“We must decide how the codebreakers suffer,” he growled.
“‘We’?” Tigerstar flattened his ears, his mew outraged. “Don’t you mean you? You’ve wanted cats to suffer since this began. You’re using StarClan’s silence as a way to divide the Clans!”
Rootpaw saw the ghost padding closer to the oak, its pelt prickling excitedly as it stared at Tigerstar.
Bramblestar leaned down over his branch, his lip curling with menace. “But StarClan isn’t silent any longer. They’ve sent us this vision. They’ve made it clear exactly who the codebreakers are and why they should be punished. They won’t come back until amends have been made. In ThunderClan, we’ve already begun giving out stricter punishments to cats who break the code. You’ll notice that Lionblaze is not here. . . .”
A murmur rippled through the gathered cats as, one by one, they realized that the golden tabby tom was nowhere to be seen. Cats let out nervous rumbles and exchanged surprised glances. Lionblaze had been a ThunderClan warrior for moons, and had fought in great battles that took place long before Rootpaw had been born—not that this seemed to matter to Bramblestar.
“He has not yet returned from his exile,” the ThunderClan leader went on. “But he betrayed the code, and he accepted that he had to pay a price. Spotfur, too”—he gestured with his tail at the spotted tabby she-cat, standing at the edge of the Gathering with Stemleaf—“was very grateful to be ignored by all her Clanmates for a quarter moon. Weren’t you, Spotfur?”
Spotfur said nothing. Bramblestar purred contentedly—something about the sound made Rootpaw’s flesh prickle beneath his pelt. “StarClan will appreciate us for this, you’ll see.”
Tree shifted uneasily beside Rootpaw. “He’s using this to turn the Clans into a bunch of vengeful rogues,” he breathed into Rootpaw’s ear. “This impostor is no better than Darktail. He will destroy the Clans if he’s not careful.”
Rootpaw blinked at his father. “Perhaps he’s just trying to help.”
“How can making cats suffer help anything?”
“It might bring StarClan back,” Rootpaw insisted even as doubt pricked in his paws.
“Do you want StarClan back if they only want to watch us suffer?” Tree stared at Rootpaw, his eyes glistening.
Rootpaw had no answer. Panic fluttered in his chest. Had this Gathering finally persuaded Tree that he should leave the Clans and take his family with him?
Tigerstar’s pelt was spiked. “You have no right to decide the fate of cats from other Clans,” he snarled at Bramblestar.
“And you have no right to defend codebreakers when one is your mate!” Bramblestar hissed back.
“Your mate is a codebreaker too!” Tigerstar’s gaze flashed toward Squirrelflight. She seemed to flinch for a moment before lifting her chin defiantly.
“I will deal with her myself,” Bramblestar mewed. “And I’ll deal with the other codebreakers in my Clan as harshly as I expect you to deal with yours. Lionblaze, Jayfeather, Twigbranch.” His eyes flashed menacingly toward his Clanmates. “They will all atone.”
Twigbranch! Rootpaw’s heart lurched. He glanced at Violetshine. Her sister had been named after all. Violetshine’s gaze had darted toward Twigbranch. The ThunderClan she-cat sat hunched among her Clanmates, her eyes wide. A cold chill ran along Rootpaw’s spine. Now that StarClan’s threat of suffering was aimed at Twigbranch, he realized how other cats, in other Clans, must have been feeling all along. A flush of heat settled in his gut. Would I ever have spoken up for them if my own kin weren’t being threatened?
Rootpaw glanced toward the ghost. It was pacing agitatedly, its hackles high. It caught Rootpaw’s eye, panic flashing in its gaze. Rootpaw pushed his way through the crowd and slid into the space at the edge of the clearing where the ghost was pacing. He led it away from the gathered cats. “You’re right,” he breathed softly. “The impostor just wants to hurt cats. He doesn’t care what it does to the Clans.”
Bramblestar’s ghost looked relieved. “Thank you,” he murmured. “Thank you for believing me. Maybe you can convince others. . . .”
His voice trailed off as he turned back to the Great Oak, seeing Harestar step warily forward to the edge of the branch, and meet the impostor’s gaze. “How do we know what sort of punishment StarClan wants?” he asked nervously.
“StarClan clearly trusts us to decide,” Bramblestar told the WindClan leader.
Mistystar narrowed her eyes. “Are we sure this vision came from StarClan?”
“Of course it did!” Bramblestar swung his muzzle toward Tigerstar. His gaze hardened. “Your son wouldn’t lie, would he?”
“Of course he wouldn’t!” Tigerstar’s fur ruffled.
Bramblestar turned his gaze back to Mistystar. “A medicine cat has brought us a vision from StarClan. Would you deny that?”
“No,” Mistystar told him. “But I want to be very sure of what we’re doing before we start punishing cats.”
“They broke the code, didn’t they?” Bramblestar stared at her. “What good is a code if it’s not enforced?” He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead he looked at Leafstar. “You’ve been very quiet. Are you going to object to upholding the warrior code too?”
Mistystar bristled. “I didn’t obj—”
Bramblestar cut her off, still staring at the SkyClan leader. “Leafstar, do you agree the codebreakers should be punished?”
Leafstar curled her tail around her paws. “SkyClan has not been accused of codebreaking. What the other Clans do about their codebreakers is up to them.”
Bramblestar dipped his head. “Very well. Then all we have to do now is decide on a fitting punishment.” He turned back to the gathered cats. “Does any cat have a suggestion?”
Rootpaw felt queasy as Bramblestar’s gaze raked the Clans.
The ghost paced around Rootpaw. “Why doesn’t some cat challenge him?”
Rootpaw held his tongue, aware of the silence that had fallen over the Clans.
“You have to do something!”
“What can I do?” Rootpaw hissed, one eye on the crowd beside him. The cats were staring at Bramblestar as though hypnotized.
“Speak up! Say something! You can’t let this happen!” The ghost lashed its tail. “Whoever’s in my body up there, this is just the start.”
Rootpaw tried to ignore him, moving closer to the crowd. It would be useless to speak out now. He’d only get in trouble again.
The ghost thrust its muzzle closer. “He’s going to destroy the Clans!” it yowled. “He’ll turn the Clans against one another, and then he’ll turn each Clan against itself.”
Frustration welled in Rootpaw’s chest. Don’t yell at me! I’m as helpless as you are! He ducked away from the ghost.
It darted after him and stood close, its nose a whisker from Rootpaw’s face. “Some cat has to speak out!”
“Shut up!” The words burst from Rootpaw before he could stop himself.
He saw countless faces turn toward him, eyes flashing in the moonlight. His pelt burned as the living Bramblestar stared at him from the Great Oak.
“What did you say?” the ThunderClan leader growled slowly.
Rootpaw stared back at him, his mouth dry. He wanted to run away, but he felt as though his paws had sunk deep into the ground. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I was thinking about something else. I didn’t mean to speak. I was distracted.”
Bramblestar eyed Rootpaw for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the crowd. “So?” He dismissed Rootpaw’s interruption with a flick of his tail. “Has any cat come up with a suggestion?”
As Bramblestar waited for an answer, Rootpaw noticed that Stemleaf and Spotfur were still staring at him. They stood at the edge of their Clan, almost separate from the other warriors. Spotfur still looked a little timid and chastened after being singled out by Bramblestar—but her eyes, like Stemleaf’s, were bright with interest as they regarded Rootpaw. He dropped his gaze, self-conscious.