Эрин Хантер - Thunder Аnd Shadow

“These rogues are stronger,” Bramblestar told her darkly. He crossed the border, meeting Tigerheart’s gaze. “Lead the way. Rowanstar must be inform ed as soon as possible.”

Tigerheart glanced at Tawny pelt, then nodded. “Follow m e.”

Alderpaw padded beside Bum blestripe as Bramblestar fell into step behind Tigerheart. As leaves turned to pine needles beneath his paws, he glanced back at Tawny pelt, Stonewing, and Juniperpaw. “Should Bramblestar have warned them that the rogues killed Furzepelt and stole one of Onestar’s lives?” he whispered.

Bum blestripe shook his head. “Onestar won’t want the news that he’s lost a life to spread around. Leaders don’t like to appear vulnerable.”

Alderpaw suddenly wondered if his father had ever lost a life. He padded between the pines, recognizing the trail to the camp as they neared.

As Tigerheart led the patrol inside, surprised faces turned to glare at them.

Snowbird showed her teeth. “ThunderClan again ?”

Beside her, Scorchfur grunted. “It’s bad enough that one of them has to live with us. The others don’t have to visit.”

Bramblestar kept his gaze on Tigerheart. Alderpaw scanned the camp. Was Needlepaw here?

What about Violetkit? He searched for a glim pse of the kit’s black-and-white pelt. There was no sign. Perhaps she was with Needlepaw. His eye wandered further across the camp as he thought of the silver she-cat. Beepaw and Strikepaw were practicing battle m oves at the edge of the clearing, concentrating so hard that they didn’t notice the ThunderClan patrol. Needlepaw wasn’t with them. She wasn’t at the fresh-kill pile either. Where was she?

“Bramblestar.” Rowanstar’s deep mew snapped Alderpaw’s attention back. He alm ost bum ped into Cherry fall, who had stopped beside Bramblestar.

The ShadowClan leader stood at the head of the clearing, his eyes narrow with suspicion.

“Have you come to fetch your medicine cat? She’s out gathering herbs.”

Crowfrost padded from a den in the camp wall as Tigerheart peeled away from the patrol and stood squarely beside Rowanstar.

“They say they have news,” Tigerheart meowed.

“What news?” Rowanstar fixed his gaze on Bramblestar.

“Onestar and his patrol challenged a gang of rogues that was nosing around our territory. The rogues attacked. Furzepelt was killed and Onestar…” Bramblestar hesitated. “Onestar was badly injured. So were the other two members of his patrol.”

Alderpaw exchanged glances with Bum blestripe. The young warrior had been right.

Bramblestar wanted to protect Onestar.

“How many rogues were there?” Rowanstar asked.

“Six.”

Rowanstar’s gaze sharpened with surprise. “Is that all?”

“They might have killed more WindClan warriors if we hadn’t sent a patrol to help,” Bramblestar told him steadily.

“So you say.” Rowanstar sounded unconvinced. “Does ThunderClan have to believe no other Clan can survive without them?”

Bramblestar dipped his head. “I’m just reporting the truth. The safety of your Clan m ay depend on it.”

Dovewing stepped forward. “Their scent is already on your territory!”

Bramblestar shot her a warning glance. “We don’t know how many rogues might be in the woods.”

“What makes you think there might be more?” Rowanstar narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“They are from a large gang of rogues our patrol m et on their quest. We can’t presum e that only a few of them cam e to the lake.” Bramblestar turned his head and glanced around the camp.

“We picked up a rogue scent trail leading from our land to y ours. I’d like your permission to follow it. I want to see if the rogues have left our territories.”

Rowanstar flexed his claws. “You want to search ShadowClan territory?”

“That’s not why we cam e,” Bramblestar m et the ShadowClan leader’s gaze. “But now that we know they’ve been here, I’d like to find out where they’ve gone.”

“No.” Rowanstar’s refusal was instant. “ShadowClan can guard its own territory. It doesn’t need help from ThunderClan.”

Bramblestar dipped his head. “I understand your concerns, Rowanstar. But we know the scent.

I still have rogue blood beneath m y claws. Let’s at least send a j oint patrol—ShadowClan and ThunderClan—to track their trail. We’d be stronger together, and this threatens every Clan. Don’t forget the prophecy : Embrace what you find in the shadows, for only they can clear the sky.

Perhaps these rogues are connected. We have not seen such cruel cats since the battle with the Dark Forest. They might be the danger that StarClan is warning us about.”

Tigerheart’s eyes flashed. “The prophecy meant the kits !”

Crowfrost shifted his paws. “Bramblestar m ay have a point.”

Rowanstar j erked his gaze to his deputy.

Crowfrost held his ground. “What if the rogues are linked with the prophecy? Perhaps we should track them together.”

Tigerheart growled. “Why don’t we track them alone and report what we find at the next

Gathering?”

Rowanstar frowned thoughtfully. “You said Onestar was badly wounded?” He spoke to Bramblestar. “ How badly?”

Bramblestar returned his gaze steadily. “Badly enough.”

Rowanstar’s eyes sparked with interest. “So,” he growled. “These rogues truly are dangerous.”

Bum blestripe leaned closer to Alderpaw. “He’s worried he might be the next leader to lose a life.”

“Fine,” Rowanstar agreed. “We will send a patrol to track these rogues with y ou. Crowfrost, you will lead it. Take Tigerheart, Scorchfur, and Spikefur with y ou.”

A dark brown tom with a tuft of fur sticking up between his ears crossed the clearing toward them. “Did you say my name?”

“You’re going with these cats.” Rowanstar threw a scornful look at the ThunderClan patrol.

Alderpaw heard Bum blestripe swallow back a growl. “There are rogues on our land. You will track them and find where they’ve gone.”

“Should I take Yarrowpaw?” Spikefur asked.

“Of course,” Rowanstar meowed. “It will be good training for her.”

The trail headed away from the sun, drawing the two patrols deeper into the pinewoods.

Alderpaw’s pelt twitched nervously as they m ade their way through ShadowClan territory. The needle-strewn ground turned m uddy beneath his paws as the trees clustered tighter and the shadows becam e so dark that it felt like night.

The dank sm ell of a stagnant stream rose ahead. Alderpaw strained to see through the darkness.

Tigerheart was already pacing the bank of a narrow ditch.

As Bramblestar caught up to him, Crowfrost sniffed the earth.

“The trail ends here,” the ShadowClan deputy announced.

“I sm ell rabbit blood.” Dovewing circled the patrols.

Crowfrost sniffed. “They must have hunted here before they left the territory.” He nodded bey ond the ditch. “This is the ShadowClan border. It is no-Clan’s-land bey ond here. If the rogues went that way, as it appears, then they are gone.”

“Shouldn’t we cross the ditch and check?” Bramblestar pressed.

Dovewing leaped over the foul-sm elling stream and began sniffing the earth ahead.

Tigerheart j um ped after her, nudging her aside to press his own nose to the ground. “Nothing here.”

“Perhaps they waded along the stream to disguise their scent,” Dovewing suggested.

Tigerheart snorted. “Rogues aren’t that clever. Besides…” He peered into the ditch. Stinking black water lay at the bottom. “What cat would get their paws wet in there?”

Dovewing glared at him challengingly. “A cat that wants to hide its trail?”