Thunder And Shadow

She nosed her way through the entrance, the well-trodden brambles sm ooth beneath her paws, and dropped onto the ground outside. Stars sparkled in the wide black sky like dew on a soft pelt. The moon shone, blanching the clearing with crisp light. A chill cut through Violetkit’s fur, but she hardly felt it.

“Are we going out of the camp?” she whispered to Needlepaw.

Needlepaw swished her tail along Violetkit’s spine. “Yes.”

Violetkit watched Needlepaw’s green gaze flick past her. She followed it, stiffening as she saw another she-cat standing in the shadows. Her y ellow fur shim m ered, ghostlike, in the gloom.

“I still don’t see why we have to take her.”

Sleekpaw! Violetkit shivered as she recognized the apprentice’s mew. There was scorn in it.

Sleekpaw had never even looked at Violetkit before, stalking past her as though walking past stale fresh-kill when she passed her in camp. She stared at her now, and Violetkit fought the urge to back away. Spite glittered in the older cat’s gaze. Confused, Violetkit looked back at Needlepaw. “I don’t understand. Is Sleekpaw coming to m eet Twigkit too?”

Sleekpaw tipped her head sideway s. “Is that what you usually do?” She stared questioningly at Needlepaw.

Needlepaw flicked her tail. “May be.”

“Really?”

Violetkit felt a shiver of unease as Sleekpaw spoke. The y ellow apprentice m ade the word sound like a threat.

Needlepaw lashed her tail. “Don’t be such a fox-heart, Sleekpaw. I asked you to come with me tonight because I trusted y ou.”

Sleekpaw’s expression changed, like dawn breaking through darkness. “Of course you can trust m e. I love sharing secrets.” She glanced at Violetkit. “But can you trust her?”

Violetkit lifted her tail indignantly. “Of course she can! I’m her friend.”

Sleekpaw’s whiskers twitched with am usem ent. She thrust her m uzzle close to Violetkit’s. “Then y ou’d better keep your mew quiet. Unless y ou’re trying to wake the whole camp.”

“Come on!” Needlepaw padded toward the narrow tunnel that led to the dirtplace.

Violetkit scampered after her. She wanted to ask again why Sleekpaw was coming with them, but Sleekpaw was close behind her. Needlepaw knows best, she reasoned. Perhaps it’s in case we run into the rogues. Suddenly she felt reassured. Of course! Sleekpaw was coming to protect them.

She ducked through the tunnel after Needlepaw, her nose wrinkling as she sm elled the dirtplace. Outside, they veered away from it, following the track they’d used last tim e.

Excitem ent twitched through Violetkit’s pelt. She was going to m eet Twigkit again. They could play cat and m ouse. And she could show Twigkit how much she’d grown. Perhaps she’s grown too.

Needlepaw padded past a bramble and kept going straight.

Violetkit frowned. They’d traced the curve of the brambles last time and crossed the ditches.

“Are we going the right way?” she ventured uneasily.

“‘Are we going the right way?’” Sleekpaw m im icked her, squeaking like a kit.

Embarrassment flashed hot through Violetkit’s fur.

Needlepaw glanced over her shoulder, exchanging a look with Sleekpaw.

Worry twisted in Violetkit’s belly. Was this a safer route to the ThunderClan border? She didn’t dare ask in case Sleekpaw m ade fun of her again.

They trekked on, Violetkit’s paws growing tired. She half hoped that Needlepaw would offer her another lift on her shoulders, but pushed the hope away. Sleekpaw would m ock her if she let

Needlepaw carry her like a weak kit.

Before long the needles began to grow squishy beneath her paws, turning to m ud as they headed farther from the camp. Bram bles turned to bracken beside the trail. The trees crowded closer, blocking out the moonlight so that Violetkit had to open her eyes wide to see where she was going. Had Alderpaw had suggested a new m eeting place?

Tiny paws skittered over the path ahead. Needlepaw pricked her ears, her tail twitching. She bounded forward, and the bracken swished as she dived through it.

Violetkit halted, her nose twitching as she sm elled m ouse.

Sleekpaw stopped beside her and licked her lips as she stared at the bracken.

Needlepaw nosed her way out, a dead m ouse dangling from her jaws.

“Nice catch.” Sleekpaw padded toward her. She sniffed the m ouse.

Needlepaw dropped it. “Do you want first bite?” she asked the y ellow apprentice.

Violetkit blinked at them in surprise. “I thought apprentices were only meant to hunt for the Clan.”

Sleekpaw snorted. “Don’t be such a cleanpaw.”

“The rest of the Clan is asleep,” Needlepaw pointed out. “I don’t think they’d want us to wake them up for a m orsel of fresh-kill.”

Sleekpaw batted the m ouse toward Violetkit. “Let’s pretend Needlepaw caught it for y ou.

You’re Clan, aren’t y ou?” Her eyes narrowed. “Oh, no. I forgot. You weren’t even born here.”

She hooked the m ouse back with a claw and took a bite. “I guess I should eat it.”