Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER

Rowanstar - ginger tom

DEPUTY

Crowfrost - black-and-white tom

MEDICINE CAT

Littlecloud - very small tabby tom
Apprentice, Seedpaw (very small gray tom with ruffled fur and gray eyes)

WARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits)

Tawnypelt - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice, Needlepaw (sleek silver she-cat with white chest fur and green eyes)

Tigerheart - dark brown tabby tom

Spikefur - dark brown tom with tufty fur on his head
Apprentice, Yarrowpaw (ginger she-cat with yellow eyes)

Scorchfur - dark gray tom with slashed ears, one of which is torn
Apprentice, Wisppaw (small silver she-cat with teal eyes)

Snowbird - sleek, lithe, well-muscled, pure white she-cat with green eyes

Berryheart - black and white she-cat

Cloverfoot - gray tabby she-cat

Rippletail - white tom
Apprentice, Stonepaw (white tom with a kinked tail)

Sparrowtail - large tabby tom

Mistcloud - spiky-furred, pale gray she-cat
Apprentice, Wasppaw (yellow tabby she-cat with green eyes)

Grassheart - pale brown tabby she-cat
Apprentice, Beepaw (plump white she-cat with black ears)

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Pinenose - black she-cat

Dawnpelt - cream-furred she-cat (mother to Sleekkit, Juniperkit, and Strikekit)

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Oakfur - small brown tom

Kinkfur - tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles

Ratscar - brown tom with long scar across his back

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER

Bramblestar - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

DEPUTY

Squirrelflight - dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw (mother to Alderkit, a dark ginger tom-kit with amber eyes, and Sparkkit, an orange tabby she-kit)

MEDICINE CATS

Leafpool - light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and white paws and chest

Jayfeather - gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

WARRIORS

Brackenfur - golden-brown tabby tom

Cloudtail - long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Brightheart - white she-cat with ginger patches

Thornclaw - golden-brown tabby tom

Whitewing - white she-cat with green eyes

Birchfall - light brown tabby tom

Berrynose - cream-colored tom with a stump for a tail

Mousewhisker - gray-and-white tom

Poppyfrost - tortoiseshell she-cat

Cinderheart - gray tabby she-cat

Lionblaze - golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Rosepetal - dark cream she-cat

Briarlight - dark brown she-cat, paralyzed in her hindquarters

Blossomfall - tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with petal-shaped white patches

Bumblestripe - very pale gray tom with black stripes

Ivypool - silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Dovewing - pale gray she-cat with green eyes

Cherryfall - ginger she-cat

Molewhisker - brown-and-cream tom

Snowbush - white, fluffy tom

Ambermoon - pale ginger she-cat

Dewnose - gray-and-white tom

Stormcloud - (formerly Frankie); gray tabby tom

Hollytuft - black she-cat

Fernsong - yellow tabby tom

Sorrelstripe - dark brown she-cat

QUEENS

Daisy - cream, long-furred cat from the horseplace

Lilyheart - small, dark tabby she-cat with white patches and blue eyes (mother to Leafkit, a tortoiseshell she-kit, Larkkit, a black tom-kit, and Honeykit, a white she-kit with yellow splotches)

ELDERS

Purdy - plump tabby, former loner with a gray muzzle

Graystripe - long-haired gray tom

Sandstorm - pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Millie - striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

WINDCLAN

LEADER

Onestar - brown tabby tom

DEPUTY

Harespring - brown-and-white tom

MEDICINE CAT

Kestrelflight - mottled gray tom with white splotches like kestrel feathers

WARRIORS

Nightcloud - black she-cat

Gorsetail - very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

Crowfeather - dark gray tom
Apprentice, Fernpaw (gray tabby she-cat)

Leaftail - dark tabby tom, amber eyes

Emberfoot - gray tom with two dark paws

Breezepelt - black tom with amber eyes

Furzepelt - gray-and-white she-cat

Larkwing - pale brown tabby she-cat

Sedgewhisker - light brown tabby she-cat

Slightfoot - black tom with white flash on his chest

Oatclaw - pale brown tabby tom

Featherpelt - gray tabby she-cat

Hootwhisker - dark gray tom

QUEENS

Heathertail - light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Smokekit, a gray she-kit, and Brindlekit, a mottled brown she-kit)

ELDERS

Whitetail - small white she-cat

RIVERCLAN

LEADER

Mistystar - gray she-cat with blue eyes

DEPUTY

Reedwhisker - black tom

MEDICINE CATS

Mothwing - dappled golden she-cat

Willowshine - gray tabby she-cat

WARRIORS

Mintfur - light gray tabby tom

Duskfur - brown tabby she-cat
Apprentice, Shadepaw (dark brown she-cat)

Minnowtail - dark gray she-cat

Mallownose - light brown tabby tom

Petalfur - gray-and-white she-cat

Curlfeather - pale brown she-cat

Podlight - gray-and-white tom

Heronwing - dark gray-and-black tom

Shimmerpelt - silver she-cat

Lizardtail - light brown tom
Apprentice, Foxpaw (russet tabby tom)

Havenpelt - black-and-white she-cat

Perchwing - gray-and-white she-cat

Sneezecloud - gray-and-white tom

Brackenpelt - tortoiseshell she-cat

Jayclaw - gray tom

Owlnose - brown tabby tom

Lakeheart - gray tabby she-cat

QUEENS

Icewing - white she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Nightkit and Breezekit)

ELDERS

Mosspelt - tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Chapter Text

“This is watermint,” Seedpaw identified a purple flower. “You chew it to a pulp, and feed it to a cat to cure bellyache.”

“Correct,” Littlecloud nodded. “And this?” The old brown tabby nudged forward a bright yellow flower.

“Seedpaw,” The medicine-cat apprentice’s review was interrupted by a call from the clearing. The brambles rustled as Needlepaw entered the den. “I’m going hunting in the dark tonight.”

“That is marigold,” Seedpaw ignored his littermate. “It’s used for treating infections…”

“Furball,” Needlepaw complained. “I’m trying to talk to you.”

Nope, not dealing with you again. “This is yarrow…” Seedpaw continued.

After a few heartbeats, Needlepaw sighed. “You’re no fun. Sometimes, I forget you’re supposed to be my littermate.” She turned away and left, dejected. Littlecloud looked up, curious, but Seedpaw continued to focus on the herbs.

“And these,” he pointed at the bright red berries, “are deathberries. They are extremely dangerous, and they can kill a cat in seconds. They can be used to end a dying cat’s life quickly and…” Seedpaw’s mind wandered off. How can a simple berry kill a cat so quickly? Does it starve him? Burn him from the inside? He pondered. How painless is it really-

“Seedpaw!” Littlecloud’s voice jolted Seedpaw from his thoughts. “You okay?”

“Yes.” Seedpaw shook his head. “Let’s continue.”

Littlecloud stopped him. “You know, Needlepaw has a point. You didn’t play with your Clanmates much when you were a kit, and you would barely talk with them now.” He flicked his tail out of the den. “Go outside. Talk with your Clanmates. The herbs aren’t going anywhere.”

Seedpaw dipped his head to Littlecloud and exited the medicine den. Stonepaw and Wasppaw were talking to each other at the fresh-kill pile; they ignored Seedpaw as he approached them and picked a tiny shrew for himself.

“You’re not going to tell her?” Seedpaw heard Wasppaw ask Stonepaw. “If you really like Grassheart, you will need to tell her eventually.”

“What? No!” Stonepaw exclaimed. “Great StarClan, what if she thinks I’m weird?”

Seedpaw watched as the two older apprentices continued gossiping about relationships. Such trivial topics, he thought to himself. Littlecloud wants me to talk with them? Why couldn’t we talk about-

“Hey, Seedpaw! Done with training?” Wisppaw padded up beside him. Her silver pelt looked like that of Needlepaw’s, but her teal eyes, silver chest fur, and relatively small - yet not petite - stature distinguished her from both of her littermates.

“I think so,” Seedpaw muttered. “I’m not sure. Littlecloud wants me to talk to the other apprentices.”

“Oh, what a nightmare!” Wisppaw purred jokingly. “Anyways, it shouldn’t be that bad.” She gestured towards the larger apprentices in front of them. “Go ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”

Seedpaw reluctantly stepped forward. How do you think deathberries kill a cat? But as he opened his jaws to ask that question, a large yowl, filled with shock and grief, rang from the forest.

What happened? Stonepaw and Wasppaw, apparently thinking the same thing, ran towards the entrance, along with Rowanstar, Tigerheart, and Dawnpelt. Relieved but also frustrated that he missed a chance to start a conversation, Seedpaw followed the warriors out into the forest, Wisppaw running behind him.

“Needlepaw!” Seedpaw heard the yowl again. Great StarClan! Seedpaw thought to himself, unsure if he was annoyed or anxious. Did she get stuck in a tree again?

“Tawnypelt!” Rowanstar exclaimed when they reached the tortoiseshell she-cat. “What happened? Where is Needlepaw?”

Tawnypelt looked down from the sky and stared at her mate with eyes full of shock and grief. “An owl got her.”

The stars gazed down on the clearing as the warriors gathered for the vigil. Wisppaw leaned on Berryheart and Sparrowtail next to Seedpaw, tears streaming down her cheeks. Tawnypelt sat with her head bowed with Rowanstar. Seedpaw heard kits stumbling as Dawnpelt led them out of the nursery. Sleekkit, Juniperkit, and Strikekit, Seedpaw recognized. Needlepaw probably played with them while I was preparing for my apprenticeship.

Seedpaw felt a twinge of regret that he didn’t spend much time with his sister. Maybe I should have listened to what she had to say. He pushed that thought aside. I have my responsibilities to the Clan. Nothing I could have done would have prevented this.

Tawnypelt was the first to speak. “Needlepaw was always lively and cheerful. Even though she made mistakes, she had always wanted to do the best for the Clan. No cat could have asked for a better apprentice.”

Berryheart stepped forward. “She was always getting into trouble as a kit. I remember how Seedpaw came to camp telling me how she got stuck in a tree. It took us half the day to get her out.”

Yes, and it took the other half for Berryheart to finish scolding me for leaving camp. Seedpaw’s fur prickled with resentment. How was I supposed to stop Needlepaw from taking me out? She’s roughly twice my size!

Seedpaw realized with a jolt that he missed what his father and sister had said, and it was his turn. “Needlepaw,” he started awkwardly. “She, uh- she never wanted to be left alone. I’ve always thought she was a toad-brain.” He grasped wildly for words. “But she’s definitely spirited, and I’m sure she’s watching over us from StarClan now.”

If the other cats were unimpressed by Seedpaw’s words, they didn’t show it. The kits talked about how Needlepaw had played with them, shown them ways to sneak out of camp, and dared them to do things. Seedpaw watched Rowanstar’s expression, surprised that he showed no anger as the kits openly confessed their and Needlepaw’s mischief.

“Needlepaw can do anything.” Sleekkit’s eyes were bright. Do anything? Seedpaw reflected. Well, she couldn’t free herself from a tree - or an owl.

As the vigil ended with the night, Seedpaw shook himself, embarrassed by his thoughts. Don’t get too hung up on it, Seedpaw.

Seedpaw bit the leaves of a wild garlic bulb. Huh, never thought I would see one of these. He pulled the garlic out from the ground. Littlecloud said that they were used in the old forest territories to draw out the poison from rat bites. He also said that they smelled terrible. He replanted the garlic with the rest of the patch. Maybe I’ll tell him about this after I find the juniper berries.

A call faintly rang in the forest. Seedpaw froze. That voice sounded familiar… He padded towards the source of the sound, curiosity guiding his paws. He heard another voice, responding to the call.

As he walked closer and closer, he heard the conversation more clearly. Tawnypelt’s patrol, and… Needlepaw? Confusion filled his mind. Isn’t she dead?

“You sat vigil? ” Needlepaw’s voice was shocked. “Weren’t you searching for me? I waited for you to come find me.”

“I saw the owl take you!” Tawnypelt defended herself. “You were so limp, I thought it had broken your spine.”

“Didn’t you even send out a patrol to search?” Needlepaw’s mew cracked.

No, we didn’t go chasing an owl to find a corpse. Seedpaw was puzzled. Why was Needlepaw so upset? She was alive, and her Clanmates gave her the honor of a vigil in the first place. I’m never speaking at a vigil again. Seedpaw shuddered at the memory of last night.

“When I found her, she’d sat up all night waiting for you to come.” Seedpaw realized that a new cat was talking. He looked through the undergrowth. A yellow tom was standing behind an injured Needlepaw, staring at Tawnypelt’s patrol accusingly. “She’d even caught a vole and was saving it for when you got to her.”

Oh, so she finally caught something. Seedpaw felt a little guilty that he wasn’t rejoicing the return of his sister, but he pushed that guilt aside. Needlepaw will have more than enough Clanmates welcoming her back, he thought as Tawnypelt profusely apologized to Needlepaw.

Seedpaw looked back at the yellow tom. Who is he? Cloverfoot and Scorchfur, the other cats in Tawnypelt’s patrol, gazed at the outsider, apparently thinking the same thing.

“This is Tree,” Needlepaw explained. “He showed me the way home.” Her ears perked up. “Perhaps he can come live with ShadowClan. He’s clever and brave, and he taught himself to hunt.” Seedpaw stopped listening to Needlepaw boast about her new friend. Did she hit her head too hard escaping from the owl?

“He’s a loner,” Tawnypelt meowed when Needlepaw trailed off. “Loners aren’t happy in Clans.”

“They find it harder to settle in one place,” Cloverfoot agreed.

Tree lifted his chin. “Your Clanmates are right, Needlepaw. I like to be free to roam wherever I wish. Besides, I was heading away from the lake when I found you. I only came back to make sure you returned to your Clan safely.” He dipped his head. “It’s good to meet you. Needlepaw’s told me so much about you.”

“We could ask Rowanstar,” Needlepaw suggested after a few heartbeats.

Tawnypelt shifted her paws. “We are very grateful to Tree for bringing you home, but you heard him; he doesn’t want to join our Clan.”

More importantly, we don’t want him joining our Clan. Seedpaw couldn’t understand why Needlepaw was so adamant to let the loner join ShadowClan. I doubt she even knows him; for all we know, he could decide to abandon the Clan when times get tough or he runs into a disagreement with the code.

As Tawnypelt’s patrol led Needlepaw back to camp, Needlepaw stopped. “Wait,” she mewed. “I have to say good-bye properly and thank him.”

“Okay, but be quick,” Tawnypelt allowed reluctantly. “Sparrowtail and Berryheart have been mourning you too long already, as have Seedpaw and Wisppaw.”

Needlepaw scurried off to the loner. “Tree! Wait!” Seedpaw quietly followed to listen to the conversation. What is she doing?

“Thanks, Tree. You’ve been a really good friend. I’m sorry they wouldn’t let you join the Clan. I know you’d have been a great Clanmate.”

“You’re friends are probably right. I’d find it hard to settle down.”

“Come with me! I’ll take you to Rowanstar and explain everything. You can tell him about your mother and your sister and the big tom who stole your home. Once he knows everything, he’s bound to let you join.”

“Your Clanmates will be angry if you go behind their backs. And I don’t want to be where I’m not wanted. Besides, I’m used to being a loner. I can travel where I want and hunt where I like.” After a few heartbeats of silence, Tree continued. “I’m glad I met you, though. You’re the first real friend I’ve had.”

“I will always be your friend,” Needlepaw’s voice sounded anguished. And suddenly, from behind the undergrowth, Seedpaw was sure why Needlepaw so desperately wanted Tree to join ShadowClan. And I don’t like one mousetail about it.

“Look after yourself,” Tree called before leaving. Needlepaw stood there watching, her tail on the ground. The leaves rustled as Seedpaw emerged from the undergrowth. “Hello, Needlepaw.”

“Seedpaw!” Needlepaw turned around and ran towards him. Seedpaw stopped her with his tail.

“What do you think you were doing?”

Needlepaw’s joy was quickly overshadowed by bewilderment. “What do you mean?”

Seedpaw narrowed his eyes. “You know what I mean. You wanted ShadowClan to take in a loner.”

“But Tree-”

“I know, Tree guided you back. But showing you the way back home doesn’t make him fit for Clan life.” Seedpaw turned his back towards Needlepaw. “You’re too young to take a mate, anyways.” He pads away as Needlepaw furiously denied his claim.

“He’s not-”

Seedpaw ignored the hiss, along with the guilt clawing inside of him for reproaching Needlepaw when he had just learned she’s alive. Just look for juniper berries, he told himself.

Chapter Text

“I’m Needlepaw. This is Sleekpaw, and that’s Beepaw. And that is my sister Wisppaw.” Wisppaw felt her sister’s tail touch her shoulder.

“Oh, hi there,” Wisppaw mewed, turning around to see two apprentices: a dark ginger tom and an orange tabby she-cat. She hasn’t seen them before in any previous Gatherings, but she recognized the scent of ThunderClan.

“Hi,” Beepaw meowed to the newcomers, shifting to make room for them under the bush where they were crouching. She was the oldest in the group, having been apprenticed to Grassheart in the leaf-fall when Wisppaw had been born. Less than a moon ago, however, Grassheart had moved to the nursery expecting kits, so Beepaw was reassigned to Dawnpelt, who had moved out of the nursery when Sleekpaw was apprenticed on the same day. “We’re from ShadowClan.”

“Is this your first Gathering?” Needlepaw asked. “It’s my second - I’ve been an apprentice for three moons.”

“Yes, it’s our first,” the ginger tom responded. “I’m Alderpaw, and this is Sparkpaw.”

“We’re from ThunderClan,” the orange she-cat added.

“Are you really?” Needlepaw’s eyes widened. “Does that mean you want to boss all the other cats in the forest around?”

“No, it does not!” Sparkpaw exclaimed with a lash of her tail, while Alderpaw’s neck fur bristled. “What are you even talking about?” Sparkpaw went on. “Why would you insult us like that?”

“All right, keep your fur on,” Needlepaw meowed, with an amused glance at her Clanmates. “I was only teasing. All the Clans have reputations with the others. ThunderClan cats are bossy, WindClan cats get scared and run away, and RiverClan cats are too fat and lazy to hunt properly.”

Wisppaw barely suppressed a purr of laughter as the ThunderClan apprentices glanced at each other in shock. Wow, ThunderClan cats are stiff as well. But when she turned to see her brother, sitting with his mentor near the great oak, her amusement dwindled. Seedpaw was watching her as if he was listening to the conversation, and the hard gaze in his gray eyes showed no sign of humor or agreement.

Ever since Needlepaw escaped from the owl and returned to ShadowClan a few moons ago, she and Seedpaw had refused to talk together. Neither of them answered when Wisppaw asked why they had fallen out. Wisppaw has had to choose between her sister and her brother on numerous occasions, and while she was ecstatic that Needlepaw survived, she chose to spend more and more time with Seedpaw, trying in vain to help him talk to the other ShadowClan apprentices. But Needlepaw seems happy now, Wisppaw thought contently. I guess she has forgiven us for sitting vigil instead of looking for her.

“Well, I think it’s stupid.” Sleekpaw’s remark snapped Wisppaw out of her memories. “What Clan you’re in doesn’t decide what you’re like. It’s just where you’re born. Some of the cats in ShadowClan are every bit as bossy as ThunderClan.”

Like Rowanstar. Wisppaw purred. I bet he must be bossier than even Firestar! She glanced back at Seedpaw. He was shaking his head. No?

Rowanstar’s voice rang out across the clearing. “Cats of all Clans!” Wisppaw looked up, watching as the ShadowClan leader stood tall and proud on his branch. “Welcome to the Gathering. Mistystar, would you like to speak first?”

The gray-blue she-cat dipped her head as she rose to her paws. “RiverClan is doing well,” she began. “The lake is full of fish…”

“RiverClan cats eat fish!” exclaimed Beepaw. “Can you imagine? No wonder they’re so smelly.”

Wisppaw tried not to recoil at the stench of the ThunderClan apprentices as she sniffed the air.

“A new litter of four kits has been born to Lakeheart,” Mistystar announced, then dipped her head again to Rowanstar before resuming her seat.

“Onestar?” Rowanstar gestured to the WindClan leader.

“Hunting has been good on the moor,” Onestar announced.

“I bet he hasn’t done much hunting,” Needlepaw muttered. “Creaky old mange-pelt!”

“Yeah, my mentor said he couldn’t catch a blind hedgehog, never mind a rabbit,” Sleekpaw responded, prompting a suppressed snort of laughter from Sparkpaw.

“Some rogues passed through the edges of our territory,” Onestar continued. “Crowfeather led a patrol to keep an eye on them, and the rogues left without making any trouble. They’ll be a long way away by now.”

“I’d have clawed their ears off if they’d come to ShadowClan,” Beepaw murmured, sliding out her claws. “That’d teach them not to trespass on our territory.”

“WindClan has always been weak,” Needlepaw added. “That’s what I heard Tawnypelt telling Crowfrost, anyway.”

Sleekpaw bent forward to mutter something into Needlepaw’s ear. Wisppaw caught the words “…bet ShadowClan … beat WindClan and … tails tucked between their legs.”

Now it was the ThunderClan leader’s time to speak. “The prey is running well in ThunderClan,” Bramblestar meowed. “And two new apprentices, Alderpaw and Sparkpaw, have begun training with their mentors, Molewhisker and Cherryfall.”

“Alderpaw! Sparkpaw!” Wisppaw joined the others in celebrating the new apprentices. Alderpaw licked his chest fur in embarrassment, while Sparkpaw was proudly preening in the welcoming yowls.

Bramblestar had taken his seat on the branch again, and Rowanstar stepped forward.

“Prey is plentiful in ShadowClan,” he reported.

“Honestly!” Wisppaw heard her sister whisper. “Does any cat expect him to say anything else? If we were all starving, he’d say just the same. He must think we’re all mouse-brained.”

“Twolegs are still using the greenleaf Twolegplace on our territory,” Rowanstar went on, apparently oblivious to Needlepaw’s remarks. “But they haven’t caused much trouble, and as the weather gets colder over the next couple of moons, we don’t expect to see much of them.”

“And it can’t be soon enough for me,” Needlepaw muttered.

“Two of our apprentices have been made warriors.” Rowanstar glanced down proudly, sweeping his tail around to indicate a white tom and a yellow she-cat, who stood close together near the great oak. “Stonewing and Wasptail.”

“Stonewing! Wasptail!” The two new warriors stood up straighter, their eyes gleaming, as their Clanmates yowled their names enthusiastically. Most of the other cats joined in.

“Also,” Rowanstar continued when the clamor had died down, “three kits have been made apprentices. Sleekpaw is apprenticed to Tigerheart, Juniperpaw to Stonewing, and Strikepaw to Wasptail.”

Instead of yowling to acclaim the new apprentices, a murmur of surprise arose from all the cats. Onestar looked sharply at the ginger tom. “Is ShadowClan really giving apprentices to brand-new warriors now?” he asked disapprovingly.

“By the time ShadowClan cats are warriors,” Rowanstar retorted, the faintest suggestion of a growl in his voice, “they’re ready for anything. Other Clans need to stay out of ShadowClan business.” Wisppaw nearly purred out loud at the deflection.

“ShadowClan has lots of apprentices,” Needlepaw informed the ThunderClan apprentices when they looked confused. “Rowanstar doesn’t know what to do with us all.”

“Ha! I got Scorchfur,” Wisppaw added. “He’s very relaxed, and he defends me when Rowanstar claims I’m not training hard enough.”

“That’s nice for you,” Sparkpaw mewed flatly.

The four Clan leaders were now huddled together in the branches of the oak tree, speaking to one another in low tones. A moment later, Rowanstar stepped forward again. “The medicine cats have something to say to all the Clans,” he announced. “Something important that they have only discussed with their leaders so far.”

A tense silence fell among the Clans as the medicine cats gathered together in front of the great oak.

“That old tom must be Littlecloud from ShadowClan,” Wisppaw heard Alderpaw murmur to Sparkpaw.

“So the cat with the splotchy gray fur is Kestrelflight from WindClan.” Sparkpaw responded.

“What about that tiny cat with the ruffled gray fur?” Alderpaw asked.

Wisppaw’s eyes brightened with pride. “That’s my brother, Seedpaw.”

The medicine cats conferred together rapidly before Kestrelflight leaped up onto one of the oak roots beside the deputies.

“All of us have shared a vision,” he began. “We received a prophecy that is vital to all our Clans.”

Meows of shock and confusion rose from the cats around him as he finished speaking.

“Why would StarClan give you a shared vision?”

“Which cat spoke to you all?”

“It’s been seasons since we had a prophecy!”

The clamor grew louder and louder until Jayfeather stood up, lashing his tail. “For StarClan’s sake, shut up and listen!” he snapped.

Gradually the noise died down, until Kestrelflight could make himself heard again. “Firestar spoke to us first,” he reported.

“Oh, yeah, it would be Firestar!” Needlepaw muttered. “He has his tail in every cat’s business even now he’s dead.”

“He said, ‘Embrace what you find in the shadows, for only they can clear the sky.’”

“And what did he mean by that?” Harespring, the WindClan deputy, asked.

“We don’t know,” Kestrelflight replied.

Harespring sniffed. “Well, great.”

When Kestrelflight fell silent, agitated voices rose all around him. Wisppaw noticed Seedpaw clawing the earth with his claws. Either he knows what it’s about, Wisppaw guessed, and the older cats are too toad-brained to listen, or he’s unnerved by the crowd and the noise. Or both. I guess not every cat enjoys these Gatherings.

“If you ask me,” Ratscar hissed to a cat in the clearing, “what should be embraced is a bit more respect for senior warriors.”

Beepaw, Wisppaw, and Needlepaw shared a quiet purr of laughter. “Ratscar’s always saying that!” Beepaw murmured.

Shadepaw, a RiverClan apprentice who Wisppaw met in her last Gathering, raised her tail. “I found some really beautiful blue feathers that I decorated my nest with in a shady glen,” she meowed. “Do you think they could be important?”

Duskfur, Shadepaw’s mentor, gave her a sharp cuff over the ear. “Stupid furball!”

“Our old territory, back in the forest, was filled with shadows,” Onestar murmured. He looked old and frail, his eyes full of memories. “So much was lost to us when we left.”

“But how could we possibly find our old territory?” Mistystar asked. Her voice was warm and sympathetic, and she stretched out her tail to draw the tip down the WindClan leader’s flank. “It’s gone.”

“I’ve got a question.” A white ThunderClan tom rose from where he was sitting and faced the medicine cats. “Do you think this prophecy applies to all the Clans? Or was it meant for Jayfeather specifically?”

“Good question,” Littlecloud responded.

“Firestar prefaced it with ‘a time of great change is coming for all the Clans,’” Jayfeather replied. “Which would seem to mean, yes, this is meant for all of us.”

A new swell of voices, confused and angry, rose from all four Clans. Cats were sharing uneasy glances and muttering to one another in low voices.

“Is StarClan saying that we all must embrace what we find in the shadows - whatever that is?” Crowfrost demanded.

Meanwhile, Wisppaw overheard Sparkpaw whispering to Alderpaw, “This is so exciting! Maybe we’ll find the shadowy thing and save ThunderClan.”

“I doubt it,” Alderpaw responded unadventurously.

“What?” Needlepaw had overheard as well. “ No ThunderClan cat is better at finding things than any ShadowClan cat!”

“You would say that!” Sparkpaw flashed back at her. “Just you wait and see!”

“I think the whole idea is silly,” Sleekpaw mewed disdainfully. “Prophecies and StarClan and all that stuff are just ridiculous!”

Wisppaw stood in shock. Sleekpaw doesn’t even believe in StarClan? But Seedpaw must have spoken with them, or he wouldn’t be standing by the great oak. She finally forced out short purrs of laughter as Needlepaw and Beepaw did the same. I’m sure it’s just a joke.

“There is nothing more to discuss. I declare this Gathering at an end.” Rowanstar leaped down his branch, followed by the other leaders.

Wisppaw immediately ran to her brother, who was supporting his mentor by his side. “Seedpaw!” she called. “What do you think the prophecy meant?”

Seedpaw rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to respond, only for Littlecloud to interrupt. “We better get to camp. My bones are getting tired.”

“Of course, Littlecloud.” Seedpaw led the aging medicine cat towards the rest of ShadowClan, which was preparing to head back to camp.

Wisppaw set the sparrow down the fresh-kill pile. It was a good catch, and although Scorchfur wasn’t particularly impressed, he didn’t seem disappointed either. “Okay, your training’s over for today. Put that on the pile and you’re free for the evening,” he has said to her.

She skipped towards the apprentices’ den and stuck her head in it. “Needlepaw?”

“She’s not here,” Yarrowpaw, who was sleeping, growled in irritation. “Go away.”

Wisppaw sighed. Her sister still hasn’t returned. While Needlepaw did disappear from camp more and more for extended periods of time, she had always returned, her expression smug. Even if it did mean she was often late for training or patrols.

Maybe Tawnypelt caught her and is punishing her. Wisppaw shuddered. Great StarClan, she’s scary!

