She blinked at him. “So I can go?”
“I think you should hurry.” Bramblestar peered through the trees. “Jayfeather’s probably at the border by now.”
Squirrelflight lifted her tail. “Thanks, Bramblestar.” She broke into a run, racing along the route Jayfeather and Alderheart had taken. The scent of pines bathed her nose as she neared the border. She could see Jayfeather’s gray pelt, pale in the shadows. Alderheart paced beside him.
They looked around, blinking as she crashed through a patch of ferns and pulled up beside them.
“I found Bramblestar,” she puffed. “He thinks it’s a good idea if I come with you.”
Jayfeather flicked his tail and turned his muzzle back toward the border, tasting the air. “You made it just in time. Here comes a ShadowClan patrol.”
Squirrelflight pricked her ears, listening for the sound of paw steps.
Alderheart stretched his muzzle forward, scanning the pines. “Where?”
As he spoke, pelts showed in the shadows. Squirrelflight recognized Snowbird’s white pelt moving between the trees. Snaketooth and Cinnamontail were with her.
Snowbird’s eyes narrowed as she headed toward the border, her hostile gaze fixed on Jayfeather. “What do you want?” she asked sharply as she reached them.
“We need to speak with Puddleshine,” Jayfeather told her.
“There’s sickness in our camp,” Alderheart added. “We need his advice.”
“And to warn Tigerstar,” Squirrelflight mewed quickly.
“Warn him?” Snowbird narrowed her eyes. “About what?”
“I’ll tell that to him,” Squirrelflight meowed pointedly.
“Tigerstar’s out hunting,” Snaketooth grunted.
“I can speak to Cloverfoot,” Squirrelflight told him. Would ShadowClan’s deputy know as much as their leader?
Snowbird’s nose twitched warily. “How do we know you’re not bringing the sickness with you?”
“We’re fine,” Jayfeather promised. “A medicine cat would never knowingly spread illness.”
Snowbird eyed him, then nodded. “Okay.” She sniffed his pelt as he crossed the border. Alderheart followed. Squirrelflight glanced at Snaketooth and Cinnamontail, then padded after her Clanmates.
The ShadowClan warriors kept their distance as they escorted the ThunderClan patrol to the ShadowClan camp. Snaketooth and Snowbird exchanged glances but didn’t speak until the camp wall loomed between the trees.
“Go straight to Puddleshine’s den,” Snowbird told Jayfeather as she ducked through the entrance tunnel.
“Why would I want to go anyplace else?” Jayfeather padded after her.
Squirrelflight followed, Alderheart at her heels.
Acrid ShadowClan scent filled her nose as she emerged into the clearing. Sparrowtail and Whorlpelt were dragging old bedding from a den. Yarrowleaf and Berryheart sorted through the fresh-kill pile. Outside the elders’ den, Lightpaw and Pouncepaw were practicing battle moves in front of Oakfur and Ratscar. The apprentices paused as they saw the ThunderClan patrol, turning their heads to stare as Jayfeather and Alderheart crossed to Puddleshine’s den.
Puddleshine ducked out, his eyes lighting as he saw Jayfeather and Alderheart. “It’s good to see you.” He stretched his nose forward, greeting them warmly, and led them inside.
“Can I speak with Cloverfoot now?” Squirrelflight asked Snowbird.
Snowbird swished her tail. “Wait here.” As she headed across the clearing, Ratscar sat up and stared at Squirrelflight. Hostility sharpened his gaze. Sparrowtail and Whorlpelt uncurled their claws. Yarrowleaf pushed a vole to one side and padded closer, her hackles lifting.
Squirrelflight forced her pelt to stay smooth. ShadowClan clearly wasn’t pleased to see her. They must resent the agreement ThunderClan had made with WindClan as much as their leader did. She felt their stares burning though her pelt as she waited for Snowbird to return with Cloverfoot.
Snowbird disappeared into a den at the far end of the camp. She emerged a few moments later, Cloverfoot at her heels. The ShadowClan deputy stared curiously at Squirrelflight, pausing for a moment before crossing the clearing.
Squirrelflight padded to meet her, stopping short as Cloverfoot fluffed out her gray tabby pelt, her gaze hardening into anger.
“What are you doing here?” Cloverfoot asked icily as she reached Squirrelflight.
“I came to warn you that one of our warriors is very sick.” Squirrelflight dipped her head politely.
Cloverfoot frowned. “Why should we care?”
“We don’t know what caused his sickness.” Squirrelflight watched Cloverfoot carefully. Would the ShadowClan deputy give anything away? “He might have eaten tainted prey or picked up an illness in the forest. I thought ShadowClan should know, because we share borders and your warriors might be exposed to whatever made Larksong sick.”
Cloverfoot narrowed her eyes. “Thank you for letting us know.”
“Have any of your cats become ill?” Squirrelflight glanced around the camp, quickly reading the expressions of the other ShadowClan cats. She couldn’t see guilt there, only curiosity.
“No.” Cloverfoot whisked her tail. “Did you say Larksong might have eaten tainted prey?”
“He might have,” Squirrelflight told her. “We’re not sure yet.” Cloverfoot wasn’t showing any sign that ShadowClan might be responsible. “He’s the only cat who’s sick. So we’re hoping it’s an isolated incident.”
“I hope so too.” Concern flashed for a moment in Cloverfoot’s eyes. She blinked it away. “I think you should leave now and take your medicine cats with you.”
“But they want to consult with Puddleshine about Larksong’s symptoms.” Had they had enough time to probe for clues about ShadowClan’s involvement in their Clanmate’s sickness?
“They’ve had long enough.” Cloverfoot grew brisk. “There are injured cats trying to rest in the medicine den.”
“Injured cats?” Squirrelflight pricked her ears. Was ShadowClan in trouble? Another fight with the Sisters? Her chest tightened.
“A dispute with RiverClan border patrol,” Cloverfoot told her. “Since they found out about your agreement with WindClan, they’ve been pushing their border farther and farther, trying to reclaim their marshland.” Anger ruffled her pelt.
Squirrelflight shifted her paws self-consciously. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“You caused it,” Cloverfoot snapped.
The camp wall shivered. Squirrelflight stiffened as Tigerstar padded into camp. Dovewing, Strikestone, and Scorchfur followed at his heels. He glared at her. “What are you doing here?”
Cloverfoot answered for her. “Squirrelflight’s come to report a sick cat in ThunderClan.”
“There are wounded cats here thanks to ThunderClan.” Tigerstar padded toward her, his hackles lifting.
“I’m sorry RiverClan is causing trouble,” Squirrelflight said, forcing her fur to remain flat. “But we can’t be held responsible for borders that don’t belong to us.”
Tigerstar glared at her. “Even when you caused the dispute?”
“We don’t control RiverClan.” Relief washed Squirrelflight’s pelt as Jayfeather and Alderheart padded from Puddleshine’s den. They should leave. Tigerstar seemed ready for a fight. Quick. She beckoned them with a flick of her tail.
Tigerstar kept his gaze fixed on her. “How can you be so arrogant?” Anger hardened his mew. “You stop us finding new land for SkyClan—”
Squirrelflight interrupted him. “SkyClan hasn’t agreed to move yet.”
Tigerstar snorted. “Everyone knows that Leafstar thinks the mountain territory would make a perfect home for SkyClan.”
“But moving there is SkyClan’s choice, not yours,” Squirrelflight insisted. “Besides, the Sisters still live there. In a moon, the Sisters will be gone and Leafstar will have made a decision.”
“A moon!” Tigerstar lashed his tail. “How many warriors will have been injured in a moon?”