Эрин Хантер - Thunder Аnd Shadow

“Given the right incentive.” Scorchfur’s eyes lit with m alice as he looked at Twigpaw.

Crowfrost flicked his tail. “I think Rowanstar would agree if he were well enough. No harm will come to Twigpaw while she’s with us.” He gazed around at his Clanmates. “She will be treated as one of our own. But she will rem ain here until WindClan gives us the lungwort.”

Violetpaw stared at Twigpaw, her belly tightening as she saw fear flash in her sister’s eyes. She hurried to stand beside her, letting her pelt brush Twigpaw’s. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I won’t let any one hurt y ou. If Crowfrost say s y ou’ll be safe, y ou’ll be safe.”

Twigpaw blinked at her gratefully.

“Take her to y our den,” Crowfrost told Violetpaw. He nodded to Tigerheart. “Stand guard outside until dawn; then Tawny pelt can take over. Twigpaw must not be left alone while she’s with us.” He gave a warning stare to his Clanmates. “She is our best chance of securing the cure for this sickness. I will send a patrol to speak with Bramblestar in the m orning.”

Ripples of agreem ent sounded around the clearing. Violetpaw nudged Twigpaw toward the apprentices’ den. Twigpaw padded stiffly in front of her and ducked inside.

Violetpaw followed, relieved to be away from the eyes of her Clan. “I said you shouldn’t have come here!” Irritation prickled through her pelt as she stared at her sister. She felt sorry for Twigpaw’s predicam ent, but it was her own fault.

Twigpaw’s shoulders drooped. “What will Bramblestar say when the ShadowClan patrol tells him what’s happened? I’m such a m ouse-brain.”

She sounded so sad that Violetpaw’s anger m elted. She touched her nose to her sister’s cheek.

“You are a m ouse-brain,” she teased softly. “But y our heart is in the right place.”

Twigpaw leaned against her wearily.

“Come on.” Violetpaw nosed her into her nest. “You must be tired. Let’s get som e rest.”

Twigpaw clim bed into the m oss-lined bracken and sat down.

Violetpaw curled around her. “It’ll be okay,” she prom ised. “Perhaps this is the best way to get WindClan to help us. You’re doing ShadowClan a favor. If WindClan gives us the herb and our Clanmates are cured, it will be because of y ou.”

Twigpaw lifted her gaze toward Violetpaw’s hopefully. “It will, won’t it?”

Violetpaw purred. “I bet y our Clanmates won’t mind if they know they’re saving lives.”

“Alderpaw will be pleased.” Twigpaw slowly lay down beside her sister. “Jayfeather will think I’m a bee-brain, but he always has, so that won’t be different.”

“Get som e sleep and try not to worry.” Happiness suddenly infused Violetpaw’s pelt. She’d never had the chance to com fort another cat before. It warm ed her to feel Twigpaw relax beside her. She watched her sister y awn.

“I guess I am tired,” Twigpaw mewed. “I haven’t slept all night.”

“Sleep now, then,” Violetpaw urged gently. “Every thing will look better in the m orning. It always does.”

As Twigpaw rested her nose on her paws, Violetpaw curled tighter around her. It felt good to share her nest with her littermate. Sensing the soft warmth of Twigpaw seeping through her pelt, she closed her eyes. Purring quietly, she let herself drift back into sleep.

“Alderpaw!”

A hiss woke him. He j erked up his head, blinking in the pale dawn light, which was seeping into the apprentices’ den. Leafpaw shifted in his nest but didn’t wake. Larkpaw and Honey paw were still snoring.

Ivy pool was standing beside his nest, her gaze sharp with worry. “Have you seen Twigpaw?”

Alderpaw stared at her, still befuddled with sleep. “Not since last night.” He glanced toward her nest. It was em pty.

“She was supposed to be coming on dawn patrol with m e,” Ivy pool mewed urgently. “But I can’t find her any where.”

“Have you checked the dirtplace?” Alderpaw kept his voice low.

“Of course I’ve checked the dirtplace.” Ivy pool looked exasperated. “I’ve checked all around camp. She’s not here.”

Alderpaw was awake now. Panic flashed through his pelt. Twigpaw had been quiet on the trek back from the Thunderpath. He knew she must be devastated. She’d been so full of hope. But he’d thought returning to camp and sharing prey with her Clanmates would make her feel better. He looked anxiously at Ivy pool. “You don’t think she’s done any thing dum b, do y ou?”

Ivy pool huffed impatiently. “What? Like thrown herself in the lake again?”

Alderpaw scram bled from his nest. “She’s probably just gone for a walk, to think about things.”

“She’s an apprentice,” Ivy pool snapped. “She’s meant to be on the dawn patrol. She can think about things later.” Alderpaw could see bey ond the exasperation in Ivy pool’s eyes. The silver-and-white she-cat looked worried. “She’s too young to be out in the forest alone.” Ivy pool began to pace. “What if a fox attacks her? She’s only learned basic battle m oves. She m ay have been gone all night. I should have kept a closer eye on her. I knew she was upset after our j ourney.”

“It’s not y our fault.” Alderpaw tried to press back the guilt welling in his own chest. He shared a den with Twigpaw. He should have been more alert. He should have noticed her leave. He shook out his pelt. “Worry ing won’t find her.” He headed out of the den. “Does Squirrelflight know she’s missing? We should tell her before she’s finished organizing the patrols. Som eone needs to look for Twigpaw.”

Bramblestar was on the Highledge. Below him, ThunderClan warriors m illed around

Squirrelflight.

Brackenfur, Whitewing, and Cinderheart were already padding toward the entrance, clearly heading out on patrol.

“There’s a m ouse nest near the birch trees.” Whitewing’s eyes shone eagerly.

“Let’s stalk squirrels first,” Cinderheart suggested. “They’ll still be sleepy and slow.”

Rosepetal trotted toward Alderpaw. “Is Larkpaw awake?”

“Not y et.” Alderpaw didn’t stop.

“Apprentices!” Rosepetal huffed. “They’re always the last ones up.”

As she headed away, grum bling, Alderpaw pushed between Blossom fall and Bum blestripe.

He caught Squirrelflight’s ey e. She was putting together another patrol.

“Cherry fall and Sparkpelt, you can—”

Alderpaw cut in. “Twigpaw is missing.”

Squirrelflight j erked her m uzzle toward him. “For how long?”

Ivy pool caught up. “We don’t know. I think she slipped out of camp in the night.”

“You’ve checked all the dens?” Squirrelflight looked up at Bramblestar, beckoning him with a flick of her tail.

“Yes,” Ivy pool reported. “And the dirtplace and around the outside of the camp. There’s no sign of her.”

“Any scents?” Squirrelflight m oved aside as Bramblestar leaped down the rock tum ble and stopped beside her.

“I can’t trace any,” Ivy pool told her.

“What’s happened?” Bramblestar frowned.

“Twigpaw is missing,” Squirrelflight told him.

Blossom fall stepped forward. “It rained just before dawn. She must have left before then; the rain has washed away her scents.”

Bramblestar’s gaze flicked to the thorn barrier. “Has any one come into camp?”

Alderpaw’s heart quickened. Did he think som eone had come and taken Twigpaw? No. He pushed the thought away. Twigpaw had been upset. “It’s more likely she’s gone because she wanted to go,” he told Bramblestar. “She was pretty upset about not finding her mother.”