“Squirrelflight’s gone to atone,” Bristlefrost told him. “He was saying good-bye.”
As Graystripe’s eyes widened with surprise, she pressed back hope. The old warrior had no idea that Squirrelflight hadn’t really gone to make peace with StarClan. Nor did Bramblestar. The ThunderClan deputy had gone to tell every Clan that her leader was an impostor and they needed to get rid of him. Her paws tingled. I just hope they believe her.
Chapter 18
Dawn washed the forest with gray light as Shadowsight headed back to camp. The long walk home from the Moonpool hadn’t eased his sense of foreboding. The feeling that he had been watched as he tried to share with StarClan still prickled uncomfortably in his fur. He’d passed on their messages to the Clans, and the Clans had listened. But everything had gone so wrong after that, he was sure it couldn’t have been StarClan that had spoken to him. But if it had not been StarClan, then who was it? What have I done?
The Clan would still be asleep when he got back, but he had to warn them as soon as possible. StarClan’s not guiding them. Some other cat is! He broke into a run as he neared the camp, raced through the entrance, and scrambled to a halt. Alarm jabbed his belly. Scorchfur and Yarrowleaf were in the clearing. Snaketooth and Puddleshine stood with them, blinking anxiously at Tigerstar. Why were they up so early . . . and why did they look scared?
“What’s happened?” Shadowsight blinked at his father.
Tigerstar pricked his ears, clearly surprised. “Where have you been?”
He hesitated. Was he allowed to travel so far from camp by himself? He pushed the thought away crossly. I’m a medicine cat! Of course I am. “The Moonpool.” Shadowsight searched his father’s gaze. Was that fear glittering there? “I wanted to talk to StarClan, but—”
Tigerstar cut him off. “Dovewing’s gone to atone.”
“What?” Foreboding pulsed through Shadowsight.
“She’s left Clan territory for three days to atone for her . . . codebreaking.” Tigerstar growled, clearly irked by the idea that Dovewing needed to atone.
“Why didn’t you stop her?” Shadowsight could hardly believe his ears.
“She wanted to go,” Tigerstar told him.
Puddleshine’s gaze was solemn. “She said she couldn’t stay while her Clan suffered. She had to do something to let StarClan know she was sorry.”
Snaketooth glared pointedly at Shadowsight. “She wouldn’t have to atone if you hadn’t named her,” she grunted.
Scorchfur’s ears twitched. “Even if she hadn’t been named, it’s no secret that she’s a codebreaker,” he pointed out. “Shadowsight is living proof of that. If she’s atoning, she’s protecting her Clan,” Scorchfur mewed. “StarClan is clearly angry with us. Too many warriors have been injured.”
Yarrowleaf nodded. “If she atones, we might have better luck.”
The bushes around the entrance tunnel trembled. Hope flashed in Shadowsight’s chest. Had Dovewing changed her mind and come home? His heart sank as Whorlpelt, Blazefire, and Cloverfoot padded into camp. Why had they been out so early?
Cloverfoot pricked her ears as she saw Tigerstar. “You’re awake.”
Tigerstar glanced at the ShadowClan deputy. “Where have you been?”
“We went hunting,” Whorlpelt mewed quickly.
Cloverfoot whisked her tail. “We thought we’d try a night hunt since there’s been so little prey during the day.”
Scorchfur’s gaze flicked over her. “Where’s your catch?”
Blazefire shrugged. “It must still be too cold for night prey.”
Tigerstar didn’t question them further. He was clearly distracted. “Dovewing’s gone to atone.”
Cloverfoot’s ears twitched. “Gone?”
“She’s left Clan territory for three days,” Tigerstar told her.
Shadowsight noticed the ShadowClan deputy glance nervously at Whorlpelt, who looked away. Why were they behaving so furtively? He pushed the thought out of his mind. There wasn’t time to worry about it now. “We have to find Dovewing,” he told his father.
“Why?” Tigerstar tipped his head.
“It’s dangerous for her on her own.”
“I wish she hadn’t gone,” Tigerstar told him. “But don’t forget your mother is a warrior. She can take care of herself.”
“She might get hurt!” Shadowsight flicked his tail.
“She needs to atone,” Scorchfur growled.
As Shadowsight glared at the dark gray warrior, Tigerstar padded closer. “StarClan will watch over her,” his father mewed.
“They won’t!” Shadowsight’s heart began to race. Why wouldn’t they listen? “I’m not even sure they can.”
Puddleshine stiffened. “What do you mean?”
Scorchfur pricked his ragged ears. “Has something happened to StarClan?”
“They’re silent, remember?” Shadowsight snapped.
“They’ve been talking to you,” Scorchfur reminded him.
“But they haven’t! That’s the point.” Shame washed Shadowsight’s pelt. He’d been so wrong.
Puddleshine nosed him away from his Clanmates. “You must be tired.” He glanced back at Scorchfur as he guided Shadowsight toward the medicine den. “I’ll make sure he gets some rest.”
Tigerstar hurried after them, lowering his mew. “What do you mean, they haven’t been talking to you?”
Shadowsight faced his father. They were out of earshot of their Clanmates. “They’re gone. They’ve been gone for moons. Since the Moonpool froze.”
Puddleshine’s ears flattened. “What are you talking about?”
“But they’ve spoken to you,” Tigerstar mewed. “They’ve sent you visions.”
“It wasn’t them!” Shadowsight hissed. “All the visions came from somewhere else. The voice that told me to take Bramblestar to the moor wasn’t StarClan. Neither was the message about the codebreakers. Some cat is trying to control the Clans.”
Tigerstar’s pelt bristled. “Who?”
“I don’t know, but they want to harm us,” Shadowsight told him.
“How do you know this?” Puddleshine padded closer. His gaze burned into Shadowsight’s.
“I felt it,” Shadowsight told him, his mew rising with panic. “Tonight I realized—I haven’t seen any StarClan cats in my visions. I haven’t been to their hunting grounds. I just hear a voice. And see shadows. I can’t really explain, but I felt a presence while I was at the Moonpool.” He looked at Tigerstar and Puddleshine, hoping they’d understand. “It was watching me. It made my fur crawl. I don’t know what it was, but it felt too . . .” He hesitated. How had it felt? He shivered at the memory. “Too evil to be StarClan. And I’ve let it guide me. It’s been guiding me all along.”
“Keep your mew down,” Puddleshine ordered. “We can’t let the Clan know. They trusted you and they’ve done what you told them.”
Shadowsight’s throat tightened. “I know.”
Tigerstar ran his tail along Shadowsight’s spine. “Slow down,” he mewed. “We can fix this.”
“Fix it?” Puddleshine blinked at the ShadowClan leader. “Bramblestar lost a life because of Shadowsight’s visions. The Clans are turning on one another because of the codebreakers. What will they say if they find out Shadowsight’s been mistaken all along? They won’t just blame him—they’ll blame all of ShadowClan.”
Dread hollowed Shadowsight’s belly. “I’m sorry.” He gazed desperately at Puddleshine. “I thought I was helping.”