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Chapter Text

THUNDERCLAN

Leader: Pinestar- Man with auburn hair and green eyes. He wears a reddish brown cloak.

Deputy: Sunfall- Man with blonde hair and brown eyes. He wears a bright orange cloak.

Healer: Goosefeather- Man with black hair and pale blue eyes. He wears a speckled gray cloak.
Apprentice- Featherwhisker

Warriors: Stonepelt- Man with black hair and brown eyes. He wears a gray cloak.

Stormtail- Man with black hair and blue eyes. He wears a blue cloak.

Adderfang- Man with brown hair and brown eyes. He wears a mottled brown cloak.

Tawnyspots- Man with black hair and brown eyes. He wears a light gray striped cloak.

Sparrowpelt- Tall man with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He wears a dark brown striped cloak.

Smallear- Man with black hair and brown eyes. He wears a gray cloak.
Apprentice- White

Thrushpelt- Man with black hair and green eyes. He wears a sandy gray cloak with a flash of white.

Robinwing- Small woman with brown hair and brown eyes. She wears a brown and orange cloak,

Fuzzypelt- Man with spiky black hair and brown eyes. He wears a black cloak.

Windflight- Man with black hair and pale green eyes. He wears a gray striped cloak.
Apprentice- Speckle

Dappletail- Pretty young woman with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. She wears a dappled cloak.

Apprentices: Featherwhisker- Man with black hair and dark brown eyes. He wears an oversized silver cloak.

Speckle- Girl with light brown hair and brown eyes She wears a striped cloak.

White- Girl with black hair and blue eyes, one of which is blind. She wears a light gray cloak.

Nursery: Swiftbreeze- Woman with brown hair and brown eyes. She wears a brown striped and white cloak. (Mother to Leopard; girl with black hair and green eyes, and Patch; boy with black hair and brown eyes.)

Moonflower- Woman with black hair and light brown eyes. She wears a silver cloak. (Mother to Snow; girl with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes, and Blue; girl with black hair and blue eyes)

Poppydawn- Girl with red hair and brown eyes. She wears a dark red cloak.

Elders: Weedwhisker- Man with blonde hair and brown eyes. He wears a light orange cloak.

Mumblefoot- Man with brown hair and brown eyes. He wears a brown cloak.

Larksong- Woman with dirty blonde hair and light green eyes. She wears a dappled cloak.

SHADOWCLAN

Leader: Cedarstar- Man with black hair and brown eyes. He wears a dark gray and white cloak.

Deputy: Stonetooth- Man with black hair, brown eyes and a snaggle tooth. He wears a gray striped cloak.

Healer: Sagewhisker- Woman with platinum hair and brown eyes. She wears a white cloak.

Warriors: Raggedpelt- Tall man with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He wears a dark brown stiped cloak.

Foxheart- Woman with orange hair and brown eyes. She wears a bright orange cloak.

Crowtail- Woman with black hair and brown eyes. She wears a black striped cloak.

Brackenfoot- Man with blonde hair and brown eyes. He wears a yellow and red cloak.

Archeye- Man with black hair and brown eyes. He wears a gray striped cloak.

Hollyflower- Woman with black hair and brown eyes. She wears a dark gray and white cloak.

Featherstorm- Woman with brown hair and brown eyes. She wears a brown striped cloak.

Poolcloud- Woman with black hair and brown eyes. She wears a gray and white cloak.

Elders: Littlebird- Small woman with orange hair and brown eyes. She wears an orange striped cloak.

Lizardfang- Man with light brown hair and brown eyes. He wears a brown stripped cloak.

WINDCLAN

Leader: Heatherstar- Woman with black hair and blue eyes. She wears a pink cloak.

Deputy: Reedfeather- Man with light brown hair and brown eyes. He wears a light brown striped cloak.

Healer: Hawkheart- Man with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He wears a mottled brown cloak.

Warriors: Dawnstripe- Woman with blonde hair and brown eyes. She wears a light gold striped cloak.

Talltail- Man with black hair and brown eyes. He wears a black and white cloak.

Redclaw- Man with red hair and brown eyes. He wears a red cloak.

Elders: Whiteberry- Man with platinum blonde hair and brown eyes. He wears a white cloak.

RIVERCLAN

Leader: Hailstar- Man with black hair and brown eyes. He wears a gray cloak.

Deputy: Shellheart- Man with black hair and brown eyes. He wears a dappled gray cloak.

Healer: Brambleberry- Pretty woman with black hair and blue eyes. She wears a black and white cloak.

WarriorsL Rippleclaw- Man with black hair and brown eyes. He wears a black and silver cloak.

Timberfur- Man with brown hair and brown eyes. He wears a brown cloak.

Owlfur- Man with brown hair and brown eyes. He wears a brown and white cloak.

Ottersplash- Woman with orange hair and brown eyes. She wears a white and yellow cloak.

Lilystem- Woman with black hair and brown eyes. She wears a light gray cloak.

Nursery: Rainflower- Woman with black hair and brown eyes. She wears a gray striped cloak. (Mother to Storm; boy with light brown hair, brown eyes and a crooked jaw, and Oak; boy with auburn hair and brown eyes)

Fallowtail- Woman with light brown hair and brown eyes. She wears a light brown cloak. (Mother to Gray; girl with black hair and brown eyes, and Willow; girl with black hair and blue eyes)

Elders: Troutclaw- Man with black hair and brown eyes.

Chapter Text

“She’s still sleeping?”

“Hush, Swiftbreeze. She’s a three year old. Toddlers need a lot of sleep.”

Blue cuddled into her mother’s chest.

“Snow never slept so much,” Swiftbreeze reminded her. “And my two were always filled with energy. Leopard and Patch are natural warriors.”

Poppydawn giggled. “Oh, Swiftbreeze, no one could compete with your children.”

A small finger prodded Blue’s ribs. She groaned and snuggled closer to her mother.

“Come on, Blue!” Snow whispered. “I want to go play, but mama won’t let me go outside without you.”

Blue’s head snapped up. Going outside? Moonflower hardly ever let them out of the nursery. They were still so small, and the camp was huge.

She could hear voices outside. Leopard and Patch were playing.

“You be the WindClan warrior!” Patch ordered.

“I’m always the WindClan warrior!” Leopard retorted.

“No, you’re not!”

“Yes, I am!”

She heard scuffling, punctuated by squeals of defiance.

Swiftbreeze sighed. “I’d better check on them.” She stood up and squeezed out of the nursery. Soft light pierced through the woven roof in shafts.

Poppydawn, a red haired woman, sat in the corner. Her stomach was bulging with an unborn child. She’d give birth to her first child soon.

Blue inclined her head to look up at her mother. Sunshine dappled Moonflower’s dark skin. Her face was narrow, her nose rounded. Blue wondered if she looked like her mother. Looking down at her hands, she saw that her skin was a darker shade. Snow was paler, with hair so light it was practically white.

“Finally!” Snow sighed. “See, she’s up!” Snow’s eyes were blue as the sky. Blue wondered if her’s were the same. “Can we go outside now?”

Moonflower let Blue crawl out from her arms. “I suppose. But watch your little sister, Snow.”

Snow was already heading for the entrance. Blue tumbled after her, short legs awkward.

“Don’t get in the warriors’ way!” Moonflower called after them.

Blue brushed out of the nursery. The sunshine stung her eyes. She still wasn’t used to being outside so much. She blinked through the light, seeing the camp open up in front of her. It was a vast, sand covered clearing that stretched toward a huge rock in the center. Two warriors sat beneath the rock, tearing off chunks of meat from a cooked rabbit leg and popping it into their mouths. Beyond lay a fallen tree that crushed the camp wall. Vines draped down around it, concealing the elder’s hut. Several lengths away from the nursery sat a rounded hut woven from twigs and vines. Ferns crowded its base. Behind was a tall barrier of thorn bushes and flowers.

Excitement thrilled through Blue. The camp was so big!

“Where did Leopard and Patch go?” Snow asked, looking around. She was taller than Blue, older by two years.

“Look at that!” a voice sounded from the rock. One of the warriors, a man with auburn hair, had raised his head. “Moonflower’s kids are up and about.”

“Hi, Pinestar!” Snow waved her arm. Blue mimicked her action.

“You!”

Blue turned to face Patch. He was older than both Blue and her sister, and stood two heads taller. His hair was black.

“Does your mother know you’re out here?” he asked.

“Yeah!” Blue glowered at him.

Leopard came to join her brother. She had the same black hair, but her skin was darker and her eyes were green. “It’s good to see you two.”

Blue straightened her back.

“Have you been all around camp yet?” Leopard asked.

“Not yet,” Snow said. “Mama keeps promising to take us, through.”

“We’ll show you around,” Leopard said excitedly, glancing at her brother.

“Awesome!” Snow followed the older girl happily.

Blue frowned. Wasn’t Moonflower supposed to show them the camp? Besides, she’d rather explore by herself. But Leopard was already leading them toward a wide hut surrounded by ferns.

“This is the apprentice’s hut,” she said. “We’ll be moving here in a few years.”

“Come on,” Patch called to Blue.

Blue gazed back at the nursery. ‘Won’t you miss your mother?” She felt a sudden flicker of anxiety. She liked sleeping beside Moonflower. She didn’t want to leave her.

“I can’t wait to move out of the nursery!” Patch said. “We can stay up as long as we want, and only our mentors can tell us what to do.”

Blue hurried after them. As they approached, a young girl appeared in the entrance.

“Once you start your training, you’ll be too tired for staying up.” She yawned.

“Hi, Speckle!” Patch stopped in front of the hut.

Blue stared at the striped cloak that Speckle wore on her shoulders.

“We’re showing Blue and Snow around camp,” Leopard announced. “It’s Blue’s first time out.”

“Make sure you show them the wasteplace,” Speckle joked. “White’s always complaining about cleaning out the nursery. I don’t think ThunderClan’s ever had so many children in the nursery at once.”

Blue lifted her chin. “I can clean my own space.”

Speckle smiled. “I’ll make sure White knows. I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear it.”

Blue narrowed her eyes. Was Speckle teasing her?

“I can’t wait to go hunting!” Patch dropped into a crouch, creeping forward.

“Keep your feet further apart,” Speckle said. “The most important thing is balance.”

Blue watched them intently. She studied how Patch crouched close to the ground, and how he positioned his feet and kept his hands up.

“Not bad,” Speckle said to Patch. She turned to Leopard. “Let me see your crouch.”

Leopard instantly dropped down.

Blue wanted to try, but she’d rather practice by herself first. “Come on,” she whispered to Snow.

Snow blinked at her. “What?”

“Let’s go explore,” Blue said.

“But I wanted to hang out with…”

Blue was already moving away. She glanced over her shoulder, spotting another hut near the nursery. Patch and Leopard wouldn’t find them there. She moved toward it, ducking inside. Snow followed.

“I thought you didn’t want to come,” Blue squeaked in surprise.

“Mama told me to watch you,” Snow reminded her.

Together, they turned to peer out at Leopard, Patch and Speckle. The three were looking around, seeming puzzled.

Speckle shrugged. “They must have gone back inside.”

“Whatever,” Patch said. “Now you can take us to the practice hollow.”

“No way.” Speckle shook her head.

“We’d all get in trouble,” Leopard warned. “We’re not supposed to leave the camp until we’re apprentices.”

“Then we just won’t get caught,” Patch said.

Speckle glanced around uncertainly. “I’ll take you to the top of the ravine, but no further.”

Jealousy burned through Blue as Speckle led Leopard and Patch through the camp entrance. She suddenly wished she’d stayed with them.

Suddenly, a hand was grabbing the back of her shirt, lifting her up and shoving her out of the hut. Her sister followed. A large man with black hair had pushed them out.

“What are you doing here?” he growled. “This is the warrior’s hut.”

"S-sorry, Stonepelt!” Snow squeaked.

Blue faced the warrior. “We didn’t know.”

The man narrowed his eyes. “You must be Stormtail’s girls.”

Blue nodded. “Yes, we are.”

“Were you looking for your father?”

Snow glanced up eagerly. “Is he here?”

“He went hunting.”

“We weren’t looking for him,” Blue said, although she would like to see her father. He rarely visited them in the nursery. “We were hiding from Patch and Leopard.”

“Playing a game, I’m guessing?” Stonepelt sighed.

“No,” Blue corrected him. “They wanted to show us around camp, but we want to explore by ourselves.”

Stonepelt raised an eyebrow. “A good warrior lets their Clanmates teach them.”

“We thought it would be more fun on our own,” Blue insisted.

“Blue, hush.” Snow had grabbed her arm.

Stonepelt narrowed his eyes. “Well, I don’t appreciate being woken up by a bunch of nosy kids.”

“We’re sorry.” Snow stepped in front of her sister. “We didn’t mean to cause trouble.”

“That’s what happens when kids are left to their own devices.” Stonepelt turned toward the food storage across the camp. “I might as well get something to eat, now that I'm up.” He walked away.

Snow turned to Blue. “Why did you pick the warrior’s hut to hide in?” she growled.

“I didn’t know!” Blue snapped.

“We never would have gone in there if we’d stayed with Speckle.”

Blue frowned. She just wanted to explore camp. She gazed across the clearing to the huge rock. Footprints crossed through the dirt at the base, disappearing under a screen of vines. She wondered where they led

“Follow me!” She ran over to the vines, then stuck her head through. The vines gave way to a quiet cove under the rock. A tiny pool of still water was in the center. The walls were smooth and the ground was padded solid. There was a large bed in the corner.

“What are you doing in here?”

Blue froze, surprised by the voice. She whipped around to face the corner. There, a man with black hair was folding up a blanket.

“You must be Blue,” he said. “I’m Featherwhisker, one of the healers. You shouldn’t be in here. This is Pinestar’s hut.”

“I didn’t know. I just wanted to see what was behind the vines.” Blue looked at the ground. “You won’t tell Pinestar, will you?”

“Yes, I will.” Blue’s heart lurched.

“He’ll know you were in here. He’ll sense your aura,” Featherwhisker explained.

“My aura?” Blue repeated.

“All living things give off energy,” Featherwhisker said. “Once you begin your training, your mentor will teach you how to sense that energy. You’ll even know how to tell the difference between your Clanmates. Now, off you go.”

He stood up and pushed Blue out of the hut, following her.

“Don’t come in here again,” Featherwhisker chided. “Not unless you’re invited. Why don’t you go meet the elders? They love kids.”

Blue frowned, annoyed. She didn’t want to be shown around.

Featherwhisker led them to the fallen tree and ducked under a branch and into the vines. Blue followed.

Grass and ferns sprouted from the tangled wood. Beneath the tree was an open space containing three different beds.

A man with ruffled brown hair laid against the fallen tree, while a blonde woman was sewing together a black cloak. Another man with orange hair was eating a bowl of berries on the other side of the clearing.

The woman looked up. “Did you bring mouse bile?” she asked hopefully. “Mumblefoot’s got a tick.”

“He insisted on hunting yesterday,” the man with orange hair said. “Of course he got a tick.”

“The day I stop hunting is the day you’ll have sit vigil for me,” Mumblefoot said.

Weedwhisker took another bite of his berries. “I don’t want to stop hunting either,” he muttered. “But we’ll have plenty of apprentices soon to hunt for us.”

“Patch and Leopard will start there training in a few years,” Featherwhisker conceded. “And we’ve got these two now.” He stepped aside to reveal Blue and Snow.

“How pretty!” the woman cooed. She hurried over to study Blue and Snow.

“Girls, this is Larksong,” Featherwhisker introduced them. “I caught them sneaking into Pinestar’s hut.”

“But you were in there, too,” Blue argued.

Featherwhisker laughed. “I was changing the bed.”

“Another one of Goosefeather’s jobs he loaded onto you,” Mumblefoot murmured.

“Don’t be rude!” Larksong said sternly. “Goosefeather is busy with other things.”

“Like pretending to look for herbs?”

“He does not pretend!”

“Oh, really? Yesterday, I saw him napping beside the Owl tree.”

“Goosefeather is a good mentor,” Featherwhisker said.

“And you shouldn’t say such things in front of his nieces,” Larksong scolded.

“Nieces?” Blue echoed.

“Goosefeather is your mother’s older brother,” Larksong explained. “But enough about him. I want to know about you.”

“I’m Snow, and this is Blue,” Snow said. “It’s Blue’s first time around camp.”

Weedwhisker licked his lips, setting his bowl aside. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m sure you’ll be causing trouble in no time. All kids do.”

Blue blinked. “Have Leopard and Patch ever been in trouble?”

Larksong laughed. “I haven’t met a child who hasn’t.”

Blue sighed in relief. She was glad she wasn’t the only one who got things wrong. Suddenly, she yawned. Her small legs weren't used to carrying her so far.

“You’d better get back to the nursery,” Larksong advised. “Before you fall asleep.”

Blue noticed Snow’s eyes were drooping too. Her own legs ached and her stomach rumbled from hunger. But she didn’t want to leave. She wanted to here more about her uncle.

“Come on.” Featherwhisker ushered them out of the hut.

“But there’s nothing fun in the nursery,” Blue objected.

“You can have fun after a nap,” Larksong said.

“Come back soon!” Weedwhisker called.

Blue stumbled into the clearing. Her mind was still whirling with questions, but her legs ached. She was relieved to get back into the nursery.

“Did you have fun?” Moonflower asked as Blue flopped down beside her.

“Yeah!” Blue yawned.

Moonflower smiled. “Good. You’ll get to explore the forest soon enough. And even that is only one Clan’s territory. One day, you’ll travel all the way to Highstones. Maybe even farther.”

“How big is the world?” Snow murmured.

“No living person could ever know,” Moonflower replied.

Blue pictured trees and bracken and nettles and gorse that stretched all the way to the sky. “I don’t think I could ever travel that far,” she protested. Her legs hurt from just a walk around camp.

“You’ll be able to, my dear,” Moonflower said. “One day, you’ll walk the whole world.”

Chapter Text

“Remember to sit up straight and be polite,” Moonflower chided, combing Blue’s black hair.

Blue rolled her eyes.

She waited with her mother and sister at the edge of the clearing.

“It’ll be the first time Stormtail has seen you out of the nursery,” Moonflower reminded them. Blue’s stomach was a knot of excitement. She couldn’t wait to tell her father all she’d seen yesterday. “He promised he’d be back by noon.”

Blue kept herself still. Around her, the camp was busy.

Mumblefoot and Larksong had come out of the elder’s hut to enjoy the sunshine. Featherwhisker was bringing them a pot of water. Beside the nettle patch, a blonde man was sharing a meal with three other warriors.

“That’s Sunfall, right?” Blue asked.

“Yes.” Moonflower had finished with Blue and had moved on to combing Snow’s hair. “With him is Robinwing, Tawnyspots and Fuzzypelt. Over there is Thrushpelt.”

A young man had emerged from the warrior’s hut. His hair was black and his cloak was a sandy gray with a splash of white in the center. He had bright green eyes.

“He looks like a teenager,” Blue said.

“He is,” Moonflower replied. “He’s only been a warrior for a few weeks.”

The vine barrier swished. Disappointment dropped into Blue’s stomach when Stonepelt walked into camp with a bird. She shuffled, hoping he wouldn’t notice her. Was he still mad about her crashing into the warrior’s hut yesterday?

“That was a sneaky move!” Speckle shouted on the other side of the clearing. She rolled away from White and jumped back up. The two apprentices were practicing battle moves near the tree stump.

White was panting. “I’m not sneaky! I’m just that good!” She stared at her sister crossly, her cloudy eye glinting in the sunshine. Blue knew she couldn’t see out of one eye, but her hearing was so incredible no one could sneak up on her. Blue and Snow had tried.

“It was just luck!” Speckle retorted. “Even Patch could do better.”

Blue scanned the clearing. Leopard and Patch sat outside the warrior’s hut, whispering to each other and occasionally glancing back at the entrance.

“How come dad hardly visits us in the nursery?” Snow whined. “Adderfang comes to see Patch and Leopard every day. He even brought them strawberries last time.”

“Your father is very important to the Clan,” Moonflower said dreamily. “He’s too busy. Besides, you don’t need strawberries. You’ll keep me up all night.”

Blue glanced at the sun. It was directly overhead. Stormtail would be here soon. She turned toward the camp entrance.

Moonflower raised her head. “He’s here!”

“How do you know?” Snow looked around.

“I can sense him,” Moonflower said. “He’s in the ravine.”

The vines in front of camp trembled. A man with dark brown hair walked through the entrance, holding a thrush. A beautiful blonde woman followed him.

“Who’s that?” Blue noticed two pigeons hanging from the woman’s fists.

“That’s Sparrowpelt and Dappletail,” Moonflower said.

Next, a tall man with black hair entered camp. His shoulders were wide and muscular. He head his square chin high, his blue eyes shining like stars. Behind him, he dragged a small deer fawn.

Stormtail.

“Look what he brought us!” Snow gasped.

“That’s not for us,” Blue murmured. “It’s for the whole Clan.”

Snow frowned as she watched her father carrying the deer to the firepit. He turned to look around the camp.

His gaze landed on them.

Moonflower was smiling. “Stormtail.” She gestured him over. “Come say hello to your daughters.”

Stormtail stopped in front of them. “They look lovely,” he commented. His voice was gruff.

“They both have your eyes,” Moonflower said.

Blue looked up at her father, hoping he’d see that their eyes matched. She’d seen her own reflection in puddles and the pots of water Featherwhisker would bring to the nursery. Now, she saw she looked almost exactly like her father.

“They’ll make good warriors.” Stormtail had hardly glanced at them.

“Of course they will,” Moonflower said. “They’re your daughters.”

Blue stepped forward. “How did you catch that deer?” She wanted Stormtail to look at her again.

He did. “Fawns are easy to catch. They hide behind trees and under bushes to wait for their mother. You just have to sneak up on them.”

“Will you teach us?” Snow asked.

“Your mentors will teach you,” Stormtail replied. “Pinestar will know what’s best.”

Blue wondered who Pinestar would choose for her. She looked to the warrior’s hut. Adderfang had just emerged. Leopard and Patch, stationed on either side, leaped at him. Adderfang stagged in surprise, then collapsed dramatically. Leopard and Patch sat on his stomach, but Adderfang easily pushed them off and chased them toward the nursery. His children whooped happily.

Stormtail glanced at the commotion, eyes narrowed in annoyance.

“Pinestar asked to see me,” Stormtail told Moonflower.

Blue frowned. “Now?” He was leaving already? "Can we come?”

Stormtail glanced at him. “It’s warrior business.”

Blue’s heart sank when he turned away. Then it leaped back up as he glanced over his shoulder.

“Stonepelt told me you woke him up yesterday,” he growled. “Stay away from the warrior’s hut.” He swung around and walked away.

Blue stared after him, hollow with disappointment.

Moonflower put a hand on her shoulder. “He was just giving you advice,” she said.

Blue stared at the ground, hot with embarrassment. She must be the dumbest kid ThunderClan had ever seen.

“Wow!” Snow gasped. “Dad must be really important if Pinestar wants to see him.”

“He is.” Moonflower watched Stormtail tear a chunk of meat from a spit over the fire then carry it over to the nettle patch where Pinestar waited.

Blue lifted her chin. “He said we’d make good warriors!” She’d do her best to prove him right.

“Moonflower!” A voice made them all turn. A man with black hair and a scraggly beard was ambling toward them. His cloak was speckled gray and his eyes were a pale blue. “Did the girls get to see their fearless father?” His voice carried a hint of mockery.

Moonflower narrowed her eyes. “Yes, Goosefeather.”

“You’re our uncle!” Snow said, her eyes lighting up. "What’s it like being a healer? Do you really talk to StarClan?”

“Mumblefoot says you’re lazy,” Blue said.

Moonflower’s grip on her shoulder tightened, but Goosefeather just laughed. “So was he when he was a warrior.” He ran a hand through his ruffled hair. “I suppose I should go herb hunting today. We’re nearly out of comfrey.”

“You mean pretend to hunt herbs?” Blue said.

“Blue!” Moonflower gasped.

Goosefeather just laughed again. “You’ve got a smart tongue, girl.” He knelt down. “Just don’t let it get you in trouble.”

“Great.” Moonflower sighed. “She’s taking after you.”

Blue just smiled. She liked Goosefeahter. He was funny and kind.

“Is it true that StarClan sends you signs?” Snow asked.

Goosefeather nodded. “Yes. I interpret the cloud patterns and weather. StarClan sends me messages through nature.”

A man with brown hair scoffed, rolling his eyes as he passed.

Goosefeather nodded to him. “Hello, Adderfang.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve gotten another prophecy,” Adderfang said crossly.

Blue blinked at him. Did he not believe in prophecies? She turned to Goosefeather. “How do you know StarClan is sending signs to you and not the other Clans?”

“Signs have a certain feel to them.” Goosefeather looked at the sky. “Sometimes, I see clouds moving quickly across the sky and think, ‘oh, it’s windy today.’ Other times I think, ‘oh, no, the river is going to flood!’”

“The river is going to flood?” Dappletail looked up from where she was turning Stormtail’s fawn on a spit.

“No.” Goosefeather shook his head. “It was just an example.” He waved apologetically to Dappletail, then looked back down at his nieces. “How you like to see the healer’s hut?”

“Yes, please!” Blue squeaked. It was the one part of camp she’d never gone in.

“Moonflower!” Pinestar called.

“Coming!” Moonflower glanced uncertainly at Goosefeather. “Can you watch these two?”

“Sure,” Goosefeather said.

Moonflower narrowed her eyes. “I mean it. Watch them.”

Goosefeather put his hands up defensively. “I got it.”

As Moonflower headed away, Goosefeather led Blue and Snow through a crag in a rock at the edge of camp. Beyond was a wide clearing with green grass and specks of leaves. Inside was another rock, split down the middle, that led into a tiny cave.

A cough sounded from inside.

“Smallear got bit my an adder the other day,” Goosefeather explained. “Luckily it was a juvenile, so he’ll be fine.” He ducked into the cave. “Give me a moment.”

“Come on.” Snow picked up a loose piece of leaf. “Let’s check this place out.”

Blue hesitated. Stormtail had just scolded her for exploring places she wasn’t supposed to be in.

“It’s okay,” Snow encouraged. “Uncle Goosefeather invited us in here.”

Blue glanced at the cave. “I suppose.” She followed Snow.

Snow was swallowed by the shadows as she disappeared into the hut. Blue followed, blinking against the darkness.

“There’s so many herbs!” Snow squeaked.

Blue’s eyes were adjusting to the dim light. She could see Snow sifting through a pile of leaves beside the wall.

Snow picked up a dark green leaf. “I wonder what this does.”

“It smells sour,” Blue said, covering her nose.

“Bet you wouldn’t eat it,” Snow goaded.

Blue took a step back.

“You’re afraid!”

“I am not! Fine, I’ll eat it!” She snatched the leave and pit into it. It felt furry on her tongue and tasted so bitter she had to spit it out. “It’s disgusting!” She let her tongue hang out of her mouth, hoping the taste would fade.

Snow laughed.

“Your turn.” Crossly, Blue grabbed up a handful of tiny black seeds. “Eat one of these.”

“Fine by me.” Snow took a handful and tossed them into her mouth. She licked her lips. “Not bad.”

“What are you doing?” Moonflower cried from outside. She grabbed Blue and dragged her out of the hut, then got Snow. “Did you eat anything in there?”

Blue stared at her, noticing the panic in her mother’s eyes.

“Did you?” Moonflower growled.

“I-I spit it out,” Blue stammered. She glanced nervously at Snow.

“I swallowed a bunch of seeds,” Snow said. Her eyes were drooping.

“Goosefeather!” Moonflower screamed.

The healer emerged from Smallear’s hut. “What is it?”

“The girls were in the herb storage, and Snow ate some seeds.”

Calmly, Goosefeather poked his head into the herb storage. He emerged a moment later. “Poppy seeds. Half of my store.”

Blue hung her head, wishing she’d never dared Snow to eat something.

“She’ll be okay,” Goosefeather said. “But it’ll make her very sleepy.”

“Are you sure?” Moonflower’s eyes were wide.

“I’m sure,” Goosefeather said. “Take her back to the nursery and get her in bed.”

“Shouldn’t you watch her?” Moonflower prompted.

“We both know you’ll do a better job taking care of her than me,” Goosefeather said. “I have to watch Smallear.”

Moonflower huffed. “Let’s go.” She grabbed Snow’s arm and dragged her out of the clearing. Blue followed.

“She’ll be fine!” Goosefeather called after her. “I promise!”

“She’d better be, or it’s your head!” Moonflower growled.

Moonflower marched them across the clearing. Suddenly, for the first time, Blue was able to sense her aura.

And it was frightened.

“I can’t believe I’m related to such an idiot!” she muttered. “How could StarClan have made him a healer? He’s always been so scatterbrained.”

Guilt twisted in Blue’s stomach. Now her mother was mad at Goosefeather. It wasn’t his fault. Blue was the one who’d dared Snow to eat those seeds.

“Don’t ever go into the healer’s hut again!” Moonflower scolded. “In fact, stay away from Goosefeather all together.”

“But-”

“Don’t argue!" As they reached the nursery, Moonflower picked Snow up and ducked into the entrance. Blue followed. Why was her mother so angry with Goosefeather? Snow had eaten the poppy seeds. He hadn’t made her.

Blue sat on the edge of the bed as Snow was laid down. Her eyes were already closed as she drifted into sleep.

Moonflower laid down beside her.

Swiftbreeze sat up in her bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Goosefeather let Snow eat a whole handful of poppy seeds!” Moonflower’s eyes were dark with worry.

Poppydawn sat up. “What?”

Blue felt hot with shame. This wasn’t Goosefeather’s fault. If anything, she should be the one Moonflower’s anger was directed at. “Goosefeather didn’t know we were in the herb storage,” she blurted out. “We snuck off while he checked on Smallear.”

“He should have known better. He should have at least warned you.” Moonflower shook her head. “I can’t believe he’d turn his back on two young children.”

“Next time, leave them with Featherwhisker,” Swiftbreeze said. “He’s responsible.”

Moonflower ran her hand over Snow’s light hair.

“Is she going to die?” Blue whispered.

Poppydawn shook her head. “Of course not, dear. Poppy seeds don’t kill. Do they?” She looked at Moonflower.

Moonflower shrugged helplessly.

Guilt pulsed through Blue. She sent a silent prayer to StarClan, begging them to keep her sister safe.

“Get some sleep, Blue,” Moonflower said.

Blue laid down and closed her eyes, but sleep never came. She was too worried about her sister. She’d never go into the healer’s hut again.

Chapter Text

“Let all those old enough to hunt gather beneath the Highrock!”

Pinestar’s call woke Blue from a deep sleep. She stood up excitedly. A Clan meeting!

Moonflower and Snow woke more slowly, yawning. “What’s going on?” Snow questioned.

“It’s a Clan meeting!” Blue squeaked excitedly.

Snow was up in an instant. “Can we go, mom? Please?”

Moonflower was still yawning. “Only if you behave.”

“We will!” Blue promised.

Moonflower got up and walked them to the entrance. Poppydawn was still asleep. In the last two years, she’d given birth to a boy and a girl. The boy was older and already growing big, his hair dark.

“Where’s Swiftbreeze?” Snow wondered.

“Leopard and Patch are gone, too,” Blue noticed.

“They must be in the clearing,” Moonflower said as she pushed out of the nursery.

Blue followed her mother. The early morning sun filtered through the soft leaves on the trees. The Clan was gathered in the clearing, murmuring excitedly as Pinestar looked on from the Highrock.

Goosefeather sat beside the rock crag while Featherwhisker joined Tawnyspots and Sparrowpelt. Fuzzypelt and Robinwing sat beneath the Highrock. Blue noticed Stormtail talking with Windflight. She tried to catch her father’s eye, but he didn’t even raise his head. He’d hardly spoken to them.

Mumblefoot, Weedwhisker and Larksong filed out of the elder’s hut.

“Come on,” Moonflower whispered, nudging Blue and Snow past Speckle and White, who were arguing over who got to sit on the tree stump. “Here.” Moonflower sat behind Dappletail and Stonepelt. “Now sit down and be quiet.”

Stonepelt looked over his shoulder. “This will be your first Clan meeting, right?”

Blue nodded, relieved to see warmth in the warrior’s gaze. She’d learned that Stonepelt was quite pleasant as long as she stayed on his good side.

“Do you know what’s going on?” Moonflower asked Stonepelt.

Dappletail turned. “I think Pinestar is making Leopard and Patch into apprentices.” She pointed to where they sat beneath the Highrock. The rest of the Clan had drawn back, leaving an empty space for them. Swiftbreeze sat at the edge of the clearing, her eyes glowing with pride. Adderfang stood beside her, chest puffed out and chin held high.

“Spring brings new hope and new warmth,” Pinestar began. “More importantly, it will bring us two new apprentices. Leopard and Patch.” All eyes turned to the brother and sister at the foot of the Highrock. “You are both old enough to become apprentices and have been taught the warrior code. Today is the day you begin putting it to use.”

Shouts of approval sounded from the crowd.

Pinestar went on. “Leopard!”

Leopard stepped forward, staring at Pinestar.

“From this day forward, Robinwing will be your mentor.” Pinestar leaped down from the Highrock to throw a black cloak over Leopard’s shoulders. When Blue looked closely, she could see the cloak was dotted with dark gray spots, like a leopard’s pelt. “I hope you will pass on your fine hunting skills to this young apprentice.”

Robinwing came forward to stand beside her new apprentice.

“Patch,” Pinestar went on. “You have your father’s courage. From this day forward, Fuzzypelt will be your mentor.” Patch’s new cloak was black and white. “Listen to him carefully. He may be young, but he is clever and brave.”

Pleased murmurs spread through the Clan. “Patch!” Swiftbreeze called. “Leopard!”

The Clan joined in.

Speckle jumped off the tree stump and weaved into the crowd, White following.

“We’ve already made beds for you,” Speckle said.

“I made beds for you,” White pointed out. “Speckle just sat and watched.”

“Hey, I brought you water when you got thirsty!”

Blue frowned. The nursery would be empty without Swiftbreeze and her children. “Won’t Swiftbreeeze miss them?” she asked Moonflower.

“Yes,” Moonflower said. “Come on” She ushered them back toward the nursery.

“Can we talk to Patch and Leopard?” Blue asked.

Moonflower shook her head. “Today will be busy. Traditionally, their mentors will take them on a tour of the territory.”

“We’ll be apprentices before long,” Snow said excitedly.

Moonflower giggled. “Not for another three years, at least.”

Chapter Text

The nursery was getting crowded, and Blue was not happy about it.

Every time she moved, she’d either be pushed out of bed or smack into someone else.

Poppydawn had given birth to another baby girl just two years ago. Her older children, Thistle and Rose, seemed to get bigger ever day. The new baby had been named Sweet. At first, Blue had enjoyed having younger kid around to play with. Now, however, she felt like she’d been shoved into a pot with a bunch of other kids. Even worse, Speckletail had hardly gone a year being a warrior before finding herself in the nursery, expecting Smallear’s child. Now she was a mother to a boy and a girl, Golden and Lion, the latter of which was still a newborn and hardly ever stopped crying.

He was quiet now, but when Blue closed her eyes again, Thistle began to snore loudly.

Blue stood up and stretched. The morning was chilly as autumn set in. She glanced around before squeezing out of the nursery. She enjoyed waking before anyone else, having the whole quiet camp to herself. The sky stretched overhead, soft and gray. She recognized Sparrowpelt, Windflight and Adderfang’s aura trails heading out of camp. They must have gone on patrol. Crisp brown leaves fluttered down from the trees and landed on the cold earth.

Blue took in a deep breath. She was eight years old now. If she kept growing bigger, Pinestar would make her an apprentice in no time.

She wished she could leave camp and go explore the forest, but it was forbidden. Curiously, she walked over to the gorse wall, trying to peer through the vines that covered the tunnel out of camp.

“Do you want to go out?”

Sunfall’s voice made her jump. She spun around.

“I-I was just looking!” she said quickly.

“I’ll take you out, if you want,” he offered.

Blue blinked. “But Pinestar says children shouldn’t leave camp.”

“It’s okay. I’ll be with you.”

“Should I get Snow, too?” Blue asked. “She’ll want to come.”

“Let Snow sleep,” Sunfal said gently, heading into the tunnel.

Excited, Blue followed, brushing through the vines. The tunnel’s ground was padded flat.

As she emerged on the other side, the scents of the forest hit her hard. Leaves, earth, moss... The wind stirred her black hair. Birds chipped in the trees.

Sunfall led her along a path toward the foot of a steep slope. “This is the heart of our territory,” he explained. He glanced up. “This is the ravine. It leads into the forest.”

Blue blinked. “You climb it?” She searched the slope, trying to find a route.

“Try this way.” Sunfall walked to a gap between two massive boulders and stepped onto it.

Blue followed. It was easy to climb up, but the slope was steep and her feet slipped on the loose stones.

“You’ll scale it easier when you get bigger,” Sunfall said, turning and leading her along the stones. They jutted out of the ravine one after another, perfect for steps.

Blue stared at the ravine. It was so tall! How would she ever climb all the way up?

Sunfall was using the jutting stones as stairs, stepping up easily. Blue followed, having to climb each one. His legs were a lot longer and steadier than hers. He stopped on the next one, and she stopped, too.

“You go first,” he said. “I’ll stay behind in case you fall.”

Nervously, Blue began scaling the ravine. She swung herself onto each rock, then reached up for the next. She was amazed by how easy it was to grip each stone and pull herself up.

Finally, by some miracle of StarClan, she was at the top.

Peering down, she saw Sunfall. He seemed small on the forest floor. Had she really climbed so far? She was level with tree tops that surrounded camp. She could see right into the highest branches where squirrels scampered and birds snuggled into their nests.

“Nice work!” Sunfall climbed up beside her. “Which way would you like to go?”

Blue glanced around. Bushes and stunted trees jutted out, their roots twining through the rocky soil to hold them to the sheer slope. She stopped at a steep but worn path, which weaved around the trunks like a snake.

“That way!” she said. Without waiting, she hurried along the track, following it until it steepened and turned back on itself. It snaked between the boulders and studded the crest of the ravine.

Suddenly, her foot slid out from beneath her.

Panic shot through her as the earth crumbled and she fell back, sliding down the path.

“I’ve got you!” Sunfall had grabbed her just in time, pulling her onto the rock he occupied. Blue’s heart thumped as she hit the ground.

“Sorry,” she said. “I went too fast.”

“Let’s use the longer path,” Sunfall said.

Blue followed him toward a stony trail that twined upward through a cluster of rocks. A foot from the top, the path ended in a sheer wall of rock that leaned out above them. Branches poked out from behind it.

Sunfall climbed over it. Blue took a deep breath and jumped up, grasping the cliff top. She hauled herself over the edge. Sunfall reached down to grab the back of her shirt, heaving her up.

“Well done,” Sunfall said.

Catching her breath, Blue glanced behind her. The camp was hardly visible beneath the treetops and the clearing was just a pale splash beyond the red leaves. She turned to look at the forest. Bushes crowded the edge of the ravine and the trees stretched away into shadows. Branches creaked and shuddered in the wind.

She was trembling with excitement.

“It’s so big!”

Sunfall suddenly tensed. He was staring into the trees, eyes round. A moment later, they heard the echo of footsteps pounding eerily through the forest. They were growing closer, rustling the underground.

“Who is it?” Blue asked Sunfall.

“The dawn patrol.” Sunfall was frowning. “Something’s wrong.”

Sparrowpelt emerged from the shadows first, brown eyes burning with anger. Adderfang and Windflight followed.

“What’s wrong?” Sunfall asked.

“WindClan has been trespassing!” Sparrowpelt growled. “We need to tell Pinestar.” He plunged down the ravine, his patrol following.

“Let’s get back to camp.” Sunfall turned and disappeared over the edge after his Clanmates.

Blue was trembling. Would the Clan go to battle?

As she stepped up to the cliff, she paused. The sun was coming over the horizon, spilling over the forest and turning the treetops pink. Pride and excitement welled into her stomach. This was her territory! And now her Clan was in trouble. She’d do anything to help them. She slid down the steep slope, rocks tumbling in front of her.

The warriors had disappeared into camp by the time she reached the bottom of the ravine. She raced through the tunnel.

In the clearing, Sparrowpelt was speaking with Pinestar. The rest of the Clan was up by now and had come to see what was going on. Stonepelt and Stormtail sat by the nettle patch, eyeing their leader. The fallen tree creaked as Weedwhisker pushed his way out with Larksong and Mumblefoot. Robinwing and Dappletail stood in front of the wasteplace, exchanging a glance. Speckletail had emerged from the nursery to see what was going on. Whiteye came out from the warrior’s hut, yawning. Blue had thought it was cruel of Pinestar to name her after her disability, but Moonflower had just told her to hush.

“Blue!” Moonflower called from the nursery. She stepped out. “I was looking for you. Did you go outside? You’re not supposed to leave camp!”

Before Blue could answer, Moonflower was distracted by Goosefeather and Featherwhisker chatting loudly as they emerged from the healer’s hut.

“Are you coming?” Goosefeather asked his sister. “I hear there’s trouble.”

“Oh, there’s trouble alright.” Moonflower eyed Blue as she walked across camp.

Pinestar’s eyes were narrowed as she spoke with the patrol. “Feathers? And you’re sure WindClan shot that bird?”

Sparrowpelt nodded. “There were feathers everywhere, and blood. It was fresh. The hunting patrols haven’t even been sent out yet.”

Blue sat down. "Will there be a battle?” she whispered to Moonflower.

“I doubt it,” Moonflower said. “If it’s just one bird, Pinestar will only want to warn WindClan that we won’t tolerate theft.”

Snow skidded to a halt beside them. “A battle sounds awesome!”

Adderfang had his arms crossed where he stood in front of Pinestar. “They must have come out extra early to hunt,” he growled.

“Are you sure WindClan killed it?” Swiftbreeze asked.

“We could sense them!” Sparrowpelt growled.

Windflight looked at the sky. “But it wasn’t strong. Maybe we sensed them because we were so close to the border.”

“No way!” Adderfang snapped. “Blood and aura trails so close? They must have crossed the border and taken that bird.”

“What else could have killed it?” Pinestar asked. “Was there any sign of wolves?”

“No,” Adderfang said. “And it couldn’t have been townsfolk. We would have heard gunshots.”

Mumblefoot came forward stiffly. “WindClan has done this before. We need to teach them a lesson.”

Stonepelt nodded. “Autumn makes them nervous. The rabbits go to ground while the forest is still brimming with life. This won’t be the first time hunger has driven WindClan over the border.”

“And it won’t be the last,” Sparrowpelt added.

“They can’t be that hungry yet,” Swiftbreeze said. “Autumn is just beginning.”

“Why didn’t they steal from RiverClan or ShadowClan?” Blue ventured. “It would be easier than crossing Fourtrees, right?”

Adderfang turned to her. “Fourtrees is easier to cross than the river or the Thunderpath.”

“Or maybe they think we’re just easier to steal from!” Stormtail shouted. “If they’re willing to steal during autumn, what will they do in the darkest days of winter? We have to do something before they drive us into another starvation.”

Murmurs of fear rippled through the clearing, especially through the older warriors. Blue knew the stories of the Great Starvation from when her mother was just a young warrior. For many months, ThunderClan had gone without food, causing many of them to die.

Pinestar climbed onto the Highrock. “We won’t be fighting yet,” he ordered.

Stormtail narrowed his eyes. “You’re going to let them steal from us?” he growled.

“We don’t have enough proof that it was WindClan,” Pinestar said. “No one saw them, and the only evidence we have is aura beside the border.” He turned to Goosefeather and Featherwhisker. “What do you think?”

Goosefeather shook his head. “StarClan hasn’t given us any warnings.”

“A battle isn’t worth it,” Featherwisker agreed. “We need to keep our herb stocks up for winter, not waste them on a meaningless fight.”

“Then we won’t fight,” Pinestar said. “But I will warn all the Clans at the Gathering in a few days that we are going to be extra vigilant.” He stared down at Sunfall. “Organize extra patrols for the Fourtrees border. If you see a WindClan patrol, warn them off.” He narrowed his eyes. “With words.”

Sunfall nodded. “We’ll place new markers as well.”

Stormtail came to sit beside Adderfang. They leaned foward, murmuring quietly.

“Will they fight WindClan anyway?” Blue whiskered.

Moonflower shook her head. “No.”

“I would,” Snow murmured.

Blue shook her head. “We don’t even know if WindClan really stole from us.”

“But they might have!” Snow insisted. “It’s better to be safe than sorry! I’d go make sure they never steal from us again.”

Moonflower looked down at her. “Even if your leader told you not to? A Clan leader’s word is the law.”

“But shouldn’t the Clan go above anything else?” Blue asked. “What if the leader was wrong?”

Moonflower patted Snow’s back. “Pinestar is doing what’s best for the Clan. StarClan guides his decisions.”

“Alright.” Snow frowned, disappointed.

Blue stared at the ground. How could leaders always be right? Surely they made mistakes sometimes, too.

Patch was walking back to the apprentice’s hut. “It would have been our first battle,” he sighed.

Leopard bounded ahead of him. “We would have gutted them!”

The Clan had dispersed, but Pinestar still sat on the Highrock. “Wait!” he called. “There’s one more thing we must discuss.”

Everyone turned back.

“I want to appoint two new apprentices.”

Blue looked around. New apprentices? But the only children old enough were…

Her heart nearly stopped. Snow’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“He’s doing it today?” Moonflower hurried out to them, seeming flustered. She stared in dismay at Blue, who was covered in dirt, the legs of her pants smeared with mud.

“Snow and Blue.” Pinestar beckoned them forward.

“Go,” Moonflower said, pushing Blue forward. “At least now the Clan will know you’re not afraid to get dirty.” Pride lit up her eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Blue followed her sister to the Highrock. Larksong had disappeared into the elder’s hut, and now rushed out holding two cloaks- one white and one blue.

Pinestar stepped down from the Highrock and accepted them from Larksong. “You are both old enough to become apprentices. Today you will start your training. Your father has been loyal to ThunderClan and is a brave warrior. May you both walk in his footsteps.”

