Эрин Хантер - Lost Stars

Shadowpaw was encouraged by the murmurs of agreement that came from some of the other medicine cats, but the feeling died almost immediately when Harestar spoke.

“I still don’t understand why StarClan would only communicate through an apprentice. Why him, and not a real medicine cat?”

Shadowpaw’s pelt grew hot with anger, but he didn’t dare argue with the WindClan leader. To his surprise, it was Jayfeather who responded, his tone edged with sarcasm. “An apprentice is a real medicine cat, thank you very much. And it’s not for us to tell StarClan where to send their messages.”

“That doesn’t help us much, though,” Leafstar commented. “Even if this is a genuine message, it doesn’t tell us what we should do about it. If we’re not careful, we could be bringing on the destruction, not preventing it.”

“That’s true,” Mistystar responded, her pale blue-gray pelt glimmering among the branches of the Great Oak. “But this vision makes sense to me. StarClan warned us after we got rid of Darktail that it was important for all five Clans to stay together.”

Squirrelflight moved to the end of her branch so that she could look down at Shadowpaw. He gazed up at her, nervous but managing to meet her green gaze.

“Did StarClan say anything?” she asked.

Shadowpaw shook his head. “No, not a word.”

“And the fire came from the lake? Not from any one of the Clans?”

Not from ShadowClan, Shadowpaw wanted to reply, guessing what Squirrelflight was getting at. “From the very center of the lake,” he mewed aloud. “And the flames seemed to reach every Clan at the same time.”

“I see . . .” Squirrelflight let her voice die away, and when she spoke again, it was with new decision. “Bramblestar supported you at the last Gathering,” she told Shadowpaw. “I confess I’m not entirely convinced that you’ve had a true vision, but for the time being I’ll take you seriously, for Bramblestar’s sake.”

“We all believe in Shadowpaw’s vision.” Willowshine rose to her paws and spoke for her fellow medicine cats. “And we think that it couldn’t be more important. Whether the fire is real or symbolic, it could destroy all our Clans.”

“I won’t argue with that,” Jayfeather added. “But all the same, I think there’s something . . . something not quite right about this vision. Oh, I don’t think you’re lying or making it up, Shadowpaw. I just think we have to go forward very carefully.”

“Right or not, it’s all we have to go on,” Alderheart reminded his Clanmate, letting his tail rest for a moment on Shadowpaw’s shoulders. “The rest of us have tried, and failed, to make contact with StarClan for a couple of moons now. Shadowpaw’s vision is the only direction we have.”

Shadowpaw felt that most cats were moving toward accepting what he had told them. But then Tree rose to his paws from where he was sitting with a few of the other SkyClan cats.

“Yes, that’s all very well,” the yellow tom meowed. “But what exactly does it mean to believe Shadowpaw? What are we supposed to do?”

“And is this vision connected to what Shadowpaw told us last time?” Harestar asked. “About the darkness in the Clans?”

Shadowpaw looked up at his father, remembering the other part of his vision, about the codebreakers, and the shock he had felt when his vision showed him his mother, Dovewing. But Tigerstar stared straight ahead, not meeting Shadowpaw’s gaze. Shadowpaw tried not to let his expression give anything away. He decided to say nothing; he sensed that the other Clans were still a little hostile to ShadowClan and its leader.

“There is something more I must say,” Squirrelflight announced, still keeping her position at the end of the branch. She hesitated, taking a deep breath, as if she was making a momentous decision. “I have a confession to make. I lied to the Gathering.”

Gasps of shock and disbelief came from the cats in the clearing. I knew it! Shadowpaw thought.

“For that, I ask your forgiveness,” Squirrelflight went on. “The truth is that Bramblestar is sick—very sick. Our medicine cats have tried everything, all the usual herbs and treatments, and they have been unable to make him better. He is close to death, and without StarClan he may not be able to return to take up his next life, as a Clan leader should.”

Her words were greeted with a heavy silence among the Clans.

Shadowpaw could feel Squirrelflight’s gaze fixed on him as she continued. “Shadowpaw had an idea for a very unusual treatment. StarClan told him that it would make Bramblestar worse before he got better, but it would save him.”

“And you want to go ahead with this?” Jayfeather asked. “Squirrelflight, are you sure?”

The ThunderClan deputy nodded resolutely. “It’s Bramblestar’s only hope,” she meowed. “Whatever Shadowpaw’s connection with StarClan may be, none of the rest of us can reach them. And that means we can’t be sure what happens to a leader when he loses a life. I know the chance that Shadowpaw’s treatment will save Bramblestar is a slim one, but we’ve tried everything else. A slim chance is still a chance—and it may be the only one Bramblestar has.”

“Are you sure you’ve tried everything?” Mothwing asked. “I’d be happy to come and look at Bramblestar, if you want me to.”

“So would I,” Frecklewish offered, and the other medicine cats added their agreement.

Shadowpaw narrowed his eyes as he glanced at his fellow medicine cats. It sounds like they still don’t trust me, he thought.

“Squirrelflight said everything , and she meant it,” Alderheart retorted. “I’d be delighted if we could find another way, but there isn’t one.”

“And what happens if the treatment kills Bramblestar?” Reedwhisker asked, his voice filled with anxiety.

Squirrelflight heaved a long sigh. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But without it, Bramblestar is going to die. We can’t make things any worse if we try. Shadowpaw, will you come to ThunderClan?”

“Of course I will,” Shadowpaw replied, then added instantly, “if Tigerstar and Puddleshine give permission.”

“You have mine,” Puddleshine mewed, while Tigerstar announced, “It’s what I’ve wanted all along.”

“And if he recovers,” Harestar put in, “then we can decide what is meant by this vision of fire, and by the ‘darkness in the Clans’ Shadowpaw told us about before. And more important, how we can drive the darkness out.”

No cat added any objections, so Tigerstar announced that the Gathering was over. As the cats began to disperse, Squirrelflight leaped down from the Great Oak and padded up to Shadowpaw.

“Will you come with me now?” she asked. “Bramblestar may not have very much time. I’ll get warriors to help move him up onto the moor, wherever you like. We’ll do whatever you tell us.”

“We’re on our way.” It was Tigerstar who spoke, appearing suddenly at Squirrelflight’s shoulder. “I’ll be joining you.” Squirrelflight glanced at him as if she was about to object, but the ShadowClan leader gave her no chance to speak. “I’m bringing Puddleshine and Dovewing, too,” he told her. “No cat knows exactly what will happen, and I must consider my own Clan’s safety.”

A shiver passed through Shadowpaw as he realized what his father meant. Even he was afraid that the treatment wouldn’t save Bramblestar, and that if Shadowpaw failed, he might be in danger from angry ThunderClan warriors.

Shadowpaw swallowed hard as he followed Squirrelflight toward the tree-bridge. StarClan, guide my paws, he prayed.