Эрин Хантер - Cats of the Clans

Even before he knew who his father was, Hawkfrost wanted to take Leopardstar’s place. He trained harder than any other apprentice, prac-ticed catching fish over and over, even though the skill didn’t run in his blood as it did in his Clanmates’, and was rewarded by being made deputy when Mistyfoot was captured by Twolegs. He was clever enough to know that being Leopardstar’s favorite did not mean he was respected by his Clanmates. For that he needed something more… such as a sister who was the Clan’s medicine cat. So he tore the wing off a moth to convince Mudfur that his littermate was the right choice for his apprentice.

Tigerstar must have jumped for joy when he saw that one of his sons shared his hunger. He began visiting Hawkfrost in his dreams, and encouraged him to support Mudclaw in the rebellion against Onestar.

It was Tigerstar’s idea that Hawkfrost should plot with a ThunderClan cat who was already an enemy of Brambleclaw’s to lure Firestar into a trap. But Tigerstar underestimated Brambleclaw’s loyalty to his Clan leader; as Leafpool predicted, blood spilled blood, and the lake turned red when Brambleclaw killed his half brother to save Firestar’s life.

You must knowMothwing’s secret already, little kits. I should imagine she is a constant puzzle to StarClan, a medicine cat who doesn’t believe in them. Yet they have let her stay, because they can see that she has studied hard and has only the welfare of her Clanmates at heart.

Unfortunately for her, knowing which herbs treat a stomachache is not her only responsibility. Hawkfrost’s threat to reveal her secret meant he was able to force her to make false prophecies, such as the tale about troublesome stones in the river that led to Stormfur and Brook being driven out. When she was unable to receive warnings from StarClan, she didn’t know about the Twoleg poison on RiverClan territory that started killing her Clanmates, and her warrior ancestors couldn’t tell her where to find catmint when greencough struck.

Terrified that her lie might be destroying her Clan, Mothwing confided in Leafpool, who began speaking to Mudfur in dreams on her behalf.

StarClan found a better solution in Willowpaw, the RiverClan cat who showed an interest in becoming a medicine cat while she was still a kit. She became Mothwing’s apprentice and was visited in her dreams by Feathertail and Leafpool for the StarClan part of her training.

Willowpaw accepts Mothwing’s lack of belief in their warrior ancestors because she respects her in every other way—and well she should. For once I believe StarClan has acted in every cat’s best interests.

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Does it surprise youhow many cats there are who don’t live in Clans, little ones? The cats you and your Clanmates watch over often act as if there could be no other way to survive except by the warrior code, but how short their memories must be if they have already forgotten the Tribe of Rushing Water, or BloodClan, or the contented rogues and kittypets they have encountered.

For the Clan cats, the warrior code has served them well, provided them with food and shelter and well-defended territories, as well as neighbors to turn to in times of greatest need. But the forest is not littered with the bodies of loners and rogues who have starved to death or been killed like prey, and kittypets do not swarm from Twoleg nests like bees to join the fabled Clans. There’s more than one way to skin 1 76 2

a mouse—some start with the tail, some with the nose, though it’s been so long since I saw one I think I’d keep it in one piece and eat it whole, fur and all.

What’s that, Adderkit? You can’t figure out the difference between loners and rogues? Let me think how best to explain…

Loners are cats who live on their own, not as kittypets, and don’t trouble the Clans. Rogues also live on their own, but they cause problems.

That’s how the Clans make the distinction, anyway.

Ravenpaw’s luck ran out the day Bluestar chose Tigerstar to be his mentor. That warrior was never going to appreciate Ravenpaw’s love of peace, or his sympathy for the different sides of an argument. Tigerstar saw his apprentice’s reserve as nothing but fear, and ended up making Ravenpaw scared for his life. After Ravenpaw saw Tigerstar kill Redtail and lie about it to the rest of the Clan, he was in very real danger from the cat who was prepared to kill to get what he wanted. Firestar persuaded Ravenpaw to leave the forest and live on a Twoleg farm with Barley, a loner who had a good life in a cozy barn with as many mice as he could eat. Here Ravenpaw found peace, and the chance to learn about himself without a warrior breathing down his neck, ordering him to pounce, strike, catch, and hide.

Ravenpaw would still fight to the death for his friends, and he’s helped them many times with food and shelter, but he is happier not following the path of the warrior.

Ravenpaw’s companion, Barley, also found sanctuary on the farm.

Barley was born in BloodClan, where he broke Scourge’s rules by living with one of his littermates, Violet. When his secret was discovered, he was forced to watch Violet being beaten up by two of Scourge’s followers—who also happened to be Barley and Violet’s other littermates.

Violet survived and was taken in by a kittypet who promised his housefolk would care for her; Barley fled Twolegplace and came to the farm.

Stop fidgeting, Blossomkit.Don’t you think you should hear about kittypets, too? Are they less important than Clan cats just because they don’t hunt their own prey and let Twolegs pet them?

Having food and shelter doesn’t take away an honest heart or courage or loyalty to their friends. Smudge was Firestar’s nearest neighbor back when he was a kittypet named Rusty. He was a plump, lazy cat who told tales of the wild cats in the woods who ate bones, and he couldn’t understand why Rusty would want to live among such dangerous creatures. But he never forgot their friendship and was brave enough to come looking for Firestar when he started dreaming of the SkyClan cats. Loyalty, courage, and respect: would you expect any more from a Clan cat?

Princess is Firestar’s littermate who went to live with different housefolk. When she learned her brother was the leader of a Clan of forest cats, she gave him her firstborn kit, Cloudtail, believing he would have a nobler life as a warrior than as a kittypet. It was perhaps not the wisest decision—Cloudtail didn’t take naturally to life in the Clan—but it showed a rare degree of trust and hopefulness. Princess was a good friend to Firestar when ThunderClan lived in the forest, and she still sits on the fence and stares into the trees, wondering where he is and if he is safe.