She went back to the fresh-kill pile and picked out a plump vole, tearing into the juicy flesh. She looked up, wondering if Needlepaw would return. Juniperpaw and Strikepaw were back from their battle training, while Beepaw was back from her border patrol. Sleekpaw returned as well, apathetically carrying a mouse that Wisppaw guessed she caught in her hunting patrol.

The camp entrance rustled as Tawnypelt entered the camp, her fur prickling and tail thrashing as if she was on the edge of losing her temper.

“Tawnypelt,” Wisppaw padded toward her cautiously, “do you know where Needlepaw is?” She had to know.

Tawnypelt turned on Wisppaw, her neck fur bristling. “No, I don’t!” she snapped, causing Wisppaw to flinch. “She hasn’t appeared for training at all today! Where did she tell you she was going this time?”

Wisppaw took a step back. Needlepaw had just mentioned something about “exploring around.” She hasn’t explained anything more. “I-I don’t know,” Wisppaw stumbled, then turned around and fled the furious she-cat, tumbling into the medicine den.

“Seedpaw!” Wisppaw panted as she caught her breath. “Needlepaw is missing!”

Her brother watches her with a blank stare for a few heartbeats before sighing in weariness. “Again?”

Wisppaw quickly explained. “She has been gone since sunrise. I asked Tawnypelt, and Needlepaw didn’t show up for training.”

Seedpaw sat down next to his sleeping mentor. “Sounds like she will be in trouble again.”

“But you don’t understand!” Wisppaw’s worry for her sister was growing. “When the owl took Needlepaw, she was upset that nobody looked for her. I thought she had forgiven us for that, but she’s gone again. She’ll be devastated if we don’t look for her now, and I-”

“Wisppaw.” Seedpaw’s voice was firm. “She has escaped from an owl. She’s always sneaking out of the camp doing StarClan-knows-what. She’ll be fine, and if she’s not, that’s her own problem. There’s no point in making warriors lose sleep over her.”

Wisppaw sighed. Seedpaw has never been wrong before. “I suppose so.”

Chapter Text

“There you are, Needlepaw!”

Rowanstar’s voice was surprised. Seedpaw remembered the last time he yowled those words. It was a few moons ago when Needlepaw escaped from the owl the Clan thought had killed her. Back then, Rowanstar was delighted to have her back, while the silver apprentice was infuriated that Tree was not permitted to enter ShadowClan. Now, however, the reactions were reversed; their leader’s voice was stern and exasperated. Seedpaw didn’t blame him. He was also tired of her disobedience.

“Of course I’m here,” the silver apprentice replied smugly, her tail raised high. “Did you miss me?”

“Where were you?” Rowanstar demanded.

“Were you taken by a hawk this time?” Seedpaw remarked sarcastically.

Needlepaw turned to her brother, her fur bristling. “I was helping you medicine cats fulfill your prophecy and clear the sky, if you must know.” Turning to Rowanstar, she said, “Some ThunderClan cats went on a quest to clear the sky, so I joined them. It’s a good thing I did; I had to save Alderpaw’s life several times.”

Seedpaw found himself doubting Needlepaw’s boasting. Did you save his life, or did he save yours?

“There we were, falling into a stream.” Needlepaw continued. “Alderpaw was struggling to keep his head above the water, his eyes wild with terror. He was going to drown, so I swam after him and dragged him to the shore. He was so grateful that-”

“It seems that your quest brought nothing but kit stories,” Rowanstar snapped, his eyes blazing. “If you have nothing else to say, Tawnypelt is coming back from a hunting patrol soon.”

“Wait, there’s more.” Needlepaw’s voice was more serious now. “Alderpaw and I found two kits on our way back. We couldn’t find their mother, and they were starving to death, so we fed them and brought them to the Clans.” Her eyes shadowed, Seedpaw realized, almost as if she was recalling something troubling. “More than that, we found these kits in the shadows. They must be important to the prophecy. The ThunderClan medicine cats are caring for them right now, but we can decide where they will stay in the next Gathering.”

Rowanstar sat in pondering. “And you think we should claim them?”

“Of course! ShadowClan should have a part in the prophecy too.”

“Hold on,” Seedpaw interjected. “We can’t take in more cats. Let ThunderClan take care of strays. I told you, the prophecy means we must embrace something from ShadowClan. The kits are irrelevant.”

“Now listen, furball,” Needlepaw spat. “StarClan led us to those kits. If they had nothing to do with the prophecy, Alderpaw wouldn’t have gone on the quest in the first place.”

“StarClan led you to the kits to save them from certain death, not to clear the sky. We are no closer to resolving the prophecy.” Seedpaw maintained a calm gaze. “Even if Alderpaw was meant to go on this quest in the first place, he certainly went the wrong way.”

Pawsteps pattered as a patrol of cats came to hear the argument. Seedpaw turned to see the hunting patrol return. “What’s going on?” Tawnypelt questioned. She turned to her apprentice. “Needlepaw, where were you these past days!”

Rowanstar sighed. “She’s been breaking the code again. I’ll tell you more later.” Turning to Needlepaw, he added, “I won’t punish you this time, but don’t sneak off without your mentor again.” Letting her off leniently, Seedpaw recognized, because she supposedly helped clear the sky.

As Tawnypelt directed Needlepaw to the rest of the patrol, Wisppaw ran up to touch noses with her sister. “Needlepaw! You’re okay. What did you do while you were gone?” Seedpaw’s neck fur began to rise. Wisppaw was becoming lax like the other warrior apprentices. He prayed to StarClan that she wouldn’t pick up their defiance as well.

Needlepaw looked to her, Sleekpaw, and Juniperpaw. “I’ll tell you all about it.”

“Not yet.” Tawnypelt’s voice was irate. “You need to catch up on your training. Go to the elders and check for ticks.”

Seedpaw turned to his leader. His head was bowed. “Where’s Littlecloud? I need his advice.”

“I think he’s sleeping.” Seedpaw’s old mentor was only getting older. Yesterday, he was only able to train Seedpaw until sunhigh before he collapsed, leaving Seedpaw to study the herbs for himself. “I’ll wake him up.”

“No, don’t,” Rowanstar stopped him. After a few heartbeats, he sighed again. “What do you think, Seedpaw? Should I claim the kits at the next Gathering?”

Seedpaw dipped his head. “That is not for me to decide.” As much as he knew the kits had nothing to do with the prophecy at all, he didn’t think a leader chosen by StarClan should follow the word of an apprentice. “Whatever you choose to do, I will follow.” He padded back to the medicine den.

The sound of chattering flooded the island. Cats from all the Clans gossiped under the light of the full moon. Seedpaw watched from nearby the roots of the great oak, the overlapping voices nearly overwhelming him, as did the heat of the crowd adding to the warmth of greenleaf.

He shook his head. This was the worst part of training to be a medicine cat. While it did mean he did not have to engage in petty gossip with the other Clans himself, Seedpaw still had to attend every Gathering he could, barring emergencies. As the sole apprentice to an aging medicine cat, he would need to seize every opportunity to represent his Clan. So many cats, so much commotion…

He looked towards his own Clan. Needlepaw was retelling tales of the quest to her Clanmates, who were listening with interest and awe. Ever since she came back from her little adventure, Seedpaw rolled his eyes, she won’t keep her mouth shut. By the time Rowanstar decided to call a Clan meeting about it, the whole Clan had learned what had happened. Before he knew it, Needlepaw was hailed as a hero for her actions. But every time she tells her story, she changes the details… except the part where she and Alderpaw find the kits.

He was still dissatisfied with Rowanstar’s decision to push the claim for them. He is the leader, and the leader’s word is the code, but… would his word be the same had Needlepaw not told every single warrior in the Clan before he had even padded up the Pinebranch?

Needlepaw was staring across the clearing, her eyes wide. Seedpaw followed her gaze across the clearing, seeing a dark ginger tom watching her under a bush. Alderpaw, Seedpaw recognized the nervous apprentice from the second to last Moonpool meeting. Next to him, he saw another apprentice - an orange tabby she-cat - and two kits. They must be the strays from the quest. ThunderClan must be willing to give them up without a fight if they were brought to the Gathering.

After what had felt like moons, the clearing slowly silenced, and the leaders started the Gathering.

“I’ll begin, shall I?” Mistystar began when she had greeted the Clans. “Prey has been plentiful in RiverClan, and-”

She broke off abruptly. Seedpaw looked up and saw Rowanstar on his paws, pacing to the end of his branch.

“Why are we acting like this is a typical Gathering?” the ShadowClan leader demanded. “I know that Bramblestar has news to share - don’t you?” he added, turning to face the ThunderClan leader and giving him a hard stare. When Bramblestar didn’t respond, he added sarcastically, “News that might relate to the prophecy? Maybe about some young cats? Surely you want to tell us all about that.”

Clearing his throat, Bramblestar rose to his paws. “Yes, there is news,” he meowed, raising his voice so that every cat in the clearing could hear him. “But I’m not sure that it relates to the prophecy. Our medicine-cat apprentice, Alderpaw, went on a quest to find what lies in the shadows. Sadly, our wise elder, Sandstorm died on that quest, and her whole Clan grieves for her. But on his way home, Alderpaw found those two kits” - Bramblestar pointed with his tail - “just outside our territories.”

“I don’t think that’s quite right, Bramblestar,” Rowanstar went on. “Don’t you mean that Alderpaw and Needlepaw found the kits, working together? Didn’t Needlepaw save Alderpaw’s life on the quest, helping him to shore when he was drowning?”

Bramblestar dipped his head. “Yes, that’s true. But what was Needlepaw doing there in the first place? Is it normal for ShadowClan apprentices to wander off by themselves?”

“That’s not your concern,” Rowanstar snapped at the insult. “ShadowClan can look after its own apprentices, thank you very much. What’s important is that ThunderClan did not find these kits without help. And what I understand,” he added, twitching his whiskers, “is that the kits were brought to ThunderClan for urgent care from your medicine cats, but that where they would stay permanently would be decided at this meeting.”

Before Bramblestar could respond, Mistystar took a step forward. “I think Onestar and I would appreciate a bit more information,” she meowed politely. “This is the first we’ve heard about this quest.”

“You bet we would,” Onestar growled from where he crouched on a lower branch. “Or is this another case of ThunderClan thinking it can control the whole forest?”

“Not at all,” Bramblestar replied before launching into an account of the quest; Seedpaw realized that, as he suspected, Needlepaw wasn’t quite the hero she had made herself to be. Not that any cat would care; as long as they assume the kits are relevant to the prophecy, they will revere Needlepaw for finding them. “Sandstorm’s spirit guided Alderpaw to discover the kits,” he finished. “That makes me think that they must be important for us somehow, even if they’re not ‘what you find in the shadows’ from the prophecy.”

The cats in the clearing exploded into ear-splitting speculation and argument. Seedpaw crouched down and tightly shut his eyes, pawing at his ears, praying for clouds to cover the moon and end the cacophony.

“You’ll never convince me that those kits are what we were meant to embrace,” Onestar grumbled. “I mean… they’re kits! What do they know?”

“They don’t have to know anything,” Rowanstar pointed out irately. “But StarClan guided us to them, and that’s good enough for me.”

“We can’t be sure about this,” Bramblestar meowed. “Not until the kits grow and reveal more about themselves. What is clear is that it’s the Clans’ responsibility to take care of them.”

“That’s all well and good,” Rowanstar responded; Seedpaw thought he could hear a snarl building in his voice, “but it doesn’t mean the kits need to stay in ThunderClan. Perhaps they belong in ShadowClan with Needlepaw, who helped find and care for them.”

“But they’re happy and safe now,” Bramblestar argued. “It would be cruel to move them.”

“You would say that, Bramblestar,” Onestar hissed. “All that interests you is keeping the kits for ThunderClan.”

“It looks like that, Bramblestar.” Mistystar sounded almost apologetic. “But the prophecy came to every Clan, not just to ThunderClan. You don’t have the right to keep the kits.” Seedpaw thought he heard an angry cry from the edge of the clearing, but he pushed it aside.

“I accept that,” Bramblestar meowed. “And I agree that ShadowClan has a claim to the kits - or at least to one of them.”

“Then the only fair thing,” Mistystar pointed out, “is for ThunderClan to keep one kit, and give the other to ShadowClan.”

Seedpaw jolted his eyes open in shock. What?! He stood up and turned his head to the leaders. That couldn’t be right.

Bramblestar twitched his ears. “Would it really be fair to separate the kits from each other?”

Rowanstar lashed his tail. “Alternatively, ShadowClan will happily accept both of them. Did you not just say we have a claim to them, Bramblestar?”

Bramblestar dipped his head. “I’m not happy about this,” he meowed, “but I feel I have to agree that one kit goes to ShadowClan.”

“But that’s not good enough!” Onestar protested. “What about WindClan and RiverClan? Shouldn’t all the Clans try to raise the kits together?”

Raise the kits together? Seedpaw thought. Is Onestar trying to compete with Needlepaw for having the most toad-brained idea ever? The other leaders seemed to agree, meeting Onestar’s suggestion with silence. Onestar just let out a hiss of annoyance and retreated into the leaves, glaring out balefully.

After a few more heartbeats of clamor in the clearing, Mistystar lashed her tail in frustration, “Is there any other business to discuss?” she called out, raising her voice.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Onestar growled. “No cat is going to want to talk about day-to-day business after all this!”

“Then I declare the Gathering at an end,” Mistystar announced. She jumped down from the tree and disappeared into a crowd of RiverClan warriors. The other leaders followed suit, and Seedpaw watched as Bramblestar and Rowanstar padded towards the bush where the kits sat.

Seedpaw hardly heard the quiet exchange between the two leaders, the desperate cries of the kits as they were separated, or the exhausted reminders from his mentor that they needed to leave. So not only do we have an extra mouth to feed, he reflected resentfully, but said mouth would constantly be wailing for her sister in another Clan. Even as he considered this, he begrudgingly admitted to himself, his concern was more than one for ShadowClan’s pragmatic well-being. They’re young and probably like every other kit; I presume they are too strongly attached to each other. Perhaps, if I acted and thought like any other cat, I would have been blind to the corruption growing inside Needlepaw ever since…

“You wanted this kit, now you can carry her back to ShadowClan,” Rowanstar grunted to Needlepaw when he returned, setting a dismayed black-and-white kit on her back. Seedpaw wondered whether or not the scowl on Needlepaw’s face meant that she realized that Rowanstar hated taking the kit away and only pushed the claim to placate their Clanmates who she had roused. Does it matter? If Needlepaw would force her leader’s paw into ruining the kits for her own pride, what difference does her knowing it make?

Seedpaw sat down, thinking over the whole situation. Suddenly, he froze. Something far more terrible is happening. Needlepaw claims that the strays she found are what lies in the shadows, and every cat believes her, even though it is clear that the “shadows” mean ShadowClan.

A foolish apprentice has weakened our StarClan-chosen leader, turning us to little more than kittypets.

A sky once cleared may strengthen the shadows in some parts of the forest, but the rays of light will dissipate the shadows in their sum.

It all makes sense now. She is who we find in the shadows. She will clear the sky.

Needlepaw will ruin ShadowClan.

Chapter Text

Seedpaw dashed into the medicine den and dropped the giant wad of dried bracken he was carrying on the needle-strewn floor. “There we go,” he meowed to himself, panting from exhaustion. Fetching enough bracken for clean bedding was not easy, especially for a tiny cat like him. Even though his mentor was not much bigger, Littlecloud’s occasional jerks as he wheezed meant that most of the nest would be torn up by sunrise the next day. Seedpaw was barely aware that, while helping his mentor, he had neglected to check on Grassheart, who was about to kit soon.

He sighed. None of the other apprentices ever bothered to check on Littlecloud. Even Wisppaw, who had promised to help Seedpaw whenever he needed it, always conveniently had an excuse to go on a patrol or gossip with the other apprentices. Rowanstar did order Dawnpelt to help Seedpaw when he needed it, but she was busy enough with her warrior and mentor duties; besides, Seedpaw contemplated, he didn’t want to shirk on his own duty to the Clan as the medicine-cat apprentice.

He spread the bracken over the floor. He looked over at Littlecloud, watching him struggle to get up before he collapses, groaning in pain. Seedpaw turned outside the den, hoping that Dawnpelt wasn’t on a patrol right now. I can’t carry Littlecloud alone.

As he stepped outside, Seedpaw saw Tawnypelt, Stonewing, and Sleekpaw, carrying herbs and leading two cats towards him. Leafpool and Alderpaw. I think I remember Rowanstar said something about asking ThunderClan to help Littlecloud this morning.

“Hello,” Seedpaw padded forward to the ThunderClan cats. “I presume you’re here for Littlecloud?”

“Yes,” Leafpool replied, meeting his gaze with worry. “How is he?”

“Same as the past few days, coughing and wheezing. I just got some clean bedding for him, but he still needs herbs and water.”

“Don’t worry. We’ve brought plenty. I will ease his suffering the best I can.”

Seedpaw nodded. “He’s in his den.” He led the patrol to his old mentor. As they reached the entrance of the medicine cat's den, Stonewing dropped his bundle of herbs, while Sleekpaw spat hers out.

“These taste foul,” she snorted.

Leafpool nudged her away and sniffed at the herbs, as though making sure none had been damaged by the careless action. “It doesn’t matter what they taste like; it’s what they do that counts.”

“Leafpool!” Crowfrost called across the clearing, hurrying toward them.

Rowanstar followed more slowly, his eyes dark with worry. “We need to talk to you.”

Leafpool dipped her head respectfully to Seedpaw’s leader and his deputy. “I must check on Littlecloud first.”

Rowanstar halted. “Of course.” He sat down and curled his tail over his paws. “We will be waiting when you’re done.”

Leafpool nodded to Alderpaw. “Come with me.” She picked up a herb bundle and followed Seedpaw inside, crouching beside Littlecloud. Alderpaw followed, setting down a red feather after staring at the old medicine cat. A feather? Is that a ThunderClan way of paying respect to the dying?

Leafpool looked up, a hint of surprise in her eyes. “Have you been looking after him yourself this whole time?”

Seedpaw tilted his head, confused. “I guess? I mean, Dawnpelt helps me carry him onto clean bedding, but-”

Leafpool shook her head. “That won’t do. Couldn’t you have asked for more help?”

Seedpaw flicked his tail. “The other apprentices would rather keep a thorn in their paws than have me tell them to take care of Littlecloud. And the warriors already have their paws full; I cannot tell them to forsake their duties to fulfill mine.”

Leafpool glanced at Littlecloud. “I’m sure they’d be more than happy to set their duties aside to comfort their medicine cat.” She straightened. “I need to speak with Rowanstar and Crowfrost, then check on Grassheart. Stay here until I get back.” Deftly she unwrapped the bundle of herbs and pulled out a few stalks of tansy. “Chew this into a pulp and try to get Littlecloud to swallow it. It should ease his breathing.” She shoved the tansy toward Seedpaw, then hurried out of the den, followed by Alderpaw when she called for him.

Seedpaw dipped his head and chewed on the tansy stalks. He fed the pulp to Littlecloud and massaged his throat to get him to swallow. He looks pitiful, Seedpaw muses, glancing back at the herb store. A few deathberries would have made it quick and painless… I think…

He looks back at the unwrapped herbs. Let’s see, poppy seeds, borage leaves, juniper berries, feverfew, and some others… I guess I’m going to have to learn them quickly if Littlecloud is on the brink of death.

After what felt like moons of shuffling through the herbs and trying to memorize their colors, shapes, and textures, the bramble thickets rustled as Alderpaw carried a wet wad of moss to Littlecloud. But that wasn’t what caught Seedpaw’s attention.

“Needlepaw,” Seedpaw faced his sister stepping into the den and standing beside the entrance. “Finally tired of the endless praise from your fellow warrior apprentices?”

“Forget it, Seedpaw,” Needlepaw retorted. “I found Violetkit, while you with your rigid code didn’t.”

“His fur needs washing,” Alderpaw interjected, seemingly intent on preventing a quarrel. Seedpaw watched Alderpaw lift a clump of the wet moss to Littlecloud’s nest and press them close to his mouth. As Littlecloud painfully swallowed the moisture, Alderpaw turned to Seedpaw. “You need to make sure he has water all the time.”

“Maybe I would if I had some help,” Seedpaw replied dryly, turning to Needlepaw as he meowed the last part.

Needlepaw scratched the floor. “That’s it!” she growled. “How could you be such a fox-heart!” She turned abruptly and stalked away. Alderpaw watched in shock for a few heartbeats before he rose to follow her.

Seedpaw stopped him. “You shouldn’t have let her come on your quest.” Alderpaw stared at him with wide eyes before blinking and continuing to pursue the silver she-cat. I wonder how long it will take for him to realize how dangerous she is.

Leafpool padded into the den, glancing outside in confusion at Alderpaw’s sudden departure. “Grassheart seems well. She’s close to kitting.” The ThunderClan medicine cat stopped beside Seedpaw and pressed her ear to Littlecloud’s chest. “The tansy has eased his breathing,” she commented. “I’ll mix some herbs that will help his fever.” She paused, then continued, “I spoke with Rowanstar and we decided that I will take over your training, so you might as well watch-”

Leafpool was cut off as Alderpaw darted back into the medicine den. “Sorry!” He snatched the feather he left on the ground and sped out before Leafpool or Seedpaw could speak. So that wasn’t for Littlecloud, Seedpaw realized, disappointed with himself for his error.

“He’ll be fine,” Seedpaw assured Leafpool, who shot the ginger apprentice a worried glance. “Now,” he gestured to his old mentor, “let’s help him up to his new bedding.”

Chapter Text

Wisppaw licked the dirt off her shoulder, wincing as her tongue rolled over another cut. Battle training was her least favorite part of being an apprentice, even though Scorchfur wasn’t here to chide her for her timidity, and she wondered why Seedpaw made sure to constantly remind Leafpool to teach him how to fight.

She glanced back at the medicine den, feeling a stab of guilt for barely having talked to Seedpaw over the past moon. Having nearly lost Needlepaw a second time, Wisppaw took no chances in mending their relationship. Seedpaw, who was still upset with Needlepaw for some reason, refused to listen with Wisppaw when their sister talked about the quest. Besides, Seedpaw was busy caring for Littlecloud, and he had no time for what he considered “idle gossip.”

I should have helped, Wisppaw thought. I didn’t want to miss out on what the others were doing. But Littlecloud was Seedpaw’s mentor; his death must have been so hard on him…

“Oof!” Wisppaw felt a heavy weight knock the breath out of her as Beepaw barreled into her, knocking both of them down onto the wet dirt. Wisppaw jumped back up. Oh right, we’re still training. “Sorry. I wasn’t paying attention,” Wisppaw apologized, half-expecting the large apprentice to growl in annoyance.

But to her surprise, Beepaw’s voice was cordial as she got up. “That’s okay. Needlepaw told me how you were covering for her today.”

Needlepaw didn’t say where she was going, but she told Wisppaw to cover for her in case Rowanstar or Tawnypelt asked. Wisppaw had agreed; while the leader and senior warrior both still scared her, she still wanted to please her sister. Plus, those who did favors for the popular apprentice were treated more favorably by the other warrior apprentices.

“Yeah,” Strikepaw padded up to them, “you’re much cooler than your brother.”

“Haha, thanks,” Wisppaw purred, the guilt inside her growing. Mouse-heart! she berated herself. Why couldn’t you defend your brother?

As Beepaw and Strikepaw crouched into their positions, ready to continue practicing, Wisppaw caught in the corner of her eye a ShadowClan patrol - Tigerheart, Tawnypelt, Stonewing, and Juniperpaw - entering the clearing with a patrol of six ThunderClan cats. Hey, there’s Alderpaw… and the ThunderClan leader, Bramblestar! What are they doing here?

“Um, sorry, I have to go…” Wisppaw tried to find an excuse. Strikepaw acknowledged her with a flick of his tail. Relieved to get out of battle training, and curious as to what the ThunderClan cats were doing here, Wisppaw turned and quietly padded towards the cats listening around them.

“…a gang of rogues that was nosing around our territory,” Wisppaw heard Bramblestar report to Rowanstar when she was close enough to hear. “The rogues attacked. Furzepelt was killed and Onestar… Onestar was badly injured. So were the other two members of his patrol.”

“How many rogues were there?” Rowanstar asked.

“Six.”

“Is that all?”

“They might have killed more WindClan warriors if we hadn’t sent a patrol to help.”

“So you say.” Rowanstar sounded unconvinced. “Does ThunderClan have to believe no other Clan can survive without them?”

Bramblestar dipped his head. “I’m just reporting the truth. The safety of your Clan may depend on it.”

A gray ThunderClan she-cat with green eyes stepped forward. “Their scent is already on your territory!”

Bramblestar glanced at her. “We don’t know how many rogues might be in the woods.”

Wisppaw stopped by her Clanmates, where she was close enough to see Rowanstar’s eyes narrow at Bramblestar through the drizzling rain. “What makes you think there might be more?”

“They are from a large gang of rogues our patrol met on their quest. We can’t presume that only a few of them came to the lake.” Bramblestar turned his head and glanced around the camp. “We picked up a rogue scent trail leading from our land to yours. I’d like your permission to follow it. I want to see if the rogues have left our territories.”

Rowanstar flexed his claws. “You want to search ShadowClan territory?”

“That’s not why we came,” Bramblestar met the ShadowClan leader’s gaze. “But now that we know they’ve been here, I’d like to find out where they’ve gone.”

“No.” Rowanstar’s refusal was instant. “ShadowClan can guard its own territory. It doesn’t need help from ThunderClan.”

Bramblestar dipped his head. “I understand your concerns, Rowanstar. But we know the scent. I still have rogue blood beneath my claws. Let’s at least send a joint patrol - ShadowClan and ThunderClan - to track their trail. We’d be stronger together, and this threatens every Clan. Don’t forget the prophecy: Embrace what you find in the shadows, for only they can clear the sky. Perhaps these rogues are connected. We have not seen such cruel cats since the battle with the Dark Forest. They might be the danger that StarClan is warning us about.”

Cruel? The rogues Needlepaw met on the quest? Wisppaw was confused. She said they were free and tolerant.

Tigerheart’s eyes flashed. “The prophecy meant the kits!”

Crowfrost shifted his paws. “Bramblestar may have a point.”

Rowanstar jerked his gaze to his deputy.

Crowfrost held his ground. “What if the rogues are linked with the prophecy? Perhaps we should track them together.”

Tigerheart growled. “Why don’t we track them alone and report what we find at the next Gathering?”

Rowanstar frowned thoughtfully. “You said Onestar was badly wounded?” He spoke to Bramblestar. “ How badly?”

Bramblestar returned his gaze steadily. “Badly enough.”

Rowanstar’s eyes sparked with interest. “So,” he growled. These rogues truly are dangerous.” After a few heartbeats, he agreed. “Fine. We will send a patrol to track these rogues with you. Crowfrost, you will lead it. Take Tigerheart, Scorchfur, and Spikefur with you.”

A dark brown tom with a tuft of fur sticking up between his ears crossed the clearing towards Rowanstar. “Did you say my name?”

“You’re going with these cats.” Rowanstar threw a scornful look at the ThunderClan patrol. “There are rogues on our land. You will track them and find where they’ve gone.”

“Should I take Yarrowpaw?” Spikefur asked.

“Of course,” Rowanstar meowed. “It will be good training for her.” He turned towards Wisppaw, who flinched at his firm gaze. “Wisppaw, seen as you’re here, you can go with Scorchfur as well.”

Wisppaw flattened her ears warily, half-expecting a scolding by her leader for abandoning her training, but Rowanstar stayed silent as Scorchfur beckoned her with a flick of his tail.

The trail headed away from the sun, drawing the two patrols deeper into the pinewoods. The needle-strewn ground turned muddy beneath their paws as the trees clustered tighter and the shadows became so dark that it felt like night, sending shivers through Wisppaw as she imagined a powerful rogue suddenly pouncing on her as if she was a piece of prey. But Needlepaw said they weren’t bad cats. Maybe Bramblestar was just exaggerating. But no matter how hard Wisppaw tried, she couldn’t completely shake off the apprehension.

The dank smell of a stagnant stream rose ahead. Tigerheart was pacing the bank of a narrow ditch. As Bramblestar caught up to him, Crowfrost sniffed the earth.

“The trail ends here,” the ShadowClan deputy announced.

“I smell rabbit blood.” The gray ThunderClan she-cat circled the patrols.

Crowfrost sniffed. “They must have hunted here before they left the territory.” He nodded beyond the ditch. “This is the ShadowClan border. It is no-Clan’s-land beyond here. If the rogues went that way, as it appears, then they are gone.”

“Shouldn’t we cross the ditch and check?” Bramblestar pressed.

The gray ThunderClan warrior leaped over the foul-smelling stream and began sniffing the earth ahead.

Tigerheart jumped after her, nudging her aside to press his own nose to the ground. “Nothing here.”

“Perhaps they waded along the stream to disguise their scent,” the ThunderClan warrior suggested.

Tigerheart snorted. “Rogues aren’t that clever. Besides…” He peered into the ditch. Stinking black water lay at the bottom. “What cat would get their paws wet in there?”

“A cat that wants to hide its trail?”