Blue glanced at her father. He’d stopped talking with Adderfang to watch them. Blue was trembling. Why did it have to be the day she was smeared in mud?

“Snow.” Pinestar’s voice rang through the cold dawn air.

Snow lifted her head.

“From this day forward, Sparrowpelt will be your mentor.” As Snow puffed out her chest, Sparrowpelt came forward, gaze sharp in surprise. Pinestar threw the white cloak over Snow’s shoulder. It had a few black spots on the hood.“ He will train you to be a fine warrior.”

Sparrowpelt stepped forward to press his forehead to Snow’s.

“Blue,” Pinestar called. “From this day forward, your mentor will be Stonepelt.” He gave Blue her new cloak. It seemed to take after her name, as it was completely blue, just like her father’s.

Stonepelt approached her. “You’re still not allowed in the warrior’s hut,” he teased, leaning down for the usual gesture.

Blue could hardly believe it. She’d be sleeping in the apprentice’s hut tonight.

“Blue! Blue!”

As the Clan chanted her name, Blue looked around the clearing. At last she could help her Clanmates.

Stormtail nodded to her. She wanted to run over and leap into his arms, but she felt rooted to the ground. Finally, he turned back to Adderfang.

“I can’t believe it!” Snow squeaked.

Rose and Thistle had dashed out into the clearing. Sweet, still a toddler, stumbled after them on stubby legs.

“You’re apprentices!” Rose squealed. “We’ll miss you in the nursery.”

Thistle huffed. “Why can’t I be an apprentice? I’m stronger than you.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “Don’t be rude.”

“Don’t worry, Thistle,” Snow said. “I’ll teach you every battle move I learn.”

Thistle turned away. “I’m a better fighter than you’ll ever be! I don’t need to learn from you.”

Blue wanted to slap him. He’d always been so rude and arrogant. She almost wanted him to become an apprentice so his mentor could knock him into place.

“Congratulations!” Swiftbreeze came toward them.

Moonflower had gone to talk with Stormtail, then caught Blue’s eye. She broke away to join them. “I’m so proud of you!” She glanced at Stormtail. “So if your father.”

Stormtail walked toward them. Adderfang followed, frowning.

“Well done.” Stormtail looked Blue up and down, eyeing her muddy pants.

“We’re going to be the best apprentices!” Snow said happily.

Stormtail nodded. “I expect nothing less.”

Goosefeather and Featherwhisker came to join them. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Blue nodded to her uncle.

Goosefeather looked at Stormtail. “You must be very proud.”

Stormtail’s eyes narrowed. “Of course.”

Adderfang glanced at Pinestar. “I wonder why he chose to make you apprentices right now. It seemed unplanned.”

Blue cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing,” Moonflower said quickly. She glared at Adderfang.

The man met her gaze. “It certainly made a good distraction from WindClan’s thieving.”

Goosefeather shrugged. “Maybe Pinestar is preparing for battle after all. More apprentices means more fighters.”

“New apprentices without any training?” Adderfang questioned. “That would be like sending them to their deaths.”

Snow huffed. “We’ll fight like anyone else.”

Adderfang crossed his arms. “I’m sure you’ll do your best, but it won’t be as good as a fully trained warrior.”

Blue suddenly felt very small. What if she couldn’t help her Clan? She felt cold.

Stonepelt’s voice sounded from behind her. “I hope you’re ready to climb the ravine.”

She looked up. “Now?”

“The sooner you start training, the better,” Stonepelt said. “If WindClan is planning something, you’ll need all the skills you can get.”

He was going to train her to fight WindClan! Blue trembled with excitement as Stonepelt led her to the camp entrance. This was all really happening. She was an apprentice! This time, she could go all the way into the forest, not just stop at the edge and peer into the shadows. She wondered what Stonepelt would show her first. Battle moves? Where to hunt? Her heart was racing as she followed him up the ravine, knowing the path well this time.

Rocks clattered behind them. Blue turned to see Snow and Sparrowpelt following.

Snow was taller than Blue, easily making the climb up the ravine. “I’m so excited!” she said.

Sparrowpelt guided her. “Go between those boulders.”

Blue quickened her pace. She wanted to reach the forest before Snow.

“Careful!” Stonepelt cautioned as stones tumbled down the slope. “You’ll hit someone.”

“Sorry.” Blue slowed, taking her steps more carefully. She grumbled with frustration as Snow disappeared over the top of the ravine.

“You don’t need to go so fast,” Stonepelt said. “If you run ahead of all the game, you’ll never catch anything.”

Blue finally reached the top and mounted the ridge. She turned to gaze down at the camp.

Snow was already staring down, blue eyes shining in the dawn sunshine. “We’re so high up!”

Blue felt warmth spread through her. She’d already seen this view. “Look. You can see the clearing from here.”

Snow peered down. “I can see Thistle and Rose!”

THe siblings were playing in the clearing. They looked even smaller from down here. Blue waved her arm, hoping to catch their attention, but they didn’t look up. Suddenly, Blue felt far away.

Sparrowpelt was standing at the edge of the trees. “Come on!” he called to Snow. “I’ll show you our territory.”

“Are we going to see the territory, too?” Blue asked Stonepelt.

Stonepelt shook his head. “We have something more important to do.”

Blue frowned, disappointed. But if it was even more important, perhaps it was also more exciting! Blue followed Stonepelt into the forest.

Sunlight sliced through the branches and striped the forest floor like a tiger’s pelt. Blue heard birds chirping in the trees. She noticed deer tracks in the mud.

“Are we hunting?” she asked.

“Not today.” Stonepelt climbed over a fallen tree and waited for her to scramble over it.

“Border patrol?”

Stonepelt shook his head.

“Battle training?”

“Maybe tomorrow.”

They walked around camp, down into a small clearing. Along the branches of the trees surrounding it hung animal pelts- rabbits, deer, even a few wolves.

“This is where we make bedding,” Stonepelt explained. “It’s a very important task for the Clan. Our beds must always be dry and warm, or we could get sick.” He took down one of the pelts and sat down with it. “The first step is taking the fur off the skin. Later, we can use the skin to make bags and other things.”

Blue sat down beside him, her frown deepening. “I was hoping we’d do something more fun.”

“We can do the fun things later,” Stonepelt said. “For now, the elders need taken care of. And they can’t climb all the way out here and do it themselves.”

“Why don’t we do this in the camp?” Blue asked.

“This clearing is perfect for keeping the pelts dry,” Stonepelt explained. He took a knife from his belt and began sheering off the thick fur. “The camp is too open. If it rains, we risk ruining them. But the trees here are thick enough to protect them from the rain.”

Blue tried not to seem too disappointed. This would also help the Clan, afterall, and she didn’t want to be seen as selfish. Still, she couldn’t help but feel resentment toward her new mentor.

“Make sure not to pull off skin with the fur,” Stonepelt was saying, slowing down his sheering. “You have to put the blade at an angle.” Swiftly and delicately, he sliced off another tuft of fur. “Now you try.” He handed her the knife.

Blue coped his movement, bending her hand back. The piece she cut was small and ragged, but she’d managed to make it clean.

“Good!” Stonepelt said with a smile. “Keep going.”

He sat back to watch as Blue sliced off more tufts, dropping them onto a pile beside her. Before long she’d found herself in a rhythm and the tufts were growing bigger and less scrappy. Pausing, she looked at Stonepelt and saw pride in his eyes.

“You’re a natural,” he told her. “And your technique is fantastic. It’ll help you when you start learning to hunt and fight.”

Blue blinked. “How?”

“Each time you move the knife, you’re getting more use to wielding a blade,” Stonepelt explained. “By the time you’ve mastered this, you’ll already be familiar with the most basic battle moves.”

Blue smiled, suddenly very pleased with her pile. Once she’d sheered off all the fur- it had just been a rabbit pelt- Stonepelt stopped her.

“Now we need to carry it home.”

Blue looked around for a bag to use.

“I think we’re out of pouches right now,” Stonepelt said. “They must all still be in camp. Well, no matter.” He stood up. “Unclip your cloak.”

“What?” Blue frowned. She’d just gotten this cloak. Was he going to take it because there were no bags? It wasn’t her fault if Leopard and Patch hadn’t brought them back!

“Just trust me,” Stonepelt said.

Blue took off her cloak and handed it to Stonepelt. He laid it down like a blanket.

“Now, pile the fur into the center.”

Blue obeyed, picking up tufts in her hands and laying them in the center of her cloak. A few wisps were being carried away by the wind, but Stonepelt didn’t seem to care. Finally, Blue had moved the whole pile onto the cloak.

Stonepelt took each corner of the garment and pulled them together over the pile. Blue suddenly understood what he was doing. He had made a makeshift bag out of her cloak. It was actually quite clever.

He heaved it off the ground and handed it to her.

Blue found it was surprisingly light. Most of the weight came from her thick cloak. She would never have thought to do this. It was harder to hold than she thought, and she had to grip it tightly to keep it all from unraveling. It would probably take her another hour to clean up all the dropped fur.

At the top of the ravine, Blue looked around, wondering if Snow was back yet. Not seeing her sister, she carefully slid down the ravine, trying to keep a tight grip on her bundle. She was relieved when Stonepelt stepped in front to lead the way, steadying her when she stumbled. The tunnel into camp posed a problem. Her cloak kept getting caught on the spiky gorse walls. She hoped it wouldn’t tear.

Leopard walked past, watching her. “Busy?”

Blue heaved the bundle off her shoulder, panting. “I learned how to use a knife and how to be resourceful.”

“So you’ve been sheering bedding?” Leopard smirked.

Blue glared at her before following Stonepelt to the fallen tree.

“Finally.” Larksong raised her head as they both entered. “These last few nights have been so cold.”

Mumblefoot looked up. “Do you like being an apprentice?” he asked Blue.

“It’s great!” she lied. She wished they’d gone hunting instead of collecting bedding, but she knew this was important, too. Besides, Stonepelt had promised they could do something fun after they finished with this.

Stonepelt had gone to Weedwhisker’s bed. He used his knife to tear a hole in the side, then began stuffing the fur in. Blue hurried over to help.

Blue passed him fur as he stuffed it into the bed. Soon, it was growing plump once more. Stonepelt was an expert, making sure the fur was stuffed evenly. “You’ll want a replacement soon, Weedwhisker,” he said. “This one’s getting old.”

“I know.” Weedwhisker yawned. “I’ll ask Featherwhisker about it.”

Blue frowned. He hadn’t even thanked them.

Stonepelt finished it off by taking a wad of string from Larksong, along with a small pine needle and weaving it into the bed, closing up the hole. Blue could see this had been done many times before, as evidence by the many stitches on the edge of the bed.

Weedwhisker laid back down in his bed as they began working on Larksong’s. He gasped. “There’s a thorn!”

Stonepelt had Weedwhisker lean out stiffly, rummaging through the bed until he found a small stick. “It must have gotten tangled in the fur,” he said, plucking it out and dropping it.

Weedwhisker shook his head. “New apprentices can be so troublesome.” He laid back down in the bed. “It’s damp.”

“It’ll dry out by tonight,” Stonepelt promised.

Blue glared at the old man. Why was he being so ungrateful? Her wrist still ached from sheering, and all he could do was complain. But Stonepelt showed no sign of annoyance. He simply turned and began working on Larksong’s.

Blue sat next to him, shaking with anger. She was worn out by the time they’d finished all three beds, carrying the tough, old fur out and dumping it inside the waste place. The autumn sun was starting to sink behind the trees.

“You should get something to eat,” Stonepelt told her. “You worked hard today. Good job.”

His praise lifted Blue’s spirits. He nodded to him, then walked off to pick out her meal. As she settled beside Patch, she eyed Leopard coldly. She hadn’t appreciated the teasing.

The older girl was eating her own food. She paused for a moment. “They didn’t even thank you, did they?”

Blue stared at her. “Who? The elders?”

“And they complained about everything, didn’t they?” Leopard said. “They think because they’ve served the Clan and are so old, they don’t have to treat us fairly.”

Patch sighed. “Fuzzypelt says they’re grumpy because they can’t do anything themselves anymore.”

“They’re lucky they don’t have to!” Leopard commented. “Here.” She tossed a morsel to Blue. “You need all the strength you can get. Cleaning out beds is the worse.”

Blue smiled. “Thanks, Leopard.”

“It’s not a problem,” she said with a shrug.

Cheerfully, Blue began to eat. She was so hungry, she hardly noticed footsteps approaching.

“I’ll take you hunting tomorrow.”

Surprised, Blue raised her head to see Stonepelt. “Really?”

“I did promise you something fun,” Stonepelt said with a shrug. “We’ll leave at sunhigh.”

Blue stared after Stonepelt as he joined Adderfang and Tawnyspots by the warrior’s hut. She felt dizzy with happiness. She couldn’t wait to tell Snow how much he’d learned. Being a ThunderClan apprentice was great!

Chapter Text

Blue could hardly keep still as she waited on the edge of camp. She looked at the sky again. The sun was nearly overhead. But where was Stonepelt? Had he forgotten his promise? Had Featherwhisker replaced Weedwhisker’s bed?

“Guess what!” Snow raced across the clearing toward her. “Sparrowpelt said we’re going hunting with you and Stonepelt.”

“Where is Stonepelt?”

“He’s helping Featherwhisker with the elders.”

Blue looked at the fallen tree, wondering if she should go help. But just as she started walking, he emerged from under the vines, dusting his hands off on his pants.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted out. “I should have been helping-”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “You’ll need your strength for hunting.”

“Finally!” Snow called “Yesterday was so boring. We just walked the borders.”

“But you got to see Fourtrees!” Blue was still jealous of her sister.

“Fourtrees!” Snow scoffed. “There’s hundreds of trees in the forest. They weren’t special. I wasn’t even allowed to climb them or explore.”

“Ready to go?”

Sparrowpelt’s voice made Snow spin around.

“Of course!” Snow said.

Sparrowpelt lead the way through the tunnel. “Let’s go, then.”

Blue shot after him, pushing in front of Snow and racing to the bottom of the ravine. She gazed up at the slope, the branches swaying like tails, beckoning her forward.

“Don’t expect too much,” Stonepelt warned. “You still have a lot to learn.”

Blue’s hand hovered over the brand new broadsword she’d been gifted the previous night.

Fat white clouds raced across the blue sky as Stonepelt led the way up the ravine. As they crested the ridge, wind ruffled Blue’s black hair, and a sudden feeling of joy overwhelmed her.

Stonepelt glanced at Sparrowpelt. “Where do you want to go? The Owl Tree?”

“I was thinking The Great Sycamore might be better,” Sparrowpelt suggested.

“Are owls dangerous?” Blue asked.

Stonepelt shrugged. “Only if you’re a newborn baby. Or you get too close to their nest. They’ll attack if you scare them, but I’ve never heard of anyone being killed by one.”

He headed into the trees. Blue following while gazing around. The branches of trees held just a few wrinkling leaves that clung to them.

Walking through the forest, she began to notice small dirt trails that weaved through the undergrowth. Stonepelt led them beneath the arching branches of a willow. They skirted around brambles were Blue could see tiny orange tufts from a cloak. Stonepelt kept going as the forest sloped up steadily.

“How much farther?’ Blue glanced over her shoulder, trying to memorize the route. How would she ever find her way by herself?

“We’re nearly there,” Sparrowpelt promised.

All the trees and bushes looked the same. It felt like they were going in circles.

Stonepelt finally stopped.

Sparrowpelt stepped to the front, raising his chin. Ahead, a gigantic tree towered above the others, its crown stretching beyond the canopy that shielded the sky. Its roots were thick as branches, twisting through the dense leaflitter around the base.

Blue could hear birds chatting in the branches. Fallen leaves rustled at the base of the sycamore, stirring by tiny creatures.

“The first lesson of hunting is patience,” Stonepelt began.

Sparrowpelt nodded. “The greatest hunter knows to wait.”

Stonepelt sat down beside the tree. Sparrowpelt followed.

“There’s no birds or deer that I can see,” Snow said. "What are we hunting?”

“There will be.”Stonepelt peered around the sycamore.

Blue sat beside her mentor, along with Snow. She leaned around the massive trunk, wondering what they were looking for.

“Don’t move until you see an animal,” Stonepelt advised.

“Will they come out into the open?” Snow asked.

“Now that we’re downwind, some might,” Sparrowpelt told her. “Do you see those seeds?”

Blue scanned the ground and noticed tiny wing like shapes among the leaves.

“Birds and bugs will come to eat the seeds,” Sparrowpelt said.

“And then we get to eat the birds,” Stonepelt finished. He suddenly stiffened, hand sliding toward his spear. A small gray shape had fluttered down from the tree.
Pigeon!

“Do we attack?” Blue whispered to Stonepelt.

“Not yet.”

Snow didn’t seem to hear as she raced forward, rattling the branches and throwing up leaves. She jutted her sword out, but the pigeon had taken to the sky, landing in the trees.

She turned and sulked back to their Clanmates. Sparrowpelt was shaking his head. “I like your enthusiasm, but your technique needs polishing.”

Blue giggled.

Snow turned on her. "Shut up!”

Blue put her hands up, alarmed, then was relieved to see Snow’s anger melt away.

“Sorry,” Snow apologized.

“At least you were fast,” Blue encouraged.

“Speed is good for catching rabbits, not birds,” Sparrowpelt said. “They can fly out of reach, and they’re never away from a tree. That’s why it’s important to master stealth. Skill is more important than speed.”

Stonepelt nodded. “Maybe we should practice their stalking.”

Snow sighed as Sparrowpelt nodded in agreement.

Blue, however, was eager to show off what she already knew. She dropped into a crouch, keeping her back straight but low and her feet apart.

“Not bad,” Stonepelt. “But be careful your cloak doesn’t drag too much. Until you grow into it, you’ll need to go slow.”

“Like this?” Snow crouched beside Blue, low to the ground.

“Good,” Sparrowpelt praised. “Now move forward slowly. Take small steps.”

Blue put one foot lightly in front of the other. She reached behind her and threw her cloak over her shoulder so it wouldn’t drag.

“Very good,” Stonepelt said. Blue smiled.

They practiced until the sun was sliding behind the trees. Finally, Sparrowpelt announced it was time to go home.

“Can I try one last time?” Blue pleaded. She knew she was close to mastering it.

“You can practice in camp.”

“But it’s not the same,” Blue complained. “How can I practice not disturbing the leaves if there are no leaves?”

Snow stood up and stretched. “Come on, Blue. It’s getting cold, and I’m hungry.”

Sighing, Blue straightened. ‘Fine.”

Sparrowpelt and Snow led the way into the trees.

“We can practice more tomorrow,” Stonepelt promised.

Blue wanted to practice now. Suddenly, she heard pecking near the bark. She froze. Glancing sideways, she spotted a blackbird sitting on a tree root, pecking at the leaves.

Blue dropped into a crouch, drawing her sword with one hand and lifting her cloak with the other. She was trembling with excitement, her heart pounding.

The blackbird grabbed hold of a worm, trying to pull it from the ground. Holding her breath, she stopped to adjust her grip.

The blackbird didn’t even have time to flinch. She drove her sword through it, the thin blade piecing its heart. She was momentarily surprised by the sudden squirt of warm blood.

“What was that?” Stonepelt emerged from the overgrowth. “I heard a noise.”

Blue stood up with the blackbird in her hand.

Stonepelt’s eyes gleamed. “Amazing!”

Sparrowpelt and Snow appeared after him. Snow’s eyes were round, Sparrowpelt’s jaw dropping.

“You caught that?” Sparrowpelt gasped.

Joy rise into Blue’s heart. She nodded.

“It’s so big,” Snow whispered.

“Give thanks to StarClan for the life this creature has given to feed the Clan,” Stonepelt said.

Blue sent a silent prayer to StarClan.

Stonepelt patted her back. “Let’s get back to camp.”

Blue followed him back home, happier than she’d ever been in her whole life.

Chapter Text

“No way!” Leopard stared in disbelief as Stonepelt laid the blackbird down.

“All by herself, too!” Snow boasted.

Blue blushed as her Clanmates praised her catch.

“Wasn’t this your first hunting session?” Thrushpelt asked, sounding impressed.

Blue nodded.

“You’ve got a promising apprentice,” Fuzzypelt said to Stonepelt.

“She’ll make a great warrior.” Windflight’s green eyes glittered. “I’ve never seen an apprentice catch something on their first hunting trip.”

Blue scanned the clearing. Would her parents come see what she’d caught? She frowned, frustrated, when she noticed Stormtail wasn’t even here. He must have gone out with the dusk patrol.

She felt Moonflower’s arms around her. “I’m so proud of you,” she murmured.

“I’m going to catch something tomorrow!” Snow promised.

“It’s not a competition,” Sparrowpelt reminded her.

Weedwhisker had emerged from his hut. “What’s going on?”

Snow turned. “Blue caught a blackbird.”

While Weedwhisker admired the catch, Stonepelt pulled Blue aside. “I was very impressed today. You’re a quick learner.”

Blue blushed with pride.

“Pinestar and Sunfall agreed you should come to the Gathering tonight.”

Blue gasped. This was only her second day as an apprentice. Was she really ready to meet the other Clans? She’d be one of the youngest people there, with so many new faces in a completely knew place. What if she got lost? Or separated from her Clan?

Her stomach turned over.

“You want to come, don’t you?” Stonepelt asked.

Blue nodded quickly. She couldn’t turn down an opportunity like this.

“Good. Now get something to eat and rest up. We leave at sunset.”

Chapter Text

A light breeze made the gorse barrier whisper in the moonlight, the rising stars turning the clearing silver.

Blue was still nervous. Would she be able to keep up? She’d taken a nap, but her legs were still sore from hunting.

“I wish I could go with you,” Snow said crossly.

“I wish you could, too,” Blue said.

Windflight was ushering Thistle back into the nursery. “You’ll be an apprentice soon enough.”

“But I'm bigger than Blue, and she gets to go!” Thistle complained. “I can catch blackbirds, too! It’s not hard.”

“But you’re not an apprentice,” his father reminded him.

Adderfang was staring at Highrock while Tawnyspots scanned the clearing, his eyes gleaming. Stormtail was talking with Stonepelt beside the barrier. Was it about her?

Moonflower stood beside her. “Stay close to me.”

“Shouldn’t I stay with Leopard and Patch?” The older apprentices were chatting near the entrance. They didn’t seem nervous.

“Next time,” Moonflower advised. “Once you’re more experienced. Remember, we have a truce tonight. But that truce will end by the time the sun rises. It’s important you don’t get too friendly, or give too much away.”

Blue nodded eagerly. She couldn’t imagine ever being friends with someone outside of her Clan.

The lichen of Pinestar’s hut swished as he emerged with Sunfall. “Ready?” Pinestar called.

All of the warriors nodded.

“Let’s go.” Pinestar headed across the clearing, head high as his Clanmates parted to let him get to the front.

“Will you challenge WindClan?” Adderfang asked.

Pinestar paused. “I will mention that we found blood and feathers near our borders, and warn the other Clans that we will not tolerate trespassing.”

Windflight and Swiftbreeze nodded in agreement, but Adderfang didn’t seem satisfied.

Pinestar glared at him. “I won’t accuse WindClan on so little evidence.” His voice was firm. He marched past them and out of camp.

Blue stared after her Clanmates as they streamed through the tunnel.

“Come on, dear.” Moonflower pushed her forward. “This will be fine.”

“Tell me all about it when you get back!” Snow called. “I’ll stay awake for you.”

Chapter Text

“How’d it go?” Snow danced around Blue, who had walked wearily into the apprentice’s hut. Her feet ached after such a long journey. The warriors had been so fast, not waiting for her. She’d had to leap over fallen trees and over ditches that they simply stepped over. “Did you meet anyone?”

“I don’t know!” Blue was irritated. “There were so many people.” She didn’t want to admit she’d hid under Moonflower’s cloak the whole time, staring at the ground and avoiding the other Clans. Stonepelt had tried to introduce her to some RiverClan warriors, but she couldn’t even remember their faces. The Gathering had been big and noisy, crowded with new voices and eyes watching her. She remembered there being a huge rock in the center of four oak trees where the leaders stood to address the Clans. She remembered wanting to scream at everyone to get away from her as they pressed in on all sides.

“Did Pinestar confront WindClan? Were they mad?” Snow asked.

Blue stared at her, exhausted. She just wanted to go to sleep. “Yes, he did. But I don’t know if they were mad because I didn’t know who was WindClan!” she snapped.

Snow blinked at her. “Wasn’t it fun?”

Blue sighed. “It all happened so fast. I couldn’t even keep up on the way to Fourtrees.” She realized Snow was staring at her in dismay and felt a stab of guilt. It had been an honor to be take to the Gathering, yet all she did was complain.

“It’ll be better when you come, too,” she said. She pushed past her sister and collapsed into bed, sighing with relief.

Chapter Text

Blue was woken by the sound of a bed shifting. Snow was standing up.

“Where are you going?” Blue yawned.

“Go back to sleep,” Snow whispered. “Sparrowpelt’s taking me hunting, but Stonepelt said you should rest.”

Blue felt torn. She wanted to go hunting, but her limbs were still heavy with exhaustion. She closed her eyes.

By the time she opened them again, the hut was bright. Daylight sent a green glow through the walls. When Blue emerged from the hut, a harsh wind tugged at her hair. Leaves were tumbling across the clearing, swirling up in the drifts. A thick cloud covered the sky. Shivering, Blue headed for the firepit. Her blackbird as gone, and she felt a warm glow of satisfaction that she’d helped feed her Clan.

Stonepelt sat near the nettle patch with Featherwhisker and Goosefeather.

“Should I hunt before I eat?” Blue called to him.

Stonepelt shook his head. “You must be hungry. Eat, then you can clear out the nursery.”

Blue nodded and took her pick, sitting on the tree stump to eat. Leopard and Patch must have already gone out. She didn’t like the idea of cleaning the nursery, but she figured this was a fair task.

Once she swallowed the last mouthful, Featherwhisker approached. “I have some fresh bedding in the healer’s clearing,” he said. “There is rain coming, so I made some while it was still dry. Help yourself.”

“Thanks.” Blue stood up. “I’ll clear out the old stuff then come get it.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Featherwhisker said. “I’ll bring it over.”

Blue nodded gratefully and walked to the nursery. She hadn’t been back in here since she’d moved to the apprentice’s hut.

Speckletail was sitting up with Lion suckling at her bosom. Golden was gnawing on a slice of meat.

“It’s chewy,” Golden complained.

“Just eat, dear,” Speckletail chided. “Be thankful for what you have.”

“Hurry up and eat so we can go play,” Thistle said.

“Yes, please,” Poppydawn said. She was holding Sweet in her arms, moving the baby girl’s legs back and forth. “You three need to get out of here and leave us in peace for awhile.”

“I’m not hungry,” Golden said. “I want to go play.”

Speckletail sighed. “Fine. But you’ll eat when you get back.”

Golden raced out of the nursery. “Come on, Rose!” Thistle called.

Rose was kicking a ball against the wall of the hut. “But it’s windy,” she grumbled. “And Featherwhisker said it’s going to rain.”

“All the more reason to play while you have the chance,” Poppydawn advised.

Blue cleared her throat to get there attention.

“Hi, Blue!” Poppydawn smiled. “I didn’t see you there. I heard about your blackbird yesterday. The elders said it was delicious.”

“It was just luck,” Blue replied, trying to be modest.

“It was much more than just luck,” Poppydawn said.

Blue shrugged, pleased that they’d heard about her blackbird. “I’ve come to clean out the hut.”

“Perfect!” Speckletail said. “Now all the kids can leave us in peace.”

Rose picked up her ball. “But what if it rains?”

“I can work around them,” Blue said. “They don’t have to leave.”

“No,” Poppydawn said firmly. “Warriors don’t hide from the weather.”

“Yeah,” Thistle agreed. “Let’s go.” He grabbed his little sister’s arm and pulled her out of the hut.

Poppydawn held Sweet close. “You must be tired after the Gathering,” she said to Blue.

“How did it go?” Speckletail asked.

“It was great,” Blue lied. She didn’t want to admit she hadn’t paid attention. She plucked at the old beds, unraveling them to take out the old stuffing.

Speckletail moved out of the way. “What did Pinestar say to WindClan?”

Blue tensed. She couldn’t remember!

At that moment, Featherwhisker pushed into the nursery with a huge bundle of stuffing. He dropped it. “He told the Clans we found evidence of trespassing and warned them that intruders would be challenged harshly,” he said.

Blue sighed in relief.

“Did he say it directly to WindClan?” Poppydawn asked.

“Not out loud, but he kept glancing at Heatherstar,” Featherwhisker replied.

Blue remembered the WindClan leader. Heatherstar had been sitting on the Great Rock with the other leaders. She had light hair and a pink cloak, her blue eyes burning almost violet in the lighting.

“I doubt she liked that,” Speckletail commented.

“She didn’t say anything,” Featherwhisker said.

“Let’s hope she got the warning,” Poppydawn sighed. “A battle this close to winter would be awful. We can’t be wasting our herbs and strength.”

Speckletail nodded in agreement. “We should be concentrating on hunting, especially with so many kids in the nursery.”

Blue looked up from her work. “Do you think WindClan stole from us?”

“It’s happened before,” Poppydawn said.

“It’ll probably happen again,” Speckletail growled.

“Let’s hope not.” Featherwhisker was spreading out the stuffing.

“Blue! Blue!” Snow’s voice came from the clearing. She sounded excited.

Blue glanced at Featherwhisker.

“Go on,” he said. “I can finish up here.”

Quickly, Blue left the nursery.

Snow was standing proudly beside the firepit, the wind blowing her long hair. She held out one fist, holding a pigeon tightly. “I caught something!”

“Amazing!” Blue gasped.

Goosefeather was sitting by the firepit, skinning a catch from that morning. “Well done,” he said approvingly. But when he glanced at the pigeon, he froze. “StarClan save us!” he shouted.

Blue looked at the pigeon. Was something wrong with it?

Goosefeather was trembling. “It’s a sign!” he shouted. “WindClan will destroy us all!”

“What?” Pinestar was at the healer’s side in an instant, Sunfall following.

Adderfang and Stormfur, who’d been sitting beneath the Highrock, turned to look at Goosefeather. Speckletail slipped out of the nursery, her gaze darting around until she found the children. Thistle was charging toward the firepit with the others on his heels. Fuzzypelt and Robinwing slid out of the warrior’s hut, hurrying after Stonepelt and Dappletail.

“Look at these feathers,” Goosefeather said, pointing to the small pigeon.

Blue was pushed forward as her Clanmates rushed to see.

“They’re parted here,” Goosefeather said. He pointed to a distinct line that ran from the pigeon’s underwing to its stomach. On one side of the line, the feathers bristled up like normal. On the other, they were flattened toward its tail. “See how it’s flat here?”

“I can’t see!” Thistle whined.

“Hush!” Speckletail pulled him back.

“What does it mean?” Pinestar demanded.

“It’s like a forest flattened by the wind,” Goosefeather growled. “We will be crushed by WindClan.”

Speckletail backed away, pulling the children close to her.

“How can you tell?” Golden squeaked.

“Yeah.” Smallear came to stand by his wife and daughter. “How do you know, Goosefeather?”

“He’s a healer!” Adderfang snapped. “He knows how to look for StarClan’s omens.”

“This is just the beginning of their theft,” Goosefeather went on. “This sign was sent from StarClan as a warning. Like a storm, WindClan will rage through the forest. They will destroy us and our land.”

Moonflower pushed to stand beside Blue. “That’s impossible!”

Although she sounded unconvinced, Blue felt her trembling. Around the clearing, she could see some of her Clanmates exchanging doubtful glances.

“We’re not going to take him seriously, are we?” Swiftbreeze whispered.

Blue wondered why everyone seemed so skeptical. Goosefeather was a healer! Didn’t they trust him?

“StarClan has spoken!” Goosefeather called.

Pinestar was staring at the pigeon. “How soon will they strike?”

Goosefeather shook his head. “I don’t know. This sign was only supposed to warn us.”

“Then we must prepare!” Stormtail shouted.

“There’s no time!” Sparrowpelt pushed to the front. “We must attack!”

Adderfang and Stormtail shouted in agreement.

“WindClan won’t know we've been warned,” Dappletail growled. “We have an advantage. We must take this opportunity!”

“Winter is coming,” Pinestar said. “We have many young mouths to feed. Should we really risk injury when we should be strengthening the Clan for winter?”

“If we don’t fight, we risk being completely annihilated,” Sparrowpelt growled. “StarClan has sent this warning so we can’t stop WindClan before they attack.”

Robinwing came forward. “Should we really attack over one strangely marked pigeon?”

Thrushpelt gasped. “You can’t challenge the healer like that!”

Pinestar eyed the pigeon, then looked at Goosefeather. “Are you sure about this?” he demanded.

Goosefeather held his gaze. “Have you ever seen such markings?”

Adderfang was glaring at Robinwing. “Do you doubt Goosefeather or StarClan?” he challenged.

“If we can’t trust StarClan, we will be destroyed,” Dappletail said.

Blue stared at Pinestar, knowing his decision was harsh. Attack WindClan and risk hurting the Clan, or wait and risk being completely wiped out.

“Why are we hesitating?” Stormtail growled. “It’s an easy decision! Do you all want to live or die?”

Sunfall stood beside the leader. “But which action will kill or help us?”

“StarClan has made it clear,” Sparrowpelt growled.

Pinestar’s gaze was uneasy as he glanced around his Clan. Adderfang and Stormtail had wanted to fight since the beginning. And now they had the backing of StarClan. How could Pinestar refuse? And if he did, would his warriors still respect him?

Pinestar nodded. “We attack at dawn.”

Murmurs of approval swept over the crowd. At the edge of the clearing, the elders murmured darkly.
Speckletail held Golden close to her. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “You and Lion will be safe in the nursery.” Her gaze lifted to meet Smallear’s, and a flash of fear shot through both of them. He would most likely be sent to fight. But would he return?

Moonflower tensed. ‘Will you be taking apprentices?”

Blue’s heart quickened. Her first battle!

“Everyone must fight to protect the Clan!” Adderfang shouted.

Pinestar turned to Robinwing. “Is Leopard ready for a battle?”

After a moment, Robinwing nodded.

“Then she’ll join the battle patrol.” Pinestar looked at Fuzzypelt. “You and Patch will remain behind with Windflight and Tawnyspots to defend the camp in case WindClan counterattacks.”

As Patch was about to object, Fuzzypelt stepped in front of him. “We’ll defend the camp with our lives.”

“What about Snow and Blue?” Moonflower demanded, sounding afraid.

Pinestar shook his head. “They’ve been apprentices only a few days. I know they are not ready to fight.”

“I want to fight!” Snow slid out of the crowd. “I’m ready!”

“No, Snow,” Pinestar shook his head. “You won’t fight. But you can still help.”

Snow’s eyes lit up.

Moonflower stiffened.

“You and Blue will go with the raiding party,” Pinestar said. “You’ll stay on the side with Featherwhisker. You can carry messages back and forth, and help with the wounded.”

“That’s it?” Snow growled.

“That’s plenty!” Blue stood beside her sister. “We’ll do our best.” She looked at Pinestar. “Thank you for this opportunity, Pinestar.”

Pinestar smiled, clearly impressed by her humbleness. “I know you will.”

Murmurs of approval rippled through the Clan. Blue held her head high.

“I can’ believe Goosefeather found that huge sign in such a tiny pigeon,” Snow said. “He’s clever.”

Goosefeather had picked up the pigeon and carried it toward the rock crag. As Blue watched him, she shivered. She hoped he was right about this.

Chapter Text

Wind buffeted the camp as evening fell. The dusk patrol went out as usual, just as hunting parties went out and came back to restock the food storage. The Clan carried on as usual, but everyone was quiet.

Blue sat outside the nursery. She’d spent the afternoon helping Robinwing and Stonepelt reinforce the camp walls, weaving in extra branches. She glanced at the sky. Would it rain? Featherwhisker had said it would, but the clouds were still just a light gray.

Featherwhisker had spent the day foraging for herbs, filling basket after basket with leaves. He was walking across the clearing now, delivering his last load of herbs for the day.

She hurried over to meet him. “Are you sure it’s going to rain?”

He nodded. “Probably tomorrow.”

“Before the battle?”

“I don’t know.” He adjusted the basket on his arm. It was overflowing with leaves and stems. “Hopefully. Rain will cover the sounds of our footsteps and wash away our auras.”

“What are those for?” Blue asked, pointing to the herbs.

“These will give the warriors strength,” he told her. “Everyone will eat them before the battle.”

“Do you have anything for bravery?”

Featherwhisker chucked. “Bravery comes from your heart,” he promised. “You were born a warrior, and StarClan will be with you.”

She smiled, calmed by his words.

“You should eat something,” Featherwhisker said. Around the clearing, the Clan was settling down to eat.

“I’m not hungry,” Blue answered.

“Eat anyway,” Featherwhisker advised. “You’ll need all the strength you can get.”

“Alright.” Blue nodded and turned toward the food storage. She picked a branch of blueberries and sat down to eat on the tree stump.

Leopard and Patch were eating outside their hut. Snow was staring at the plate of food in her lap.

“Not hungry?” Blue asked.

“Not really.” Snow looked up, looking miserable.

“I’m not either.” Blue placed her blueberry branch on the plate. “But Featherwhisker says we need to eat.”

“Why are you anxious?” Leopard said from behind them. “You won’t even be fighting.”

Blue stared at her. “Are you scared?”

“Not really. I know all the battle moves I could know,” she boasted. “No WindClan warrior could beat me.”

Patch sighed. “I wish I was going.”

“I do, too,” Leopard reassured him. “I’d hate to have to sit here and deal with Thistle.”

The small boy had been whining all day, stomping around the camp. Poppydawn had grounded him to the nursery after he’d thrown a fit over not being allowed on the battle patrol.

Blue looked around, but it seemed Thistle had done what he was told for once. Instead, she noticed Stormtail on the far side of the clearing, showing Dappletail how to dodge and then jump back.

“Remember to keep your blade down until you strike,” he told her.

Dappletrail tried the move again, getting better.

“Good.” Stormtail nodded. “But you’ll need to be faster. We’re bigger and heavier than WindClan, but they’re nimble and quick.”

Blue wondered if Stormtail would show her some basic moves, just in case she needed to protect herself. But he looked too busy with Dappletail. Blue sighed and took her blueberries back. She took one off the branch and smashed it between her teeth.

“You don’t seem hungry.”

Pinestar’s voice made her jump.

He stood over the tree stump, looking down on them. “You’ll need a good meal for the battle tomorrow.”

Blue lowered her gaze. What a warrior she was, too scared to even eat.

Pinestar’s gaze was soft. “I remember my first battle,” he said. “My mother insisted I eat, so I threw it over the camp wall when she’d turned her back.”

“Really?” Blue blinked.

“Really.” He smiled. “She caught on, of course. Don’t worry, everyone is afraid of their first battle.”

“Do I still have to eat?” Blue asked.

“Not if you don’t want to.” Pinestar sat down beside the tree stump. “It’s natural to be nervous. Only an idiot would rush into battle without fear. But remember, Blue, you are a ThunderClan apprentice and a natural born warrior. Trust your instincts. We’ll be fighting Clansfolk. They live by the same rules as us. They won’t kill us, and we won’t kill them- not if we don’t have to. And they’ll know to leave a small apprentice like you alone.”

Snow stood up. “We don’t need special treatment. Let me fight them!”

Pinestar laughed. “I don’t think I will. I’m relying on you two to stay alert and do as you’re told. Lives may depend on how quickly and efficiently you act.”

Blue’s heart was pounding.

“I know you’ll do your best,” Pinestar said “Let StarClan guide you.”

He stood up and walked away to talk to Speckletail. She was sitting outside the nursery with Poppydawn while the kids played. It seemed Thistle had been allowed back outside.

“I should get to go tomorrow,” Thistle growled. “I’d gut those WindClan jerks!”

“Enough, Thistle,” Poppydawn scolded. “You’re not going, and that’s final.”

Thistle frowned. “You just don’t want me to become a warrior! You want me to stay in the nursery forever!”

“No way!” Poppydawn said. “The sooner you’re out of the nursery, the better. Maybe then you’ll stop pestering me.” Her tone was playful.

Thistle looked up at Pinestar. “Tell her I should go into battle!”

Pinestar shook his head. “I need you to stay here and help defend the nursery.”

Thistle puffed out his chest. “No one will get past me!”

“Good.” Pinestar sounded calm.

Blue noticed that Pinestar looked much more confident than he had that afternoon. He head his head high, broad shoulders square.

She wondered how many blessings he had left. Perhaps that’s what gave him confidence. She wished everyone got blessings from StarClan and not just leaders.

Moonflower walked out of the rock crag. “You two should get some sleep.” She came to stand in front of Blue and Snow. “I haven’t seen your beds yet. Are they comfortable?”

“I wouldn’t mind more stuffing in mine,” Snow said. “I keep getting poked by sticks.”

“I’ll get some from mine.” Moonflower walked into the warrior’s hut.

“Are you going to eat that?” Leopard was eyeing Blue’s blueberries.

Blue shook her head and tossed the branch to the older apprentice.

“You can have mine, too.” Snow set down her plate.
Leopard licked her lips. “Thanks.”

Blue stood up and stretched her arms toward the sky. "The wind was getting cold, making her cloak dance. She pushed into the apprentice’s hut and began fluffing up her bed.

Snow followed her. “Are you going to bed?”

Blue shook her head. “I don’t know. I just wish the morning would come already.” She wished she was still in the nursery, safe with Moonflower and the other kids. She didn’t feel like a warrior.

Moonflower appeared with an armful of fur from her own bed. She dropped some by Snow’s bed, and the rest by Blue’s. Quietly, she stuffed it into her daughters beds.

Blue watched. “Mom?”

“Yes, dear?”

“Have you ever fought in a battle?”

Moonflower thought for a moment. “Not a battle like this. Not a raid. I’ve fought in border scuffles before.”

“Are you nervous?”

Snow huffed. “Of course she’s not. She’s a ThunderClan warrior.”

Moonflower smiled. “All warriors get nervous before battle. Not just for themselves, but for their Clan. It makes their senses sharper and their strikes fiercer. It gives them the strength to win.”

Blue sighed, feeling less tense. Suddenly tired, she settled down and yawned. “Thanks, mom.”

Snow laid down. “It’s so soft!”

“It’ll keep you warm, too,” Moonflower said. “After the battle, we’ll go find some feathers to use. Duck feathers are wonderful to sleep on.”

Blue closed her eyes, imagining herself walking through the woods beside Snow and Moonflower, the battle nothing but a distant memory.

“I’ll sit with you until you fall asleep.” Moonflower sat down. Blue heard Snow’s breathing slow as Moonflower petted her hair.

Happily, Blue drifted into sleep.

Chapter Text

Blue woke with a jolt.

The battle!

She jumped up and glanced around. The wind was still tugging at the hut. Dawn hadn’t come yet, but Leopard and Patch were already stirring.

Snow stretched, yawning. “It’s so early. Why are you all up?”

“Sparrowpelt said he wants us in the clearing,” Leopard said.

The wind roared around camp as Blue pushed out of the hut. She gasped as the gust filled her lungs. The trees around camp strained against it. Clouds swept overhead, dark and threatening.

Stonepelt was waiting outside. “This isn’t the best weather for a battle.”

“ThunderClan!” Pinestar called sharply. He stood in the center of the clearing with Goosefeather. The other warriors surrounded him. Adderfang’s eyes were narrowed. Dappletail looked determined. Sparrowpelt and Stormtail had stayed by the edge of camp, talking in hushed voices.

Featherwhisker was moving from one warrior to the next, handing them small bundles of herbs.

Outside the nursery, Moonflower spoke with Poppydawn. They paused as Thistle and Rose tumbled out of the hut, standing tall and proud. Poppydawn said farewell to Moonflower before scooping them both up and bundling them into the nursery.

Moonflower’s eyes glittered as she crossed the clearing. She held her head high, her expression hard with determination. Blue stood up taller, trying to mimic her mother.

Featherwhisker handed some herbs to Blue. “You already look like a warrior.”

Blue blinked. “I do?”

Stonepelt narrowed his eyes. “Warrior or not, don’t go near the fighting.”

Snow walked over from the apprentice’s hut. “Can you teach us some battle moves, just in case?”

Moonflower had reached them. “You won’t need any,” she said firmly.

Snow frowned. Featherwhisker handed her another bundle of herbs. “Eat these,” he ordered. “They’ll give you strength.”

Blue looked down at the herbs.

“They’ll taste bitter, but it won’t last long,” Featherwhisker said.

Blue threw the leaves into her mouth as Snow did the same. She gagged when the sour flavor hit the back of her throat.

“Oh, StarClan!” Snow cried. “These are awful!”

Pinestar’s shout made them both turn. “Goosefeather has more news!”

Moonflower’s eyes widened. “It can’t be another omen.”

Goosefeather nodded. “I examined the pigeon further and found a catmint leaf under its wing.”

“How does he know it didn’t come from the floor of the healer’s clearing?” Stonepelt muttered. “It’s been awhile since he’s cleaned in there.”

Blue glanced at her mentor curiously. Surely he didn’t doubt the healer.

Goosefeather went on. “Yesterday you wanted more guidance from StarClan, and now we have it. Our warrior ancestors have told us how to fight WindClan.”

“With catmint?” Moonflower asked.

“We must invade their camp,” Goosefeather announced.

“Their camp?” Stonepelt’s eyes widened. “We’ll be fighting their entire Clan!”

“It’ll be putting their children and elders in danger!” Dappletail called. “That’s not fair!”

“This is StarClan’s advice,” Goosefeather countered. “The catmint tells me that to defeat WindClan, we must destroy their medical supply.”

Sunfall stepped forward. “That seems extreme. Every Clan depends on their medical supply, especially so close to Winter. If we destroy that, we not only harm the warriors, but also the elders and children who will need that medicine.” Although his voice was calm, anger was bubbling beneath it.

Tawnyspots nodded. “How can we call ourselves honorable warriors if we condemn another Clan to such a terrible fate?”

Goosefeather lifted his chin. “It would keep us alive.”

