Thunder And Shadow

She could hear Needletail m urm uring bey ond the long grass. Needletail had been growing closer and closer to Rain. She won’t leave him. Especially not now. And if they did become mates, would Needletail still have time for Violetpaw? I’d be alone here.

Quietly Violetpaw got to her paws and clim bed from her nest. Heart pounding in her ears, she tiptoed across the clearing. She paused beside Nettle, who was snoring gently now, and strained to see past him through the grass but could make out nothing but shadow. She wanted to tell

Needletail she was leaving, and to thank her. But she didn’t dare risk being caught.

“Don’t worry, Rain. It’ll hurt less soon.”

She listened to the soft m urm ur of her friend. This would be the first time in moons she’d be without her. Good-bye, Needletail. Her heart aching, she turned away and headed out of camp.

The scent of pine and m oss filled her nose as dawn broke and early newleaf sunshine seeped into ShadowClan territory. Violetpaw crouched beneath a bramble a tree-length from the camp wall. A j uicy rabbit lay beside her. Would it be enough?

Rowanstar had turned Darktail away when he had come bringing a gift of prey. And he’d told Needletail to take her. You did ShadowClan no favors by finding her. There’s been nothing but trouble since she arrived. We’re better off without her. His words still rang in her head, as they had in the moons since she’d left. Was she wasting her time even try ing to come back? Perhaps she should head straight for ThunderClan territory and beg Bramblestar to take her in. Twigpaw would support her, wouldn’t she?

Her heart quickened with fear. What if no Clan wanted her? What if they saw her as trouble: just an extra m outh to feed? The rogues would never forgive her for leaving. She’d be a loner.

“Who’s there?”

Tawny pelt’s mew took her by surprise. A tortoiseshell m uzzle pushed through the brambles, and Violetpaw found herself staring into the warrior’s green eyes. “Violetkit?” She blinked.

“I’m Violetpaw now,” Violetpaw mewed uncertainly. She’d had no nam ing cerem ony.

Needletail had decided it was time she began her training. Did that mean she wasn’t a proper

’paw?

Tawny pelt backed out. “Come out here.” She sounded stern.

Nervously Violetpaw grabbed the rabbit between her jaws and crept out.

Spikefur and Tigerheart stared at her from behind Tawny pelt.

“Are you hunting on our land?” Tawny pelt stared at her, shocked.

Violetpaw dropped the rabbit. “I caught it before I crossed the border.” She wasn’t going to make the sam e m istake as Darktail.

“Why did you come here?” Tawny pelt dem anded.

Violetpaw could see confusion and anger in the tortoiseshell’s gaze. “I want to come back to ShadowClan.” She stared at her paws, her mew hardly more than a whisper.

Spikefur growled. “You chose to leave. You no longer have a place here.”

“Rowanstar told Needletail to take m e.” Violetpaw lifted her gaze, forcing herself to be brave.

“I know I was never really wanted here. But I was hoping I could make a place for m y self.”

Spikefur glared at her. “As what? The Clan traitor?”

“Hush!” Tawny pelt turned on her Clanmate. “She wasn’t the only one who left.”

“They’re all traitors!” Spikefur hissed.

Tigerheart pushed in front of the angry tom. “Violetpaw was only a kit when she left. And Rowanstar did tell Needletail to take her. She can’t be held responsible for her decision.”

Tawny pelt was looking at the rabbit. “Did you catch that y ourself?”

“Yes,” Violetpaw told her m eekly.

Spikefur nudged Tigerheart away. “She m ay have brought others with her!”

Violetpaw puffed out her chest. “I cam e here by m y self! The others don’t even know I’m gone.”

Tawny pelt poked the rabbit with a paw. “It’s a good-sized catch. I can see y ou’re not a kit any more.” She nodded toward the camp. “Come on. We’ll let Rowanstar decide what to do with y ou.”

Rowanstar was resting beside the great rock at the edge of the clearing as Tawny pelt, Spikefur, and Tigerheart escorted Violetpaw into camp. Tigerheart carried the rabbit. As they crossed the clearing, Violetpaw ignored the stares of the ShadowClan cats. She heard Kinkfur whispering to Oakfur outside the elders’ den but couldn’t make out her words. Pinenose watched her from the warriors’ den. Violetpaw avoided the she-cat’s gaze, sham e pricking through her fur. She guessed that Pinenose wasn’t thinking any thing good about her. Stonewing and Wasptail looked up from washing as she passed the warriors’ den. Dawnpelt was rum m aging through the fresh-kill pile, picking at last night’s leftovers. Violetpaw glanced toward the nursery, hoping to catch a glim pse of Whorlkit, Snakekit, and Flowerkit. Perhaps they were apprentices by now. But the nursery was silent, lit by the early m orning sunshine.