Эрин Хантер - Cats of the Clans

But StarClan did not blame Cinderpelt for that. She should never have been a medicine cat; they knew that right from the start. They gave her one more test before deciding to give her a second chance: they told her when she would die, and then let her live with that knowledge even though her apprentice, Leafpool, was on the brink of leaving the Clan to be with Crowfeather. Cinderpelt lived in the shadow of her own death with such courage, such dignity, resisting the temptation to beg Leafpool to stay, that she proved herself worthy of a second life, plunging back into the forest as one of Sorreltail’s mewling kits.

I hope your ancestors watch over her more closely this time.

This is a cat who was never destined to be anything but a medicine cat. I see your eyes shine, Blossomkit; is this the path you would have wished to follow? From the moment Leafpool and Squirrelflight were born, each always knew where the other was, and what they were feeling. StarClan fostered this link because they knew Squirrelflight would be journeying far, far from the forest—farther than any Clan cat had been before—and they needed a cat back home to be aware of what she was going through. For a while it seemed that, young as she was, Leafpool knew what lay around every corner and over every horizon. She knew the Clans had found their new homes when they reached the lake; she knew that Brambleclaw would make a strong and loyal deputy for ThunderClan. She even knew that blood would spill blood before the Clans were truly settled around the lake—and she watched with her own eyes as Brambleclaw killed his half brother, Hawkfrost, to save Firestar.

But the one thing Leafpool did not foresee was falling in love—and with a WindClan warrior, at that. Yes, Adderkit, I’m sure WindClan warriors are the best warriors of all, but Leafpool was a medicine cat!

Everything about their relationship was wrong, according to your warrior code. How could their love lead to anything but misery and ill for-tune? Even now it echoes among the Clans, coloring their future in ways not even Leafpool can see.

If Leafpool is like water, calm, deep running, reflecting the stars, then Squirrelflight is fire. She has energy to scorch every tree in the forest, and a tongue that could leave scars in beech bark. I would trust Squirrelflight with my life simply because she is incapable of doing anything but what she believes to be right. No, Blossomkit, this is not the same as always telling the truth. Even Squirrelflight has her secrets.

It was bold of StarClan to let Brambleclaw take her on the quest to the sun-drown-place—though I recall Squirrelflight gave him little choice and would have followed him regardless. But she proved herself a valuable companion many times over, and returned a better cat for it.

If she had stayed in the forest I think she would always have been Leafpool’s little sister, the feisty apprentice with a habit of leaping paws-first into trouble. The quest proved she had the courage of her father, Firestar, and the quiet determination of her mother, Sandstorm, which isn’t always appreciated in ThunderClan.

Stormfur loved her first, you know. He saw something behind the mischief and the fire, when Brambleclaw saw only a quarrelsome nui-sance. And Ashfur, though he would have been loyal to the end, failed to appreciate the strength beneath her impulsive ways. Squirrelflight needed someone to match her fire, not contain it, and that cat was always going to be Brambleclaw.

Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw have gone through so much together. Squirrelflight is a good mother to Jaypaw, Hollypaw, and Lionpaw. I hope Squirrelflight is well rewarded for her devotion.

The son of Tigerstar was always going to walk a path of light and shadow. He must feel sometimes as if his whole life has been spent trying to prove his loyalty to ThunderClan. He was the first cat chosen to go to the sun-drown-place, and if Bluestar didn’t hesitate to trust him, maybe his Clanmates should follow her lead. I don’t think even Firestar could have led the other cats on the quest to find Midnight; his curiosity, his generous spirit, would have distracted him, kept him helping those he met along the way. But Brambleclaw didn’t stop until he reached the cliffs, until he heard what Midnight had to tell him. Then he came back to the forest and repeated the journey, this time with his Clan and the other three Clans, seeking a new and safer home. What further proof do you need that this is a noble cat, a brave and loyal cat who would stop at nothing to help his Clanmates?

And yet, and yet… he let his father, Tigerstar, walk in his dreams, mentor him in the pursuit of power; he even schemed with Hawkfrost, which showed extraordinary lack of foresight for an experienced warrior. Is his heart really as pure as he wants us to believe? Can Tigerstar’s son ever truly step out of the shadows? You’re looking at me round-eyed, all three of you, as if I know the answer.

I do, but now is not the time to share. Some things are best left to destiny to unfurl.

You’ve heard his name before, haven’t you? Have the StarClan elders fretted over his destiny, about where his path will lead now that he has lost Squirrelflight’s affection?

It’s a shame Ashfur is most famous for quarreling with Brambleclaw over Squirrelflight. He really loved Squirrelflight, you know, even if he wasn’t the best match for her. He tried too hard to protect her, to stop her from jumping in with all four paws when sometimes that’s the only way Squirrelflight learns anything. But Ashfur is a strong, brave warrior, one I’d want on my side in a battle.

Any cat in ThunderClan would say that he has mentored Lionpaw well, shaped him into one of the best fighting cats this Clan has ever known. Some might accuse him of being confrontational, too quick to argue when he doesn’t agree with a decision. But look at Dustpelt: he was never Firestar’s best friend, yet he is a courageous, trustworthy warrior who has earned his leader’s respect. Even though Ashfur and Brambleclaw were once rivals for Squirrelflight’s affections, there’s no reason Ashfur can’t be a loyal ThunderClan warrior. Be careful. If you listen too much to Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw, it’s easy to dismiss Ashfur as a troublemaker out for revenge. But the other cats should listen to what he has to say. He has a story of his own.

Ihave somethingin common with Brightheart: cats shy away when they first see my face, too. Perhaps I have not always looked like this—perhaps once I had fur as thick and soft as yours, and my eyes were clear and could see more than shadows and moonlight. But if that was so it was a long time ago, farther back than any of your ancestors can remember.