Pinestar stepped forward. “I know it seems harsh, but this is what StarClan wants. If we don’t act now, WindClan will. If we attack their medical supply, they’ll be weakened all throughout Winter, giving us more time to prepare.”

“But what will they do when greencough comes?” Featherwhisker ventured. “How will the elders survive if their limbs lock up and their appetites don’t return? How will the newborns live if their mothers can’t produce milk?”

Adderfang turned on him. “Would you rather sacrifice our children and elders to save theirs?” he demanded. “If we don’t attack now, ThunderClan will be destroyed. It’s worth it.”

Pinestar sighed. “Adderfang is right,” he said. “We must follow StarClan’s wishes.”

“So we’re attacking their camp?” Stonepelt growled.

“Our target is the healer’s hut. Stay away from any children or elders.” Pinestar narrowed his eyes. “The medical supply is what we’re after.”

Blue shivered as another vicious gust swirled through the camp. “Do you think the weather is a sign?” she wondered.

“I think we’ve had enough signs for one day,” Moonflower muttered. “Remember to stay away from the fighting, you two. I mean it. Don’t even go into near the hollow unless you’re told.”

“Not allowed in the fighting?” Stormtail walked over, ruffling Blue’s hair. “Maybe next time.”

Moonflower flashed him a sharp glare. “This battle will be dangerous,” she reminded him. “We’ve never attacked a Clan’s camp before. We’ll be fighting an entire Clan who knows the area better than we do.”

Stormtail shrugged. “But we’ll have the element of surprise,” he said.

“Is that enough?”

“We’ll also be in a closed area. WindClan’s quickness will be useless when they have nowhere to go.”

Moonflower lowered her gaze. “I suppose.”

“Don’t worry,” Stormtail said. “We’re going to win.”

“ThunderClan! Let’s go!”

Blue’s heart lurched as Pinestar called to them. He was standing by the camp entrance.

Excitement crackled through the raiding party as they surged into the tunnel.

Snow and Moonflower followed.

“Come on.” Stonepelt pushed Blue forward.

With one last look at the camp, Blue chased after Snow.

She looked around. All of the warriors were coming besides Tawnyspots, Windflight, Fuzzypelt and Patch, who would stay behind to guard the camp. Featherwhisker walked a few paces ahead, although Goosefeather wasn’t with him.

“Did Goosefeather stay behind?” Blue asked Snow.

“I guess he’ll be preparing to treat our wounded,” Snow guessed.

Blue shuddered. “But he’s the one who told us to fight.”

“Perhaps he got a sign from StarClan,” Stonepelt growled from behind them.

“At least Featherwhisker is with us,” Moonflower called.

The healer was carrying a large satchel. Blue wondered what kind of herbs it contained.

“Hurry!” Stonepelt pushed Blue forward.

The rest of the patrol had already climbed the ravine. Blue felt worried. Would she be able to climb the steep slope in the dark? She followed Snow up the first stones. Stonepelt walked behind her. He’d make sure she didn’t fall.

Featherwhisker’s herbs must be working. Her muscles felt strong. Her heart was racing with excitement. She could sense the anticipation in her Clanmates. Today they would show the other Clans what it meant to be ThunderClan. She pushed upward until she was at the top of the ravine. She paused to take a deep breath, then raced into the forest.

The trees blurred around her as Blue ran alongside her Clan, weaving around bushes illuminated by the predawn light. The wind howled, whisking through the trees as though they were no more than grass, shaking their branches until twigs and leaves rained down. Blue could make out the white patches of Dappletail’s cloak and Sunfall looked pale. Adderfang, Pinestar and Stormtail blended with the shadows.

“There’s a stream ahead,” Moonflower warned.

The patrol slowed to leap the glittering water, then continuing to race through the trees. Blue tensed. Would she be able to jump it? She teetered at the edge while Moonflower leaped across. Her mother landed delicately on the other side.

“It’s not deep!” she encouraged. “If you have to walk through, that’s okay.”

“But I don’t want to get wet!” Blue wailed.

Snow slid down the muddy bank.

“Come on,” Stonepelt said. “You can make it.”

Blue focused on the far bank and took a deep breath. She leaped. Blue landed on the far slope, slipping in the mud. Snow was less successful, landing on her knees directly in the stream.

“It’s cold!” she wailed, climbing out.

“It was just bad luck.” Stonepelt helped her up and shoved her up the far bank.

“Hurry!” Moonflower commanded. The others had disappeared into the forest.

Sparrowpelt had waited for them. “There you are,” he said as they caught up. He noticed Snow’s drenched pants and shook his head. “If you run, it’ll dry faster.” He sped off again.

Blue fought ot catch her breath as they raced on. As least she wasn’t soaking wet. The cold wind was begging to whip at her hair.

Finally, they spotted their Clanmates ahead. They slowed to a walk, trekking in single file. The trees were thinning. Beyond, Blue saw a smooth, wide path that snaked out of the forest.

The river.

They caught up and tagged onto the end of the patrol. The river was huge, wider than any tree trunk. It stretched endlessly in each direction. The water twisted and tumbled, swirling black.

Moonflower and Snow walked to the edge. Blue stayed by her mentor.

“Over there is RiverClan’s land,” Stonepelt said, pointing across the river. Then he turned to a carved stick poking out from the ground. It was covered in swirling zigzag markings. “That’s their border marker. They own this side of the river, too, but they rarely travel over here when the water’s this cold.”

“They swim across the river?” Blue heard that RiverClan loved swimming, but she couldn’t imagine ever going into the middle of that giant river. Wasn’t it dangerous?

Stonepelt nodded. “They’re quite good at it.”

Blue shivered, peering into the trees on the far bank. “Do we have to swim across?”

“No, we’ll use the stepping stones,” Stonepelt explained. “But we need to go this way to stay hidden.”

Blue’s heart quickened. “Won’t RiverClan find us?” She glanced at the river, half expecting a man to emerge from the dark water at any second.

“It’s too early for the first patrols.” Stonepelt sounded confident.

The path veered deeper into the forest, away from the river. Soon, however, it turned back to steep rocks that jutted between the bushes. The trees clung to the slope with roots winding through the stony soil. Before long, Blue heard a roaring even more thunderous than the wind. She tensed. “What’s that?”

“The gorge,” Stonepelt said.

The noise grew louder.

Stonepelt explained. “The river falls down from the moorland and between two cliffs. We’ll have to go behind it to WindClan’s territory.”

Ahead she could see a gap in the trees where the forest floor seemed split in two as though someone had scraped it out. Blue walked carefully as Pinestar led his Clanmates along a perilous trail at the edge of the gorge. Hardly daring to breathe, she peered over the cliff and saw a torrent of white water, churning and boiling beneath it. She wrenched her gaze away to focus on Moonflower. Her mother’s presence was familiar and calming.

At last the sheer cliffs eased into muddy banks, and the river flowed smoothie, winding between thin trees and low, spiky bushes. The patrol fell into a single file line.

RiverClan markers cave way to thinner sticks, carved with swirls. “Is this WindClan territory?” Blue asked.

Stonepelt nodded, pointing to dip in the land where the billowing bushes gave way to heather. The ground rose steeply, leading to the moorland.

Once the soft grass had turned springy, Pinestar turned and signaled with his hand, pressing a finger to his lips. Blue knew it meant to be quiet from now on.

As they climbed the hillside, the grass streamed like water in the wind and Blue remembered the pigeon’s splayed feathers. Her breath caught in her throat as the storm howled around them. Her Clanmates looked small against the wide moorland. They walked on, heads low.

“I hate this cloak,” Snow whispered. “I look like a cloud in the flowers!” She was right. Her white cloak made her stand out against the violet heather.

“Hush!” Sparrowpelt growled.

Boulders dotted the hillside, jutting from the earth like rotten teeth. At the top of the rise, the wind whipped viciously. Blue suddenly felt a sharp drop of rain. Pinestar had stopped, staring into the dp ahead. Blue followed his gaze.

“That’s WindClan’s camp,” Stonepelt whispered into her ear.

Blue looked around.

Pinestar had doubled back toward them. Featherwhisker and Swiftbreeze fell in beside him. “You see that rock over there?” Pinestar nodded toward a stone sticking out of the earth, nearly as big as Highrock. “You’ll wait over there.” He looked at Blue and Snow. “Do you understand?”

They both nodded.

“Featherwhisker and Swiftbreeze will stay with you.” Pinestar glanced over his shoulder. “I’ll send a runner if there’s trouble. Follow the warriors’ orders exactly.”
Blue could hear her own heart pounding in her ears.

This was it.

The battle was starting.

She followed Swiftbreeze, her legs heavy as stones, to the boulder Pinestar had pointed to. It was smooth at one end but sharp as a wolf’s tooth on the other.

Snow walked beside her. “Do you think we’ll be needed?”

Blue shrugged. She wanted to help her Clan but hoped they wouldn’t need help. Perhaps StarClan would give them an easy victory.

Featherwhisker walked behind them, clutching his satchel. He dropped it when they reached the jagged shelter of the rock. Blue sat down, relieved to be out of the wind. She looked around, wondering where her parents were. Would Pinestar have them sneak around to the camp entrance, or would they break through the walls?

They waited silently as the sky grew pale. A bird lifted from the heather and struggled against the wind. WindClan would be rising as well. She felt a stab of sympathy for them. She couldn’t imagine how terrifying that would be, to be attacked without warning in your own bed. But then she remembered Goosefeather’s prophecy, and her heart hardened. WindClan needed to be beaten if ThunderClan was to survive. They had to do this.

She lifted her chin.

Swiftbreeze kept peering around the rock. The rain fell harder, making it hard to listen. Blue wondered how WindClan could bear to live here without the shelter of the forest. She wished she was back home, safe and warm under the trees.

A sudden shout ripped through the air and the moor exploded with screams. Blue’s eyes widened, shocked. She recognized Adderfang shouting and Dappletail crying out in pain. Beside her, Featherwhisker had closed his eyes and began murmuring to himself. Blue leaned closer, wondering what he was saying.

“Comfrey for aching bones, bandages to stop bleeding, nettle for swelling, thyme for shock…”

He was reciting herb uses.

Reality suddenly hit her hard. Down in the camp, blood was flowing out of bodies. Warriors fought warriors with blades out. Blue stared at Snow.

Her sister’s eyes were wide with fear. “I think I heard Sparrowpelt,” she whispered as a scream ripped the air.

Another scream came in reply.

Blue was shaking. That had sounded like Stonepelt. Was he hurt?

Scream after scream filled the stormy air. Blue was feeling sick.

“Can’t we help?” she asked Swiftbreeze. She just wanted the screaming to stop.

“We can only wait,” Swiftbreeze answered. She jerked around as footsteps pounded toward them. Blue spun around to see Robinwing.

“Leopard’s been wounded!” Robinwing cried. “She needs help!”

Swiftbreeze’s eyes widened. “Is it bad?”

“Stab wound,” Robwing told her. “It’s bleeding badly. She’s stranded in the middle of the clearing.”

Swiftbreeze nodded. “Blue, come with us,” she ordered.

“I need to come,” Featherwhisker said.

“No.” Swiftbreeze shook her head. “Stay here with Snow. We can’t risk you being injured.” She darted from the rock after Robinwing and into the lashing rain. Blue kept close to her side, feeling like the rain would blind her. The grass was slippery underfoot.

Without warning, Swiftbreeze stopped. Blue slithered to a halt beside her. The ground dropped away in front of them. A steep slope led down to a wall of thick thorn bushes. On the far side, the ground became flat one again.

Blue’s eyes widened in horror. Screams and shouts blended with the howling wind. Blood stained the ground, frothing in red puddles.

She saw Adderfang pushing himself off the ground, meeting the strike of a WindClan warrior, two more approaching. He twisted to protect himself, fending off warrior after warrior. He cried out as a blade sliced his side. Nearby, Sunfall and Sparrowpelt were fighting side by side, pressed against the brambles. They slashed at four WindClan warriors who surrounded them.

Dappletail screamed as two WindClan warriors tackled her. At the sound, Stormtail spun around. He threw off his opponent and raced to help. He pushed one of the warriors away. The man cried out as Stormtail pierced his stomach. Stormtail’s eyes blazed with anger.

Blue stared in awe. Her father was so brave.

“Come on!” Swiftbreeze called, skidding down the slope and over the tangled bramble wall.

Blue could feel the thorns whipping at her arms aa she pushed through and burst into the clearing. Swiftbreeze had already raced to where Leopard was laying. A long wound stretched along her side, bleeding heavily. Swiftbreeze took Leopard onto her back and began carrying her daughter across the clearing to a gap in the brambles. Blue rushed over to help hold Leopard steady.

“I-I can walk!” Leopard gasped, struggling against her other. Swiftbreeze let her down, but Leopard immediately collapsed, legs too shaky to hold her up. Swiftbreeze grabbed her again and Leopard staggered to the edge of the clearing. Blue followed.

“ThunderClan brought children into a battle!” a black haired WindClan man said, staring at Blue.

Blue glared at him. “I’m an apprentice!”

The WindClan warrior strode toward her, eyes gleaming. “Then show me your battle moves.”

Fear shot through her. She didn’t know any! She’d only been an apprentice for three days. She fought back the urge to run away. She couldn’t let him know she was afraid, but her legs wouldn’t stop trembling.

“Hawkheart!” A voice rang through the clearing.

Blue recognized Heatherstar, the leader of WindClan. She stood in the center of the clearing, her blue eyes wide.

“Get back here and tend the wounded!” she shouted. “You’re a healer, remember?”

Hawkheart scoffed. “Looks like you’ll have to wait a bit longer for your first battle scar,” he sneered at Blue, then turned away.

“Blue!” Swiftbreeze was struggling to get Leopard through the narrow gap between the brambles. Blue hurried over to help, guiding Leopard up the slope and out of camp.

“Hawkheart is a healer?” Blue puffed. “He acts like a warrior.”

“He wanted to be a warrior, but StarClan told Chiveclaw, the previous WindClan healer, than he should train as a healer.” Swiftbreeze had stopped to catch her breath. “But Hawkheart loves to fight. Elders whisper than he lets the apprentices attack him as training.”

Featherwhisker hurried across the grass toward them, Snow on his heels. He dropped the satchel and took out a roll of bandages, stretching it around Leopard’s torso.

Blue glanced at the battle below. She could see the whole hollow from her. Stormtail and Dappletail were fighting side by side. Robinwing and Smallear had come to join them.

“Hawkheart!” Heatherstar called. “ThunderClan is invading your hut!”

Snow stood up tall to look over the brambles. “They made it to the medicine hut!”

“Hush!” Featherwhisker ordered. He shoved the roll of bandages toward the young apprentice. “Hold this.”

Blue gazed into the clearing, feeling cold. Something felt wrong. Hawkheart had rushed away from the man he’d ben treating and toward a rock that sat in a dip. Two WindClan warriors were heading inside. Hawkheart skidded to a halt at the opening and crouched, pulling a spear from his back, his eyes narrowed.

Featherwhisker had finished with Leopard’s wound. “Let’s get you somewhere safer.” He nodded to Snow. “Take her back to the rock.”

Snow helped Leopard to her feet, guiding her to the edge of the hollow. Blue stared at Hawkheart. What was he doing?

A scream rang from the inside of the hut and Stonepelt hurtled out, blood gushing from a wound on his shoulder. He held his injured arm, which flopped uselessly at his side. Moonflower chased after him.

Just as Moonflower emerged from the rock crag, Hawkheart lunged, piercing through her side.

Blue stared in horror as Moonflower went limp, her brown eyes wide with shock.

The spear had gone through her ribs and pierced the other side of her body, sticking out under her arm. She dropped to her knees, then fell face down to the ground, her black hair splaying out around her.

Blue looked around for her father, but Stormtail was still fighting beside Dappletail. Had he even noticed his wife had been hurt?

“Mama!” Blue screamed. She sprang forward, but Swiftbreeze grabbed her arms, pulling her back.

“You can’t go down there!” Swiftbreeze warned.

“But she’s hurt!” Blue stared at her mother. She wasn’t moving.

Hawkheart was panting, staring down at the ThunderClan woman with rage. He pulled the spear savagely from her body, blood spurting the ground. “No one goes in my hut and gets away with it,” he growled.

Suddenly, Pinestar’s call rose above the battle.

“ThunderClan! Retreat!”

Blue sighed with relief. It was over!

The warriors stopped at once, turning to the ThunderClan leader. Silence fell over the camp.
Heatherstar wiped blood from her eyes. Pinestar had a cut on his cheek, blood staining his shirt. He met Heatherstar’s blue glare.

“This attack was meaningless,” she growled. “StarClan was on our side.”

Pinestar didn’t reply.

“Leave," Heatherstar growled. “Now!”

Pinestar turned toward the camp entrance, walking out. His warriors followed him. Robinwing was limping. Sunfall, bleeding from a cut over his eye, held onto her. Smallear struggled to his feet, gasping for breath, and stumbled out of the clearing. Sparrowpelt hurried over to help him. Stonepelt limped toward the entrance, wincing as each step jolted his injured arm. Adderfang’s eyes gleamed with rage, but he ignored the taunting remarks of the WindClan warriors. Dappletail leaned against Stormtail.

Blue stared at her mother, waiting for her to get up.

“Mama!” She ripped away from Swiftbreeze, terror rising in her chest. She tore down the slope, past the dazed WindClan warriors.

“Blue! Come back!” Swiftbreeze chased after her.

Moonflower had one cheek pressed into the ground. Her mouth hung open, her eyes still wide with shock.

“You’re alive!” Blue knelt beside her mother. “Get up! We’re going home now.”

Moonflower remained still.

Blue stared down at her mother, shaking her shoulder. “Please, get up.”

Her mother’s eyes were dull and cloudy.

“Blue.” Pinestar’s soft voice came from behind her. “She’s dead.”

“No, she’s not!” Blue spun around to face him. “She can’t be dead. We were fighting warriors, not rogues. You said no one would die.”

Hawkheart scoffed from nearby. “She destroyed my Clan’s medicine,” he growled. “I killed her to protect them.”

“StarClan told us to destroy it!” Blue said. “We didn’t have a choice.” She looked at Pinestar. “Tell them what Goosefeather said.”

Hawkheart laughed sharply. “You fought an entire battle because Goosefeather said you should?” He looked down at Moonflower’s body. “Maybe she deserved to die, if your Clan is truly that dimwitted.”

Blue looked around. Had they done all this for nothing? Had Moonflower died for nothing? She knelt beside her mother again, shaking her. “Wake up! You’re not dead!”

Swiftbreeze put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her away. Pinestar shouldered Moonflower on his back. Silently, he carried his dead warrior across the muddy hollow. Blue broke away from Swiftbreeze to follow him. Moonflower couldn’t be dead.

“Mom?” Snow’s frightened voice sounded form the top of the slope as they emerged. She slid down the slope. “Is she hurt? Should I get Featherwhisker?”

Blue stared at her older sister. “She’s dead.”

“No!” Snow sobbed, collapsing to her knees. Pinestar trudged past her, leaving the sisters to mourn. “She can’t be!”

“It’s okay,” Blue lied. “I’m still here.”

Snow flashed an angry look at her. “I don’t want you! I want mom!” She jumped up and chased after Pinestar.

Blue watched her go. She’d still be here all the same. She’d always be at Snow’s side, no matter what.

She noticed Stormtail disappearing over the slope. Did he know Moonflower was dead?

The rain eased as they crossed the moor to Fourtrees. As the shattered Clan passed beneath the four giant oaks, the wind dropped and the branches fell still. Had StarClan caused the silence? Did they disapprove of the attack?

Were they mourning Moonflower?

Blue stared up through the heavy branches, their bark soaked and turned black. Suddenly, she felt very lonely.

Leopard was limping, her bandage sticky with blood. Dappletail leaned on Stormtail, who stared down at her with a proud smile. Adderfang and Swiftbreeze were helping Pinestar with Moonflower’s weight. Featherwhisker walked beside Smallear, helping him along. Snow trailed after, head lowered.

Blue wondered if she should walk with her sister, but she didn’t know what say. Stonepelt walked a few lengths ahead, but he stopped to look back at her. He stared at her sympathetically, waiting for her to catch up. She was glad to have company as they walked.

She noticed the wound on his shoulder. It was deep, something white visible beneath the blood. Had it gone all the way to the bone? He used his good hand to hold it steady, but it seemed he couldn’t move it.

“Has Featherwhisker looked at you yet?” Blue asked.

“I can wait.”

They entered the shelter of the forest, following a trail toward camp.

By the time Blue entered the clearing, Windflight and Fuzzypelt were listening as Adderfang and Sunfall reported how the attack went. Speckletail ran out from the nursery to greet Smallear, looking over him worriedly.
Goosefeather emerged from the healer’s hut, yawning. His eyes widened when Pinestar laid Moonflower on the ground.

“She destroyed the medicine supply,” Pinestar growled. “But it cost her life.”

Goosefeather stared down at his sister, horrified.

“You killed her!” Swifbreeze shouted, lunging at Goosefeather and shoving him to the ground. “You and your stupid visions got your own sister killed!”

“Stop!” Pinestar shouted.

Adderfang and Tawnyspots rushed forward, dragging Swiftbreeze off the shocked healer. They held her back as Goosefeather climbed to his feet.

“You lost?” Larksong called. She and the other elders had emerged from their hut.

Pinestar nodded. “We had to retreat. We lost Moonflower.”

A cry of grief came form the nursery. Poppydawn raced to Moonflower and knelt beside her dead friend.

“What’s wrong?” Thistle asked, emerging after his mother. Rose came next, carrying Sweet in her arms.

Rose’s eyes widened. She looked up at Blue. “Moonflower’s dead?”

Blue stared at her, feeling her throat close up. She glanced at Snow, but her sister was staring at the ground.

Stonepelt glared at Goosefeather. “We never should have listened to you!”

“I was only interpreting the signs of StarClan,” Goosefeather defended.

“Perhaps you should have predicted a wind storm instead of a battle,” Robinwing growled.

“Enough!” Pinestar called. “Goosefeather is not to blame. We all risked our lives for the sake of the Clan. It’s part of the warrior code. Now, our wounded need attention. Arguing doesn’t change what happened.”

Featherwhisker pushed past Goosefeather. “I need more supplies.”

Goosefeather glanced at him, then followed.

“You can’t hide from what you’ve done!” Swiftbreeze called. “StarClan will decide your punishment!”

Blue was trembling. Was it really Goosefeather’s fault her mother had died? As the wounded warriors limped toward the healer’s hut, Speckletail and Poppydawn collected mint from the patch beside the nursery and plucked rosemary from beside the warrior’s hut. Blue watched, feeling cold, as the two women laid the flowers around her mother. Larksong and Weedwhisker joined them, maneuvering Moonflower onto her back.

Once they’d finished, Moonflower laid peacefully, as though asleep. Her hands were folded over her stomach, flowers weaved into her black hair. The rain clouds had cleared, the sun resting on the tops of the trees, turning them pink.

Rage suddenly exploded through Blue. “Why did you make her look like she’s sleeping?” she cried. “She’s dead!”

Sunfall approached her. “We know that, Blue. This is our tradition.”

Blue knelt beside her mother, putting her face in her hands. Snow came to join her. Together, they sat with their mother. The mint and rosemary covered up the stench of death, but also changed her aura. Blue’s heart ached sharply. The shadows lengthened around them as their Clanmates joined the vigil. Blue felt the warmth of their bodies, a stark contract to the coldness of Moonflower’s.

Why did it have to be Moonflower?

Chapter Text

Blue pulled up just before slamming face first into the birch tree. The raven had been too quick, flapping into the topmost branches, sending flurries of snow showering down on them.

Sunfal followed. “It’s okay,” he said. “Birds are fast.”

Blue huffed. She knew that. She wished Stonepelt was still her mentor. He never told her obvious things. But he’d retired to the elder’s hut after his arm had been amputated due to the battle with WindClan. The cut had been too deep for his arm to ever be useful again, so Goosefeather and Featherwhisker had simply removed it.

Now Blue was stuck with Sunfall.

Poppydawn and Swiftbreeze always told her it was an honor to be mentored by the deputy, but Blue didn’t think that much of him.

She stared after the raven. It was the only animal they’d seen all morning, and now it was gone.

“I know how we can get the game out in the open!” Snow chirped.

“By calling them out?” Blue said sarcastically. Her sister was always so loud. It was annoying.

“How?” Sparrowpelt asked his apprentice.

Lion climbed onto the root of the birch tree. He’d only been an apprentice for a few days, but was already as tall as her shoulder, despite being eight years younger. He also had the typical cockiness of a new apprentice. He’d caught two birds, never seen battle, and acted like every task he was given was the most important thing in the world.

He was annoying, too.

“What is it, Snow?” Lion asked eagerly.

“It doesn’t matter,” Blue said. “You’ve probably already scared off everything with your noise.”

“You’re so grumpy,” Lion said. “Snow’s smart.”

Blue rolled her eyes. “Maybe if you both shout loud enough, the birds will come see what’s going on.”

Lion ignored her. “I love the snow,” he said. “Everything is so clean and bright.”

“You love everything.” Blue let her anger flow freely. How could Lion always be so cheerful and loud? He was constantly joking and messing around with the other apprentices. Thistle, Sweet and Rose never stopped talking, either.

In fact, the whole Clan had gone back to normal.

Even Snow was happy again.

Blue glared at her sister. How had she forgotten their mother so soon? How was she not miserable without Moonflower around?

Now that the children were in the apprentices hut, it was just as crowded as the nursery. Leopardfoot and Patchpelt had received their warrior names a few years back. Blue was jealous that they slept peacefully each night with the other mature adults.

Blue trudged through the snow toward her sister. “What’s the plan?”

Snow’s eyes were bright. “We could leave nuts and seeds out for the birds to come eat.”

Blue rolled her eyes. “Are you carrying nuts around with you now?”

Snow shook her head. “No, but Goosefeather has a stock for ointment.”

“There’s no way he’d let us use his precious stock for hunting,” Blue said.

“We’d only need one or two,” Snow pointed out. “And we’d catch the birds before they finished eating them.”

Sparrowpelt nodded. “It wouldn’t hurt to try.”

Sunfall was smiling. “Great idea, Snow.”

Blue scowled at her mentor. “Fine. You can go hunt for tree nuts. I’m going to do some real hunting.” He turned and stomped through the snow.

“Sorry,” Snow said behind her. “She’s in one of her moods.”

Rage shot through Blue. Why was Snow apologizing for her? She shouldered her way through the trees, dodging snow piles that fell from the branches. A narrow trail tunneled through the stems. Blue was relieved to be away from the others. On the ground, she noticed pawprints, topped with huge claws. A wolf must have passed through here.

Blue wouldn’t mind running into a wolf. She could use a fight.

It had been many years since Moonflower had died. Blue was a teenager now, and nearly ready to become a warrior. Yet, every day, she woke with the same hollow sadness inside her. It should be her mother helping her learn to hunt, not Sunfall. If Moonflower was alive, she wouldn’t have made her look stupid in front of the other apprentices.

Why couldn’t she be here?

The trail widened into a hollow, filled with thick snow. A sandy bank sat opposite to her, scooped out and topped by a layer of snow. There was a large dip inside.

A wolf must have laid here.

Blue approached the nest. She was angry enough to take on a whole pack of wolves. As she drew her sword, footsteps sounded from behind her. She whirled around to face Sunfall.

“What in the name of StarClan are you doing?” he growled. “There’s wolf prints back here!”

“I know that!” Blue snapped.

“So why would you follow them?” Sunfall said. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

Blue stared at him defiantly.

“Do you really think you’re ready to take on a wolf?”

Blue sighed, then shouldered past him and walked back along the path.

“Wait!” Sunfall called. “I want to talk to you.” He led her toward a large oak tree, sitting on one of the jutting roots. “I need you to tell me what’s wrong.”

Blue sat down with a huff. She didn’t want to talk to Sunfall. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. She just wanted to go home and sleep.

“Nothing’s wrong,” she said sharply. “I’m just cold and hungry.”

“We’re all cold and hungry,” Sunfall said, staring at her. “None of us are acting rude or reckless.”

“I’m not being reckless!”

“You were following a wolf’s tracks!” Sunfall said, angrily. His gaze burned into hers. “How do you think Snow would have felt in you’d been killed? What about your father?”

Blue winced at the mention of her father. He’d hardly shed a tear for Moonflower when he’d died. He treated his own daughters like every other apprentice- with blatant indifference. His eyes were always on his new wife, Dappletail, now.

“It’s winter,” Sunfall began. “We each have to do our best to provide for the Clan. But you’re not even trying. You like act everything’s a chore; you don’t even try on your assessments. I know you can do better. But you never listen to anything I tell you, and your Clanmates have started avoiding you because of your temper.”

His words stung, making Blue wince.

“Why should your Clanmates look after you if you won’t look after them?”

Tears rose into her eyes. “I-I…” She was choking on her own words. “Everything’s wrong! Mom’s dead, dad won’t even look at me and Snow’s not even upset anymore!”

“I know you miss your mother,” Sunfall said softly. “She died defending her Clan. It was an honorable way to go.”

“Defending?” Blue glared at him. “We were attacking, not defending!”

“Only to save our territory.”

“That’s not what Swiftbreeze says,” Blue growled. “And what about my father and Snow? They’ve left me, too.”

“Snow is done being sad,” Sunfall said evenly. “She hasn’t forgotten Moonflower, simply moved on with her life. Stormtail, too.”

“Oh, he moved on,” Blue growled. “Into his new wife’s bed!”

She stood up and stomped through the snow. Sunfall followed her, glancing at the sky. “Perhaps you could come to the Gathering tonight,” he said. “Even if you don’t deserve it.”

Blue held her tongue. If he didn’t think she deserved to go, why take her?

“It’ll be good for you to socialize again.”

Blue scoffed. She didn’t want to talk to the other Clans. She trailed behind, letting Sunfall lead the way down the ravine. As they walked into camp, Blue was soothed by the familiarity of her home. He clearing was sheltered from the worst of the cold.

Immediately, she noticed Stormtail sitting at the edge of camp. She stopped to watch. Just then, Dappletail had emerged from her hut and rushed over to sit beside him. She pressed a kiss to his cheek, gigging happily.

Blue glared at them. He could have fun with his new family if he wanted, but Blue would never forgive him for abandoning her.

Chapter Text

Blue’s ears were red with cold by the time they reached the edge of the hollow. At least the paths to Fourtrees had already been well worn, so there was no need to wade through the snow drifts.

Sunfall paused beside Pinestar, staring down the slope. “RiverClan’s not here,” he said.

“The others are,” Pinestar said. “But they haven’t been here long.”

“No one wants to be out here for longer than what’s needed,” Featherwhisker commented. “It’s too cold.”

Lion was practically bouncing on the rim of the hollow. “Can we go down yet?” he asked.

This was Lion and Golden’s first Gathering. Lion had raced ahead of the patrol most of the way, only stopping when Pinestar had called him back.

Blue noticed Golden shivering and tried to catch her eye. She knew how intimidating the Gathering could be to a new apprentice.

“There’s so many people,” Golden whimpered.

Dappletail put a hand on her back. “Don’t worry. As long as the moon is visible, they will all remember the truce.”

Blue looked up. There wasn’t a single cloud in the dark cloud, and the stars shone like chips of ice around the great moon.

Snow stood beside Thistle. “Do you think there’s any new apprentices tonight?”

Thistle scoffed. “Why does it matter? Only an idiot would make friends with an enemy. I don’t want to go anywhere near those jerks.”

“Be polite,” Windflight growled. “And don’ get into a fight again.”

“But Adderfang says only cowards run away from fights,” Thistle objected.

Adderfang turned to glare at him. “That doesn’t mean attacking another apprentice at a peaceful Gathering.”

“But he was making fun of me!” Thistle retorted.

“Just ignore them,” Snow said softly. “I know you’re better than any of those other apprentices.”

Blue rolled her eyes. Snow was always hanging around Thistle.

“We’d better go down,” Sunfall advised.

Heads turned to look as ThunderClan slid down the slope.

Blue followed Sunfall down the slope, skidding in the snow. WindClan and ShadowClan moved out of the way.

“Watch it!” A WindClan warrior jumped out of the way.

Blue felt Snow barge into her as she slid to a halt.

“It’s icy,” a ShadowClan warrior warned.

“Reckless shrews,” Hawkheart sneered. He was watching them as they stumbled.

Blue glared at him. She’d hardly seen him since Moonflower died. She’d spent every Gathering since staring at him, wishing one of the four great oak trees would fall over and smash him.

“Still an apprentice, little girl?” Hawkheart scoffed.

Before Blue could answer, Heatherstar stepped between them. She glared at her healer. “Go to your spot beside the Great Rock.”

Hawkheart rolled his eyes, but obeyed.

“Pinestar,” Heatherstar greeted coldly.

Pinestar nodded. “Heatherstar.”

Heatherstar’s blue eyes flashed and she walked off to join her Clan.

“Look! It’s Talltail.” Snow pointed to a black haired man whispering to Heatherstar. “Sparrowpelt says he’s the new deputy.”

“Is he a good warrior? He looks young.” Blue gazed at the man. He was tall and lithe.

“Yeah, and he’s smart,” Snow answered.

Talltail glanced at them, then frowned.

“Everyone seems so grumpy,” Golden said, eyes round.

Lion was frowning. “What’s the point of a Gathering if everyone is gonna have bad tempers?”

“They’re just cold and hungry,” Snow said. “It happens every winter.”

“Maybe RiverClan will be friendly,” Golden ventured. “I heard they get fed well all year around because of the river.”

“If they ever show up.” Blue was staring a the opposite slope.

Cedarstar, ShadowClan’s leader, had climbed onto the Great Rock. “Let the Gathering begin!” he shouted.

“Without RiverClan?” Adderfang growled.

ShadowClan and WindClan moved toward the rock.

“Come on.” Pinestar led his Clan forward.

Blue was grateful for the warmth the crowd gave off as everyone clustered toward the Great Rock.

Golden stared at the huge stone. “How can they climb that?”

Cedarstar moved to allowed Pinestar room to climb up. Heatherstar followed, sitting a short distance away.

Windflight pushed to the head of the crowd. “We can’t start without RiverClan.”

“Do you want to sit here and freeze then?” a ShadowClan warrior shouted.

Heatherstar nodded. “We need to start.”

Murmurs of agreement rose from the other Clans.

“At least it’ll be over quickly,” Snow whispered. “I’m freezing!”

As Cedarstar stood, a shout sounded from the slope.

“There they are!” Dappletail called.

Another group had streamed into the clearing. They sent snow flying as they slid down the slope.

Cedarstar watched through narrowed eyes as Hailstar jumped onto the Great Rock Wordlessly, RiverClan joined the others, pressing in around them.

“Let’s start,” Cedarstar said.

Blue watched as the leaders glanced at one another. Why did they look so distrustful?

Something heavy shoved Blue from behind. She slid on the icy ground, nearly losing her balance. Crossly, she jerked her head around. “Watch out!”

A stocky young man had sat beside her.

“You nearly knocked me over!” Suddenly, her eyes widened. She noticed the man’s mouth. His bottom jaw was twisted to the side.

“Hi,” he said. “I’m Storm.”

“Just Storm?” He looked too old to only be an apprentice.

He shrugged. “My mother once tried to change my name to Crooked.”

Blue tried to think of something to say.

“If my leg goes the same way, Hailstar might consider it,” he said.

Blue shifted awkwardly. Suddenly, she realized she’d been staring. “Sorry! You just surprised me.”

Storm lifted his chin. “I guess I should get used to it, until everyone get used to me. So, what’s your name?”

“Blue.”

Storm looked her up and down. “You don’t look very blue.”

Blue smiled. “I was named after my eyes.” She lifted up her cloak. “This is blue, but it doesn’t look like it at night.”

Storm glanced around at the Clans. “Is this your first Gathering?”

Blue shook her head.

“So you know what we’re supposed to do?” he asked. “What do the leaders talk about?”

“If you listen you might find out!” a RiverClan warrior snapped.

Storm leaned closer to Blue. “Which one is Pinestar?”

Blue pointed out her leader, wondering why Storm had never been to a Gathering before. Surely he was just about ready for his warrior name.

“How come you’ve never been here before?” Blue asked. “You must be older than me.”

“I was apprenticed late,” Storm whispered. “Because of my jaw. But I’m better now. And bigger.”

Blue smiled. Storm was nice.

“Hush!” Dappletail growled. “The leaders are speaking.”

“Sorry.” Storm’s eyes sparkled. He waited for Dappletail to sit back before leaning close to Blue again. “Which one’s Heatherstar?”

“The woman. Cedarstar’s beside her.” Blue pointed to the healers gathered beneath the rock. “That’s Goosefeather, our healer, and that blonde lady is Sagewhisker of ShadowClan.” She shuddered. “Beside her is Hawkheart.”

“You don’t like him?”

“He killed my mother.”

Blue flinched as Storm wrapped a comforting arm around her.

“Who are the deputies?” he asked.

Sunfall glanced over his shoulder. “Hush!”

Storm rolled his eyes and Blue giggled. He seemed so unbothered by everyone else. She turned back to the leaders.

Heatherstar stood on the edge of the rock. “Our medicine supply is well stocked for the winter.” She shot a glare at Pinestar. “Let’s hope it remains undisturbed this year.”

“Let it go!” Sunfall growled.

“I’m sorry.” Heatherstar’s eyes glinted. “It’s just hard for our children to forgot seeing their parents brutally attacked in their own home.”

Sunfall glared at her, but said nothing more.

“The rabbits are still running, despite the snow,” Heatherstar went on. “We’re doing well.”

Blue narrowed her eyes, staring at the WindClan leader. She looked smaller than usual, her clothes draping off her body. She was skinny.

She was lying.

“Great StarClan! It’s cold!” Storm pressed closer to her. Blue flinched, looking around to make sure no one saw her getting so close to a RiverClan apprentice. Everyone was still focused on the Great Rock, waiting for the next leader to step forward. Blue relaxed. Storm was bigger than her, and warmer. Everything about him seemed to calm her.

Pinestar stepped forward. “ThunderClan is thriving despite the snow,” he announced. “We have two new apprentices, Lion and Golden.”

Golden ducked shyly between her Clanmates while Lion stood up tall. His eyes shone with pride, but the other Clans hardly even looked up. Lion sat back down, looking crestfallen.

Blue glanced around, feeling uncomfortable. The Clan was definitely not thriving.

Hailstar stepped forward. “RiverClan has been free from any trouble since the snow came.”

Murmurs of satisfaction rippled through RiverClan.

:Except for that kid from town!” Ottersplash called.

Owlfur answered. “He won’t be back for a while.”

Storm laughed. “That’ll teach them to slide on the ice.”

Blue gasped. “Did someone fall in?” She couldn’t imagine how terrifying it would be to get stuck under the ice in the cold, dark river.

“They were fine,” Storm told her. “It was just some stupid kid. Even RiverClan newborns know to stay off the ice until an adult tests it first.”

Hailstar continued. “Fishing is good, despite the ice.” He scanned the clearing. “And we have a new warrior. Welcome, Oakheart!”

WindClan and ShadowClan cheered.

Anger shot through Blue.

Smallear and Speckletail were exchanging heated words. “How dare they?” Speckletail growled. “How dare they disrespect my babies?”

“Ignore them,” Smallear said. “All will be right in due time. Golden and Lion will be fantastic warriors, with or without the other Clans’ approval.”

Lion had turned to scowl at the new warrior.

“That’s my brother,” Storm said.

“Who?”

“Oakheart,” Storm explained. “He’s my little brother.”

Blue raised her head to see the man. He was stocky like his brother, with auburn hair. “If he’s younger than you, why are you still an apprentice?”

“I told you, I was apprenticed late,” Storm said. “Oakheart is great. He caught a fish on his first day as an apprentice. He says when he becomes leader, he’ll make me deputy.”

Blue wasn’t impressed. She’d caught a blackbird on her first day. And how could a brand new warrior think he’d be leader so soon? How arrogant!

“I have a sister,” Blue replied. She pointed to Snow, who sat beside Sparrowpelt a length away. “She’s a great hunter, too.”

“Maybe if they both become leader we could be deputies together,” Storm said.

Blue frowned. What was the point in only being deputy? “I’m going farther than that. I want to be leader.”

Storm stared at her with a smile.

Blue jumped as Dappletail’s finger jabbed her side. “Hush!” she growled. “How many times do we have to tell you?”

“Sorry.” Blue slouched, looking obediently toward the Great Rock.

Cedarstar was speaking. “I’m sad to announce our deputy, Stonetooth, is moving to the elder’s hut.”

A thin man with black hair stood at the foot of the rock He had a snaggled tooth that jutted out from under his upper lip. He nodded as his Clan called his name.

“He doesn’t look that old,” Blue whispered.

“No,” Storm said. “Just a bit long-toothed.”

Blue couldn’t help but laugh. She elbowed Storm in the side. “He can’t help it!”

“Raggedpelt will take his place,” Cedarpelt went on.

A dark haired man stalked through the crowd and into the pool of moonlight below the rock. He was a lot taller and bulkier than Stonetooth, who suddenly looked very old and scrawny.

Blue shuddered. Something about Raggedpelt made her uneasy. He hardly acknowledged Stonetooth, who’d sat back down as Raggedpelt surveyed the clearing.

“Raggedpelt! Raggedpelt!” ShadowClan howled.

Featherwhisker was eyeing the new deputy, which only made Blue more uneasy. Was there some reason to distrust Raggedpelt? She looked to her uncle, but Goosefeather was staring away into the trees, completely ignoring the Gathering.

Sagewhisker cheered loudly for Raggedpelt. A young woman cheered beside her.

Blue’s eyes widened as she saw the woman’s face. She had long, poofy black hair. Her nose was flat and her lip had a cleft in it. Her eyes were huge and completely misshapen. Everything about her seemed slightly.

Once the cheering died down, the leaders climbed off the Great Rock. The Gathering had ended the everyone was melting into their separate groups to head home. She turned to Storm, but he was already following a warrior toward RiverClan territory.

“Aren’t we going to stay and talk?” Blue asked Swiftbreeze.

Swiftbreeze shivered. “Too cold tonight.” She followed Adderfang and Stormtail between the great oaks.

“Who was that?” Snow’s voice made her turn. “Who were you talking to?”

Blue blinked. “His name is Storm. He’s an apprentice from RiverClan.”

“An apprentice? He looks too old for that.”

“He started his training late,” Blue explained.

“You were talking a lot.” Snow narrowed her eyes.

“So?”

Snow shrugged. “You should be careful about getting friendly with people from other Clans.”

“We were only talking,” Blue protested. “It’s a Gathering. There’s a truce. Don’t get so worked up.”

“A truce doesn’t mean you get that friendly with boys from other Clans,” Snow growled. “You wouldn’t even listen when Sunfall told you to be quiet.”

Blue glared at her. “What’s the problem? I’m not mooning over him like you do with Thistle.”

“You’re just jealous!” Snow snapped.

“Of what? Leaning on a boy a head shorter than me? Listening to overly detailed monologues of a rabbit he nearly caught?”

Snow turned away, whipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.

“Come on, Blue!” Sunfall called from beneath an oak tree.

Blue hurried to her side. “Do you think I was being too friendly to that RiverClan apprentice?”

“No, but you were certainly being too loud,” Sunfall chided.

“But it’s okay to be friends with people from other Clans, right?”

“Not too good of friends. Don’t forget, you may one day meet them in battle.”

"But it wasn’t bad to talk to him?”

“No,” Sunfall said. “Just save the talking for afterwards next time.”

Blue lowered her gaze. “Sorry.”

Sunfall was smiling. “I’m glad I took you here tonight. It’s good to see you talking with others again. Now let’s get home before we turn to ice.”

Chapter Text

The sunlight made the snow sparkle where it was piled around camp. Frost turned the trees and bushes white, their branches like cobwebs against he clear blue sky.

Blue squinted through the bright sun.

“You missed breakfast,” Weedwhisker called. He was sitting outside his hut with Stonepelt.

Stonepelt's stump of an arm was hidden beneath his sleeve. “The dawn patrol found a whole nest of starlings.”

Blue noticed the feathers that surrounded the firepit. Her stomach growled.

Stormtail and Dappletail were clearing away the snowfall from the previous night, pushing snow into heaps and piling it against the gorse barrier. Golden and Swiftbreeze helped, their breath billowing.

“It’ll thaw soon,” Speckletail said. “I can smell rain in the air.”

Weedwhisker shivered. “Our beds will get wet.”

Adderfang and Sparrowpelt had just returned, Thistle and Patchpelt on their heels. Their heads were high and their eyes bright. Each of them held two plump pigeons, one in each hand.

Blue’s stomach growled.

“Adderfang found a flock by the Snakerocks,” Thistle called.

The nursery rattled and Snow slid out, pulling along her old sheets. “All clean.” Her eyes brightened when she noticed Thistle. “Wow! Did you catch all this yourself?” She raced over to greet him.

Thistle puffed out his chest. “I caught three of them.”

Snow’s eyes glowed.

Blue looked away. She couldn’t stand Thistle. He was arrogant and rude. He was all the things she hated about Lion, times ten, plus a terrible attitude and sense of self entitlement.

Goosefeather had wandered out of the rock crag. “Have one of the apprentices cook those,” he said, pointing to the pigeons. “I’m starving.”

Blue glared at Goosefeather. She hadn’t gotten along with him the same since Moonflower had died.

“Blue, can you do it?” Goosefeather called.

“I’m busy,” Blue said immediately. “Sunfall said he’d take me out for battle training today.”

“We can do that later.” Sunfall’s voice made her jump. She turned to see him sitting under the Highrock. “Go ahead, Blue.”

Blue scoffed and sat down to start skinning the pigeons. She plucked off the feathers, putting them in a pile to be used in bedding later. They were frozen, making them harder to skin. She couldn’t get much of it off without taking some meat as well. As she started getting into the rhythm of it, she heard her sister’s voice.

“Get off!” Snow was laughing. “That tickles!”

Blue turned toward the sound.

“What do you expect if you get burrs all over your cloak?” Thistle answered.

“I don’t have any burrs on me!”