Tigerheart held her gaze for a moment, then growled. “You still have to be the smartest cat in the Clan.”

The ThunderClan cat’s green eyes flashed in the gloom. “And you still have to be the most arrogant.”

“Come back, you two.” Bramblestar flicked his tail. “It looks like the rogues have left the territory. We might as well go home.”

The ThunderClan leader turned to Crowfrost. “Thank you for letting us help search your territory,” he meowed.

Crowfrost dipped his head formally. “Let us escort you to your border.”

“I need to go back to your camp!” Alderpaw suddenly blurted.

Crowfrost turned and blinked in surprise.

Alderpaw stammered. “Jayfeather wants me to speak with Leafpool. He needs to know when she’ll be returning to her own Clan.”

Crowfrost rolled his eyes. “Very well,” he grunted crossly. “You can go back with Wisppaw. The rest of us will take your Clanmates to the border.”

Bramblestar blinked reassuringly at Alderpaw. “We’ll wait for you there.”

Alderpaw nodded. As the warrior patrol moved away, Wisppaw walked with Alderpaw back to ShadowClan’s camp, relieved when they escaped the darker parts of the forest.

“Where’s Needlepaw today?”

Wisppaw’s ears perked up. The ThunderClan medicine-cat apprentice had asked this question casually, but it had surprised her all the same.

“Erm…” Besides the little problem that Needlepaw never told her where she would be today, Wisppaw didn’t think her sister would be grateful if she gave away her secret. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember,” she lied, turning her head away.

“Really?” Alderpaw sounded surprised. “I just thought, since she was your littermate…”

Wisppaw’s pelt grew hot from the questioning. “I-I think she said something about hunting by herself-I’m really sorry, I’ll let her know you were here when she comes back. I’m sure she’ll be pleased to see you,” she finished, wincing as she ended a bit too hastily.

“Oh, okay…” Alderpaw whispered with a mixture of suspicion and disappointment in his voice. Wisppaw also thought she heard some embarrassment as well, but she told herself it was just a reflection of her own feelings after the mouse-brained attempt at a cover-up.

They padded in silence for a while. When it became too much to bear, Wisppaw turned to Alderpaw. “Needlepaw told me about your quest,” she meowed.

Alderpaw’s neck fur rose in alarm for a heartbeat before immediately falling, as if he was trying to contain his distress. “What did she say?” his voice filled with apprehension.

Wisppaw purred. “She keeps retelling the time she saved you from the stream. I guess it’s a good thing she went with you.”

Now Alderpaw was certainly the one embarrassed. “Oh, right, that. Heh,” he forced out, licking his chest fur. He seems friendly. Maybe it won’t do any harm to tell him the truth…

But by the time Wisppaw could do so, she and Alderpaw had already passed through the thorn tunnel that marked the entrance to the camp. Alderpaw picked up his pace as he crossed the clearing, his muscles tensed and his head lowered.

“I’ll look for Needlepaw and tell her you’re here!” Wisppaw called after the ginger ThunderClan tom as he quickly padded towards the medicine den.

“Leafpool?”

Wisppaw turned back and left through the thorn tunnel. She took a deep breath. The easing drizzle was starting to give way to sunshine. Birds were singing throughout the vast forest, and a mouse scuttled from beneath the undergrowth, finding and nibbling on a nut. The pine trees kept their green leaves despite the chilly weather and the colorful undergrowth indicating that leaf-fall has begun.

She had no idea where Needlepaw was.

Wisppaw sighed. Finding Needlepaw as she had promised Alderpaw would be trickier than she thought. Well, that was toad-brained of me. Again. She randomly picked a direction to wander aimlessly, her nose hopelessly trying to detect her sister’s scent. Which way would Seedpaw have went? Or what would Needlepaw have said to Alderpaw?

Wisppaw’s ears twitched. Alderpaw had seemed rather sheepish when discussing Needlepaw, yet he had been the cat to insist upon knowing where she was. Perhaps… he had feelings for her? Probably not. They’re probably just friends from his quest. And yet, Wisppaw couldn’t shake off the way Alderpaw had asked.

Is there a tom who would think like that about me? Wisppaw’s pelt grew hot. It would be nice to have a mate and kits. Strikepaw is strong, though he’s kind of mean to my brother. And Puddlepaw is nice, but he’s not very confident. Maybe it isn’t too late to start seeing other cats at the Gathering-

Wisppaw’s head lifted as she heard leaves rustling from the undergrowth. Her nose caught the scent of her sister.

“Hey, Needlepaw,” Wisppaw called out. “It’s just me here.”

Needlepaw slid out from the undergrowth. “Oh, hi Wisppaw. Did anything happen while I was gone?”

Wisppaw nodded. “A ThunderClan patrol came to hunt for rogues in our territory. Alderpaw’s in our camp. He-” Wisppaw broke off as Needlepaw darted to the camp. Wow, I never saw Needlepaw that eager to get back to camp before. There’s definitely something going on between those two, Wisppaw thought with a purr.

She padded back as well, itching to share her idea with Seedpaw. He hates talking about these kinds of things, but he really needs some unwinding, and maybe our denmates will respect him more if he loosens up. Wisppaw accelerated into a run. He’ll make friends. He’ll be happier. If I make him fit in with us. She dashed through the thorn tunnel. And if we have a laugh about Needlepaw, Seedpaw won’t be-

Deep in her optimistic anticipations, Wisppaw didn’t notice her brother stepping out of the medicine den until she felt a thud as they tumbled inside, onto the needle-strewn floor.

“Great StarClan, the apprentices’ den is that way,” Seedpaw groaned dizzily.

“Sorry, sorry!” Wisppaw helped her brother back up with her tail. “So, uh, how are you?”

Seedpaw narrowed his eyes. “You ignore me for a moon and suddenly run here just to ask me how I’m doing? Don’t try to fool me.” He picked up the wad of moss he dropped, the reek of which revealing the mouse bile covering it. “You’ll have to wait for Leafpool. I’m checking the elders’ ticks.”

Wisppaw stood in front of him. “I didn’t come for herbs.” She sighed as she lowered her head. “Listen, I’m sorry I haven’t helped you care for Littlecloud. I was just trying to… connect with the other apprentices. Especially our sister, since we nearly lost her. Twice.”

Wisppaw risked a glance upward, seeing something flash behind the suspicion in Seedpaw’s gray eyes. Grief that his mentor died? Guilt that he couldn’t save him? Loneliness that no other cat will befriend him?

Or am I just seeing things?

A few heartbeats passed. Long, painful heartbeats as Wisppaw waited for her brother’s response. When they passed, Seedpaw sneered. “Of course. You’re training to become a warrior with her, while I’m training to become a medicine cat. It’s not your duty to heal sick cats, so why wouldn’t you help our sky-clearer ” - he hissed that word through his teeth - “break the code?”

Wisppaw took a step back, staring at her brother in shock. She had no idea he was this mad. Is the code that important to him? Or did StarClan tell him the kits Needlepaw found weren’t actually related to the prophecy? Wisppaw guessed that Seedpaw wasn’t in favor of splitting the kits apart at the previous Gathering; she thought she remembered seeing him once glance towards Violetkit in pity when she left the nursery to play by herself. But if that was the problem, then why isn’t he angry at Rowanstar? He’s the one who separated the kits! “I-” Wisppaw began, but Seedpaw cut her off.

“No no, go ahead and listen to Needlepaw’s stories and gossip like a pair of mousefodder.” He pushed past his sister and trotted out of the den. “I have work to do.”

Distressed, Wisppaw stood in the den alone for a few heartbeats before leaving, her head bowed and tail dragging on the ground. With no will to continue battle training, and with any appetite she might have had vanished, Wisppaw trudged slowly to the apprentices’ den.

She collapsed into her nest. “Our brother hates me,” she groaned to her sister lying down next to her.

“Welcome to my world,” Needlepaw purred. Her gaze was focused on the wall of the den as if it wasn’t focused at all.

“So… he’s pretty handsome, isn’t he,” Wisppaw mewed after a few heartbeats of silence.

“Who?” Needlepaw’s voice sounded distracted.

“Alderpaw. You know, ThunderClan medicine-cat apprentice? Went on the quest to ‘clear the sky?’” When Needlepaw didn’t respond, Wisppaw added, “He was just here, talking with you.”

“Oh, right. Him,” Needlepaw murmured without turning her head. “Yeah, he’s fine, I guess.”

Exhausted, Wisppaw decided not to press the matter.

Chapter Text

“Sleekpaw,” Needlepaw whispered, barely able to hide her excitement.

The yellow she-cat’s eyes blinked open. “We’re meeting them?” she whispered back, quietly standing up.

“Of course! Let’s go.” The silver she-cat wondered for a heartbeat if she should bring her sister with her. But Wisppaw was curled up in the corner of the den, deep in a dream. Waking her up now would likely make her rouse the entire den.

Moreover, as she stealthily padded out of the den and into the black, moon-lit sky, Needlepaw realized that she still didn’t fully trust her sister. Even after Seedpaw betrayed me and condemned me, Wisppaw still looks up to him and grovels for his approval. Well, did he find the kits who will clear the sky? No! I did! Speaking of the kits…

When she walked by the nursery, Needlepaw raised her tail, gesturing Sleekpaw to stop. The yellow apprentice let out an exaggerated sigh. It was evident that Sleekpaw was still sour with Needlepaw’s insistence on taking Violetkit with them, and Needlepaw hadn’t bothered explaining why it was necessary. Needlepaw stuck her head into the entrance and gazed at Violetkit, who perked up at her sight. The black-and-white kit wriggled toward Needlepaw and slithered, quiet as a snake, out of the nest.

“Needlepaw?” she hissed.

“Quick! Come outside,” Needlepaw whispered back.

Violetkit pricked her ears happily. She nosed her way through the entrance, across the well-trodden brambles, and dropped onto the ground outside. “Are we going out of the camp?” she whispered to Needlepaw.

Needlepaw swished her tail along Violetkit’s spine, smoothing it from the sharp, chilly breeze. “Yes.” Needlepaw’s gaze flicked past Violetkit, to Sleekpaw.

“I still don’t see why we have to take her,” Sleekpaw mewed scornfully, her spiteful gaze staring at Violetkit.

Violetkit turned to Needlepaw, confusion in her gaze. “I don’t understand. Is Sleekpaw coming to meet Twigkit too?”

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

Needlepaw flicked her tail. “Maybe.” None of your business.

“Really?” Sleekpaw mewed almost threateningly.

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

Sleekpaw’s expression changed, like dawn breaking through darkness. “Of course you can trust me. 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 amusement. She thrust her muzzle close to Violetkit’s. “Then you’d better keep your mew quiet. Unless you’re trying to wake the whole camp.”

“Come on!” Needlepaw padded toward the narrow tunnel that led to the dirtplace. We don’t have all night.

She heard Violetkit scamper after her, Sleekpaw padding in the rear. She ducked through the tunnel, her nose barely affected by the familiar stench of the dirtplace. Outside, they veered away from it, padding straight towards their destination.

“Are we going the right way?” Violetkit ventured uneasily after a few heartbeats.

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

Needlepaw glanced over her shoulder, exchanging a look with Sleekpaw. Perhaps Wisppaw would have been a better companion.

They trekked on. Before long, the needles began to grow squishy beneath Needlepaw’s paws, turning to mud as they headed farther from the camp. Brambles turned to bracken beside the trail. The trees crowded closer, blocking out the moonlight.

Tiny paws skittered over the path ahead. Needlepaw pricked her ears, her tail twitching. The scent of mouse reached her nose. She bounded forward, and the bracken swished as she dived through it. She landed on the unsuspecting mouse and killed it with a single bite to the neck. With the dead mouse dangling from her jaws, Needlepaw nosed her way out to her two companions.

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

Needlepaw dropped it. “Do you want first bite?” she asked the yellow 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 morsel of fresh-kill.”

Sleekpaw batted the mouse toward Violetkit. “Let’s pretend Needlepaw caught it for you. You’re Clan, aren’t you?” Her eyes narrowed. “Oh, no. I forgot. You weren’t even born here.” She hooked the mouse back with a claw and took a bite. “I guess I should eat it.”

Needlepaw bristled. “Don’t be mean.” She tugged the mouse from Sleekpaw. “Are you hungry?” she asked Violetkit, dangling the mouse from her claw.

“No, thanks.” Violetkit shook her head. “Are we nearly there?”

Needlepaw glanced around. “Nearly.”

“I can’t smell Alderpaw or Twigkit,” Violetkit mewed. Needlepaw ignored her.

Sleekpaw padded across a stretch of muddy earth and peered between the shadowy trees. The fur rippled along her spine. “I smell them.”

Needlepaw pricked her ears. As she turned her head to follow Sleekpaw’s gaze, the bracken rustled and a long-furred gray tom leaped out. Her heart fluttered as she recognized him. Rain.

A silver tom emerged and stopped beside the gray tom. “I thought she wouldn’t come.” He eyed Needlepaw distrustfully.

“Of course she did.” The gray tom brushed past the silver one and stopped in front of Needlepaw. “She’s brave, for a Clan cat.” His eyes sparkled. “Needlepaw.”

Needlepaw dropped her gaze. “Hi, Rain.”

Needles showered from the pine above. A white tom slithered down the trunk and landed on the ground.

“Hi, Darktail,” Needlepaw nodded to him.

“Are these the rogues who attacked WindClan?” Violetkit suddenly blurted out.

Darktail purred with amusement. “WindClan attacked us,” he growled.

“Of course they did.” Needlepaw swished her tail. “Clan cats are so defensive.”

Sleekpaw hooked up a leaf idly. “Clan cats don’t like to share their land with anyone.”

“They want all the prey for themselves,” Rain sneered.

Violetkit stayed silent, trembling as she realized that all the cats were staring at her.

“Is this the kit you told us about?” Roach, the silver tom, padded toward Violetkit, his eyes flashing with curiosity.

“Yes.” Needlepaw strode past him and stood beside Violetkit, her chin high. “This is Violetkit.”

Roach sniffed Violetkit. “She smells like a Clan cat. I thought you said she wasn’t one of you.”

“She’s been living with us,” Needlepaw told him. She glanced at Violetkit, who was staring at her in disbelief. Of course. She doesn’t know them yet. “This is Roach,” she said, nodding to the silver tom. “That’s Rain and Darktail,” her gaze fell on the gray tom and the white one. “And that’s Slit and Raven,” Needlepaw introduced the she-cats.

Violetkit swallowed. “Why are they here?”

Darktail sat down. “We have to live somewhere.”

“Pinenose says you don’t belong by the lake,” Violetkit whispered.

Darktail snorted. “Pinenose sounds like a greedy cat who wants all the prey to herself.”

“She’s not!” Violetkit mewed defensively.

Darktail ignored her and looked at Needlepaw. “You were right. There is lots of prey here. We’re going to grow fat.”

“Are you going to stay here?” Violetkit sounded shocked.

Roach narrowed his eyes. “Is there any reason we shouldn’t?”

Fear scent emanated from Violetkit as her fur prickled. “This is Clan territory,” she whispered hoarsely.

Needlepaw flicked her tail irritably. “Why shouldn’t we share it? Why do Clan cats behave like they’re so special? They’re just cats, like these cats.” Like you, you little mouse-brain.

Sleekpaw stepped forward. “No kit can help where she’s born. Why should the Clans deprive other cats of good hunting just because they weren’t born in a Clan?”

Darktail’s gaze flicked over Sleekpaw. “Who’s this?”

Needlepaw dipped her head. “Sleekpaw. I told her about you and she wanted to meet you.”

“Can we trust her?” Rain padded closer, pelt prickling.

Sleekpaw raised her muzzle. “Of course you can!” she declared. “I think the Clans are wrong too. All their borders and rules just make more battles.” She nudged Violetkit, who stared at her in surprise. “You weren’t born in a Clan. Don’t you think it’s weird having so many rules?”

Before Violetkit could answer, Slit leaned forward. “If you weren’t born in the Clan, why do they let you live with them?”

Violetkit blinked at her. “I don’t know.”

Darktail stared at her. “What’s it like living with Clan cats when you know you’re an outsider?”

Needlepaw kept her gaze on Violetkit, hoping that she would realize that the rest of the Clan would never see her as one of them. Especially with Seedpaw constantly calling her a stray, as if he’s better than all of us.

“I guess it’s okay,” the black-and-white kit mewed, although the hesitation and softness of the mew betrayed her uncertainty. “They try to make me feel welcome.”

Darktail leaned closer towards her. “And yet you don’t.” Violetkit backed away.

Needlepaw padded around Darktail, her chest puffed out in confidence. “Rowanstar makes rules about who’s allowed in the Clan and who isn’t. But he’s old and set in his ways. He needs to learn that we’re all cats. We all want the same thing - to hunt and live in peace. But he’s so busy defending his borders, he’s forgotten that.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Perhaps he needs a little reminder.”

Darktail nodded. He seemed to understand what she meant. “You know any other cats who can help us?”

“Juniperpaw, Strikepaw, Yarrowpaw, and Beepaw will join our cause. Wisppaw…” Needlepaw’s ears flattened as she mentioned her sister. “I don’t know about her. She never-”

“Can we please go home?” The desperate squeak came from Violetkit, who had flattened herself to the ground.

Sleekpaw lashed her tail. “Oh, quiet you-”

“Sleekpaw!” Needlepaw’s neck fur bristled. “Violetkit’s tired. We needed to return before dawn anyway.” Or else Rowanstar and Seedpaw will yowl at us again, she mused wryly.

She turned towards Rain, a sly smile forming on both of their faces in the darkness. “I’ll see you later.”

Chapter Text

Seedpaw stood on the edge of the clearing, the setting sun warming his face as the cool leaf-fall breeze stirred his ruffled fur. The words from Wisppaw a quarter-moon ago rang in his ears once again.

I’m sorry I haven’t helped you care for Littlecloud.

Was that why she thought he was upset? Did she think he was grieving? Was he grieving? All he felt was a strange emptiness - the same one he’d felt when he had learned an owl took Needlepaw, before she had returned to the Clan. Was that grief?

Seedpaw looked down at a puddle. The dull gray eyes that stared back betrayed nothing. He frowned. How could any cat tell what I’m feeling when even I myself can not?

I was just trying to… connect with the other apprentices. Especially our sister, since we nearly lost her. Twice.

Ripples formed on the surface of the water as a sigh escaped Seedpaw’s jaws, distorting the image. Another cat lost to lies and chaos, so warned the prophecy. Seedpaw looked up at the sky, the stars starting to twinkle. Is there no way to stop Needlepaw from her quest for destruction?

His mind flashed to the recent Moonpool meeting. Seedpaw had planned to ask StarClan to send retribution upon his hostile sister, to save ShadowClan from its eventual death. Yet, StarClan was silent that night. They did not speak to him or the other medicine cats.

His mind flashed forward, past the empty gaze of Jayfeather as the blind ThunderClan cat as he quizzed him basic herb facts, past the test’s divergence into a spiel about deathberries as Seedpaw theorizes how their poison works, past Jayfeather’s increasingly annoyed grunts as Seedpaw’s ramblings got increasingly complex and irrelevant.

Leafpool and Alderpaw were speaking in hushed voices about the state of ShadowClan. “Why don’t the warriors send their apprentices out hunting?” Alderpaw had asked in confusion.

Leafpool had shaken her head. “Mentors don’t seem to be able to tell their apprentices anything. Sleekpaw talks back to everyone, even Rowanstar. And Needlepaw’s not much better.”

Alderpaw’s hackles had prickled. “She’s still looking after Violetkit, though, isn’t she?”

“She’s the one who separated her from her sister in the first place, and she wouldn’t stop gloating about finding the stray.” Seedpaw had decided he could not prevent himself from interjecting any longer. “Needlepaw has never looked after any cat but herself.”

Alderpaw had turned to glare at Seedpaw, his gaze shocked and frustrated. “Now, hang on. She isn’t that bad.”

“Seedpaw has a point, Alderpaw,” Leafpool had chided the ThunderClan apprentice. “Needlepaw has been sneaking out of camp to StarClan knows where, and she’s been taking Violetkit with her.”

Seedpaw looked back down. His paws have taken him to the entrance of the nursery. He poked his head inside. Grassheart was dozing in her nest, and her kits were squirming and mewing next to their mother. Pinenose, whose fur was ruffled from a walk in the forest, looked up from where she lay. Before the black queen could open her mouth to ask Seedpaw what he was doing here, he blurted out, “Where’s Violetkit?”

Pinenose opened her mouth, but she hesitated for a few heartbeats before responding. “She’s probably playing outside.”

So she’s with Needlepaw. Silently growling in frustration, Seedpaw whipped out of the nursery. He crossed the clearing and approached Rowanstar and Crowfrost, who were sharing a mouse.

“Seedpaw,” Rowanstar looked up, blinking in surprise as the tiny and reclusive apprentice had decided to go to him. “Would you like to eat with us?”

Seedpaw shook his head. The ShadowClan leader has always been warm and friendly with him, but for Seedpaw, this was more concerning than honoring. He’s nice. Too nice. I fear it will bite him later on when traitors take advantage of him.

Besides, he had more important issues to discuss. “Violetkit’s not in the nursery. I think Needlepaw took her out of camp.”

Rowanstar’s hackles prickled in anger. “She has a habit of breaking that rule, doesn’t she.” He got up to his paws padded towards the entrance, stopping when Tawnypelt entered with the silver apprentice and the black-and-white kit. “Tawnypelt. What happened?” Seedpaw followed him.

“Needlepaw took Violetkit out of camp.” Tawnypelt stepped aside and let Needlepaw face Rowanstar.

Seedpaw watched Violetkit, who glanced nervously at Needlepaw. Where was she taken? What did my sister make the stray do?

Rowanstar glared at Needlepaw. “Kits don’t leave camp,” he meowed sternly. “What were you thinking? There may be rogues in the forest. There are certainly foxes, and Spikefur said he saw an adder yesterday. A warrior would be lucky to survive an adder bite. A kit would die.”

Needlepaw blinked at him coolly. “I look out for adders and foxes. I wouldn’t let anything hurt her.”

Rowanstar’s hackles lifted as though he was surprised to hear her talk back. “Kits do not leave camp,” he repeated.

Needlepaw glanced calmly at Beepaw beside the fresh-kill pile. “It’s a dumb rule.”

Beepaw leaned closer, her eyes sparking with interest.

Crowfrost has come over. His tail twitched angrily as Needlepaw went on.

“Like I told Tawnypelt, Violetkit was bored in camp.” She flicked her muzzle dismissively toward the clearing. “There’s nothing to learn here except how to grow old.”

Beepaw pricked her ears excitedly, as though willing Needlepaw to say more. Sleekpaw, Juniperpaw, Yarrowpaw, and Strikepaw were padding closer, their eyes flashing with interest as well.

Seedpaw looked behind them. Pinenose’s kits were hanging back, eyeing each other nervously. At least the newest batch of apprentices can be taught the importance of loyalty and order. At least, I hope so.

Rowanstar’s gaze flicked towards the approaching apprentices, then back to Needlepaw. It was blazing with anger. “There is plenty to learn in camp,” he hissed. “The warrior code, for a start. Too many rules are being ignored.”

“It’s impossible to remember all your rules.” Needlepaw flicked her tail irritably. “Perhaps if we had fewer rules, we’d obey more of them.”

Toad-brain! “Then maybe you need a little reminder,” Seedpaw mumbled to himself, unsheathing his claws.

“What did you say?” Needlepaw snarled, whipping her head to face her littermate.

Seedpaw raised his voice. “Maybe you all need a reminder, to get them in your empty heads. There are sixteen rules in the code, seven of which don’t even apply to you.”

“Oh, shut up, Seedpaw,” Needlepaw retorted.

Sleekpaw sneered. “‘Oh, look at me, I’m Seedpaw.’” The yellow apprentice imitated Seedpaw’s deep voice. “‘I counted the rules in the code because I’m so smart. Oh, what does my great leader think of me?’”

“This is why none of us like you, Seedpaw!” Beepaw jeered the medicine-cat apprentice.

Crowfrost bristled. “You will respect your Clanmate. Seedpaw is your future medicine cat, and you will need him in the future.”

“More like he will need us,” Strikepaw snorted at his father. “He’s as small as Violetkit!”

“Even a WindClan apprentice could claw his pelt off!” Juniperpaw taunted.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

Seedpaw turned to see Wisppaw squeeze her way through the crowd. Her teal eyes were wide with concern as she faced Seedpaw. “Are you okay?” She turned to Rowanstar. “Why do you have to make my brother defend your harshness?” she questioned angrily.

Rowanstar blinked at Wisppaw in surprise. “How dare you imply I’m forcing him to do anything?” he growled, causing Wisppaw to shrink away in fear.

Seedpaw rolled his eyes. A traitor for one littermate, a coward for another, and mouse-brains in both. He shoved Wisppaw aside, standing face-to-face with Needlepaw. Her green eyes were flashing with irritation… and smugness. “Now, where did you take the stray?” he inquired, his voice as calm as the lake on a cloudless night.

A sudden blow knocked Seedpaw to the side. Pain seared his head as he heard a thud and landed on the dirt. His eyes closed from the impact, and he could not see who his attacker was, but from the yowling and screeching, Seedpaw could tell that the argument has escalated beyond petty jeers and insults. The overwhelming noise and chaos threatened to consume the tiny medicine-cat apprentice as he lay there, pinned down by his own Clanmate in his own camp. Make it stop make it stop make it-

“Stop!”

Rowanstar’s yowl pierced through the rest of the voices in the clearing. The caterwauling had stopped, and Seedpaw felt the weight on his side clear. He blinked open his eyes and got up on his paws. Several other apprentices were glaring at Seedpaw, presumably infuriated that he sided with Rowanstar instead of them. Seedpaw’s head was still throbbing with pain - not just from being knocked onto the ground, but also from the noise as the Clan nearly tore itself apart. He still couldn’t see his attacker.

He turned to Rowanstar. He was standing on the low rock at the edge of the clearing. His fur stood on eyes, and his eyes blazed in the twilight as he glowered at the silent Clan.

“Needlepaw.” Rowanstar fixed his furious gaze on the silver apprentice. “You broke a rule and you will be punished. You will look after the elders. Clean their bedding, pull out their ticks, and hunt for them. They are your responsibility from now on.”

Needlepaw returned his gaze, unruffled. “For how long?”

Rowanstar showed his teeth. “Until I say so.”

“Okay.” Needlepaw shrugged and turned away. She shouldered her way between her denmates and headed for the fresh-kill pile. Seedpaw silently growled at her in frustration. Getting off with a slap on the paw. You didn’t even answer my question. Unable to suffer any longer with the crowd of cats, he left the camp and bounded to the shore of the lake. He sat down and stared at his reflection. He sheathed his claws he forgot were unsheathed. The setting sun and the rising moon created a beautiful evening in the eerie silence as if they were unaware of the turmoil in the camp that had just happened.

As if everything was stable.

Pawsteps pattered from the forest.

Seedpaw sighed. Nothing is ever stable, is it?

“Seedpaw.” The desperate voice of Wisppaw reached his ears. “How’s your head?”

“It will recover. Pain is temporary.”

The reflection of Wisppaw appeared on the lake as she sat down next to her littermate. They were silent for a few heartbeats before Wisppaw turned to her brother and spoke again.

“I’m sorry I attacked you.” Her voice was afraid, as if she believed he would lash out, but also ashamed, as if she believed she deserved it. “It was fox-hearted of me to do it, and… even if you don’t forgive me, I’m so, so sorry.”

Seedpaw scoffed. Of course it was her. Any other cat would have torn me apart. His mind wandered back to the camp. Needlepaw may have led Violetkit out of the camp, but Violetkit still listened to her. She’s being influenced-

“I just- they were watching me, expecting me to do something to prove myself to them,” Wisppaw sounded like she was holding back tears, “and Rowanstar, I still don’t see why-”

“Quiet, I’m thinking!” Seedpaw shut his eyes. What if, instead of Needlepaw, some other young apprentice influences her - not to break the code, but to follow it? His mind raced. Violetkit can learn to become a loyal warrior of ShadowClan, free from Needlepaw’s trickery. She will still be an outsider, of course, but it can halt whatever Needlepaw has planned. ShadowClan might not be lost.

Several heartbeats pass.

No, that won’t work. Wisppaw still too easily bends to the crowd - she doesn’t like the code either.

“Seedpaw?” Wisppaw’s uncertain mew rang in his ears.

And Pinenose’s kits are too young - I’m not sure if they even understand the code yet.

“It’s getting late, Seedpaw.” Wisppaw’s mew rang again.

And I’m training to be a medicine cat, not a warrior. With no other cat in my place, ShadowClan will need my undivided attention, with it being so close to the brink of collapse.

Seedpaw exhaled. “You go back to camp, Wisppaw. I need some time alone.” His eyes were still closed.

“Okay, Seedpaw.” Wisppaw still sounded concerned, but she didn’t question him. “Just- I promise I’ll be better.” The sound of pawsteps pattered, softening until they were covered by the rustling of leaves, fading into silence.

