Erin Hunter - Twilight

“Right,” meowed Brambleclaw. “What you’re not allowed to do is cross the border into another Clan’s territory.

Suppose a ShadowClan patrol had seen you?”

“But I didn’t…” Squirrelflight’s voice trailed off.

Suddenly she spotted the dead tree that was one of the boundary markers. She must have chased the kittypet straight past it. “I didn’t notice any scent marks,” she argued, padding forward until she was on the right side of the border again.

“The markings are really faint.” Ashfur had been over to sniff at the roots of the dead tree. “Leave her alone, Brambleclaw. Any cat could have made the same mistake.”

Sandstorm gave Ashfur a look from narrowed green eyes.

“Squirrelflight can answer for herself,” she mewed. “She’s not usually lost for words.”

Squirrelflight blinked gratefully at Ashfur. She didn’t need him or any cat to spring to her defense, but it was good of him to support her. “I’m sorry. I really didn’t notice.”

“The markings are faint,” Thornclaw agreed. “I don’t think ShadowClan have renewed them for days.”

“What’s the matter with them?” Sandstorm wondered.

“ShadowClan are usually the first to make sure that no cat crosses their borders.”

Squirrelflight shrugged. “If they can’t be bothered to set their markers, they can’t object if some cat crosses the boundary by mistake.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Brambleclaw sighed. “But for StarClan’s sake, be a bit more careful next time.”

“She will be.” Ashfur sprang to Squirrelflight’s defense again, unaware of the furious look she gave him this time. She was even angrier when she noticed a surprised glance from Sandstorm, as if her mother couldn’t believe she was depending on Ashfur for protection. “Anyway, Brambleclaw,” the gray tomcat went on, “it’s not your place to tell her what to do.”

“It’s any cat’s place,” Brambleclaw retorted, his neck fur starting to bristle. “Do you want trouble with ShadowClan?”

Ashfur unsheathed his claws. “That’s not the point!”

“Hang on!” Squirrelflight protested. “I don’t want—”

“That’s enough.” Sandstorm stalked over and confronted the three quarreling cats. “Let’s get back to camp before ShadowClan cats do turn up and find us ruffling each other’s fur.”

She stalked off in the direction of the camp. Sootfur and Thornclaw followed, but Brambleclaw and Ashfur hesitated, still giving each other an angry stare. Squirrelflight felt thoroughly exasperated with both of them.

“You go on ahead,” she snapped to Ashfur.

Ashfur looked startled. “Oh—okay. I’ll see you back at camp.” With a frustrated lash of his tail he padded off after the others.

“You can’t blame him for wanting to take care of you.”

Bramblelclaw’s words could have been approving, but his tone was critical as if he were remembering all the times on their journey when Squirrelflight had been furious with him for trying to protect her.

“At least there’s one cat I know I can trust with my life!” she hissed.

Brambleclaw’s eyes widened. “Only one, Squirrelflight?”

“Yes!” she spat back. She felt so far away from him now it was impossible to remember she had once looked at him with warmth. “At least Ashfur doesn’t keep going off with a cat from another Clan—a cat who can’t be trusted!”

The hurt in Brambleclaw’s eyes faded, to be replaced by rage. “That’s what you want, is it? A loyal warrior to pad after you and smooth all the thorns out of your path? I never used to think you were like that. I believed better of you.”

“Believe what you like!”

Brambleclaw drew his lips back in the beginnings of a snarl. Before he could speak, the undergrowth behind Squirrelflight rustled. She whirled around to see that Ashfur had come back.

“What do you want now?” she growled.

Ashfur looked bewildered. “I’m sorry. I wondered why you didn’t catch up, so I came back to make sure you’re okay.”

Squirrelflight sighed and let the fur lie flat on her neck.

Ashfur would have to learn that she could stand up for herself, but at least he was straightforward. He said what he meant, and no cat could doubt his loyalty to his Clan. If Brambleclaw was a deep pool shadowed by forest trees, Ashfur was like the lake, glittering in sunlight. Squirrelflight suddenly found herself longing for the sun.

“I’m fine,” she meowed, touching her muzzle to Ashfur’s.

“Let’s go.”

She headed away from the border, with Ashfur at her side.

But all the while she was conscious of Brambleclaw’s amber gaze upon her, until the ferns closed around her and she was hidden from his sight.

When Squirrelflight returned to camp, the stone hollow was full of activity. Cloudtail and Brightheart were just emerging from the warriors’ den; their daughter, Whitepaw, dashed across the clearing to join them, meowing loudly. The elders had already taken their places at the foot of the rocks beneath the Highledge. Firestar was making his way down the stony path from his den to the floor of the hollow.

“What’s happening?” Squirrelflight asked as more warriors appeared from their den.

“Firestar just called a meeting.” Leafpool spoke behind her.

Squirrelflight thought she looked subdued, as if she was still recovering from the fierce scolding Cinderpelt had given her for staying out all night in RiverClan. “It’s time for Birchkit to be made an apprentice.”

“Great!” Squirrelflight gave a little bounce of delight. For the first time she noticed Ferncloud at the entrance of the nursery, vigorously grooming Birchkit’s pelt while the young cat wriggled with excitement. Dustpelt sat close by, looking ready to burst with pride. “The first new apprentice in our new home. Who’s going to mentor him?”

“I have no idea,” Leafpool meowed, beginning to cheer up.

She glanced around the clearing as if she were trying to guess who the new mentor would be.

Squirrelflight and Ashfur found places among the other cats grouped in a semicircle around Firestar. She would have liked to mentor Birchkit herself, but she suspected she hadn’t been a warrior long enough to be chosen, when so many more experienced cats were without an apprentice. Besides, Sandstorm followed Firestar down the rocks from his den, and she gave Squirrelflight a hard look as she padded past to sit beside Brackenfur. She must have told Firestar what had happened on the ShadowClan border. Sighing, Squirrelflight guessed she would have to start thinking before she acted if she wanted to be trusted with the responsibility of mentoring an apprentice.

When all the cats had gathered, Firestar summoned Birchkit with a flick of his tail. The young gray cat padded forward; although he was shaking with nerves he stood before Firestar with head and tail held high. His pelt gleamed in the sunlight and his eyes shone. Squirrelflight felt a rush of admiration for him. His littermates, Larchkit and Hollykit, had died from starvation when the Twolegs tore up the old forest.

Birchkit had lost his home too, but he had shown great courage for such a young cat.

Squirrelflight noticed Brambleclaw, crouched by himself a couple of tail-lengths away from her; ambition flared in his amber eyes as he gazed at Birchkit. She could see how desperately he wanted the young cat as his apprentice, and she wondered why he should care so much more than the other warriors.

Then claws gripped deep in her belly as the answer came to her. Warriors could not be chosen as deputy unless they had mentored an apprentice. With Graystripe’s fate still unknown, it couldn’t be long before Firestar had to name another cat in his place. If Brambleclaw were to stand a chance, he had to have an apprentice. And there were no more kits in the Clan.