Blue stood up. It was coming from behind the nursery.

“Stay still so I can pull them off,” Thistle said.

“Ow!” Snow squeaked.

“There!” Thistle said. “Now there’s no burrs.”

Blue stepped around the nursery. Snow was laying on her back, Thistle on top of her. They both turned in shock.

“Hi, Blue,” Snow said, blushing deeply. “Thistle was helping me get burrs off.”

Blue narrowed her eyes. “Can’t you do it yourself?”

Thistle stood up, letting Snow stand. “It was on her back.”

“Why didn’t you ask me?” Blue asked.

“You were busy,” Thistle growled.

Snow shifted, looking uncomfortable. “Thistle, why don’t you check on the nursery mothers?” They exchanged a knowing look that made Blue want to punch them both.

The moment Thistle left, Blue glared at Snow. “What is going on between you two?”

“He makes me laugh,” Snow said.

“Clearly,” Blue growled.

Snow’s eyes flashed. “He really was trying to help me.”

“With what?” Blue snapped.

“Get off my case!’ Snow snapped back. “There’s nothing wrong with what we’re doing.”

“You’re both apprentices!” Blue accused.

“So?” Snow growled.

“So, he’s thirteen!” Blue growled. “Not to mention he’s a total jerk.”

Snow rolled her eyes. “He’s not a jerk to me.”

Before Blue could answer, Sunfall emerged from around the corner. “What are you two yelling about?”

Both sisters glared at him. “Nothing.”

He narrowed his eyes. “It’s time for patrol.”

Shooting daggers at her sister, Blue followed him into the open. The pigeons were still laying by the firepit, but she didn’t care enough to finish the job.

“Go finish with that,” Sunfall growled.

Blue sat down with a huff and got back to work.

Tawnyspots had come over to help with the large load. Suddenly, he raised his head. “I know how to keep dry!”

“How?” Weedwhisker stared at him expectantly.

“There are huge, waxy leaves that grow on a bush near the ShadowClan border,” Tawnyspots said. “If we gather those and weave them together, we can make covers for our beds so they don’t get wet.”

Weedwhisker smiled. “Good idea!”

Tawnyspots had already stood up. “I can take Rose to collect some.”

Rose emerged from the apprentice’s hut, eyes shining.

“Can we go, too?” Sweet asked Smallear.

Smallear nodded. “Of course.” He looked over at Thistle. “Do you want to come?”

“Sure!”

“Can I come?” Snow asked.

Sparrowpelt stood up. “Sounds good to me.” He called to the ThunderClan deputy. “Sunfall?”

“I like the idea,” Sunfall said. “Just be back before noon.”

Blue watched the patrol leave, feeling hollow. No one had invited her, just leaving her to skin pigeons alone. Maybe Sunfall was right. None of her Clanmates wanted to be around her.
Storm had. Storm had liked talking to her.

The apprentice’s hut shivered as Lion emerged. “Are you cooking?” He looked down at the pigeons, then glanced around the clearing. “Where are Larksong and Mumblefoot?”

“Sleeping,” Weedwhisker said. “This cold has frozen their bones.”

“I bet they’re hungry.” Lion scooped up one of the finished pigeons and disappeared under the tree. He emerged just a few moments later.

Blue could hear his stomach rumbling. “You should take one.” She nodded to the remaining pigeons. She was only halfway done.

Lion’s eyes glowed. “Thanks!”

Once he’d finished eating, he called out to Swiftbreeze. “Can we go practice battle moves now?”

Swiftbreeze nodded. “Of course. I believe Sunfall was taking Blue out there anyway.” She looked toward Golden. “Want to come with?”

“Yes!”

Sunfall stood up. “We might as well go, too.” He yawned. “Come on, Blue. Someone else will finish cooking. There’s no rush.”

Swiftbreeze smiled. “Sounds good.”

Sunfall led the way through the snow filled forest to the training hollow. The clearing had been sheltered from the snow, and the thin layer that covered the sand was already melting. Blue slid down the steep slope, suddenly cheerful. Battle moves were always fun.

“Lion, you first,” Swiftbreeze called. “You can spar against Blue.” She looked at the older apprentice. “Do you know the half-turn upper cut?”

Blue nodded. It was the first move Sunfall had taught her.

“Show Lion,” Swiftbreeze ordered.

Pausing to think her move through, Blue crouched. She focused on where to aim, then darted forward, twisting on her heel at the last second and sending her fist flying upward before steadying herself.

“Do you understand?” she asked Lion.

But Lion had already darted off. He turned, but when he tried to move he was too quick on the turn and lost his balance. His leg slid out from under him, causing him to stumble back before falling.

Swiftbreeze helped him back to his feet. “Where did you go wrong?”

“I twisted too early?” Lion guessed.

“And?”

“And…?” Lion frowned, seeming lost.

Swiftbreeze looked to Blue. “What did you do right before you moved?”

Blue wasn’t sure what she meant. “I lowered myself.”

“What did you do while you crouched?” Swiftbreeze pressed.

Blue tried to remember. The move was so familiar she hardly ever thought about what she was doing.

Then it hit her.

“I envisioned the move in my mind- what it looked like and where I would land.”

“Exactly,” Swiftbreeze said with a smile. “Does that make sense, Lion?”

Lion had already crouched again, ready to repeat the move. This time, concentration darkened his eyes. He hesitated a moment longer, then lunged, turned, and punched.

“I did it!” He said as he landed.

“Well done,” Swiftbreeze praised.

“Can I try?” Golden asked.

“Do you want Blue to show you again?”

Golden shook her head. “I think I got it.” She crouched for a long moment.

Swiftbreeze crossed her arms. “Well? Are you going to do it?”

Golden looked up. “I’m thinking about the move.”

“You have to actually do the move, too,” Swiftbreeze said. “You can’t waste that much time planning it all. In a real battle, you have maybe a second to think.”

“Alright.” Golden looked straight ahead, then lunged.

Her twist was good, but she didn’t have as much strength in her punch as Lion.

“Not bad,” Swiftbreeze commented. “Your timing was great.”

Lion shoved Golden out of the way. “Can I try it on Blue?”

Swiftbreeze nodded. “Good idea.”

Blue stepped back, preparing for Lion’s attack. When she faced him, she realized how broad his shoulders were. He’d be a powerful warrior. She braced herself as he rushed toward her and let him slip around behind her, do the turn, then twist under her. He tried to punch her but she dodged out of the way. She’d only just made it in time, his hand strong enough to create a small gust that moved her hair off her shoulders. He was fast for someone his size, and she landed a length back, relieved she’d been able to dodge.

Sunfall walked over. “Well done, Lion. You’re a fast learner.” He turned to Golden. “I think you’re just too worried about getting it right.”

Golden’s eyes grew round. “But I want to be the best fighter I can be!”

“To be a good fighter, you also need to rely on your instincts.”

Golden frowned. “So why are you teaching me moves?”

“That’s not what I mean,” Sunfall said, sounding unsure. He didn’t know how to explain it. “You need to use what you’ve learned by learning what you feel.”

Blue understood. No two warriors did battle moves the exact same way. Everyone had different body types, different limp lengths and different styles of fighting. When Blue had first become an apprentice, she’d used what Sunfall had taught her and made adjustments to the moves to account for her shorter stature.

“Golden, you can try attacking me,” Blue offered.

“Good idea,” Sunfall said with a smile. “Want to give it a try, Golden?”

After a moment, the young girl nodded.

Blue took a few steps back then turned. “Imagine I’m a ShadowClan warrior threatening the camp,” she said.

Golden dropped low. Her eyes darkened, then she rushed forward without hesitation. She was so quick, Blue just barely darted out of the way in time. Before she could figure out how to block, Golden was attacking, grabbing her shoulders and shoving her to the ground. Instinctively, Blue surged back, throwing Golden off. She turned and lunged at the blonde girl, grabbing her arm and throwing it behind, catching her in a lock.

Golden cried out in pain as she hit the ground, Blue on top of her.

Blue quickly jumped off, then stared in horror at the small bump forming on Golden’s forehead. She must have hit her face on the ground. The small wound was glistening with a single blood drop.

“I’m so sorry!” she said. She hadn’t meant to hurt the other apprentice. “Are you okay? Should we take you to Featherwhisker?”

Golden stood up, her eyes shining. “That was great!” she said. “Can we try again?”

Chapter Text

Tawnyspots’ patrol had returned with a huge pile of leaves. Sparrowpelt was weaving them into the roof of the elder’s hut. Snow was balanced at the top of the fallen tree to help, Rose passing her leaves.

“Golden!” Speckletail’s gasp sounded from across the clearing. “Your beautiful face!” She raced to her daughter and took her face into her hands, examining the small bump. Golden ducked away.

“I’m fine, mom, really!” she protested.

“What happened?” Speckletail stared accusingly at Swiftbreeze.

Blue stepped forward, staring at the ground. “It was my fault,” she said softly. “I was too rough when we were practicing.”

“You were supposed to just be training!” Speckletail growled.

Sunfall stood at Blue’s side. “We were battle training,” he said. “It was just an accident.”

“She could have been seriously hurt!” Speckletail wailed.

“That’s okay,” Golden said. “It’s like practice for dealing with battle wounds!”

Speckletail turned her face to the sky. “StarClan, watch over this child,” she pleaded.

“She did well not coming back with a scar if she was fighting blue,” a voice rumbled from behind.

Blue whirled around, shocked to see Stormtail, his eyes gleaming.

“She’s a natural fighter,” he went on. “Moonflower would be proud.”

Blue stared at her father, amazed. They’d rarely spoken since Moonflower had died, and he’d certainly never praised her. She wished he’d say more, but he just turned toward Dappletail and walked away.

The rattle of stones on the ravine made her jump. Feet hit the ground, then pounded into the clearing.

“Invasion!” Adderfang exploded into camp.

Thrushpelt raced after him. “RiverClan have taken over Sunningrocks!” he shouted.

Thistle’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he shot into camp. “We must fight!”

Pinestar shot out of his hut. “Did you see them?” He demanded.

“They were swimming across the river,” Adderfang growled. “Hailstar and Shellheart were climbing onto Sunningrocks!”

“Stormtail!” Pinestar called. “You head the first patrol. Attack from the far side.”

“But then we’ll have to go the long away around,” Stormtail argued. “It’ll be over before we get there.”

“No, it won’t,” Pinestar growled. “We’ll hold them off until you arrive. You’ll be the second wave.”

Stormtail nodded.

“Take Dappletail, Smallear, Sweet, White-eye and Tawnyspots.”

Each warrior stepped forward as Pinestar called their names. Sweet’s eyes were wide with fright.

“Let’s go!” Stormtail shouted, racing out of camp, his patrol following.

Pinestar turned to the others. “Sunfall, Blue, Adderfang, Thistle, Sparrowpelt, Snow, Thrushpelt, Robinwing and Leopardfoot! You’re all with me.”

Blue darted forward, trembling.

Pinestar’s green eyes glittered like emeralds. “Patchpelt, Poppydawn, Rose and Golden, you’ll guard the top of the ravine in case RiverClan tries to attack the camp. Everyone else will defend the camp itself.”

Pinestar raced out of the gorse barrier. Blue waded through the snow after him. Sunfall ran just ahead of her, and she stepped in his footprints, running faster in the level snow. She’d seen the WindClan battle and knew how vicious warriors could be. Panic threatened to overwhelm her as she climbed the ravine.

Her lungs ached by the time they made it into the forest. Sunningrocks rose into the pale sky, the great stones turned red by the sinking sun. Blue could just make out the crest of the rock. Lined up on its summit was a row of RiverClan warriors, silhouetted against the sun, heads held high and eyes narrowed. She searched the line for Storm and saw him standing beside his brother, Oakheart. The two didn’t look as friendly as they’d been at the Gathering, weapons drawn and faces scrunched with anger.

Hailstar stepped forward. “An ancient wrong has been made right!” he shouted. “These rocks belong to RiverClan!”

“Never!” Pinestar growled. “ThunderClan, attack!”

“Keep close to me!” Sunfall whispered as the rest of the Clan surged forward. “And don’t take on anyone bigger than you!”

Blue stared at the RiverClan warriors. They were all bigger than her! She felt her heart leap into her through as Sunfall climbed onto Sunningrocks. She followed.

Hailstar tackled Pinestar as he reached the crest of the rock. Sunfall sent a blonde man rolling across the slab with a shove, then leaped on him. A RiverClan woman raced at Blue. Thinking fast, Blue ducked down and dove between her legs, taking them out and sending the woman screaming down the rock.

She was up again in an instant, eyes blazing. Blue braced herself. As the warrior lunged, Blue darted forward, ducking beneath her fists and landing a hit in her stomach. The woman gasped as Blue pushed her back, unbalancing her. She spun around to see the woman tumbling and felt a surge of triumph.

The warrior got back on her feet and turned to attack agin. Blue prepared to lunge, aiming for her stomach, but the RiverClan warrior was ready this time. She got how, knocking Blue off her feet and sending her rolling off the rock. Gasping, Blue tried to grab onto the stone, but found herself tumbling into a pile of snow on the ground.

Blue climbed out of the cold snow, shivering. She paused to catch her breath, then began walking on the edge of the rock. The frozen river bubbled just a few lengths away, swirling and black under the ice. Steep rocks trapped her on the narrow riverbank. She could hear screams fro her Clanmates above.

Blue faced the rock, searching for handholds to climb up. Then, snow crunched behind her. She spun around and recognized Storm.

Relief washed over her. “Thank StarClan!”

His eyes were dark with fury. Didn’t he recognize her.

“We’re enemies,” he growled.

Blue froze.

He leaped at her, knocking her into he snow. She gasped, the breath leaving her body. Terrified, she struggled away as he stabbed at her with his spear. Pain shock through her and she twisted to punch at his twisted jaw.

Storm shouted in pain and kicked away.

Blue tumbled toward the river. Terror shot through her. If she fell through the ice, she’d surely drown. She grabbed at the snow, digging through it to grip the solid ground beneath, halting herself just before she reached the ice. She hauled herself up and shot back up the bank, slamming into Storm.

He yelped in surprise, staggering.

Blue swept out her leg, taking out his balance, then lunged and grabbed his shoulders. She tried to drag him forward, but he was too heavy. He thrashed, reached up to tear off her hands.

He spun around. “Don’t expect me to go easy on you!” he snapped.

Panicking, Blue put her hands up to block his attacks. He was quick, hitting hard and fast. She managed to land a punch to his nose, but he slacked the side of her head. Pain seared through her. She couldn’t beat him! He was stronger than her.

Suddenly, a shout came from behind her.

Snow!

Blue glanced over her shoulder to see her sister descending the rock. She joined Blue, matching Storm blow for blow. Slowly, he began to back away.

Blue kept up her rhythm as Snow ducked and took out Storm’s legs. Cursing, he fell back, but was up again in an instant, rushing at them. Snow punched at his stomach, slowing him long enough for Blue to get behind him and jump onto his back. Snow swept out again, knocking Storm’s legs from under him and sending him tumbling down the bank. Clinging on, Blue rolled with him. Shouting in agony, Storm struggled out of her grasp and raced across the ice.

As Blue climbed back up the bank, panting, Snow raced to greet her. “We did it!”

Blue wiped blood from her eyes, glancing up the rock. How was the rest of the Clan doing?

“Attack!” Stormtail’s shout rang over the stones.

The second patrol had arrived! Frightened screams rent the air. Blue gasped when Snow shoved her against the rock as people jumped down in front of them. RiverClan was streaming from the rock and racing across the frozen river. Blue glanced out from under Snow as the last RiverClan warriors paused at the bank. They used their blades to smash the ice.

As the ice shattered, they leaped onto the slid ice beyond and raced back to their territory, leaving a channel of black water too wide for ThunderClan to cross.

Snow climbed back up the rock. “Come on!” She disappeared over the top.

Grabbing the fissures, Blue followed. Every muscle ached as she dragger herself over the edge, but relief flooded her when she saw all her Clanmates standing. Some were injured, but at least none were dead.

She sat down next to Snow, gasping for breath.

“Did you see Hailstar’s face when Stormtail led his patrol over the edge?” Adderfang laughed.

Tawnyspots joined him. “I had Ottersplash in a headlock. She was begging me to let her go!”

Pinestar was checking on all the warriors, smiling with triumph and dishing out praise.

“Where did you two go?” Sparrowpelt asked the sisters. He had a cut above his eye.

“I fell over the side,” Blue admitted.

“We fought off Storm!” Snow said proudly.

“Storm?” Sunfall joined them, eyes shining with pride. “Well done! He’s one tough apprentice.”

“We make a good team,” Snow said to Blue, smiling. Blue leaned against her sister.

As the last rays of the sun splashed the rock, Pinestar walked over to join them. “Your mother would be proud of you.”

Blue glanced at the dark sky. Gray clouds covered the stars. She hoped Moonflower had seen the battle.

“No major injuries,” Thrushpelt told Pinestar.

“Then let’s get home,” Pinestar replied. He gestured for his Clan to follow him into the trees.

Blue followed Snow. They’d beaten an enemy warrior! Then a pang of sadness made her frown. Why did it have to be Storm? She liked the RiverClan apprentice, but now they were enemies. She didn’t understand why he’d been so hostile. Sure, it had been a battle, but couldn’t he have attacked a different member of ThunderClan?

“I wish we hadn’t had to fight Storm,” she sighed.

Snow glanced at her. “He was the one you were talking to at the Gathering.”

“Yeah.” Blue nodded. “I thought we were friends.”

“The truce only lasts as long as the full moon,” Snow reminded her. “He was only being nice because of it.”

“I hate that,” Blue growled. “I don’t get why we can’t be friends with the other Clans.”

Snow shrugged. “It’s our way.”

Patchpelt, Poppydawn, Rose and Golden were waiting at the top of the ravine.

“Any sign of invasion?” Pinestar asked.

“None.” Patchpelt was frowning. He’d been ready for a fight.

As they entered camp, Lion raced to meet them. “Wow!” He was staring at a cut Blue had on her cheek. “Does it hurt?”

“Only a little,” Blue lied. It stung.

“Did you win?” Poppydawn asked.

“RiverClan will stay off Sunningrocks for a long time,” Pinestar praised.

“Any serious wounds?” Goosefeather hurried out of the rock crag, Featherwhisker following.

“Nothing but cuts and bruises,” Sunfall reported.

Featherwhisker rushed back toward the healer’s hut as Goosefeather began assessing the damage. “Bring cobwebs!” Goosefeather called.

Exhausted, Blue sat on the tree stump. Lion followed. “I wish I could have gone!” he said. “I could have used the move you taught me.”

“It’s the only one you know!” Blue teased.

“Yeah, but I could have used my instincts, too!” Lion said.

Blue laughed. She turned to look for Snow, then frowned. Thistle was leaning against Snow.

Adderfang interrupted whatever they were doing. “You fought well.”

Thistle scowled. “I smell like RiverClan blood now.”

Adderfang narrowed his eyes. “I’m afraid that won’t end,” he said grimly. “We may have one today, but RiverClan will never stop trying to take Sunningrocks. They’ll be another battle before long.”

Blue stared at him in dismay. What was the point in winning one battle if they’d fight again tomorrow? Was the life of a warrior nothing up an endless cycle of fighting and vengeance?

Chapter Text

Green bugs softened the bushes. For the first time in months, the forest was glowing with the promise of life. Blue walked beneath the towering pines, their flat needles creating a carpet beneath her. She took a deep breath, taking in the scent of spring. Soon, the forest would be alive with the songs of birds and grunts of deer.

“Here!” Sweet stopped at a tree, looking into the branches. “I think I can see a nest.”

Sunfall and Sparrowpelt followed her gaze.

“Abandoned,” Sunfall sighed.

Suddenly, Blue noticed movement in her peripheral.

“Deer!” Blue dashed off stealthily, joy rising to her heart as she raced through the trees.

The doe was small, but it would surely feed the Clan. It raised its head from where it’d been grazing, then pranced off into the trees. Blue gave chase, leaping over a bramble thicket.

She was slowly gaining as the doe tried to swerve through the trees. Blue had pulled her sword, ready for the kill.

Suddenly, the deer swerved to the side. Blue was going too fast to change direction and slammed into a wooden fence. She yelped, stumbling and falling back. She looked around, but the deer had disappeared back into the forest.

This wasn’t ThunderClan's land.

Blue stood up and looked around. She was on a narrow strip of bare grass between the wooden fence of the nearby town and the forest. She’d only ever come near here while on border patrols, but never gone to the fence.

“Hey!” A voice came from behind her.

She spun around to see a young, fat man leaning over the fence.

“You’re from the Clans,” he said. His voice was friendly. “WindClan?”

“ThunderClan,” Blue said. How did a couthy know about the Clans? She began to back away. Sunfall wouldn’t be happy if he found her talking to a townsfolk.

“Don’t go!” the man called. “I want to know what it’s like.”

“Huh?” Blue blinked at him.

“Living in the forest.” The man smiled at her. “What’s it like hunting everyday? What do you hunt? I know WindClan hunts rabbits.”

“Mostly birds,” Blue explained. “And deer. Sometimes squirrels if we’re really desperate.”

“I saw you miss that deer,” the man commented. “Bad luck.”

Blue blushed. Had he seen her run straight into the fence?

“It must be hard work,” the man observed. “Do you live in houses?”

“We live in camps and sleep in warm huts that we build with sticks.” Why was she bothering answering these questions?

“Blue!”

Pinestar’s sharp shout made her jump.

She spun around to see him stalking toward her. “I-I…” Hot with embarrassment, she tried to think of a good explanation for being there. She decided the truth would be simplest. “I chased a deer over here,” she confessed. “I didn’t mean to cross the border.”

Pinestar glared at her. “Then why are you talking to a couthy?” He flashed a warning glance at the young man. Would Pinestar attack?

The man just stared back curiously.

“Come on!” Pinestar snapped.

Blue followed as Pinestar led the way back into the forest. Why was he so angry? It was an accident.

“He just started talking to me,” Blue said defensively.

Pinestar just shook his head, stepping over a small bramble.

“My name’s Jake!” the man called. “I’ll talk to you again sometime!”

Blue shivered. She didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

She jogged to walk beside Pinestar. “Are townsfolk dangerous?” she asked.

“Dangerous?” He turned on her. “Of course not!”

“Then why are you angry?” she wondered.

“Warriors do not talk to couthies,” Pinestar growled.

As they crossed back onto ThunderClan’s land, Blue saw Sunfall race out from the trees.

“There you are!” He hurried to meet them, looking relieved. Snow and Sparrowpelt followed. “We thought you’d gotten lost in town.”

Blue frowned. “I’d never go there! I just chased that deer too far.”

“Let’s head back to camp,” Sunfall said, taking the lead.

Blue noticed that Sparrowpelt and Snow each carried a tiny fledging. It was all they had as they walked back to camp.

Heads turned as the hunting party returned, eyes glowing with hope. Blue lowered her head, trying to avoid their gazes.

“You’ll have to go back out tomorrow morning,” Sunfall told her.

She blushed with shame. “I’m sorry for missing that deer.”

Sunfall didn’t say anything and she knew she’d disappointed him. She just hoped Pinestar wouldn’t tell him she’d been talking with a couthy. She glanced at the ThunderClan leader. He had walked to his hut, disappearing under the hanging lichen.

Speckletail stared at Snow and Sparrowpelt. “I’m glad there’s no kids to feed.” She glanced anxiously across the clearing to where Lion and Golden were practicing battle moves. “But our apprentices still need to eat.”

“I’m going out again tomorrow,” Blue said. Although Spring was growing brighter, it would still take a while before the Clan was well fed again. The only plump member of ThunderClan now was Leopardfoot, whose stomach swelled as the others grew thinner. Blue watched the young warrior were she sat beside the nettle patch. Was she secretly eating behind everyone’s back?

The camp wall shivered as Thistle walked in with Adderfang. The apprentice was smirking. Blue scowled. He was holding a fat pigeon. He carried it to the firepit and dropped it, standing tall.

“I’ll go out and hunt with you tomorrow.” Snow’s voice made Blue turn.

Blue blinked in surprise. They hardly ever hunted alone together. “You don’t have to,” she said. She wondered if Snow was just trying to make her feel better about the deer.

“I want to,” Snow replied. “We haven’t been out together in forever.”

Blue narrowed her eyes. It was strange of Snow not to run to Thistle as soon as the younger apprentice entered camp. “Are you fighting with Thistle?”

“No.” Snow blinked. “I can be friends with both of you!”

Blue wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t care as much, either. As long as Snow didn’t expect her to be friends with Thistle, that was just fine.

Chapter Text

The clattering of branches woke Blue. Cold dawn light filtered into the hut, the wind rustling the ferns outside. She fought back the urge to roll over and fall back asleep. She’d promised Sunfall to go hunting that morning. Shivering, she poked Snow, who laid in the thin bed beside her. "Do you still want to come hunting?” she whispered.

The other apprentices were still asleep, snoring gently.

Snow blinked open her eyes. “Of course.” She yawned and sat up to stretch.

Blue snuck out of the hut, careful not to wake the others. The wind outside immediately picked up her black hair, whipping it into her face. She wrapped her cloak around herself, folding up her hood. She hoped they’d be able to catch something.

The clearing was empty. Outside the gorse tunnel, Thrushpelt stood against the barrier. “You’re up early,” he called.

“Hunting,” Blue said as he passed.

“Good luck!” Thrushpelt called as they headed for the ravine.

As they climbed the rocky cliff, the wind tugged at their cloaks. At the top, it roared like a lion, shaking the trees.

“Which way?” Blue asked.

“What?” Snow called against the wind.

“Which way?” Blue called again, louder.

“Let’s try the ShadowClan border,” Snow suggested.

She bounded into the trees. Blue followed. The thick trunks creaked around them and the forest floor was cold. They slowed as the forest thickened.
Blue gazed into the branches in hopes of seeing a bird, while Snow scanned the old leaves for tracks.

“Look!” Snow called. “Rabbit prints!”

“Really?” Blue came over to see. Rabbits were rare to find in the forest. Yet, by some miracle, she recognized the sharp tracks of a rabbit.

Excitement pulsed through it. Rabbits were usually big. It would surely feed at least the elders! She turned, searching the scrubs.

A white tail bobbed beneath a bramble.

She crouched down and crept forward over the damp forest floor. The rabbit bobbed out from under the bush, heading along a small trail beneath the ferns. Blue and Snow followed, quickening their pace as the rabbit began to pick up speed. Had it caught their scent? Something must have spooked it, because it broke into a dash and raced into the forest.

Blue sped after it. She couldn’t lose this one.

It dived under the bush and through patches of bracken. Blue swerved and skidded, keeping up, always seeing the white tail just in view. She was nearly on it. The forest sloped upward as a bank reared ahead of them. She would have it by the time it reached the top!

Suddenly, the rabbit disappeared into the ground.

Blue skidded to a halt. The rabbit had dove into what looked like a cave, kicking away the woven leaves which had covered it. The entrance seemed like it had been dug out by human hands.

“Let’s follow it,” Blue said as Snow caught up.

“What is this thing?” Snow stared into the open cave. “It looks creepy.”

Neither of them had ever seen this on their territory before. It looked like it had been covered up for a long time. The cover was old and ripped up. If it was man made, no one had used it in a long time.

“We have to catch it,” Blue insisted. “The Clan needs to eat.”

She ducked into the cave.

Cold air pressed in all around her. She could hear the rabbit scrambling through the tunnel up ahead, the sound bouncing off the walls. Blind in the darkness, she put her hands on the wall and felt her way forward.

“We should go back,” Snow said. “What if we get lost?”

“It’s a straight line,” Blue said. “We’ll be fine.”

She walked on, relieved when the tunnel sloped upward. Daylight appeared up ahead, and she quickened her pace. Once in the open, the rabbit would be home free, and they couldn’t track it with such bad weather.

The end of the tunnel came into view, making Blue stopped. The daylight was filtering through small cracks in what appeared to be a wall of rocks. A furry head was outlined against it.

“Wolf!” Snow screamed in terror.

At the end of the tunnel, a dark wolf sat in the dim light. The rabbit was dangling in its jaws.

A fierce gust of wind whistled through the rocks and the boom of thunder sounded overhead. The wolf snarled and dropped the rabbit, looking at them hungrily. They must have wandered into its den.

“Run!” Snow screamed. Blue followed her sister through the tunnel, bursting out and into the trees.

“It’s following us!” Snow cried.

Blue could hear the wolf’s paws pounding after them. She didn’t dare look back. She could hear it slipping on the leaves, just a length behind. The forest was lit up as lighting flashed, quickly followed by the exploding thunder. Blue screamed, feeling a claw slice her cloak. She pushed on faster as the wolf’s jaws snapped at her back.

Ahead, Snow plunged down the ravine.

Blue followed, hoping the wolf wouldn’t follow them. It was too big too get down.

But just as she hit the bottom, a thump sounded on the rocks above.

She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the wolf jumping onto the last rock.

“Help!” Blue wailed. Snow crashed through the camp entrance, but Blue stopped, panic shooting through her.

What if it followed them through?

Lion and Golden would be playing in the clearing. They’d made easy prey for the wolf. Would the warriors be able to stop it before it took a life? She couldn’t risk it.

Blue skidded to a halt and turned on her heel.

The wolf lunged at her and she raised her sword to meet it. She didn’t care if she died or not. She couldn’t let it get into camp.

The sky flashed and a great crack sounded above. Blue raised her head.

A splintered branch fell between her and the wolf, crashing onto the forest floor. Yellow flames licked at its bark. The wolf yelped in surprise and whirled around. Panicked, it scrambled back up the ravine.

Heart pounding, Blue stared at the branch. The flames were tall, staring back at her and crackling in her face.

“Get back!” Sunfall’s voice sounded, then a hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away.

“Put it out!” Speckletail shouted. “It’ll catch on the gorse!’

People were streaming out of camp, their eyes wide with horror. The branch burned furiously and Blue suddenly felt a tingle on her cheek. She reached up to touch it, then gasped. It must have touched her hair when she was frozen.

The storm crashed overhead and rain pelted down, driving through the canopy, pounding the bushes and thundering on the forest floor. The branch crackled and hissed as the rain doused out the flames, leaving behind a fizzling, charred log.

“Wow!” Lion’s voice was excited as he watched.

“Get back inside!” Speckletail ordered.

“I wanted to see what was going on!” he said.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt? You’ve got a burn!”

Slowly, Blue became aware of Sunfall’s voice being aimed at her. She dragged her gaze from the branch and stared blankly at her mentor. Her heart slowed as she took a deep breath.

“Come on,” Sunfall said. “You need to see Goosefeather.”

“I’m right here.” The healer stood in the entrance to the camp, his eyes round. He was watching the smoke rising from the extinguished branch. “I’ll take her to my hut.” He sounded distracted. He turned and walked back into the clearing, leading Blue to the rock crag. “Wait here.”

Blue suddenly noticed her face was burning. She backed away when Goosefeather came back and tried to hold an ointment covered cloth to her face. “Will it hurt?” she asked.

“It’ll soothe the pain,” he promised.

She held still as he smeared the ointment over her cheek. He was staring at her, brow furrowed with concentration.

“Will it scar?” she asked.

Goosefeather shook his head. “It’ll heal within a week.”

Blue blinked. Then why did he look so worried?

Goosefeather leaned forward. At first, Blue thought he was trying to see her injury better, but then he leaned close enough to whisper in her ear.

“Like fire, you will blaze through the forest.”

“What?”

“That branch was a sign from StarClan,” Goosefeather said. “You are fire, Blue, and you will blaze through the forest. But beware! Even the most powerful of flames can be doused by water.”

“What are you talking about?”

“That’s why StarClan lit that branch.”

Blue scoffed. Many years ago, Goosefeather had sent the Clan to war over a pigeon’s feathers. It had gotten his own sister killed.

Snow had approached. “Are you okay?” she asked, examining Blue’s face.

“She’ll be fine,” Goosefeather said.

“You were so brave,” Snow said, smiling. “I was so scared when you didn’t follow me into camp. I thought the wolf got you! But when I came back out I saw you facing it! And then that branch fell and you didn’t even flinch!”

“Hush!” Goosefeather growled. “Weedwhisker is sleeping inside.” He gestured to the rock crag. “He’s recovering from a cold.”

Snow dropped her gaze. “Sorry.”

“Now go on,” Goosefeather ordered before disappearing into the hut. Blue wondered if his prophecy held any ground, or if it was just a joke. She turned and followed Snow to their hut.

Stormtail stood in the clearing, his eyes gleaming. “You faced a wolf!” He sounded pleased, but then he frowned. “But that was dangerous for an apprentice! You shouldn’t take risks like that.”

Blue’s eyes widened. Her father was showing her concern? Before she could say anything, Lion and Golden raced over to intercept her.

“I wish I’d been there,” Lion said. “I would have fought off that wolf.”

Snow giggled, but Blue was still thinking about Goosefeather’s prophecy. Could it be true? How could she be fire? Did that mean she’d destroy the forest? And how would water put her out?

“Adderfang and I are going out to make sure that wolf is gone,” Stormtail said. “All of you stay in camp.”

Blue nodded as Stormtail turned and walked away.

“Are you okay?” Snow asked.

Blue nodded.

“Are you sure?”

Blue scanned the camp, looking for a quiet corner where they could talk. Perhaps Snow could help her make sense of Goosefeather’s words.

“Over here.” She led Snow to the nursery and slipped behind it.

“What’s wrong?” Snow asked.

“I need to ask you something,” Blue said. “Do...do you think I’m special?”

Snow broke into laugher. “Of course! You’re my sister. You’re special to me.”

Blue shook her head. “Not like that.”

“Then what do you mean? Is something wrong with you?”

Blue frowned. “Goosefeather said the burning branch was a sign from StarClan.”

“A sign?” Snow’s eyes widened.

Blue nodded.

“Does he know what it means? Did you tell Pinestar?”

“He said I would blaze through the forest like fire.”

“That’s impossible!”

“But what if it’s true? Do you think StarClan knows I’ll do something important?”

Snow looked alarmed. “Goosefeather’s prophecies are always crazy. You know what it did to our mother. You don’t actually believe him, do you?”

“He also said that water would destroy me.”

Snow frowned. “He shouldn’t scare you like that! Just ignore him. His prophecies lead to nothing but trouble.”

Blue stared at her sister, wondering if Snow was right. “So you don’t believe it?”

Snow shook her head. “Goosefeather is an idiot. I wouldn’t trust him with a newborn baby.”

Blue silently wished her sister would believe it. This might be the biggest thing to ever happen to her.

But Snow had already moved on. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“Alright.”

“It’s about Thistle.”

Blue rolled her eyes.

Snow frowned. “I wish you’d put more effort into getting to know him?”

“Why should I? You know him well enough for both of us.”

“Don’t be shrewd.”

Blue turned away. “I don’t like that arrogant weasel and I never will. You can have fun with him all you like.”

“Blue!” Snow called, but Blue was already walking away. She wished they were back at Sunningrocks, fighting side by side. Couldn’t Snow at least try to understand how much the prophecy meant to her? Angrily, Blue marched across the clearing. She had wanted to talk about her destiny, not Thistle.

Chapter Text

“Blue, from this moment forward, you will be known as Blueflower. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Serve your Clan well.”

Blueflower fought to keep from shaking as Pinestar touched their foreheads together. The Clan cheered behind them.

“Snowfur! Blueflower! Snowfur! Blueflower!”

“We’re warriors!” Snowfur squeaked excitedly.

Happiness flamed through Blueflower. She looked around the Clan, proud to be one of them, warmed by the kindness in their eyes. Stormtail stood beside Dappletail, his face lifted to the sky, calling his daughters’ names.

Blueflower grinned at her father. Over the two months since the wolf attack, he’d started to warm up to his daughters again. She just wished Moonflower was standing beside him.

The Summer evening was warm, and the camp was filled with birdsong. Green leaves swirled in the breeze, newly grown on the branches of the forest.

“In the tradition of our ancestors, Snowfur and Blueflower will sit vigil until dawn and guard the camp while we sleep,” Pinestar announced.

Blueflower nodded. As the Clan began to melt away into their huts, she noticed with relief that the elders were looking plump again.

Leopardfoot had also moved to the nursery, expecting Pinestar’s child. It turned out she hadn’t been eating extra food during the winter. Whiteye had gone with her, expecting her husband, Sparrowpelt’s, child. The two were enjoying themselves relaxing in the nursery, excited to be mothers together. Leopardfoot would give birth first, farther along in her pregnancy.

The whole Clan was pleased to have new babies in just a few months.

As the night seeped in, the clearing emptied out until only Blueflower and Snowfur remained. They stood silently, Snowfur scanning the camp, eyes wide and alert. Blueflower looked up at the sky, wondering if Moonflower was watching.

By the time dawn turned the sky pale, she was struggling to keep her eyes open. Her body was stiff from sitting for so long. The lichen at the entrance to Pinestar’s hut twitched just before the ThunderClan leader emerged. He glanced at the pink sky.

“Get some sleep,” he said to Blueflower and Snowfur.

Relieved, Blueflower yawned.

“Where’s he going so early?” Snowfur murmured as Pinestar slipped out of camp.

“Probably hunting,” Blueflower replied. “It’s a warm day.”

Instinctively, she turned to the apprentice’s hut.

A hand grabbed her arm. “This way!” Snowfur teased. “We sleep here now.” She pointed to the warrior’s hut.

Blueflower followed Snowfur under the low entrance and into the hut. She let her eyes adjust to the gloom. The low roof made the hut seem small, although it was wider than the apprentice’s hut. Beds were laid in a spiral, starting in the middle and arching outward. Stormtail, Adderfang and Swiftbreeze slept toward the middle. Meanwhile, younger warriors such as Patchpelt and Thrushpelt slept near the edge.

“Do you see any open beds?” Blueflower whispered to Snowfur.

“Over here!” Patchpelt had raised an arm, gesturing for them.

Carefully, Blueflower stepped over the sleeping warriors.

“You can have Leopardfoot’s and Whiteye’s beds.” Patchpelt pointed to two empty beds beside his.

The beds were flat and damp, but Blueflower didn’t care. She was tired and cold and just wanted to sleep. She wondered if Snowfur was just as excited to be out of the apprentice’s hut as her. Perhaps now, her sister would spent less time around Thistle.

Happily, Blueflower laid down and drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

The other warriors were gone by the time Blueflower awoke. Snowfur was sleeping beside her, snoring gentle.

Blueflower poked her ribs. “Wake up!”

Snowfur sat up, blinking. “What?”

Bright sunshine filtered through the dark branches overhead.

“It must be noon,” Blueflower observed.

“Are we supposed to go do something?” Snowfur wondered.

Blueflower shrugged. “No one told us to do anything.”

Snowfur sat up, following Blueflower out of the hut. A blue sky was stretched over the camp and a warm breeze whistled through the bright green leaves in the trees above.

“About time!” Sunfall called sharply from across the clearing. He was frowning.

Dismayed, Blueflower glanced at Snowfur. “No one mentioned a patrol, right?”

Sunfall crossed his arms, tapping his foot on the ground impatiently. “I don’t mind that you missed the dawn patrol,” he said. “But the hunting patrol had to leave without you, which means they’re short on hands.”

“No one told us about it!” Blueflower argued.

“You’re warriors now,” Sunfall growled. “You shouldn’t need to be dragged out of your beds to serve your Clan.”

Blueflower stared at the ground, ashamed. “Sorry.”

“There’s something else you can do.”

Sunfall’s voice was soft. Blueflower raised her head hopefully. “What is it?”

“Featherwhisker needs an escort to town for catmint.”

Blueflower’s heart sank. Herb gathering?

Featherwhisker had emerged from the rock crag, eyes bright. “Are these my escorts?”

Snowfur frowned. “Yeah. We’ll keep you safe.”

The healer smiled. “Thanks.”

“Should we go now?” Blueflower asked.

Featherwhisker looked at the sky. “Yeah.” He headed for the camp entrance.

Once in the forest, Blueflower fell in beside him while Snowfur walked on his other side. She scanned the trees, ready for danger.

“Is it safe?” Featherwhisker asked teasingly.

“No danger here,” Snowfur reported.

“What a relief.”

Blueflower glared at him, knowing he was messing with them.

The forest was filled with fresh life as they headed for the border. It was hard to resist the calling birds, but they had a more important duty. Blueflower wouldn’t let anything distract her. As they passed the sandy hollow, she noticed flashes of movement among the underground. Sweet and Rose were practicing battle moves. She wondered what Featherwhisker’s childhood had been like, memorizing herbs instead of battle moves.

Moonflower had once told her Goosefeather had never wanted to be healer. He’d been chosen by StarClan, just like Hawkheart.

“It’s a shame you didn’t get to become a warrior,” she said to Featherwhisker.

Featherwhisker blinked. “Well, I didn’t want to be.”

“Really?” Snowfur stared at the healer.

“I want to help my Clan by healing them, not hurting others.”

“But what about hunting? Or going on border patrols? Those are great ways to serve the Clan without hurting anyone,” Blue said.

“I hunt,” Featherwhisker said. “Do you think I spend every moment of my life gathering herbs?”

As they passed through Tallpines, the houses of the town came into view. Snowfur and Featherwhisker walked along the border as Blueflower fell back. ‘Where’s the catmint?” she asked.

“It grows just outside an abandoned house near here,” Featherwhisker said.

Blueflower tensed. “Is it dangerous?”

“Not usually,” Featherwhisker said. “But I don’t know if the catmint has grown back over the winter. The snows were harsh this year.”

“What if it’s dead?” Snowfur asked.

“Then I’ll ask the other healers if they managed to find any,” Featherwhisker told them. “Our stocks are low after the winter, and we need to build them up again.”

Blueflower shuddered. Asking the other Clans for help sounded humiliating.

Suddenly, something dark moved by the fence.

Blueflower froze, recognizing Pinestar. What was he doing here? She walked him walk up to the fence. He seemed relaxed. He must have felt confident that he could beat any townsfolk who tried to challenge him.

He opened a gate in the fence, then stopped, looking into the yard. Was he trying to start a fight? Perhaps he was hoping to warn the townsfolk, showing them ThunderClan’s strength.

Snowfur and Featherwhisker had stopped by the fence. They hadn’t noticed Pinestar. Rocks lay at the bottom of the fence, a few boards were broken and jutting.

“That catmint’s on the other side.” Featherwhisker pushed one of the loose boards, ducking under it.

Snowfur’s eyes widened. “Won’t the townsfolk be upset if we trespass?”

“No one lives in this house,” Featherwhisker said. “We’ll be fine.”

“You guard out here,” Snowfur said. “I’ll go in.”

Blueflower nodded as Snowfur slipped under the board. She’d rather stay out by the forest anyway.

She scanned the small strip of grass, heart pounding. This was her first warrior mission. She was in charge of protecting Featherwhisker so he could gather a life saving herb for the Clan. They could be attacked at any moment. She looked around anxiously.

Pinestar had gone into the fence, the gate swinging shut with a bang behind him. Blueflower stood tall to look over the fence. He was meeting with an orange haired man.

Jake!

Would Pinestar attack him? It didn’t seem so. The two were talking quietly.

“Get back!” Snowfur’s angry shout made Blueflower jump. She ducked under the board and into the yard.

Snowfur was facing a woman with dirty blonde hair, her brown eyes wide.

Blueflower came to stand with her sister. “Go!” she growled. “We’ll gut you!”

“We’ll gut you and eat you!” Snowfur threatened.

With a scream of terror, the woman ran back around the abandoned house.

Blueflower laughed. “You threatened to eat her?”

Snowfur shrugged. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“Oh good, you’re both here.” Featherwhisker hadn’t even raised his head to watch the ordeal. He seemed unbothered. “I need you to help carry catmint.” He’d piled bundles of catmint into small pouches he’d brought.

The three picked up their goods and headed home.

Chapter Text

“This is perfect!” Goosefeather was delighted when they brought the catmint into the healer’s clearing.

Blueflower held her head high, proud of herself.

“You must be hungry,” Goosefeather said. “Go get something to eat.” He looked at Featherwhisker. “You go, too. And bring me something back. I was busy all morning.”

Blueflower glanced around the clearing. It was carpeted with bits of herbs and fallen leaves. She wondered what he’d been busy with.

Sunfall was sorting through the already cooked meat. He looked up. “Pinestar, are you hungry?”

Blueflower noticed the ThunderClan leader sitting by the nettle patch. He’d made it back to camp before them, unburdened by the precious catmint bundles.

Sunfall turned as Blueflower approached. “How did it go?”

“Fine,” Blueflower said.

Featherwhisker nodded with a smile. “We gathered plenty. Goosefeather is pleased.”

Pinestar raised his head sharply. “You were gathering catmint?”

“And lots of it,” Featherwhisker replied. “It should last us all Summer.”

Pinestar’s eyes flashed with alarm and he quickly turned away.

“I’m glad our newest warriors did well,” Sunfall said.

“They scared off a couthy,” Featherwhisker said.

Sunfall nodded. “Well done.” He sounded pleased. Blueflower held her head high. “Pinestar, did you want anything to eat?”

Pinestar shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Blueflower cocked her head. Had he already eaten? He’d left immediately that morning for town.

She picked her food and settled on the tree stump. As she began to eat, she stared at Pinestar. He was staring down at his lap, seeming lost in thought.

What had he been doing in town?

Chapter Text

A full moon lit the clearing, dappling the four Clans. For the first time all year, the great oaks of Fourtrees swished with leaves. Blueflower shivered. This was her first Gathering as a warrior. Even better, it was in the heart of the summer! Tempers would be down and the Clans would be friendly.

WindClan looked well fed and fit. RiverClan stank of fresh fish. ShadowClan’s eyes flashed in the dark, greeting the other Clans warmly.

Mumblefoot was speaking with Whiteberry, a WindClan elder. The healers huddled together and spoke quietly. Adderfang and Stormtail sat with Ottersplash and Raggedpelt, while Poppydawn sat near a circle of apprentices, laughing as they boasted.

“I climbed a tree yesterday,” a RiverClan apprentice said.

Rose blinked. “I didn’t know RiverClan climbed trees.”

“I thought you just swam,” Sweet said.