Not to mention that it would be a nightmare to talk to a kit, let alone guide her. And she already trusts Needlepaw far too much… Seedpaw collapsed, suddenly realizing how exhausting the whole ordeal was. At least Needlepaw is on elder duty, so she can’t take the stray out of camp for a while.

“Violetkit. There you are. Did you get lost trying to find the dirtplace again?”

Seedpaw spun his head around and glared at Needlepaw. Mouse-heart! This was your doing! He wondered how she convinced Violetkit to sneak out into the forest overnight. Did no other cat notice she was gone?

Kinkfur snorted. “Who gets lost finding the dirtplace? You only have to follow your nose.”

Spikefur hissed, glowering at the white tom standing haughtily in front of a gray tom, a silver tom, and the black-and-white kit. “Why are we talking about the dirtplace? There are strangers in our camp.”

“Worse than strangers.” Dawnpelt fell in beside Spikefur, flexing her claws. “Rogues.”

As angry murmurs filled the camp, Seedpaw watched the expression on his sister’s face. There was none. She knew. Seedpaw clawed the dirt resentfully. She knew that there were rogues on our territory, and she tricked a kit into luring them into the camp to cause more trouble. This must be connected to what they did the night before the last.

“What are you doing in our camp?” Rowanstar’s growl cut through the murmuring of his Clanmates as he strode across the clearing and stopped a whisker away from the leading rogue.

Before he could respond, Seedpaw padded forward, his paws unable to stay rooted any longer. “I’ve figured it out, Rowanstar.” He turned back to his littermate. “Needlepaw. Explain the meaning of this.”

Needlepaw turned to Seedpaw, surprise showing in her gaze. Rowanstar looked at them in confusion. “Seedpaw, what are you talking about?”

Seedpaw ignored his leader. “Tell the Clan why you sent your stray to wander out last night and risk her life to lure rogues into the camp?” He raised his voice so that it would ring across the whole clearing. “Tell us why you are a traitor.”

Needlepaw stiffened for a heartbeat before widening her eyes. “What do you mean, Seedpaw?” she meowed. “I would never put Violetkit in danger.”

Her expression was innocent, but this only fueled Seedpaw’s suspicions. Needlepaw is a good liar, isn’t she? “You put her in danger two days ago by taking her out of camp,” he snarled. “You’ve been doing that for StarClan-knows-how long. Admit it, Needlepaw. You never cared about the stray. You only care for yourself.”

Needlepaw sat down and licked her forepaw. “Don’t be ridiculous. Why would I lead those cats” - she gestured to the rogues with her tail - “to the camp? I don’t even know who they are.”

Seedpaw narrowed his eyes. “Except you do, don’t you. That was what you have been doing with the kit out of camp. You were collaborating with the rogues all along. And you poisoned the stray’s mind, making her think it was okay.”

Needlepaw purred. Seedpaw was surprised how well such an obviously guilty traitor could feign such innocence. “I told you all, it was because Violetkit was bored in camp.” She turned towards the trembling kit. “Isn’t that right, Violetkit?”

Seedpaw glared at the kit. “The truth, Violetkit. What did you and Needlepaw do two sunrises ago?”

Violetkit’s eyes, filled with uncertainty, darted between the two littermates. “We were… stalking squirrels-”

“No, you weren’t. Neither of you brought any squirrels to the camp.” Seedpaw was losing his patience. “The truth, Violetkit. Don’t become a traitor like Needlepaw.”

“Enough!” Rowanstar yowled. The camp fell silent - Seedpaw did not realize until now that Yarrowpaw and Sleekpaw were whispering about him behind his back, watching him with weird stares. He assumed that his leader was defending him from them. But I was so close to a confession…

“I will address this dispute another time,” the ShadowClan leader continued. He turned to the rogues. “You don’t belong here. A patrol will make sure you leave our land. Tawnypelt, Spikefur, and Dawnpelt.” He nodded to his warriors. “Go with them and make sure they cross the border.”

Tawnypelt nodded.

“Can I come with you?” Needlepaw hurried toward her mentor hopefully.

Tawnypelt curled her lip. “You’re looking after the elders, remember?”

Needlepaw’s eyes flashed with anger. Then the silver apprentice’s gaze darted toward the gray-furred rogue. He blinked at her, then he turned and followed his two companions as they headed for the entrance. Tawnypelt, Dawnpelt, and Spikefur hurried after them.

So that’s what this is about. Seedpaw realized. Needlepaw is padding after another tom, even after we rejected the last one. Is she this petty? She is destined to destroy the Clan all just for a mate who will lick her tail and follow her around? I doubt even Wisppaw would be that mouse-brained, and she wouldn’t shut up about mates and other foolishness.

Seedpaw turned to the apprentices’ den. Wisppaw was standing next to it, watching the event unfold with wide eyes. She didn’t say a word. Too scared to choose between her littermates. One day, she will be left with no choice but to pick a side. I pray that she will choose wisely, even though I know…

…she won’t…

Chapter Text

“You won’t knock him down if you keep holding back,” Tawnypelt meowed. With Needlepaw still on elder duty, her mentor has taken on helping her littermates with battle training. “Try again, and this time, don’t hesitate.”

Wisppaw nervously heaved herself back up, the damp wind chilling her. Seedpaw stood in front of her, his frustrated glare boring into his littermate. “I’m training as a medicine-cat apprentice. You should be beating me.”

“Sorry,” Wisppaw mewed quietly. She didn’t want to tell him how she barely paid any attention to Scorchfur when he taught her moves, or how Scorchfur didn’t press her when she got too sore. Why couldn’t I have gone with him on patrol instead?

Wisppaw crouched into position. Seedpaw did the same. Wisppaw pounced, her paws hitting the dirt as Seedpaw strafed to the side. Wisppaw turned and raised a paw to defend her face, but pain shot up her stomach as Seedpaw took the opportunity to duck under her and swat her. Before Wisppaw knew what was going on, a blow to the other front leg sent her collapsing to the dirt beneath her.

“Oowww!” Wisppaw whimpered. It feels like I twisted something.

Tawnypelt lashed her tail. “That’s enough. Wisppaw, I will need to have a talk with your mentor. It seems that Scorchfur hasn’t been teaching you how to fight properly.” Her gaze softened as she turned towards Seedpaw. “Seedpaw, I know you want to improve, and the Clan honors you for your commitment. But it wouldn’t be fair to push you too hard. I think you should rest for a while before you return to Leafpool.” Tawnypelt turned back to Wisppaw, her stern gaze returning. “You are dismissed for now as well.”

As the senior warrior left the two apprentices and padded towards Tigerheart and Spikefur at the great stone, Seedpaw pulled on Wisppaw’s scruff and helped her get up on her paws. “What’s going on?” he hissed. “You fought me better when I was defending Rowanstar.”

Wisppaw bristled in alarm, glancing around to make sure no other cat heard. “You haven’t told him, have you?” she whispered.

Seedpaw rolled his eyes. “He likely knows already,” he meowed flatly. “Every cat was already watching, and Rowanstar was watching both of us when you pinned me down.”

Wisppaw doubted that was true. Immediately after she pinned her brother down, the clearing broke into fighting and chaos. When Wisppaw looked up, Rowanstar was furiously staring at Needlepaw, not her.

She gulped. There was no way she was telling her brother the truth. “Still, please don’t mention it to him.”

She braced herself for a burst of indignation from Seedpaw, for a barrage of questions on why he should keep secrets from his leader, but his eyes were somber as he responded, “Why would I remind our leader how our Clan is filled with traitors in every corner?”

Wisppaw quickly pressed to her brother’s side. “I won’t betray you. You’re my brother. I love you.”

It was the wrong thing to say. Seedpaw jerked away from Wisppaw. “Needlepaw is our sister. Will you run to her when the rogues-” he turned to the camp entrance as a hiss sounded beside it. “The rogues,” he growled.

Wisppaw followed his gaze. A gray tom was padding into camp. The same one who helped bring Violetkit back to camp - I think Needlepaw said his name was Rain? A plump pigeon hung from his jaws. Behind him, two she-cats - one black, one orange - squeezed through the tunnel, each carrying prey. She followed Seedpaw as he strode towards them.

Crowfrost, who was eating with Dawnpelt, lifted his head sharply, baring his teeth as he saw the rogues. He hurried across the clearing to meet them. “What are you doing here?” His ears were flat as he stopped in front of Rain.

Leafpool poked her head from the medicine den, her eyes rounding with surprise.

Rowanstar bounded from his den and skidded to a halt beside his deputy. “I told you to leave our territory!” he told the rogues.

Rain laid the pigeon in front of the ShadowClan leader. “We brought you these offerings.” He dipped his head as the orange she-cat placed a young rabbit beside the pigeon and the black she-cat dropped a fat thrush on top. It was fine prey. Wisppaw looked at the pile hungrily - her stomach rumbled as she remembered she hadn’t eaten since last sundown. But her brother snarled at it as if it was a venomous snake about to bite them.

“We want to join your Clan,” Rain meowed before any cat could speak.

“Join ShadowClan?” Rowanstar stared at him, eyes widening.

Tawnypelt, Tigerheart, and Spikefur padded from the shelter of the great stone. Wisppaw caught Needlepaw slithering through the dirtplace tunnel to join their denmates lined up at the edge of the clearing, their eyes sparkling with interest. Seedpaw hissed in her ear. “Did you know about this?”

“No,” she whispered back. It was half-true, at least. Needlepaw had told her how unfair it was that Rowanstar drove the rogues out when they had brought back Violetkit, and Needlepaw had betted that Rowanstar wouldn’t let them join the Clan no matter how much they proved themselves. And, uhh… she might’ve had some choice words for our brother. However, Wisppaw did not expect that the rogues would actually ask to join ShadowClan.

Rain crouched submissively in front of Rowanstar and gazed hopefully at the Clan leader.

Rowanstar glared at him. “Did you think you could bribe your way in with prey you caught on our land?”

Crowfrost hissed. “No cat hunts in ShadowClan territory except ShadowClan.”

Rain crouched lower. “I’m sorry. We didn’t realize.” He glanced at his companions, who both dipped their heads humbly. “Forgive us,” he went on. “If we have offended you, we will leave.”

As he turned, Rowanstar leaned forward. “Wait.”

Rain faced the leader, a faint glow lighting his eyes.

“Where in our territory did you find such good prey?” Curiosity softened Rowanstar’s mew.

“We are lucky when it comes to hunting,” Rain told him. “Perhaps we can bring some of that luck to your Clan.”

“No.” Crowfrost stepped forward, his black-and-white pelt bristling. “Take your prey and leave!” He glared at Rowanstar. “We can’t accept prey from cats who attacked another Clan!”

“Why not?” Needlepaw demanded. Wisppaw ears perked when her sister continued. “Is WindClan our friend now? I thought ShadowClan stood alone. The only truce we recognize is the truce of the Gathering. Why deny ourselves prey on WindClan’s behalf?”

Sleekpaw and Strikepaw were nodding. Wisppaw also thought Needlepaw had a point - the rogues were friendly, after all - but the sound of her brother unsheathing his claws warned Wisppaw to stay silent.

“Would WindClan do the same for us?” another voice agreed with Needlepaw. Mother! Wisppaw saw Berryheart standing with Rippletail, her tail lashing in annoyance.

Wisppaw heard Seedpaw claw the dirt beneath him. When she turned towards her brother, she promptly put her tail in front of Seedpaw’s mouth and silently shook her head, stopping him from making a stinging retort. It’s bad enough he’s feuding with Needlepaw. He can’t lose our mother as well! But when Wisppaw looked back, Berryheart wasn’t paying attention to any of her kits.

“WindClan has never brought us prey,” Sleekpaw joined Needlepaw. “Nor has ThunderClan or RiverClan. But we’re supposed to feel loyal to them. Why?”

“Why?” Rowanstar repeated Sleekpaw’s question, his eyes widening in surprise. “Because they are Clanborn like us. They follow the warrior code.”

“These are rogues!” Crowfrost puffed out his chest. “They have no code.”

“We could learn,” Rain mewed softly.

Rowanstar stared at him. “Why should we believe you?”

Rain glanced around the camp. “We see how you live,” he meowed. “How you thrive. We want to be like you.”

Tigerheart marched forward, his eyes glittering with outrage. “Then go and start your own Clan, on your own land!”

Rowanstar drew himself up. “I’ve had you escorted from our land before. Today you will be escorted again.” He nodded sharply to Spikefur, Mistcloud, and Wasptail. “Next time we find you on ShadowClan territory, you will feel the sharpness of our claws.”

The rogues glanced at one another. Rain turned back and blinked at Rowanstar. “We will respect your wishes.”

Rowanstar stiffened. “You have no choice.”

Rain flashed him an amused look before turning away and letting Spikefur lead the way out of camp.

Wisppaw glared at Rowanstar. Why did he have to be so rude? They’re cats, just like us. They were even willing to learn the warrior code! She wanted to spit at her leader for his stubbornness. But heavy breathing from Seedpaw reminded Wisppaw of her promise, and her irritation subsided into pity and guilt. I can’t let my brother hate me again.

As the patrol disappeared through the bramble tunnel, Needlepaw crossed the clearing and stopped in front of Rowanstar.

She kicked the prey toward him. “What are you going to do with this?” she snarled. “Throw it out with the rogues?”

Rowanstar’s eyes widened with shock. “ShadowClan catches its own prey.”

“We’d catch more if we had Clanmates like them.” Needlepaw flicked her tail toward the entrance. “Why didn’t you let them join?”

Dawnpelt padded from the edge of the clearing. “They’re not Clanborn.”

“Neither is Violetkit,” Needlepaw retorted. “But you let her join. And what did she offer the Clan but another mouth to feed?”

Wisppaw internally admitted that Needlepaw had a point, but before she could consider it further, Seedpaw bounded forward. “You forced his paw!” He stood nose-to-nose with Needlepaw. “You snuck out of camp for StarClan-knows-how many sunrises and returned gloating about the kits you found. You pushed the toad-brained idea to every other cat in ShadowClan that the strays somehow had anything to do with the prophecy. You gave our leader no choice.” He was trembling. “You split Violetkit from her littermate and strutted around camp as if you were the greatest cat in the forest.”

Wisppaw glanced at Violetkit. The black-and-white kit was staring at the arguing apprentices with wide eyes as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Wisppaw strode towards her brother, to bring him away from the jeering glares and sneers of their denmates, but he stopped her with his tail. “I haven’t finished,” Seedpaw snarled at Wisppaw. He turned back to Needlepaw. “Yet that wasn’t enough. You decided to consort with the rogues, bringing the stray with you, even telling her to wander out alone at night to lure the rogues here. Have you forgotten-”

Seedpaw collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. He raised his tail when Wisppaw tried to approach him. “Don’t come any closer.”

“Seedpaw!” Berryheart looked sternly at her son. “Don’t talk to your littermates like that.”

Wisppaw slunk back and looked around. Her denmates were mocking and yowling at Seedpaw. I’m sorry, Seedpaw. I should’ve tried harder to help you make some friends…

Needlepaw was glaring back at Rowanstar, her pelt bristled. “You turned away three strong hunters. Why?”

Tawnypelt padded forward, her stern gaze raking Needlepaw. “That’s enough!” she snapped.

“It’s not enough!” Strikepaw marched forward and stopped beside Needlepaw. “We have a chance to make ShadowClan powerful again.”

Yarrowpaw whisked her tail. “Aren’t you tired of agreeing with ThunderClan suggests? Don’t you wish we could hunt where we please instead of where the other Clans tell us we can hunt?”

Rowanstar flexed his claws. “Do you want war with the other Clans?”

Strikepaw flattened his ears. “We want to choose our own path, not follow the path of other Clans.”

“What you want doesn’t matter!” Rowanstar hissed. “I am ShadowClan’s leader. I decide what’s best. Taking in strange cats who have proved they are dangerous is not good for any Clan.”

“Not for weak Clans like WindClan or RiverClan,” Strikepaw snarled. “But we are ShadowClan. With cats like those, we could rule the whole lake!”

Seedpaw stood back up. “With cats like you, we could barely rule this clearing.” He turned towards their leader. “Rowanstar, you have been too soft on them. You must make them follow the code.”

Wisppaw shrunk beneath her pelt. Too soft? What is he talking about?

“You’re right,” Rowanstar mewed wearily. His gaze flicked around the other apprentices. “I have been too soft with all of you. I’ve let small rules be broken.” He caught Juniperpaw’s eye. “Don’t think I don’t smell the prey blood on your breath when you return from hunting. What you catch is for the fresh-kill pile, not your own belly.” He lifted his chin, yowling across the camp. “From now on, the warrior code will be followed. StarClan is watching us. Respect for our ancestors will guide our paws.”

Needlepaw glared at the ShadowClan leader. “You want us to obey a bunch of dead cats!” She nodded toward the pines looming over the camp. “Look at the living world. It has everything we need. We can push our territory as far as we like and take whatever we want. Who cares what StarClan thinks? Their lives are over. It’s our turn to live.”

Behind her, Beepaw, Juniperpaw, and Sleekpaw yowled in agreement.

Dawnpelt and Crowfrost stared at them in horror, as though they couldn’t believe that their own kits would turn on their leader.

Seedpaw crouched, trembling as he focused on Needlepaw, his gaze empty. Wisppaw flinched when she realized dreadfully that Seedpaw’s claws were still unsheathed.

Rowanstar met Needlepaw’s gaze coolly. “You can live according to our rules.”

“Never.” Needlepaw lashed her tail. “I’m sick of living in a Clan that only cares about peace. The rogues would have made us strong. But, if you don’t want them to join us, I’m going to join them!”

With a hiss, Seedpaw pounced, his claws outstretched. He knocked down the silver she-cat, whose wide green eyes flashed with shock before they narrowed with determination. Seedpaw started clawing her belly, causing white fur to flutter around them. Despite Seedpaw’s tiny stature and his role as a medicine-cat apprentice, Wisppaw thought that Seedpaw was fighting like a warrior.

But Needlepaw was larger, stronger, and more well-trained. She threw her brother off of her and pinned him down, crushing his chest and tearing him apart with unsheathed claws. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, and Wisppaw breath caught in her throat as Seedpaw’s struggles weakened and weakened. Her mind felt dizzy. Her stomach felt nauseous. The red of blood covered her vision and the roar of it muffled her hearing as a cat barked out orders and three more bounded to her fighting littermates.

When it has finally subsided, Wisppaw could see and hear normally again. Tigerheart and Dawnpelt had dragged Seedpaw back, who was swiping at empty air with closed eyes. Tawnypelt had come between the two apprentices, growling at her apprentice, who growled back in defiance. Blood was seeping out of several scratches on Needlepaw’s belly, but her wounds were rather shallow. Seedpaw’s, on the other hand…

Seedpaw, no! Blood was pooling on the ground where her brother lay. Rowanstar was yowling at Needlepaw, Needlepaw was yowling at Rowanstar, but Wisppaw ignored them as she ran towards Seedpaw. Deep gashes ran through his legs, chest, and back.

“Wisppaw!” Needlepaw’s call cut through her thoughts. “Are you coming with us?”

Wisppaw glanced at Needlepaw. Juniperpaw and Sleekpaw were standing next to her, their glares daring her to go with them. Then at Seedpaw. Despite his injuries, his gray eyes were open now, narrowed at Wisppaw as if he expected her to leave. I really want to join the rogues and leave our overbearing leader, but…

Memories flashed in front of her eyes. Wisppaw was eating and gossiping with Needlepaw and the other warrior apprentices, while Seedpaw half-heartedly ate alone by the medicine den. Wisppaw was keenly listening to Needlepaw retell her stories about the quest to ‘clear the sky,’ while Seedpaw was gathering bracken for his ailing mentor. Wisppaw was purring at a joke some cat whispered in her ear at Littlecloud’s vigil, while Seedpaw was sitting in silence, his back turned on them.

And the most recent one: desperate to win the approval of her denmates, Wisppaw was pinning down Seedpaw, staring at her brother as he shut his eyes and flattened his ears while the camp descended into chaos. Oh Seedpaw, I’m so sorry you had to suffer through all of that alone.

Wisppaw looked back towards Needlepaw. “I’m sorry, but-”

She cut off as Needlepaw’s gaze hardened. “Fine!” she spat. “Stay with your brother, since he’s clearly your favorite.” She turned and marched toward the entrance with Sleekpaw and Juniperpaw, pausing as she met Violetkit’s gaze. “You’re coming with me.”

“I- I am?” The kit sounded shocked and hesitant.

“Tigerheart, Dawnpelt, help me bring Seedpaw to my den.” Wisppaw hadn’t realized Leafpool had bounded toward them and was sniffing Seedpaw’s wounds. The ThunderClan medicine cat glanced up, freezing when she saw Needlepaw take Violetkit with her. “Needlepaw, you can’t take her away! She belongs to the Clans. StarClan needs her to be here.”

“I found her,” Needlepaw snarled. “If she’s special, she can be special anywhere.”

Rowanstar flicked his tail angrily. “Take her!” he called to Needlepaw. “You did ShadowClan no favors by finding her. There’s been nothing but trouble since she arrived. We’re better off without her. And without you!”

Wisppaw watched her sister crawl out of the bramble tunnel for one last time, guilt and grief tearing her inside. Needlepaw, I didn’t mean it like that! Please, my brother needs me. She glanced back. Leafpool, Tigerheart, and Dawnpelt have taken Seedpaw to the medicine den. She turned towards the prey the rogues have brought to the Clan. Well, this prey isn’t going anywhere, and Seedpaw must be famished right now… She took the fat thrush and strode into the medicine den.

Seedpaw was lying in a nest of bracken, his rapid breathing sounding more and more like sobbing. Cobwebs and pungent herb poultices covered his wounds. Wisppaw padded closer, barely registering the other cats with them as her heart ached with sorrow, and set the thrush in front of her brother. She tried to keep her voice casual as she mewed, “So, do you want to share this-”

“The prophecy!” Seedpaw cried, staggering Wisppaw. “StarClan has warned us this would happen. Needlepaw is destroying us all!”

Chapter Text

Wisppaw stared at Seedpaw, her mouth gaping open in shock. That was what the prophecy meant? “How- What-”

“Needlepaw said that the kits were what we found in the shadows,” Seedpaw explained. “But they weren’t. Needlepaw was. She was a part of ShadowClan, and now she’s clearing the sky, which means the shadows are receding-” Seedpaw breaks down in tears.

Tigerheart and Dawnpelt stood in silence, sharing shocked glances. Leafpool stared at her apprentice, as if she thought he was wrong but didn’t know how to start explaining it.

Wisppaw went to her brother’s side and lain down next to him. “Seedpaw, Seedpaw, it’s okay. Seedpaw, look at me.” Seedpaw turns towards her, his teary gray eyes tearing Wisppaw’s heart in two. It’s the first time I ever saw him cry. “Seedpaw, I’m here. I’ll always be here for you. Nothing will ever change that-”

“And you sympathized with her!” Seedpaw’s yowl filled the medicine den. “You thought she was right. You were going to join her. You were going to help her destroy the Clan and flirt with some random tom and run off-”

“No, no, Seedpaw,” Wisppaw whispered desperately. “I will never do that. I swear by StarClan…” her vision blurred as her eyes teared up with Seedpaw’s, “…and our bond as littermates, I will not destroy what you love. Ever.”

Several heartbeats of silence passed, where Seedpaw looked at her sister, his watery eyes filled with skepticism as he panted, struggling to hold his sobbing. Wisppaw continued, “Needlepaw will come back, Seedpaw. I promise you. She didn’t mean to hurt you. She’ll return in a few sunrises to see how you are. Hey, hey, Seedpaw!” Wisppaw called when her brother started to turn away. “Needlepaw would never tell you this, but in training and patrols, she had always told me how much she looked up to you. How much she loved you.” That was a lie, and it was an obvious one. Wisppaw had never heard her sister give a single genuine compliment about their brother while they were apprentices, and Needlepaw had only shown more contempt towards him after the owl incident. But I look up to him. I love him. Seedpaw just needs to know that someone feels that about him.

Seedpaw neck fur rose. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he scoffed in disgust.

“It’s true,” Wisppaw bluffed.

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Seedpaw hurried. “She’s a traitor, and StarClan has foretold us that she will destroy ShadowClan.”

Then StarClan was wrong. Wisppaw wished she had the courage to reassure her brother, to put his fears to rest. But as she lay there, clawing for the right words, Leafpool spoke.

“StarClan wouldn’t let a Clan die, Seedpaw.” The ThunderClan medicine cat’s mew was sympathetic but confident. “Besides, I don’t think that’s what the prophecy meant. Remember the quest, where StarClan led us to the kits.”

“The kits, found by Needlepaw, and one of them taken by her to live with savage rogues,” Seedpaw meowed, still shakily.

“Have faith. Needlepaw won’t let the rogues hurt her. Whatever you think of her, she’s still very fond of Violetkit.” Leafpool sighed, her gaze growing distant as she continued. “I would never have imagined littermates fighting each other like this. Nothing like this ever happened before in ThunderClan. In our darkest hours, we always looked out for each other.”

The den went silent. Dawnpelt’s eyes filled with distant grief, as did Tigerheart’s. Seedpaw’s expression was more unclear, behind his eyes emitting the flash of emotion Wisppaw saw all too much in her brother. Wisppaw pressed to his side, feeling her brother’s muscles tensing as their pelts touched.

Her ears perked up as the brambles rustled and the scent of Berryheart and Sparrowtail reached her nose. Her eyes shone and her tail rose as her parents entered the den. “Mother! Father!”

Berryheart flicked her tail impatiently, while Sparrowtail looked around the den. “We’re just here to make sure Seedpaw’s okay.”

Wisppaw nudged her brother with her nose. “Seedpaw, look, our parents have come to check on us.”

“I know, I’m right here.” Seedpaw meowed flatly, staring blankly at the wall, his tone warning his sister that he had no interest in talking.

“We love you, Seedpaw,” Wisppaw continued anyway. “Your family loves-”

“I’m alive,” Seedpaw interrupted his sister. “Now, don’t you all have somewhere to be?”

Berryheart shifted her paws uncomfortably. “Actually, Sparrowtail and I were just about to go out on patrol.” She and her mate turned to leave.

“Wait!” Wisppaw mewed. “Can’t you stay a little longer? Please?”

Sparrowtail shook his head. “We can’t miss our patrol.”

“You can’t miss spending time with your kits, either!” Leafpool snapped, much to Wisppaw’s surprise. “Kits are a gift from StarClan. They are the heartbeats of your lives. You must take every chance you have to be good parents to them before it’s too late.” The persistence in Leafpool’s voice reminded Wisppaw of the rumors she’d heard and gossiped in the apprentices’ den.

“Wait, so Leafpool mothered three kits as well?” Wisppaw had gasped. “Even though she’s a medicine cat?”

Needlepaw had nodded. “Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Hollyleaf. The last one died in the Great Battle.”

Wisppaw had chuckled. “If only our brother knew!”

The amusement in Needlepaw’s bright green eyes had faded away, replaced with cold disdain. “He would call us liars. Rowanstar brought her here in the first place.”

Now, looking back at Seedpaw, Wisppaw wondered if he knows.

Tigerheart stepped forward. “Dawnpelt and I can take your places for this patrol.” He nodded to Dawnpelt, who followed him to the exit.

Berryheart raised her tail to stop them. “That won’t be necessary.” And, to Wisppaw’s disappointment, Berryheart and Sparrowtail left the den without another word to their kits.

Leafpool sighed. “I’ll talk with them. They need to realize what they’re doing.” She left after them.

After a few heartbeats of silence, Wisppaw heard Tigerheart whispering to his littermate. “Could it be true? Could the prophecy have been about Needlepaw?”

“I don’t know,” Wisppaw heard Dawnpelt responding in kind. “I thought it meant the kits, but…”

Wisppaw nudged the thrush towards her brother. “Here, Seedpaw. We could share this thrush.”

“I’m not hungry,” Seedpaw refused.

“But you haven’t eaten-”

“I’m not hungry,” Seedpaw repeated sternly. “And this is rogue prey. Those mange-pelts used it to help Needlepaw destroy our Clan.” He turned back to his sister, his accusatory eyes staring into her. “Don’t tell me you thought they were serious about joining.”

Wisppaw stared down at her paws. That was exactly what she thought. “At least let me give you a wash.”

“No,” was Seedpaw’s only reply. There was an edge to his tone. He doesn’t want us here, Wisppaw realized. Dawnpelt turned to look at them, then, understanding Seedpaw’s indication, she nodded to Tigerheart. The two senior warriors left the den, leaving Wisppaw alone with her brother. Wisppaw knew that Seedpaw would want her to follow them, so he could rest in peace.

But Wisppaw didn’t want to give up so easily this time. I can’t leave him alone again. “Please… We never shared tongues-”

Seedpaw lashed his tail. “Wisppaw, you’re achieving nothing over this. Do you think I want to share tongues? No, I want you to leave this den and fulfill your responsibilities to this Clan and stop sympathizing with the traitors!” Seedpaw’s voice rose with a renewed rage, and his rapid breaths reminded Wisppaw that he was still crying inside.

