by Erin Hunter
“The Claw Stars are pointing toward the sunset.” Moonlight glanced across the clearing to where Grass and Stone sat close to their mother, sharing a squirrel. “It is a good night for our sons to begin their wandering.”
“Tonight?” Squirrelflight’s heart ached as she saw Tempest nudge Grass fondly and tear off a strip of flesh for Stone. “Does Tempest know?”
“She’ll have seen the stars by now,” Moonlight told her matter-of-factly. The gray she-cat padded to join Tempest and the toms.
Squirrelflight carried the rabbit to Leafstar and laid it down before her. The SkyClan leader was dozing, her muzzle resting on the grass. She lifted her head sleepily as Squirrelflight sat beside her, and blinked at the rabbit. “Is the den ready?”
“Not yet, but we made good progress.” Squirrelflight looked at the half-finished den. “We can weave in the rest of the vines tomorrow. I might suggest that they lay a branch across the entrance to stop the kits from getting out.”
Leafstar pushed herself into a sitting position and sniffed the rabbit. “You sound so at home here. Are you planning to stay?” She eyed Squirrelflight accusingly.
“No, of course not.” Squirrelflight lifted her chin. “But I might as well make myself useful while I’m here.”
“Don’t make yourself too useful,” Leafstar grunted. “They might decide to keep you forever.”
Squirrelflight tore a hunk of rabbit from the carcass and settled down to eat it. The Sisters had a good life here, but she missed her Clanmates. She wondered what it was like to live without the warrior code. The Sisters had a code of their own, but it seemed very loose. Cats were allowed to come and go as they pleased, and she wondered what stopped the group falling apart, especially when they faced the hardships of sickness or hunger.
The shadows deepened as she ate, and the moon rose into a star-speckled sky. Moonlight got to her paws. Wordlessly, she headed toward the camp entrance. The rest of the group followed her, Grass and Stone padding close to their mother.
Furze stopped beside Squirrelflight. “Moonlight says you’re to go with them.” She glanced at Leafstar’s injured leg. “She can stay here with me.”
Squirrelflight looked at Leafstar. “Grass and Stone are leaving. They’re going to say good-bye,” she told her. “Will you be all right here by yourself?”
Leafstar sniffed. “I won’t be by myself. I’ll have Furze to keep me company.” She sounded unimpressed, but Furze didn’t seem to take offence. Instead she sat down beside the SkyClan leader and sniffed at the rabbit’s remains.
“Do you mind if I take a bite?” she asked Leafstar.
“Sure.” Leafstar shrugged.
Squirrelflight left them and hurried after the others. Sunrise was waiting for her as she pushed through the ferns at the entrance to the camp. “Which way did they go?” Squirrelflight gazed up the slope rising ahead. Bushes hid whatever path the Sisters had taken.
“Follow me.” Sunrise ducked beneath a gorse bush and led Squirrelflight up a winding trail through the undergrowth. Squirrelflight could smell the Sisters’ paw prints on the grass, fresher with each step, until she glimpsed Snow’s tail flicking away through a swath of bracken ahead. Sunrise quickened her pace and Squirrelflight followed, pushing past the ferns, surprised when she broke into the open to find that they’d reached the top of the hill.
The Sisters were lined along the crest, gazing at the land beyond. The starlit sky stretched over hill after hill, rolling away to the mountains. Grass and Stone stared into the distance, their pelts ruffled by the wind. As they looked back at the Sisters, Squirrelflight could see excitement glittering in their eyes. Were they glad to be leaving? Slowly, the Sisters gathered in a circle around them. Moonlight padded toward them and touched her nose to Grass’s ear and then Stone’s. “I wish you well,” she murmured.
Snow took her place as Moonlight returned to the circle, nuzzling each tom fondly before stepping away. One by one, the Sisters said good-bye to the toms. Squirrelflight’s throat tightened as Tempest approached them. Grief glittered in the tabby’s eyes as she pressed her muzzle to Grass’s cheek. “Take care of yourself,” she whispered. Then she turned to Stone. “Be happy.”
Stone’s eyes shone with sadness, and he ran his nose along his mother’s cheek. “We will always remember you.” He pulled away and glanced at Grass. They seemed to share a moment of understanding, then blinked and looked away.