The RiverClan warrior glared at them. “We can do both.”

“Well, I bet you’re no good at hunting birds,” Thistle challenged.

“Why would I want to be?” The RiverClan apprentice wrinkled his nose.

RiverClan acted a though their attack on Sunningrocks hadn’t happened. Not even ThunderClan was mentioning their victory. Yet, when Blueflower noticed Storm heading toward him, she shuddered.

“You fought well,” he said.

She glared at him. “I fight even better now that I’m a warrior. My name is Blueflower.”

His eyes lit up. “I got my warrior name, too. Stormstrike.”

A shout sounded from the Great Rock. “Let the Gathering begin!”

Pinestar stood at the edge of the stone, moonlight making his auburn hair burn red. Hailstar, Heatherstar and Cedarstar stood behind him. Cedarstar came forward to start.

“Summer has brought us plenty of food and warmth, but also more townsfolk straying into our forest,” Cedarstar announced.

Blueflower looked at Pinestar.

Ottersplash was shaking her head. “They always bother us in the Summer, playing in the river and scaring away the fish.”

The Clans murmured in annoyance.

Pinestar stepped forward. “We intend to increase our patrols against any intruders.” He glared at Hailstar.

Blueflower frowned. Why was he bringing up Clan rivalries right now? Everyone had agreed on the townsfolk problem. She wasn’t the only one ruffled by Pinestar’s challenge. The members of RiverClan were murmuring to each other.

Raggedpelt was the first to protest. “No one in ShadowClan has crossed your border in months.”

“WindClan has stayed on our side of Fourtrees!” Hawkheart called.

Hailstar returned Pinestar’s glare. “Are you accusing RiverClan of trespassing?”

Pinestar shrugged. “I’m not accusing anyone of anything. I just thought you should know ThunderClan will be stepping up our patrols. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Blueflower glanced around nervous. She could feel anger crackling through the air.

Stormstrike stood up. “What’s this nonsense about borders?” he growled. “We were talking about townsfolk.”

Oakheart backed up his brother. “ThunderClan likes being friends with the townsfolk!”

Adderfang whipped around, eyes blazing with anger. “What did you say?”

Oakheart narrowed his eyes. “You know exactly what I said.”

“Enough!” Heatherstar shouted. Above her, wisps of clouds were hiding a few stars.

The Clans grew silent.

Finally, it was Heatherstar’s turn. “Reedfeather has retired to the elder’s hut. Talltail is our new deputy.”

“Talltail! Talltail!” The Clans cheered. A tall, dark haired man was pushing through the crowd to join the deputies under the Great Rock.

Hailstar stepped to the front of the Great Rock. “RiverClan has good news as well,” he said. “We have a new warrior. Stormstrike!”

“Stormstrike! Stormstrike!” The Clans called. Blueflower tensed. Would Pinestar’s challenge make the Clans shun her as they’d done to Lion and Golden?

“As does ThunderClan,” Pinestar grunted, sounding uninterested now. “Welcome, Snowfur and Blueflower!”

To Blueflower’s dismay, the Clans called halfheartedly for the new ThunderClan warriors.

As the Gathering broke up in a frosty silence, Snowfur came to join her.

“Why did Pinestar upset the Clans like that?” Blueflower asked.

“He was just warning them off.”

“But why accusing them instead of couthies?”

Snowfur shrugged. “The couthies aren’t here to see it.”

Blueflower frowned, not satisfied. There was no evidence of other Clans crossing the borders, especially not RiverClan. Not since the battle at Sunningrocks.

Chapter Text

The morning sun brought warmth back to the camp. Blueflower yawned, tired after the Gathering. Snowfur had already left on the dawn patrol with Adderfang and Thistle. The Summer sun shone into the clearing as Blueflower went to the Highrock to hear Sunfall name the patrols. She smiled happily when he announced she’d be hunting with Thrushpelt, Tawnyspots and Rose.

“Blueflower?” Leopardfoot had walked out from Pinestar’s hut. “Pinestar wants to speak with you.”

“About what?” Was she in trouble? Perhaps he’d noticed her when he’d gone to visit Jake.

Leopardfoot shrugged and headed back to the nursery, footsteps heavy. Blueflower walked nervously to Pinestar’s hut.

The Clan leader raised his head as she entered. “Blueflower,” he greeted.

Blueflower glanced at him nervously.

“I’ve overlooked part of your training,” he said. “You haven’t been to the Moonstone yet.”

Excitement pushed the worry from Blueflower’s mind. She’d completely forgotten about the Moonstone! All apprentices were supposed to visit it before becoming warriors.

“Sunfall and Sparrowpelt wanted to take you and your sister sooner, but feared WindClan would see such a large party as a threat. Now, I want to go and share dreams with StarClan. You might as well come, too.”

“Will Snowfur come, too?”

“WindClan may not trust three warriors crossing their land,” Pinestar said. “I’ll go again soon, and she can accompany me, then.”

They’d have to cross the moor to reach Highstones, but surely WindClan wouldn’t mind. It was against the warrior code to stop someone from going to the Moonstone.

Pinestar went on. “Go to Goosefeather for traveling herbs,” he murmured.

Blueflower shuddered, hoping they wouldn’t taste as bad as battle herbs. “I can bring you some.”

Pinestar shook his head. “I won’t need them.”

Blueflower nodded and pushed through the lichen.

Goosefeather was already waiting outside the rock crag. Blueflower tensed. He hadn’t said anything about the prophecy since the day the wolf attacked, two months ago. Would he mention it now?

He handed her a bundle of leaves. “Pinestar said he’s taking you to the Moonstone.”

Blueflower nodded, noticing his curious gaze. Before she could question him, he turned and squeezed into the rock crag. Had he told Pinestar about the prophecy?

“Come on!” Pinestar called from across the clearing. “We need to be there by midnight.”

Blueflower quickly threw the green leaves into her mouth, choking on the bitterness. Then she joined her leader.

They followed the route to Fourtrees, passing through the clearing. It looked strange in the daylight. The Great Rock was dull without the reflection of the moon.

The grass was coarse as they climbed the slope to WindClan’s land. “Remember, we’re not allowed to hunt,” Pinestar warned as the wind picked up.

Blueflower wasn’t hungry anyway. Goosefeather’s herbs had pushed away her appetite and filled her limbs with energy. She followed Pinestar through the heather until the ground flattened out into a wide plateau. Blueflower looked around, wondering where WindClan’s camp was. They must have passed it by now.

Suddenly, the ground dipped down and the whole length of WindClan’s land stretched away on either side. Pinestar stopped, looking out at the moorland. It rolled down into a wide, deep valley, where houses were clustered in knots. Far in the distance rose a cliff topped with tall, jagged peaks.

“Is that Highstones?” Blueflower asked, amazed. She’d never known the world was so big.

Pinestar nodded.

Soon, they came across a wide Thunderpath. Blueflower had never crossed one before. This Thunderpath seemed busier, dotted with the marks of hooves. Blueflower had heard that the carriages pulled by horses could kill a man, traveling too fast and too heavily for anyone to survive.

“Come on.” Pinestar started down the slope.

Blueflower noticed WindClan’s border markers begin to dwindle, replaced by lush grass that coated the slopes.

“Halt!”

A shout made them freeze. Blueflower stiffened as Pinestar turned to greet a WindClan patrol. Talltail was leading the patrol, followed by Dawnstripe, Woollytail and Redclaw.

Talltail narrowed his eyes. “I hope you’re going to Highstones and not just strolling through our land.”

Pinestar nodded. “We are going to Highstones. We’re not going to cause trouble.”

Redclaw was glaring at them harshly. “No sign of blood.”

“We haven’t hunted,” Pinestar said.

Redclaw snorted. “You never know with ThunderClan.”

Pinestar narrowed his eyes, but said nothing.

Talltail nodded. “Go,” he said.

Pinestar turned and padded down the slope. Blueflower followed him, feeling the eyes of the WindClan warriors boring into her. She relaxed once they were across the border, walking through the soft grass. From there, Pinestar kept to pathways, winding away from the town. Blueflower was exhausted by the time they reached the Thunderpath. She was glad the traveling herbs were keeping her hunger at bay. The sun was dropping behind Highstones, throwing long shadows across the valley Overhead, the moon hung in the pale sky, staring down at them.

The teetering sound of a horse drawn carriage sounded. By the time they reached it, another carriage was cruising by. Blueflower watched them as Pinestar waited for it to pass. The townsfolk sitting on the bench at the front glanced at them, then nodded in greeting.

Blueflower glared at him. She would not be friends with couthies.

“Stay beside me,” Pinestar ordered, guiding her forward. She followed him across the Thunderpath, noticing another horse coming down the track. Terrified, she ran past Pinestar to the other side.

“It’s okay,” Pinestar said. “As long as they’re not going at full speed, they won’t hurt us.”

Even still, Blueflower was glad to be on the far side of the Thunderpath.

They headed for Highstones. The wind was chilly, whipping her hair into her face. She glanced up. The sun was nothing but a glow over Highstones, the sky black overhead. She searched out the stars, wondering if Moonflower was watching her.

She was relieved when Pinestar stopped. “This is Mothermouth.”

Blueflower looked up Above them, the slope grew steep and rocky, a hole gaping in the hillside. The inside was completely black, like a yawning mouth against the mountain.

Pinestar looked at the moon. It was nearly overhead. “Let’s go.”

He vanished into the shadows.

Glancing at the starry sky, Blueflower followed. Darkness swallowed her up like deep water. Pinestar’s footsteps brushed the floor as it began to slope deep into the earth.

“Pinestar?” Freezing air filled her lungs. She could hear water dripping down the tunnel. Where had Pinestar gone? She couldn’t even sense him in the darkness.

“Calm down,” Pinestar said. “We’re nearly there.” She felt a hand poke her shoulder, then it ran down to grab her hand and pull her forward.

Suddenly, and with some relief, Blueflower noticed a light at the end.

She could make out the tall, smooth sides of the tunnel, dripping with water. The tunnel opened into a cavern, arching high above them. Vast, curving walls reached to the high ceiling. In the middle was a small hole that revealed the sky. Moonlight flooded through it, bathing a huge stone that stood in the center of the cave. The stone was taller than any man, sparkling like the night sky.

Blueflower stared at it. She’d never seen something so big or beautiful.

“Get comfortable,” Pinestar said. “I must share dream with StarClan.”

Blueflower sat against the far wall. She wondered if sunshine ever filled the cavern, wondering what it was like.

Pinestar approached the Moonstone. He sat in front of it and crossed his legs, extending a hand to touch it. He closed his eyes, body going stiff. Blueflower tensed as silence overtook the cavern.

The journey had left her exhausted and she felt sleep creeping up on her. She closed her eyes, letting the darkness engulf her.

Suddenly, she gasped for air, taking in nothing but water. Panic surged through her as the fierce current swept her off her feet, throwing her into endless darkness. Water dragged at her cloak. It filled her nose and ears, swirling into her lungs. She struggled against it, coughing and fighting. She searched for light to swim toward, but the world was black.

She woke with a gasp.

Pinestar was standing, outlined against the shimmering stone. He blinked at her. “Nightmare?”

She nodded and stood, using the wall to steady herself.

“Let’s get some fresh air,” Pinestar said, leading the way out of the cavern.

Blueflower followed, too shocked to speak. She followed Pinestar out of the tunnel, taking in a deep, grateful breath as they exited Mothermother.

“We can rest here until dawn.” Pinestar was already sitting on a smooth boulder just outside the tunnel. It was cold, but Blueflower was glad to be out of the cavern. Stars sparkled above them. She took comfort in the idea that her mother was watching her, protecting her. She stopped and shivered, her mind whirling. Was that how water destroyed her? She’d drown in a dark river?

Chapter Text

“What was it like?” Snowfur was throwing questions at her. “Was the Moonstone big? Did you and Pinestar share a dream? Did you see anyone from StarClan? What happened?”

Blueflower was sitting in her bed, still exhausted from the previous night. “The Moonstone was big and shiny. Pinestar dreamed against it.”

“Did he say about what?”

“No.”

“Is it far away? Did you pass through any towns? How big is Highstones? Sparrowpelt says they’re huge.”

“They’re higher than the moorland. And we avoided any houses. We had to walk all day.” Blueflower blinked away her drowsiness. “Thanks for changing my bed.”

“It wasn’t me.” Snowfur shrugged. “Thrushpelt did it. He said you’d be tired when you got back.”

“Did someone say my name?” At that moment, Thrushpelt poked his head into hut. He noticed Blueflower. “Oh good, you’re awake. Sunfall wanted you to come on a border patrol with me and Adderfang.”

Blueflower sighed and climbed stiffly out of her bed. She followed Thrushpelt out of the hut to where Adderfang and Thistle were waiting. Blueflower glared at the apprentice. Of course he had to come as well.

“Finally,” Adderfang said. “Let’s get going.” He lead the way out of camp and toward the border against the river. The sun was just over the horizon.

Soft summer sunshine dappled the forest floor. A bee buzzed around their heads as they stomped through the ferns.

“It’s a perfect day to be lying on Sunningrocks,” Thistle said wistfully.

Adderfang scoffed. “I can’t believe Pinestar hasn’t done anything to take them back.”

“He should have launched in attack when they first moved the border markers,” Thistle growled. “Now we have to watch those fish-eaters stroll around on our land!”

“We won’t need Sunningrocks until Winter,” Thrushpelt pointed out. “There’s enough game in the rest of the forest.”

“That’s not the point!” Adderfang snapped. “We look weak. ShadowClan will think they can take Snakerocks next.”

Blueflower rolled her eyes. “ShadowClan can have Snakerocks. That place has only ever caused trouble.”

Adderfang glared at her.

“Shedding blood over any cluster of rocks is pointless,” Thrushpelt argued. “RiverClan and ThunderClan have been fighting since the beginning of the Clans. We should just let them have Sunningrocks. We don’t need to waste our resources and warriors on something so futile.”

“We need Sunningrocks in the winter!” Thistle snapped. “We need all the hunting grounds we can get.”

Blueflower narrowed her eyes. “Then Pinestar will fight for it when we need it.”

Thistle glared at her. “Has he been confiding in you?” he sneered.

“He doesn’t need to,” Blueflower said. “It just makes sense.”

The markers at the edge of Sunningrocks were new, freshly carved from willow branches. A few RiverClan warriors were lounging on the warm rocks, making Blueflower clench her fists. She knew Pinestar was right to give in, but that didn’t make seeing RiverClan on ThunderClan land any less infuriating.

“Pinestar will take them back eventually,” Thrushpelt said.

“We should chase them off now,” Thistle growled. “Four against four.”

The RiverClan warriors had raised their heads, staring into the forest. Blueflower recognized Stormstrike and Oakheart. She wondered if she should consider them enemies or friends now. Did their friendship really only last as long as the Gatherings?

Oakheart slid off the rock and strolled against the grass to the border. He paused just behind the markers.

Blueflower stepped forward in a challenge. Oakheart’s eyes gleamed brightly. “Hello, there,” he said coolly. His brown eyes were warm.

“You’re lucky Pinestar ordered us not to attack,” she growled.

His shoulders shook as he laughed. “I know I am. And you’re lucky you’re pretty.” He turned and walked back to the rocks.

Blueflower felt her cheeks light up with embarrassment and shock. Was that a compliment or was it supposed to be mockery?

She scoffed angrily and turned back to her Clanmates. They’d checked the borders well enough for today.

Back in camp, Pinestar and Patchpelt were sitting beside the nettle patch. He raised his head when they entered. “All quiet?”

“Yes,” Adderfang replied.

Suddenly, Featherwhisker slid out of the nursery, his bright with worry.

“Leopardfoot has gone into labor!”

Swiftbreeze gasped. “So soon?” Her eyes glittered with worry.

Patchpelt stood up and hurried to Featherwhisker. “Will she be okay?”

Featherwhisker didn’t reply. “Pinestar!” he called. “Can you stay with her while I get supplies?”

Pinestar stood up, looking startled. “I-I think it’s best if Goosefeather handles it.” He sounded awkward and scared.

Swiftbreeze rolled her eyes. “I’ll watch her!” She squeezed into the nursery.

Larksong emerged from under the fallen tree, Stonepelt following her. “A new baby!” he rasped, eyes shining.

Featherwhisker hurried to the healer’s hut just as Goosefeather was wandering out. “Sorry, Goosefeather!” he called, disappearing inside.

Goosefeather simply walked over to the firepit to eat.

Snowfur slid out of the warrior’s hut. “Leopardfoot went into labor?” She noticed Goosefeather. “Shouldn’t you be helping?”

“I can’t do anything on an empty stomach,” Goosefeather said calmly.

Blueflower looked at Pinestar, expecting the leader to say something. But Pinestar just stared blankly at Goosefeather as the healer muttered, sifting through the meat picks. Blueflower was relieved to see Featherwhisker doing his job, racing into the nursery with a wrap of leaves.

“It’s been so long since we’ve had a newborn,” Larksong sighed.

Stonepelt picked up one of the meat slabs Goosefeather had discarded. “I’m hungry,” he said.

The others were returning from patrols and hunting parties. As news spread, they gathered in the clearing, glancing anxiously at the nursery.

“Shouldn’t you be with her?” Larksong called to Pinestar, who sat beside the nettle patch.

“I can’t do anything,” Pinestar said. “I’m not a healer.”

Goosefeather had wandered off again, back into the healer’s hut. Stormtail picked out a meal, taking it to where Tawnyspots and Dappletail sat at the edge of the clearing. “The Clan could use a new baby,” he said.

Dappletail flinched as an agonized wail sounded from the nursery. “Let’s hope it’s healthy.”

“Why isn’t Goosefeather helping?” Tawnyspots murmured. “This is his most important duty.”

Finally, Featherwhisker squeezed out of the nursery, tense with worry.

“Is she okay?” Blueflower called.

“I need a pot of water and raspberry leaves,” Featherwhisker said, dodging the question.

Blueflower’s stomach tightened. The healer looked strained, frightening her. She nodded, then raced off to the healer’s hut.

“I’ll get the water,” Snowfur called.

Inside the healer’s hut, Goosefeather was in the back storage, sorting through herbs.

“Leopardfoot needs raspberry leaves!” Blueflower said quickly, slipping into the shadows to join her uncle.

Goosefeather raised his head to look at her. “Okay,” he said calmly. He stood up and strolled slowly to the back of the hut, looking around for a moment before picking up a soft leave and examining it.

“Hurry!” Blueflower urged.

Finally, Goosefeather handed her the leaf.

Confused by his sloth, Blueflower raced out of the healer’s clearing and toward the nursery. Why was Goosefeather being so unhelpful? He was a healer!

Snowfur was already outside. “Go in,” she said. “Featherwhisker needs help.”

Blueflower ducked inside. There, Featherwhisker was knelt between Leopardfoot’s legs. The birthing mother’s eyes were wide with pain, her head cocked back and mouth open in a gasp.

Swiftbreeze helped her daughter sit up, handing her a small pot. “Drink,” she said urgently. Leopardfoot tried to take a sip, but coughed it back up.

“We’re nearly done,” Featherwhisker soothed. He mashed the leaves into a pulp, then held his mortar to Leopardfoot’s lips. “Drink this.” His voice was soft but firm. Leopardfoot obediently drank down the pulp, struggling to swallow as a scream of pain ripped from her lungs.

“You can do this,” Blueflower encouraged. “You were always so strong. You’re child will be just as fantastic of a warrior!”

Leopardfoot blinked dully as Blueflower headed back outside.

Stormtail, Sunfall, Adderfang and Tawnyspots were walking around the edge of the camp, murmuring to each other helplessly. Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker had joined Larksong and Stonepelt beside the Highrock, staring at the nursery. Whiteye sat beside Sparrowpelt, murmuring and looking down at her own swollen belly in fear. Thrushpelt and Dappletail were watching the other warriors pace, looking nervous.

Goosefeather finally emerged from his hut, but headed immediately for the tunnel out of camp.

Pinestar had gotten to his feet. “Let’s eat,” he said. “Starving ourselves won’t make this child come any quicker.”

Blueflower scowled at him. She’d expected him to be more worried. This was his child, after all.

Sunfall nodded and began serving out what they had left in the food storage. Thistle sat down to each beside Snowfur. Stormtail joined Dappletail and Thrushpelt, although Adderfang was still pacing restlessly, worried for his daughter.

Sweet was walking toward the tree stump. “Come each with us,” she called. Rose was already sitting on the tree stump.

Blueflower walked over to join the apprentices. She wasn’t hungry, but appreciated the comfort of a shared meal. As she began to each, she glanced at the nursery. She wished the birth would come sooner.

While the Clan sat together, the stars began to poke into the darkening sky. Sunfall yawned and stood up. “We should sleep.” He glanced at the nursery, then walked off toward the warrior’s hut. Nodding in agreement, the rest of the Clan joined him.

Thrushpelt walked past Blueflower. “Come on. You need sleep.”

“In a bit.” Blueflower didn’t think she’d be able to sleep. How could she, knowing Leopardfoot was suffering?

Thrushpelt just shrugged and walked away.

As Blueflower stood up to follow, sudden wailing arose from the nursery.

Swiftbreeze ducked out. “The baby is here! A boy!”

The warriors began to swarm out of the hut again, murmuring with joy and relief. Blueflower rushed to Swiftbreeze. “Is Leopardfoot okay?”

Swiftbreeze nodded. “She’s weak, but Featherwhisker says she’ll be fine. So will the baby!”

The Clan was gathering around Pinestar.

“Congratulations!” Adderfang said.

“You’ll be a great father,” Sunfall said with a smile.

“A baby boy!” Dappletail squeaked excitedly. “I’m sure he’s beautiful.”

"He'll make a great warrior," Sunfall said to Pinestar, who smiled awkwardly in reply.

Chapter Text

Sudden stabbing pains woke Blueflower in the middle of the night. She staggered to the waste place, wrapped in pain. By the time she was done, she saw a shadow moving at the edge of the camp. Rose was sneaking across the clearing.

“Rose!” Blueflower called to her.

Rose stopped, turning. Her face was twisted in pain. “Got to get to the waste place.”

“Stomachache?” Blueflower asked.

Rose nodded. “Sweet’s hurting, too.”

Blueflower wondered if the meal they’d shared had been rotten. She crept back to her bed and settled down. She couldn’t get back to sleep, the pain making her twist and turn all night.

“Stop!” Snowfur growled. “I can’t sleep with you writhing.”

“Sorry,” Blueflower groaned. “Stomachache.”

Snowfur sat up. “Do you want me to get Goosefeather?”

Blueflower shook her head. Although her stomach was cramped and sore, she didn’t want to see Goosefeather. She was still angry at him for not helping Leopardfoot.

Snow yawned and laid back down.

Blueflower tried not to fidget again. Eventually, the urge to empty herself was too much and she crept out of the hut again. Dawn was turning the horizon a milky white by now, pushing away the night sky. The air was clear and cold, refreshing but chilly.

Feeling weak, Blueflower returned back to the warrior’s hut, breathing hard. At the tunnel, she noticed Pinestar slipping out of camp. She stopped and stared after him. Why was he leaving the camp so early in the morning? Wouldn’t he want to stay and see his son?

She crept back to her bed and laid down.

Before long, the other warriors began to move around her. She lifted her head. Her stomach was still sore, but the worst of the pain had gone.

“Go back to sleep,” Snowfur whispered. “I told Sunfall you’re sick.”

Too tired to argue, Blueflower laid back down. “How’s Leopardfoot?”

“She’s fine,” Snowfur murmured.

Blueflower closed her eyes.

Chapter Text

It was hot in the hut. The summer sunshine was beating down on the dark leaves, baking the warriors’ beds. Blueflower emerged into the cool air, sighing in relief. The sun was high in the sky. The clearing was mostly empty. Weedwhisker was picking through the food storage. Poppydawn was sitting outside the apprentice’s hut. Blueflower still felt like she’d eaten a thorn bush, but her head was clear.

She glanced at the nursery, wondering how Leopardfoot was doing. As she watched, Featherwhisker emerged. His black hair was mussed and his eyes were dull.

Blueflower hurried across the clearing. “How are they?” Her voice was raspy.

Featherwhisker blinked in surprise. “Are you okay? You don’t look so good.”

“Stomachache.”

He sighed. “Sweet and Rose, too.” He stopped beside Poppydawn. “I can see them now.”

Poppydawn frowned. “It can wait if you’re busy.”

Featherwhisker shook his head and pushed into the apprentice’s hut. Poppydawn stared after him anxiously.

“I got a stomachache, too,” Blueflower said. “But I’m feeling better now.”

Poppydawn looked up at her.

“We shared a meal yesterday,” Blueflower explained. “It must have been bad.”

Poppydawn frowned, looking at the ground. “Rose will be fine. But Sweet…”

“She’ll be fine,” Blueflower reassured her.

“I’ve never seen someone get so sick.”

Featherwhisker reemerged from the apprentice’s hut. “Herbs would be pointless until they stop being sick. Just make sure they get plenty of water.”

Poppydawn nodded and stood up.

“How are you?” Featherwhisker asked Blueflower.

Blueflower shrugged. “Just tired.”

“Goosefeather should have herbs to soothe your stomach,” Featherwhisker said. He glanced at the nursery.

“Did she name the baby yet?” Blueflower asked.

“She’s called him Tiger.”

“Tiger?” That was a fierce name.

“He’s weak,” Featherwhisker said bleakly. “I think she’s hoping he’ll get stronger.”

“What about Leopardfoot?”

“She lost some blood, but there’s no sign of infection,” Featherwhisker reported. “She’ll be fine.”

He yawned.

“Have you slept at all?” Blueflower asked.

He shook his head.

“You should rest,” she suggested. “Everything’s quiet, and Poppydawn is watching Sweet and Rose.”

Featherwhisker nodded. “Just make sure you go see Goosefeather.” He walked over to the shade of the Highrock and sat down.

Blueflower headed for the rock crag. Why hadn’t Goosefeather been helping? Did he want this newborn to die? As she reached the clearing, she stopped. It was empty.

“Goosefeather!” she called.

A grumble sounded from the crack, then Goosefeather emerged. “What?”

“I have a stomachache. Sweet, Rose and I had a bad slab of meat last night.”

Goosefeather sighed. “Terrible omens, all through camp today.” He turned back into his hut, then came out a moment later with a handful of leaves. “So many warnings,” he murmured. “I should have seen it sooner.”

“What?” Blueflower said, taking the leaves. “Would StarClan have warned us against eating bad meat?” She noticed that he was ungroomed, his beard scraggly and hair springy. He looked thin, as though he hadn’t eaten.

He stared at her. “How can you ignore the signs? You have a prophecy hanging over your own head, and you can’t see the signs?”

“I’m just a warrior.” Was she supposed to have the insight of a healer? That didn’t seem fair. He was supposed to give her the answers, not taunt her with a destiny she couldn’t understand.

“You’re more than just a warrior!” he snapped. “Too many omens. Three people poisoned, one heading to StarClan. Leopardfoot could have died giving birth, and her baby just barely hanging onto life.” He stared at her. “Why such a difficult birth for the Clan leader’s wife? The boy may not make it to his first birthday. It’s my duty to help, but I can’t ignore the signs.”

Blueflower backed out of the hut, suddenly afraid. The signs of what? Was Leopardfoot’s son supposed to die? And who was heading to StarClan?

She dashed out of the healer’s hut and toward the apprentice’s hut. She pushed inside to see the two sisters in their own beds, sweaty and groaning in pain.

Rose raised her head. “Blueflower?”

Sweet wasn’t moving.

Blueflower sat beside Rose’s bed. “How are you?”

“Not good,” she croaked. “But not entirely bad. Featherwhisker said you were sick, too.”

Blueflower nodded. “I’m feeling better now.” She glanced at Sweet, who was groaning in pain. “You’ll get better.”

The hut shivered as Poppydawn pushed inside, holding a pot of water. She placed it beside Rose, who sipped gratefully, then offered it to Sweet, who didn’t move.

“Come on, Sweet,” Poppydawn said. “You need to drink.”

Sweet blinked her eyes open. She took one sip then gagged, unable to keep it down.

“I’ll get Featherwhisker,” Blueflower offered.

Poppydawn shook his head. “He’s sleeping.” She stroked Sweet’s hair. “I’ll watch them. You should get outside for some fresh air.”

Blueflower pushed out of the apprentice’s hut, relieved to feel clean air on her face once again. She pushed through the camp tunnel and into the forest.

The climb up the ravine left her breathless. She was thankful for the cool breeze wafting through the forest, and she wandered among the trees feeling glad to be away from camp. Birds called in the trees. Insect buzzed in the lush undergrowth. Blueflower reached up to snag a soft leave off a low banging branch.

A butterfly fluttered a few lengths ahead, buffeted by the easy breeze. Suddenly, the ferns trembled.

Pinestar stepped out from the undergrowth, looking around. He jumped in surprise when he noticed Blueflower.

“Oh, it’s just you,” he said.

Blueflower frowned. Why did he seem so spooked? “Is everything okay?”

Pinestar thought for a moment. “I...I’m just worried about the new baby.” Before she could question him further, he pushed past her and headed for the ravine.

Blueflower stared after him. On the back of his cloak, she noticed a few leaves were stuck. When she peered closer, she realized they were sprigs of catmint, as though he’d laid in a patch of them.

Her heart pounded in her chest. Was Pinestar still visiting the town?

Chapter Text

Blueflower approached Sunfall, who was sitting below the Highrock. “Can I go on the noon patrol?” she asked.

He blinked. “You’ve been volunteering for a lot of patrols lately. Did you forget how to hunt?”

Blueflower paused. She’d been hoping he wouldn’t notice how often she went out on patrols now. She’d been trying to check the border by town everyday for Pinestar without it seeming suspicious. She’d watched the ThunderClan leader closely, taking note of how often he seemed to leave camp and how seldom he visited his two month old son.

“I just like patrolling,” she told Sunfall. “But I can go hunting if you want.”

“Perhaps you might have a better time if you led a hunting patrol,” Sunfall suggested.

Blueflower’s eyes lit up. “Yes!”

The Clan was beginning to gather for the assignments of the day. Blueflower had never led a patrol. What was she supposed to do? Would she have to decide where to hunt?

“Fine weather,” Adderfang observed. Thistle followed, eager for any assignment the warriors would throw at him. Robinwing swallowed the last of her meal before joining them. Dappletail yawned, emerging from the warrior’s hut.

Smallear came over without Sweet. She was still sick, even though so much time had passed. She was too weak to even eat. Poppydawn had started sleeping in the apprentice’s hut, worried for her daughter. Smallear had started helping Tawnyspots with Rose’s training.

“Snowfur!” Sunfall called. “You’ll patrol the RiverClan border with Thrushpelt, Tawnyspots, Sparrowpelt and Windflight.” Sunfall always sent a strong patrol to check Sunningrocks. “Dappletail, you check the ShadowClan border with Golden and Speckletail. Blueflower, you’ll lead a hunting patrol. Take Adderfang, Thistle, Smallear and Robinwing.”

“What?” Thistle stared at Blueflower in disgust.

“You know what I said.” Sunfall walked away toward the apprentice’s hut to check on Poppydawn.

Thistle glared up at Blueflower. “Where are we hunting?”

“Snakerocks,” Blueflower said, blurting out the first place that came into her head.

Adderfang nodded, trying to be encouraging. “Risky, but worth it. No one has hunted there for a while.”

“Because it’s filled with adders and vipers,” Thistle sneered.

Blueflower shot a glare at him. “What, are you scared?” She wouldn’t let an apprentice intimidate her, even if he was growing bigger than her. She was a warrior, and she deserved respect. “Now let’s go.”

She led the way out camp, the patrol following her. She took them into the forest.

“Why are we taking the long route?” Thistle called as Blueflower headed for the gully.

Blueflower hesitated. Was her sense of direction off? This was the usual route she took to Snakerocks.

“This way’s easier,” Robinwing said. “It’s not as steep.”

Thistle scoffed as Blueflower pressed on.

“Why don’t we take the shortcut?” Thistle pushed ahead of her, stepping over a fallen log. He was heading toward a wall of thick brambles.

“We can go that way,” Blueflower said. “If you want to be skinned alive!” Why was he undermining her?

“Follow the warriors, Thistle,” Adderfang ordered.

Thistle sulked to the back of the patrol.

Ahead of them, a branch rustled. Blueflower halted and dropped into a crouch, gesturing for the patrol to follow. There was no harm in bagging a bird or two on the way. She crept closer, drawing her sword and eyeing the bush where a song thrush was pecking.

“I thought we were hunting at Snakerocks,” Thistle called.

The thrush fluttered into the air, calling an alarm.

Blueflower turned on the apprentice, eyes lit with rage. He’d done that on purpose!

“Thistle!” Smallear scolded. “Now all the animals in the forest will know we’re coming.”

Adderfang towered over his apprentice, eyes blazing with anger. “We’re hunting, you fool! We’re supposed to be quiet.”

Thistle cowered away from his mentor. As soon as Adderfang turned away, he shot a sly look at Blueflower.

“Come on,” Blueflower growled. “Let’s get to Snakerocks.”

By the time they arrived at the rocky outcrop, she’d already decided how to punish Thistle. “Wolves like to hide around here,” she said. “You guard and tell us if you see anything,” she told the apprentice. “We’ll hunt on the boulders.”

Smallear and Robinwing nodded in agreement. Adderfang was still glaring at his apprentice. Blueflower wondered if he was upset about taking orders from someone who’d only been a warrior for four months, but he’d have to deal with it. Sunfall had put her in charge.

“Why do I have to guard?” Thistle complained. “It’s boring.”

“You’ve already proved hunting and stealth isn’t in your strengths today,” Adderfang growled.

Thistle sat down with a huff.

Satisfied, Blueflower climbed onto the rocks, looking around for animals. Smallear trudged into the undergrowth while Adderfang and Robinwing climbed the boulders.

“Look out!” Thistle shouted.

Blueflower spun around.

“Oh, nevermind,” he reported, looking at the rocks. “Just a beetle.”

Scowling, Blueflower returned to hunting.

A shadow flickered in the crevice between two boulders, the tall ears of a rabbit poking out. Blueflower examined the crevice, but there were no signs of snakes. She shot her sword into the fissure and stabbed the rabbit, bringing it back out before throwing it on the ground beside Thistle.

“Guard it,” she ordered.

Thistle glared at her as she turned to climb the rocks.

“Snake!” Thistle’s alarm made Blueflower spun around. “Wait, nevermind. Just a bramble.”

Tense with anger, Blueflower turned back to the leafy bank that spilled over Snakerocks. She crept across the stone, seeing a white tail breath a bush.

She dropped into a crouch, drawing herself forward.

“Watch out!”

Blueflower tuned out Thistle’s cry. She wanted this second rabbit.

It bobbed deeper into the bush.

Blueflower followed, gently pushing back the leaves. The rabbit was drawing on the soft shoots that sprouted from the middle of the bush. Blueflower readied her sword.

She stabbed right through the rabbit’s heart, killing it before it even knew what was happening. Blueflower pulled it from under the bush. It was quiet large. She’d cook it up for Leopardfoot.

“Wolf!” Thistle shouted. There was fear in his voice.

Blueflower heard paws thundering on the forest floor. Still holding the rabbit, she scaled the nearest tree. Jaws snapped below her as the wolf jumped around the base of the tree, howling and snarling, its eyes wild. Blueflower climbed higher, sitting on a thick branch. Heart thudding, she scanned the trees. She could make out Robinwing in the next tree over.

“Thistle!” Adderfang called.

“Here!” Thistle called from the same tree as Robinwing.

“Smallear? Blueflower?” Adderfang shouted.

“I’m fine!” Smallear shouted from across the clearing, sounding breathless.

“Right here!” Blueflower called, balancing the rabbit beside her. The wolf was pacing at the base of her tree, not intent on giving up on both a fresh rabbit and a fresh girl.

A howl sounded from deeper in the forest. The wolf frozen, then growled with annoyance as its packmate called again. Finally, it trotted away.

Blueflower waited for its pawsteps to fade. Then, shaking, she dropping down from the tree. She landed on the rocks below and hurried to the center of Snakerocks were her Clanmates were gathering.

Robinwing’s eyes lit up at the sight of the rabbit. “Nice catch!”

Smallear jogged over from the roots of an ash tree, carrying a sparrow. Adderfang had caught a pigeon.

“Do you still have my other rabbit?” Blueflower asked Thistle. She was starting to calm down, her hands steady again.

“It’s safe,” Thistle retorted, dragging it from a crag in the rocks.

“Good,” Blueflower said. “I’d consider this a successful hunt.”

“So we can go home now?” Robinwing asked.

Blueflower nodded, taking her other rabbit from Thistle and heading back home. Thistle jogged to the head of the patrol, being the first one to reach the ravine. Yet, as they reached the top, he stopped.

“Do you hear that?” Thistle asked.

“What?” Blueflower asked.

Thistle turned. “I hear something.”

The rest of the patrol had stopped.

“The wolf!” Robinwing gasped. “It’s coming this way!”

“It must smell our game,” Smallear said.

Paws thudded over the forest floor.

“We can’t let it find the camp!” Adderfang said.

“We can leave one of the rabbits for the wolf,” Blueflower said quickly. “We’ll leave it at the top of the ravine. Maybe it’ll satisfy it.”

“Good idea.” Adderfang nodded. “Smallear, warn the Clan. We need warriors guarding the entrance.”

Smallear skidded down the ravine as Blueflower laid one of the rabbits on the ground.

“No!” Thistle growled. “We caught the rabbit. It belongs to ThunderClan!” He looked around, then ran into the forest.

“Thistle!” Adderfang chased after him.

Blueflower dropped the rabbits and followed. She was just in time to see the wolf chasing through the undergrowth, followed by another. Thistle was facing them, dagger drawn. As the first wolf lunged, he swiped the dagger across its muzzle, then aimed another slice at its eye. Blood sprayed the forest floor.

Yelping, the wolf sprang back. The second one took a turn. This time, Thistle ducked down, raking at its throat. The wolf howled with rage, but Thistle was ready, hang covered in blood. He slashed at the wolf’s muzzle, hitting and slicing until both wolves raced away.

“That’s right! You’d better run!” Thistle cried. The wolves howled as they fled into the forest.

Adderfang’s eyes were wide in shock.

Thistle stared triumphantly as the wolves disappeared. “I’ll never let you mangy mutts steal from my Clan!”

Blueflower stared in amazement. How brave! But also how foolish? She stepped back, speechless, as Thistle shouldered past her toward camp. Stormtail, Sunfall and Pinestar were standing at the bottom of the ravine, weapons drawn. They blinked in amazement as Thistle bounced down the cliff.

“The wolves are gone,” he announced casually, bushing past them and into the camp.

Blueflower retrieved her rabbits and followed. While Thistle accepted the praise of his Clanmates, she sat down to begin skinning the rabbits.

“He nearly took out its eye,” Adderfang boasted.

“How big was it?” Poppydawn eyes were round with pride.

“As big as a bear,” Thistle said.

Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker emerged from their hut. “He fought a wolf?” Mumblefoot gasped. “How brave!”

Pinestar climbed onto the Highrock. “ThunderClan! I think now is the best time to give Thistle his warrior name.”

The Clan cheered in approval.

Pinestar jumped down from the Highrock to meet Thistle in the center of the clearing.

“A warrior already,” Windflight murmured, proud of his son. “I knew that boy was something else!”

Poppydawn glanced over her shoulder at the apprentice’s hut. Sweet had drawn out of the hut, eyes shining as she watched her older brother. Blueflower frowned. Would Sweet survive long enough to receive her warrior name?

Pinestar lifted his head. “From this day forward, you will be known as Thistleclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and fighting skills. ThunderClan will always remember your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior. Serve your Clan well.”

Thistleclaw gazed proudly around as his Clanmates called his new name. Snowfur rushed to his side.

Blueflower couldn’t help but glare at the arrogant new warrior. He was brave, sure, but entitled and foolish. He was too proud to make a good warrior. He’d be great in a battle, but not in the everyday life of a Clan.

Sunfall joined her by the firepit. “Let’s feast!” he called, serving out meals to his Clanmates.

Pinestar stared around happily as his Clan began to eat. “I’ll never forget any of you,” he murmured, so low Blueflower wasn’t sure he’d meant for anyone to hear it.

Blueflower stood up and headed for her hut. Snowfur was walking with Thistleclaw toward the camp entrance, where Thistleclaw would take his traditional vigil. Blueflower sighed, disappointed. Now that Thistleclaw was a warrior, there was no escaping him.

Chapter Text

“Help! Help! Sweet won’t wake up!” Poppydawn’s terrified shout rang through the dark camp.

Blueflower shot out of her bed. She knew the moment she reached the clearing and saw Poppydawn’s tear filled eyes that Sweet was dead.

“She won’t wake up!” the woman wailed.

The Clan was hurrying from their huts, looking sleepy in the predawn light. Blueflower was the first to enter the apprentice’s hut. She knelt down beside Sweet, pressing an ear to her chest. Her body was completely still, and there was no thudding of a heartbeat.

“Sweet,” she whispered. “Sweet?”

There was no reply.

Featherwhisker entered next. Blueflower lifted her head. “She’s dead.”

To make sure, Featherwhisker knelt down and pressed two fingers just under Sweet’s jaw. He pulled away. “She’s with StarClan,” he murmured. “Can you go tell the others?”

Blueflower nodded and pushed out of the hut.

Poppydawn stared at her. “She’s dead, isn’t she?”

Rose stood at her mother’s side, eyes streaming with tears.

Thistleclaw joined them. “Can I see her?” he asked.

Poppydawn nodded. “Of course, dear. Say goodbye to your sister.”

Thistleclaw pushed into the apprentice’s hut. Rose looked up at her mother, sniffing. “Were you with her when...when she passed?”

“I was asleep.” Poppydawn’s voice cracked. “When I woke up, she wasn’t breathing.”

“Sweet?” A call came from the other side of the clearing. Blueflower turned to see Windflight finally emerging from the warrior’s hut. He raced to his family, embracing his wife and remaining daughter. “Oh, StarClan, no!”

A tiny squeal came from outside the nursery. Leopardfoot had emerged to see what was going on. She held a small bundle in her arms.

Sunfall walked over to greet them. “Well, hello, little warrior.”

The baby stared at him with dark brown eyes. He had a small tuft of brown hair and his skin was a dark golden brown, like his mother’s.

“What’s going on?” Leopardfoot asked.

“Sweet’s dead,” Sunfall said gravely.

“StarClan wanted her,” Goosefeather said, frowning darkly. “And they always get what they want.”

“Goosefeather means we couldn’t do anything to save her,” Featherwhisker said, glancing at the older healer with a worried look.

The Clan all murmured in sad agreement.

Goosefeather was staring off, his eyes unfocused. Murmuring to himself, he stalked off to his hut.

Dappletail joined Poppydawn and Windflight. “I’ll help you prepare her,” she murmured.

Poppydawn nodded. “I’ll find rosemary.”

Blueflower turned away. She couldn’t bear to see Sweet laid in flowers, just like Moonflower had been.

“Blueflower,” Sunfall called. “I’m taking out the dawn patrol. You can come with me and Lion.”

Rose tore away from her parents, wiping tears from her face. “C-can I come?”

“Sure,” Sunfall said gently. “Tawnyspots! Swiftbreeze! You, too.”

Blueflower’s legs felt heavy as she walked through the tunnel behind the Clan deputy and the rest of the patrol, but she was glad to get out of camp. Once they reached the top of the ravine and headed into the forest, Sunfall fell in beside her.

“Sweet’s death is sad,” he said softly. “But the Clan must keep moving forward. The borders must be guarded and the food storage restocked.”

Although a heavy weight was settling in Blueflower’s stomach, she knew what Sunfall was talking about. She couldn’t let herself fall into her grief. Moving on did not mean Sweet would be forgotten. Besides, her Clan was in pain, too. She wasn’t alone.

The patrol moved slowly, the only sound being Rose’s occasional sniffling. No one spoke as they neared the border with Sunningrocks. The sun had lifted over the horizon, and its pale light filtered through the trees. Birds were stirring, calling out songs. Blueflower wished they’d be quiet, but she also knew they didn’t care that Sweet had died.

“Wait!” Sunfall suddenly called, making them all freeze. “Look!”

Through the trees, a patrol of people were moving. Their cloaks glistened in the pale light, shiny and decorated with fish scales.

“RiverClan!” Swiftbreeze murmured. “It’s an invasion!”

Sunfall turned to Lion. “Get back to camp and tell Pinestar to send a battle patrol.”

Lion nodded and crashed away through the underground.

“Duck down!” Sunfall ordered the rest of the patrol, keeping his voice low. He stepped back behind a thick tree and the patrol followed, crouching into the tall grass. Anger surged through Blueflower. They shouldn’t need to hide on their own land.

The RiverClan patrol moved clumsily through the brambles, cursing and tearing their clothes from the thorns. They weren’t used to such dense undergrowth.
Blueflower peered around the tree. How many RiverClan warriors were there? Were they heading for camp? Suddenly, she noticed they were carrying thick, carved sticks, stabbing them into the ground.

“They’re trying to claim our land!” Blueflower gasped.

“They can’t even move through it,” Swiftbreeze observed. “Why are they trying to take part of the forest?”

The RiverClan patrol was struggling through the brambles.

“What’s their plan?” Rose asked.

Sunfall thought for a moment. “There aren’t enough of them to attack the camp. And even if they’re trying to, they’re going the wrong way. I’m guessing they’re waiting for a patrol to challenge.”

“But why would they want this strip of land?” Blueflower couldn’t understand why so many unprepared warriors were invading.

“Maybe it’s because we never took back Sunningrocks,” Tawnyspots growled. “They think they can just take whatever they want.”

Blueflower wanted to argue, but knew he was probably right. Sunningrocks had been so easy for them to claim, RiverClan had grown arrogant enough to try their luck.

Ferns rustled behind them and Thrushpelt emerged, crouching. “We’re ready to fight.”

Sunfall chuckled. “I think they’re having a harder time against the thorns than they ever will against us. We should drive them further into the forest and make them fight in the thick undergrowth.”

“But that’ll be difficult, even for us,” Swifbreeze said.