“But-”

“Leave!” Her brother’s hiss permeated through her ear and pierced through her heart. “I- I-” He plunged his face into his paws. “I need some time with myself.” He flicked the thrush away from him with his tail. “Take this away. Eat it or bury it, I don’t care.”

With no words left to comfort or plead with her brother, Wisppaw picked up the thrush and dragged herself out of the den, wishing with every hair on her pelt that she could have been a better sister to her brother. With no appetite left now that her brother has rejected her, Wisppaw had no idea what to do with the thrush. She dropped it on the edge of the clearing and crouched down, forcing her to take a bite out of the savory flesh.

“Hey, Wisppaw, mind if we share?”

Strikepaw approached the silver she-cat and took a bite out of the thrush. Beepaw and Yarrowpaw followed, their ears flattened.

“Ugh, Dawnpelt said I have to take care of the old cats now that Needlepaw’s gone!” Beepaw complained, taking a bite as well. “Why does she always get to boss me around?”

“Those old cats think they know everything,” Yarrowpaw agreed, crouching to take a bite. “Now, thanks to them, we lost three strong cats who wanted to join and three of our denmates.”

Strikepaw sighed. “I’d join my littermates, but this camp is my home. If only they’d come here instead.”

Beepaw turned to Wisppaw. “Hey, speaking of littermates, you’re not hanging out with Seedpaw, are you? After how he attacked Needlepaw?”

“Can’t believe a cat would attack his own littermate,” Strikepaw grumbled. “Defending Rowanstar, no less.”

“Such a cleanpaw,” Yarrowpaw spat. “Always saying I’m as much use as a dead fox. He should listen to himself.”

Hearing her denmates insult her brother riled Wisppaw. You have no idea what he’s suffering! Every hair on her pelt urged her to defend her brother. You promised him! she reminded herself. Stop being such a coward!

Hating herself more than she ever did before, Wisppaw forced out a purr in agreement. “Yes, he should.”

Chapter Text

The reddening leaves of the undergrowth floated down to the forest floor. The trees rustled as the cold wind howled through them. Yet Needlepaw hardly shivered as she stomped through the forest. She was still bristling with anger and her head was still spiraling with the fight back at camp.

My littermates never cared about me! How dare Seedpaw accuse me of being selfish! That little fox-heart never treated me like a true littermate! Needlepaw unsheathed and sheathed her claws. Serves him right to hurt a little. She clawed the grass.

Next to her, Violetkit shivered. Needlepaw wrapped her tail around her. Don’t worry, little one. You’ll be safe and free soon. “We’re almost there,” she meowed out loud as the group followed the scent trail of the rogues, mixed with that of the escort patrol.

“T-Twigkit,” Needlepaw heard Violetkit whisper suddenly. “The f- feather… I… I want to talk to her-”

“You have me,” Needlepaw reassured her. “Don’t worry.”

“But… m- my sister-”

“Quiet!” she snarled. Guilt wormed in her belly when Violetkit flinched at her harsh tone, so she added more warmly, “I’ll be your sister, if that’s what you want.” And I won’t leave you, not like Seedpaw or Wisppaw left me.

Violetkit fell silent, her eyes downcast as she stumbled with the rest of the group.

As the forest darkened, Needlepaw heard pawsteps coming towards her. Her nose caught the scent of Spikefur, Mistcloud, and Wasptail. As the apprentices padded closer, the patrol of warriors stopped.

“What are you apprentices doing here?” Wasptail inquired in surprise. “And why is the kit-”

“Go away, Clan cats,” Juniperpaw spat at the warriors.

“Yeah,” Sleekpaw joined her littermate, “Run to your precious Clanmates.”

Wasptail’s eyes widened in shock, and Mistcloud’s fur bristled. Spikefur’s hackles rose as he rebuked, “That is no way to talk to your warriors-”

Needlepaw glared at Spikefur. “Not our warriors. Not anymore. We’re joining Darktail, and you can’t stop us.” She turned away. “This way, Violetkit.” She nudged the trembling kit forward as she padded away from her former Clanmates, who snarled and growled and yowled exclamations to which Needlepaw paid no heed. Sleekpaw and Juniperpaw, after hissing a few taunts to the warriors, followed.

When they had reached the familiar scent signaling the border with Darktail’s group, Needlepaw stopped. This is it, she reflected as the wind smoothed her sleek silver fur. I am no longer ShadowClan, no longer held prisoner to its code or traditions.

She stepped across.

I am free.

Light from the setting sun gleamed upon Needlepaw’s white belly fur and fresh cold air breezed through her nose as she shared tongues with Rain. With no responsibilities dragging her down, the last few sunrises went by like a shooting star, and she had not a care in the world.

Well, she had one care.

When she had left the Clan, Needlepaw had attacked her stubborn and cold-hearted brother, pinning and clawing her as the red haze of blood clouded her mind. It wasn’t my fault. Seedpaw attacked me first, and he always treated me like crowfood! Even as Needlepaw told herself this, guilt weighed in her belly like a stone, growing where her fury had once resided. I might have clawed him more than I needed to…

“What’s on your mind?” Rain had stopped licking Needlepaw’s pelt, the handsome tom’s green eyes filled with curiosity and concern.

Needlepaw looked into them. “Nothing.” She smirked slyly. “Just thinking about how I beat you at sunhigh.”

“Hey, I was going easy on you!” Rain growled, but there was amusement in his sharp gaze. He shoved Needlepaw onto her belly and pinned her down. “You wouldn’t last a heartbeat if I really tried.”

As Rain lifted his paw, Needlepaw leaped up and swatted him. It turned into a scuffle as the two cats wrestled each other, trying to pin the other to the ground. In her excitement, Needlepaw hadn’t realized Violetkit was lying on her paws next to them until she let a squeal when Needlepaw and Rain had bowled her over.

“Sorry,” Needlepaw acknowledged Violetkit, helping her back to her paws. The black-and-white kit stared into the distance, her yellow eyes dull with the same boredom as they have been since they joined the rogues. At least Darktail doesn’t force her to stay in camp. We can play together whenever we want.

Needlepaw curled her tail around Rain. “I’m glad you decided to come to the lake,” she purred. She snuggled her head under his chin, breathing into his scent.

Rain tensed. For a heartbeat, Needlepaw looked up at him, confused. Then Rain turned abruptly, and at once Needlepaw understood. Pawsteps and yowling resonated from the forest as Raven rushed into the camp, panting as she called out, “ShadowClan is attacking!”

At once Needlepaw shot up in irritation. Why couldn’t Rowanstar mind his own business! First he doesn’t let non-Clanborn cats join, then he attacks our camp? She snarled. Well, I’ll show him!

Darktail padded towards them, his composure calm as the air. “So they are,” the white tom mused. “Thought they could get their cats back, did they.” He turned to Needlepaw. “I bet you and your friends could prove them wrong.”

Needlepaw preened. “Of course, Darktail.”

The ShadowClan patrol wasn’t far. Needlepaw, Sleekpaw, and Juniperpaw joined Rain, Darktail, and Roach as they followed Raven through the forest. The scent of Needlepaw’s former Clanmates reached her nose, and she recognized Rowanstar, Crowfrost, Wasptail, Cloverfoot, Berryheart, Beepaw, Yarrowpaw, Strikepaw, and Wisppaw as they broke from the undergrowth. From what Needlepaw could tell, none of the ShadowClan apprentices were particularly pleased to be here.

“Greetings,” Darktail purred in mock politeness. “Did you want to join us as well?” He flicked his tail to the former ShadowClan apprentices.

“You’re outnumbered,” the ShadowClan leader threatened. “Just bring us back our apprentices, and we’ll leave your territory.”

Darktail chuckled. “And why would I do that? These cats chose to join me. Because you were such a terrible leader to them.”

As Darktail taunted Rowanstar, Needlepaw caught Wisppaw’s gaze. Hope sparkled in Wisppaw’s eyes as if she believed Needlepaw would return. Needlepaw glared at her sister balefully, snarling with contempt. Well, she can forget about it.

A growl sounded from Crowfrost’s throat. “Bring us our apprentices back or feel the sharpness of our claws.”

The rogue leader tilted his head in fake deliberation. “What do you think?” He turned to the former apprentices, his blue eyes flashing with amusement and confidence. “Do you want them to take you back?”

The former apprentices unsheathed their claws. “Never!” Sleekpaw hissed.

“Make us leave!” Juniperpaw challenged his former leader.

“The rogues treat me better than you ever have!” Needlepaw yowled. She ignored Wisppaw’s crestfallen face, instead relishing in watching Rowanstar’s neck fur bristle and his eyes widen in shock.

Darktail turned back to the invading Clan cats. “It seems they don’t want to come back to you. Go on, run back to your territory. Would you like an escort?” he sneered.

Rowanstar growled. “ShadowClan, attack!” But as he pounced at Darktail, Beepaw intercepted him and knocked him to the ground, striking his head. Immediately afterward, Berryheart turned on Yarrowpaw and Strikepaw, and Cloverfoot wrestled with Wasptail. A shocked Crowfrost stood frozen for a heartbeat before pulling Beepaw off of their leader, but Beepaw proceeded to turn on the ShadowClan deputy as he let go.

As the rogues joined the battle, their side bolstered by the new defectors, Needlepaw caught Wisppaw’s eye once again. In a burst of determination, Needlepaw pounced on her trembling sister and pinned her to the ground.

“What, now you’re licking Rowanstar’s tail as well?” Needlepaw spat scornfully.

Wisppaw stared in distress. “Look, Needlepaw, I wanted to join you, I swear. But I can’t leave our brother. I can’t betray him again.”

Needlepaw bristled. “Seedpaw attacked me!”

Wisppaw closed her eyes. “Well, yeah, but… you did kind of attack him as well. And you hurt him pretty badly…” she trailed off in uncertainty.

Needlepaw felt guilt worm back in her belly. Did I? He was still thrashing around when Tawnypelt intercepted. She knocked her sister aside, alongside the guilt. “But he’s fine now, isn’t he?” she retorted sourly.

Wisppaw slowly shook her head as she got back on her paws. “I don’t know. Ever since that, he… He’s been sleeping by the lake a lot lately, by himself. And every time I see him, there’s always a hidden sadness in his eyes…”

“Well, good,” Needlepaw hissed. “Serves him right after what he’s done.”

Wisppaw turned to her sister, her teal eyes wide with desperation. “Needlepaw, our brother misses you! He wouldn’t tell you, but it’s clear as daylight he wants you back.”

As if that would ever happen. “Then maybe he should’ve treated me nicer.” Needlepaw swatted her sister in a burst of outrage, clawing her whiskers. Traitor! She clawed her cheek. You never cared for me. She pounced on her. You only cared about Seedpaw. I meant nothing to you. She clawed her side. Wisppaw writhed away before her sister could continue attacking. When the haze had ended, Wisppaw had already disappeared into the undergrowth.

The other ShadowClan cats were retreating as well. Beepaw, Cloverfoot, and Berryheart stayed, however. Needlepaw looked away. She didn’t care much for her mother, nor did her mother care much for her. It doesn’t matter now. She had a new family.

Rain padded from behind the silver she-cat. “You fought well, Needlepaw,” the gray tom purred.

“No. Not Needlepaw.” She raised her tail. “I’m not a ShadowClan apprentice anymore.” She held her head high. “My name is Needletail.”

Chapter Text

“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Wisppaw, from this moment on you will be known as Wispspirit. StarClan honors your… spirit and optimism, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan.” His face shadowed by the setting sun behind him, Rowanstar bent down to rest his muzzle on the new warrior, who eagerly licked his shoulder as the rest of the Clan cheered.

“Yarrowleaf!”

“Strikestone!”

“Wispspirit!”

Wispspirit beamed with joy. A warrior! Despite the stinging injuries from the battle, and the somber memory of Needlepaw refusing to reconcile with her littermates, Wispspirit felt ecstatic to have achieved this milestone in her life. No more battle training. No more tick duty. She caught Scorchfur’s eye. Her mentor watched in approval as he cheered her name. So did her father, Sparrowtail. Wispspirit purred. It feels good to be liked by the Clan.

She looked around. Seedpaw was nowhere to be seen. I have to tell him, the new warrior resolved. Glancing to her side, she sees Yarrowleaf and Strikestone turned to the crowd, basking in the glory. She took this chance to stalk away and bound out of the camp through the dirtplace tunnel.

Wispspirit hurried through the forest, wincing as the sting from her scratches returned. Although Leafpool had bandaged them with some cobwebs and herbs, they didn’t completely stop the pain. She pushed it aside, too excited to care. Soon, the scent of her brother reached her nose, and the sound of the lake reached her ears. Heart pounding, she broke through the undergrowth and raced to meet her brother, curled up in a makeshift nest. “Seedpaw! How’s my favorite brother?”

The tiny medicine-cat apprentice, not moving his head from staring down the lake, responded matter-of-factly, “I’m your only brother.”

“Well, that makes you my favor-”

“No, it doesn’t, Wisppaw.” Seedpaw’s voice grew more irritated. He turned to his littermate. There were still some cobwebs on his dulling injuries. “The battle is over, I presume? I suppose Leafpool wants me back.”

Wispspirit set her over Seedpaw’s shoulder as he tried to stand. “No, she can manage. She wants you to take a break.” While treating Wispspirit, the ThunderClan medicine cat had expressed her worries regarding Seedpaw’s health.

“I’ve never seen a more hard-working apprentice in my life,” Leafpool had said. “But your brother takes everything too seriously, and StarClan knows when the stress will come crashing down on him.”

“I’ve tried to get him to talk more to our denmates,” the former apprentice had admitted, “but he really doesn’t seem to like it.”

“I could tell. I have yet to hear him talk about the rest of the apprentices without insulting them. And he thinks far too highly of deathberries…”

Now, at the lake, Wispspirit continued. “I guess you were right, Seedpaw. We lost, and none of them came back. Needlepaw’s still mad at us,” she added wistfully.

After several awkward heartbeats of silence, Seedpaw blinked. “Is that all?”

“Seedpaw, you should’ve been at camp!” Wispspirit’s excitement returned, and her tail perked upward. “Rowanstar made me a warrior!”

Seedpaw sighed, turning away from his sister. “What a pitiful state we are, to honor cats simply for meeting the most basic of expectations? Okay, what’s your new name?”

Wispspirit’s initial enthusiasm was thoroughly quenched by Seedpaw’s disappointment. “I’m Wispspirit now. Seedpaw, a-am I not fit to be a warrior?” Her tail now lay flat on the dirt behind her.

Seedpaw glared at her. “You can’t fight, you’re a coward, you’re always gossiping about nonsensical trivialities - do you think this is all just fun and games? Did you think that being a warrior meant you could just lie around and play all day?”

Wispspirit flinched at the vitriol, her ears flat and eyes wide with shock. “I… Seedpaw, is this about me hanging out with the others?” Did you realize I never stopped?

Seedpaw turned back. “I don’t know.”

“Oh, that can’t be true,” Wispspirit purred as she laid down on the ground next to Seedpaw, wrapping her tail around him. “There’s no way my smart, insightful brother doesn’t know everything.” But as she stared at her brother’s downcast face, she realized how forlorn and agonized he was. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t-”

“I don’t understand!” the gray cat suddenly yowled into the sky. “The Clan is dying, cats are defecting-”

“Yarrowleaf and Strikestone stayed,” the warrior refuted.

“So Beepaw did not?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Let me guess, our mother joined the rogues as well.”

“She- Yes, and Cloverfoot.”

“Oh, StarClan.”

Seedpaw buried his face in his paws, his tail lashing with frustration. Wispspirit nudged closer and pressed her side to his, shocked at how cold his pelt felt.

“I keep requesting the stars for help, for advice, to save the shadows from the clearing sky,” Seedpaw finally murmured. “But the stars stay silent. Perhaps it is too late.”

“Seedpaw…” So lonely… “I meant every word when I told you I would always stay for you. I know how hard it was for you when Needlepaw left-”

“For the whole Clan, not me,” Seedpaw rebutted.

“-but I’m still here,” Wispspirit finished. She shivered as the bitter wind pierced through her pelt. She cuddled closer to her brother, who for once didn’t react. Perhaps he’s cold, too. “Let me stay here with you tonight,” Wispspirit blurted.

Seedpaw shook his head. “No.”

“Brother, it’s freezing-”

“You have a vigil to sit tonight, anyway.”

“It’s fine, Rowanstar won’t notice-” Seedpaw glared at her, his sharp eyes warning his sister not to test his patience, “…okay. Good night, Seedpaw.” Wispspirit rose to her paws and turned back to the forest.

“Wispspirit.”

The she-cat turned around, surprised when her brother called her by her new name.

“I- I’m gl-” Seedpaw took a frustrated deep breath. “I’m gla-a-a-” he took another deep breath. “Never mind,” he gave up. “Forget I said anything. Go back to camp.”

You’re glad I stayed. Wispspirit realized what her brother had tried to say, and it warmed her heart to no end. She smiled to her brother before silently padding through the undergrowth, back to the ShadowClan camp, seating herself next to Strikestone and Yarrowleaf for the sacred vigil, ignoring their curious gazes. In spite of the frigid wind, her injuries, and the memory of all that happened at the ill-fated battle, Wispspirit found herself at ease.

“Wispspirit, for the last time, get off of me!”

Wispspirit drowsily blinked her eyes open. “Is it sunrise already?” she mumbled, dazed from exhaustion. The sun hasn’t risen yet. “I was having this really great dream-” she cut off as she felt something squirm under her forelegs. She looked down, and suddenly she realized that she wasn’t in the apprentice’s den, and the voice wasn’t Scorchfur’s. “Oh Seedpaw, I’m s-”

“Stop, stop, your vigil hasn’t ended yet,” her brother reminded her. Flustered, Wispspirit clamped her jaws shut and stood up to let Seedpaw out. “Great StarClan, so none of our new warriors could sit vigil properly for one night? I better tell Rowanstar. No, no talking,” he interrupted Wispspirit as she opened her mouth.

As Seedpaw padded away, Wispspirit sighed and sat down in exhaustion, too tired to process what her brother had just said. Her eyes struggled to stay open, and it felt like moons before the sun finally rose from the trees. At that moment, the thorn tunnels rustled, and Strikestone and Yarrowleaf burst through.

“Great StarClan, I thought for sure he would notice us!” Yarrowleaf panted.

“It’s a good thing he couldn’t scent us,” Strikestone agreed. “Otherwise we’d be crowfood for sure!”

“If only you hadn’t suggested we drop pinecones on him,” Yarrowleaf sniped.

Strikestone glared at her. “Hey, you threw down the first one!”

“Hey guys, is it morning already?” Wispspirit greeted them through bleary eyes.

Strikestone turned. “Yeah, vigil’s over.” He padded towards her and whispered, “Anybody miss us while we were gone?”

“Huh? No, no one noticed.” Wispspirit rubbed her eyes. “StarClan, I’m so tired I could sleep for a moon.”

“Really?” Wispspirit jumped at the calm voice behind her. “After my vigil, I could hardly keep my paws still.”

Wispspirit spun around. Rowanstar had padded up to the new warriors. “So, how was your vigil?” he continued.

“It was great!” Strikestone responded. “Nothing got past us.”

“Oh, really?” the ShadowClan leader’s head tilted. “You didn’t see a single cat wander through the thorn tunnel?”

“Of course not!” Yarrowleaf replied adamantly. “Right, Wispspirit?” She nudged the silver warrior.

“Yep. Not a single cat.” Wispspirit yawned.

Rowanstar flicked his ear. “Very well then. I believe you.” His eyes narrowed. “After all, you wouldn’t have seen Seedpaw enter if you weren’t even watching.”

He flicked his tail, and Wispspirit’s heart dropped like a stone as Seedpaw padded up to them, his accusing eyes pointed at the new warriors. Strikestone and Yarrowleaf bristled in shock, glancing at Wispspirit before turning back, their mouths dropped. Oh, right, the silver she-cat realized.

Strikestone was the first to break the silence. “There was… a sound in the forest…”

Yarrowleaf continued. “We… we went out to investigate…”

“We left Wispspirit here-”

“-and when we checked the forest-”

“-we thought we found a scent, but-”

“-we didn’t find anything.”

For a heartbeat that felt like moons, Rowanstar watched them unmovingly, and Wispspirit’s breath caught in her throat. Suddenly, he turned towards her. “Wispspirit, what happened?” He raised his tail as Seedpaw stepped forward, signaling him to stay silent as he questioned the warriors.

“I uh, I…” Wispspirit glanced to her denmates, then to her brother, then back to her towering leader. She gulped. “We thought the… the rogues might have come, so Strikestone and Yarrowleaf went to check and drive them off, and I- I kept watch.” As her brother looked increasingly exasperated by her lies, Wispspirit continued, “I… may have thought Seedpaw was a rogue… and pounced on him… Sorry…” Her ears grew hot.

Rowanstar continued to stare at her through narrowed eyes. Wispspirit tucked her tail between her trembling legs. Please don’t hurt me. Finally, the ShadowClan leader relaxed. “I have my eye on you three,” he growled before padding away.

As they passed Seedpaw, Strikestone and Yarrowleaf gave him a resentful glare. Wispspirit gave her brother an apologetic smile. Sorry.

Seedpaw narrowed his eyes, as if to say, So much for your promise. He turned away and padded to the medicine den.

“Seedpaw, wait!” Wispspirit called to her brother.

“That was an impressive lie,” Seedpaw meowed without stopping. “I’m surprised a toad-brain like you even managed to come up with it.” Seedpaw’s voice was laced with disappointment, and Wispspirit’s guilt deepened. “Anyway,” he continued, “I have to sort the herb store and check for infections-”

“Let me help you,” the silver warrior offered, keenly aware that she had no idea how to do either of those things, and she was still fatigued despite the heart-racing incident with Rowanstar. “I’ve got nothing to do today.”

“Because you’re supposed to rest.” Seedpaw finally stopped. “Tonight’s the Gathering, and Rowanstar chose you and your friends to go.” He took a deep breath. “I won’t be coming tonight. You’ll be representing ShadowClan instead.” The tiny medicine cat turned toward his sister. “And for StarClan’s sake, don’t pin the blame on Rowanstar for the events that transpired.”

Wispspirit rubbed her cheeks on Seedpaw’s. “Whatever you say, brother,” she promised.

“Wisppaw,” Alderpaw looked around, “has something happened? Where’s Needlepaw?” he added as Wispspirit looked away nervously.

The silver she-cat gulped. She still remembered when the ginger tom had walked with her to the camp, sheepishly asking where her sister was. “She left,” Wispspirit muttered, fully aware that he would not be happy by the news.

“She what?”

“She left the Clan, okay?” Wispspirit whipped her head around to face him. “The rogues from your quest meant no harm and wanted to join us, but Rowanstar bullied them away, and he would snarl at Needlepaw when-”

“Wait, Needlepaw joined that group of rogues?” Alderpaw exclaimed in disbelief.

“I’m sorry, I know how much my sister meant to you,” Wispspirit mewed. Suddenly, she realized with a twinge of guilt she had just done what Seedpaw had told her not to do. Again. “Please don’t tell my brother what I said about Rowanstar.”

Wide-eyed, as if he was struggling to process what the she-cat had said, the ThunderClan medicine-cat apprentice slunk back to the roots of the great oak as the murmurs of the crowd quieted. Wispspirit shook her head, clearing her gloomy thoughts as she padded back to Strikestone and Yarrowleaf. This was a Gathering - she should be cheerful.

“We have good weather,” Bramblestar observed, his gaze flickering toward the wide starry sky. “StarClan has blessed us.”

Rowanstar grunted dismissively. “ThunderClan cats always think they are blessed, even when they’re half-starved in leaf-bare.”

“It’s not leaf-bare yet,” Mistystar reminded them. “We must be glad that prey is still running and the snows are not yet here.”

“Prey is always running in RiverClan,” Onestar sneered. “Or should I say swimming.”

“Not if the river freezes,” Mistystar corrected him.

Rowanstar stood and raised his tail. “ShadowClan has three new warriors,” he announced. “Strikestone, Yarrowleaf, and Wispspirit.”

“Strikestone!”

“Yarrowleaf!”

“Wispspirit!”

Wispspirit leaped up with excitement, standing with her head high as the Clans cheered, their voices ringing through the brittle night air.

Mistystar raised her voice over them. “RiverClan has two new warriors too. Shadepelt and Foxnose!”

Bramblestar called out. “And Sparkpaw is now Sparkpelt!”

“Shadepelt!”

“Foxnose!”

“Sparkpelt!”

Not hesitating for a heartbeat, Wispspirit chanted the names for the new warriors in the other Clans. This is wonderful, she delighted. Every cat’s having fun, every cat is happy - if only my sister was here to enjoy it as well…

What would her warrior name be?

This moment of exhilaration was not meant to last, however. As the Clans fell silent and Wispspirit turned back towards Rowanstar, the ShadowClan leader’s gaze was not glittering with triumph, nor - surprising - was it sternly fixated upon the other leaders. The atmosphere grew solemn, and the silver she-cat shivered from the chilly winds previously ignored in her exhilaration.

“The rogues that attacked Onestar’s patrol are living on the edge of our territory, near our border with ThunderClan,” the leader announced gravely.

Shocked murmurs rippled through the gathered cats.

“Why don’t you chase them off?”

“They’re murderers!”

“We should join forces and drive them away.”

Rowanstar spoke over them. “They asked to join ShadowClan. They came with gifts of prey, but I turned them away.”

A pale brown tabby tom lashed his tail. “How dare they?”

“They could never be Clan cats!” Wispspirit recognized Sparkpelt’s snap.

“I turned them away!” Rowanstar repeated, the fur prickling along his spine. Wispspirit involuntarily flinched as her leader’s glare silenced the angry cats. “But some of our apprentices have chosen to join them. They took Violetkit with them.”

Mistystar jerked her muzzle toward him. “The kit from the prophecy?”

Rowanstar nodded.

Bramblestar flattened his ears. “You let them take her?”

Rowanstar scowled. “We were wrong about the prophecy, Bramblestar. Violetkit is just an ordinary kit. Twigkit is probably ordinary too. And Needlepaw found her. Why shouldn’t she take her?”

Bramblestar growled. His angry gaze fixated on Rowanstar. “You let a vulnerable kit be taken away to join a group of rogues? What were you thinking? I should have known Violetkit would never be safe in ShadowClan. If you didn’t believe she was part of the prophecy, why did you take her in the first place? We could have kept her.”

“We have to get her back!” Mothwing called.

“How will we clear the sky with her gone?” Mintfur yowled.

Squirrelflight flicked her tail angrily. “Let the sky take care of itself for now. A kit has been taken from her Clan! We must rescue her.”

While the clearing rang with mews of agreement, Wispspirit doubted that the cordial rogues would hurt a kit - let alone one Needlepaw found. “StarClan, the Clans can be so narrow-minded,” she whispered to her friends, who nodded in agreement.

“What are you going to do about this, Rowanstar?” Bramblestar yowled through the anxious clattering of the gathered cats, his glare on the ShadowClan leader.

Rowanstar’s tail twitched. “We attacked them last night,” he reported. “We hoped that when they saw us fighting for them, our apprentices would come back to us.”

He forced us to fight our former Clanmates, Wispspirit thought grimly, licking her still-healing wound on her flank. Why does my brother support him?

“But they didn’t.” Rowanstar’s mew was trembling. “In fact, one more apprentice and two of our warriors joined them and fought against us.”

“Who?” Onestar demanded, bristling with rage.

“Beepaw, Berryheart, and Cloverfoot.” Rowanstar stared at his paws. Serves him right to be ashamed.

Onestar thrust his muzzle close to the ShadowClan leader. “How dare you call yourself a leader? You can’t even control your own Clan!”

“They’ll come back.” Rowanstar’s mew was thick with emotion. “They’re young and wrongheaded. But they’ll realize their mistake and come back.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” Bramblestar’s mewed softened.

Onestar showed his teeth. “Meanwhile, we have rogues on the edge of Clan territory. If they steal Clanmates, you can be sure they’ll steal prey.”

Mistystar glared at the WindClan leader. “They’re as far from your borders as they can be. There’s no need for you to worry about your precious rabbits.”

Onestar hissed at her contemptuously. “Or for you to defend your fish.”

“This affects us all!” Bramblestar yowled. “They have Violetkit, and she is part of the prophecy.”

“So you say,” Rowanstar muttered, unconvinced.

Mistystar ignored the ShadowClan leader and faced Bramblestar. “We can’t risk trying to rescue her. She’s a kit. They could easily kill her if we attack their camp.”

“Then we must wait,” Bramblestar decided.

Onestar’s hackles lifted. “So we’re going to do nothing?” He stared at Bramblestar in disbelief. “These cats killed my Clanmate.”

Says the cat who attacked them first. At least, Wispspirit thought WindClan started the fight. That was what Needlepaw had told her, at least. But Seedpaw… he said it was the rogues’ fault, and he’s never been wrong before. Her tail suddenly drooped in grief and confusion. Why couldn’t my littermates both be happy together? As she wondered how to please them both, she realized that the leaders were jumping down from the great oak, ending the Gathering.

Rowanstar called for his Clanmates. “Let’s go home,” he commanded.

