cat’s gray pelt bristled. “They should have left days ago.”
Irritation sparked in Squirrelflight’s pelt. “They wanted to stay with their campmate.”
Thornclaw huffed. “Who cares what they want? Did they care what we wanted when they held you captive? Who knows what they’d have done to you if we hadn’t turned up and threatened to shred them!”
Alderheart lifted his chin. “Sunrise will be able to travel in a few days. Then they can all leave and things can go back to normal.”
Squirrelflight’s paws felt heavy. She wasn’t sure things could ever go back to normal—for her and Bramblestar, at least. They’d argued too much over the past moon. So much had been said that couldn’t be taken back. Her heart ached as she wondered if they’d ever be close again. She quickened her pace, eager to reach the island and let the clamor of voices and scents wash over her and crowd out her sense of loss.
SkyClan had disappeared into the long grass on the far shore by the time she reached the tree-bridge. She waited for Bramblestar to cross first, then followed, leading her Clanmates onto the island. She nosed her way through the grass and emerged into the clearing. WindClan and ShadowClan moved silently to make room for ThunderClan, their gazes solemn. RiverClan watched stiffly from the edge of the clearing while SkyClan clustered at the base of the Great Oak, their wary gazes flitting around at the other cats.
Tigerstar’s gaze swung toward the ThunderClan cats and fixed darkly on Bramblestar. Squirrelflight tensed. Did the ShadowClan leader know that they were sheltering the Sisters?
Bramblestar crossed the clearing and leaped onto the low branch of the Great Oak. He gazed expectantly at the other leaders. There would be no time for gossip tonight.
Squirrelflight took her place on the arching roots of the oak. Hawkwing settled beside her as Crowfeather, Reedwhisker, and Cloverfoot joined them. Above them, Tigerstar sat beside Bramblestar. Mistystar followed, Harestar and Leafstar at her tail. The Clans drew closer, crowding beneath the oak’s spreading branches, its shadow darkening their pelts.
Bramblestar lifted his muzzle. “Prey is running well in ThunderClan’s forest—”
Tigerstar interrupted. “There are more important matters to discuss than prey.” His dark gaze swept over the Clans. “We have a new enemy at our border. We need to react.”
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the ShadowClan cats. WindClan’s warriors were nodding solemnly. RiverClan cats exchanged knowing glances.
Squirrelflight’s belly tightened. “What enemy?” she called, though she was afraid she knew exactly who he meant.
Tigerstar glared back at her. “You of all cats should know. They held you hostage, along with Leafstar. And now they have attacked and permanently wounded one of ShadowClan’s finest warriors.”
The fur lifted along Squirrelflight’s spine. Permanently wounded?
Bramblestar blinked innocently at Tigerstar. “What happened?”
“The Sisters came onto ShadowClan land and attacked a patrol,” Tigerstar told him.
Squirrelflight’s paws prickled with indignation. ShadowClan had gone onto the Sisters’ land first, surely. The Sisters had only tracked them to find out why they’d come. That was what Snow had told her. With a sickening feeling, she wondered which version of the story was true.
Tigerstar went on. “They shredded Strikestone’s ear. The wound was so deep that the infection was hard to treat. He will never hear in that ear again.”
Squirrelflight stiffened. She didn’t realize Strikestone had been so badly injured. Growls of anger rose from the Clans.
“Fox-hearts!”
“They’re no better than badgers!”
Harestar leaned forward. “The Sisters are clearly a threat to the Clans.”
Tigerstar nodded. “We need to drive them away.”
Squirrelflight stared at him. “There aren’t enough of them to threaten us.”
Leafstar nodded. “We outnumber them countless times.”
“They are big cats, and dangerous.” Tigerstar stared at the SkyClan leader. “You saw that for yourself.” His gaze switched to Squirrelflight. “They could easily cross the border and pick off our patrols one by one.”
“They’d never do that!” Squirrelflight’s ears twitched with indignation. “They are peaceful.”
“They don’t look for fights,” Leafstar chimed.
“Tell that to Strikestone.” Tigerstar lashed his tail.
Yowls erupted from the ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan cats.
“The Sisters must go!”
“Drive them out!”
Thornclaw watched them, satisfaction glittering in his gaze. Twigbranch and Molewhisker exchanged uneasy glances.
Squirrelflight blinked helplessly at Hawkwing. “Why is he picking on the Sisters?” she whispered. “They couldn’t hurt us. They don’t want to hurt us!”
Hawkwing met her gaze. “They permanently wounded one of his warriors,” he murmured through the yowling of the Clans. “He has to react. And don’t forget, ShadowClan nearly fell apart only a few moons ago. Tigerstar needs an enemy to unite his Clan behind him.”
Squirrelflight blinked at him as she began to understand. “And if StarClan wants the Clans to be united, he has to pick a fight with outsiders.”
“Exactly.” Hawkwing’s eyes glittered with unease.
“You don’t think we should fight them, do you?” Squirrelflight was unnerved by the support of the other Clans for Tigerstar’s plan.