“Yeah, so imagine how rough it’ll be for them,” Sunfall said. “Thrushpelt, who’s with you?”

“Stormtail, Thistleclaw, Fuzzypelt, Snowfur, Windflight and Patchpelt,” Thrushpelt reported. “There’s another patrol at the top of the ravine, in case RiverClan gets through us. We didn’t know how many there were.”

Sunfall narrowed his eyes. “We’ll be fine.”

Thistleclaw shouldered his way to the front. “I’ll gut those cowards!” he growled.

“Calm down,” Sunfall said. “This will be an easy battle to win. No need for gore.” He turned to Stormtail. “You take a few warriors and head to that rise.” He pointed to the slope the RiverClan warriors were climbing. “Take Patchpelt and Swiftbreeze. You attack first. The first of us will attack from the sides. Windflight, you take Fuzzypelt, Thrushpelt and Thistleclaw to the right. Wait until Stormtail attacks, then follow. Blueflower, Snowfur, Rose, Tawnyspots and I will go left.”

“We shouldn’t let them escape,” Thistleclaw growled. “If we take out a warrior or two, they’ll know not to invade us again.”

Sunfall glared at him. “There’s no need to resort to killing. We are warriors, not monsters.”

He slid through the ferns. Blueflower followed with Snowfur on her heels. Sunfall led them around the RiverClan patrol.

“Why are we doing this again?” one of the warriors growled.

“More hunting grounds for us, and less for ThunderClan,” Shellheart said. He was RiverClan’s deputy. “Now stop complaining.”

Blueflower peered through the bushes. On the other side of the slope, Windflight’s patrol was hiding, ready to attack.

The RiverClan patrol looked strong and fit, but the thorns were quickly wearing them out. They walked up the rise, heads high and alert. They stopped when Shellheart raised a hand, looking around.

“I sense ThunderClan,” he warned.

Timberfur raised his head. “I do, too. Where-”

Stormtail launched himself at Shellheart with a battle cry. Swiftbreeze and Patchpelt hurtled after him. Timberfur raised his hands to meet their attack. Shellheart ducked, shocked when WIndflight’s patrol exploded from the tall grass.

“Now!” Sunfall shouted.

Blueflower surged after him and flung herself at the nearest RiverClan warrior. She recognized Rippleclaw, who easily threw her off. Blueflower rolled out of the way just a moment before his foot stomped down on her head. He tried to follow her, but his foot caught on a trailing tendril. He cursed as it held him back.

Blueflower threw him back into the thorns. She tried to duck as he fought back, but he was too fast. A heavy punch hit her nose, pain shooting through her. As she stumbled back and pressed the heel of her hand to her bloodied nose, a white blur flashed past her. Snowfur threw her arm back and batted at Rippleclaw.

Blueflower pushed herself back up to help her sister. They sent Rippleclaw staggering back, flailing as he tried to regain balance. They drove him into a bramble bush. He tripped over the branches, falling into the thorns with a shout of pain.

He ripped himself free of the brambles and raced away. Snowfur and Blueflower chased after him until he disappeared back to the river.

“We did it!” Snowfur huffed.

Blueflower turned. She didn’t see Stormstrike or Oakheart in the battle. She sighed in relief. Even if this was a battle, she didn’t want to fight Stormstrike, who she’d come to see as her friend. Although, she wouldn’t have minded knocking Oakheart down.

She jumped out of the way as Windflight chased a RiverClan warrior into the trees. Thrushpelt was wrestling with Ottersplash, holding her down. Stormtail aimed a blow at a RiverClan apprentice, sending him flying off.

“Come on!” Shellheart shouted at her Clanmates.

Blueflower lunged at him.

“Get off our land!” she shouted.

Hands gripped her and Shellheart threw her off. She shouted as she landed on the ground, ankle twisting. Sick with agony, she turned and ran.

Timberfur faced her.

Blueflower put her hands up defensively, blocking until Snowfur could drag him away. As he toppled over, Blueflower kicked with her good foot at his stomach. Gasping, Timberfur scrambled away.

A frightened cry ripped through the air.

Blueflower turned to see Rose cornered against an oak tree by two RiverClan warriors.

“Pick on someone your own size!” Blueflower shouted, flinging herself at the biggest man.

“Cowards!” Snowfur shouted. As Blueflower pushed the man to the ground, she saw her sister had an arm wrapped around the other warrior’s neck, dragging him away.

“Hit him!” Blueflower shouted at Rose, pulling the man’s arms behind him.

Rose lunged forward and punched at the man’s stomach. He writhed and twisted until Blueflower let him go, sending him into the underground. The man Snowfur was fighting finally broke from her grasp and turned. His eyes lit up in panic when he saw the three girls facing him, weapons drawn and eyes blazing.

“Go on!” Snowfur challenged. “Try to take on all of us.”

“If you’re an idiot,” Blueflower taunted. The man was outnumbered in an environment he wasn’t used to. They could beat him easily.

Blueflower shared a glance with Snowfur. It wouldn’t be fair to attack him when he’d already lost. Snowfur seemed to agree, as she stepped aside. After a moment of hesitation, the RiverClan warrior ran past them back to the river.

“Retreat!” Shellheart shouted, noticing that half of his warriors had already ran. The remaining RiverClan warriors fled as Shellheart turned on Sunfall. “Sunningrocks still belongs to us!”

“We can fight over those rocks all you want,” Sunfall snapped. “But the forest will always be ours.”

Exhilarated, Blueflower chased the retreating warriors to the border.

“We’re taking those rocks back!” Thistleclaw shouted as the RiverClan warriors dived into the river.

Sunfall lifted his head. He had a cut on his cheek. “You all did well.” He scanned the forest. “Any serious injuries?”

Suddenly, Blueflower’s ankle was burning. The adrenaline must have made her forget about the pain. She didn’t say anything, not wanting to draw attention to herself if there was a worse injury.

“Just a few bruises,” Thrushpelt reported.

“Those cowards won’t come back any time soon,” Thistleclaw crowed.

Stormtail was still watching the river. “I knew we should have taken back Sunningrocks. Now those fish freaks think they can take whatever they want.”

“Let’s get back to camp,” Sunfall said briskly, ignoring him.

Blueflower followed her sister through the trees. Ahead, she could hear Stomtail and Sunfall murmuring.

“We’ve lost their respect after giving up Sunningrocks,” Stormtail growled.

“Pinestar didn’t want to waste warriors on something so trivial,” Sunfall said evenly. “We’ll have Sunningrocks back by winter.”

“Sure, if Pinestar ever bothers to come home,” Stormtail murmured.

Sunfall blinked. “What do you mean?”

Thrushpelt jogged a few steps to catch up with them. “He wasn’t in camp when Lion came looking for him. Stormtail and I thought it best to send a patrol as soon as possible.”

Blueflower shuddered, unsettled. Pinestar wasn’t in camp? Did he even know his warriors had just fought a battle?

The battle patrol had arrived back at the ravine, streaming into camp.

“We drove them off,” Sunfall announced as he entered.

Adderfang came forward. “No problems here,” he reported. “We searched the rest of the forest for RiverClan. It's all clear.”

“Good,” Sunfall said.

Blueflower’s eyes were immediately drawn to Sweet’s small, stiff body in the center of the clearing. Poppydawn and Dappletail sat beside her, weaving flowers into her blonde hair. The exhilaration of the battle was instantly swallowed up by grief. Blueflower watched numbly as Rose walked over to sit beside her sister. Thistleclaw approached next.

“I want to help bury her,” he murmured.

Featherwhisker and Goosefeather emerged from the healer’s hut, both carrying bundles of herbs. While Featherwhisker checked on wounds, Goosefeather sat down to mash pulps. His eyes kept straying to the nursery.

“That’s a deep cut,” Featherwhisker said to Thistleclaw.

“It’s nothing.” Thistleclaw shrugged. “I don’t feel pain.”

“Sure you don’t.” Featherwhisker rolled his eyes. “Go to Goosefeather for tansy.”

With a huff, Thistleclaw walked over to the older healer.

Blueflower sat down to show Featherwhisker her ankle as he approached. He felt it for a moment, then nodded. “It’ll heal, but you’ll have to rest for a day or too. Get comfrey pulp from Goosefeather.”

“Thanks.” Blueflower stood up and limped over to the healer. Goosefeather raised his head as she came over, pushing a clay bowl filled with pulp toward her.

“Is that comfrey?” Blueflower asked.

“What else would it be?”

Blueflower sat down to smear the pulp over her ankle.

“Pinestar!” Sunfall called.

The ThunderClan leader was walking through the gorse tunnel.

Dappletail and Poppydawn turned away from Sweet’s body. Adderfang lifted his head and Stormtail narrowed his eyes. The whole Clan fell silent as Sunfall approached their leader.

“Where were you, Pinestar?” the ThunderClan deputy asked.

Blueflower stared at him. He seemed different, for some reason- smaller. She couldn’t figure out why.

“Did you win?” Pinestar asked.

Sunfall nodded. “RiverClan won’t cross onto our territory again soon.”

“Good.” Pinestar walked to the Highrock and climbed it. “Let all those old enough to hunt gather to hear my words!”

Suddenly, it hit Blueflower. His cloak was missing! Pinestar’s cloak was a reddish brown color, although it was missing from his back. All warriors and apprentices wore their cloaks. It kept them warm and protected them from the elements, while marking their status as the older members of the Clan.

Blueflower had never expected to see her Clan leader without one.

Pinestar gazed down at his Clan. He looked tired, his eyes dull.

“ThunderClan,” Pinestar began. “I can no longer be your leader. From now on, I wish to live in town.”

The Clan was completely silent, shock crackling through the camp.

“You want to be a couthy?” Stormtail gasped.

Sunfall stared at him in disbelief. “Why?”

“How could you?” Poppydawn cried.

Pinestar lowered his head. “It was an honor to serve you all these years. The rest of my life will be spent as a townsfolk, with no battles to fight and no worries about finding food or shelter.”

“You’re abandoning your people and your spirituality!” Adderfang shouted.

“I have given eight of my blessings to serve ThunderClan,” Pinestar said. “But I will not risk my ninth.”

“StarClan will never let you into their ranks!” Weedwhisker called.

“You can’t escape death,” Poppydawn said. “If a battle doesn’t claim you, old age will.”

“You’re a fool!” Adderfang shouted.

Pinestar sighed. “I am doing this for ThunderClan, I promise.”

“You’re doing it for you,” Stormtail growled.

Stonepelt stepped forward. “Let him leave,” he shouted. “We don’t want a coward as a warrior! How can we rely on a leader who no longer wants to lead?”

Blueflower looked at her old mentor, seeing his point. A Clan leader must be prepared to give their life for their Clan. A reluctant leader would be a liability. The Clan was murmuring to one another.

“Sunfall will lead you,” Pinestar said. “StarClan will understand my decision.” He jumped down from the Highrock.

“The other Clans will think you’re insane,” Sunfall said. “And as leader, I will never allow you to step foot in this forest. You’ll be banished from the Clan.” Betrayal shone in Sunfall’s eyes. He had once looked up to Pinestar.

Pinestar chucked. “Oh, I know. In fact, I think you should add a new addition to the warrior code: all warriors must turn away from the lifestyles of other peoples. But ThunderClan will be strong with you as leader, Sunfall.”

“I will do my best, Pinestar,” Sunfall said, his voice even.

Pinestar looked around the Clan, looking confident.

“We will miss you,” Larksong said, her eyes dark.

“Sunfall will be a good leader,” Whiteye said. The others murmured in reluctant agreement, still shocked by what was happening.

Stormtail and Adderfang stared after Pinestar in stony silence. Thistleclaw hands were clenched into fists.

Leopardfoot had emerged from the nursery. “But what about our son? Don’t you want to see him grow up?” She held up the small bundle in her arms. Tiger was getting bigger every day.

“You’ll be a great mother, Leopardfoot,” Pinestar said. “I wouldn’t be a good father. It’s better for him this way. Just know that I will always love both of you.”

Tiger gazed at him, brown eyes bright.

“Be strong, my son,” Pinestar murmured. “Serve your Clan well.”

He walked into the tunnel and disappeared.

As soon as he was gone, The Clan erupted into chatter.

“We have no leader!’ Speckletail cried.

“Sunfall is our leader,” Featherwhisker said, defending his brother.

“But he won’t receive StarClan’s blessings,” Sparrowpelt fretted. “Pinestar isn’t dead.”

Sunfall jumped onto the Highrock. “Please, calm down. I will travel to the Moonstone tonight.”

Goosefeather was staring at him in horror. “StarClan won’t allow it! How can they give you their blessings if Pinestar still holds his last?”

Adderfang was murmuring. “Perhaps it’s time Goosefeather retired.”

Weedwhisker shook his head. “He’s only on his fifty fifth year. He’s still got plenty of time to serve the Clan.”

“But he’s losing his mind,” Larksong said. “Featherwhisker is plenty capable of taking on the position by himself. I’ll talk to Goosefeather about it.”

Robinwing scoffed. “Featherwhisker has been doing all the healer’s duties on his own for years! Goosefeather should have retired a long time ago.”

“Hush!” Tawnyspots snapped. “Show some respect!”

Featherwhisker had turned away from the conversation, seeming uncomfortable. “I’ll go with you to the Moonstone, Sunfall.”

Blueflower had turned to look at Goosefeather. Her uncle was glaring around wildly, seeing something they couldn’t. Perhaps it was best to let the old man retired.

“Our ancestors will understand our problems and have mercy,” Featherwhisker went on.

Sunfall nodded to his younger brother. “ThunderClan needs a leader. StarClan will not abandon us.”

“I hope he’s right,” Blueflower murmured to Snowfur.

Chapter Text

“Thrushpelt!” Tawnyspots called. As Sunstar’s deputy, it was his job to organize the patrols. “Take Speckletail, Fuzzypelt, Whiteye and Blueflower to the RiverClan border. Stormtail, Robinwing and Thistleclaw will go to ShadowClan’s border.”

Stormtail nodded, leading his patrol out of camp.

Thrushpelt leaned toward Blueflower. “I hope Snowfur can manage without her husband for a few hours,” he said.

Blueflower moved away from him. Now that Snowfur and Thistleclaw were married, the whole Clan couldn’t stop talking about it. Why did her sister have to cling to Thistleclaw like a burr? Embarrassed and irritation, Blueflower headed out of camp.

“Sorry!” Thrushpelt jogged to catch up with her. “I thought it was funny.”

“Well, it wasn’t,” Blueflower snapped.

Thrushpelt led the patrol to the RiverClan border, his head low. Blueflower was starting to feel guilty for snapping at him. He’d only meant it as a joke. But he should know by now that she wasn’t a fan of teasing.

“No sign of trespassing,” Thrushpelt said. “We’ll remark the border then head back.”

“It’s so nice to have Sunningrocks back,” Speckletail said. “RiverClan knows not to mess with us anywhere.”

Sunstar had proved to be an effective leader, delivering on his promise that ThunderClan would have Sunningrocks back by the winter. ThunderClan had held onto Sunningrocks for the last five years, ever since Pinestar left.

“They’ve been quiet lately,” Thrushpelt said, looking across the river. “I wonder if something’s going on.”

Blueflower looked through the trees, seeing the smooth stones of Sunningrocks. They were bare. Blueflower searched the far bank. No warriors there, either. It was strange, seeing so little activity.

“Perhaps they’re mourning,” Blueflower said. “We always get quiet when we lose someone.”

Once they had remarked the border, they headed back to camp. Blueflower’s stomach was rumbling with hunger. The food storage was still well stocked. This winter had been warmer than most. The first snow hadn’t even come yet.

“Blueflower!” Snowfur called. She hurried across the clearing, eyes glittering with excitement.

Blueflower sighed. “What?”

“Come hunting with me,” Snowfur begged. “You can wait to eat.”

“But I don’t want to.” Blueflower frowned. She hadn’t eaten all day.

Snowfur rolled her eyes and grabbed Blueflower’s arm, pulling her out of camp. Blueflower sighed. At least if they hunted, she could keep their catches for herself.

The trees were bare with winter, the birdsong sparse. Yet, the sun shone down brightly, warming the forest. It was nice to have a good winter for once.

“Where should we hunt?” Blueflower asked.

Snowfur shrugged.

“But you’re the one who wanted to hunt.”

“That was a lie.”

Blueflower threw her hands up, exasperated. “Then why did you drag me all the out here?”

Snowfur had bent down to pluck a withering blue flower from the path. “I can’t wait for winter to end. Spring always brings new life.” She put a hand over her stomach.

Blueflower blinked, confused. What was her sister going on about? “Did you hit your head or something?”

Her sister raised her head. “I’m pregnant.”

The ground seemed to shift under Blueflower. “What?” she gasped. “But you’re so young!”

Snowfur frowned. “Aren't you happy for me?”

“O-of course,” Blueflower murmured. “You just surprised me.”

“Thistleclaw is overjoyed,” Snowfur said fondly. “He says the Clan needs new warriors. Lion and Golden are the only ones in the apprentice’s hut now.”

Blueflower wanted to rant about Thistleclaw, but held her tongue. She didn’t want to spoil her sister’s joy. But something inside her felt cold. Snowfur suddenly seemed far away. She’d move to the nursery soon, then fuss over a child with Thistleclaw for ten years. Was this the last time they’d ever hunt together?

“He’ll be a great father,” Snowfur said. “I know you don’t like him, but he is a good person.”

Blueflower didn’t believe that. Thistleclaw was a narcissistic brute. She felt sorry for this poor child. At least Snowfur would be there for it.

“I’m happy for you,” Blueflower said, trying to sound excited. ThunderClan did need new blood. The only kids in the nursery right now where Tiger and Whiteye’s four year old son Running. Besides, this child would be her niece or nephew. Blueflower looked at the sky, wondering what Moonflower thought about a grandchild. She knew her mother would be happy.

Blueflower smiled. If Moonflower was happy, she could be, too.

“Congratulations, Snowfur,” Blueflower said. “You’ll be a great mother.”

Chapter Text

“Get Featherwhisker!” Blueflower gasped. Although Goosefeather still hadn’t retired, everyone knew Featherwhisker was more capable of the healers.

On the other side of the nursery, Robinwing yawned. “Is the baby coming?”

“What else could it be?” Thistleclaw snapped. He’d stopped by the nursery to visit his wife when Snowfur had gone into labor. Blueflower was glad she’d already been in there.

Robinwing heaved herself up. “I’ll get him,” she offered. She squeezed out of the hut. Her stomach was bulging with a child that wouldn’t come for another three months. Leopardfoot and Whiteye were still asleep on their side of the nursery, their own children beside them.

Thistleclaw fidgeted nervously as Snowfur writhed in her bed. Blueflower put a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “You’ll be okay,” she promised. She tried not to think of when Tiger had been born, a few weeks too early. The young boy had been woken up by the commotion, standing up to see what happened.

Leopardfoot drew him back. “Leave them be, dear,” she said. She sat up, suddenly alert when she noticed Snowfur. “Tiger, why don’t you and Running go to the apprentice’s hut. See if Lion can watch you.”

“Okay,” Tiger chirped.

Running raised his head at the sound of his name, yawning. He yelped in surprise when Tiger grabbed him and dragged him out of the nursery, blinking wearily. He was much smaller than Tiger, despite only being a few months younger.

“Coming through!” Tiger shouted, ducking under Featherwhisker as the healer pushed in.

“That boy gets bossier every day,” Featherwhisker said, coming to kneel beside Snowfur. “The whole Clan spoils him.”

After Pinestar had left, it seemed like everyone in the Clan was rushing to make Tiger happy. They tried to distract him from his missing father, acting kind and letting him do practically whatever he wanted.

“This new baby will give them something else to fuss over,” Blueflower said.

“How are you doing?” Featherwhisker asked Snowfur.

“I’m thirsty,” Snowfur whimpered. “Can I have some water?”

“Good idea,” Featherwhisker said. “Thistleclaw, could you get some water.”

Thistleclaw blinked. “But-”

“I can take care of Snowfur,” Featherwhisker promised.

Snowfur gasped just as Thistleclaw exited the nursery.

Featherwhisker pressed a hand to Snowfur’s stomach. “Does it hurt?”

Snowfur nodded, straining.

“Breath slowly,” Featherwhisker said.

Blueflower turned away, unable to watch her sister in such pain. “Can’t you give her poppy seeds?”

Featherwhisker shook his head. “She must be completely awake so she can push the baby out.”

Snowfur took a deep breath. “How long with this be?”

“Get comfortable,” Featherwhisker said.

“Wait here.” Blueflower pushed out of the nursery.

Robinwing was outside, watching Running and Tiger. “How is she?”

“Featherwhisker isn’t worried.” Blueflower scanned the edge of the camp. The ferns had turned green again as summer set in. Blueflower quickly noticed a short, stumpy stick. It was tough, but not splintery. She picked it up and hurried back to the nursery.

“What’s that for?” Leopardfoot asked.

“I thought Snowfur could bite down on it when the pain comes.” Blueflower pushed the stick toward Snowfur.

Leopardfoot shuddered. “I wish we’d thought of that when I was giving birth.”

Snowfur took the stick. When the next spasm came, she placed it between her teeth and bit down hard.

The hut shivered as Thistleclaw reappeared, splashing water out of the pot he carried. “Is she alright?”

“She’s fine,” Featherwhisker reported. “But she’ll need more water. Gather it from the stream outside of camp. It’ll be fresher.”

Thistleclaw nodded before heading back out. Blueflower wondered if he was upset by seeing Snowfur in pain as well.

Blueflower slowly became aware of the sun rising, sending shafts of light into the nursery. Snowfur was starting to get tired, closing her eyes for long moments.

“How much longer?” Blueflower asked.

“Not long.” He had just given Snowfur some leaves to chew. Blueflower recognized them as raspberry. She hoped they worked this time.

Snowfur groaned as another spasm shook her.

“Here!” Blueflower pushed the stick toward her sister.

“No!” Snowfur screamed.

“Here it comes,” Featherwhisker said, ducking between Snowfur’s legs.

Snowfur trembled, screaming, as Featherwhisker brought a small bundle out from under her skirt. The baby had platinum blonde hair and honey brown skin, just like his mother.

Featherwhisker placed the baby in its mother’s arms.

Snowfur smiled down at the tiny bundle. “He’s beautiful,” she gasped, holding her son to her bosom.

He began to suckle at once.

“He’s strong,” Featherwhisker said.

Blueflower smiled, feeling relieved.

Tiger and Running had scrambled back into the hut. “Is it over?” Running asked.

“Where’s the new baby?” Tiger demanded.

“Right over there, dear,” Leopardfoot said.

Tiger cocked his head. “That little thing?”

Leopardfoot patted his head. “He’ll get bigger. You used to be small like that.”

Tiger scowled. “No way! I’m big!”

Thistleclaw appeared in the entrance again, arms filled with overflowing pots.

“Are you trying to drown the nursery?” Blueflower teased.

Thistleclaw’s eyes landed on his son. He dropped the pots. One of them shattered on the ground, the others spilling their contents.

“He’s beautiful!”

His eyes softened with affection. He knelt down beside Snowfur, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“Can we name him White?” Snowfur asked.

Thistleclaw nodded. “You did the hard work. I think you’ve earned the right to name him.”

He leaned forward to look at White. The baby was still sucking at his mother’s breast. Thistleclaw’s eyes watered with emotion. Blueflower had never seen such love in his eyes.

He straightened. “You need to eat.”

Featherwhisker shook his head. “She might not be able to keep it down. Gather what little water is left.” He nodded to the pots on the ground.

Blueflower sat back, relaxed, and watched White suckled. She’d never seen such a beautiful baby boy.

Chapter Text

“White is the brightest baby I’ve ever seen,” Snowfur said softly. “He was walking and talking by the time he was just a year old!”

“Does that mean we can go outside to play?” Tiger asked.

Snowfur’s eyes widened with terror. She pulled her toddler son into her lap.

“You dragged me outside the moment I took my first steps,” Blueflower reminded her.

White’s brown eyes were misty. His blonde hair seemed to stand up in spikes.

Snowfur sighed. “Okay, he can go out.” She looked at Tiger. “But only into the clearing.”

“I’ll watch them,” Blueflower offered.

Snowfur looked exhausted. She’d hardly drank from the pot of water Thistleclaw had brought her. Having a baby had been harder than she’d thought. “Thank you.”

Tiger was already pulling White to his feet. “Come on! This is our first steps in becoming warriors!” Although there were four other kids in the nursery, two even younger than White, Tiger had grown fond of the blonde boy. He was even smaller than Running had been, but was getting bigger and stronger every day. Blueflower and Snowfur gossiped that it was because he found White relatable. Running had a little sister now, Mouse, and Robinwing had two girls, two years apart. White was the only other child without siblings.

White blinked. “Okay.” He stood up and followed Tiger toward the entrance. His legs were still stubby and awkward.

“Keep a close eye on him,” Snowfur called as Blueflower followed the boys out of the hut.

“We’ll be fine,” Blueflower replied.

White looked even smaller outside the nursery. The clearing that stretched away might as well have been the valley to Highstones. Blueflower vaguely remembered what it was like to be that age. Everything had seemed so big.

Stonepelt walked past. “Is this Snowfur’s boy?” he asked.

Blueflower nodded.

Stonepelt smiled. “Make sure to show him the warrior’s hut and tell him to stay out.” Amusement lit his eyes.

“Of course, Stonepelt,” Blueflower said, amused.

“Wait up!” A sudden voice came from behind them. Blueflower noticed Tiger sigh as though in disappointment.

Behind them, a tiny girl had emerged from the nursery. She had long, platinum blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes. This was Robinwing’s eldest, Frost. She and White were good friends, although Blueflower had noticed Tiger didn’t care much for her.

“Mama said I could come!” Frost squeaked, falling in beside White. She was his exact height.

It seemed like so much had changed in the last few years. The warrior code had been extended, just as Pinestar had suggested. It was now Clan law to reject the lifestyles of other peoples.

Winter was coming soon, but ThunderClan was ready. The forest was still filled with life and the nursery was overflowing.

Blueflower followed the children toward the healer’s hut. She stayed close to them as they pushed through the rock crag.

“Get away from me, you monster!”

A sudden shout sounded as soon as the last of them was through. Blueflower pushed through to see the three kids cowering away. Goosefeather stood in the entrance to his hut, looking just as horrified.

Blueflower shot between them. “What’s going on?”

Goosefeather pointed a trembling finger toward Tiger. “Get that creature out of here!”

“I can come in if I like!” Tiger protested. He didn’t seem frightened. “This is the healer’s hut! What am I supposed to do if I get an injury? I’ll be an apprentice soon, you know.”

“Get out of here!” Goosefeather cried.

Blueflower frowned. Goosefeather’s hair was turning into dreadlocks. His cloak was wrinkled and his graying beard was growing longer and scraggly.

Blueflower pushed the children toward the entrance to the hut. “Go on, kids,” she said.

“What’s wrong?” Featherwhisker hurried into the clearing, holding a stinking cloth.

“Goosefeather’s having a fit,” Blueflower said. “He yelled at the kids.”

Featherwhisker approached his mentor carefully. “It’s okay,” he said gently, shooing Goosefeather back toward his hut. Goosefeather glared over the young man, waiting for the kids to leave before retreating. Featherwhisker turned to Blueflower. “Sorry. He’s been having nightmares. They must have woken him up.”

“Nightmares?” Goosefeather growled. “Only when I see that beast!”

“Leave him to me,” Featherwhisker said. “You get the kids back to the nursery.”

The kids had gone back into the clearing, staring at her in confusion.

“Did we do something wrong?” Frost squeaked.

“No,” Blueflower said. “Goosefeather’s just going senile.”

“I am not!” Goosefeather shouted from behind the rock. "Keep that...that monster out of my hut!"

Chapter Text

The sun was mellow now that the forest was turning orange. Fallen leaves littered the forest floor, crunching under Blueflower’s feet. Birds chattered int he branches and squirrels raced across the path, rushing to store the last of their nuts for winter

Blueflower wasn’t in the mood for hunting. They didn’t need it, anyway. The Clan was well fed and the borders were secure. It was nice to just go for a walk. She’d noticed Snowfur seemed down now that she was stuck in the nursery full time. She still had a few years before White would be old enough to be left on his own.

Blueflower wondered if she should take her sister out on one of these walks. It would be good to get her sister out of the camp. There were three other queens in the nursery and all of them were capable of watching White.

“Careful, Goldenflower!” Thrushpelt called from over a rise.

A branch shook overhead.

“Hi, Blueflower!” Goldenflower was peering through the leaves.

“What are you doing?” Blueflower called to the young warrior. Since becoming a warrior, Goldenflower had grown more outgoing and adventurous.

“Careful!” Thrushpelt warned again. He stood at the bottom of the tree. He turned when Blueflower approached. “She tried to follow a mockingbird to its nest, but I think she’s stuck.”

“I am not stuck!” Goldenflower called indignantly. To prove it, she began slowly dropping down the branches. Seeing that she was safe, Blueflower headed on.

She was thirsty, and she could hear the river bubbling nearby. The bushes were still lush with life. The river had risen, splashing over the stones and lapping at the shore, chattering like a bird. Blueflower stepped over a bush and onto the store.

A dark shape moved through the shallows.

Blueflower stopped as Oakheart walked out onto ThunderClan’s side of the river. He shook his head, wiping water from his eyes, then found a flat rock to lay on. The sun glistened on his wet body. His auburn hair clung to his face.

Blueflower tensed. What was he doing on ThunderClan territory? “Hey!” she called. “Get out of here!”

Oakheart lifted his head. “Hi, Blueflower!”

Blueflower stopped again, surprised. Why wasn’t he scared to see a ThunderClan warrior?

“This is ThunderClan land!” she snapped. “Get out of here!”

“Sorry.” Oakheart stood up. “It’s so much sunnier on this side of the river.”

“You arrogant jerk!” Without thinking, she aimed a slap at his face.

He ducked, making her miss.

Angry, Blueflower jutted out a leg, nailing a kick to his shin.

“Ow!” Oakheart hopped back, holding his hurt leg up. Countering, he shoved her back.

Blueflower skidded on the stones. She lost her balance and fell back into the river. As water pulled at her cloak, she flapped her arms. “Help! I’ll drown!”

Oakheart broke into laughter. “Try standing up,” he said calmly.

Blueflower suddenly noticed she was sitting flat in the water. It lapped just under her bosom.

She stood up, surprised to find it just barely reached her knees. Red with embarrassment, she trudged onto the bank.

Oakheart was still laughing. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to push you that hard.”

Blueflower was outraged. “Get off my land!”

He cocked his head. “Aren’t we having fun?”

Blueflower’s eyes widened. This guy was even worse than Thistleclaw! “Get out of here!” she growled.

Oakheart shrugged, then walked into the shallows and swam across the river. Blueflower watched him slip onto the bank on the other side, dripping wet. He looked back at her.

“I just wanted to say, I think you’re pretty!” he called.

Blueflower blushed deeply, turning away. Soaked and angry, she stopped up the bank and headed into the trees. By the time she reached the ravine, her anger was still sparking. How could Oakheart be so arrogant? And even worse, he’d complimented her! Did he think he owned the forest?

“You’re all wet!” Rosetail was climbing up the ravine. “Did something happen?”

Blueflower looked down. Her pantlegs were still damp. “I...uh...slipped on the bank and fell in.”

Rosetail giggled. “You should be more careful.”

“It was slippery!”

Rosetail cocked her head. “I’ve seen that look before.”

“What look?”

“Moony. Like how Snowfur looks at Thistleclaw.”

“What?”

“You have a crush!” Rosetail gasped. “Who is it?”

“No one!”

“Thrushpelt?”

Blueflower blinked in surprise. Thrushpelt? He was nice, but they were hardly even friends. “No!”

Rosetail tipped her head. “Too bad. He likes you.”

“He does?” Blueflower was shocked. She didn’t want to end up like Snowfur, stuck in the nursery with a bunch of noisy toddlers. She wanted to be leader one day. She couldn’t do that with a kid holding her back.

Rosetail rolled her eyes. “You haven’t noticed him watching you?”

“No!” Blueflower gasped.

Rosetail giggled. “You should pay more attention, then. The whole Clan knows!” She put a hand on her hip. “I’m going to find more water for the nursery mothers.”

Blueflower relaxed. “How’s White?”

“Playing with his mother. He won’t leave her alone. She’s ready to throw him in the river, but of course she wouldn’t. He’s such a sweet kid.”

Blueflower smiled. He certainly was. He never seemed to get in trouble and had a soft spot for the younger kids.

“I just hope Tiger isn’t a bad influence,” Rosetail fretted. “When I left, he was trying to get White to put burrs in Frost’s hair.”

“Didn’t Leopardfoot stop him?”

Rosetail rolled her eyes. “She’s convinced no son of hers could ever do something wrong.”

“I’ll go see them,” Blueflower offered.

“That would make Snowfur happy,” Rosetail said. “She could use a break.”

As Rosetail walked away, Blueflower walked around the edge of the ravine toward the back of camp. Without any apprentices, the warriors had been in charge of making bedding. Blueflower had left a few balls of left over stuffing here the other day. She grabbed one up, then headed back into camp. A ball would keep the kids from messing with each other.

Snowfur looked hot and cranky when Blueflower entered the hut. Frost was helping her baby sister, Brindle, walk from one wall to the next. She was the youngest kid in the nursery, almost an exact year younger than Whiteye’s baby girl, Mouse, who walked after her. Running watched the girls from his mother’s bed, looking bored.

White was sleeping in Snowfur’s bed, leaning against her. She couldn’t move without waking him.

Tiger was nagging his mother.

“I want to go outside.”

“You just came in.”

“But it’s warm out.”

“You need to rest.”

“I’m not tired.”

“You still need to take a break.”

“But I’m bored.”

“If you keep playing, you’ll be tired all day. And when you’re tired, you get grumpy.”

“I won’t get grumpy.”

“Yes you will.”

Snowfur took a deep breath.

“Here.” Blueflower dropped the ball, letting it bounce. “White can play when he wakes up.”

Snowfur groaned, trying to get in a more comfortable position without disturbing her son.

“What’s that?” Tiger jumped for the ball.

Before Blueflower could answer, he grabbed it and threw it at the wall as hard as he could. When it bounced back, he punched at it, laughing.

“Be quiet,” Snowfur pleaded.

Tiger paused, grabbing the ball. “I hate the nursery,” he complained. “I’m old enough to be an apprentice.”

“You’re only nine years old, dear,” Leopardfoot said. “Sunstar will make you an apprentice soon enough. Just be patient.”

White yawned, rubbing his eyes. “Who’s being made an apprentice?”

“You woke him up!” Snowfur cried.

“Good,” Tiger said. “Now he can play.” He threw the ball at White. It hit the younger boy in the chest, who caught it with a yelp.

“Let’s go for a walk,” Blueflower suggested.

Snowfur blinked.

“White can play with Tiger,” Blueflower said. She looked down at his nephew. “Is it okay if I take your mama for a walk?”

White shrugged. “It’s okay.” He had already stood up to start playing with the ball.

“I’ll watch him,” Whiteye offered. “With Robinwing’s help.”

Robinwing rolled her eyes good heartedly.

Snowfur’s eyes brightened. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”

“It’ll be fun,” Blueflower promised.

“Are you sure he’ll be okay?” Snowfur fretted.

“We can handle him,” Robinwing said. “Now, get out of here.”

Reluctantly, Snowfur climbed to her feet.

“But what if he’s hungry?” she said, following Blueflower out of the nursery.

“We’ll feed him,” Whiteye allied.

“What if he gets anxious without me?”

“For StarClan’s sake, he’ll be fine,” Leopardfoot scoffed.

Blueflower pushed her sister toward the tunnel. “I think he can manage by himself.”

She shooed Snowfur up the ravine, sighing when her sister stopped at the top to peer wistfully into camp.

“Look,” Blueflower huffed. “It’s a sunny day. White will be fine. You'll be back in an hour or two."

She led her sister through the trees, following the same route she’d taken that morning. The river would be quiet now that she’d chased Oakheart away. The sound of the water would be soothing. And since it was sunning, they could lay on Sunningrocks.

Snowfur already looked happier, holding her head high. “The air is so fresh,” she chirped. Suddenly, she stopped. “Hang on.”

Blueflower paused. “What now?”

Snowfur had stopped to kneel beside a blackberry bush. She tugged a few from the branches, then turned and launched one at her sister.

Blueflower gasped as the berry exploded on her cheek, sticky. “Hey!” She grabbed at the berries, launching her own attack.

“Berry war!” Snowfur giggled, reloading and chucking more berries at her sister.

They didn’t stop until they’d nearly picked the bush clean, both smeared with purple. Snowfur was laughing and Blueflower felt joy rising into her heart. It’d been so long since they’d spent time like this together, just the two of them.

“We can wash off by the river,” Blueflower said. She wanted to make sure Oakheart hadn’t returned.

“I’m thirsty, anyway,” Snowfur said. “It’ll be nice to get fresh water.”

Blueflower headed for the riverbank.

“Slow down,” Snowfur puffed. “I’m out of shape.”

Blueflower slowed to let her sister caught her. They walked down to the river. While Blueflower looked up and down the bank, Snowfur knelt to cup the rushing water in her hands.

She raised her head. “Do you think they’ll try to take Sunningrocks again?”

Blueflower shrugged. “Probably.”

“They’re so greedy.” Snowfur stood up. “Sunstar’s been tense lately. Everything’s been so calm, I think he’s anticipating something to go wrong.”

“I hope we don’t have to fight any time soon,” Blueflower blinked.

Snowfur raised an eyebrow. “You’re not one to back down from a battle.”

“I just don’t see the point,” Blueflower said. “We fight, we win them back, we fight again, we lose. It’s a never ending cycle. People have died over those rocks, and for what? So the next generation can do it all over again?”

Snowfur was staring at her. “What?”

Blueflower sighed. “I chased a RiverClan warrior off our territory this morning.”

Snowfur’s blue eyes widened. “Were they trying to invade? Did you tell Sunstar?”

Blueflower shook her head. “He was just laying in the sun.”

“Who was it?”

Blueflower lowered her gaze. “Stormstrike’s brother.”

“Oakheart? Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“I had the situation handled. Besides, he wasn’t doing any harm.”

“He was on our land,” Snowfur growled. “How arrogant!”

“Not as arrogant as Thistleclaw,” Blueflower countered.

Snowfur was silent for a moment, then gasped. “You like him!”

“I do not!”

“Yes, you do!” Snowfur’s eyes were wide. “If it was any other RiverClan warrior, you would have reported it. You’re responsible like that.”

“It wasn’t worth reporting. He was hardly over here for five minutes.”

“You can’t like people from other Clans!” Snowfur growled. “It’s against the warrior code. And especially not Oakheart! He’s such a jerk. Can’t you just settle for Thrushpelt? He’s been eyeing you for months. Why don’t you like him?”

“Just because he likes me, doesn’t mean I have to like him,” Blueflower scoffed. “Besides, I don’t want to get married. Or have a family. I don’t want to end up like you, stuck in the nursery with a bunch of annoying kids.”

Snowfur’s eyes lit up with rage. Blueflower winced, wishing she’d chosen her words more carefully.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that!” Blueflower called as Snowfur stomped up the bank and into the forest.

Blueflower hurried after her sister, following the swishing undergrowth. As the oaks turned into pine, she stepped into a clearing.

“Snowfur?”

Her sister was crouching behind a pine tree, eyes wide as she peered out. “Get down! There’s ShadowClan warriors!”

Blueflower ducked behind her. She could see undergrowth moving ahead, along with the sappy auras, unlike any of her Clanmates.

“There’s only three,” Snowfur murmured. “We can take them.” She crept forward to the next tree, then ducked behind a bush. Blueflower slid in beside her. She could hear voices ahead.

“Why did you chase it across the Thunderpath?”

“I didn’t mean to!”

“It’s gone now.”

Blueflower peered through the leaves to see three young warriors in a clearing.

“We should go back,” a man with black hair said. Blueflower recognized him as Blackfoot.

“No!” a young woman named Tangleburr insisted. “I’m getting that deer.”

Blackfoot shook his head. “ThunderClan has been jumpy lately. We should go.”

“I’m not worried about ThunderClan.” The last warrior was the biggest, with dark brown hair and paler skin. One of his feet was strangely shaped, split down the middle. “They’ll be busy watching the river.”

“You heard Sunstar at the last Gathering,” Blackfoot cautioned. “He warned us not to cross the border.”

Splitfoot sighed. “Fine. Let’s go.”

Tangleburr turned. “No! I can see the deer!”

Hooves kicked the ground nearby. The ShadowClan warriors dropped into stealthy crouches.

“This way!” Tangleburr stalked away.

“They can’t hunt on our land!” Snowfur growled. She jumped out from the bush, in front of the ShadowClan warriors. “Stop!”

The ShadowClan warriors flinched back.

Blueflower followed her. “This is our land!”

Tangleburr blinked. “Just two warriors? I think we can handle this.”

Splitfoot smirked. “I think we should catch that deer first. Then we can deal with these two shrews.”

“I don’t think so!” Snowfur launched herself at the young man, knocking him sideways.

Tangleburr’s eyes widened. Blueflower was startled by her sister’s ferocity. Perhaps she’d been stuck in camp too long.

Blueflower couldn’t let her do this alone. She punched at Blackfoot, nailing him in the nose. He cried out and raced away.

Splitfoot had scrambled to his feet. “Cowards! We can’t retreat!”

“Speak for yourself!” Tangleburr called, turning on her heel.

Splitfoot glanced back at the ThunderClan warriors, then raced after his Clanmtes. Snowfur followed with Blueflower on her heels.

The forest brightened ahead where the trees opened onto the Thunderpath. The ShadowClan warriors rushed into the sunshine. Snowfur followed, gaining on Splitfoot, who glanced over his shoulder.

Blackfoot and Tangleburr had already made it back into the pines. Splitfoot, however, had turned to face Snowfur, his mace drawn.

“I won’t let you escape!” Snowfur cried, racing onto the Thunderpath after him.

Splitfoot raised his mace high. Just as Snowfur reached him, arm drawn back to deliver a blow, he swung.

Blueflower froze as a disgusting crack filled the air. Snowfur was thrown to the side, blood spraying from where the mace had hit her in the ribs. Splitfoot watched as her body hit the dirt road, then turned and raced into the trees.

“Snowfur!” Blueflower raced to her sister. The mace had left a dent in her body, definitely breaking her ribs. Blood pulled around her. “Come on.” Blueflower shook her arm. “We need to get you to Featherwhisker.”

A thin trail of blood rolled from Snowfur’s mouth.

“Let me help you,” Blueflower offered. She pulled Snowfur onto her shoulder, carrying her toward the forest. “Can you walk?”

Snowfur’s head lolled, her feet dragging on the ground.

Blueflower wished she’d never mentioned Oakheart. Then Snowfur wouldn’t have run off and gotten hurt.

“Blueflower?” Adderfang’s voice sounded form ahead.

Blueflower knelt down to let herself rest as Adderfang appeared. Dappletail, Windflight and Thrushpelt followed. They were here to help. They’d get Snowfur back to camp.

“We fought a group of ShadowClan warriors,” Blueflower explained. “They were hunting in the forest so we chased them off. One of them got Snowfur pretty bad.”

“Thrushpelt, go check the border,” Adderfang ordered.

Once Thrushpelt was gone, Adderfang took Snowfur, holding her in his arms and carrying her away.

“Careful!” Blueflower cautioned. “She’s hurt pretty bad.”

Dappletail put a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s get back to camp.” Her voice was soft.

Blueflower felt numb as she walked along the back.

Snowfur was hurt.

“Just keep walking,” Dappletail whispered.

Snowfur was hurt.

“White will be so scared,” Blueflower mumbled.

At the top of the ravine, Adderfang turned to Blueflower. He stared at her steadily.

Snowfur was hurt.

“Blueflower?” He said gently.

“Yes?”

“You must tell White.”

“Tell him what?”

Snowfur was hurt.

Adderfang looked down at the young woman in his arms. She seemed so small next to him. Her blood was soaking his shirt. “I need to tell Sunstar what happened. Dappletail, you find Thistleclaw and Stormtail.”

Why were they needed? Snowfur would be back on her feet by tomorrow, right?

Dappletail stared at Snowfur. “Thistleclaw should tell White.”

Windflight shook his head. “He’ll be too harsh. Blueflower should do it.”

Snowfur was hurt.

Blueflower stumbled after them to the bottom of the ravine. She walked into the clearing with her Clanmates. She started to follow them toward Sunstar’s hut, but Windflight put an arm out to stop her.

“Go tell White,” he said softly, nodding toward the nursery.

Blueflower blinked at the small hut. Tell him what? There was no sense in scaring the poor boy about his mother’s injury.

Suddenly, Blueflower fell to her knees, feeling as though all the weight in the world had settled onto her shoulders.

Snowfur was dead.

Chapter Text

Blueflower pulled at the small tendrils of meat, letting them fall to the ground. She had no appetite. Even the smell of freshly cooked meat made her feel sick. She sat at the edge of the clearing, watching her Clanmates. They were talking about that night’s Gathering, murmuring cheerfully as though Snowfur hadn’t died two weeks ago. Even White was getting used to sharing a bed with Robinwing and her daughters. Now, he was playing with Tiger outside the nursery.

Tawnyspots stood up from the knot of warriors eating beside the nettle patch. “You shouldn’t waste food like that,” he chided. “Sunstar wants you to go to the Gathering.”

Blueflower sighed. She didn’t want to go. It was a long trek, and it would be chilly.

“It’s time you got back into your duties,” Tawnyspots said sternly. “I’ve excluded you from border patrols and hunting parties for two weeks now, but all you do is mope around camp. Perhaps if you got back into the swing of things, you’d feel better.” He glanced at White, who was wrestling with Tiger. “You should start talking to White again.”

Blueflower stared blankly at her nephew. Robinwing was taking good care of him. He didn’t need her, and neither did the Clan. They were thriving. This year was promising a warm winter again.

“You used to spend every day with White,” Tawnyspots said. “Now you never even look at the nursery. He must feel like he’s lost both his mother and aunt.”