Wispspirit followed numbly. Needlepaw was still living with the rogues, and it seemed that Rowanstar would not change his ways. Perhaps I should just sneak out and beg my sister to forgive me and let me join.

But she remembered Seedpaw. He wants me to stay, and I promised him I would. She smiled inwardly, her love overpowering her grief. Brother, I’ll be the best sister you’ve ever had. And I’ll help you make some friends.

Chapter Text

“No, not like that, Violetpaw,” Needletail instructed her young friend, pinning her down. “You have to turn back up quickly, or else your enemy will rake your belly as well.” She lifted her paw and stepped back. “Try again.”

Violetpaw rolled back on her paws, crouching as she eyed Needletail. As the silver she-cat pounced, the black-and-white she-cat turned to her side, slipped under her attacker, lightly batted her belly, and turned back up before Needletail could retaliate.

“Come on, you can hit harder than that!” Needletail quipped. She nudged her friend, who stared at her paws. “Try unsheathing your claws.”

At once Violetpaw looked at her mentor in alarm. “But-”

“I’ll be fine,” Needletail promised. She narrowed her eyes. “You’re not a coward like the Clan cats, are you?”

Violetpaw quickly shook her head. “N-No, Needletail.” Hesitantly she crouched to her position, trembling as she unsheathed her claws.

“Actually…” Needletail looked up at the sky, through the leafing branches of the alder and beech trees. Light from the setting sun warmly dappled her back. She looked back at her friend. “That’s enough for today. Let’s go back. I bet the hunting patrols brought something tasty.” She got an idea. “I’ll teach you how to stalk rabbits tomorrow. Would you like that?”

“Okay…” Violetpaw mewed tentatively, quickly unsheathing her claws.

Needletail rolled her eyes. Violetpaw was never satisfied with whatever they did. After all I did for her, she could at least brighten up. She turned around and trotted toward the camp. Paws pattered behind her as Violetpaw followed.

Needletail tasted the air. The rich scent of prey watered her mouth, and for a heartbeat she was tempted to catch a mouse or two for herself. But why would I do that? I don’t need to do it. The birds sung in the trees, and rowan bushes rustled with the light breeze. Any cat could be fooled by the foliage and warmth that it was greenleaf, and Needletail felt content. A cat ought to enjoy herself. She closed her eyes, satisfied.

Her stomach rumbled. She quickened the pace, hoping to get the first pick in the fresh-kill pile. With the rogues, there was no need to wait for queens or elders to hog the best pieces of prey. To be honest, I kind of miss the thrill of battling each other for it back at the gorge. I miss sneaking out on the adventure, ruffling the cleanpaws, and finding the kits with Alderpaw by my side. Needletail had no idea why, but the memory made her heart twinge just a little. But that’s all past. I have the rogues now. And I have Violetpaw. She turned around to make sure her friend was keeping up with her.

Violetpaw was nowhere to be seen.

Needletail sighed in exasperation and trekked back downhill, following the scent of the young she-cat. Her ears pricked as she heard another young she-cat talk to Violetpaw. “What if she came back after Alderpaw took us?”

“She’d have found we were gone,” Violetpaw replied.

“But she might be looking for us!”

“After all this time?”

“Don’t you want to find her?”

“Find who?” Needletail interjected as she padded through the brackens, finding her friend gossiping with Twigkit. Or Twigpaw. Whatever.

Violetpaw jerked her muzzle round, her pelt prickling guiltily. “Hi, Needletail.”

Needletail stopped beside her friend. “Find who?” she repeated, her ears flattening, her eyes glaring at the gray she-cat.

Twigkit lifted her chin. “Our mother,” she mewed bravely. “I think she might be alive and searching for us. I want Violetpaw to help me look for her.”

“Why?” Needletail leaned close, her eyes narrowing. “She has a family here with the rogues.” Her gaze flicked to Violetpaw. “Don’t you?”

“Y-Yes,” Violetpaw answered quickly. “The rogues are my kin now. They’re way nicer to me than ShadowClan used to be. And Needletail is like a sister.”

Of course I am. Relief settled throughout Needletail by the confirmation.

Twigkit’s face fell. “So you won’t help me find her?” she implored Violetpaw.

Violetpaw stared at Twigkit. “I can’t just leave my campmates. They’ve fed me and protected me. It would be wrong to leave with you.”

Needletail’s tail twitched as she growled, “Darktail takes loyalty very seriously.” Twigkit backed away.

“I’m sorry, Twigkit,” Violetpaw blinked at the gray she-cat in sadness. “I can’t help you. You should go home.”

“Yeah, Clan cat,” Needletail sneered. “Go home where it’s safe.” She glanced upslope. The patrols were due to be back anytime soon, and Twigkit was only wasting their time. “Come on, Violetpaw.” She headed into the bracken. “Our campmates will be expecting us.” Irritation prickled her pelt as Violetpaw continued to stall, glancing over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of the cat who claimed to be her sister. “Hurry up!” She flicked her tail. “The hunting patrols will be back soon, and I’m hungry.”

Needletail continued the journey to their camp. Heartbeats later, she heard pawsteps patter behind her as Violetpaw followed. The black-and-white cat was silent.

Pawsteps thrummed the ground. Rain and Sleekwhisker bounded toward them, skidding to a halt as they reached Needletail and Violetpaw. Each of them was carrying a mouse.

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

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

Rain purred. “Sure.”

He’s mine! Needletail scowled jealously at Sleekwhisker and pushed between the two cats. She frowned as she glanced at the puny mice. “That’s not going to feed us all. Let’s hope Cloverfoot and Roach got a better catch. I’m starving.”

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

“We weren’t supposed to be hunting, mouse-brain.” Needletail lifted her chin. “I was teaching Violetpaw some new fighting moves.”

Sleekwhisker stared witheringly at Violetpaw. “I don’t know why you bother training her. We don’t live in a Clan anymore. Let her learn to fight and hunt the way rogues learn - by experience. Or isn’t she smart 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 any rogue.” Her mew softened flirtatiously. “He was fighting you.”

Rain’s eyes sparkled. “So you think I fight like a warrior?” He padded around his mate, brushing against her.

“Better,” Needletail answered, purring.

“Can you two stop acting like a pair of mouse-brains?” Sleekwhisker interrupted. “I want to get this prey back to camp before it gets stiff.”

Rain caught Needletail’s eye. “Perhaps we should go hunting tomorrow,” he mewed silkily. “Just the two of us.”

That would be nice. The silver she-cat was about to agree, but Violetpaw spoke first, “Needletail promised to show me how to stalk rabbits tomorrow.”

Needletail dragged her gaze from Rain’s. “She’s right,” she mewed regretfully.

Sleekwhisker picked up her mouse and headed for the camp. Rain grabbed his mouse and followed, glancing over his shoulder at Needletail. Violetpaw hurried ahead of her mentor and stayed behind Rain.

As they padded into camp, Cloverfoot turned her head. The gray tabby was standing beside a plump rabbit and a thrush.

“You’re back.” Sleekwhisker sounded surprised as she dropped her mouse onto the fresh-kill pile.

Cloverfoot sniffed. “Of course. Catching this didn’t take long.”

Juniperclaw was washing leaf litter from his pelt. He looked up. “Prey is running well.”

“We’ve been back for ages,” Roach yawned. The silver tom was lounging nearby.

Rain dropped his mouse beside Sleekwhisker’s. “How are Slit and Beenose?” He glanced toward the drooping rowan bush where the sick cats were sheltering.

The branches trembled and Nettle nosed his way out, looking worried. He answered Rain’s question. “They’re worse. Beenose keeps coughing, and Slit’s fever is rising.”

Nettle was the closest the rogues had to a medicine cat. But the brown tabby only knew a few herbs. He’s tried them all on the sick cats, but nothing had made them feel better. But at least he’s not a fox-heart, Needletail thought, remembering with a mild irritation her brother who persecuted and attacked her.

Rain shrugged. “Oh, well.” He sniffed the rabbit hungrily. “More prey for us.”

“Wait!” A sharp growl sounded outside camp. Darktail padded from the long grass edging the camp. His menacing gaze fixed on Rain. “You’re getting nothing from the fresh-kill pile today.”

Rain’s hackles lifted. “No cat tells me I can’t eat.”

“You want to eat?” Darktail added slowly toward him. “Go catch something worth eating.” He stopped beside the fresh-kill pile and hooked up a mouse with his claw. “This is kit food.”

“Are they going to fight?” Needletail heard Violetpaw whisper.

“Hush.” Needletail didn’t look at Violetpaw. Her gaze was on Rain, eagerly watching as her mate stepped closer to Darktail.

“The prey I catch isn’t good enough for you?” Rain growled.

The rogue leader lashed his tail. “You’ve been bringing less and less back to camp.” He dropped the mouse. “This is the most pitiful offering yet.”

Rain’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Have you been counting what I catch?”

“Of course I have,” Darktail hissed. “I’m the leader of this group. I make sure every cat pulls his weight.”

“You sound like a Clan cat,” Rain sneered.

“So?” Darktail lifted his chin. “They live well.”

“If you like rules!” Rain flexed his claws.

“Rules will keep our bellies full.” Darktail spoke slowly, his vicious gaze not moving from Rain.

“Is that why we came here?” Rain hissed. “To hide behind bushes and hunt prey no one else wants?” He flicked his tail toward ShadowClan’s pine forest, stretching far behind them. “We live on a tiny piece of land when there’s a whole territory right there for the taking.”

“We don’t need the pine forest yet!” Darktail snapped. “For now we’ve got everything we need and we don’t have to fight for it. We won’t be taking over anyone’s territory until I say so.”

Rain flattened his ears. “You’ve grown soft.” A growl sounded in his mew as he crouched threateningly.

Darktail’s eyes flashed. With a yowl, he flung himself at Rain. Rain reared and caught him, staggering back as the full force of the muscular tom hit him. Digging in his claws, Rain rolled onto his spine and thrashed viciously at Darktail’s belly with his hind paws. It’s starting! Needletail darted around the two cats as they rolled, screeching across the clearing. Her thrilled gaze was fixed on her mate, and her pelt rippled from excitement.

“Watch out!” Violetpaw suddenly yelped. Needletail narrowly dodged as Darktail wildly swung a paw in her direction. It sliced past her and caught Rain hard on the cheek, drawing blood.

Scrabbling to his paws, Rain ducked a second blow and lunged at Darktail’s forepaws. Knocking them from under him, he sent the rogue leader crashing onto his belly. Rain reared and slammed his paws hard onto Darktail’s spine.

You can do it, Rain! Needletail couldn’t help but inwardly cheer for her mate. Rain was strong and experienced, and she knew that he could beat any cat in a fight.

The rogue leader rolled clear with a snarl. He sprang to his paws, his gaze flaming. Barring his teeth, he leaped at Rain. Needletail felt a flash of alarm as the rogue leader sunk his teeth into Rain’s neck.

With a grunt, the long-furred tom collapsed. Darktail let out a low yowl as he pressed Rain to the ground, his teeth still in the gray tom’s neck.

Rain jerked beneath him, his breath gurgling in his throat.

“Let him go!” Needletail begged in panic. “You’ll kill him.”

Needletail’s breath caught in her throat as Rain fell still beneath the rogue leader. Please don’t kill him. Please don’t kill him. Only when Rain slumped in defeat did Darktail let go and back away.

Needletail dropped down beside Rain. She didn’t care that he lost. All that mattered was that he was alive. “Are you okay?” she whimpered, every hair on her pelt trembling with terror.

Rain grunted. The fur at his neck shone with blood. Rasping, Rain staggered to his paws and faced Darktail.

Darktail scowled. “Who’s the leader?”

Rain glared at him. “You are,” he growled.

“Don’t challenge me again,” Darktail hissed softly. The tip of his tail twitched menacingly behind him.

Rain stared at him, anger showing in his gaze. “I won’t.”

“No, you won’t.” Without warning, Darktail lashed out, as fast as a snake. His claws raked Rain’s eye before the tom could close it. Ears flat with shock, Rain staggered backward and let out an agonizing yowl before collapsing to the ground. Blood welled around the socket.

Needletail hunched over her mate in shock. His cheek was ripped and his eye was closed and oozing with blood. “You’ve blinded him!” she shrieked at Darktail.

Darktail curled his lip. “I only half blinded him,” he growled. “A half-blind cat threatens no one.” He padded to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed the plump rabbit between his jaws, then carried it to the edge of the clearing and began to eat.

Needletail stared in horror.

“Hush,” Needletail whispered to Rain, soothing his fur with her tail. The long-furred tom moaned in pain as they huddled in the long grass. “I’m here for you.”

There was still prey on the pile. Darktail had been the only cat to eat. The others had slunk to the edges of the camp in silence. Nettle had been racing in and out of camp all evening with herbs, frantically doing what he could to stop Rain’s bleeding.

But he’s still in pain, she frustrated. What good is a medicine cat if he can’t treat him properly?

Needletail had completely lost her appetite after what had happened. She hasn’t left her mate’s side for a single heartbeat.

Outside their nest, the camp was silent save for Darktail’s echoing snores, and the chilly moonless night was further darkened by the clouds shadowing the stars. Had it been one of her better days, Needletail would have found it amusing how such a warm, pleasurable afternoon could lead to such a cold and painful night.

She licked her mate’s ear as Rain let out another moan. “Don’t worry Rain,” she murmured into his ear. “It’ll hurt less soon.” She almost wished Rain had obeyed Darktail this time instead of challenging him.

But that’s why I love him. Rain cowers to no cat. He would fight an entire Clan on his own for me.

Please, Rain, don’t do anything so mouse-brained next time.

Needletail barely heard the paws pattering outside the grass. She breathed in the scent of her mate, huddled closer, and let sleep overtake her.

“Violetpaw, get up-” Needletail suddenly halted by her friend’s nest. It was empty.

“Violetpaw, we’re stalking rabbits today,” she called more loudly, padding across the camp. It was late morning, but Violetpaw was nowhere to be seen, even though she had insisted the evening prior to train with Needletail today.

“Violetpaw, remember you wanted to do this.” There was no response. Belly full of dread, Needletail hastened her pace as she broke through the camp entrance.

“Violetpaw, where are you?” Needletail caught the scent of her friend. It led away from the camp. She ran in its direction, skidding to a halt as she realized the beech and alder trees around her started to turn to pine and spruce. She caught the faintest scent of the ShadowClan border in front of her.

“Violetpaw!” Needletail’s eyes started to water. Then, without warning, tears started to fall uncontrollably from them as she fully realized what had happened.

She- She betrayed me. First Seedpaw, then Wisppaw, and now Violetpaw. I’ve never meant anything to them. Filled with fury and grief for the cat she loved as a sister more than her actual kin, Needletail spun around and stalked back to the camp.

Chapter Text

A sprouting seed…

It had been five quarter-moons since Seedsprout received his full medicine cat name. Five quarter-moons since he last shared tongues with StarClan. Five quarter-moons since the ShadowClan medicine cat appealed to his ancestors for a way to save the Clan from its prophesied destruction.

Five quarter-moons since the stars gave him a new prophecy.

“Brr, it’s chilly today, huh Seedsprout?” Wispspirit nudged his brother as they walked through the forest.

Or, Seedsprout pondered, part of a new prophecy. He knew that “a sprouting seed” had to refer to himself, as per his new name. However, dreams never last, and he suddenly awoke before the spirits could finish. That was the last the medicine cat had heard from StarClan.

“You were the one who barged into my den before sunrise and made me take a walk around the territory,” Seedsprout responded dryly.

The morning was still dark under the moonless sky, and brambles rustled from the newleaf wind under the pine trees. His sister, grown in the four moons since she became a warrior, shivered beside him. He hardly felt a thing. He was used to the cold. He found the cool breeze by the calm lakeshore far more comforting than his sultry den in the crowded camp.

“Well, you were already awake,” Wispspirit stated. “You can always sort herbs later.”

What does it mean? Is it my sole responsibility to rid the lake of the rogues?

“Later is when Puddlepaw barges in the den and obstructs my work,” Seedsprout retorted, “because some cat told him it was a good idea to ‘help Seedsprout out.’”

But I am a medicine cat, not a leader. I failed to defeat Needlepaw. I knew from the start that she would destroy us, and now she is probably raising kits with that rogue and teaching them to despise the Clans.

“Look, Seedsprout, I know you don’t like Strikestone or Yarrowleaf. But Puddlepaw’s nice and thoughtful, and I thought he would make a nice friend for you,” Wispspirit defended herself.

She already destroyed one life with her lies. The stray did not deserve what the traitor did to her. How many more?

“Puddlepaw could barely discern a herb from a weed. His help is a hindrance. I will never understand what made you think that toad-brain would make a good ‘friend.’” Seedsprout was acutely aware of the forest thickening around them.

“You could teach him.” Wispspirit turned to her brother. “You’re smart, you know all about herbs.”

Seedsprout scoffed. Wispspirit has always been the optimist. And the fool. She would sooner think a mouse could train to become a medicine cat than admit her friends couldn’t.

A sprouting seed… a sprouting seed…

Why did Leafpool name me Seedsprout?

“Why not?” Wispspirit’s voice broke through her littermate’s thoughts. “It’s a great name.”

Seedsprout halted and blinked in surprise. Did I say that out loud?

“Seedsprout,” his littermate stopped beside him. “You have to stop worrying about the prophecies. Nothing happened for moons. Everything’s gonna be fine, I promise.”

She started to take a few steps before pausing again, her ear twitching. “I have to make dirt.”

Seedsprout stared. “Again?”

“I ate a lot last night,” his sister explained sheepishly.

Seedsprout rolled his eyes. “Be quick. The sun is rising.”

Wispspirit bounded off. “Stay here!”

Seedsprout looked around. He was alone, enveloped in the dark shadows. He padded forward, studying the forest. The forest is dense here. We must be close to the border with the rogues. The bracken in the undergrowth danced as a chilling breeze passes by.

But they’re not even a Clan, so the borders they mark are illegitimate. We could hunt in their territory or sabotage their herbs, and it would not be forbidden by the Code. On the contrary-

Seedsprout faintly heard pawsteps patter in the bracken, “-it would be a service to our Clan to vanquish them now.”

With a rush of energy, the medicine cat pounced toward the movement, claws unsheathed. He landed on a rogue about his size, and he lifted a claw, prepared to make an example of the trespasser. The shadows will remain-

“Violetkit?” Seedsprout recognized the black-and-white she-kit as her wide yellow eyes gazed at him fearfully. What is the stray doing here? He narrowed his eyes. “Did Needlepaw forget this territory already as to make you spy on us now?”

“I-” Violetkit’s eyes darted around wildly. “I want to come back to ShadowClan.” Her mew was hardly more than a whisper.

“Seedsprout? What’s happening?” Wispspirit scampered up toward the two. Her eyes widened as they fell on the kit. “Violetkit?” She blinked hopefully. “Is Needlepaw with you?”

Violetkit shook her head. “She’s Needletail now. She’s growing closer to Rain. She doesn’t even know I’m gone.”

Wispspirit’s tail drooped. “Oh. I just wanted to… see her again,” she mewed.

Rain… the gray tom who invaded our camp with false bribes, or did Needlepaw - or whatever she calls herself - hop to another tom? “And how do we know you’re not lying?” he snarled at the rogue. “If I recall correctly, you were quick to defend that deceiver.”

Violetkit blinked in confusion. “What?”

“Is she too lazy to steal our prey herself?” Seedsprout stared at a dead rabbit next to them.

“I caught that before I crossed the border!” Violetkit puffed in indignation.

“Uh, Seedsprout,” Wispspirit sniffed the rabbit, “I don’t think she’s lying. It smells like it’s from rogue territory.”

The ShadowClan medicine cat sighed. “Of course. She certainly could not have covered the old ShadowClan scent with her own,” he proclaimed sarcastically. He let go of Violetkit and stepped back, out of the bracken. “Get up.” As Violetkit tentatively rose to her paws, Seedsprout continued, “Now, what are they planning?”

“Huh?” the kit asked.

“I presume the rest of the rogues talked freely around you.” Seedsprout paced back and forth. “When and how are they going to attack ShadowClan?” This is crucial.

“They-” the kit seemed overwhelmed, “Darktail is no threat to the Clan, I promise.”

“Brother, she’s just a kit,” Wispspirit purred. “Let’s get Violetkit back to camp first.”

“I’m Violetpaw now,” she mewed uncertainly, shifting her paws. “Needletail made me her apprentice.”

Wispspirit’s eyes brightened. “Our sister is mentoring you?”

“Oh, for StarClan’s sake…” Seedsprout growled, clawing the grass. “Fine. You can explain yourself in front of Rowanstar. He will decide whether or not you are worthy to rejoin ShadowClan. Although frankly, it might be better for you to seek Bramblestar and return to ThunderClan instead,” he added quietly, mostly to himself.

The medicine cat spun around and headed back to the ShadowClan camp. Behind him, he heard pawsteps as his littermate and the rogue followed him and vague whispers and mutterings as if they were gossiping about toms as Wispspirit so often did as an apprentice. A warrior in size, a kit in spirit.

Cats were waking when Seedsprout, Wispspirit, and Violetpaw had finally arrived at the ShadowClan camp. Rowanstar was talking to Tawnypelt, Tigerheart, and Spikefur, who were preparing for the dawn patrol. They turned to the thorn tunnel as it rustled, their eyes widening as they stared behind Seedsprout.

“Violetkit?” Tawnypelt blinked.

Rowanstar’s eyes lit up with relief and hope. “I knew you’d all come back!”

“Most of the rogues haven’t left,” Seedsprout reported, inwardly wishing that his leader would be less forgiving. “Only the stray from the quest returned.” He ignored Violetpaw as her neck fur bristled. “She calls herself Violetpaw now.”

Warriors, apprentices, and queens have left their dens to watch the commotion. Rowanstar narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Violetpaw. “Is she spying?”

“She claims she is not, but she also defends her fellow rogues and claims they are no threat to us.”

“I’m not a rogue!” Violetpaw exclaimed, flicking her tail. “I know I’m not a Clan cat now, but I want to be.”

“Then prove it,” Seedsprout challenged. “The Clan must be prioritized before any personal friendships.”

“Hey, maybe Violetpaw can be your friend.”

Seedsprout and Violetpaw both turned around to stare at Wispspirit, who made the suggestion. “What?” they meowed at the same time.

“She could help you with herbs and stuff when she isn’t training,” Wispspirit continued to her brother. She turned to Rowanstar, her eyes containing something between hope and wariness. “Rowanstar, Seedsprout’s always so stressed doing Clan work.”

Exasperated, Seedsprout put his paw to his face. “That is unnecessary, Wispspirit.”

Unfortunately for the ShadowClan medicine cat, while some warriors like Spikefur were eyeing Violetpaw suspiciously, most - including Rowanstar, Seedsprout realized unsurprisingly - seemed sympathetic to the idea. To Seedsprout’s side, Strikestone and Yarrowleaf purred, clearly amused with the situation.

“Hmm…” Rowanstar pondered, “we need all the warriors we can get right now. Violetpaw, would you accept this deal?”

Violetpaw leaped up with joy. “Oh, yes please!”

Seedsprout looked back and forth between his leader and the former rogue before sighing in resignation. “You are the leader, Rowanstar. Anything you say goes.”

“Very well,” Rowanstar nodded to Violetpaw. “I welcome you back to ShadowClan as a Clanmate.” He turned towards the warriors’ den. “Dawnpelt! You will be Violetpaw’s mentor.”

As Dawnpelt approached Violetpaw to welcome her, Seedsprout padded to his den. “I need to rest,” he mumbled, ignoring his sister as she tried to follow.

He buried his head in his largely unused nest, wondering to himself what had just happened.

The stray is back, supposedly having escaped Needletail’s lawless grasp. She is in ShadowClan now.

She should be with her sister in ThunderClan.

We should never have taken her.

“We already tried catmint, Violetpaw!” Seedsprout snapped, losing what little patience remained within him.

Violetpaw shrank into her pelt. “Sorry, Seedsprout.”

“‘Sorry’ catches no prey. By StarClan, even a mouse has more reason. Is this what Needletail taught you? I can’t say I’m surprised.”

Violetpaw’s eyes widened. “I just thought I’d-”

“You’d what? Waste the rest of my day offering useless herbs?” Last sunrise, Wasptail and Oakfur had fallen sick with a mysterious illness. Seedsprout had tried every herb he knew, save for the poisonous ones. They have only gotten worse overnight, and now it was sunhigh the next day.

Now Rowanstar had fallen ill as well, and Seedsprout was frantically trying to cure a disease about which he knew nothing. And Violetpaw isn’t helping. Great StarClan, why does Wispspirit have to be so difficult?

He sighed. “Go back to training with Dawnpelt,” the ShadowClan medicine cat relented, closing his eyes.

He heard pawsteps patter away on the pine needle floor. “You know,” Violetpaw meowed before she exited the den, “I’m starting to think Needletail was right about you.” Then she padded away.

Seedsprout collapsed. The stress had exhausted him and given him a headache. Nothing is working. He took some deep breaths. He stood up and dragged himself to the herb storage. They should be here somewhere… surely Leafpool didn’t throw them all out.

“Seedsprout?” The sound of the medicine cat’s sister reached him as she entered the den.

“What?” Seedsprout spun around irately.

“Is everything okay?” Wispspirit’s eyes were filled with concern. “Violetpaw seemed… upset.”

“I noticed,” Seedsprout deadpanned. He turned away. “Rest assured, that feeling is mutual.”

“She was just trying to help.”

She was just interfering with my responsibility, Seedsprout mused sarcastically. He was too tired to argue out loud.

“You’re being too harsh on her… and yourself,” Wispspirit continued, padding over to her brother. “You need to rest.”

“Waste of time. The-”

“They’ll be fine, Seedsprout. You never failed to cure a Clanmate.” Wispspirit guided him to his nest. “I know you can do it,” she assured.

Seedsprout collapsed onto his nest. “That’s because-”

Wispspirit stopped him with her tail. “Look, we can talk about it after you rest.” She bent her head down to touch her nose on his forehead. “Sleep, my brother. I promise you, it’ll all be okay.”

Seedsprout watched the warrior leave him in his den. The warm, cramped, sultry den. I can still hear the commotion outside. Yet, the noise and discomfort were overwhelmed by his exhaustion, and before he knew it, his eyes closed and his breathing slowed.

As he opened his eyes, he saw the figure of a brown tabby tom with bright blue eyes staring at him. He was just a little bigger than Seedsprout, and stars glittered on his pelt. The ShadowClan medicine cat knew immediately who he saw.

“It’s been a long time, Seedsprout,” the StarClan cat greeted.

“Littlecloud, my old mentor.” Seedsprout felt something twist at his heart and catch in his throat. Confused, he pushed those feelings aside.

Littlecloud gestured to his former apprentice with his tail. “Follow me.”

Seedsprout rose and followed as Littlecloud exited the den. The night sky was teeming with stars, glistening on the dewy grass below. Seedsprout looked around. There were no trees surrounding the cats. No dens, no Clanmates, just an endless moor spanning as far as he could see. StarClan’s hunting grounds are indeed very impressive.

The cats stopped by a plant with dark green leaves speckled with gray. “This is lungwort. The sickness is called yellowcough. Feed the leaves to your ill Clanmates to cure them,” Littlecloud explained. “You can only find this herb on the moor. You’ll have to ask WindClan for it.”

“I understand,” Seedsprout nodded. “Littlecloud,” he called as his late mentor turned and started to fade.

Littlecloud turned back to face Seedsprout, his head tilted in curiosity.

Seedsprout opened his mouth. There were so many questions to ask. What is Needletail planning? When will she strike? How can I protect my Clan from her?

What was the full prophecy you tried to tell me over a moon ago before I awoke?

But before he could utter a word, his throat tightened and heaved a spasm of coughs. Littlecloud and the StarClan moor faded, and Seedsprout jerked his eyes wide open, struggling for air in his sweltering den as he is overtaken by the illness.

Chapter Text

Wispspirit raised her head in alarm. My brother! she realized as she heard his coughing ring from the medicine den. Abandoning the rabbit she was sharing with Yarrowleaf and Strikestone, she dashed into the den, finding her brother wheezing in his nest. “Seedsprout! Are you okay?”

The ShadowClan medicine cat gasped for air. “What a wasted opportunity,” he murmured to himself. Wispspirit thought she heard traces of wistfulness behind his irritation, but he turned to her before she could process it. “I need to go to WindClan…” he started as he attempted to rise, only to convulse and collapse back into his nest.

Wispspirit suddenly felt a chill in her heart, as if she plunged into the lake in the middle of leaf-bare. “Seedsprout, you’re sick! You can’t leave the den.”

“Our medicine cat is sick too?” Crowfrost burst through the brambles. “Great StarClan, this is terrible.”

“StarClan showed me the cure,” the ShadowClan medicine cat assured them. “Lungwort only grows on the moor, and we need the leaves to cure the yellowcough.” He released another pained cough.  “Dark green leaves… speckled with gray…”

“I’ll get it.” Wispspirit put her paw to her brother’s chest. “Seedsprout, you can’t keep sleeping by the lake. It’s too cold.”

