River Of Fire

Leafstar’s steady gaze rested on the two cats as if she was trying to read their thoughts. Then she lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she mewed. “But this is a difficult time for the Clans, and I can’t welcome into my Clan any cat I don’t completely trust. Knowing you followed Darktail—knowing what you did while you were with him—I can never trust you completely. You can never be part of SkyClan.”

Yowls of protest came from many of the assembled cats. Snowbird and Scorchfur drew closer to Yarrowleaf as if to protect her, while Juniperclaw’s fur bushed up and he looked ready to attack any cat who came near his sister.

“I’m sorry,” Leafstar meowed decisively. “But I want the two of you off SkyClan territory right away. If you’re so keen on joining a Clan, perhaps you should talk to ThunderClan or WindClan . . . but I cannot have you here.”

Even before she had finished speaking, Yarrowleaf let out an anguished yowl. “But this is my home! These are my kin!” More quietly she added, “I could never be a ThunderClan or WindClan cat.”

“You will never be a SkyClan cat, either,” Leafstar responded calmly. “Sandynose, Macgyver, escort them to the border.”

The two warriors she had named stepped to the side of the two ShadowClan cats. Sandynose jerked his head toward the fern tunnel, while Macgyver gave Sleekwhisker a shove. She responded with a furious hiss but didn’t try to resist.

For a moment Violetshine was afraid that the former ShadowClan cats would attack. Scorchfur in particular was growling with rage, his tail lashing. But he did nothing as his daughter and Sleekwhisker were led away.

“What about my kits?” Yarrowleaf was wailing as she vanished into the tunnel with Sandynose hard on her paws. “I have nowhere to go. . . .”

Violetshine could feel tension in the air as the sounds died away, like the ominous sensation before a thunderstorm.

“How could you?” Snowbird turned on Leafstar, her eyes full of grief. “That was my daughter—the daughter I thought was dead! And you’ve driven her out to have her kits in the forest.”

Juniperclaw faced Leafstar at Snowbird’s side. “There are cats in SkyClan right now who followed Darktail,” he pointed out, his whiskers quivering with fury. “I’m one of them. Will you drive us out too, one day? Don’t you believe that a cat can change?”

“Obviously she doesn’t,” Scorchfur sneered. “I wanted to believe that this combination of Clans would work, but this has just made it clear that Leafstar has no business making decisions for ShadowClan cats. She didn’t grow up with us. She doesn’t understand our bonds!”

More than ever, Violetshine was afraid that the argument would grow into a full-scale fight. She glanced around for Hawkwing, knowing that her father would help, but there was no sign of him; clearly the SkyClan deputy wasn’t in camp.

Then, to Violetshine’s amazement, Tawnypelt turned on her Clanmates, standing at Leafstar’s side.

“Be quiet, all of you!” she snarled at them. “Like it or not, Leafstar is our leader now. She was chosen by StarClan. Do you want to go against StarClan?”

“Leafstar was chosen by StarClan to lead SkyClan,” Juniperclaw muttered. “Not us.”

Tawnypelt merely glared at him, and after a moment Juniperclaw turned his head away.

“Leafstar made the right decision,” Tawnypelt went on. “Those cats are traitors. If any of the rest of you want to be traitors, the way out of camp is right there.”

Violetshine half expected that some of the cats would leave. Snowbird took a hesitant step or two toward the tunnel, but Scorchfur shook his head, laying his tail comfortingly on her shoulder. Gradually, the tension subsided.

“Well, why are you standing around here?” Leafstar asked, fighting to take back control. Violetshine thought she sounded shaken, perhaps more by Tawnypelt’s unexpected defense than by the hostility of the other cats. “There’s work to be done.”

Gradually the group broke up, most of them heading for their dens. Frecklewish called to her apprentice, Fidgetpaw, and led him out of camp to collect herbs. Rowanclaw gathered a patrol and left camp to hunt.

Violetshine stood still, gazing at the fern tunnel where Sleekwhisker and Yarrowleaf had vanished, not sure what she should do. Did I mess up by bringing them here? she asked herself. What will happen to them now?

Then she felt a tail stroke gently along her flank, and turned to see Tree. He stood close to her, nuzzling her shoulder. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m not sure how I feel,” Violetshine murmured. “I don’t really trust Yarrowleaf and Sleekwhisker. It was so terrible when Darktail was in control of ShadowClan, and it was Sleekwhisker who helped him kill Needletail.”

Tree rasped his tongue over her ear. “I know she meant a lot to you.”

“She was my best friend—my only friend. Sleekwhisker and Darktail tried to drown her in the lake, while Roach and Raven held me back so I couldn’t help her.” Violetshine shivered. “I still dream about it.”