Эрин Хантер - Squirrelflight's Hope

“I just hope we can heal her.” Frecklewish’s eyes glittered with worry as she glanced at the gray she-cat.

Fidgetflake stiffened and blinked suddenly at Squirrelflight.

Squirrelflight froze. Can she see me? Her breath caught in her throat. Then she realized that the young medicine cat wasn’t staring at her; she was staring straight through her.

“I can smell ThunderClan.” Fidgetflake frowned.

“It’s probably left over from the battle,” Frecklewish told her.

As she spoke, the entrance rustled. Tree poked his head in. “I’m going hunting. Does Moonlight need fresh-kill yet?”

“Not yet.”

As Frecklewish got to her paws, Tree’s eyes widened. Surprise flashed in his gaze. Squirrelflight’s pelt spiked with alarm. He’s looking straight at me! Hope flashed in her heart. Of course! He can see ghosts.

“Tree?” Frecklewish narrowed her eyes. “Are you okay?”

He blinked and shook out his pelt, snatching his gaze away from Squirrelflight. “Y-yeah,” he mewed. He ducked out of the den.

Squirrelflight followed him out. “You can see me, can’t you?” She followed him as he padded quickly across the camp.

“I can’t talk to you here,” he hissed under his breath. He led her out of camp and a little way into the forest. Scanning the trees, he halted. He stared at her, his eyes rounding with sympathy. “I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry?” Squirrelflight frowned. What was he sorry about?

“That you died,” he mewed. “I knew you got hurt, but we all hoped you’d survive.”

“I’m not dead yet.” Squirrelflight swished her tail. “I’m kind of … in between StarClan and ThunderClan at the moment.”

Tree’s ears twitched. “I didn’t know that was possible,” he mewed.

“Neither did I.” Squirrelflight sat down. “But apparently it is.”

“Is Moonlight with you?” He peered past her. “She’s been unconscious for days. Frecklewish isn’t sure she’s going to make it.”

“I haven’t seen her,” Squirrelflight told him, wondering suddenly if Moonlight’s spirit was roaming the forest nearby. As she glanced between the trees, another pain seemed to pierce her eyes and stab into her head. It burned along her spine, and she staggered, gasping at the intensity.

“Squirrelflight?” Tree stepped closer, alarm spiking through his pelt. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” She took a breath as the pain eased a little. She was trembling.

“You started to fade.” Tree sounded scared.

Squirrelflight’s blinked at him, her paws pricking. “I don’t think I can stay here.” Had Alderheart found a way to wake her at last, or was StarClan tugging her back? Am I dying? Her heart lurched. “If I don’t wake up,” she breathed urgently as the forest began to glitter around her, “you have to give Bramblestar a message.”

Tree leaned toward her. “What?”

“You must tell him to go on without me. He has to lead ThunderClan. They need him. Tell him I love him and I’m waiting for him in StarClan. Tell Sparkpelt that I’ve seen Larksong. He’s named their kit Flickerkit. They’re with Firestar and Sandstorm.” Starlight filled the forest, dazzling her. “Tell Alderheart …” Pain flared in her head once more, and before she could finish, darkness swallowed her.

CHAPTER 27

Squirrelflight struggled to open her eyes. Weak light surrounded her, and she felt stiff stalks of bracken beneath her. Her head throbbed. Pain scorched her hind leg as though a fox were tearing at it. She tried to look at it, and paws slipped beneath her head, cradling it like a kit.

“Where am I?” Was she home?

“In the medicine den.”

She recognized Jayfeather’s mew. She strained to make sense of the shadows moving around her. Scents flooded her nose—Alderheart, Jayfeather, Bramblestar, the tang of herbs, and a sickly, sweet scent that filled her with dread. The shadows shifted and became clear. She could see the roof of the den, and the gap where light filtered down to the pool.

The paws behind her head moved, and she saw Jayfeather leaning over her. She flinched as he dripped sap into her mouth, then recoiled as the bitter taste bathed her tongue.

“It will help.” Alderheart’s mew sounded close to her ear. She realized, as he gently lowered his head, that his paws were the ones supporting her. She struggled to sit up, but pain split her head, and the fox seemed to tear more viciously at her leg.

“Don’t try to move.” Bramblestar was close. She felt his warm breath on her cheek and breathed in his scent, her heart aching with relief. She was home and she was with him. He loved her again.

An idea worried at the edge of her thoughts. Who was taking care of Leafpool? Alderheart and Jayfeather were both at her nest. Was her sister already awake? Squirrelflight craned to see. “Leafpool?”

Jayfeather moved and blocked her gaze.

“Leafpool!” Alarm sparked in Squirrelflight’s belly as she recognized the sweet, sickly scent for what it was. Flailing her paws, she pushed him away. She ignored the pain piercing her leg and struggled to the side of her nest. Leafpool lay limp in her nest. Horror hollowed her belly as she realized her sister’s blank, cloudy gaze could mean only one thing. Leafpool was dead.

“Leafpool!” She heard herself wail as though hearing an owl hoot way off in the forest. It couldn’t be true. Grief seemed to rise up like a flood from the earth and drag her once more into darkness.

“Leafpool!” She opened her eyes. Her pain was gone.

“Squirrelflight?” Leafpool was leaning over her. Sunshine sparkled around her. “You came back.”

Relief swamped Squirrelflight. She scrambled to her paws and pressed her cheek against Leafpool’s. “I thought I’d lost you. But you’re here.” Soft grass rippled around her paws. Meadows stretched away on every side, dazzling in bright daylight. She stiffened and pulled away as she understood. This was StarClan’s territory. She blinked at Leafpool. “Did I die too?”

“Not yet.” Leafpool’s eyes shone with love. Stars studded her pelt so that she glittered like the Moonpool.

Squirrelflight stared at her, grief tearing at her heart. “But you did.” Her words were no more than a whisper.

“I’m glad to be here.” Leafpool’s eyes glistened. “I have so many friends here.”

“But you have friends in ThunderClan.” Squirrelflight stared at her. Could she really be glad to be dead?

“They’ll join me eventually.” Leafpool looked across the meadow. Firestar and Sandstorm were padding toward them, Hollyleaf beside them.

Squirrelflight’s thoughts whirled. “Why am I here? Am I going to die?” Bramblestar’s scent still lingered on her tongue. “I want to go back!”

“Be patient,” Leafpool murmured. “You can’t change what will happen by wishing.”

Firestar reached them, Sandstorm and Hollyleaf at his side. “She might be able to change this.” He blinked calmly at Squirrelflight.

Leafpool looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“Jayfeather and Alderheart’s herbs are working.” Firestar held Squirrelflight’s gaze. “She can live if she fights. But her spirit must be willing to go back.”

“Of course I want to go back!” Squirrelflight pricked her ears eagerly.

Sandstorm’s gaze was dark. “You were badly hurt,” she told Squirrelflight. “You can choose to live, but your life in ThunderClan might be very different from the one you know now. What if your injured leg doesn’t heal properly? You’ll have a limp. Will you be able to be deputy? Will Bramblestar want you as deputy? You defied his authority when you helped the Sisters. I know this is hard to hear, but what if he doesn’t want you, even as a mate?”