Blueflower scowled. Did he have to make her feel worse?

He went on. “Thistleclaw and Stormtail haven’t let their grief stop them from caring for their Clan. Stormtail has gone back to his warrior duties and Thistleclaw spends as much time with White as he can.”

“Good for them,” Blueflower muttered.

“Why do you think you can sit here and feel sorry for yourself?” Tawnyspots demanded angrily. “Everyone misses Snowfur, but no one else is acting pathetic.”

“She was my sister!” Blueflower snapped. She stood up. “I’ll go to the Gathering if it makes you leave me alone.”

Tawnyspots turned away, signaling for the other warriors to gather. Tiger raced over. His shoulders were broad and his legs were strong. “Can I come?” he called. “I’ll be an apprentice soon.”

“Children can’t go to Gatherings,” Tawnyspots reminded him.

Tiger raced to Goldenflower. “You’ll tell me everything when you get back, right?”

“You’ll be asleep when we get back,” Goldenflower said with a smile.

“No, I won’t. I’m staying awake.”

Leopardfoot, who was going to the Gathering, shook her head. “Robinwing and Whiteye will make sure you go to sleep.”

“But I don’t want to,” Tiger whined.

“Consider it a punishment for sneaking into the warrior’s hut.”

“It was Running’s idea!”

“No, it wasn’t,” Leopardfoot said. “Don’t be a bully. Now go back to the nursery.”

Adderfang sighed as his grandson stomped off. “I wish his father was still around. Maybe then he wouldn’t be so argumentative.”

“He got his stubbornness from his father,” Leopardfoot said.

Adderfang smiled. “He’ll make a great warrior, you know.”

Leopardfoot’s brown eyes lit up. “I know.”

Dappletail came to stand beside Blueflower. Patchpelt and Rosetail stood on her other side. Blueflower jogged to get out of their knot. She didn’t want to be escorted. She could walk by herself.

The forest was crisp. For the first time since that summer, Blueflower remembered what it was like to be cold. As the patrol made its way through the forest, Featherwhisker fell back to walk beside her. This was his first time coming without Goosefeather, who was starting to grow tired as he got older.

“Snowfur will be watching you,” Featherwhisker murmured.

Blueflower glanced up through the trees. “Has she visited you in dreams?”

Featherwhisker shook his head. “Not yet. But I know Snowfur will want to keep an eye on her family.”

Blueflower frowned. That didn’t help anyone. Snowfur couldn’t help her family if they were in danger, and none of them could see her.

“White will need your help learning to be responsible and mature,” Featherwhisker said.

“He has the nursery mothers,” Blueflower reminded him. “Swiftbreeze is in there now, too.”

Swiftbreeze, although elderly, had recently given birth to a baby girl named Willow.

“They’ll take care of him,” Featherwhisker agreed. “But you’re the only one in ThunderClan who can take Snowfur’s place. You’re his aunt.”

“Thistleclaw is his father.”

“Thistleclaw will teach him to be a fierce warrior,” Featherwhisker murmured. “But he can’t teach him gentleness and thoughtfulness. You have to teach him that loyalty comes from the heart, not from fighting.” Featherwhisker quickened his pace to walk ahead.

Trailing after her Clanmates, Blueflower glanced at the stars. She tried to imagine Snowfur looking down beside Moonflower. The stars looked like nothing but tiny sparkles in the distant blackness. It was beautiful, but useless.

The moon shone over Fourtrees like a huge ball of ice. ShadowClan and WindClan were already there, with RiverClan just coming down the rise. Excited voices shared news and laughter, warming the chilly air. Blueflower watched her Clanmates melt into the crowd, suddenly feeling alone.

“You’re dry now.”

A deep, familiar voice made her turn.

Blueflower tensed as she faced Oakheart. “Don’t you have any friends in your own Clan?” she snapped.

Oakheart blinked in surprise. “I heard about Snowfur,” he said. “I’m sorry for your lose.”

“Why would you care?” she growled.

Oakheart frowned, genuinely looking sympathetic. “Stormstrike is my best friend. I’d be utterly broken if anything happened to him.”

“You have no idea how I feel.” Blueflower whipped around, furious. She didn’t want his pity.

“Isn’t it great?”

Blueflower had nearly crashed into Goldenflower.

The young warrior was staring around, eyes glowing. “There’s so many people here tonight!” She noticed Blueflower’s expression. “Is something wrong?”

“Just RiverClan warriors being annoying,” Blueflower growled.

“Ignore them,” Goldenflower said. “Look!” The leaders had climbed onto the Great Rock. “It’s starting!”

Blueflower stayed near the back of the crowd. Rosetail came to join her. “WindClan looks healthy.”

Blueflower hadn’t noticed. She didn’t care much. “Good. Maybe they’ll stay out of the forest.”

Rosetail elbowed her. “Don’t be grumpy.”

Sunstar was going first. “ThunderClan has a newborn.” Murmurs of appreciation spread through the Clan. “We chased the wolf pack back toward the Wild Forest.” He looked at Cedarstar. “I wanted to warn ShadowClan. We don’t know if they went toward the pines or not.”

Cedarstar nodded in gratitude. “ShadowClan would like to welcome Yellowfang as a full healer. She has completed her training and is no longer an apprentice.”

Blueflower narrowed her eyes at the disfigured woman who sat beside Sagewhisker. Like Hawkheart, she’d been a warrior first, which made her dangerous.

Hailstar nodded respectfully. “Congratulations, Yellowfang.”

“May StarClan light your path,” Sunstar said.

“Let your ancestors guide you,” Tallstar said. He’d been leader of WindClan for only three years, but had proven himself to be quite wise and fair.

Blueflower’s gaze drifted to the foot of the Great Rock. She noticed Raggedpelt, the ShadowClan deputy, was glaring at Yellowfang. She shot him an angry look. Had they been fighting? Yellowfang didn’t look like she was easy to get along with.

Blueflower was glad Yellowfang was in ShadowClan. She wouldn’t want her as her healer.

Tallstar began his report. “WindClan is thriving. We have plenty of rabbits, despite the cold.”

Hailstar stepped forward. “RiverClan has also enjoyed rich resources. The river is filled with fish.” He glanced around his Clan. “However, we’ve recently been having problems with the local townsfolk. Oakheart has more information.”

Blueflower scoffed as Oakheart climbed onto the Great Rock. “He’s not a leader!”

Others around her were agreeing. Shocked murmurs rose from the Clans.

“I’m sorry,” Oakheart began, his voice carrying easily through the hollow. “I do not belong up here, but with so many people I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to hear me. I hope you’ll forgive my boldness. I don’t mean to offend.”

The murmuring had ceased. Everyone had raised their heads to hear the young RiverClan warrior.

“Smooth,” Blueflower scoffed. “As a snake.”

“But he’s so handsome,” Rosetail breathed.

“The townsfolk had started to expand their territory, taking some of our land,” Oakheart began. “Their structures are small, for now, and the construction has stopped as the weather gets cold. Over the summer, I’ve been monitoring their progress.” His voice was calm and clear. His gaze swiveled around the Clans, maintaining eye contact. “We wanted to see how far they would build. As far as we can tell, they only plan to go as far as the marsh, although some of them have begun straying down the river. So far, none of them have come near our camp, but we have plans to drive them away if such a problem occurs.”

Shouts of approval sounded from the Clans.

“Good idea,”Adderfang murmured.

“Sounds like they have the situation under control,” Hopfoot, the WindClan deputy, said.

Oakheart went on with his report, explaining tactics on how to drive the townsfolk off, and avoid their more advanced weaponry. Once he was done, he nodded curtly, then jumped off the Great Rock.

Hailstar took his place. “The townsfolk are coming less often now that it’s getting cold. Let’s hope the freezing weather will drive them off for good.”

“Wow.” Rosetail’s eyes were wide with admiration. “I wish we had someone like that in ThunderClan.”

Blueflower scowled. “Don’t say something like that!” She felt strangely jealous to hear Rosetail mooning over the RiverClan warrior.

The leaders were climbing down from the Great Rock. It seemed that the mostly warm weather had brought harmony to the Clans, and there was nothing more to discuss. Perhaps they’d be home before Tiger went to bed after all.

Blueflower walked up the slope, pulling ahead of her Clanmates. She didn’t want to hear anything more about Oakheart. She wanted him out of her life forever. If it wasn’t for him, she and Snowfur wouldn’t have had an argument. They’d never have found those ShadowClan warriors and Splitfoot wouldn’t have injuried Snowfur.

Splitfoot! Blueflower looked around for the young warrior, wondering if he was here. Anger bubbled into her blood, turning it hot. If she ever met him in battle, she’d return the favor.

Footsteps sounded from behind her as Sunstar caught up. “You’re in a hurry,” he puffed.

“I’m tired.”

“That’s good to hear,” he said gently. “You haven’t been sleeping well lately.”

Blueflower sighed, feeling miserable.

“I’m glad you came tonight.”

“Did I have a choice?”

“You always have a choice,” Sunstar reminded her. “Like choosing whether to help your Clan or be a burden to it.”

Blueflower rolled her eyes, tired of this same conversation. “I’m not a burden.”

“You can choose to remember Snowfur by moping in your own misery all day, or be the warrior she expects you to be.”

She wished he’d just shut up. They’d had this same conversation when Moonflower died, and again with Sweet. Was she not allowed to process a death? People she loved were dying. She had the right to be upset.

“You’ve been through a lot,” Sunsar admitted. “But life goes on. White will be an apprentice soon, then a warrior. You can choose to help him with that or let him work it out for himself.” Sunstar glanced behind them. Thistleclaw stalked just a few lengths away. “I have high hopes for you, Blueflower. Even if you’re a warrior now, I will always feel like your mentor. I want you to strive for greatness, because I believe you’ll do great things for ThunderClan one day.”

Blueflower frowned. Did he know about the prophecy? Why hadn’t he said anything? Besides, blazing through the forest at the head of her Clan didn’t seem as exciting without Snowfur and Moonflower to share her success. She couldn’t believe she’d ever believed Goosefeather’s ramblings.

As her Clanmates skidded down the ravine, Blueflower gazed across the valley.

Goosefeather had once called her fire- fire that would blaze through the forest. Yet, water could destroy her.

Chapter Text

Blueflower’s dreams were filled with chaos and terror. Stars swirled above a wind-ripped forest. The gale tugged her toward the moorland and the gorge, where she teetered on the edge. She stared down into the foaming torrent. A blotch of white was spinning through the crashing waters, flung downstream by the raging current.

“Snowfur!” Blueflower’s panicked scream was whipped away by the wind. Below, her sister disappeared, sucked below the water.

“White!” Snowfur screamed.

Horror squeezed Blueflower’s heart as she saw a smaller blotch downstream.

“White!” Snowfur shouted, her voice echoing off the towering walls of rock.

“No!” Blueflower sprinted down the gorge, leaping over boulders and down ledges, heading downstream to where the gorge drifted into the river. She’d be able to reach White and Snowfur was there, as long as the jagged rocks didn’t batter them to death.

She felt their terror and could see their arms flailing helplessly against the massive flood. She watched as their bodies slammed into rocks and were dragged over grazing stones.

Where the gorge ended, Blueflower waded into the shallows and peered upstream. The water tugged at her blue cloak, trying to pull her toward the cliffs.

Snowfur appeared first, flinging out of the canyon with her head just above the water. “Get White!” she screamed, gasping as water flooded her mouth.

“Snowfur!” Blueflower waded after her sister, but the torrent threw her legs out from under her. She fell into the freezing water, climbing to her hands and knees.

A tiny figure bobbed toward her.

Plunging forward, Blueflower lunged at White, grabbing his shirt and pulling him close. She felt for the riverbed, then carried him onto the bank.

“You’re safe now,” she gasped, shuddering. “You’re safe.” Her voice was fierce, willing him to open his eyes. “I won’t let you get hurt!”

White laid still, water bubbling from his lips.

“Wake up!” Blueflower cried. “You’re safe now!”

She woke with a gasp, sitting upright in bed. Water was soaked into her hair and upper body. She felt a drop hit her cheek and looked up. Rain was trickling through the twigs of the warrior’s hut, soaking her bed.

“White!” she gasped, scrambling out of bed and toward the nursery. Other warriors grunted as she disturbed their sleep, raising their heads to stare after her.

“Blueflower?” Robinwing’s voice sounded from the darkness of the nursery. “What’s wrong?”

Blueflower scanned the hut. “Where’s White?” she demanded.

“Aunt Blueflower!” A delighted squeak sounded form the other side of Robinwing’s bed. White sat up, brown eyes glowing. “What are you doing here?”

She raced to him, wrapping him up in her arms. “You’re safe!”

“Is something wrong?” White tried to wriggle away. “I dreamed you took me hunting in the forest. Is that what you’re here to do?”

Blueflower felt a sudden stab of guilt. How could she have ignored him for so long? He was all she had left of Snowfur.

Chapter Text

“I learned the hunting stalk,” White squeaked.

“That’s great,” Blueflower said softly, petting his blonde hair. He looked exactly like his mother. “Who taught you?”

“Lionheart,” White said proudly. “Will you teach me any battle moves?”

“When you’re older, dear.”

Brindle struggled out of Robinwing’s bed. “Show me!” she squeaked.

White moved away from Blueflower, dropping into the stealth crouch. “You have to keep yourself low but balanced.”

“Thanks for looking after him,” Blueflower said to Robinwing.

The short woman nodded. Frost had stood up as well to play with White. “He’s a sweet boy,” Robinwing said.

Blueflower felt as though a stone was lodged in her throat. “I’m sorry I never visited.”

Robinwing touched her shoulder. “He’ll forgive you,” she murmured. “He won’t remember it by the time he’s an apprentice.”

Blueflower smiled. “I’ll make sure to spend more time with him.”

“Attack!” White gave a warning shout and launched at Blueflower, grabbed her around the neck. His tiny hands wouldn’t even leave bruises, but she still struggled, standing and swinging him around.

The nursery suddenly shivered.

“Daddy!” White greeted his father happily as the man squeezed into the nursery.

Thistleclaw looked over his son’s head and scowled at Blueflower. “What are you doing here?”

“Visiting my nephew,” Blueflower said sternly.

“Tawnyspots wants you on patrol,” Thistleclaw told her. “You should go.” He narrowed his eyes. “The sooner, the better.”

He turned to White, who was climbing out of the nursery. “Now, let’s practice those battle moves I showed you.” He pushed his son ahead of him. “You never know when another Can might try to invade.”

Blueflower followed, shocked. White was much too young for battle training. “He’ll get hurt!” she protested.

Thistleclaw had grabbed his son’s hands, squeezing them into fists. “Come on, kid. See if you can dodge.” He aimed a blow at White’s cheek.

“Stop!” Blueflower called. “He’s not ready!”

Thistleclaw glared at her. “How would you know? You’ve hardly even looked at him the last few weeks.”

Blueflower flinched.

“I’m all he has,” Thistleclaw went on. “I’ll bring him up as a warrior the Clan can be proud of.”

“He has me, too!” Blueflower argued.

Thistleclaw pushed White to the other side of the clearing. Blueflower watched them go, feeling hollow.

Goosefeather’s voice sounded beside her. “That man should not be trusted around kids,” he murmured.

Blueflower turned, but the old healer was already shambling away, mumbling to himself. Frustration surged through her. Why did Goosefeather have to be so random and unhelpful? Was Thistleclaw dangerous, even to his own son? Snowfur had trusted Thistleclaw, and Blueflower believed the warrior was strong and loyal.

She looked back at him, suddenly distrustful.

He was instructing White. “Now, you want to twist at the last moment. Don’t forget to keep your arm outstretched.”

Blueflower frowned. Was the young boy ready for such an advanced move?

“Blueflower!” Tawnyspots called from below the Highrock. “I’m organizing the patrols for the day.” The other warriors were gathered around him.

Blueflower suddenly noticed that Tawnyspots was looking thin, despite the nice weather. His eyes were sunken into his skull. Was he sick? Blueflower approached him anxiously. With winter approaching, now was not a good time to be getting sick.

“Thistleclaw told me you wanted me for patrol,” she said.

“The dawn patrol already left.”

“Sorry.” Blueflower frowned. “I’ll go with the next one.”

Tawnyspots shrugged. “It’s fine. Sunstar wanted me to send you hunting with Thistleclaw, actually.”

Blueflower’s heart sank.

At least that meant White would get away from battle moves for awhile. She didn’t want to necessarily separate Thistleclaw from his son, but Goosefeather’s warning still lingered in her mind.

Was Thistleclaw really a danger to his own son?

Chapter Text

Blueflower followed Thistleclaw through the pines. At this time of year, the bare forest of Tallpines was a good place to track wild game.

“Sunstar will reclaim Sunningrocks again soon.” Thistleclaw had been ranting about RiverClan since they’d hit the ravine. Their neighbors across the river had recently remarked the border and Sunstar had yet to make a move. “The other Clans are expecting it. They’ll think we’re weak if we let those fish freaks hold onto our land through the winter.”

Blueflower held back a sigh, wishing he’d just shut up.

Blueflower stopped as Thistleclaw rounded around a tree. There was a pigeon pecking at the base of a tree nearby. It was hardly big enough to feed the elders, but the sooner she caught something, the sooner they could get back to camp. Blueflower wondered why Sunstar had thought it would be a good idea to send them off alone. They were more likely to gut each other than actually hunt.

She crouched into a crouch, drawing her sword.

“Invaders!” Thistleclaw’s shout sent the pigeon flapping away.

Crossly, Blueflower ducked around the tree. "What?”

Thistleclaw was scanning the forest. “Couthies! This way.”

Annoyed, Blueflower followed him through the forest. She could see trampled pieces of grass and sense the faint aura of a stranger, but not enough for an invasion. Why did Thistleclaw have to make such a big deal of something so small?

“They’re gone now,” Blueflower said.

He turned on her. “Do you want to share the forest with those fat jerks?”

“That’s not what I said,” Blueflower huffed. “Let’s get back to hunting.”

Thistleclaw had crossed the grass stretch to the fence, peering over it.

“Get back here!” Blueflower called. “That’s not our land.”

“There’s no markers telling me to keep out,” Thistleclaw growled.

She followed him. “Keep your voice down!”

“Are you scared?”

“I just don’t get why you want to start a fight.”

Thistleclaw scoffed. “You’re soft, Blueflower, just like your sister. You’re soft on warriors from other Clans, and soft on couthies. I saw you talking to Oakheart at the Gathering.”

“It wasn’t a friendly conversation!” Blueflower growled.

“Well, I’ll need you to prove your loyalty before I let you near White.” Thistleclaw turned and headed back into the trees.

Blueflower hurried after him. “You can’t do that. He’s my nephew!”

“You weren’t there when he needed you,” Thistleclaw snapped. “I was. Just stay away from him.”

“If you raise him alone, he’ll turn into a monster!” Blueflower growled. “Just like you!” She raced into the forest. Thistleclaw could finish this on his own. She wouldn’t deal with him any longer.

“You’re back early,” Sunstar said when she entered camp.

Blueflower hadn’t prepared an excuse.

“Where’s Thistleclaw?”

Would he believe her if she told him what Thistleclaw would say?

“We couldn’t find much, so I came back to play with White.” It was a lame excuse, but it was better than nothing.

Sunstar nodded. “That’s good to hear.” He paused for a moment. “I’m glad to see you getting on with him again. You’re starting to act like your old self.”

Blueflower was caught off guard by her leader’s warmth. She didn’t feel like she deserved such words.

“But next time, don’t give up on the hunt so easily,” he said.

“I won’t!” she promised, heading for the nursery.

White was asleep when she entered.

“He was tired,” Robinwing apologized. “I think Thistleclaw wore him out.”

Blueflower simply nodded. “I’ll come back later.” She slid out of the nursery.

“How’d the hunt go?” Thrushpelt’s voice surprised her. She turned.

“Not so good.”

“Where’d you go?”

“Tallpines.” Blueflower glanced over her shoulder. “How’s White?”

“Fine.”

“He’s lucky to have you as an aunt.”

“I don’t think so.” Blueflower looked down. “I haven’t been the best to him lately.”

“You lost your sister.” His gaze was soft. “You had the right to grieve.” Thrushpelt moved toward her, holding up an arm as though to embrace her.

She took a step back. “Rosetail!” Her friend was walking past with a pair of pigeons. Blueflower stepped away from Thrushpelt to fall in beside her.

Rosetail dropped the pigeons beside the firepit. “You and Thrushpelt make a cute couple.”

Blueflower blushed deeply. She’d been hoping to escape that situation. “He-he’s just a friend,” she blurted. “We’re not together.”

“Really?”

“I don’t care for having a husband,” Blueflower mumbled.

“Thrushpelt is obviously interested in you,” Rosetail said. “You should give him a chance.”

“I’d rather focus on White right now,” Blueflower insisted. “He needs a mother.” There was no way she could let Thistleclaw be any kind of influence. There was more to being a Clan warrior than fighting.

“Did you see Tawnyspots?” Rosetail changed the subject. “He’s with Featherwhisker. He’s getting really sick. Thistleclaw thinks he’ll have to step down as deputy.”

“What?” Blueflower blinked in surprise. Tawnyspots was young still. Surely he had plenty of life left in him.

“Sunstar will have to appoint a new deputy,” Rosetail said.

Blueflower thought for a moment, wondering who it would be. “Stormtail?” Her father would he pleased, although he might be too old for the job.

“Maybe Adderfang,” Rosetail suggested.

Blueflower shook her head. The deputy needed to be wise and brave. Both Stormtail and Adderfang had the bravery, but their wisdom was limited to battle.

“Maybe Thistleclaw,” Rosetail said.

“He’s too young,” Blueflower insisted.

“He says he wants to be deputy,” Rosetail went on. “He’ll be the youngest deputy the Clans have ever seen.”

“I hope not.”

“He’s always talking about it,” Rosetail said, rolling her eyes. “I doubt it, though. My brother’s the most hot headed person I’ve ever met!”

Chapter Text

Blueflower rummaged through Mumblefoot’s bed, plucking out the scrappy stuffing. With no apprentices in the Clan, the younger warriors were taking turns caring for the elders. Today was Blueflower’s turn.

“Lionheart will bring in the fresh bedding later,” Blueflower said.

“I hope he brings it soon,” Weedwhisker complained. “My bed’s flatter than a grass blade.”

Larksong laughed. “You’ll be fine until then.”

“I promised Featherwhisker I’d help you bathe as well,” Blueflower said.

Stonepelt shook his head. “I can do that,” he assured her.

“But-”

“I’m still more flexible than half the warriors,” Stonepelt said. “I can do it.”

Blueflower sighed, then nodded. Stonepelt wasn’t even at the age most warriors retired. She wondered what it was like, being forced to give up being a warrior over a terrible injury. Being a mother was the same, but that was only giving up at most twelve years. Stonepelt’s missing arm was permanent.

“Let all those old enough to hunt gather beneath Highrock!” Sunstar called from the clearing.

Blueflower always wondered what the point of that call was. She knew the younger kids would be bustling out of the nursery anyway, whether they could hunt for themselves or not.

Tiger was already in the middle of the clearing, gazing up at Sunstar. Swiftbreeze, Whiteye, and Robinwing squeezed out of the nursery, quickly followed by their children. Each of them held their youngest in their arms, while the older kids raced out together. Fuzzypelt stood up from beside the nettle patch. Lionheart and Goldenflower were dragging a bundle of stuffing into camp. They dropped it and hurried to join the meeting. Adderfang had been sitting outside the warrior’s hut. Poppydawn and Speckletail were chatting with Windflight and Dappletail at the edge of the clearing. They all came to join Featherwhisker and Goosefeather, who sat beside Sparrowpelt.

As Blueflower settled beside Rosetail, she noticed Tawnyspots, looking thin, sitting outside the rock crag.

The Clan stared expectantly at Sunstar.

“Clanmates, it’s time we make a new apprentice.” Sunstar’s eyes were fixed on Tiger. He jumped down from the Highrock and beckoned the young boy forward. Leopardfoot’s eyes shone with pride as Larksong brought over a dark, newly made cloak. “Tiger is old enough to become an apprentice and begin his training. From this day on, he will be mentored by Thistleclaw.”

The spikey-haired warrior stepped forward and pressed his forehead to Tiger’s. Sunstar joined them, throwing the cloak over Tiger’s shoulder. It was dark brown with black stripes.

“Tiger! Tiger!” As the Clan cheered his name, Blueflower stared at Thistleclaw. Why would Sunstar choose him? He was one of the youngest warriors.

She remembered Goosefeather’s warning about Thistleclaw around children. Would he be a danger to his new apprentice? She wondered if she should talk to Sunstar about it.

Rosetail leaned closer. “Now he’s going to be convinced he’ll be the next deputy.”

Blueflower shuddered. If Thistleclaw became deputy, he’d have control over the whole Clan. Even worse, he’d be in line to be the next leader.

Tiny arms wrapped around her leg. She looked down to see White, staring up at her with wide eyes. “I’m glad he didn’t make Tiger your apprentice,” he said. “I want you to be my mentor.”

Blueflower glanced at Sunstar. Perhaps that’s why Tiger had been given to Thistleclaw. Was Sunstar planning on making her White’s mentor? But would that be soon enough to become the next deputy? Her stomach turned when she saw Tawnyspots unsteadily stand up to disappear back into the healer’s hut.

“Wait!” Sunstar called as the Clan began to disperse. “I have one more announcement. While Tawnyspots is ill, Adderfang will be the stand in deputy.”

Stormtail nodded to his friend as Adderfang puffed out his chest.

“Tawnyspots will return to his duties once he’s recovered,” Sunstar added.

Uneasy glances flashed between the other warriors. None of them actually thought Tawnyspots would ever recover.

Goosefeather stepped forward. “I need help gathering herbs,” he announced. The Clan stared at him, surprised. “Blueflower,” he said. “Can you help?”

Blueflower glanced at Sunstar, who nodded. Anxiously, she followed him into the forest. Why had he specifically chosen her? Did he want to talk about the prophecy? She’d been starting to think it was just one of his wild accusations. Or perhaps he was going to warn her about Thistleclaw, or even Oakheart.

“I see you’ve gotten back into White’s life,” Goosefeather observed, climbing the ravine.

“He’s my nephew,” she said. “You wanted to play with me and Snowfur when we were little.”

“Yes,” Goosefeather admitted. “But it seems White likes you more than you ever liked me.”

Blueflower held back a spitting retort.

“I’m glad you’re watching out for him,” Goosefeather went on. “He’s got a good heart, but kids are easily influenced.”

Was this another warning about Thistleclaw? She wanted to ask him, but didn’t want to sound paranoid. Thistleclaw was a loyal warrior who protected and fed his Clan.

“Have you thought about the prophecy?”

She nodded.

“Good.” Goosefeather stopped beside a small, leafy plant. He knelt down to tear off the leaves.

Blueflower knelt to help. They smelled zesty as she pulled them off the plant. Goosefeather then walked over to a smooth, silver birch and began tearing off strips of bark.

“Have you thought about becoming deputy?” he asked.

Blueflower hesitated. She’d thought about it since she was little. But would he think she was greedy? She was still so young.

“Good,” Goosefeather concluded. “I’d figured you had.”

“But I don’t even have an apprentice yet,” Blueflower pointed out. “There’s no way Sunstar will make me deputy. I’m too young.”

“Tawnyspots still has a while,” Goosefeather rasped. “You have time, but you’ll have to work hard.”

Blueflower wasn’t convinced. “There’s other warriors that are more experienced than me. What about Adderfang or Fuzzypelt?”

“Sunstar wants someone young to serve beside him.” Goosefeather peeled off another piece of bark. “If he wants advice, he can always go to the senior warriors. He doesn’t have to make them deputy first. His deputy needs to be someone he can train- someone who will help the Clan progress.”

“Someone like Thistleclaw?” Blueflower ventured.

Goosefeather shuddered. “StarClan, I hope not. He’s the exact reason you must become deputy. He will stain our forest with blood. You, however, will make it prosper.”

Blueflower stopped pulling at leaves. She turned to see her uncle staring at her.

“You must concentrate on nothing else!” he cried. “Your Clan needs you. Don’t get distracted!”

Did he mean White? How could he? He’d just praised her for spending time with him.

Could it be Oakheart?

“Take these herbs back.” Goosefeather handed the bark to Blueflower. “Leave me in peace.”

Feeling dizzy, Blueflower grasped the leaves and bark, then headed back to camp. Was this part of the prophecy? She wished Snowfur was still here. Perhaps her sister could help her make since of Goosefeather’s warnings. Even if she didn’t believe her, talking about them would still help.

“Hi!” A sudden voice called from ahead. She raised her gaze to see Thrushpelt. “Can I help?”

“Sure.” Blueflower handed him some of the herbs. Thrushpelt headed back toward the ravine. Blueflower wondered if he’d been waiting for her. She felt a pang of regret. She wished she felt the same way about him that she did for Oakheart.

They slid down the ravine and took the herbs to the healer’ hut. Dropping them in the storage, Blueflower noticed Tawnyspots sleeping in the shadows. “Will he be okay?” she murmured to Thrushpelt.

Thrushpelt shrugged. “I hope so.” He stared at his older brother grimly.

“I’m sure he’ll get better,” Blueflower comforted, remembering Goosefeather’s words. Tawnyspots would survive, for now.

She followed Thrushpelt back out of the hut. “Who do you think will be the new deputy?” he asked.

Blueflower stared at him, shocked. Had he given up on his brother already? “What?”

“Look, everyone knows Tawnyspots isn’t going to make it through,” he said. “Thistleclaw’s excited about it. But there’s plenty of senior warriors to choose from. Like Adderfang. He’s Sunstar’s brother.”

“Sunstar’s never been the type for nepotism,” Blueflower said. “Besides, he might want someone younger.”

Thrushpelt nodded. “I thought that, too.” He looked toward the firepit. Smoke was rising off the meat-covered spits. “You hungry?”

Blueflower stared at him for a moment. Thrushpelt was still young. Wasn’t he interested in becoming deputy? She thought of Oakheart’s fire and ambition, how he’d addressed the Clans on Great Rock. He was a driven man.

Blueflower found herself liking that about him.

She noticed Rosetail eating alone. “Sorry,” she told Thrushpelt. “I had plans with Rosetail.” She grabbed a ration and hurried over to her friend.

She passed Stormtail and Dappletail beside the nettle patch. They were talking in excited, small voices. Blueflower noticed Dappletail had a small bulge in her stomach.

She shuddered. The idea of a younger sibling would be interesting if her mother was still alive. Now, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of resentment toward her father.

“Blueflower!” White had ducked back out of the nursery. Robinwing quickly pulled him back.

“Get back here,” she said. “You’re supposed to be napping.”

Rosetail looked up as Blueflower approached. “I’ve never seen someone look so disappointed.” She was gazing at Thrushpelt, who looked lost beside the fire pit.

“Shut up.” Blueflower sat down with a huff.

“What’s wrong with you?” Rosetail demanded. “I wish I had a guy mooning after me like that.”

“I don’t have time for a husband.”

Rosetail frowned. “You want to become deputy, don’t you?”

Blueflower blushed. “Maybe.”

Rosetail shrugged. “Just remember, not everyone gets to be deputy. Don’t waste your life on this one thing.”

While they ate, Goosefeather had returned. He took his own ration and ate quickly.

“Why does he have to be so noisy?” Blueflower complained. She tired to imagine Goosefeather as a fit young apprentice, but found it difficult. He’d probably been born a a scraggly old man. It was hard to believe he and Moonflower had been siblings.

Tiger suddenly burst through the gorse tunnel, his eyes bright. Thistleclaw followed. They must have gone out training.

“Can we practice those battle moves again?” Tiger asked.

“Practice by yourself for a while.” Thistleclaw walked over to the fire pit.

“But who am I going to fight?” Tiger called.

“Use your imagination,” Thistleclaw growled.

Tiger glanced around the clearing, his gaze came to rest on White, who was sitting obediently while Robinwing combed his unruly hair.

Robinwing noticed. “Don’t even think about it,” she said. “He’s just settled down.”

Leopardfoot walked over from the warrior’s hut. “You’re back,” she said happily. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Not yet.” Tiger sounded disappointed. “But I learned a new move. Watch this!” He swept out his leg, then jumped back and punched.

Frost had slid out of the nursery to watch. Her eyes were round with admiration.

“Nice!” Adderfang called to his grandson from beside the nettle patch.

Stormtail nodded. “Even I wasn’t that good when I was a new apprentice.”

Blueflower narrowed her eyes. The strength in the young boy’s shoulders was impressive and his movements were quick. Goosefeather, however, was staring at him in horror. “I’m so sorry, StarClan,” he muttered. “I shouldn’t have let that monster live.”

Startled, Blueflower looked around. No one else had heard him.

Was something wrong with Tiger? Something so terrible, the boy should have died at birth?

Chapter Text

“Look!” White raced across the clearing and tossed the ball to Frost. “Blueflower brought us a new one.”

Frost reached up to catch it, but Brindle jumped in front of her sister to grab it instead.

“Over here!” Mouse called, waving her arms.

“No, here!” Willow pushed Mouse out of the way. The two giggled as they fought for ground.

Feather, Dappletail’s young son, sat outside the nursery, watching the four older kids with wide blue eyes. He didn’t even flinch when Red, Swiftbreeze’s fourth child and new toddler, crawled out to sit beside him.

Stormtail and Dappletail hadn’t been blessed with a healthy son. When he was just a few months old, Goosefeather and Featherwhisker had concluded that Feather was deaf.

Robinwing and Whiteye sat outside in the pale sunshine. “Thanks for playing with them,” Robinwing called to Blueflower.

“I enjoy it,” Blueflower said, watching as the kids played catch.

It was easier to play with White now that Thistleclaw was taking Tiger out so much. He had been working the apprentice hard for the past five years, waking him before dawn and drilling him in the sandy hollow whenever they weren’t on patrol. Tiger had grown so quickly, at just fourteen years old his muscles were already as strong as a full grown man’s. Blueflower just wished he didn’t have to show off his battle skills in camp.

White was constantly begging her to show him battle moves, but she refused. She wanted to get him to warriorship without any serious injuries, just as Snowfur would want.

“Throw it back!” Frost called as Willow caught the ball. The younger girl chucked it as hard as she could. Frost and Brindle ran into each other as they both raced to catch it. White and Mouse broke into laughter.

Feather watched them, blinking.

“Blueflower?” Sunstar was walking over to join her. “I want you to find Thistleclaw and Tiger in the sandy hollow.” He glanced at the sun as it rose high into the blue sky. “We’ve had reports of townsfolk crossing the border, and I want you three to investigate.”

Blueflower frowned. None of the senior warriors had said anything about townsfolk, and they were usually all over that sort of thing. Thistleclaw must have been the one to report it. He’d been itching for a fight ever since getting an apprentice.

Blueflower simply nodded and headed toward the camp entrance.

White turned away from his game. “Where are you going?”

“Border patrol,” she explained.

“Are we being invaded?” White’s eyes glittered with excitement.

“Just some nosy townsfolks.”

“Are you going to fight them?”

“A good warrior never fights a defenseless foe,” Blueflower said. “A threat will send them home.”

White sighed. “I wish I could come with you.”

“You’ll be an apprentice any day now,” Blueflower promised. “Now run along and play with your friends.”

White charged away as Blueflower headed for the training hollow.

By the time she was nearing the hollow, she could hear voices.

“Now lunge at me,” Thistleclaw commanded.

She could see them through the trees ahead.

Dagger drawn, Tiger rushed at Thistleclaw, slamming into him. Thistleclaw turned and threw his apprentice off.

“No!” Thistleclaw growled. “You have to block!”

Tiger shook his head, looking dazed. “Let me try again.”

Blueflower hurried forward, not wanting to watch Thistleclaw’s brutal training tactics. She wondered if Leopardfoot knew he was being so rough with her son. Should she warn Sunstar?

She shivered, thankful Thistleclaw wouldn’t be training White.

“Thistleclaw!” she called before Tiger could start again.

Both of them swung around to glare at her.

“What?” Thistleclaw growled.

“Sunstar wants us to check the fence border,” she said.

His eyes brightened. “Finally!” He rushed into the trees. “Come on, Tiger. Maybe you can try out those battle moves for real!”

With a sigh, Blueflower followed.

As they neared town, Thistleclaw fell back to walk beside his apprentice. “Run ahead and check for tracks,” he ordered.

Tiger rushed off, leaving Thistleclaw and Blueflower alone.

“I know what you’re doing,” Thistleclaw growled angrily. “Playing with White every time my back’s turned.”

Blueflower’s eyes widened. “He’s my nephew!” she snapped.

“He’s my son!” Thistleclaw retorted. “Just remember, I can stop your stupid games whenever I want. Don’t you dare even try to turn him soft, get it? He’s enough like his mother as is.”

Blueflower stopped dead in her tracks, eyes wide with shock. “Is that a bad thing?” How dare he insult Snowfur!

Before Thistleclaw could reply, Tiger called from up ahead. “I sense a couthy!”

They found the apprentice in the sparse strip of woodland at the edge of the grass. Light filtered through the bare branches, striping the forest floor.

“This way,” Tiger said.

“There’s tracks.” Blueflower knelt down. The dents in the dirt were tiny. Whoever had made them couldn’t even be of apprentice age. “It’s just some little kid.”

“Kid or not, they’re trespassing,” Thistleclaw growled. He followed his apprentice toward the long grass at the fence.

They stepped out of the forest and into a sunny patch beside the fence. A tiny boy stood there, plucking flowers from the grass. His hair was black, and his skin was pale with a splash of dark freckles over his cheeks. As the three Clansfolk advanced, he stood up, blue eyes wide.

“Hello.” He held an arm up to wave at them.

Tiger glared at the boy while Thistleclaw had already drawn his long dagger.

Blueflower tensed, willing the boy to run. The gate wasn’t far. He could escape if he tried.

“What are you doing here?” Thistleclaw growled. “This is ThunderClan’s land!”

“Thistleclaw, he’s just a kid. He doesn’t know any better,” Blueflower pleaded.

“An intruder is an intruder, Blueflower! Don’t be a coward.” Thistleclaw turned to his apprentice. “What do you think, Tiger? How should we handle this?”

“I think the brat should be taught a lesson,” Tiger growled, drawing his own blade. “One he’ll never forget.”

Blueflower stepped forward. “There’s no need for-”

Thistleclaw grabbed her arm and shoved her away

Tiger lunged at the boy, shoving him against the fence. The boy gasped as Tiger pulled him back and threw him to the ground. Tiger jumped on him, pummeling him with blow after blow. Blood sprayed from the boy’s nose and mouth.

He screamed in agony, batting at Tiger uselessly.

“There you go, Tiger!” Thistleclaw praised.

Tiger grabbed the boy by his dark hair and slammed his face into the ground. The boy screamed, struggling helplessly.

Blood welled on cuts on his face, streaming from his nose.

“Stop!” Blueflower pushed past Thistleclaw and grabbed the boy, pulling him behind her. “That’s enough!” The boy would end up dead if this went on. He couldn’t be older than Feather. “Warriors shouldn’t attack defenseless foes.”

Tiger glared at her. “I was just defending our land.”

“You don’t need to kill him to do that,” Blueflower reasoned.

The boy was standing, face stained with blood. His lip was split and one of his eyes was swollen shut.

Tiger scoffed. “At least he’ll have learned his lesson. No one walks through my forest and gets away with it!”

Blueflower let the boy scamper away, racing through the gate and closing it behind. “If you ever do that again, I’ll report you to Sunstar!” she snapped at Thistleclaw.

“We were defending our land from a trespasser,” Thistleclaw growled.

“He was a child!”

Thistleclaw shrugged. “Then his parents should have raised him better.” He turned and stalked back into the trees. Tiger jogged after him, head high and grin wide, proud of his victory.

Rage throbbed through Blueflower as she stared after them.

She’d make sure Thistleclaw never gained power of the Clan. No matter what she had to sacrifice, she wouldn’t let him become leader!

Chapter Text

“StarClan honors you for your wisdom and your loyalty,” Sunstar said. “I name you Whitestorm.”

As Sunstar pressed his forehead to the blonde warrior’s, the Clan broke into cheers.

“Whitestorm! Whitestorm!”

Blueflower closed her eyes, feeling like a great weight had been taken from her shoulders now. Whitestorm had made it to his warrior’s ceremony.

Blueflower hadn’t been made Whitestorm’s mentor. Sunstar had told her family didn’t make the best mentors, especially since Blueflower had practically become Whitestorm’s mother. Instead, her first apprentice had been Frost, made an apprentice a few weeks after Whitestorm. Patchpelt had been Whitestorm’s mentor, a choice Blueflower had approved of. Blueflower was pleased that her nephew had a gentle and wise mentor, especially to counter Thistleclaw’s temper and brutality. She had involved herself whenever she could in Whitestorm’s training, which hadn’t been easy with Thistleclaw glowering at her all the time.

She opened her eyes, basking in the warmth of the cheers. Whitestorm had grown strong and handsome. He stood with his chin high and his eyes bright, spiky blonde hair, as always, uncombed. He had grown tall and limber.

Six years had passed since Tiger- now Tigerclaw had beaten up the little boy by the fence. Much had changed in those years. Willow was now an apprentice, and had two younger siblings, both of whom were too young for training. Although, that didn’t stop Spotted, Swiftbreeze’s youngest, from shadowing Featherwhisker any moment she got. The small blonde girl was fascinated by cures and herbs. Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker had both died peacefully in their sleep, missed by their Clanmates. Poppydawn and Windflight had joined Stonepelt and Larksong in the elder’s hut. Adderfang and Stormtail were both well beyond the usual age to retire, but had refused to give up their warrior duties.

Thistleclaw had already established himself as a senior warrior, moving his bed to the center of the warrior’s hut. Tigerclaw had only been a warrior for four years, but had claimed a bed next to Thistleclaw’s. No warrior had challenged them, though Blueflower wasn’t sure if that was out of respect or fear. Thistleclaw had become like a father to Tigerclaw without Pinestar around. He had trained him to win at any cost, defending his methods as part of the warrior code, but Blueflower saw no honor in the way Thistleclaw fought.

Tigerclaw watched Whitestorm, eyes glittering with pride for his friend.

“Thank you.” Whitestorm had approached Blueflower, embracing her. “You gave me so much.”

Blueflower’s heart swelled as she returned the hug. “I love you, and so does your mother. She’d be proud.”

“I know,” Whitestorm said, a smile in his voice. “She’d be proud of you, too.”

Tears sprang to Blueflower’s eyes as she reached up to pat down the new warrior’s unruly hair. She noticed a scar on the back of his neck. Tigerclaw had left it durning a training apprentice, when both of them were still apprentices. Thistleclaw had let him do it, claiming that it would teach him to have a quicker reaction time.

“Whitestorm!” Runningwind called. He’d been made a warrior a year ago, although his sister, Mouse, was still an apprentice.

Whitestorm pressed a kiss to Blueflower’s cheek, the hurried away.

Blueflower headed for the elder’s hut. She’d promised to tell Larksong about the naming ceremony. The elder was too frail to leave her bed anymore. She went to the food storage to get some blueberries, then pushed into the hut.

Larksong was laying in her bed, her eyes closed. Her blonde hair used to be so pretty, but now it was knotted and gray. Yet, the elderly woman had never lost her humor, even after both Weedwhisker and Mumblefoot had passed.

Not wanting to wake her, Blueflower set the berries down and crept from the hut.

“How did it go?” Larksong raised her head.

Blueflower turned. “Wonderfully. Sunstar has named him Whitestorm.”

“A strong name for a strong warrior,” Larksong commented. “You’ll miss him.”

“What?”

“Whitestorm, you’ll miss him.”

Blueflower smiled. “He’ll be in the warrior’s hut now. We’ll be sleeping beside each other, and go on patrols together more often.”

“But he won’t need you anymore.” Larksong dropped her head back. “I remember what it was like when my boys became warriors. They still talked to me, but we never felt as close. They didn’t need me anymore. They didn’t come to me when they had a problem or a question. Now, all of them are leading the Clan. Sunstar is leader, Adderfang is acting as deputy...Featherwhisker is practically our senior healer now. Sometimes I feel like I raised them too well.”

Blueflower winced. “I’ll still have Frost to train.”

“Training an apprentice isn’t the same as raising a child.” Larksong cracked any eye open. “You should think about settling down, Blueflower. Your Clanmates are all married with children. They have lives of their own, beyond their apprentices.”

“I don’t want to focus on anything else than training Frost,” Blueflower insisted. If she wanted to become deputy, she needed Frost to become a warrior.

Larksong gazed at her. “Really?”

Blueflower shifted, uncomfortable.

“Whitestorm is a warrior now,” Larksong said softly. “You need to focus on your own life, Blueflower, before you end up in the elder’s hut and realize you wasted it on empty things.”

Blueflower blinked, shocked. Was that how Larksong saw her? Blueflower was proud of what she’d done for Whitestorm, and what she was doing for Frost. Her apprentice would make a fine warrior. She found plenty of pride in training a new warrior and caring for her Clan.

“Perhaps Thrushpelt had waited long enough,” Larksong said.

“Bye, Larksong.” Blueflower quickly left the hut without replying. She didn’t want a husband, and no one could make her.

“Blueflower!” Tawnyspots called to her from beneath the Highrock. “You can join Lionheart’s hunting patrol.”

Lionheart and Goldenflower were pacing the clearing, while Thrushpelt stood nearby. Blueflower nodded to Tawnyspots. The ThunderClan deputy was growing thin again, his eyes tired. He seemed to get weak every winter, although always pulled through in the end.

“Ready?” Lionheart’s eyes were bright.

Blueflower nodded, following as he led Goldenflower and Thrushpelt out of camp. They headed for the river, the ground turning wet as they neared the shore. Wet ferns slapped at their ankles. It had rained the previous day, washing away any tracks.

“Let’s split up,” Lionheart said. “We’ll cover more ground like that.”

Blueflower nodded, choosing a path through the undergrowth toward the river, away from her Clanmates. Mud squelched under her feet as she noticed the hoof prints of a deer. She followed the trail, but then noticed Thrushpelt stalking not far off. Not wanting to steal his thunder, she doubled back toward the river.

