Эрин Хантер - Path Of A Warrior

“I don’t know,” Puddleshine said, his tail drooping. “That’s what worries me. I can’t treat him if I don’t understand what’s wrong.” He looked so anxious that, amid her own worry over Shadowkit, Tawnypelt felt a flash of pity for him: No one liked to watch another cat, especially a kit, suffer. But it must be worse for a medicine cat, who was supposed to be able to help.

“If you don’t know what’s wrong, you’d better get another medicine cat here,” Dovewing meowed sharply.

“I—” Puddleshine began, but Dovewing went on.

“Some of the others are older and have seen more than you have. Why don’t you ask Leafpool to examine him?”

Tawnypelt felt the fur bristle along her spine. “We don’t need a ThunderClan cat sticking her nose in our business,” she spat before she could stop herself. Dovewing will always think ThunderClan is better than ShadowClan.

“If my kit is in danger, I’m going to go to any cat who can help him, no matter what Clan they’re from,” Dovewing growled back.

Tigerstar pressed his shoulder reassuringly against Dovewing’s. “I think it’s a good idea,” he mewed. “Puddleshine, take two warriors and have them escort you to ThunderClan’s camp. I’m sure Leafpool will be happy to help.”

Puddleshine glanced over at Shadowkit, who seemed to be dozing again, then nodded. “I’ll be back as fast as I can.”

As the medicine cat hurried from the den, Tawnypelt looked at Dovewing. The other she-cat stared back, her green eyes fierce. “I want to help Shadowkit, too,” Tawnypelt mewed apologetically. “But I worry about showing weakness to other Clans. Not now, while ShadowClan is trying to heal.”

Dovewing dipped her head in understanding. “I know. But Shadowkit is special. If there’s even a chance Leafpool can help him …”

Tigerstar’s gaze held his mother’s. “Without Shadowkit, we never would have made it back home. I’m sure he’s important for ShadowClan’s future. We need him. Even if we have to get the help of another medicine cat.”

Dovewing’s ears twitched, and she leaned her head against Tigerstar’s shoulder. “Spiresight said that Shadowkit would see into the shadows. I just hope his gift isn’t too much for him to handle. He’s so young.”

Tawnypelt had heard them talk about Spiresight before—the cat who’d dreamed strange dreams and seen visions, who had helped them on their way back to the lake and sacrificed himself to save their kits—but she had never met him. How can I judge if what he said is true? She shook her head to clear it. Maybe Shadowkit saw true visions, but maybe he was just a sick kit. Tawnypelt simply wanted him to be okay.

“I remembered!” Shadowkit called across the den, his voice hoarse with sleep but his small face alert.

His parents hurried over, Tawnypelt just behind them.

“You woke up so quickly,” Dovewing purred, nuzzling him. “I’m surprised the thyme didn’t help you sleep longer.”

“I know what I saw,” Shadowkit announced, looking up at them solemnly.

“What was it?” Tigerstar asked, his voice gentle.

“There was a big tree,” Shadowkit said, his eyes wide. “ Really big. It had fallen into the river and was floating along. And then the ground ended and the river went right over the side of the world, and the tree fell. But there were cats behind the water. The tree fell onto them.” He looked up at Tigerstar, and his voice shook. “I could hear them yowling in pain. I don’t think it’s happened yet. We have to warn them.”

The river went right over the side of the world. “That sounds like a waterfall,” Tawnypelt realized.

“There’s no waterfall on ShadowClan’s territory,” Tigerstar pointed out. “Or on any Clan’s territory, as far as I know.” He turned his gaze back to Shadowkit’s solemn face. “Did you recognize any of the cats’ voices?”

Shadowkit shook his head.

“Did you see a waterfall on your journey here from the Twolegplace?” Tawnypelt asked.

“No, nothing like that,” Dovewing mewed, and Tigerstar nodded in agreement.

“It wasn’t a place I’d been before,” Shadowkit explained. “There were a lot of rocks there, and I think the cats were behind the waterfall, somehow. But it felt like a really important place. And there were cats there, cats like us, and they were in danger .”

Behind the waterfall, in a rocky place. It all suddenly made sense. “I know what he’s seeing,” Tawnypelt cried, remembering cool, clear air and a cave full of cats behind a tumbling waterfall. “The Tribe of Rushing Water!”

Chapter Three

“I don’t believe it,” Tigerstar hissed, keeping his voice low. He had hurried Dovewing and Tawnypelt out of the medicine cat’s den. Glancing back over her shoulder, Tawnypelt could see Shadowkit craning his neck to watch them, his expression anxious.

“Who else could it be?” Tawnypelt argued. “Important cats living near a waterfall? Shadowkit’s having visions about the Tribe!”

“But why would he be seeing them?” Tigerstar demanded. “He’s a ShadowClan cat! After all we did to make it back here, Shadowkit belongs in ShadowClan! His future is here.”

Tawnypelt turned to Dovewing. “ You’ve been to the Tribe. Surely you recognize Shadowkit’s description.” She thought of the mountain cats who had helped her on the quest to find a new home so long ago. Her chest ached at the thought of them being in danger. Dovewing had traveled to their cave, too, more recently. She had to see how important this was.

Dovewing shifted uneasily from one paw to another. “It could be them,” she agreed hesitantly. “But I’m not sure. There are other waterfalls.”

“With cats living behind them? Who Shadowkit might see visions of?” Tawnypelt’s meow rose incredulously, and, all around the clearing, other cats’ ears went up in curiosity.

“What’s going on?” Grassheart asked, looking up from the frog she and Cloverfoot were sharing. “Is Shadowkit okay?”

“Puddleshine hurried out of here like his fur was on fire,” Cloverfoot added.

All around the clearing, cats were listening closely. Tigerstar took a deep breath, looking around at his Clanmates. “We haven’t told every cat in the Clan yet,” he said, glancing at Dovewing, “but we think Shadowkit has a special connection with StarClan, like medicine cats do. He had a fit—or a dream, whatever it was—in the nursery, because he was having a vision. He saw cats in danger and a waterfall. Based on his description, Tawnypelt thinks he’s seeing a vision of the Tribe of Rushing Water.”

“In the mountains?” Grassheart asked, surprised. “Why would he see visions about them ?”

“Are you sure it was a vision?” Whorlpelt, one of the youngest warriors, asked. “Sometimes if I eat too much, I have weird dreams. It might not mean anything.”

Juniperclaw flicked his tail. “Why would Shadowkit have visions of a place he’s never been to or even heard of? I think Whorlpelt’s right. You’re getting worked up about a normal dream.”

“Shadowkit’s had visions before,” Dovewing explained. “He saw ShadowClan’s camp, long before he’d ever been here.”

Tigerstar nodded. “He brought us back to the lake. When we were lost, he knew exactly how to find the way home… . We never would have made it back here without him.”

Tawnypelt watched her Clanmates exchange surprised glances. She understood their shock. Tigerstar had told her that Shadowkit had visions, but not that they were so specific or so accurate. Clearly, Spiresight, whatever he had been like, had been right: Shadowkit was special.