Эрин Хантер - Fading Echoes

“So all those ShadowClan scents we’ve been finding could be Tigerheart, scouting out the border on Tigerstar’s command?”

“Right,” Jayfeather agreed. “Tigerheart’s an obvious choice, right down to his name. Which means we can pretty much assume that Tigerstar is exploiting both kinship and the weakness of other cats to recruit them to his side.”

A growl rumbled in Lionblaze’s throat. “How do we stop him?”

“We can’t, not yet. We’ll just have to be on our guard,” Jayfeather warned. “We can’t prove any of this, and no cat will admit their loyalty lies outside their own Clan.”

“We could try to find out if more cats are being trained by him.”

Jayfeather gave the borage another sniff. “Watch them at Gatherings,” he instructed. “See if any others cross our borders. I’ll find out what I can at the medicine cat Gathering tonight.”

“Okay,” Lionblaze agreed. “So far we know of one WindClan and one ShadowClan cat. What about RiverClan?”

Jayfeather narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “Is there a RiverClan warrior who hates us as much as Breezepelt? One whose weakness Tigerstar could exploit?”

“I can’t think of one,” Lionblaze answered. “But…” His voice trailed away.

Jayfeather leaned forward. “What?”

“Tigerstar had a son, didn’t he?”

“Hawkfrost?” Jayfeather gasped. He’d never seen him in StarClan. There was a good chance that he walked the Dark Forest with Tigerstar. “He lived in RiverClan. He’d know exactly which cats to approach.”

“So Tigerstar might not be the only cat training warriors in their dreams,” Lionblaze guessed.

Jayfeather shrugged.

“Oh, great,” Lionblaze growled.

“Let’s head back to camp,” Jayfeather meowed. “I want to rest before the Gathering.”

He padded into the trees. The ferns stroked his pelt as he pushed his way through.

Lionblaze rustled behind him. “Will the herbs be okay?”

“I hope so.” Jayfeather sent a silent prayer to StarClan. “It’s good to know that I have fresh supplies.”

“You seem to enjoy looking after them.”

“Plants do what they’re told,” Jayfeather commented. “Unlike apprentices.”

Lionblaze purred. “Have you thought about taking on an apprentice?”

Jayfeather tensed. “Not while…” The words were hard to say. “Not while Leafpool is around.”

“Are you hoping she’ll be a medicine cat again?”

Jayfeather twitched one ear. “Maybe.” He wasn’t being sentimental. “It just seems like a waste of training for her to turn her back on it. She knows so much, and sometimes I feel that I know so little. The Clan still needs her, Lionblaze. Maybe more than ever.”

“Jayfeather!” Sorreltail was calling from the clearing. “Littlecloud’s here.”

“Coming!” Jayfeather gave Briarlight a sniff. She was fast asleep in her nest. No smell of sickness. He hurried out of his den. He could sense the fragile half-moon hanging over the hollow. The air smelled fresh with a tang of frost. Hard weather was on its way. He trotted across the clearing, finally sure of a route that wouldn’t trip or snag him.

“I thought you usually met the other medicine cats at the border when you go to the Moonpool,” Sorreltail whispered as Jayfeather passed.

“I think he wants to see the tree damage for himself.”

Littlecloud was standing just inside the thorn barrier. Jayfeather could sense the ShadowClan medicine cat’s shock as he stared around the camp.

“I’m amazed you lost only one cat,” Littlecloud commented as Jayfeather reached him. “How’s Briarpaw doing?”

“She’s Briarlight now.”

“Really?” Littlecloud sounded surprised, but Jayfeather didn’t comment as he followed the ShadowClan medicine cat out through the thorns. Flametail, Littlecloud’s apprentice, was waiting outside the tunnel.

Good . He was Tigerheart’s littermate. If any cat’s dreams held a clue to the warrior’s intentions, it would be Flametail’s.

Unless Tigerstar was training him too.

A medicine cat? No way!

Jayfeather tried to push the thought away, but it clung to the back of his mind like a tick, making him wary of saying too much.

Littlecloud let Jayfeather take the lead as they headed for the WindClan border. They would meet the other cats there.

“So Firestar made her a warrior anyway?” Littlecloud pursued the news about Briarlight.

“She’s as brave as any warrior.” Jayfeather felt for Flametail’s reaction. How much interest was the young cat taking in their conversation?

“Has she had any sickness?” Flametail stuck his muzzle close to Jayfeather’s.

“None. We’ve kept her moving,” Jayfeather explained. “She does exercises every day and fetches her own food from the fresh-kill pile. It seems to be keeping her chest and belly working fine.”

“How are you keeping her spirits up?” Flametail asked.

Was he looking for a sign of weakness? “No need,” Jayfeather meowed. “She’s very positive.”

He was relieved as they padded from the trees and he scented Kestrelflight, Mothwing, and Willowshine waiting on the WindClan border. He pushed ahead, hurrying over the grass to meet them.

He leaped the stream in a practiced bound. “It’s cold,” he remarked in greeting. An icy wind was whipping off the moorland and ruffling every cat’s fur.

“Not once we get moving.” Kestrelflight was stamping his paws against the chill. The WindClan medicine cat began to lead the way upstream.

“Mothwing.” Jayfeather greeted the RiverClan medicine cat formally. He felt her cool gaze touch his pelt.

“Jayfeather.” There was an edge to her mew. Did she think he’d give away her secret? She was wrong if she did. What would he gain by telling the others she had no connection with StarClan?

“Hopefully the hollow will be sheltered from this wind,” Littlecloud grumbled.

“You sound like an elder,” Kestrelflight teased.

Flametail joined in. “He almost is one.”

“Cheek!” Littlecloud pretended to sound offended, but there was warmth among the medicine cats as they trekked up the stream.

Any other moon, Jayfeather would have relished the lack of boundaries and suspicion. But tonight he was worried. The old trust he felt with his fellow medicine cats felt threatened by the ghost of Tigerstar. He walked behind the small group of cats as they followed the stream to the waterfall. As he concentrated on picking his way over the rocks, he felt the distance between them stretching.

“Do you want us to slow down?” Littlecloud called back.

“I’ll catch up,” Jayfeather replied, scrabbling between two boulders. He wondered again if Tigerstar and his Dark Forest Clanmates would visit any of the medicine cats tonight.

Absurd! he told himself. But was it really? They were used to being visited by StarClan cats. Why not cats from the Dark Forest, the Place of No Stars?

Jayfeather skidded as he landed on a slippery rock.

“Careful.” He felt Littlecloud’s steadying paw. The ShadowClan tom had waited for him.

He paused as Jayfeather padded on a few steps, then fell in behind. “How’s Leafpool?”

Jayfeather detected worry in Littlecloud’s mew as he asked about his old friend.

“How is she managing as a warrior , I mean?” Littlecloud uttered the word as though he still didn’t quite believe she’d made the decision.

“She’s fine.” Jayfeather picked up his pace. Why did he have to explain her behavior?

“Doesn’t she miss it?”

Jayfeather turned on him. “No cat forced her to leave!” he snapped. But how could she remain a medicine cat after she’d broken the code?