Эрин Хантер - The Silent Thaw

“It’s good to see rain instead of snow,” Spotfur mewed.

“I think I prefer snow.” Lionblaze flicked water from his ears.

“At least there’s warmth in the air,” Spotfur argued.

“Not much.” Lionblaze crossed the grass that stretched toward the moor. “But the prey’s returning, which is worth a little rain.”

“Thank StarClan.” Spotfur glanced at the sky.

“You’re wasting your breath,” Lionblaze grunted. “We don’t even know that they’re listening anymore.”

Spotfur blinked at him. “Of course they are. The thaw has set in properly now. There’s no reason why they can’t.”

“It might take a while for them to reach us again.”

Worry wormed beneath Bristlefrost’s pelt. “Perhaps they’re waiting for us to follow the warrior code properly.”

Lionblaze glanced back at her sharply. “We’ve always followed the warrior code.” He hesitated. “At least, some of us have.”

Bristlefrost frowned. Was he thinking of any cat in particular?

“I can smell rabbit.” Spotfur stopped and lifted her muzzle.

Lionblaze tasted the air. His wet pelt spiked excitedly. “So can I.” Pricking his ears, he glanced across the stretch of heather that led to the WindClan border. Gray fur bobbed between two bushes.

Bristlefrost’s heart quickened. Rabbit! She licked her lips eagerly and dropped into a hunting crouch as Spotfur and Lionblaze began to stalk toward their quarry. She crept after them, keeping her belly close to the ground. Her pelt tingled with excitement as the rabbit shot suddenly from the heather and Lionblaze chased after it. It saw him and veered away, panic sparking in its round black eyes. Plunging back into the heather, it disappeared. Lionblaze wove between the bushes, Spotfur at his heels.

Bristlefrost straightened, alarm flashing in her belly as she saw the heather tremble. Lionblaze and Spotfur were heading straight toward the border.

“Watch out!” she yowled. They mustn’t catch the rabbit on WindClan land! She froze as she saw the two warriors break from the heather and chase the rabbit past the line of gorse that marked the border. Lionblaze drove the rabbit down a few tail-lengths beyond it. He killed it and she saw him raise his muzzle to mew a quick thanks to StarClan before picking it up and carrying back onto ThunderClan territory.

Bristlefrost raced to meet them, dread hollowing her belly. “You caught that on WindClan land!” She stopped as she reached them and stared at Lionblaze. Catching prey on another Clan’s territory was against the warrior code. She searched his gaze, expecting to see alarm there. What if StarClan was watching? They’d never come back at this rate.

Lionblaze dropped the rabbit onto the grass, looking around. When his eyes widened, Bristlefrost knew he had realized where they were. “We couldn’t help it,” he mewed, sounding as if he was speaking to himself. Convincing himself.

Spotfur stopped beside him and sniffed the rabbit. She nodded in agreement. “It was only on WindClan land because we chased it there.”

“But you’ve broken the code.” Bristlefrost could hardly believe her ears. Didn’t they care if StarClan never came back?

“It doesn’t hurt any cat,” Lionblaze told her. “And in this rain, WindClan will never know we crossed the border.”

“StarClan will know,” Bristlefrost mewed desperately.

“StarClan would never be angry at a warrior for feeding his Clan.” Lionblaze nudged the rabbit. “This will make a good meal for Graystripe, Cloudtail, and Brightheart.”

Lionblaze picked up the rabbit and headed along the scent line.

“Are we going to mark the border?” Bristlefrost blinked at Spotfur.

“Of course.” Spotfur padded to a gorse bush and rubbed her jaw along a spiny branch. “But I doubt our scent will stay for long in this rain.”

Pelt prickling uneasily, Bristlefrost marked the next bush. Neither warrior seemed to care that they’d broken the warrior code. And she couldn’t help feeling that marking a border right after they’d crossed it might make StarClan even angrier.

The rain had eased by the time they reached camp. Bristlefrost’s paws ached from the long trek around the borders.

“Bristlefrost.”

She looked up as Bramblestar called her from the Highledge. He beckoned her to join him. She felt the gazes of her Clanmates on her pelt as she climbed the rock tumble and followed him into his den. Squirrelflight wasn’t there, though her scent still lingered in the warm, dank air. Had she gone on patrol despite Bramblestar telling her she couldn’t?

Bramblestar sat down and dipped his head. “Did you check all the borders?”

“Yes.” Bristlefrost felt nervous. She hadn’t been alone with Bramblestar before. She shifted her paws self-consciously, hoping her pelt wasn’t too spiky from the rain. She wanted to shake it out, but she was scared of soaking Bramblestar. Raindrops dripped onto the sandy stone around her. “SkyClan renewed their marks quite recently, although it was hard to tell in the rain. But it seemed like—”

“I’m sure the other Clans are taking good care of their borders.” Bramblestar’s gaze bored into hers. “How were Lionblaze and Spotfur?”

Bristlefrost stiffened. Had he found out that they’d crossed the border? She dropped her gaze. “They were okay.”

“Did they say anything about the new prey rule?” His mew was smooth but firm.

“Nothing.” She met his gaze again, relieved that she could answer with the truth.

“And the rest of the Clan?”

Bristlefrost’s ears twitched. “I’ve haven’t heard anything,” she told him honestly. “But I get the feeling they find it confusing.”

“Confusing?” Bramblestar tipped his head to one side. “I thought I’d made it clear.”

“You did,” she told him quickly. “They’re just confused about why you made a new prey rule.”

“Has some cat said something?”

“No,” Bristlefrost told him. “It’s just a feeling I have.”

Bramblestar’s eyes brightened. “Good.” He sounded relieved. “So nothing’s happened to upset StarClan.” His statement was a question.

“I don’t think so.” Bristlefrost hesitated. “Except . . .”

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “What?” He leaned closer.

Bristlefrost met his gaze uncertainly. She didn’t want to tell on any cat, but Lionblaze and Spotfur had crossed the border. StarClan would be angry, maybe even angrier if she kept it a secret from her leader.

“You can tell me anything,” he mewed softly. “Remember, you’re helping me keep the Clan safe. I need to know if anything’s happened so I can protect it.”

Bristlefrost took a breath. “Lionblaze and Spotfur accidently crossed the WindClan border while they were hunting.”

Bramblestar didn’t move. His gaze lingered on her until she felt her pelt burning.

“Only a little way,” she mewed quickly. “They didn’t realize until I told them.”

Bramblestar leaned back, his fur smoothing around his shoulders. He looked relieved that she’d told him. Happiness flickered in her chest. She’d done the right thing. He could fix it now and StarClan wouldn’t have to be angry. She wasn’t sure how he could fix it, but he was leader. He’d find a way.

Suddenly a shadow seemed to fall across Bramblestar’s face as his gaze darkened. Bristlefrost flinched as he bared his teeth for a moment. Then he stood and brushed past her, striding out of the den.

She hurried after him, alarm sparking beneath her pelt. What was he going to do? Outside, on the Highledge, Bramblestar yowled across the camp. “Lionblaze! Spotfur!”

He leaped down the stone tumble as Lionblaze and Spotfur looked up. Their eyes glittered with curiosity as they met him at the bottom. Bristlefrost stopped a tail-length away. Fear tightened her chest. Were they in trouble?