Erin Hunter - Dovewing’s Silence

Bumblestripe put down the ivy and came to stand beside Dovewing. “I wonder what he wants?”

There was no suspicion in his tone; in fact, none of the ThunderClan cats who had stopped working to watch the new arrivals were bristling with hostility. The Dark Forest has changed everything , Dovewing mused, recalling a time not so long ago when these visitors would have been treated with distrust. Now they hadn’t even been challenged as they slowly entered the hollow.

“Blackstar! Come and sit down.” Bramblestar bounded down the rocks from Highledge and showed the ShadowClan leader a space on the grass where he could rest his trembling legs.

“Great StarClan, Blackstar looks so old he’s barely alive!” Cinderheart commented under her breath beside Dovewing.

Squirrelflight joined them from the nursery, where she had been helping Daisy amuse all the kits while Brightheart was out on a hunting patrol. “Is everything well in ShadowClan?” Squirrelflight asked, exchanging nods with Rowanclaw.

“We are fine,” Blackstar rasped, so faintly that Dovewing barely heard. It’s been two days since the battle; why can’t I hear anything yet? she thought in frustration.

Blackstar seemed to be having trouble speaking due to the wheezing in his chest, so Rowanclaw took over. “We have to come to talk to you about the Dark Forest cats who still walk among us,” he announced.

Dovewing flinched. What Dark Forest cats? She looked around and saw her Clanmates bristling.

“As you know,” Rowanclaw went on, “the Dark Forest attack was helped in part by warriors from the living Clans.” He paused and glanced around the clearing as if he wanted to name those cats right now. “Some of them survived the battle. We need to decide what should be done to them.”

Bramblestar shifted his paws. “I agree this is something to think about, but I assumed each Clan leader would decide alone. It involves our own Clanmates, after all.”

Blackstar struggled to his paws and lashed his tail. “We are still bound by our alliance during the Great Battle!” he hissed. “This is a problem faced by all the Clans, and therefore we should deal with it together. There cannot be any inequity between us.”

“Whoa!” Bumblestripe breathed in Dovewing’s ear. “He does know the battle is over, right? We’re not allied with ShadowClan now!”

Bramblestar let his gaze travel around the hollow, ending up on the four cats who were apart from the rest, clearing trampled brambles from one side of the entrance. “Very well, Blackstar,” he meowed. “Perhaps it’s right that we should agree on a course of action together. Shall we meet on the island tomorrow night?”

Blackstar nodded. “I’ll send word to RiverClan and WindClan, if you’ll permit my warriors to travel along your lakeshore.”

“Of course,” mewed Bramblestar. He stood up and padded beside the ancient white cat as he started to leave. “Thank you for coming, Blackstar. Get some rest before we meet on the island.”

Blackstar just grunted. Rowanclaw dipped his head to Bramblestar and guided his leader through the remains of the barrier, then ushered him into the trees.

Dovewing’s fur had risen along her spine, and Bumblestripe smoothed it down with his muzzle. “Calm down,” he mewed. “You’re not in trouble!”

“But Ivypool could be!” Dovewing snapped. “And my father! These cats can’t be punished for believing the lies that the Dark Forest warriors told them!”

Bumblestripe started to unravel the ivy knot once more. “We can’t forget what happened, Dovewing. Perhaps they need some sort of punishment just to make sure they understand that what they did was wrong.”

“Blossomfall is your sister,” Dovewing mewed softly. “Do you really think she’d do anything to betray her Clan?”

The gray tom didn’t look up from the strand of ivy. “Training in the Dark Forest was never part of the warrior code,” he muttered.

“Nor was dead cats coming back to life to attack us!” Dovewing reached out with one front paw and rested it on Bumblestripe’s shoulder. “Our Clanmates made a terrible decision, but when it mattered, they were loyal to us, and us alone.”

Bumblestripe finally looked at her, his eyes troubled. “You really believe that.”

Dovewing nodded. “Ivypool is my littermate, just as Blossomfall is yours. I would trust my sister with my life. Don’t you feel the same way?

There was a pause, then Bumblestripe nodded. “Thanks, Dovewing,” he whispered.

Before Dovewing could say anything else, Bramblestar spoke just behind her.

“Dovewing, may I speak with you?”

Dovewing nearly jumped into the air. How had she missed him walking up to her?

“I’d like you to come with me to meet the other leaders,” Bramblestar meowed. “Jayfeather will be with me, of course, and the cats who were trained by the Dark Forest, but I think you and Lionblaze should be present as well. You both know more about what the Dark Forest planned than many of us.” He blinked. “Because of the prophecy, right?”

Dovewing nodded mutely.

“Good.” Bramblestar turned away. “We’ll leave at dusk tomorrow. Make sure you get some rest during the day.”

Dovewing didn’t go back to helping Bumblestripe at once. Instead she stood very still, listening to the whispers around her. The rest of ThunderClan seemed excited at the prospect of choosing a punishment for the traitors among them. Dovewing felt a wave of impatience at their stupidity. Can’t you see that these are loyal warriors who made one mistake? Are you all so perfect yourselves?

Then she tilted her head and tried to pick up what was being said in ShadowClan. Were those cats equally thrilled? But all she heard was the rustle of branches as Bumblestripe and Cinderheart worked beside her, and a burst of squealing from the elders’ den as one of the kits stepped on a thorn. When she tried to picture the neighboring camp, her mind was clouded and fuzzy, as if it were filled with mist. Dovewing felt a cold trickle of fear seep into her fur. Why can’t I hear and see like I used to? Has something happened to me?

She looked at Ivypool, who was salvaging clean moss from a bundle that had been dragged out of the nursery. Her sister had more than enough to worry about without Dovewing adding her concerns about her senses. Jayfeather was too busy with Foxleap and the other wounded cats, and Lionblaze was constantly out on patrol. Dovewing recalled his broken claw during the burial, and winced. She could no longer hear, and Lionblaze was able to suffer injuries.

Has something happened to all our powers?

A faint three-quarter moon showed over the tops of the pine trees as the cats filed across the tree-bridge to the island. Dovewing stayed close to Ivypool, trying to comfort her sister without saying anything. Ivypool walked with her head high and her tail kinked confidently over her back, but Dovewing knew she was scared of what might be said at this meeting. Bramblestar and Jayfeather led the ThunderClan patrol, and Birchfall, Thornclaw, Mousewhisker, and Blossomfall brought up the rear. The four cats radiated tension and the fur bristled along their spines; Dovewing wished they would relax and not look as if they had something to be ashamed of.

Blackstar was already seated at the foot of the oak tree, flanked by his medicine cat, Littlecloud. Both cats looked frail and thin against the sturdy trunk. Their Clanmates Tigerheart and Ratscar sat a tail-length off, ears twitching. Bramblestar stopped halfway across the clearing and gestured with his tail to his Clanmates, inviting them to sit down. “We’ll stay here,” he mewed quietly. Dovewing felt a stab of relief that he was staying with them rather than leaving to sit with Blackstar.