Эрин Хантер - Thunder Аnd Shadow

Shock pulsed through Alderpaw. Had Twigpaw decided she’d rather live in her sister’s Clan?

Bramblestar flicked his tail. “I don’t believe it. No ThunderClan cat would choose ShadowClan over ThunderClan.” His gaze instantly flicked to Tawny pelt and flashed with guilt.

Tawny pelt blinked at him slowly. “Yes, they would.” Bramblestar’s sister had chosen to live in ShadowClan moons ago.

Bramblestar shifted his paws, clearly ruffled. “That was different. Our father was in ShadowClan.”

Tawny pelt’s pelt sm oothed along her spine. “Twigpaw’s sister is in ShadowClan,” she reminded Bramblestar. “But that is not why she is stay ing with us.”

Scorchfur curled his lip. “We’re keeping her with us until you agree to help us.”

Alderpaw glanced at his father, fear tightening his belly. Twigpaw!

Bramblestar bristled. “You’re holding an apprentice hostage!” Outrage filled his mew.

“She’s our guest,” Crowfrost told him sm oothly. “And she will be well cared for.”

Bramblestar’s gaze hardened. “What help do you want?”

Tawny pelt exchanged glances with Crowfrost. Alderpaw saw a question in her gaze.

Crowfrost nodded, and Tawny pelt padded forward. “Our Clanmates are sick. Wasptail and Oakfur are fighting for their lives. Kinkfur has come down with the sam e sickness. Rowanstar is so ill that Puddleshine dares not leave his side. And now Yarrowleaf and Snakekit are sick.”

“A kit?” Squirrelflight stepped from the shadow of the Highledge.

Tawny pelt blinked at her. “The sickness is spreading through the Clan, and we can’t cure it.”

“Not without lungwort.” Crowfrost stared at Bramblestar. “But you heard Onestar. He won’t let us gather it.”

Bramblestar’s gaze flitted away from the ShadowClan leader uneasily. “How do you think we can help?”

“Onestar is not angry with y ou,” Crowfrost meowed. “ThunderClan has always had a closer relationship with WindClan than we have. You might be able to persuade him to share the herb.”

Tawny pelt’s eyes rounded pleadingly. “You could tell him you need it for y our own Clan.”

“I will not lie.” Bramblestar lifted his chin.

Tawny pelt stared at him. “But will you help us?”

Squirrelflight padded to her mate’s side. “We can’t let elders and kits die, even if they are not from our Clan.”

Bramblestar lowered his voice as he answered her. “What makes you think Onestar will let us have the herb?”

“Surely we must try?” Squirrelflight pressed.

Molewhisker crossed the clearing, his brown-and-cream pelt bristling. “Why should we help

ShadowClan? They’re holding one of our Clanmates hostage!”

Crowfrost narrowed his eyes om inously. “That’s exactly why you should help us.”

Alderpaw stared at the ShadowClan deputy in alarm. “Will you harm her if we don’t help?”

Crowfrost curled his claws into the earth. “She will stay with us until we get the herb.”

That’s not an answer! Alderpaw wanted to rake the ShadowClan’s deputy’s m uzzle. How dare he threaten an apprentice! A growl rum bled in his throat.

“Hush, Alderpaw.” Bramblestar silenced him. He m et Crowfrost’s gaze grim ly. “We will discuss y our offer and send word when we have decided.”

Crowfrost dipped his head. “Very well.”

“Are you going to let them bully us?” Molewhisker stared in surprise at the ThunderClan leader.

Bramblestar ignored him. “You should go now,” he told Crowfrost. “Dovewing and Bum blestripe will escort you back to y our border.” He nodded to the two warriors.

A chill seeped beneath Alderpaw’s pelt as he watched the ShadowClan patrol head for the entrance.

Molewhisker padded to Bramblestar, his tail lashing. “We should attack their camp and rescue

Twigpaw.”

Rosepetal j oined her denmate, eyes glittering with rage. “It will be easy to get her back. Half their Clan is sick and the other half has j oined the rogues!”

Graystripe crossed the clearing. “And if we get Twigpaw back, what then?” He stopped in front of Bramblestar. “ShadowClan will still need the herb.”

Bramblestar blinked at the elder. “Is that our problem?”

Squirrelflight stiffened. “Of course it is! A sick kit is every Clan’s problem.”

Bramblestar’s gaze darkened. “And what if WindClan still refuses to help when we ask?”

Alderpaw watched the warriors gaze at one another, worry worm ing in his belly. Twigpaw must be terrified. She was being held hostage in a strange Clan. “We have to do som ething!” he blurted.

Bramblestar gazed at him solem nly. “We will,” he prom ised. “But first we have to decide what.” He turned and leaped up the rock tum ble, signaling with a flick of his tail for Squirrelflight to follow.

Breath quickening, Alderpaw watched them disappear into his den. What would they decide?

Alderpaw padded into camp, thyme dangling from his jaws. He’d been pleased to find it this early in newleaf, but his thoughts were still on Twigpaw. He’d spent all m orning wondering if he could find an excuse to visit Puddleshine in the ShadowClan camp. He might get a chance to talk to her.

Bramblestar stood in the clearing, Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, and Leafpool beside him. He looked up as Alderpaw reached the edge. “You’re back!” The ThunderClan leader sounded pleased.

Alderpaw headed toward them and laid the thyme on the ground. They were looking at him expectantly. Did they have news about Twigpaw? “What’s happened?”

“We have a plan.” Squirrelflight told him.

Alderpaw leaned closer, his heart quickening.

Bramblestar m et his gaze. “I want you and Leafpool to travel to WindClan and speak with Kestrelflight and, if possible, Onestar.”

Alderpaw’s m outh dried. He glanced at Jayfeather. He could understand why Bramblestar would entrust the mission to medicine cats. It would seem less confrontational. But surely Jayfeather would be a better choice. “Why me?”

Jayfeather grunted. “Apparently, y ou’re less likely to offend any one.” He sounded prickly, as though Bramblestar’s decision had irritated him.

Leafpool blinked at Alderpaw. “This is a mission that requires tact and politeness.” Her gaze flashed toward Jayfeather.

The blind medicine cat huffed. “I don’t know why we don’t just travel to the moor and take some of this lungwort.”

Bramblestar stared at him. “We want to settle this peacefully, not make it worse.”

“Besides,” Leafpool interj ected gently, “we don’t know what it looks like.”

“It’s dark green with gray spotted leaves. How hard can it be to find?” Jayfeather grunted.

“Bramblestar has m ade his decision,” Leafpool meowed firm ly. “Alderpaw is coming with m e. We will speak with Kestrelflight and see if there’s any chance of getting our paws on this herb.”

Alderpaw shifted nervously. “What if WindClan is angry that we crossed their border?”

“That’s why I’m sending medicine cats,” Bramblestar explained. “Even Onestar can’t obj ect to that.”

Squirrelflight’s gaze darkened. “I wouldn’t be so sure. He’s been getting more unreasonable every moon.”

“Will he listen to us?” Alderpaw asked nervously.

“I don’t know,” Leafpool confessed. “That’s why we need to speak with Kestrelflight first. If we can get his support, perhaps he can persuade Onestar to see reason. We have to try. Not just for Twigpaw’s sake, but for Puddleshine’s sake too.” Her eyes glittered with worry. Alderpaw suddenly realized that she must be concerned about her form er apprentice coping alone with the illness that was raging through ShadowClan.