Seedsprout shrugged, his ears twitching in detachment. “As you said, it’ll all be okay.”

Wispspirit gulped. Will it? It will. You’ll be okay. You have to. You showed us the cure. “I’ll… I’ll get it,” she repeated, forcing herself to calm down.

Itching to leave, her paws carried her out of the medicine den, where a few warriors and apprentices have gathered and whispered upon hearing the commotion. Before she could head for the camp entrance, Crowfrost stepped forward and stopped her. “Wait,” he meowed.

Turning towards the leader’s den, he bounded to the Pinebranch hanging above it. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Pinebranch for a meeting!”

As the ShadowClan cats in the clearing looked up and congregated in front of him, Crowfrost continued, “Our medicine cat has received a dream from StarClan. There is a herb called lungwort that grows in the moor, and it will cure this sickness.” He hesitated, then nodded to Wispspirit. “Wispspirit will lead a patrol to WindClan to gather it.”

Wispspirit blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected the ShadowClan deputy to assign her to lead the patrol. She noticed Sparrowtail’s eyes sparking with interest and his tail raising, preparing to volunteer.

Scorchfur stepped forward. “I’ll go with her.”

“So will I,” joined Tigerheart.

“Good,” Crowfrost nodded. He glanced across the clearing, his gaze ignoring Sparrowtail and stopping at Violetpaw. “Violetpaw, you too.”

“Violetpaw?” Scorchfur frowned. “Can we trust her?” He had been wary of the former rogue, even though his own apprentice had suggested welcoming her back to ShadowClan. It didn’t help that Violetpaw would refuse to betray her former campmates when pressed by the senior warriors.

Crowfrost scowled. “She’s one of us. You can trust her. Meeting dismissed!” He leaped from the Pinebranch.

As the rest of the Clan dispersed, Wispspirit saw her father approach the deputy. “Crowfrost, I can-”

“I need you to stay with Seedsprout,” Crowfrost dismissed Sparrowtail with a wave of his tail. “Keep him company, and make sure he rests.”

“Couldn’t you send an apprentice for that?” Sparrowtail sounded hopeful. “I’m sure Wispspirit will need some help collecting the herb.”

“Tigerheart and Scorchfur will help her,” Crowfrost reminded him, his neck fur starting to bristle. He leaned in and snarled something in tabby tom’s ear, which only seemed to discomfort and disappoint him. Wispspirit started to bound to her father, to tell him she’ll be fine, to ask him to take care of her brother.

“What was that?” Strikestone barged in front of Wispspirit. Yarrowleaf followed, her eyes narrowed.

Wispspirit blinked in confusion. “What?”

“Why did Crowfrost name you to lead the patrol?”

The silver she-cat shifted her paws. “Seedsprout told me what the herb looked like.”

“Speaking of which,” Yarrowleaf observed, “it sounded like you were really upset for your brother about something.”

“Shut up.” Wispspirit swiveled around. “This sickness affects all of us.”

He’s a good cat! she silently fumed as she stalked away. Guilt wormed in her belly. Oh StarClan, why couldn’t I say that out loud?

She forced out a smile as she hastily approached her patrol group. “Let’s go get the herb.” And they headed out.

The patrol quickly bounded across the muddy forest floor as they left the camp. Tigerheart showed the rest of the patrol a faster way to WindClan. Wispspirit glanced at Violetpaw as they leaped over ditches, impressed that the apprentice didn’t even once stumble. As the patrol neared a stretch of meadow at the end of the forest, Wispspirit breathed a sigh of relief that no ThunderClan patrol had stalled them and questioned what they were doing.

She vaguely noticed Violetpaw briefly glance back, as if she was looking for some cat, but Wispspirit set that thought aside. Seedsprout needs that herb quick!

As Tigerheart slowed down, Wispspirit sprinted ahead and leaped across the stream marking the WindClan border, ignoring the mrrow of confusion. The grass felt coarse and the soil smelled sour under Wispspirit’s paws as she dashed across the moor. Brambles gave way to heather, which grew thicker and thicker as the slope steepened. The trail twisted before it suddenly opened onto a wide stretch of grass. Gorse swayed from the breeze on one side, and the top of the moor arched above it like a spine against the dark night sky, illuminated by the rising moon.

“Wow,” This was the first time Wispspirit had ever been on the moor. Needletail had said it felt liberating, as if the breeze released her from the burdens of the code and Clan duties. Wispspirit now knew why. She wanted to lay on the open ground.

The silver she-cat shook her head, remembering what her patrol was looking for. Green leaves speckled with gray… or was it gray leaves speckled with green? She scanned the ground. They all look the same. What do they smell like? Mouse-dung, why do herbs have to be so confusing-

“Look out!”

Wispspirit turned around at the warning to see three WindClan warriors charge toward them. The black WindClan she-cat glowered at her with hostility, and the ShadowClan warrior slipped as she tried to back off. Nightcloud. Scrambling to her paws, Wispspirit stared at the WindClan warrior with wide eyes. “W-Wait! We mean no harm!”

Nightcloud growled. “You’re on our territory, hare-brain.” Her companions arched their backs and flattened their ears toward Wispspirit’s Clanmates, who were slowing down behind her.

Tigerheart was the first to speak. “Greetings. We’ve come on a herb-gathering mission. It’s urgent.”

Harespring, the brown-and-white WindClan deputy, shook his head. “I can’t let you pass. Onestar’s orders.”

“What?” Scorchfur exclaimed. “That’s ridiculous!”

“If you don’t leave now, I’ll have to report you to Onestar.” Harespring’s eyes hardened. “I can assure you, he won’t be happy to find you here.”

Tigerheart lifted his chin. “We’ll be happy to talk to Onestar. I’m sure he’ll understand why we came.”

Larkwing purred in amusement. “Okay. Right this way.” The WindClan patrol guided the ShadowClan cats through the moor. As they moved towards a dip surrounded by gorse, Wispspirit realized the WindClan cats seemed both apprehensive and amused. Larkwing quietly chuckled to herself. Nightcloud’s muscles tensed. A faint scent of fear rose from Harespring’s pelt.

Huh? As they followed each other into a tunnel and marched across the clearing in the WindClan camp, Wispspirit heard hushed whispers and saw nervous glances from small, sleek cats sliding from their dens, rousing from their nests. We just need a herb. We don’t want to hurt you. She padded next to Violetpaw, who also seemed to realize the tension hanging in the air.

Onestar was sitting on a wide, flat rock at the end of the clearing. His gaze sharpened as he saw them. He leaped onto the grass and stood motionless as they approached.

Wispspirit froze. The icy stare speared through her heart, and she willed every part of her body not to dart to the farthest den and hide. Tail tucked between her legs, she forced herself to follow Tigerheart and Scorchfur, praying that no cat remembered she was supposed to be leading the patrol.

The WindClan leader looked right at Violetpaw, his nostrils flaring. “What is she doing on my territory?”

Harespring’s eyes widened. “I told them to leave, but they wanted to talk to you.” He nervously stepped back.

Fury flashed in Onestar’s eyes, turning ice into fire in a moment. He lashed his tail in the apprentice’s direction. “This one is a rogue. She lived among the same cats who killed Furzepelt!” His pelt spiked along his spine, and his claws unsheathed threateningly. “How dare you? Get her off my territory before I take my revenge!”

Wispspirit flinched at the WindClan leader’s harsh tone. Tigerheart stepped back, his claws curling into the grass as though preparing for a fight. Around the ShadowClan patrol, WindClan cats padded closer, trapping them with the gorse wall behind them.

“Hear me out. Violetpaw is a ShadowClan cat now. She poses no threat,” Tigerheart said in a steady voice.

Onestar snarled. “Make it quick.”

Trembling with fear, Wispspirit lightly shook her head as Tigerheart glanced at her, expecting her to speak as the patrol leader. Tigerheart frowned and turned back, saying quickly, “Three of our Clanmates are ill with a sickness we’ve never seen before. StarClan sent Seedsprout a dream telling him which herb would cure it. They told him that we must gather it on the moor.”

Onestar narrowed his eyes to slits. “I don’t care what StarClan told him. No ShadowClan cat crosses onto WindClan land.”

“What?” Wispspirit whispered in shock. She felt as if the gorse wall behind her reached out and hugged its thorns around her neck, threatening to choke her. “We- We can’t gather the herb?”

Tigerheart stepped in front of her and, tail twitching, replied calmly to Onestar, “We mean no harm. But we can’t let our Clanmates die.”

Onestar snorted. “And yet you shelter rogues who killed my Clanmate.” He glared again at Violetpaw.

Scorchfur bristled. “Violetpaw is one of us! We’re not sheltering them!”

Onestar thrust his muzzle close to the dark gray warrior. “Even if she is loyal to ShadowClan… you let the others live at the edge of your territory, despite the fact that they are murderers. Half your apprentices left to join them. It just proves what I’ve always thought: ShadowClan cats are no better than rogues. You will not gather herbs on my land.”

“You- you can’t-” Wispspirit stuttered.

“My word is final!” Onestar’s yowl caused Wispspirit to trip into the gorse. “Leave now and don’t come back.”

Kestrelflight approached his leader cautiously from the side. “Wait, Onestar. The Clans have never denied herbs from the other Clans when lives are at stake.” The WindClan medicine cat blinked nervously. “Surely they could-”

Onestar turned on him. “No!”

“But our Clanmates need-”

Onestar cut Kestrelflight with a hiss. “They will gather no herbs here.” His malicious gaze flicked back to Tigerheart. “Get off my land.”

No! Wispspirit bounded forward, cutting between her deputy and the WindClan leader. “Please, Onestar!” she begged without thinking. “Seedsprout- my brother- he never liked the rogues, and he’s-”

Onestar stepped toward the silver ShadowClan warrior. “Then why does your brother let them live among you? And why has your sister and your mother joined them?” The WindClan leader loomed over Wispspirit, menace flashing in his icy amber eyes. “Your family is the worst out of all.”

Snarling, Scorchfur and Tigerheart stepped in front of Wispspirit, who felt like the entire world was crashing down upon her.

“Go!” Onestar screeched. “Head for the border and don’t stop. The moment you leave the camp, I’m sending a patrol after you. If they catch up with you, they’ll tear the pelts from your backs.”

Left with no choice, Wispspirit stumbled away and out of the WindClan camp, hardly aware of her Clanmates dashing beside her or the WindClan warriors following them. She struggled to register what had just occurred.

I failed. She felt numb. I failed, and our only hope is gone. She felt empty. My brother is sick, and that fox-heart won’t let us have the cure. She felt dizzy.

Wispspirit couldn’t remember the trek back to ShadowClan camp. She scarcely remembered the grass under her paws feeling softer, the glimpse of orange flashing in the corner of her eye, or the rustle of brambles as she entered the medicine den. Her muscles felt sore from the running.

Seedsprout, lying in the moss nest, blinked his eyes open and looked at his sister, his expression filled with relief. “Finally,” he rasped, letting out a pained cough. His eyes lit with confusion as he looked around. “Where is it?”

I'm a terrible littermate. Wispspirit couldn’t respond. Her vision blurred as she collapsed on Seedsprout. A choke of despair escaped her mouth as she opened it. She barely noticed the ill cats sleeping in the den as she sobbed into her brother’s pelt.

Seedsprout said nothing. There was nothing to say.

Chapter Text

Seedsprout felt hot. The brambles that walled the den felt like fires closing in on the medicine cat, threatening to consume him. Seedsprout stared at the wet moss. Every drop of water he lapped, he coughed out right away. Then the fire would engulf his throat, which would beg for it to be quenched. He pressed his head into it, letting the cool moisture give him some brief relief.

He was too tired to risk another cough, yet the burning pain across his body would not let him rest. How long has it been? The ShadowClan medicine cat only knew the sun had set long ago, having lost track of the days where he dragged himself to bring what herbs he had left to the other sick cats. We’re out of tansy. He would have to gather more soon.

He flattened his ears. There was a commotion outside the den. While the sounds were muffled, Seedsprout’s head flared in agony as if they were yowls in his ear. This late at night? Even the other ill cats mostly slept peacefully. He pressed his paws on his ears, shivering in impatience.

I couldn’t find any deathberries, either. His last resort, to quickly kill off the sick before the illness spread any further, couldn’t be affected, either. Leafpool had gotten rid of all the deathberries in the ShadowClan medicine den, and Seedsprout, not realizing this, had neglected to look for more until recently. By then, he could walk no farther than a few fox-lengths outside of camp before collapsing in exhaustion. Although it would be ruinous for ShadowClan to kill our leader, especially with how weak we are.

The noise only got louder as more cats joined the clamor. A small ring started to screech in Seedsprout’s ears. He anxiously tried to take a deep breath. The breeze of air caught in his throat, and he let out a couple of coughs.

The ring got louder. Then louder, as the medicine cat failed to control his coughs. Black dots formed around his vision, and pain dominated his thoughts as he passed out in his nest.

The ringing continued in the pitch darkness. Seedsprout twisted around, eyes wide open, trying in vain to find the source for the sound.

“Embrace what you find in the shadows, for only they can clear the sky.”

Seedsprout turned and looked behind him. There was no sign of the cat who just whispered the prophecy that had haunted him for moons. “StarClan, is that you?” the medicine cat called into the void.

In response, a silver cloud appeared in front of him, radiating an aura of spite and malice. It formed in the shape of a long she-cat, head tilted upward in confidence, eyes flashing with hatred. A shadowy, dark ginger cloud formed at its paws, taking the form of a lithe dark ginger tom, lying down, struggling to lift its head. The silver cloud turned down, lifted an unsheathed claw, and stabbed it into the ginger cloud’s throat. The ginger cloud vaporized immediately, with blood red mist appearing where its throat was before quickly evaporating.

Seedsprout trembled. The air suddenly felt frigid. The ground vanished from his paws, and he felt as if he was plummeting from the sky, hearing along the screeching ring a roaring wind he cannot feel.

ShadowClan’s demise, the medicine cat realized in horror. It’s happening now. This is it. We will die before the illness can subside. Needletail will rise to victory, and ShadowClan will fall. Then he heard the voice again, whispering the prophecy he still doesn’t understand.

“A sprouting seed…”

Seedsprout was promptly awoken as he heard pawsteps approaching the den. Irritation overwhelmed him as he realized he missed another chance to learn about the “sprouting seed” prophecy. Unsheathing his claws, he swiveled around, ready to swat the cat who interrupted his nightmare. “Fox dung!” he spat. “I was about to-”

“I brought you honey.” Wispspirit stood by the entrance, holding a comb of honey in her jaws. Her teal eyes showed no sign of shock or indignation. Her silver fur lay flat, and her tail rested on the ground.

Seedsprout sighed. Her again. The toad-brain had acted as if her brother was on the verge of death ever since Onestar refused to give her the lungwort. She would bring him the juiciest prey and the softest moss, groom his pelt against his will, and run off with her denmates into the forest doing StarClan-knows-what. Seedsprout, being too sick to eat or change his nest, would paw them off aside until they become stale.

“It was sweet, so I licked some of it myself,” Wispspirit continued sheepishly. “I hope you don’t mind.” She let out a purr, although Seedsprout noticed she was clearly subdued.

Seedsprout begrudgingly lapped some of the honey. It was tasteless, and the slimy texture made him recoil in disgust. He never understood why his sister enjoyed the sticky liquid so much.

“So how did you sleep?” Wispspirit meowed.

“Terribly-” Seedsprout responded when a cough overtook him. He forced himself to eat the honey; it soothed his throat, even though he wanted to vomit it all out.

“Yarrowleaf and Snakekit are sick too now,” Wispspirit told the medicine cat.

“Yarrowleaf can go to the Dark Forest for all I care,” Seedsprout snarked. “Don’t waste too many herbs on Snakekit; she will probably die soon anyway.”

“Seedsprout!”

The medicine cat pawed the honeycomb. “Maybe give her this slime in case she likes it.” He flicked it towards Wispspirit, who stared in silence for a few heartbeats.

“I’m sorry, Seedsprout,” she finally murmured. “I guess I have no idea how painful this is for you.”

“Save the pity party,” Seedsprout snarled. “It’s getting old.”

Wispspirit said nothing. She gazed at her brother with heavy remorse and sorrow. The pitiful gesture irked and disgusted Seedsprout more than he could bear. Pushing himself up, he crawled past his sister to the exit. I rested for far too long.

His lungs suddenly tightened with a violent convulsion. He felt himself crash into the pine needle floor as his legs failed to support him. A surge of pain shot up in his head. “Mrrow! We need more tansy-” A bout of coughs suppressed his complaints.

Wispspirit shook her head slowly. “You can’t go out like this.” Seedsprout felt his sister pull his scruff and drag him across the floor to his nest. I have no choice. I am ShadowClan’s sole medicine cat. He didn’t attempt to resist. His strength was sapped from the bone.

“I’ll have some cat find tansy for you,” Wispspirit promised as she placed him in his nest.

I cannot fail the Clan at its darkest hour.

There was a rustling sound in the herb storage. Wispspirit emerged, holding a dried poppy head. She shook out three tiny, round black seeds in front of Seedsprout and sat beside him. Seedsprout looked at her, confused.

“Poppy seeds for better sleep, right?” Wispspirit asked.

Seedsprout narrowed his eyes. “How would you know?” He reluctantly lapped them up. What a waste. I already failed.

Wispspirit shrugged and cast her eyes down. “Lucky guess.”

Seedsprout turned away, unconvinced. I never taught you about poppy, and the last time you saw the seeds was when we were apprentices, after Needlepaw’s vigil. He felt the tongue of his sister grooming his ruffled pelt. You would not stop wailing in your sleep… sleep…

Seedsprout felt his eyelids drooping like heavy rocks. The den was silent, save for some distant chatter and birds chirping outside. There was no screeching ring plaguing his ears now. The sultry heat didn’t afflict him as much. Exhaustion started to engulf him.

“I have to tell you something…”

Seedsprout drifted into sleep before he could hear the rest. His troubles postponed, the medicine cat let the calm, peaceful darkness envelop his mind.

Seedsprout squinted as he looked through the bramble wall of the den. The rising sun started to shine through it. How long have I slept? His rest was finally peaceful, and he was spared from the nightmare that had haunted him the night before. The memory of what happened before he fell asleep was mostly shrouded in a haze.

He arched his back in a stretch. His yawn quickly devolved into a series of coughs. The pain in his head flared again, and while he wasn’t sleepy anymore, he was far from invigorated. Still sick, he thought listlessly. Wonderful.

A cough resounded next to him. The Clan is still doomed. Several patients lay on shoddy makeshift nests in the den. Wasptail, Oakfur, and Kinkfur were still there, and Yarrowleaf and Snakekit were moved in while the medicine cat was asleep. With a sigh, Seedsprout took some stalks from the bundle of tansy by his nest - gathered and left there by Wispspirit, the medicine cat assumed - and chewed it into a pulp.

Yarrowleaf sneered as he approached her. “I’m not taking herbs from a sick cat like you.”

Seedsprout shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He distributed the pulp to the others, ignoring the snarky ginger she-cat. Taking the rest of the tansy, he left the medicine den and dragged himself across the camp clearing. Okay, who else is sick today?

Coughing echoed from the warriors’ den as Seedsprout passed it. Looking inside, the medicine cat noticed Snowbird and Pinenose wheezing in their nests. A few healthy warriors lingered inside as well, watching from the edges with wary, weary eyes.

“Took you long enough,” Strikestone grumbled. “Some of us were trying to sleep.”

Not in the mood to argue. Seedsprout treated the sick cats with the tansy, leaving the den without speaking a word. He checked the nursery and the elders’ den, both of which housed no sick cats. We need a bigger medicine den. Seedsprout missed being able to sleep alone by the lake.

He coughed as he dropped the tansy bundle inside the apprentices’ den. “Are any of you sick too?” It was mostly empty; Pinenose’s kits must have left for training. Only two remained. He narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?” ShadowClan only had five apprentices: Birchpaw, Lionpaw, Slatepaw, Puddlepaw, and Violetpaw. The gray she-cat standing next to Violetpaw wasn’t a cat Seedsprout recognized. Her whiskers quivered, and her green eyes sparked with wariness as he approached her.

“Twigpaw,” she replied. “From ThunderClan.”

Twigpaw, Twigpaw… Seedsprout vaguely remembered a cat named Twigkit in ThunderClan being mentioned several moons ago. This was probably the same cat. “And what are you doing here? This is not ThunderClan territory.”

“I wanted to talk to Violetpaw about our mother. She’s dead,” Twigpaw muttered.

Ah yes, you were Violetpaw’s sister. “Pity,” Seedsprout meowed nonchalantly, turning away to hide an unsettling emotion lingering inside him. The yellowcough must be making me mouse-brained. “Well, Violetpaw knows now,” he continued. “You can leave. You’re not supposed to be here anyway.” Violetpaw’s not supposed to be here anyway. The apprentices only reminded him of Needletail’s ploy, of the destined fall of ShadowClan he failed to subvert.

Twigpaw shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Crowfrost is holding her hostage so ThunderClan would give us lungwort,” Violetpaw explained. “It happened before last sunrise.”

Before last sunrise? So this was the commotion? Was this what Wispspirit was trying to tell me? That this may give us a chance? Seedsprout pondered. Is this all?

“It won’t work,” the medicine cat quietly thought out loud.

“Huh?” Twigpaw meowed.

ThunderClan knows that Rowanstar is a merciful leader who won’t let anything bad happen to Twigpaw. Our leverage would be more than an illusion if she had the wounds to prove its gravity. “ThunderClan has no need nor incentive to save a useless kit who’s not in the slightest bit of danger,” Seedsprout uttered subconsciously.

“I’m not useless!” Twigpaw sounded offended.

“Don’t worry,” Violetpaw assured her sister, “he’s always this rude.”

Seedsprout let out a cough. Points for trying, though. They would need more important hostages and harsher treatment for more leverage.

“How many cats are sick?” Twigpaw asked.

“I counted eight,” Seedsprout answered. “Not including myself.”

“I can help.”

Seedsprout turned around in perplexity.

“I used to help Alderpaw,” the ThunderClan apprentice continued. She nodded at the bundle of tansy. “I know what herbs look like. I can gather some now if you like.”

Seedsprout rubbed his head with his forepaw. “Ask Crowfrost or Tawnypelt. You will need an escort if you do.”

Violetpaw nosed her littermate, who looked a little uncertain, toward the apprentices’ den’s exit. “Come on, Twigpaw.” The black-and-white apprentice’s eyes seemed brighter than before. Seedsprout lets out a sigh as they leave. They should both be in ThunderClan.

He picked up the rest of the tansy. Rowanstar is next. The selfless ShadowClan leader had insisted that the other ill cats were treated before him. Seedsprout wondered if Rowanstar had hoped that losing a life would cure the yellowcough. As far as the ShadowClan medicine cat remembered, that hasn’t happened, even though most illnesses and wounds were taken away with the lives that they take.

Speaking of losing lives…

In the leader’s den, Rowanstar lay still on his nest, which hasn’t been changed for several days. A faint outline of the leader rose from his body. That was the fifth, Seedsprout analyzed. Four more lives before he truly dies. Seedsprout studied the brambles structuring the entrance, tapping his tail as he tried not to think about the soreness crawling under his pelt. At last, Rowanstar opened his eyes and convulsed.

“Seedsprout,” Rowanstar recognized as his breathing slowed. His voice was hoarse, and he coughed violently.

Seedsprout tore a stalk from his bundle and chewed it into a pulp, giving it to his leader. “Here is your tansy.”

“You should rest,” the ginger tom suggested. “I’m not the only sick cat here.”

“Neither am I. But I rested too long, and the Clan won’t get any better if I just sleep through the yellowcough.”

Rowanstar smiled. “ShadowClan is lucky to have such a loyal medicine cat. We’re all proud of you.”

We? Most of the Clan has barely spoken with me. Seedsprout blinked. This sickness is making me very mouse-brained. Crowfrost, Tawnypelt, Dawnpelt, and Tigerheart have been good to me. Rowanstar must have meant them.

Yet, as the ShadowClan medicine cat dipped his head and, lungs tightening, left Rowanstar’s den to cough, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was something odd about his leader’s praise.

Chapter Text

Wispspirit sprinted through the forest, stumbling abruptly as her paw caught upon a root. “Fox dung!” she cursed. The night was dark and silent. The crescent moon in the empty sky barely illuminated through the branches rustling with the wind.

Wispspirit shook her paw, just realizing how sore it felt. The sharp bite of the cold wind made her shiver, along with the dread lingering inside her. She forgot who was assigned to guard the camp tonight. There were more than a few cats who would wonder what she was doing out of camp at night, and she silently prayed that none of them were awake.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, the she-cat continued to run. The ache in her paw would have to wait. The ShadowClan camp was nearby. She instinctively swerved around the trees and bushes.

The scent of ThunderClan roamed the air. She halted, sniffing the air. She carefully stalked to the source of the scent, hiding behind a bramble bush. A patrol was padding towards the camp entrance, marching without hesitation. No ShadowClan cat was escorting them.

Have they brought us the herb? A couple nights earlier, Twigpaw had stumbled into the ShadowClan camp. Several of the ShadowClan cats brilliantly formed an idea to persuade ThunderClan to help them deal with the sickness. Twigpaw would live with ShadowClan for a while, and ThunderClan would negotiate with WindClan for the herb. Once ThunderClan brought the herb to ShadowClan, they would get their apprentice back, completely unharmed.

She had been worried that ThunderClan wouldn’t save them until it was too late, and she felt a bit guilty that Twigpaw had to be dragged into this mess. But it’s working now, isn’t it? Everyone will be fine. Seedsprout… you’ll be fine.

But why do the ThunderClan cats look angry? And where is the herb?

Wispspirit backed off slowly. A growl penetrated the thorn tunnel as the patrol barged through it. She bounded around the camp edges, reaching the dirtplace tunnel. Wrinkling her nose, she ducked and padded through it.

“You can’t come in here!” Scorchfur’s growl sounded from the clearing.

Wispspirit peeked out of the tunnel. ShadowClan warriors firmly stood in front of the ThunderClan cats, arching their backs and lashing their tails.

“We have come to take our Clanmate home!” Bramblestar’s mew cut through the growling of the defending warriors.

Wispspirit panicked. The ThunderClan cats were battle-ready.

“This wasn’t the deal,” Spikefur demanded. “Bring us the lungwort first.”

“We’re staying until you give her back,” Squirrelflight growled. Wispspirit started running toward the quarreling cats.

“Get out!” Dawnpelt’s hiss was hard with rage.

“Give us Twigpaw!” Lionblaze mewed, the thick fluff around his neck bristling.

“Give us the herb!” Wispspirit skidded beside her mentor, shifting her paws as she faced the ThunderClan patrol. “You can have her back then.”

“Give her back now!” Cloudtail snarled.

“Twigpaw!” Wispspirit heard a yowl behind her. Just as she turned around, Twigpaw flung herself toward her Clanmates, shoving Wispspirit aside. The ThunderClan apprentice nestled beside Squirrelflight.

“You can’t leave!” Violetpaw wailed as she padded toward them.

Twigpaw stared at her from among her Clanmates. “I can’t stay.”

“You have to!” Wispspirit took a step closer, stopping as Squirrelflight snarled at her. “What about the sickness?” Sparrowtail, Mistcloud, and Rippletail lined up beside them. Lionpaw, Birchpaw, and Puddlepaw charged to join them.

Tigerheart strode from the shadows and faced the ThunderClan cats. “Do you really think we’re going to let you take her without a fight?”

Bramblestar’s eyes flashed with scorn. “The fight wouldn’t last long.”

Wispspirit hissed. She was willing to take the chance. I will not back down. I will not back down. I will-

“Let them go.” Crowfrost’s mew was hoarse as he padded heavily from his den. He pushed between his Clanmates and faced Bramblestar. “You can take her.”

“What?” Wispspirit couldn’t believe her ears.

Scorchfur stared at the ShadowClan deputy, his pelt spiking. “What are you doing?”

“We’ve held ThunderClan’s apprentice long enough,” Crowfrost growled. “It seemed like a good plan at the start, but now it feels wrong. There is sickness here. We should return her before she gets ill, too. Why should Twigpaw suffer for us?”

“She wasn’t suffering!” Violetpaw cried out desperately.

Scorchfur ignored her. He snarled at Crowfrost. “How else are we going to get the lungwort?”

Spikefur stood beside his denmate. “Our Clanmates are dying!”

“ThunderClan knows that,” Crowfrost told the dark brown tom. “WindClan knows that too. If they want to let innocent cats die, then it is for StarClan to judge them, not us. ShadowClan cats are true warriors.”

True warriors? Is that all you care about? Wispspirit trembled with fury and dismay as Crowfrost haughtily turned his accusing gaze on Bramblestar. To the Dark Forest with whatever that means. Cats are dying! The argument quickly faded from her interest as Wispspirit realized that Crowfrost wasn’t going to change his mind.

The she-cat’s paws, itching to run somewhere, anywhere away from her only hope being given back like a mousetail, sprinted to the medicine den. The wretched sight of her brother, tiny and unkempt, pierced through her heart. The poor medicine cat was too sick to even force himself out of his nest to treat his Clanmates.