Tempest padded back to join her Sisters. Hawk and Snow pressed either side of her as Moonlight dipped her head to the young toms. “This is the beginning of your great adventure,” the gray she-cat told them. “You must walk through the night, never looking back, and at dawn you will have left your kithood behind and become true toms. May the ancestors who walk the land find you and give you guidance.”
Stone dipped his head. “Thank you, Mother.”
Grass shifted his paws, seeming suddenly uncertain.
“Wander in peace,” Moonlight meowed.
The Sisters raised their voices to the sky. “Wander in peace.”
They moved, opening the circle they’d made, and Stone and Grass padded away, following the slope of the hill down into the next valley.
Squirrelflight glanced back over her shoulder. She wondered if she could ever give up the toms in her life. No. From here she could see the edge of the forest beside the lake. ThunderClan territory. She gazed wistfully toward it. What was Bramblestar doing right now? Was the Clan settling down for the night? Or was a patrol already searching for her? Guilt tugged beneath her pelt. Was Sparkpelt still keeping her secret? It would be a heavy burden to bear. She couldn’t let her daughter or her Clan worry any longer. She had to find a way home.
Grass and Stone had disappeared into shadow, but the Sisters stood watching silently as though breathing every last scent of them. Tempest leaned softly against Snow, her gaze misty.
Squirrelflight’s heart twisted with sadness. Tomorrow, once the Sisters’ loss was less raw, she’d ask Moonlight again if she and Leafstar could leave. If she explained how much she missed her Clan and her kin, perhaps the Sisters would understand her longing to go home. Would they believe her promise not to let her Clanmates come here until the Sisters had left? Her belly tightened. Was it a promise she’d be able to keep?
CHAPTER 6
Squirrelflight jerked awake, her nose twitching. The air was thick with the scent of nighttime dew. She could smell another scent in the darkness, one that made her heart quicken, filled with the warmth of memory and home. She scrambled to her paws. Bramblestar! He was near. She could smell Thornclaw too, and Larksong and Sparkpelt. “Wake up, Leafstar!”
The SkyClan leader lifted her head blearily. “What’s going on?”
“Quick!” Squirrelflight darted to the entrance. “They’re here. A rescue party’s here!”
As she spoke, wails shrilled outside the den. Alarm bristled through her pelt. She couldn’t let them fight. No cat must be hurt. “Stop!” She exploded from the den, skidding to a halt as she saw Clan warriors facing the Sisters.
Pale in the moonlight, Snow and Tempest had puffed out their fur. Ears flat, lips drawn back, they hissed at the warrior patrol. Bramblestar, Thornclaw, and Larksong snarled back at them. Furze, Sunrise, and Hawk slid like hissing snakes around their sisters as SkyClan cats—Hawkwing, Plumwillow, and Tree—fanned out around the ThunderClan patrol. The cats glared at one another through slitted eyes.
“Wait!” Squirrelflight flung herself between the Sisters and the warriors. ThunderClan and SkyClan outnumbered the Sisters. Blossomheart, Macgyver, and Sagenose appeared, pushing between their Clanmates, as Berrynose and Ambermoon stepped out from behind the ThunderClan warriors and bared their teeth. “You mustn’t fight!”
Confusion clouded Bramblestar’s gaze.
Leafstar limped from the den and stopped at the edge of the clearing, her eyes round with alarm. “Listen to her.”
Hawkwing stared at her, as though trying to understand.
“They haven’t harmed us,” Squirrelflight told him. She knew that it was a lie. Snow had wounded Leafstar, but only because the SkyClan leader had tried to escape. There would be time for honesty later; right now it was more important to defuse the rage sparking around her.
Creek, Flurry, and Sparrow darted from the shadows and stood beside their mothers. Moonlight hurried from the back of the clearing and wove between her campmates. She stopped at the front of the group and stared at Bramblestar.
Squirrelflight was shocked to see how small the Clan cats looked in front of the Sisters. She’d grown used to these cats, forgetting their size. She realized once more how different they were—their fur was longer, their bodies larger than any warrior or rogue Squirrelflight knew. Even Bramblestar seemed overshadowed by their size. She wondered suddenly if, for all their training, the Clans could win a fight with these cats. She brushed the thought away. Of course they can. Skill would always beat strength. And yet, how could she be sure the Sisters didn’t have as much skill as strength?
