Эрин Хантер - Fading Echoes

Dovepaw weaved around them. “I bet I collect the most,” she challenged.

Ivypaw shrugged. “If you say so.”

Dovepaw tensed. Ivypaw was acting really weird lately. She’d been like this since the tree fell. Had she guessed Dovepaw’s powers? Was Ivypaw blaming her for not warning the Clan sooner? Dovepaw shook the thought away. Impossible .

She watched her sister race after Toadstep and Rosepetal toward the camp entrance, still not sure if she was imagining Ivypaw’s coldness.

“Watch this!” Ivypaw called to Toadstep as they reached the slope leading down to the shore. She skidded onto her belly and slid three tail-lengths down the soft grass.

“You look like a duck!” Toadstep huffed with amusement.

Rosepetal was watching the pair through narrowed eyes. Had she seen the change in Ivypaw too?

“Right.” Whitewing gazed along the shore. “Let’s see if we can find swan feathers. After all they’ve been through, I expect Purdy and Mousefur will appreciate soft nests.”

“And Briarlight,” Dovepaw added.

Ivypaw rolled her eyes. “Well, of course Briarlight.”

Whitewing flashed her daughter a stern look. “Seeing as you and Toadstep seem to be getting on so well…”

“Not that well!” Toadstep shifted his paws, his fur spiking up with embarrassment.

“ However well,” Whitewing went on, “you may as well gather bedding together.”

Ivypaw nudged Toadstep, her eyes sparkling as she relished the young warrior’s discomfort. “Come on,” she mewed. “I’ll race you to the water.” She charged away down the bank, pebbles crunching as she landed gracefully on the shore.

Dovepaw flicked her tail. Ivypaw was even moving like a different cat.

“You and Rosepetal can work together,” Whitewing told Dovepaw. “I’ll be upshore if you need me.” She flicked her tail toward WindClan territory and headed away.

“Where do you want to start?” Rosepetal asked.

“You’re the warrior,” Dovepaw replied. Ivypaw had left her feeling ruffled.

“Yes,” agreed Rosepetal. “But I was hoping you’d have as good a nose for moss as you do for prey.”

Dovepaw glanced at her paws. “I guess the trees around the stream will have the most moss, and there might be feathers caught there too.”

“Right.” Rosepetal headed downshore to where trees lined the stream that raced into the lake.

Dovepaw padded after her. By the time she’d caught up, Rosepetal was already stripping moss from the roots of a tree.

“You head farther upstream,” the dark cream she-cat ordered.

Dovepaw nodded and walked into the chilly shadows of the trees. The stream chattered past her paws as she searched for the mossiest roots.

Suddenly a white flash caught her eye. A feather was bobbing on the breeze. It danced along the forest floor and Dovepaw gave chase. It was long and downy and would make great bedding. She weaved after it through the trees, then pounced, flattening it between her forepaws. “Got you!”

“There you are!” Lionblaze slid from a clump of ferns. “Whitewing said you’d gone this way.”

Dovepaw sat up, startled. “What is it?” A breeze rustled the ferns and lifted her feather, carrying it away through the trees. “Mouse dung!” Dovepaw started after it.

“Feathers can wait!” Lionblaze called her back.

“What about Mousefur’s nest?”

The fur rose along Lionblaze’s spine. “There are more ShadowClan scents inside the border,” he growled. “Something’s going on. The sooner we find out what, the better. They might be planning to invade. They know about the tree. They probably think it’s weakened us.”

Dovepaw sat down crossly. ShadowClan had known about the tree for a quarter moon. They hadn’t invaded yet. She watched her feather flicker out of sight. It’s probably just Tigerheart again. Only StarClan knew what he was up to, but he’d promised there was no danger to ThunderClan. Why would he betray her? They were friends.

“Well?” Lionblaze stared at her. “Have you heard anything from ShadowClan territory? Are they planning something?”

“How would I know?” she answered stubbornly.

Lionblaze rolled his eyes. “Your powers ?”

Dovepaw lashed her tail over the forest floor. “If I’d heard something important, don’t you think I’d have told you?”

“You might not know what’s important!”

Dovepaw stood up and faced her mentor. “It’s my power!” A growl rose in her throat. “I don’t tell you how to fight, do I?”

A bramble rustled a few trees farther upstream and Ivypaw popped out. “Hello,” she mewed, her eyes darting from Lionblaze to Dovepaw. “I-I’ve just found the best patch of moss.”

Lionblaze flashed anger at Dovepaw and bounded away into the forest.

“What did he want?” Ivypaw asked. Her mew was softer than it’d been in days.

“He’s my mentor; he was just checking up on me,” Dovepaw snapped, still prickling from Lionblaze.

“But it sounded important.” Ivypaw padded closer. “Why does he think you know what’s going on in ShadowClan?”

Dovepaw tensed. How much had her sister heard? “I don’t know,” she mewed quickly.

“You’re lying!” Ivypaw scowled.

Dovepaw flinched.

Ivypaw leaned closer still. “What is it with you? Why are you always going off to talk with Firestar? Why is Lionblaze always calling you away for secret conversations?”

“They’re just interested in my training.” Dovepaw hated this. With every lie she felt another barrier of thorns spring up between her and Ivypaw.

Ivypaw curled her lip. “Firestar never asks about my training! What makes you so special?”

“It’s not like that, honestly!” Dovepaw’s heart fluttered with panic. “I don’t think I’m special. It’s…” Her voice trailed away. “It’s just complicated.”

Ivypaw took a step backward. “Too complicated to tell your sister? I thought we were best friends!” She glanced away through the trees, her eyes darkening. “Well, you have your secrets; I’ll have mine !”

Secrets? What was Ivypaw talking about?

Suddenly, Dovepaw remembered Ivypaw’s story about the StarClan cat who’d visited her. She dug her claws into the ground, annoyed with herself. Why hadn’t she shown more interest?

“Have you had another dream?” she guessed. “Another visit from StarClan?”

“Jealous now?” Ivypaw sneered. “You weren’t that interested when I tried to tell you before. Too busy chitchatting with Lionblaze. Why should I tell you now? Are you worried I might be more special than you? Are you worried the senior warriors might start taking an interest in me instead?” Rawness edged her mew, and Dovepaw felt a wave of dismay. She hadn’t realized Ivypaw felt like this.

“I-I’m sorry,” she began.

But Ivypaw was already bounding away into the trees. She glanced over her shoulder. “Clearly not sorry enough!”

I’ll explain it all one day! Dovepaw vowed silently to her. Then you’ll understand!

Back in the hollow, Rosepetal and Toadstep dumped the moss in the new elders’ den before hurrying off to find out what duties Brambleclaw had planned for them next.

“You’ll be okay straightening it out?” Rosepetal called to Ivypaw over her shoulder.

“No problem.” The feather wrap muffled Ivypaw’s answer as she slid under the branch arching over the entrance.

Dovepaw followed her sister inside. They worked silently, draping the moss over the bracken that Icecloud and Birchfall had already patted into place at one edge of the den. Late sunlight rippled through the honeysuckle roof, making the den seem underwater.