To Rootspring’s surprise, Tigerstar shook his head. “I know how it sounds,” he responded. “But look at him—his eyes are clear, and he knows the difference between a dream and reality. Rootspring has convinced me. And I don’t think that you really believe Shadowsight was dreaming, either.”
“It doesn’t matter what I believe,” Leafstar retorted. “What matters is, I don’t want to depose another Clan’s leader based on nothing more than a flash of light and a puff of wind. But that doesn’t mean we should do nothing,” she continued, as Tigerstar opened his jaws to protest. “I know what’s at stake. We’re not just talking about Bramblestar. We’re talking about the fate of our Clans as well.”
Tigerstar nodded and sat back on his haunches, apparently satisfied that the SkyClan leader understood the gravity of their situation. Leafstar continued, “I want to work through ThunderClan’s warriors. Frecklewish told me there’s a secret meeting tonight, and several of them will be there, as well as their medicine cats. Together we’ll decide what to do about Bramblestar.”
Tigerstar gave a reluctant nod. “All the same,” he growled, “I’m going to prepare my warriors for battle. If I’m right, the moment we confront Bramblestar—or the impostor—with what we know, it’s going to lead to fighting. He still has warriors loyal to him, and they’ll protect him at all costs.”
Dovewing looked up at him, concern clouding her eyes. “Surely it won’t come to that?” she asked.
“I hope not,” Tigerstar responded grimly. “But if it does, we need to be ready.”
As Tigerstar finished speaking, Fidgetflake stepped forward and set a dandelion leaf down in front of Shadowsight. “Eat that,” he meowed. “It will help you sleep and bring your fever down. As for you,” he added with a glance at Leafstar, Tree, and Rootspring, “it’s time you left. Shadowsight has already tried his strength too far. He needs to rest now.”
At once Leafstar dipped her head to Fidgetflake and slipped out of the den. Tree curled his tail around Rootspring’s shoulders. “Let’s go.”
Rootspring glanced back over his shoulder as they left, to see Shadowsight lapping up the herb while Tigerstar and Dovewing settled down at his side. Relief swept over him. At least Shadowsight is going to be okay.
Tree padded off to find Violetshine, but before Rootspring could join Needleclaw by the fresh-kill pile, he found himself surrounded by some of his Clanmates.
“That was awesome!” Turtlecrawl exclaimed. “Do you think Shadowsight’s spirit really did go to ThunderClan?”
“Have you been eavesdropping?” Rootspring demanded. “It’s a good thing Leafstar didn’t catch you at it!”
Turtlecrawl just shrugged. “Who cares? Anyway, Leafstar is wrong. We need to do something!”
“Yeah, we believe you and Shadowsight,” Kitescratch asserted. “We think we should go to ThunderClan tonight and get some proof about Bramblestar!”
Turtlecrawl and the others—Gravelnose and Pigeonfoot—let out yowls of agreement.
“What about it, Rootspring?” Kitescratch asked. “Are you with us?”
Rootspring looked around at their eager faces and gleaming eyes. Part of him wanted to agree, if only to prove that he wasn’t a coward, but the more sensible part of his mind told him what a bad idea it was.
“I’m not going anywhere tonight,” he meowed. “Have you forgotten? I’ve just been made a warrior. I have to sit vigil. And you shouldn’t go either,” he added. “What do you think you could do, against the whole of ThunderClan?”
His friends exchanged sheepish glances, their excitement dying away. Rootspring hoped he’d said enough to discourage them.
He was thankful for the excuse of sitting vigil, but he realized that wasn’t the only reason he wanted nothing to do with the plan. At last he was truly a SkyClan warrior, and his whole being tingled with a fierce loyalty to his Clan and his leader. If Leafstar decided that SkyClan would follow Thun-derClan’s lead, then Rootspring would trust that was the right thing to do.
I only hope that Bramblestar can wait that long. . . .
Chapter 15
Raised voices from outside in the camp woke Bristlefrost from her nap in the warriors’ den. Still heavy with sleep, she stumbled to her paws and poked her head out of the entrance to see what was going on. The wind of earlier in the day had dropped, but a thin drizzle was falling; Bristlefrost flicked her ears at its chilly touch.
A moment later her eyes widened and she forgot all about the rain. Rosepetal and Bumblestripe, the border patrol, had returned to the camp, and between them, limping and weary but with her head held high, came Twigbranch.
Several of her Clanmates were rushing across the camp to greet her, letting out yowls of welcome. Bristlefrost joined them, delighted to see the gray she-cat returning from her atonement.
Twigbranch’s eyes were bright and determined, though she looked skinny, and her pelt could do with a good grooming. Bristlefrost guessed that her scruffy appearance was at least partly faked, in case any cat should ask awkward questions about where she had been staying.
Dipping her head in response to her Clanmates, Twigbranch drew to a halt as Berrynose shouldered his way through the crowd around her and looked her over, wrinkling his nose as if he were faced with a piece of crow-food.
“Greetings,” he meowed, his tone disdainful.
Twigbranch gave him a brisk nod but otherwise ignored him. “I need to see Bramblestar,” she announced, her tail-tip twitching with impatience.
Berrynose swiveled around until his gaze fell on Bristlefrost. “Go get him,” he ordered.
Bristlefrost bounded across the camp and climbed the tumbled rocks to the Highledge. Peering into Bramblestar’s den, she saw the false leader curled up asleep in his nest.
“Like he does anything else these days,” she muttered to herself.
Padding forward into the den, trying not to gag at the smell of stale prey scattered on the floor, Bristlefrost shook the impostor by the shoulder. “Wake up,” she mewed. “Twigbranch has come back.”
Bramblestar gazed up at her, blinking and bleary-eyed. “What?” he mumbled.
With an effort, Bristlefrost stopped her neck fur bushing up at his evident confusion. “Twigbranch has come back,” she repeated. “Remember, you sent her to atone for half a moon, and said she couldn’t come back unless she brought twenty pieces of prey.”
For a moment Bramblestar gaped in surprise, then jumped to his paws and strode out of his den. His confusion had vanished; he was focused and purposeful.
In the center of the camp Bramblestar threw his head back and let out a yowl. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here around me for a Clan meeting!”
The summons was hardly necessary, because so many of the cats were already out in the open, welcoming Twigbranch back home. The last few stragglers bounded up, while Twigbranch stepped forward to face the Clan leader, giving him a respectful dip of her head.
“Well?” Bramblestar asked. “Have you carried out the task I gave you?”
Twigbranch’s eyes shone with pride. “I have,” she replied. “And I need some cat to help me carry my prey into camp. It’s hidden under a bush just outside.”
Bramblestar twitched his ears toward the nearest warriors. “Finleap, Thriftear, go and help her.”
Bristlefrost watched as Twigbranch led the way out of the camp; moments later the three cats returned, laden with prey, and set it down at Bramblestar’s paws. They had to go back a second time before they had brought it alclass="underline" a row of mice, voles, squirrels, and a few birds, neatly set out in front of the Clan leader.