“What happened?” Seedsprout hazily blinked his eyes open. His gaze fell on the wall of the den.

“ThunderClan patrol,” Wispspirit reported. “They took Twigpaw back.”

“Twigpaw?”

“And Crowfrost just let them!” Wispspirit dug her claws into the pine needle floor. “That fox-heart!”

“Just as well.” The medicine cat still looked away from his sister. “It’s about time the strays left.”

“What?”

“Now let me sleep.” Seedsprout turned his face back into his nest.

“Seedsprout!” Wispspirit plopped down next to her brother, her chest heaving. “Don’t you care? You’re dying!”

The medicine cat didn’t budge. “I know,” he whispered with a cough.

The day passed Wispspirit’s eyes in a blur. Of course, she had patrols to go, but there was nothing to notice, aside from the grumbling of her Clanmates about ThunderClan. Yarrowleaf and Strikestone tried to get her attention but, noticing their friend’s silent grief, eventually left her to mourn alone.

“Hey,” Sparrowtail’s voice cut through the she-cat’s daze, “it’s time for Kinkfur’s vigil.”

“Kinkfur’s… vigil?” Wispspirit blinked, suddenly realizing the sun was sinking behind the trees. Damp air settled over the clearing. “Is she dead?”

Sparrowtail tilted his head. “I told you at sunhigh.” He tapped his tail on his daughter’s shoulder. “This must be hard for you too. We wouldn’t be here if we had the lungwort.”

Wispspirit stiffened. Images of her running away from the moor flashed before her eyes. Does my father blame me? “I’m sorry,” she muttered as Sparrowtail crossed the clearing.

Wispspirit followed her father. Kinkfur’s body lay in the middle of the clearing, her fur smoothed and paws tucked neatly beneath her. Pinecones and early primrose decorated the ring surrounding her. Scorchfur and Spikefur sat together. Violetpaw joined Lionpaw, Birchpaw, and Puddlepaw. Sparrowtail and Wispspirit sat with Mistcloud and Ratsar, ready to begin the vigil.

Crowfrost padded from his den. He moved stiffly, like an elder. His fur was unkempt. He stopped beside Kinkfur’s body and beckoned his Clanmates closer with a flick of his tail. Wispspirit suppressed a growl building inside her. The deputy looked as if he had just woken from a nap and was only attending the vigil as a formality.

Wispspirit had no idea what the special role the medicine cat normally filled for these vigils was. She had been overwhelmed by grief in Needletail’s vigil all those moons ago, while Littlecloud’s vigil… I didn’t even care enough to listen, she thought with a stab of remorse.

She might not be able ever to find out. Seedsprout is still in his nest, and there he will stay, slipping closer and closer to death himself as the few healthy ShadowClan cats sit more and more vigils.

“Kinkfur was a loyal ShadowClan cat for many moons before I was born.” Crowfrost’s mew was hoarse. “And she remained loyal and kind to the end. She fought beside us against the Dark Forest cats. She was at the front of every battle. She defended her Clanmates as though she were defending her own kits.”

Empty words, Wispspirit silently sneered. Why do you get to be well when my brother’s dying?

As the ShadowClan deputy went on, Spikefur narrowed his eyes, watching him as though watching prey.

“StarClan will welcome her. She has many friends there, and a kit, Dewkit, and long days of endless hunting lie ahead of her.” He dipped his head. “She will be remembered.”

Ratscar leaned down to grasp a primrose between his teeth. He lifted it and laid it on Kinkfur’s body. Wispspirit joined Mistcloud and Sparrowtail as they leaned close and touched their noses to her pelt one last time. As Ratscar settled down beside his old friend, Crowfrost began coughing.

His Clanmates turned to watch as Crowfrost crouched, his body jerking. His rasping coughs echoed in the evening air. Wispspirit narrowed her eyes. The deputy’s eyes were glassy with fever. He had been sick this whole time.

No cat moved to help him. No cat yowled for Seedsprout to treat him.

“No cat will grieve for you,” Wispspirit whispered.

Chapter Text

Crowfrost had eventually managed to pull himself together just long enough to conclude Kinkfur’s vigil. Sparrowtail and Mistcloud had helped Ratscar bury the dead elder as Tawnypelt, Dawnpelt, and Tigerheart helped the sick deputy back to their den. In the days that followed, the ShadowClan cats grew more and more restless. Tigerheart and Scorchfur often butted heads over who should lead the Clan.

“Wispspirit,” Tigerheart nodded to the silver she-cat one day, as the sun was about to set, “go with Dawnpelt, Spikefur, and Rippletail. There should be prey by the lake.”

Wispspirit rubbed her eyes with her paw. “I don’t feel like hunting or patrolling today.” She turned tail and headed to the medicine den.

“Wispspirit,” Tigerheart meowed, following the she-cat, “we’re short on cats. We need every-”

“Let her rest,” Scorchfur interceded. “She’s been through a lot.”

“So has the rest of ShadowClan!” Tigerheart turned at his rival. “I can’t just give an exception for a single cat.”

You don’t understand, Wispspirit sulked. You’ll never understand. This was not the first time Wispspirit had skipped out on patrols. She had been taking advantage of the unstable situation, refusing to hunt for the Clan and patrol its borders.

She didn’t stay in camp all day. Sometimes she left into the forest alone; other times she brought her father, her mentor, or a few older warriors. They would all be quiet as they returned, soberly remembering the dire situation back at camp.

Other times, like now, she found herself sitting next to the medicine cat, grooming his pelt and watching him sleep with feeble breaths, growing shallower every day. She had been scared to enter, to see her brother leave for the StarClan hunting grounds. Seeing him alive despite everything gave her a droplet of relief, followed immediately by a flood of dread that it will be the last.

After all, how long could a medicine cat who often slept in the cold, ate so little, and overworked himself every day hope to endure a sickness he himself could not cure?

“The shadows…” At last, the medicine cat dreamily roused. His eyes were cloudy, with sickly yellow seeping into the gray iris of his eyes. Wispspirit had barely heard the rasp his voice had uttered.

Wispspirit placed a paw on her brother’s side. “Stay still,” she whispered.

“…receding into the darkness…” Seedsprout let out a hoarse cough. The last rays of sunlight passing through the den walls began to fade. “Hilarious. She did it. Needletail sought to destroy us, and she succeeded.”

“Seedsprout…” Wispspirit whimpered, her voice shaky with emotion.

Her brother froze for a heartbeat, then slowly turned his head to his sister. He blinked his eyes several times, as if confused and trying to clear his vision. “Wispspirit? Is that you?”

Wispspirit nodded, her words caught in her throat.

Seedsprout stared past her for several more heartbeats, then turned back into his nest. Their shadows melted into the darkness as the glimmering light departed with the sun.

“Remember that leaf-bare back when we were kits?” Wisppsirit tried to lighten the mood. “When I had whitecough? I thought I was going to die!” Please don’t die. “Or when I tried to surprise you after your medicine cat ceremony? That was so embarrassing, I just wished the ground would open and swallow me up.” The silver she-cat let out a sigh, resting herself on her littermate. “I’ll never know how you can bear all this.”

Seedsprout didn’t move or make a sound. If he had heard his littermate, he didn’t show it.

Wispspirit’s breath caught in her throat, suddenly terrified that Seedsprout had silently died under her nose. “Anything, Seedsprout-”

“A sprouting seed…” the medicine cat suddenly rasped.

“What?”

“…what does it mean?”

“Does it matter?” Wispspirit squeezed him. “My brother is dying, and all that furball could think about is some riddle by StarClan?”

“I never heard the rest.” Seedsprout ignored his sister. “The dreams always end before I could.”

“Are they good dreams?” Wispspirit asked.

“No,” Seedsprout answered plainly.

“I-” Wispspirit dropped her gaze. “I’m sor-”

“Perhaps the other medicine cats know.” Then, as if suddenly realizing something, Seedsprout’s neck fur stood on end. “Tonight is the meeting. I must-”

“-stay and rest.” Wispspirit firmly pinned her brother down with her paw. “Dark Forest take the proph-”

She was interrupted by Seedsprout’s violent coughs. Guiltily, Wispspirit realized she pinned her ill brother a little too firmly.

“I’ll bring you some water-” she continued.

Seedsprout stopped her. “Without lungwort, water is useless-”

“Then I’ll bring you some lungwort!” Wispspirit abruptly yowled with a sudden rage. “I’ll bring you anything! I’ll do anything! Just- You can’t die!” Please don’t die.

Seedsprout chuckled hopelessly. “As if I have a say.” By now, the den was completely dark. Not a ray of sunlight seeped through the walls. Instead, a cold draft entered and ruffled through the littermates’ fur, threatening to deafen them as it rushed by their ears.

Wispspirit turned around. “You should,” she muttered, too quietly for her brother to hear. She starts to leave.

“Wispspirit.” The silver she-cat turned back. Seedsprout faced her, a small smile on his face. “Thank you,” he meowed.

Then he collapsed.

Wispspirit blinked once, speechless, then turned away. Her paws stepped on the ground outside the medicine den entrance. Her whole body convulsed without warning. Her legs threatened to fail at any heartbeat. Tears left her eyes and pattered onto the ground like rain. She wept, not caring who was watching.

“Wispspirit. Thank you.”

No, Seedsprout. I’m sorry.

Then, with a yowl of grief, the warrior sprinted out of the camp.

The dread, the anguish, the sorrow, everything that was bottled up for many sunrises exploded in tearful wails. Awakened birds fluttered through the canopy, while mice and squirrels scuttled through the undergrowth, clearing the ShadowClan cat’s path.

I’m sorry.

The urge to flee was too strong. In truth, Wispspirit didn’t know where she was running. Her thoughts were still clouded with grief, and if a patrol tried to stop her, she wouldn’t notice.

I’m sorry.

The trees flashed past her eyes.

I’m sorry.

The cover gave way to a rocky slope under the open starry sky, with the moor at the side.

Why couldn’t I save him?

She barely felt the smooth, cold rock under her numb paws.

“Why couldn’t I give him the one thing he needed?” she screeched at the silent sky. Her mind still hazy, she toppled and tumbled down the hollow. Her head and shoulders felt a thud as she crashed into the pelt of a cat, and a splash of water cut off his yowl of shock. Wispspirit felt a cold sting as she plummeted into a pool of water. Gasping, she swatted the water with her paws until they found the ground, dragging herself out in alarm.

She had stumbled upon the Moonpool. The medicine cats gathered there had jolted awake at the splash. Now, they stared in surprise at the drenched young ShadowClan warrior.

“Wispspirit?” Leafpool mewed.

Jayfeather, the cat Wispspirit collided with, stepped out of the Moonpool, shaking his fur. “What in StarClan’s name do you think you’re-”

“Why?” Wispspirit sobbed on the stone floor. Less than a moon ago, she would have shrunk under the bewildered gazes of the medicine cats. “Why does he have to die?”

“Die?” Willowshine meowed in alarm. “Is the sickness that bad?”

“Please…” Wispspirit pushed herself up. “My brother was hallucinating about nonsense and now he’s going to die and-”

“Seedsprout?” Leafpool sounded horrified. “StarClan, no…”

Alderpaw stood, his muscles tensed. He declared confidently, “We need-”

“Alderpaw!” Wispspirit ran to the dark ginger tom and pinned him to the ground. “You have to help us!” She recalled the tom’s crush on her sister, back when they were apprentices. “I know you were fond of Needletail. Please, you must help her littermates-”

“Okay, okay!” Alderpaw’s eyes widened, his pelt warm. “I was going to.”

Jayfeather stepped forward, his eyes belligerent. “Do you think we have bees in our brains?” he snarled. “Do you think Onestar’s just going to let us waltz into his territory and take-”

“The lungwort!” Kestrelflight, undisturbed by Wispspirit’s entrance, abruptly woke up, excitement burning in his eyes. He whisked his tail. “I spoke to them! I know what to do. Follow me!” He bounded up the dimpled path to the rim of the hollow. “Harespring! It’s okay. StarClan says it’s okay!”

Alderpaw, taken aback, hurried after the WindClan medicine cat. “What’s okay?”

Mothwing, Willowshine, Jayfeather, Leafpool, and Wispspirit followed. Lungwort? Hope pricked through the ShadowClan warrior’s pelt.

“It was Harespring’s idea.” Kestrelflight told them as the cats scrambled down the steep rocks after them. Fear-scent rose from the WindClan cats’ spiked pelts were spiked. “He insisted on being the only warrior to-”

“Lungwort!” Wispspirit cut off the WindClan medicine cat when she caught up. “We need it-”

“You can have it!” Kestrelflight promised her. “We’re going to show you where it is. You can gather as much as you want.”

Wispspirit blinked. “Really?” Relief flooded through her, breaking through the thorns of misery in her heart.

“Yes. This way.”

Thank you. She picked up her pace as she crossed the scent line, not hearing Kestrelflight’s call to slow down. Seedsprout can be cured. He can survive. My brother…

“Wait for us, ShadowClan cat!” Harespring puffed as Wispspirit passed him.

Thank you. She would have to find a way to thank Kestrelflight and Harespring. Thank you.

Seedsprout…

You’ll really be okay…

Please be okay…

Please don’t die…

Please…

Chapter Text

Seedsprout woke up hazily. His head still hurt. His chest still felt heavy with pain. His breath caught in his throat, and he let out several loud coughs.

The sun shone through the bramble walls of the den. Ah, I’m still alive. Wasptail and Crowfrost had died of the yellowcough many days ago despite being strong, healthy cats. Seedsprout had not expected himself to survive for so long. It was a surprise that not only had his sister successfully brought the lungwort from the moor, but it had worked for him in time. Aside from him; Snowbird, Oakfur, Yarrowleaf, and Pinenose were the last cats recovering from the sickness, and they should be well in a few days. Snakepaw was already cured; she and her littermates had been apprenticed by the new ShadowClan deputy, Tigerheart.

However, the Clan was still restless. Mistcloud, Scorchfur, and Sparrowtail had blamed Crowfrost for returning Twigpaw. When Crowfrost had lay dying, the cats muttered by his nest, acting as if he couldn’t hear them. Even at the ShadowClan deputy’s vigil, the warriors made snarky remarks when they spoke. The derision was subtle, and the other cats made no signs of noticing. Seedsprout guessed they were either too enveloped in their own grief or unwittingly sympathetic to the sentiment.

The ShadowClan medicine cat wondered what it would take to direct an illness to infect a different cat.

A shrew lay in front of his nest. He nudged it aside but, after a few heartbeats of contemplation, drew it closer and took a bite. When was the last time I ate? Three sunrises ago? Four? Forcing himself to swallow, Seedsprout let out another heavy cough. His throat felt parched. He thought he vaguely remembered a clump of wet moss being pressed close to his mouth last night.

I’m fine.

I need to stretch my legs for a while.

Lifting himself to his paws, the ruffled tom looked around. He was the only cat in the den. The rest of the patients were in the warriors’ den, which had been repurposed to shelter the sick cats as they recovered. Seedsprout was contented that they didn’t move him there as well. A few days, and I can sleep outside at the lakeshore again. Cool and quiet…

Seedsprout glanced outside as he padded through the bramble tunnel. Mistcloud and Sparrowtail were resting lazily beside the flat rock. Snakepaw was playing with her littermates beside the clearing. Scorchfur was arguing with Tigerheart again.

Dawnpelt approached the medicine cat. “Good morning, Seedsprout,” she greeted. “I see you’re getting better?”

Seedsprout flicked his ear. “It appears so,” he meowed matter-of-factly. Dawnpelt, daughter of Rowanstar and mate of Crowfrost, was friendly to the medicine cat, but they haven’t conversed much. Seedsprout was unsure why she would talk to him now.

Beside the cream-furred she-cat, Violetpaw was staring down at her paws, her pelt shrunk. Seedsprout remembered that her sister, Twigpaw, snuck into ShadowClan camp and was unsuccessfully held hostage for lungwort for a while. If you miss her so profusely, why did you not go with her to ThunderClan?

Seedsprout moved passed the she-cats. Lionpaw, Birchpaw, and Puddlepaw were by the warriors’ den’s entrance, visiting their mother. Maybe I should check on my patients as well. When was the last time…

“Got you, Seedsprout!” The weight of a cat pushed the medicine cat onto the ground as he started padding toward the warriors’ den.

Seedsprout tilted his head away from his sister as she licked his ears. “What are you-”

“Don’t get sick again, okay?” Wispspirit wrapped herself around her brother. “I was so worried…”

Seedsprout replied flatly, “ShadowClan is fine, so-”

“Not ShadowClan, furball.” Wispspirit let her brother go. “StarClan, don’t you remember what I said?”

“It’s a bit hazy,” Seedsprout murmured. At the quarter-moon night before Wispspirit brought the lungwort from Kestrelflight and Harespring, Wispspirit was mewling desperately in Seedsprout’s den, ranting about how he shouldn’t die to the yellowcough. Though it took him some time to process it, the ShadowClan medicine cat was rather disconcerted by her pointless rage.

Oddly, he thought he remembered thanking her. He couldn’t remember why, and he had no desire to ask. It was probably just a dream. Yet, Seedsprout pondered as he padded to the warriors’ den, it was still bizarre to have a dream like that. Maybe something to do with the prophecy?

Wispspirit followed him. “Where are you going?”

“I need to check on the other sick cats.” Seedsprout kept walking. “Now-”

“Don’t stress yourself.” Wispspirit stepped in front of him as he neared the den. “You’ve done so much already.”

“I barely rose from my nest,” Seedsprout reminded her. “You were the one who brought us the lungwort.” When the rest of ShadowClan learned that Wispspirit snuck into WindClan territory, gathered a huge bundle of lungwort without Onestar noticing, and raced back to ShadowClan just as dawn broke, many warriors celebrated and cheered for her. In their eyes, she was a hero.

Scorchfur had boasted about his former apprentice, while Sparrowtail had told her how she was always his favorite kit. Strikestone and the apprentices had asked her to talk about it over and over again.

Even Rowanstar had offered congratulations to the warrior, although Seedsprout had noticed Wispspirit ignoring him and stalking away.

Wispspirit averted her gaze. “Yeah, well, it couldn’t have been without you,” she mewed.

As Wispspirit licked her shoulder, Seedsprout heard the yelps of young apprentices approaching them.

“Hey! Get back here!”

“Can’t catch us!”

“Coming through!”

Seedsprout felt a tumble as Flowerpaw and Whorlpaw crashed into him, followed closely by their littermate. As the ShadowClan medicine cat shook them off and glared at them, Grassheart’s kits backed away slowly, as if they were realizing who they were facing.

“Hey there, Snakepaw,” Wispspirit greeted the new apprentice. “Getting better?”

Snakepaw nodded. “Mhm, very.”

“It was perfect!” Flowerpaw meowed. “Right in time for our naming ceremony.”

“All thanks to you, Wispspirit,” Whorlpaw added.

As the apprentices thanked the warrior and scurried away, Seedsprout muttered to himself, “Couldn’t have been without me, huh.”

Seedsprout’s eyes flitted toward Rowanstar’s den. The brambles rustled as Rowanstar and Tigerheart appeared at the entrance and padded out toward their Clanmates.

Tawnypelt turned to face them at once. But Rippletail, eyes glinting with disdain, crossed the clearing and murmured something in Spikefur’s ear. The dark brown tom curled his lip, his icy gaze on Rowanstar. More trouble for the Clan.

Tigerheart padded to the head of the clearing, Rowanstar at his side. “We’ve been discussing the hunting patrols,” he called, his eyes flitting around the Clan. “Our Clanmates are recovering and have good appetites, but some are not yet fit to hunt. This means that the rest of us must hunt harder than ever. I want the fresh-kill pile full by this evening.”

Scorchfur and Spikefur exchanged glances.

Tigerheart went on. “Spikefur, take Lionpaw, Mistcloud, Whorlpaw, and Rippletail to the ditches and hunt there. Scorchfur, take Birchpaw, Grassheart, Flowerpaw, and Sparrowtail to the lake to hunt. Dawnpelt, take Violetpaw, Tawnypelt, Wispspirit, Puddlepaw, and Strikestone to the alder grove near the border. There will be good hunting there now that it’s newleaf, but watch out for the rogues.”

At the corner of his eye, Seedsprout noticed that Wispspirit’s neck fur rose, and she opened her mouth, preparing a retort. Mouse-brain. “You would do good to obey your deputy for once, Wispspirit,” Seedsprout muttered to his sister, whipping his tail over her mouth.

Wispspirit sighed. “Fine.” She prodded her brother’s side with her paw. “Cleanpaw.”

Seedsprout grunted. Spikefur and Scorchfur were now arguing with Tigerheart, demanding that their leader hunt as well. Of course they are, Seedsprout thought cynically. I don’t need to listen to any more of this crowfood.

“Tonight is the Gathering, is it not?” Seedsprout inquired his sister. “Wake me up when we leave.”

Wispspirit turned to her brother, her eyes widening with apprehension. “But you’re still sick. You need to rest.” She smiled softly. “Next moon?”

“I missed the last Gathering,” Seedsprout insisted. “Wake me up at dusk.” The medicine cat added after a heartbeat, “I have a strong word to send Onestar.”

Wispspirit hesitated. She looked away, her gaze fixed on the camp entrance. “I’ll wake you up in time,” she finally promised, giving a small nod.

Seedsprout watched his sister follow her patrol out of camp. She had grown. It was strange. Seedsprout thought that, hanging out so frequently in the medicine den since the sickness broke, Wispspirit would have caught it herself.

More than that, Seedsprout considered as he padded back to his den, Wispspirit hadn’t visited him so frequently in the medicine den before he fell ill. She never came to help him care for Littlecloud as he lay dying when she and Seedsprout were apprentices. But when the yellowcough immobilized the new medicine cat, his littermate brought him food, water, and herbs too many times to count, with the risk of succumbing to what had nearly killed him.

Perhaps I was wrong about her, Seedsprout mused. Perhaps she’s not mousefodder.

Then he fell into his nest, and sleep overtook him once again.

“Wake up,” a voice rang in the void.

Seedsprout turned. What?

“Wake up.” The voice rang again.

“Who are you?” Seedsprout challenged.

“Wake up.” The voice grew more insistent.

Seedsprout couldn’t see the cat. “Whoever you are, show yourself.”

“Wake up.” The voice came from a tom, one whom Seedsprout vaguely recognized.

“Who are you?” Seedsprout repeated.

“Wake up!” The voice started yowling.

“Why? Show yourself!” Seedsprout demanded. “StarClan, help me-”

“Wake up!”

Seedsprout staggered as he felt paws land on his shoulders and violently shake him back and forth. As the ShadowClan medicine cat thought he caught a glimpse of stars glittering and blue eyes staring into him, the abyss swallowed his vision, and all was enveloped by the void.

Seedsprout jerked awake to an uproar of yowls. Jeers from the clearing filled the den. Seedsprout flattened his ears. What now? The noise pierced his head like a claw.

“See your precious Clan now, Rowanstar?” a she-cat sneered. Seedsprout barely recognized her voice. “See your Clanmates abandoning you?”

“Needletail,” the ShadowClan leader snarled. “And to think I gave you the honor of being Tawnypelt’s apprentice.” There was a pause. “And you,” he continued. “I thought you’d be more like your brother now-”

“My brother almost died because of you!”

Wispspirit!

Rowanstar’s yowl was abruptly cut short, followed by a quiet guttural sound. Alarmed, Seedsprout peeked outside. Malicious rogues stood in the clearing, showing their teeth as they watched. Several of the ShadowClan cats shared their spite, although more seemed unnerved or horrified by what was happening.

The medicine cat saw a long silver she-cat, head tilted upward in confidence, eyes flashing with hatred. A lithe dark ginger tom was at her paws, lying down, struggling to lift his head. The she-cat turned down, lifted an unsheathed claw, and stabbed it into the tom’s throat. The tom’s body was still, and blood poured from his throat.

In the blink of an eye, Wispspirit had murdered Rowanstar.

That dream… It was her all along?

“Don’t even think about calling for him,” the silver she-cat snarled at her leader when he finally rose. Seedsprout had never heard any cat so furious in his life. “If it weren’t for you, we would’ve gotten the cure sooner, and he wouldn’t be suffering in his den right now.”

Rowanstar opened his mouth in shock to respond, but Wispspirit interrupted.

“Leave,” she growled, taking a step forward. “Now!”

Seedsprout stood at the entrance of his den, his mouth agape as Rowanstar turned away and, followed by Tawnypelt and Tigerheart, disappeared through the camp entrance. This was not just a few rebellious cats spitefully leaving the Clan.

This is an uprising. We’ve lost.

Seedsprout dragged himself out to the clearing. The rogues were too focused on Darktail, who was proclaiming their victory.

Wispspirit… what have you done?

Weakly, Seedsprout lifted his head to speak. He glared at his sister, drew breath…

…and broke into a series of coughs.

Wispspirit swiveled around, her eyes wide with horror. “Seedsprout?” She took a step back. “W-Wait, this isn’t what it looks like-”

Seedsprout didn’t hear the rest. His legs gave way to the ground. The rogues’ yowls of celebration muffled. Around the medicine cat, a voice whispered into his ear, gently but clearly above the sounds of the clearing.

Embrace what you find in the shadows, for only they can clear the sky.

It was his first prophecy, the prophecy he received when he was an apprentice. The prophecy that had haunted him for moons.

And yet, he sensed he was missing something.

Embrace what you find in the shadows…

Embrace…

Seedsprout’s head spun. Something was wrong. With the yellowcough cured, the ShadowClan medicine cat thought his Clan was safe from the foretold destruction, despite what Needletail had done. But the traitors have handed the Clan over to the rogues and exiled Rowanstar, so this clearly wasn’t true. Were we doomed from the start? Or was there more than one cat in the shadows, and the other cleared the sky?

While Needletail was the first to join the rogues, Wispspirit was the one to murder our leader. The blood of Rowanstar is on her claws.

StarClan, have I failed? Have I let her destroy us from within?

Yet still…

Embrace…

Embrace what?

What?

He suspected he was overlooking something, something glaringly obvious. But his mind was spinning with dizziness, his empty lungs were coughing without pause, darkness blotted his vision of the clearing, and the noise yielded to his own heartbeats, slowly being overcome with a high-pitched ringing. He couldn’t reason. He couldn’t think. Every part of him gave way.

Is the ground falling?

The pain was burning through him like fire.

Am I flying?

He couldn’t breathe.

StarClan?

And then, the voice again, above the screeching ringing and the thumps of his heart.

A sprouting seed will wilt in darkened shadow.

Then everything was silent.

Chapter Text

Drip.

The light of the full moon and glittering stars reflected from the pool of water. Where a single ripple had formed, a tiny gray tom, eyes closed and fur mattered, lay on a worn moss bedding, surrounded by the spectral skies reflected on the surface. A small, thin, brown tabby tom, pelt covered with stars, watched him, sitting on the edge, his calm bright blue eyes unwavering.

Behind him, the grass rustled softly. “Littlecloud,” a tom greeted. “You’re here.”

The watching cat turned around. “Flametail,” he waved with his tail. “Come join me.”

Flametail padded to the brown tabby and sat next to him, his flame orange pelt shining with stars. He viewed the gray cat on the pool surface.

“You saved him,” he meowed to his companion.

Littlecloud replied, “I did what I had to do.”

“Still, few would have done it.”

Littlecloud shrugged. He didn’t care about being a hero. A cricket chirped in the silence of the clearing. The StarClan cats sat there, letting the cool, comfortable breeze soothe their pelts.

“Do you think it was worth it?” Flametail asked after a while.

Littlecloud blinked. “Hmm?”

“Asking my father to sacrifice one of his lives for him.” Flametail gestured to the gray tom in the pool. “You know that Seedsprout would’ve been accepted into StarClan.”

Littlecloud sighed. “But would he accept us? He is not ready yet. Besides, ShadowClan still needs him.”

“He’s done plenty for the Clan. We can find another cat for this.”

“There is no other cat who can do this. He is the only one.”

“But he doesn’t realize. There is so much he doesn’t know. About the kits, about the prophecy… about himself.” Flametail let out a sigh. “If only I were still alive.”

Littlecloud turned to his companion, his gaze gentle. “Tell me… if you were still ShadowClan’s medicine cat, would you have known?”

“I suppose not.” Flametail shut his eyes. “I’ve been wrong about some things in life.” Perhaps he was ruminating on the moons leading up to the Great War.

“Seedsprout may jump to conclusions,” Littlecloud continued, “and he’s as stubborn as a fox, but he is clever. He will come to understand it all.”

“I hope you’re right,” Flametail grimaced.

Littlecloud turned back to the pool, his gaze wistful. “Perhaps if I were younger, I could’ve taught him better…”

“You were a great mentor to me,” Flametail assured, “and I know you were no different for him.” He bowed his head. “I trust your judgment.”

The sound of grass rustling returned as Flametail left, leaving Littlecloud to watch his living apprentice, who still lay unmoving on the moss. Littlecloud touched his nose to the surface of the pool and quietly murmured to him.

“I have faith in you, Seedsprout. No matter what happens, you are ShadowClan, through and through. Never forget that.”