Moonlight lashed her tail. “What are you doing in our camp?” She curled her lip as she glared at the warrior patrol.
Bramblestar answered, his ears twitching with rage. “We’ve come to fetch our Clanmates.” He didn’t look at Squirrelflight.
Worry wormed in her belly, as she guessed that some of his anger was directed at her. He’d be wondering why in StarClan she was defending her captors and why she’d come here without telling him, putting herself and Leafstar in danger. She’d gone against his wishes. What would he have felt if any other of his warriors had ignored his orders so blatantly? Her mouth felt dry. What would I feel if one of our warriors ignored my orders?
“They shouldn’t be here,” he growled.
“Your Clanmates are our guests,” Moonlight told him.
Hawkwing jerked his gaze toward Leafstar. “Is that true?”
Moonlight answered for her. “We have treated them like sisters.”
Bramblestar flicked his tail angrily. “They haven’t stayed here voluntarily. No warrior would! You’ve held them against their will.”
“It was necessary,” Moonlight growled.
Hawkwing glared at her. “Why?”
Squirrelflight looked from Moonlight to Bramblestar as she stood between them. “They were scared we’d bring our Clanmates here if they let us go.”
Bramblestar looked puzzled. “But they must have known we’d come looking for you.”
“They’re not Clan cats,” Squirrelflight explained. “They didn’t realize you’d try so hard to get us back.”
“They’ve only been here two days.” Moonlight scanned the warrior patrol curiously. “That’s not long to be away from home. Don’t any of you ever wander?”
Hawkwing growled. “We’re warriors, not loners. We stay with our Clan.”
The Sisters exchanged glances, but no cat spoke.
Bramblestar let his pelt smooth. Around him the Clan cats shifted self-consciously, as though suddenly wondering what they were doing here, if Squirrelflight and Leafstar didn’t seem to be in danger.
Squirrelflight padded to Bramblestar’s side, her heart quickening out of habit as his scent filled her nose. She reached her muzzle toward him. Did he feel the same way? Or was he too angry with her to feel relieved that she was safe? “I’m glad you came to get us.”
He pulled away, blinking at her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Leafstar limped toward her warriors.
“Not so fast.” Snow darted from the group and blocked her way. “We haven’t said you can leave.”
“Why keep us now?” Leafstar blinked at her. “Our Clanmates know where your camp is. There’s nothing left to hide.”
“No,” Snow agreed, her pelt rippling along her spine. “But as long as you’re our guests, your friends will have to respect our boundaries.”
Squirrelflight looked at her in surprise. “I thought the Sisters didn’t have boundaries.”
“Not permanently,” Snow conceded. “But when one of us is ready to kit, we must mark out some sort of territory to protect her and her newborn.”
Bramblestar’s gaze flitted around the Sisters, stopping as it reached Moonlight. He dipped his head. “I should have seen that you are expecting kits.”
Squirrelflight blinked at him. “Do you see why I couldn’t let you fight?”
He ignored her. “But you can’t keep Leafstar and Squirrelflight here. They’re coming home with us now.”
As he spoke, Tree pushed his way to the front. The SkyClan tom’s eyes were on Moonlight. Squirrelflight watched him, alarm sparking in her belly. Why was Tree glaring at the gray she-cat so resentfully?
“Hello, Mother.”
Squirrelflight blinked. Mother? Had he once been part of this group? She stiffened as another thought flashed in her mind. Were they actually mother and son? Tree—small, muscular, thickly pelted—looked nothing like the broad, long-furred, bushy-tailed she-cat. And yet there was a dark determination in his amber gaze that reminded her of Moonlight.
Moonlight stared back at Tree, blankness giving way to excitement as she recognized him. “Earth!” Sunrise, whose coat was the same shade of yellow as Tree’s, stepped forward, her tail rising in excitement, but paused at Tree’s next words.
“I’m not Earth anymore.” Anger hardened Tree’s mew. “I named myself Tree after you sent me away.”
“Tree.” Moonlight repeated his name, as though testing it. She tipped her head. “I like it. It suits you. You were always a strong-minded kit.”
“Is that why you abandoned me?”
“Abandoned you?” Moonlight looked surprised. “You were old enough to hunt.”
“Barely.”
“But the Claw Stars were pointing to the sunset. It was time for you to wander.”
