Crowfeather's Trial

“We found Nightcloud and rescued her from Twolegs! And we climbed trees and fought foxes and crossed a Thunderpath. It was amazing!”

Crowfeather stifled a mrrow of amusement. I hope Onestar didn’t hear that.

Onestar, meanwhile, had turned to Nightcloud.

“I’m truly glad to see you back with us,” he meowed. “You’ve always been a loyal WindClan warrior. Later there’ll be time for us to talk about what happened to you, but for now you should go and rest while we clear up the camp.”

“Thank you,” Nightcloud responded with a respectful dip of her head. “But I don’t need to rest. For the last quarter moon, I’ve been living the life of a kittypet—not my choice, I’m sure you understand — with nothing to do except lie around all day and stuff myself with kittypet food.”

Onestar gave her a curious look, as if he would have liked to ask her more, but said nothing.

“I’d like to do my part,” Nightcloud continued. “You said Kestrelflight is overwhelmed — perhaps he could use my help, too.”

Onestar gave her an approving nod and stepped back a few paces. Crowfeather stared at him, dreading what his Clan leader might say to him, but also desperately needing to hear it. Am I allowed back or not? Onestar’s expression was unreadable.

Crowfeather turned nervously to Nightcloud. Now that their adventure was over, he wasn’t sure what to say to her. He had shared so much with this cat, and yet he still felt uncomfortable around her. If I’m still banished from the Clan, this might be the last time I ever speak to her.

While Crowfeather was trying to gather his thoughts, Nightcloud gave an angry flick of her tail. “Don’t worry,” she mewed. “It’s not like you have to talk to me or anything.”

Without waiting for a reply, she strode off toward the medicine-cat den.

Crowfeather felt as if he were sinking down into the ground. I blew that. Here I’ve been doing so well with Breezepelt, but I still don’t know what to say to Nightcloud. As his gaze followed her across the camp, he wondered, Have I learned anything at all? Crowfeather’s sense of guilt loomed over him like a storm cloud as he reflected on all the things he had never realized about his former mate: how brave and industrious she was, how well she had trained Hootpaw, how she had found the patience to be kind to a kittypet. He didn’t understand how he could ever have been mates with a cat he felt like he barely knew.

As Nightcloud disappeared into Kestrelflight’s den, Crowfeather realized that Onestar was standing at his shoulder. “Well, Crowfeather,” he sighed. “What am I going to do with you?”

Crowfeather turned to face his Clan leader, once again not knowing what to say. Every hair in his pelt started to rise at the thought of apologizing, when he knew he had been right to ask for ThunderClan’s help, right to challenge Onestar about blocking up the tunnels. But at the same time his heart quailed when he imagined himself walking out of the camp again, a cat without a Clan.

“I never intended—” he began.

At the same moment, Onestar spoke. “Crowfeather, you’re the worst cat I’ve ever known for getting under my fur. But I have to admit that this time, you might have had a point. I shouldn’t have tried to block the tunnels.”

Crowfeather stared at him, scarcely able to believe what he had just heard. Is he apologizing to me?

Onestar looked down at his paws, digging his claws into the ground. “Do you want to come back?” he asked, not meeting Crowfeather’s gaze.

Crowfeather wanted to yowl, “Yes!” but he made himself appear calm, and dipped his head respectfully to his Clan leader. “Yes, I’d like that, Onestar,” he mewed.

“Then you are a WindClan cat again.” Onestar raised his head, and his voice dropped into a menacing growl. “I’m welcoming you back because you rescued Nightcloud, and because the Clan needs every able-bodied warrior. But there’s a border, Crowfeather, between being difficult and being disloyal. Make sure that your paws stay on the right side of that border.”

Crowfeather tried to sound humble. “I will, Onestar.”

“Then get yourself over to Kestrelflight and ask him what you can do. And Crowfeather — see that I don’t have to remind you about this conversation. Ever.”