Thunder And Shadow

Perhaps finding her mother was a dum b idea. Even if she was still alive, she might have new kits by now. What would she care about two kits she’d abandoned moons ago? Wearily Twigpaw turned her paws toward home and padded down the slope.

Chapter 13

Violetpaw glanced over her shoulder, trying to catch a final glim pse of Twigpaw through the bracken. But the young stem s blocked her view. Doubt tugged in her belly. Should I have gone with her? She is my littermate, after all.

“Hurry up!” Needletail flicked her tail as they broke from the bracken and reached the sm ooth stretch of grass that led toward camp. “The hunting patrols will be back soon, and I’m hungry.”

Patrols! Violetpaw huffed quietly to herself. The rogues’ idea of a patrol was nothing like ShadowClan’s. Darktail would suddenly decide prey was needed and send cats to hunt, rem inding them as they left to m ark the group’s ever-changing borders. There was no sense of the organization and routine she’d been used to in ShadowClan.

Perhaps they’ll learn eventually. Violetpaw quickened her step. She had hardly recognized her sister. Twigpaw looked so different. And she seem ed so ThunderClan. Violetpaw suddenly understood what Needletail, Beenose, and the other form er ShadowClan cats meant when they j oked about ThunderClan acting as though they were better than every other Clan. Had Twigpaw really expected Violetpaw to abandon her campmates to go on som e m ouse-brained mission to find their dead mother? Violetpaw’s pelt pricked irritably. Twigpaw only comes to see me when she wants something. She hasn’t tried to find me in the four moons since I left. Hasn’t she been worried about me? She huffed to herself. She thinks her needs are more important than anyone else’s.

Besides, what m ade her think their mother was alive? Of course she’s dead. Why else would she have left them? Twigpaw thinks she’s so smart. Typical ThunderClan, Violetpaw huffed to herself crossly.

Needletail glanced at her. “What are you growling about?”

Violetpaw shook out her pelt. “Nothing.” She didn’t want to complain about Twigpaw to Needletail. Twigpaw was annoy ing, but she was kin. Although Needletail felt more like her kin now. But what about the others? Violetpaw wondered if she would ever feel as close to her other campmates as she did to Needletail. Raven wasn’t as kind as she had been before Violetpaw had j oined the group. None of the rogues were. And the ShadowClan cats who had j oined them had as little patience for her now as they’d had when she’d lived with them in ShadowClan.

But I have Needletail, Violetpaw com forted herself. She’s all I need.

Paw steps thrum m ed the ground. Violetpaw followed Needletail’s gaze as her m entor looked toward the camp. Rain and Sleekwhisker bounded toward them, each carry ing a m ouse. They skidded to a halt beside Needletail and Violetpaw.

“You’re running!” Needletail blinked at them in surprise. “Is a fox chasing y ou?”

Sleekwhisker dropped her m ouse. “Why shouldn’t we run? We were worried our campmates might be hungry.” She flashed Rain an am used look. “Weren’t we?”

Rain purred. “Sure.”

Needletail scowled j ealously at Sleekwhisker and pushed between the two cats.

Violetpaw didn’t believe either of them. She could see flattened fur on Sleekwhisker’s flank where she had been ly ing down. More than once, Violetpaw and Needletail had caught

Sleekwhisker dozing in the newleaf sunshine. Rain too. Neither of them seem ed to think hunting was very im portant these day s.

Needletail glanced at the m ice, clearly unim pressed. “That’s not going to feed us all. Let’s hope Cloverfoot and Roach got a better catch. I’m starving.”

Sleekwhisker whisked her tail crossly. “What did you catch?”

“We weren’t supposed to be hunting.” Needletail lifted her chin. “I was teaching Violetpaw som e new fighting m oves.”

Sleekwhisker stared witheringly at Violetpaw. “I don’t know why you bother training her. We don’t live in a Clan any more. Let her learn to fight and hunt the way rogues learn—by experience. Or isn’t she sm art enough?”

Needletail showed her teeth. “Violetpaw is going to be a warrior, not a rogue.”

Rain stiffened. “Are you thinking of going back to ShadowClan?”

“Of course not!” Needletail snorted. “But warriors fight better than rogues.”

Rain’s whiskers twitched. “Tell that to Onestar.”

Needletail tipped her head. “But he wasn’t fighting just any rogue.” Her mew softened flirtatiously. “He was fighting you.”