“You let the stars dictate my fate.” Tree held his mother’s gaze scornfully for a moment longer, then looked away.
Squirrelflight glanced around at the Sisters. They shifted uncomfortably. Sunrise was staring guiltily at her paws. Perhaps their way of life wasn’t as uncomplicated as she’d thought. She saw Creek shoot a nervous glance at his mother. Was he anxious about leaving when his time came to wander?
Bramblestar moved beside him. “Tree is one of us now. If he wishes to know you better, that’s up to him, but he came here for the same reason we did. You are holding our Clanmates against their will. Let them go!” He flexed his claws. “You may be carrying kits, but that doesn’t mean we won’t fight to get our Clanmates back.”
As Moonlight hesitated, Squirrelflight saw Plumwillow and Berrynose drop into battle stances. Hawkwing and Thornclaw bared their teeth. Her breath caught in her throat. “They only want us to stay here until Moonlight’s kits are ready to travel,” she mewed quickly.
Bramblestar swung his gaze toward her. “Do you want to stay with them until then?” he growled.
“Of course not!” Squirrelflight blinked at him. “But they meant us no harm. If we wait, this territory will be free for SkyClan to take in a moon or two.”
Bramblestar stared at her coolly. “That is a decision for Leafstar and SkyClan to make.”
Leafstar whisked her tail. “This is good land. I think SkyClan would be happy here.” Relief washed Squirrelflight’s pelt. Leafstar was backing her up. She looked gratefully at her as the SkyClan leader went on. “I’m willing to give the Sisters a moon to move on. Two if they need it.” She switched her gaze to Moonlight. “But they must let us return to our Clans. I’m not staying here another day.”
Moonlight dipped her head. “You can go.” She lifted her gaze to Bramblestar. “We’re bigger than you, and stronger,” she told him. “Any battle between us would be bloody. But there is no need to fight if you leave us in peace.”
Bramblestar narrowed his gaze. “Strength doesn’t always win battles,” he snarled.
Plumwillow showed her teeth. “You held our leader captive!”
“She look
s wounded,” Sagenose growled.
Did the Clan cats want revenge? Squirrelflight gazed pleadingly at Bramblestar. “Let’s go.”
Larksong padded forward. “If they’re letting Squirrelflight leave, there’s no need to fight. Leafstar’s wound will heal faster if she returns home right away.”
Squirrelflight looked at the young tom, grateful for his sense. He was thinking with his head, not his claws. Sparkpelt had chosen a good mate.
“Very well.” Bramblestar signaled with his tail, and the Clan cats began to turn toward the fern entrance.
Squirrelflight lingered, catching Moonlight’s eye. “Thanks for sharing your fresh-kill.”
“I am sorry that we met under such circumstances,” the gray she-cat meowed. “If we meet again, I hope that it will be as friends.”
Leafstar eyed Moonlight but didn’t speak. She was clearly less than grateful for the Sisters’ hospitality. She nodded curtly and limped after her Clanmates as Squirrelflight dipped her head to Moonlight.
“I hope your kitting goes well.”
“Thank you.” Moonlight swished her tail.
“Are you coming?” Bramblestar stopped at the entrance and glared at Squirrelflight, his pelt prickling along his spine.
“I have to go.” Squirrelflight headed toward him, irritated at being called away like a kit.
Bramblestar waited for her to push through the ferns, then followed her out of camp. Her Clanmates wound their way out of the valley. She padded after them, relieved to be heading home.
“What in StarClan were you thinking?” Bramblestar fell in beside her.
She dipped her head, bracing herself for the argument she knew must be coming. “I’m sorry.”
“Going off like that on a hare-brained mission without telling me!”
She could feel his gaze burning through her pelt. “You’d have stopped me if you’d known,” she mewed.
“Of course I would have!” he snapped. “Now look what’s happened. You’ve found a whole new group of cats to fight with over territory. As if ShadowClan and WindClan weren’t enough!”
“But we don’t have to fight with them,” Squirrelflight objected. “They’re happy for SkyClan to have the land when they’re finished with it.” She stopped and looked at him. She’d made a mistake coming here as she had, but it was obvious she’d found the answer to the Clans’ problems. “Don’t you see? I’ve found SkyClan the land they need! Now the Clans won’t have to fight over territory ever again.”