The Silent Thaw

by Erin Hunter

  “I’ll try.” Bristlefrost’s paws pricked excitedly. She was going to help make everything okay again.

  Spotfur looked around at the cats. “If Squirrelflight tells the other Clans what’s going on, they’ll have to help us.”

  Frecklewish’s ears twitched uneasily. “What if they don’t believe her?” she mewed. “After all, she’s one of the codebreakers.”

  Sneezecloud nodded. “Bramblestar has only been trying to make sure the Clans follow StarClan’s message about the codebreakers. It’s going to be hard convincing every cat that he’s an impostor when StarClan’s on his side.”

  “We have to have faith in our Clanmates,” Stemleaf told the RiverClan warrior. “They’ll recognize the truth when they hear it, just like Squirrelflight did. And the more Clans that know the truth, the less power he’ll have.”

  Breezepelt grunted. “Won’t it just seem like she’s stirring up trouble?”

  “Trouble has already been stirred up!” Spotfur glared at him. “Do you want to stand by while this impostor banishes some poor cat forever, or tries to send more of his Clanmates to their deaths?”

  Breezepelt whisked his tail. “Of course not. But we can’t think this is going to be easy.”

  Bristlefrost lifted her muzzle. “Squirrelflight can do it.”

  Frecklewish’s gaze darkened. “I hope so.”

  Dawn was already lighting the edge of the sky by the time Bristlefrost reached camp. She’d trailed behind Stemleaf and Spotfur, keeping her distance, unsure if they’d forgiven her for helping Bramblestar. Besides, the other two warriors were so close now, she felt awkward around them. She’d put her feelings for Stemleaf aside, but it didn’t mean that seeing him and Spotfur together didn’t hurt. They’d gone to their nests by the time she reached the hollow, and she crouched below the Highledge and waited for her Clanmates to wake up.

  As daylight filtered through the trees, she got to her paws, shaking out the chill that had reached through her pelt. Thornclaw was the first cat to wake. He padded, blinking, from the warriors’ den, nodding as he saw Bristlefrost cross the clearing. “Should I lead the first patrol?” he asked.

  “Yes.” She blinked at him gratefully. She’d forgotten she was supposed to organize the dawn patrols. “You can decide who to take with you.”

  “Okay.” As Thornclaw ducked back into the den to wake his denmates, stones cracked on the rock tumble.

  Bristlefrost jerked her muzzle toward it, relieved to see Squirrelflight scrambling into the clearing.

  She stopped beside Bristlefrost. “Have you organized the first patrol?”

  Bristlefrost nodded. “Thornclaw is leading it,” she mewed. “I told him to take whoever he wants.”

  “Good.” Squirrelflight glanced back toward the Highledge. “Bramblestar is still sleeping. He’ll want to see his Clanmates hard at work when he wakes.”

  Bristlefrost looked at her solemnly. “Can I talk to you?” she asked. “In private?”

  Squirrelflight narrowed her eyes. “Sure.” She led Bristlefrost to the edge of the camp, and as Thornclaw led Lionblaze, Mousewhisker, and Birchfall from the den, she faced Bristlefrost, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “What is it?”

  Bristlefrost hesitated, waiting for the patrol to head out into the forest. As soon as the last warrior had disappeared, she met Squirrelflight’s gaze. “I’ve come from a meeting,” she began.

  “Just now?” Squirrelflight’s ears twitched.

  “A few cats from every Clan met to discuss Bramblestar.” She glanced nervously at Highledge. “They know he’s an impostor.”

  “How?” Squirrelflight shifted her paws.

  “Tree told them,” Bristlefrost explained. “I guess Rootpaw must have told him.”

  “What are they planning to do?” Squirrelflight leaned closer.

  “They can’t do anything until they have more support,” Bristlefrost told her. “They want you to talk to the other leaders and tell them about Bramblestar. We need to stand up to him, but we can’t until other cats are willing to stand beside us.” She searched the ThunderClan deputy’s gaze hopefully. It would be a big risk to share what she knew about Bramblestar with other leaders. What if they took advantage of ThunderClan’s vulnerability? What if they didn’t believe her and reported her to Bramblestar as a traitor? Her pelt pricked anxiously.

  Squirrelflight’s eyes gleamed in the early morning light. She glanced at the Highledge, then met Bristlefrost’s gaze. “I’ll do it,” she mewed. “I’ll go to Leafstar first. I think she’ll listen. SkyClan hasn’t been accused of codebreaking. That makes her freer to decide what to do.”

  “What if she doesn’t believe you?” Bristlefrost asked. “The impostor has StarClan on his side.”

  “I can only tell her what I know,” Squirrelflight mewed. “Each warrior will have to decide for themselves. But every cat has seen how Bramblestar’s been acting.”

  “Some cats think he’s right,” Bristlefrost pointed out. “They agree that the codebreakers must atone to bring StarClan back. Standing up to Bramblestar might mean war.”

  “No true warrior would knowingly bring suffering on the Clans.” Squirrelflight held her gaze. “If we can persuade the leaders and the medicine cats that Bramblestar is an impostor and must be stopped, a war won’t last for long.”

