Thunder And Shadow

Kestrelflight shifted his paws. “Since the fight with the rogues, he doesn’t seem to trust any one.” He frowned. “If only I’d been there when he was hurt. I might have helped him.”

“There was nothing you could have done,” Jayfeather told him gruffly.

Alderpaw blinked sy m pathetically at the WindClan medicine cat, remembering his own guilt over Sandstorm’s death. Is this what it means to be a medicine cat? To always regret the lives you couldn’t save?

“Poor Onestar,” Mothwing m urm ured. “Losing a life must be hard.”

Alderpaw blinked at her. How did a RiverClan cat hear about Onestar losing a life?

Bramblestar had hinted at it in his conversation with Rowanstar, but no more. Had some cat in Lionblaze’s patrol spoken out of turn?

Jayfeather snorted. “At least he had more than one life to lose. Furzepelt probably found dy ing harder.”

Leafpool leaned closer to Kestrelflight. “Why were Gorsetail and Sedgewhisker so prickly?”

Kestrelflight lowered his voice. “Onestar’s acting strangely. He sends scouts ahead when he goes on patrol. He’s set a perm anent guard at the camp entrance. He’s enforcing every rule. Half the Clan is on punishm ent duty for breaking one code or another.” He glanced over his shoulder.

“Every one’s scared they’ll be reported. The warriors are so tense they hardly speak to one another, and the apprentices act like they’re walking on quails’ eggs.”

Jayfeather flicked his tail impatiently. “The sooner Onestar pulls him self together, the better.

Have you thought of slipping a few poppy seeds into his prey? It would give the Clan a break while he slept them off.”

Kestrelflight’s whiskers twitched with am usem ent. “I might try it.” His shoulders softened for the first time since he’d arrived.

Leafpool still looked worried. “Has there been any sign of the rogues on the m oor?”

“Not so far,” Kestrelflight answered.

Mothwing sniffed. “They must have m oved on by now. Why would they stay in territory that’s already been claim ed?”

Willowshine nodded. “Fighting us for every m orsel of prey will be way too much trouble.

They’re bound to have left.”

“Let’s hope so,” Leafpool agreed. “Rogues are usually happy to travel. It’s what makes them rogues.”

Alderpaw’s belly tightened. She didn’t know these rogues. They’d driven Sky Clan from their territory and m ade their home in the gorge. And Darktail had vowed they’d see more of him.

Should he warn the others? He glanced at Jayfeather. His m entor had overheard the rogue leader’s threat too. But the blind medicine cat was padding around Puddlepaw, sniffing the apprentice’s pelt.

“You sm ell of herbs,” Jayfeather grunted. “Leafpool must be teaching you something.”

Leafpool hurried forward. “Puddlepaw is a fast learner.”

“Good,” Jayfeather mewed. “Because we need you back in ThunderClan. Is he ready to become a full medicine cat y et?”

Already? Alderpaw’s pelt prickled with indignation. I’ll be training until I’m an elder if Jayfeather gets his way.

“A full medicine cat?” Leafpool looked at Jayfeather in horror. “After one moon’s training?”

Mothwing whisked her tail over the stone. “I’m sure you and Alderpaw can m anage to take care of ThunderClan without Leafpool for a while longer. If you ever need help, send for me or Willowshine.”

Jayfeather snorted dismissively. “We won’t need help.” His blind gaze fixed on Puddlepaw.

“But it would be good to know how long you will be wasting your talents on ShadowClan.”

Leafpool’s ears twitched crossly. “Shared knowledge is never wasted.”

Anxiety sparked in Puddlepaw’s eyes. “I appreciate every thing Leafpool has taught m e, and I’m learning as fast as I can.”

Alderpaw felt a sudden surge of pity for the young cat. Perhaps training too quickly was worse than training too slowly. In another moon Puddlepaw would be expected to take responsibility for the welfare of every cat in his Clan. “I’m sure you will be a great medicine cat,” he assured him. “It just takes patience.”

Jayfeather snapped his head around. “And the ability to tell the difference between chervil root and leaves.”

Anger pricked through Alderpaw’s pelt. “That’s not fair—”

Leafpool interrupted him. “At least we know that Alderpaw has plenty of patience.” She stared meaningfully at Jayfeather.

As though he could see her fierce gaze, Jayfeather turned away and padded to the edge of the pool. “Since there’s little else to say, let’s share with StarClan.” Crouching, he touched his nose to the water’s sm ooth surface.

Alderpaw pulled his nose tip from the chilly water, disappointed.

“Did StarClan speak to y ou?” Leafpool was looking at him hopefully.

He shook his head, straightening. He’d seen nothing but his own thoughts. Jayfeather, Kestrelflight, and Willowshine glanced at each other. Puddlepaw stared at the ground.

“Didn’t any one speak with them?” Leafpool pressed.