Эрин Хантер - Legends of the Clans

The cats returned just before dawn, quiet and hunched from the cold. Spottedpaw nodded to them as they trooped into the clearing and headed for their dens. Bluefur stopped beside her. Her eyes were clear, and she seemed much calmer now.

“Have you decided what to do?” Spottedpaw asked.

Bluefur nodded. “I have made my choice.” She walked away without saying anything, and Spottedpaw wondered if she would ever know what that decision had been.

Spottedpaw opened her eyes with a start. What was that noise? The sky was filled with stars, hazy in the bitter cold. More snow had fallen since the Gathering, and all around the medicine den the ferns were flattened under the weight of its icy white pelt. Spottedpaw sat up. Was Tawnyspots stirring in his nest? She craned her neck to see, but the deputy seemed to be lying still, breathing loudly but steadily.

The noise came again, a soft rustle and the tiniest murmur. Spottedpaw stepped out of her nest and crept past Featherwhisker and Tawnyspots, thanking StarClan that she hadn’t forgotten how to stalk like a warrior. The clearing was still and silent, every sound muffled by the snow. Spottedpaw padded over to the nursery and listened, but only soft snores came from inside. What had disturbed her?

She turned toward the gorse tunnel. Stormtail was on guard tonight, back to warrior duties now that Featherwhisker had found herbs to help with his thirsting sickness. Spottedpaw decided to check that he was okay in the bitter cold. She pushed through the frosty gorse, shivering as icy thorns brushed the back of her neck. Stormtail jumped when she appeared, then let out a purr.

“I was almost dozing off!” he told her. “It’s so quiet out here.”

“Better than a ShadowClan invasion,” Spottedpaw joked. Suddenly she spotted movement behind Stormtail, halfway up the ravine. Was it a cat? Why weren’t they using the regular path? She peered closer.

Great StarClan, it’s Bluefur and the kits!

What could possibly be happening? Spottedpaw pictured the desperation in Bluefur’s eyes when she talked about her kits, and the decision she had to make. Should she tell Stormtail? He would take Bluefur straight back to the camp. Do I trust Bluefur enough to let her go? Spottedpaw had no doubt that Bluefur loved her kits. Whatever she’s doing, she won’t let any harm come to them.

In the shadows, Bluefur slipped and a twig cracked. Stormtail pricked his ears and began to turn around.

“What’s that?” Spottedpaw pointed with her tail to the other side of the ravine.

Stormtail jumped to his paws and stared into the bushes. “Where?”

Behind her, Spottedpaw heard a tiny rustling sound. Had Bluefur taken her kits out of sight yet? She didn’t dare to turn around.

“Just by that tall tree,” Spottedpaw mewed. She walked over to Stormtail and pretended to peer more closely. “I’m sure I saw something move there. Maybe a fox?”

“I’ll check it out,” Stormtail growled. He padded away, his pelt bristling along his spine.

Spottedpaw stayed where she was, watching Stormtail prowl into the undergrowth. She was desperate to follow Bluefur and find out where she was going, but she couldn’t risk Stormtail seeing her go up the ravine.

The warrior returned, his pelt ruffled from the brambles. “No trace of any scent,” he reported.

“I’m sure I saw something,” Spottedpaw persisted. “It was heading farther along the ravine. Why don’t you check that way, and I’ll go up to the top and see if I can spot anything?”

Stormtail nodded and headed back the way he had come. Spottedpaw raced up the path, her feet slipping in the snow. More flakes were falling, making Spottedpaw blink and shake her head. She strained to spot any signs of a trail in the darkness. Which way had they gone?

In the shelter of some brambles, she spotted a faint trail of paw prints, some large and some so tiny she could hardly make them out. It looked as if they had taken the path that led to Sunningrocks. Spottedpaw took a deep breath and started walking through the bracken, lifting each paw high out of the snow and shaking it to get some feeling into her toes. Ice clumped against her belly fur, and her ears stung with cold. I hope the kits are all right!

The night closed silently around her, and Spottedpaw wondered if she had lost them. She pushed her way into a clump of ferns, trying to find some shelter. Then she heard voices up ahead, low and urgent. Spottedpaw peeked through the stalks and made out two bulky shapes on the shore of the frozen river.

One of them turned toward her and she shrank back out of sight. This was Bluefur’s secret to keep. The larger shape started to make its way down the shore with a cluster of tiny shadows stumbling beside it. Spottedpaw gasped. Was Bluefur giving her kits away? Why would she do that?

She could think of only one reason: so that Bluefur could leave the nursery and take over as Clan deputy instead of Thistleclaw. This was a measure of how much she loved her Clanmates, and how much she feared Thistleclaw, even without seeing him in the Dark Forest.

Spottedpaw sighed. Thistleclaw has changed both our destinies, Bluefur. You will never realize how much you and I have in common.

“StarClan, please keep Bluefur’s kits safe. Let them grow bold and strong, and above all else, loved,” Spottedpaw prayed as she crouched among the bracken.

The air stirred around her and a warm, half-familiar scent drifted into her muzzle. Spottedpaw narrowed her eyes and saw the faintest white-furred shape slip through the stalks in front of her.

We will do our best, a voice breathed inside her mind. Thank you for trusting my sister, Spottedpaw.

“Snowfur?” Spottedpaw whispered. “Is that you?” But the ferns around her were still and silent, and the pale shape had vanished into the falling snow.

Bluefur and I will do our best, too, Spottedpaw vowed. I will never be foolish or blind again. Thistleclaw has shown me where my destiny truly lies. From now on, my heart belongs to my Clan.

DEDICATION

For Susi Plattner—Clanmate, friend, and Warriors expert

Special thanks to Victoria Holmes

THUNDERCLANLEADER OAKSTAR—sturdy brown tom with amber eyes DEPUTY DOEFEATHER—pale fawn-and-white she-cat with amber eyes APPRENTICE, DAISYPAWMEDICINE CAT CLOUDBERRY—long-furred white she-cat with yellow eyes WARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits) MISTPELT—thick-furred gray she-cat with green eyes APPRENTICE, PINEPAW NETTLEBREEZE—ginger tom APPRENTICE, FLASHPAW SWEETBRIAR—light brown tabby she-cat with white paws MUMBLEFOOT—brown tom with amber eyes FLAMENOSE—ginger tom with amber eyes LARKSONG—tortoiseshell she-cat, pale green eyes ROOKTAIL—black tom with blue eyes WINDFLIGHT—gray tabby tom with pale green eyes HAREPOUNCE—light brown she-cat with yellow eyes SQUIRRELWHISKER—brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes APPRENTICE, LITTLEPAW HOLLYPELT—black she-cat with green eyes RAINFUR—speckled ginger-and-white she-cat with amber eyes STAGLEAP—gray tabby tom with amber eyes FALLOWSONG—light brown she-cat DAPPLETAIL—tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors) FLASHPAW—dark ginger she-cat with a white muzzle DAISYPAW—gray-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes PINEPAW—red-brown tom with green eyes LITTLEPAW—black-and-white tom with blue eyes ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired) DEERDAPPLE—silver-and-black tabby she-cat SEEDPELT—gray she-cat BLOOMHEART—gray tabby tom THRUSHTALON—light brown tabby tom