  Bristlefrost stiffened as a shadow flitted along the Highledge. Bramblestar was heading toward the rock tumble. “He’s coming.” She swallowed back panic.

  “It’s okay.” Squirrelflight straightened. “He doesn’t know we know.”

  “How will you get to Leafstar?” Bristlefrost asked. “He won’t let you out of the camp.”

  “I’m a codebreaker, aren’t I?” Squirrelflight winked at her, then turned to face Bramblestar as he leaped down the rock tumble.

  Bristlefrost struggled to keep her fur flat. Butterflies were fluttering in her belly. Could they really get away with this? Her heart lurched as Bramblestar called out to Squirrelflight.

  “I woke up and you weren’t there.” He crossed the clearing. He sounded hurt. “I wondered where you’d gone.”

  “I wanted to discuss the patrols with Bristlefrost before I left,” Squirrelflight told him smoothly.

  “Left?” Bramblestar’s eyes widened. “You know I want you to stay here.”

  Bristlefrost’s heart quickened. Squirrelflight clearly had a plan.

  “I’ve been thinking about StarClan’s message,” Squirrelflight told him. “I think I need to atone for my codebreaking.”

  Bristlefrost pricked her ears. What was Squirrelflight talking about?

  Bramblestar’s ears twitched. “But you’ve spoken to StarClan. They’ve forgiven you.”

  “Perhaps,” Squirrelflight mewed. “But we must obey StarClan’s message, and more important, the other Clans must see us obeying it. How else can we expect others to follow StarClan’s orders? I must show them all that I am willing to atone.”

  “You could take the oath Lionblaze and Jayfeather took,” Bramblestar suggested.

  “No.” Squirrelflight’s gaze was firm. “Lionblaze had to leave the Clan as punishment for breaking the code. I must do the same.”

  Excitement fizzed in Bristlefrost’s paws as she suddenly understood Squirrelflight’s plan. She was going to use the excuse of atoning to travel to the other Clans and warn them!

  “I’ll leave for a few days to make my peace with StarClan,” Squirrelflight went on. “They can see for themselves that I am sorry for breaking the code. If they’re going to come back, they must see every codebreaker atone. No warrior is above the code—not even a deputy.”

  Bristlefrost glanced at Bramblestar. His fur was pricking uneasily along his spine. Was he convinced? “It would impress the Clan if Squirrelflight atoned,” she mewed quickly. “They’ll try even harder to follow the code, and StarClan will come back sooner.” She stared at him, willing him to agree to Squirrelflight’s plan.

  Bramblestar’s gaze flicked from Bristlef
rost to Squirrelflight. “I guess,” he murmured.

  “I won’t be gone for long, and when I get back, I’ll be an even better deputy,” Squirrelflight pressed.

  Bramblestar flicked his tail. “Okay,” he mewed. “You can go.”

  “If I go straight away, I can come back sooner.” Squirrelflight turned to Bristlefrost. “Can you organize all the patrols while I’m gone?”

  “I’ll do my best,” Bristlefrost promised.

  Squirrelflight touched her nose to Bramblestar’s muzzle. “I’ll miss you,” she murmured.

  Bristlefrost saw the ThunderClan deputy’s tail twitch. It must be hard for her to pretend that the impostor is Bramblestar. She dipped her head politely as Squirrelflight headed toward the entrance. Bramblestar stared after his mate. He looked forlorn.

  Bristlefrost’s belly tightened. He might take his mood out on ThunderClan. She needed to soothe him. “Don’t worry,” she mewed awkwardly. “She won’t be gone long. Why don’t you go back to sleep?” Nests were rustling. The rest of the Clan was waking up. She wanted Bramblestar safely in his den before he could accuse more cats of codebreaking. She nodded toward the empty fresh-kill pile. “There’s no prey, and there’s nothing to do except organize the first hunting patrol.”

  “I guess,” he grunted. “The sun’s hardly up.”

  Relief washed her pelt as Bramblestar headed toward the rock tumble and scrambled up it.

  Graystripe padded sleepily from the elders’ den. He eyed Bramblestar as the ThunderClan leader disappeared into his den. “Why is he up so early?”

  “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 prese
nce 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.”

  “We can’t let this get out,” Puddleshine warned Tigerstar.

  Shadowsight stiffened. “But we have to! We have to warn them.”

  “And have every Clan turn against us?” Puddleshine’s hackles lifted.

  Tigerstar flicked his tail. “Let me worry about that,” he told Puddleshine. “We have to do what’s best for the Clans. If StarClan’s not guiding us, the Clans are in danger.”

  Shadowsight nodded. “Whoever named the codebreakers must mean them harm.”

  Tigerstar’s eyes widened. “Dovewing is out there on her own.”

  “We have to find her.” Shadowsight blinked at his father, but Tigerstar was already heading for the camp entrance.

  “Where are you going?” Cloverfoot called as he passed.

  “I’m going to fetch Dovewing,” Tigerstar told her. “She should be with her Clan.”

  “But she has to atone!” Scorchfur called after him.

  Shadowsight raced after Tigerstar, his heart pounding as he ducked through the tunnel and followed him into the forest.