Something hopped between the clumps of the marsh grass. Blueflower dropped into a crouch. A rabbit was grazing in the muddy stocks. Water seeped into her pant legs as she moved forward. The rabbit hadn’t seen her. It was too busy rooting through the marsh grass.

Blueflower sprang forward and stabbed at it with her sword. It went limp instantly, dying without ever knowing what happened.

“Great catch!”

A deep voice made her jump. She spun around to face the river.

Oakheart stood on the far shore, watching her with an easy smile.

“Are you spying on me?” Blueflower growled.

“No,” Oakheart said, amused. “I’m still on my own land. I was just checking the border.”

“Blueflower!” Lionheart called.

“I have to go,” she said to Oakheart.

He frowned, looking disappointed. “Alright.”

She headed away with her rabbit, strangely reluctant to leave. Walking away from Oakheart left her feeling hollow.

He’s RiverClan.

He’s RiverClan.

He’s RiverClan!

She had to keep reminding herself. They weren’t friends. They were nothing more than rivals.

She had Clanmates to feed.

“Nice catch,” Thrushpelt said when she appeared. He stared at the rabbit.

“Thanks.” Blueflower didn’t meet his gaze. The ThunderClan warrior’s praise didn’t spark the same happiness as Oakheart’s.

Chapter Text

“We need to take back Sunningrocks!”

Sunstar’s announcement from Highrock was greeted with cheers from his Clanmates below the Highrock.

“Finally!” Adderfang called.

“We can’t let those fish freaks keep Sunningrocks through winter,” Stormtail agreed.

Tigerclaw had already drawn his dagger, excited for the battle.

A light drizzle fell steadily in the camp.

“Winter is coming, and we have more warriors to feed. We need as much territory as possible to hunt on," Sunstar continued.

“When will we fight?” Sparrowpelt called.

Sunstar shook his head. “I want to take Sunningrocks without a battle,” he said.

Thistleclaw stared a his Clan leader. “What?”

“We can beat them easily!” Tigerclaw growled.

Sparrowpelt cocked his head. “How will we take Sunningrocks without a battle?”

Robinwing scoffed. “We can’t just walk up and ask them.”

“Yes, we can,” Sunstar said.

Thistleclaw frowned. “We’re going to ask for Sunningrocks back?”

“They’ll think we’re cowards!” Tigerclaw growled.

Sunstar glared at the young warrior. “ThunderClan are not cowards!”

Tigerclaw lowered his gaze.

“Why risk a battle we don’t need to fight?” Sunstar said loudly. “ThunderClan is strong and skilled.” He gazed around the Clan. “The other Clans know that. We’re bigger than them, as well. Do you think RiverClan will really want to fight when they’re outnumbered and outclassed? They use the rocks to bask in the sun, not for hunting. We will persuade them that giving up Sunningrocks would be a wise decision for both Clans.”

Stormtail’s eyes lit up with interest. “How will you make contact?”

“I will take a patrol straight to their camp,” Sunstar said. “We’ll tell them that we own Sunningrocks, and we’ll gut anyone who dares set foot on our land.”

Dappletail was sitting outside the warrior’s hut, looking grim. “That sounds like suicide.” She’d been mourning since Feather went missing a month ago. The deaf boy had been made an apprentice, only to wander into the forest and never come back. The Clan had searched for days, but there was no sign of him. Adderfang and Fuzzypelt often whispered that he was taken by a wolf. Stormtail would promptly snap at them for bringing it up.

“We’ll send a strong patrol,” Tigerclaw said, his brown eyes narrowed. “We’ll go in peace but threaten war if they don’t cooperate.”

Blueflower imagined the intimidating young warrior as an enemy. Her first instinct would to be protecting the nursery and elders if he got into her camp. With that logic, RiverCan was likely to agree to anything.

“Then we’re in agreement?” Sunstar looked around the Clan.

Adderfang nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

“When words get out that RiverClan gave up Sunningrocks without a fight, the other Clans will know to fear us,” Thistleclaw growled with a smirk.

Blueflower frowned. She wasn’t so sure. This plan almost seemed unfair. Yes, Sunstar had come up with a way to avoid battle, but to go into RiverClan’s camp and threaten them directly? Elders and children would be there to see it. Hadn’t they learned from the battle with WindClan?

Camps were no place for a battle.

She shook her head. Sunstar wouldn’t let innocents be threatened.

She glanced at Thistleclaw.

“Then it’s settled,” Sunstar decided. “I’ll lead the patrol. Thrushpelt, Blueflower, Lionheart and Whitestorm will come with me.”

Thistleclaw blinked. “What about me?”

“You stay in camp as a guard,” Sunstar said. “With so many warriors out of camp, we’ll need good protection.”

Blueflower smiled, feeling satisfied. Without Thistleclaw’s menace, ThunderClan’s proposition would be more likely to appear simple and fair. Also, the look he shot at her, clearly jealous that she was trusted to go and he wasn’t, was hilarious.

The rain had stopped by the time the patrol set out, but the forest was still drenched. Blueflower pushed through the wet undergrowth after her Clanmates. When they emerged from the forest and skirted Sunningrocks, following the riverbank to the stepping stones, a cold wind whirled around them. Blueflower shivered as they neared the river. A cold mist was rolling from the water. Sunstar led the way to the stepping stones. Blueflower stiffened when she saw one of the flat stones wobble.

Lionheart followed, bulky but nimble. Blueflower stood back to let the others past her. Finally, she was alone on the shore with Thrushpelt.

“You can go first,” he offered.

Bluestar stared at the line of stones. Dark water swirled around them, lapping at their smooth surfaces. Goosefeather’s prophecy rang in her ears.

Water would destroy her.

“Go on,” Thrushpelt urged. “We’ll fall behind.”

Blueflower forced herself forward, stepping onto the first stone. Water splashed at her feet.

She wished Goosefeather had been born without a mouth.

She stepped to the next stone, swaying for a moment before finding her balance.

The final stone wobbled as she landed, water washing over her ankles.

She flung herself to the shore, shivering.

Thrushpelt followed. “That was easy,” he chirped. “I don’t know why RiverClan bothers swimming.”

Blueflower stomped off into the reeds.

The patrol had halted. As Blueflower caught up, she saw that they’d been stopped by a few RiverClan warriors.

She recognized Stormstrike at the head of the patrol.

“What are you doing here?” His spear was drawn, pointed at them defensively. He’d been RiverClan deputy for well over five years now, after his father, Shellheart had retired. He was nothing like the friendly apprentice Blueflower had once known. He still had his crooked mouth, but he held his head high and proud.

“We just want to speak with Hailstar,” Sunstar said.

Ottersplash stepped forward. “About what?”

Sunstar narrowed his eyes. “My words are meant for your leader.”

As Ottersplash opened her mouth to argue, Stormstrike waved her away. “You think I’ll lead you right into camp?”

“I don’t mean to insult your intelligence, but surely you don’t think the five of us could take on an entire Clan,” Sunstar growled.

Whitestorm and Lionheart snickered.

Blueflower leaned close to her nephew. “Hush. This is serious.”

Stormstrike looked over the patrol, clearly put off guard. “I see your point.” He glanced around.

Sunstar raised his chin. “There’s no other patrol. It’s just us. I promise.”

Stormstrike glanced at his Clanmates, who seemed to have calmed down. “Follow me.” He turned, heading through the reeds.

Blueflower hated how the soft, wet peat squelched beneath her. She hated how open RiverClan territory was. It made her feel exposed.

“It’s a wonder they don’t get stuck in the mud,” Thrushpelt whispered.

Suddenly, Stormstrike swerved to the side, pushing through a wall of woven reeds.

Blueflower followed her Clanmates into the camp. The marshy clearing was dotted with small huts, made from sticks and reeds. They looked spiky and awkward, nothing like the scoops covered with sticks and draped with warm blankets.

“Why are their huts so thin?” Lionheart murmured.

“They float if it floods,” Stormstrike growled. “Wait here.” He left the ThunderClan patrol and ducked into a bigger hut beneath a willow tree.

RiverClansfolk were swarming the edges of the clearing, staring in surprise at their visitors.

“Look, mama!” A small, dark haired girl yelped. A blonde woman slid out of the hut behind her. Softwing looked at the visitors in dismay as Ottersplash rushed over.

“They’re here to speak with Hailstar.”

Softwing nodded, pulling her daughter closer.

Two of RiverClan’s senior warriors, Timberfur and Owlfur, prowled at the edge of the clearing, eyes narrowed. Stormstrike reappeared with Hailstar. The RiverClan leader had his head cocked, looking serious. He stared at Sunstar.

Sunstar nodded. “Sunningrocks belong to ThunderClan,” he declared. “We are taking them back.”

Hailstar narrowed his eyes. “You’ll have to fight for them,” he growled.

“Only if we have to,” Sunstar said. “But we thought it would be fair to give you a warning.”

Timberfur stepped forward. “Are you threatening us?” he growled.

Blueflower’s stomach tightened. They were surrounded by RiverClan warriors. What if they decided to fight for Sunningrocks here and now?

“No,” Sunstar answered calmly. “We’re giving you a choice. If you stay away from Sunningrocks, we’ll leave you alone. But we will gut anyone we find there.”
Hailstar took a step forward. “Do you really think you can win this so easily?”

“If you prefer battle, ThunderClan is ready,” Sunstar replied. “But is it worth it?” He cocked his head. “You have your river and plenty of fish. Your blades are meant for stabbing fish in the pen water and your cloaks are too flashy for stealth in our forest. It’s no use to RiverClan as a resource. Do you really want to risk your warriors for it?”

Blueflower looked at Hailstar, willing him to agree. The argument seemed flawless.

Hailstar’s gaze hardened. “You expect us to just give up Sunningrocks?”

Sunstat shook his head. “I expect you to fight for them,” he said easily. “Even though you’ll waste energy and lives. You will lose, and your warriors will die, because you decided to fight.”

Hailstar raised his chin, eyes narrowed. “RiverClan fights with blades, not words.”

“Fine.” Sunstar nodded. “Sunningrocks are ours. We will set the new markers tomorrow. After that, any RiverClan warrior fund there will be fought off.” He gazed around the camp, raising his voice. “Let all of RiverClan know this. Any blood spilled is in Hailstar’s hands.” He turned and headed for the entrance.

“That’s it?” Thrushpelt whispered.

“That’s plenty!” Blueflower was impressed by her leader’s words. He’d openly dared RiverClan to fight, yet made it look like their choice- a choice they couldn’t afford to make. Now all they had to do was wait to see how RiverClan reacted.

Shouts of dismay followed them out of camp.

“How dare you?”

“ThunderClan scum!”

Then footsteps pounded after them.

Had RiverClan decided to fight after all? The ThunderClan warriors spun around.

Ottersplash and Timberfur had followed them. ‘We’ll escort you to the border.”

“Thank you.” Sunstar nodded.

Blueflower frowned, feeling as though someone was watching her. She turned to see Oakheart emerging from the reed bed, carrying a fish. “What’s going on?”

“ThunderClan has been making threats,” Timberfur growled.

Oakheart met Blueflower’s eyes, alarmed. “Is there going to be a battle?”

Sunstar shook his head. “We were trying to avoid one.”

“We’re making sure they go home,” Ottersplash growled.

“We can get there ourselves.” Sunstar headed through the reeds.

Oakheart tagged along. Blueflower was acutely aware of him just behind her. When Ottersplash took the lead, he fell in beside her.

“I need to talk to you,” he whispered. He dropped back again.

Blueflower glanced over her shoulder. She needed to get away from her patrol. Did she need to? But there was urgency in Oakheart’s voice. She had to know what he wanted.

She gasped and started limping.

Thrushpelt turned. “Are you okay?”

“I must have stepped on a thorn,” Blueflower complained. “Go with the others. I’ll catch up.”

“Let me help,” Thrushpet offered.

“Go with the others,” Oakheart growled. He glanced at Thrushpelt, who hesitated before backing away.

“Don’t be long,” Thrushpelt said.

“It’ll only be a moment,” Blueflower promised.

As soon as he gone, Oakheart faced her. “Thanks. We need to talk.”

“Do we?” Blueflower growled. She shook her head. She didn’t want to talk to him.

“I haven’t seen you in months,” Oakheart said.

Blueflower cocked her head. “So?”

Oakheart shifted, blushing awkwardly. “I can’t stop thinking about you,” he blurted out.

Blueflower took a step back. “You don’t even know me.”

“I want to know you,” he insisted. “I want to know your favorite food, what your families like, what you want to do with your life…”

Blueflower’s heart twisted. “You can’t!” she gasped. “It’s against the warrior code.”

Oakheart shook her head. “The warrior code is nothing compared to you. Meet me tomorrow at Fourtrees. Midnight.”

“I can’t!” Blueflower protested.

“Just give me a chance,” Oakheart begged, his green eyes round. “Look, if you don’t come, I’ll leave you alone forever. Just think about it, okay?”

“Blueflower?” Thrushpelt called.

“Coming!” Blueflower hurried after her Clanmates.

She fell in beside Thrustpelt. He glanced at her. “Are you okay?”

She stiffened. Had he heard anything?

“The thorn?” Thrushpelt prompted.

“Oh. Oh, yes!” Blueflower blurted. “I got it out. I’m fine.”

As she crossed the stepping stones, she could feel Oakheart staring after her, making her blush. She didn’t look back.

Chapter Text

Blueflower couldn’t get to sleep. She couldn’t stop thinking about Oakheart.
His voice had been so intense, his eyes desperate. She could see the longing of her own heart reflected in his brown gaze. She wanted to know him, too.

But how? They were from different Clans! This was against the warrior code.

Groggily, Blueflower tossed and turned in her bed for hours. Finally, as the moon was starting to dip toward the horizon, she stumbled out of the hut. The rain clouds had cleared, leaving behind a pale sky. Dawn was breaking over the camp, sending yellow shafts of light across the clearing. Cold air nipped at Blueflower’s face.

Tigerclaw shoved past her toward Highrock where Tawnyspots was organizing the patrols. “Are you coming, Blueflower?” Tigerclaw called.

Lionheart and Whitestorm were already waiting in the shadow of the rock. Stonepelt watched from the fallen tree, frowning. Dappletail and Stormtail shared a meal nearby, while Sparrowpelt and Adderfang paced restlessly. Adderfang’s apprentice, Willow, was practicing her hunting stalk at the edge of the clearing.

“Spotted!” Swiftbreeze called into the rock crag for her youngest daughter. “Stop bothering Featherwhisker and come back here!”

“But the herbs smell so nice.” Spotted poked out from the rock. “I was just helping him mix comfrey.”

Swiftbreeze smiled. “If you want to stay in the healer’s hut, you can always ask Sunstar to make you a healer apprentice when you’re old enough.”

Spotted’s eyes shined. “Really?”

“Blueflower!” Frost emerged from the apprentice’s hut. She had grown into a beautiful young girl. “What are we doing today?”

Blueflower hadn’t even thought of the day’s training yet. She felt was haunted by Oakheart. “Hunting,” she decided.

“Awesome!” Frost said, sounding happy anyway.

“We need to increase our hunting patrols,” Tawnyspots announced. “Cold weather will mean hunger, and we’ll face it better if we eat well now.”

Tigerclaw pushed to the front of the crowd. “When do we set the new border for Sunningrocks?”

“Sunstar plans to send a patrol at dusk,” Tawnyspots told him.

“I want to be in it,” Tigerclaw declared.

“You will be,” Tawnyspots promised. “But don’t get too excited. A fight is unlikely.”

Blueflower’s heart quickened. Would she have to meet Oakheart in battle? How could she fight him now?

“Blueflower?” Tawnyspots had looked at her. “I hear you stepped on a thorn yesterday. You’d better stay in camp so it doesn’t get infected.”

Guilt shot through her. “It’s already healed.”

“We can’t risk it,” Tawnyspots reasoned. “You can help out in the nursery instead.”

“But I promised Frost we’re going hunting.”

Stormtail raised his head. “I’m taking Brindle to the sandy hollow. Frost can come with us,” he offered. “We’re practicing battle moves.”

“Thanks.” Blueflower stared at the ground, ears hot, wishing she’d never stopped to talk to Oakheart. She lifted her head and watched as her apprentice followed Stormtail out of camp.

“I’ll give you ointment for your foot.” Featherwhisker’s voice made her jump.

“No, thanks!” Blueflower folded her supposedly injured foot behind the other.

“It’s not sore?”

Blueflower shook her head. “It didn’t go too deep.”

“Well, just make sure to keep it clean,” Featherwhisker said, walking toward the nursery.

Blueflower followed him. Oakheart was already getting her in trouble, and they hadn’t even met yet! But Featherwhisker hadn’t even mentioned it. Surely, if StarClan didn’t want them to meet, they would have warned the healer, right?

Chapter Text

“I hate being left behind.” Whiteye sighed.

Blueflower lifted her head. “They’ll be back soon,” she soothed.

She was sitting with Swiftbreeze in the nursery while the patrol set the new border at Sunningrocks, but her thoughts had been all on Oakheart. What would he say? What would she say? What if she did something stupid? She stared at the dew sparkling around the clearing as the moon began to rise.

“Do you think they fought?” Swiftbreeze glanced anxiously at Blueflower, pulling Spotted closer.

Blueflower was listening for the sound of battle. Would the noise reach this far? Who would Hailstar choose to defend the rocks?

Stones clattered in the ravine. Blueflower rushed out of the nursery. “Did you win?” she called to Sunstar as he led his patrol home.

“The cowards didn’t even show up!” Thistleclaw growled.

Stormtail followed. “They hadn’t renewed their marks, either.”

“I can’t believe they really gave up.” Adderfang still looked shock.

Blueflower sighed with relief. Oakheart was safe.

Sunstar looked around his Clan. “Our borders our secure.”

Swiftbreeze smiled as Adderfang came over to greet her. “They’ll be plenty of food for the kids this winter,” he murmured.

Blueflower got to her feet, wondering how RiverClan felt. Would Oakheart change his mind about meeting with her? She’d still go to Fourtrees, just to see.

“Let’s celebrate!” Tawnyspots stood at the firepit.

Blueflower narrowed her eyes. Couldn’t they just go to bed? Feeling itchy with frustration, she sat down with a huff. It would be hours before the Clan went to sleep. By the time she snuck out, Oakheart might have left.

Blueflower shuddered. Was she really going to sneak out of the camp and meet with the RiverClan warrior?

Whitestorm tossed a sparrow leg to her. “Join us!” he called. He was sitting with Goldenflower and Lionheart, sharing some venison.

Blueflower shrugged. She wasn’t really hungry., but she didn’t want her Clanmates to worry. She walked over to Whitestorm and forced herself it eat.

Her heart thudded as she willed her Clanmates to go to bed. Only when the moon was at its peak did they begin to head for their huts. Blueflower stretched, pretending to yawn. She’d never felt more awake, but she headed for the warrior’s hut.

The hut was dark, despite the swollen moon. Blueflower tripped over Goldenflower on her way to her bed. “Sorry,” she whispered as Goldenflower grumbled.

She laid down in her bed, staring at the wall as her Clanmates settled down around her. None of them seemed willing to end the celebration.

“I thought they’d fight,” Lionheart admitted.

“They might still try,” Thistleclaw growled.

Were they going to talk all night? Blueflower could see the moon slipping down the sky through a tiny hole in the ceiling.

“Are you okay?” Rosetail whispered to her. “You keep fidgeting.”

“I’m fine,” Blueflower said.

“Sorry you didn’t get to come with us to Sunningrocks,” Rosetail sympathized. “But it wasn’t that exciting.”

“I don’t mind,” Blueflower said calmly, willing her friend to lay down and shut up.

After an hour, the hut finally grew quiet.

Carefully, Blueflower stood up. She glanced around the hut.

Nothing.

Everyone was asleep.

She walked to the edge of the hut, slowly making her way around. Finally, letting out a huge breath, she slipped out of the hut and skirted the clearing.

She crept toward the entrance. She could hear Adderfang outside, pacing restlessly as he guarded. She waited for his footsteps to fade away. He must be patrolling the camp walls. She waited a moment, then scooted through the tunnel and slipped into the shadows.

No sign of Adderfang.

She darted from the leaves and clambered onto the first step of the ravine, heart beating so rapidly she could hear it in her ear. She couldn’t believe what she was doing. This would mark her as a traitor to everything she knew.

Her Clan.

The warrior code.

Even herself.

She had to go back. Peering into the dark, she noticed Adderfang returning to the camp entrance. There was no way she could get back into camp without being seen. She had to keep going.

Silently, she raced up the ravine, careful not to disturb any loose stones. The moon lit her way as she scrambled over the top and sneaked into the forest. Keeping to the trails used by the Clan to go to Gatherings, Blueflower powerwalked through the forest. Moonlight shone through the bare branches.

Her heart leaped into her throat hen she reached the edge of the hollow. Below her, Fourtrees was eerie and silent, casting thick blank shadows across the clearing.

If Blueflower kept going, she would change her life forever. She knew it so well it froze her to the spot. For a moment she could sense Snowfur’s aura. Was her sister here, trying to tell her something?

Frustration surged through her. Was Snowfur trying to stop her or urge her on?

“I have to do this,” Blueflower whispered. “Please, you have to understand. It doesn’t mean that I don’t love you, or my Clan.”

She stepped over the crest and headed into the hollow.

Blueflower’s heart quickened when she noticed Oakheart sitting in the clearing, legs crossed as he stared at the Great Rock. Leaves crunched under Blueflower as she approached him.

He looked over his shoulder, then stood up, eyes shining. “You came!”

She opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say.

“I thought you wouldn’t.”

“I couldn’t get away,” she said.

“But you did.”

“Yeah.”

They fell into silence.

Blueflower felt panic rising into her. She shouldn’t have come. This was a huge mistake. Were they just going to stand here like brain dead mice, searching for words?

“It’s too cold to stand around,” Oakheart said.

Blueflower looked around, wondering how to warm up. She noticed the largest of the oak trees. “I’ll race you to the top.”

Oakheart snorted, amused. “RiverClan doesn’t climb.”

Blueflower laughed. “You can learn, can’t you? Come on, I’ll show you.” She turned away. “Unless your scared.”

“Of course not!” Oakheart’s eyes lit up. He raced past her to stand on the roots of the oak. “What now?”

“Watch.” Blueflower took out her sword and stabbed it into trunk of the oak. She jumped to grab onto it, then grabbed a hand hold and pulled it from the tree, stabbing it in again above her head. She continued to scale the tree until she could grab the first branch and heave herself onto it.

“Old trees like this are easy,” she called down. “The bark’s soft. Even someone as big as you should be able to make it.”

“I’m not that big.” Oakheart drew his spear and tried to copy her. He was clumsy and hesitate as he scaled the trunk, but strong and determined.

Blueflower watched him, impressed. She took a deep breath and moved into the next branch to give Oakheart room.

“You actually enjoy this?” he panted.

“Of course!” She pointed down. “Look.” The clearing sparkled below them like a pool of fallen stars.

Oakheart gazed down, eyes sparkling. “Wow.”

“Ready for the next branch?”

“I’m ready for anything.”

Blueflower reached up to grab a knot in the trunk and hauled herself higher. “Can you manage?” she called down.

Oakheart had grabbed the knot with both hands, legs flailing in the air. “I’m absolutely swell!” he growled. He finally got his ground and hauled himself onto he next branch, laying on his stomach.

“Elegant,” she teased.

“I’m glad you think so,” he growled playfully. “Next time, let me teach you how to swim.”

Bluestar stared at him, suddenly afraid. “No way,” she said, heart racing as she remembered the prophecy.

Oakheart smirked. “Scared of water?”

“Scared of heights?” She gave him a challenging look and climbed to the next branch.

“You can’t scare me,” Oakheart boasted, catching up and grabbing onto the slender branch.

“Really?” She climbed to the next branch.

“No.” He climbed up next to her.

“Then I’m impressed.” Blueflower cocked her head. “Have you really never climbed before?”

“Not a tree like this,” Oakheart admitted. “My brother and I used to climb the willow tree in camp when we were little.”

“Do you want to go higher?”

“Right to the top.”

Blueflower led him up through the tree, sending dead leaves showering down. The Great Rock looked like a pebble by the time they’d reached the highest branch that could support their weight. It dipped when Blueflower grabbed it, but she let her body rock with the motion, allowing the branch to balance.

Oakheart sat on the branch beside her. “Wow.”

Blueflower gazed at the star splattered sky. “Do you think StarClan can see us?”

“If they can’t see us up here, they can’t see us anywhere,” Oakheart replied. He leaned close to her.

Blueflower tensed. Was StarClan watching them?

Oakheart turned to look at her. “The sky is clear,” he said gently. “Don’t you think StarClan would send clouds to cover the moon, or a storm, if they disapproved of us meeting here?”

Blueflower hoped it was true.

A breeze made the tree tremble. Oakheart gasped and clung to the branch.

“Let’s go down,” Blueflower suggested. “Just follow me.” She led him the easiest route she could find, glancing up to make sure he was okay. He looked a lot less confident, scrambling from branch to branch, looking nervous. She saw relief flood his gaze as they landed on the roots.

“Thank StarClan,” he sighed, sliding onto the ground.

Blueflower laughed, then looked up at the tree. “Oops. Look like we forgot something.”

She pointed to the tree just under the first branch. They’d left their weapons stabbed into the tree, Oakheart’s spear crossed over her sword.

Oakheart followed her gaze. “We can get them later.”

They sat down to stare at the tree for a long moment. This time, the silence didn’t feel as awkward. Their weapons seemed strangely beautiful like this, intertwined but not touching, the moonlight glinting off their blades.

Oakheart sighed. “I’ve waited so long for this.” He looked at her. “For you.”

Blueflower blushed, dropping her gaze.

“Everyone in my Clan’s been telling me to find a wife,” he murmured. “But I don’t want a wife. I just want you.”

“I know what you mean,” Blueflower said. “Everyone says I should settle down and get myself a family, but I don’t want one. But I wouldn’t mind spending every night like this, with you.”

Oakheart smiled. “I feel the same way.”

Blueflower frowned, guilt piercing her heart. “Yeah, but we can’t have this.”

“Why not?” Hurt made Oakheart’s voice crack.

“We’re from different Clans!” Blueflower said, although it was painful. She tried to push away the grief that gathered in her heart, pressing close to Oakheart. “If we keep meeting like this, someone’s going to get hurt.”

“That’ll be nothing compared to letting you go,” Oakheart said, wrapping an arm around her.

Blueflower knew he spoke for both of them, but she couldn’t ignore her destiny. She stared up at the Great Rock, glittering with frost. The Clan leaders would be horrified if they could see this.

Two figures gazed down from the top.

Moonflower and Snowfur.

Blueflower trembled.

Oakheart pulled away. “Is something wrong?”

Blueflower stared at her mother and sister. They frowned at her, eyes filled with sadness.

She knew why they were here. They’d come to remind her where her true loyalties lay. If she was going to fulfill the prophecy, then she had to strong and loyal.

Oakheart followed her gaze to the Great Rock. “What is it?”

Blueflower blinked, letting the starry figures vanish. “Nothing.” She turned back to him. “Let’s stay here tonight.”

Just one night. That’s all she’d let herself have. Then, her every breath would be dedicated to her Clan.

Oakheart still looked disappointment, but it seemed he’d realize this was best for both of them. “Okay.”

Chapter Text

Soft fingers stroked Blueflower’s cheek.

“Time to wake up,” Oakheart whispered.

Blueflower opened her eyes and stretched. They’d slept together in the shadow of the Great Rock. It was still dark in the hollow, but the sky was turning white in the predawn light. She sat up, heart racing. She needed to get home.

Oakheart stared at her. “We don’t have to go yet, do we?”

“Yes, we do.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek.

They walked to the edge of the clearing and paused, hands intertwined. Their time together was over.

“I’ll see you near the river,” Oakheart promised.

“I’ll look for you,” Blueflower said. The river would always stand between them.

“Maybe I’ll climb a few trees,” Oakheart joked. “I might get a better view.”

Blueflower laughed sadly. Why was he so cheerful? Didn’t he realize this was all their relationship could ever be? She gazed into his eyes and knew he did. Behind the brightness, she recognized raw sorrow.

“Good bye,” she whispered, heading for the slope. She glanced back several times until the pain was too much to bear. She fixed her gaze ahead as she reached the top of the hollow, feeling Oakheart’s gaze scorch into her back.

The forest was filled with shadows. It took her awhile to adjust to the darkness as she weaved through brambles and ferns. Her heart quickened as she neared camp. What if someone saw her?

It was too early for anyone to be up.

She slid down the ravine, holding her breath as she sent a shower of grit to the ground. To her relief, Adderfang was gone. The camp entrance was unguarded. She slunk inside and headed straight for the warrior’s hut, head swiveling around nervously.

Yellow light was rolling across the sky, reaching down to pierce the shadows beneath the trees. The dawn patrol would be Gathering soon. Blueflower slid into the hut, tense, and tiptoed to her bed. Lionheart grumbled as she watched past him, but no one stirred. Settling into her bed, Blueflower closed her eyes. She didn’t want to sleep. If she fell asleep, she might forget the night she’d spent with Oakheart. She’d only been with him for one night, but loved him more than she’d ever loved anything. How could she live, never talking to him again? Even worse, how could she see him at Gatherings and pretend to be just friends? How could she see him in battle and pretend to be enemies?

But she didn’t have a choice. She was a loyal ThunderClan warrior, and that meant she couldn’t be friendly with people from other Clans.

She sent a silent prayer to StarClan, begging them to forgive her.

The sun seemed to rise too soon. Before long, her Clanmates were waking and leaving the hut to start the day.

Blueflower, not wanting to seem suspicious, dragged herself out of bed to join them.

Sunstar was surrounded by his warriors, dishing out the patrols for the day. Tawnyspots had gone to Featherwhisker, his sickness coming back with the cold weather.

“Adderfang, take Lionheart, Whitestorm, Thistleclaw and Tigerclaw to remark the RiverCan border,” Sunstar ordered. “But be careful. They might still try to fight.”

“We’ll check the area,” Adderfang said.

Sunstar nodded. “Good. Goldenflower, take Patchpelt, Thrushpelt and Blueflower to check the town border.”

The blonde girl nodded, then turned to the members of her patrol. “Come on,” she called. “Let’s go scare a few couthies!” Her tone was light, to Blueflower’s relief. She hadn’t forgotten how Thistleclaw had treated that black haired boy. Besides, feeling this tired, she didn’t think she could even scare a mouse.

“We’ll split into pairs,” Goldenflower said as they walked into the forest toward Tallpines. “Patchpelt and I will check the old warehouse. You two, check the border.” She nodded to Blueflower and Thrushpelt.

Blueflower hardly heard her. In her mind, she was sitting in the tree with Oakheart, staring at the stars.

“Come on.” Thrushpelt’s voice sounded far away. He was holding back a bramble for her to pass.

“Thanks.” She walked past him.

“It’s a shame we’re not hunting today. I’d love to pick up some tips from you.” Thrushpelt hurried after her. “You’re a great tracker.”

“Um...thanks,” Blueflower stammered. Thrushpelt was always complimenting her like this. Why did his enthusiasm feel so clumsy and annoying? He was just being nice.

He stopped to hammer a marker into the border, replacing the old one. Blueflower turned away, staring at the fence ahead of them. This was where she’d met Jake.

“Do you think we’ll ever see Pinestar again?” Thrushpelt asked, slicing through her memories.

Blueflower shrugged. “Who cares? He’s a traitor.”

Thrushpelt turned to her, surprised. “But he was our leader. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be a couthy. I think being RiverClan would be easy.”

Blueflower sighed. Being RiverClan would certainly have made everything much easier.

By the time they were heading back to camp, Blueflower was too tired to feel anything. She headed straight for the hut, pushing inside. Tawnyspots was asleep under his dappled cloak, shivering, despite the warmth of the hut.

As Blueflower stared at him, she noticed how small and old he looked, although he was only middle aged. She hurried out of the hut. Would Tawnyspots die soon? She had to know. It was too soon. How could she possibly become deputy when she hadn’t even finished training her first apprentice? When she reached the clearing, Goosefeather was already surrounded by warriors.

Dappletail was shaking her head, looking worried. “I don’t think he’ll make it through this time. Can’t you do anything?” Tawnyspots was her older brother.

Smallear nodded. “He needs to stay in the healer’s hut before he gets the rest of us sick.”

“Will he recover this time?” Whitestorm asked.

“He seems worse than usual,” Runningwind put in.

Goosefeather was frowning. “We’ve tried everything, but it won’t work.”

“He recovered last time,” Blueflower said.

“He wasn’t this sick last time,” Goosefeather countered. “Sunstar may want to start thinking of appointing a new deputy.” He looked at Blueflower, his gaze sharp.

Blueflower stiffened.

“Finally,” Thistleclaw murmured from the back of the crowd. “It’s my turn to be deputy.”

Blueflower spun around to face him. The man’s eyes were glowing, his head high as he smiled.

Blueflower shuddered. Thistleclaw was the most promising young warrior in the Clan. Would Sunstar choose him to be deputy next?

Chapter Text

The hut rustled as Blueflower’s Clanmates filed into the hut. They had just returned from the Gathering.

Blueflower lifted her head. “How was it?” She yawned, wanting to go back to sleep. She’d been tired lately, drowsiness making her feel heavy. She’d felt unusually clumsy in the training hollow as well. She was relieved that Frostfur was now a warrior, along with her sister, Brindleface. With no more training sessions to attend, she’d let her battle frame slide.

Rosetail laid down in her bed. “I’ll tell you about it in the morning,” she murmured, closing her eyes.

Leopardfoot was more talkative, still energized from the Gathering. “Hailstar’s dead,” she announced. “He was killed by a wolf.”

Blueflower sat up. “Does that mean Stormstrike…?”

“He’s Stormstar now.”

“Who’s the new deputy?” Blueflower knew Oakheart had his eyes set on it.

“Timberfur.”

Blueflower blinked. Why hadn’t Stormstar chose his brother? How could he overlook him? Blueflower kept the thought to herself. She hadn’t seen Oakheart since they’d met at Fourtrees four months ago. She avoided looking at him at Gatherings. She couldn’t even bear to see the tree where they’d sat.

Blueflower settled back into bed, picturing Oakheart in her mind.

Leopardfoot kept chattering. WindClan was growing thin and RiverClan had completely ignored anything to do with Sunningrocks. ShadowClan had a bunch of new apprentices.

“I’m not surprised you didn’t want to come tonight.” Leopardfoot’s comment jolted her back awake.

“Why?”

“Have you told Sunstar yet?”

Blueflower’s heart raced. Did Leopardfoot know something?

“Told him what?”

Leopardfoot blinked. “That you’re pregnant.”

Pregnant?

Blueflower stared at her friend in horror.

“Don’t worry.” Leopardfoot’s gaze was warm. “It’s natural to be scared, but you’ll do great.”

Rosetail was suddenly awake. “Blueflower! You’re pregnant? Why didn’t you tell me? Does Thrushpelt know?”

“Keep your voice down!” Blueflower growled.

Rosetail slapped her hands over her mouth. “Sorry,” she whispered. “I’m just so excited! I knew you and Thrushpelt were together. He’ll be a great father.”

Leopardfoot blinked. “I didn’t know you and Thrushpelt were together. You’re not even married.”

“Please don’t tell him,” Blueflower begged. She’d play along, for now. If they knew Thrushpelt wasn’t the father, they’d start asking about it.

“You want to tell him yourself,” Leopardfoot said. “I understand. But you’d better do it soon. You’re starting to get big. Even the men will be able to notice.”

As Leopardfoot and Rosetail settled down, Blueflower gazed into the darkness of the edge. She hoped StarClan would forgive her. She’d never meant for something like this to happen.

She hardly slept that night, kept up by terrified thoughts. When morning finally came, she heaved herself from her bed, aware of the extra weight. Outside, the warriors were gathering around Adderfang, who was assigning duties for the day. Tawnyspots had moved into the healer’s hut.

Blueflower stumbled past her Clanmates, heading for Sunstar’s hut. She paused outside. “Sunstar? I need to speak with you.”

“Blueflower?” Sunstar’s voice came from inside. “Come in.”

Blueflower pushed through the hanging vines.

Sunstar was sitting in his bed, combing his blonde hair. “Is something wrong?”

“I’m not feeling well,” Blueflower told him. “May I be excused from patrols?”

Sunstar cocked his head. “Did you eat something rotten?”

“I don’t know.”

“Just make sure you see Featherwhisker.”

“I just need some fresh air,” Blueflower assured him, heading out of the hut. She walked to the camp entrance, wanting the solitude and peace of the forest.

Thrushpelt broke away from the knot of warriors to catch up with her. “Are you okay?”

She kept walking, her face flushed. She couldn’t believe she’d let Leopardfoot and Rosetail believe he was the father, but what else could she do?

Thrushpelt fell back, leaving her to squeeze out of camp. She felt heavy and tired by the time she reached the top of the ravine, breathless. She sat down to look at her round stomach. Was there really a child growing inside her? A rush of protectiveness surged through her, and she rubbed her stomach.

The sound of a patrol leaving camp made her stand up and hurry into the forest. The trees were thin, outlined against the sky. She was walking toward the river. She wanted Oakheart to know the news, and to feel comforted by his presence, yet she knew the odds of seeing him were slim.

She walked down the smooth stone slope and sat at the water’s edge. The far bank was covered in frost. How would she explain this child?

Water would destroy her.

Was that what the prophecy meant? Had the water been RiverClan, specifically Oakheart?

Clouds covered the sky, heavy with snow. Blueflower shivered and scanned the far bank. She couldn’t wait here much longer. She was hungry, and starting to get cold. As she stood up, a flash of movement on the other side of the river caught her eye. She heart quickened when Oakheart appeared.

A patrol followed, made up of Owlfur and Ottersplash. Blueflower backed away as the RiverClan patrol walked along the edge of the river, but it was too late.

They’d spotted her.

Ottersplash scowled. “Fishing?”

Oakheart only glanced at her. “ThunderClan hate fish,” he said. “You two go back to camp and tell Stormstar there’s a ThunderClan warrior at the border. I’ll stay here and see if any more show up.”

Ottersplash and Owlfur headed into the trees.

Oakheart waded into the water until it lapped at his knees. “It’s been a while,” he called.

“I need to talk to you.”

Hope flared in Oakheart’s eyes. Blueflower winced, knowing he’d be disappointed.

He slid into the water and swam across, lightly tugged by the current. He glided through the water easily, then emerged onto the stones. “What is it?”

Blueflower looked down, suddenly feeling awkward. How would he react? “Your brother didn’t make you deputy.”

“Nope.”

“But I thought you wanted to be leader one day.”

“He didn’t want to show favoritism,” Oakheart said. “Honestly, I was glad. I don’t want to be leader if it means my brother has to die.” He glanced over his shoulder. “We don’t have long. What do you want?”

“You and your brother have a good relationship. Like Snowfur and I did.”

“Blueflower! Spit it out!”

She took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

Oakheart’s eyes widened. “Oh.” He looked down at her, suddenly understand. “Oh, StarClan, that’s wonderful! Our child will be great. Brave and strong and clever. Good at swimming and climbing!”

Blueflower flinched. Did he not understand? “We’re in different Clans,” she reminded him.

“That’s okay,” Oakheart admitted “But you can join RiverClan, or I can join ThunderClan. It’s been done before.”

“It has?” Blueflower asked.

“There’s a warrior in your Clan- Windflight- whose father was from WindClan. Didn’t you know?”

Blueflower shook her head, shocked. No one had ever mentioned it. “Are you sure?”

“That’s what Birdsong says.”

“And why do you think no one in ThunderClan talks about it?” Blueflower snapped. “They’re ashamed! ThunderClan let a WindClan child be raised in their camp, and WindClan didn’t claim him. They forgot about it because it was a terrible situation. Do you want our child to grow up like that?”

“But if I joined ThunderClan, they’d be a ThunderClan child,” Oakheart argued.

Blueflower stared at him. “You’d do that?”

“I’d do anything for you.”

“But you’d be leaving behind your family and friends. ThunderClan would hate you.”

Oakheart lowered his gaze. “But you don’t.”

“You’d be miserable!” Blueflower couldn’t let him live like that. “You can’t leave your Clan.”

“Would you leave yours?”

“No.”

“I could teach you to swim, you know.”

Blueflower shook her head. She remembered the ambition in Thistleclaw’s eyes, and Goosefeather’s many warnings about him. If she left ThunderClan, Sunstar would make him deputy for sure. “My Clan needs me.”

Oakheart frowned. “I need you, too.”

Blueflower shook her head. “No, you don’t. I’m going to raise this child in ThunderClan. It will never know its real father.”

Oakheart drew away sharply. “It’s my child, too!”

“I know that!” Blueflower snapped. “But there’s nothing else I can do. This is the best decision for our child. I must raise them as if they were pure ThunderClan.”

“What about me?” Oakheart protested.

Blueflower held back tears. “This is my fault and my burden. I knew it was a mistake to be with you. StarClan is punishing me with this pain.”

“Blueflower, please.” Oakheart stepped closer. “I don’t think it was a mistake. I think it was the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Blueflower felt movement in her stomach. Did the baby know what was happening? She turned away from her ex lover and headed up the bank, not daring to look back.

“I’ll always be here for you,” Oakheart called. “I love you, Blueflower. Whatever happens, I’ll always love you!”

Blueflower walked through the forest, unable to get his eyes out of her mind. He’d seemed so sad. The trees creaked and rattled above her. On either side of the trail, the bushes were dying from the cold. Had she really run through here as an apprentice, chasing Snowfur between the trees? She’d caught her first blackbird here, and learned to fight. She’d never realized how easy it had been or how happy it made her.

Everything was different now. Home didn’t feel like home when Oakheart wasn’t beside her.

“Blueflower?”

Thrushpelt had called to her from the trail ahead.

“Are you okay?” He was frowning with concern.

Blueflower walked past him with her head down. “I’m just going back to camp.”

He put out a hand to block her. “Hang on.”

She looked into his eyes and noticed they were soft.

“Rosetail just congratulated me on becoming a father.”

Blueflower groaned. “She promised she wouldn’t!”

“If you’re pregnant, it’s not mine.”

“I’m so sorry. I told her not to tell you.” Mortified, Blueflower searched for words. “She just guessed, and I didn’t know what to say…”

“So you are pregnant?” Thrushpelt pressed.

Blueflower nodded. “Yes.” She waited for him to ask who the father was.

He stared at her. “I’m not the father, you know. That’s not how it works.”

“I know that!” Blueflower snapped. “And I can’t tell you who the real father is. I...I just can’t.”

Thrushpelt glanced away. "You can tell the Clan I’m the father, if that makes things easier. But we don’t have to marry and we don’t even have to be pretend we’re together.” As he said it, she noticed he looked hurt. “We can say it was an accident.”

Blueflower stared at him. “You’d really do that for me?”

Thrushpelt nodded. “You know how I feel about you, Blueflower, and I know you wouldn’t be happy with me. But I’ll love this child as though it was my own.”

“I-”

Before she could answer, a scream ripped through the air.

Thrushpelt looked over her shoulder. “That came from the river.” He hurried off down the path, heading for the river.

Blueflower had recognized that scream.

Oakheart!

She ran after Thrushpelt, panting with the effort. She skidded onto the shore to see Thistleclaw pinning Oakheart to the stones, hands wrapped around the RiverClan warrior’s throat. Tigerclaw stood to the side, watching with a grin. Thrushpelt had stopped, scanning the river nervously.

“You filthy fish freak,” Thistleclaw growled. “What are you going on our land? I should rip your heart out!”

“There might be more on their way,” Thrushpelt warned. “I’ll get help.” He vanished into the forest.

Terror scorched through Blueflower. “Get off of him!” She darted toward Thistleclaw.

Tigerclaw stepped forward to block her. “We found this RiverClan filth trespassing,” he growled. “He must be punished.”

Staring past him, Blueflower could see Oakheart’s face growing blue as Thistleclaw choked him. With a cry, she shoved past Tigerclaw and ripped Thistleclaw away.

Thistleclaw pushed her away. “Are you insane?” he growled. “This is a full grown enemy warrior. He’s invading our territory!”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Blueflower snapped. “What could he do on his own?”

Thistleclaw glared at her. “There might be others!”

“There aren’t.” Oakheart had climbed to his feet, rubbing his neck. “I got swept over here by a wave. I was just leaving.”

Blueflower stood in front of Oakheart. “Let him go, Thistleclaw! He’s not here on purpose.” Her voice was nearly a plea.

Oakheart stumbled back and dove into the river.

“Traitor!” Thistleclaw shoved Blueflower, sending her stumbling on the rocks until she fell onto her back. “You’re a coward and a fool! I’ve never once see your defend our borders. What kind of warrior are you?” He stood over her. “Why did you let him go?”

“You heard him!” Blueflower growled, fighting back panic. “He wasn’t here to cause harm. He was going home.”

Thistleclaw shook his head, pacing away. “We need more patrols,” he muttered. “It’s too easy to invade. He got here accidentally. He wasn’t even trying to get here and he passed our border! We need to teach the other Clans that they can’t just wander onto our land whenever they want. We will mark our borders with their blood! They will know not to cross us.”

Blueflower scooted away, terrified.

The undergrowth shook as Thrushpelt burst onto the shore. Adderfang, Sparrowpelt and Lionheart hurtled out behind him.

Thistleclaw spun around. “We chased the RiverClan warrior off.” His voice was controlled./p>

“Nicely done,” Adderfang praised.

“It’s a good thing you were here,” Sparrowpelt added.

Thrushpelt hurried over to help Blueflower off the ground. “What happened?” he murmured.

She just shook her head. She’d tell him what happened later. Now, she was too scared to even speak.

Adderfang nodded to Tigerclaw. “You still have a lot to learn from Thistleclaw. He’s quite a warrior.”

Tigerclaw nodded. “I never miss a thing,” he said smoothly.

“Is the area clear?” Adderfang asked.

“Clear.” Thistleclaw headed into the trees, not even glancing at Blueflower.

Blueflower followed Thrushpelt back to camp, wondering if Oakheart was okay. At least Ottersplash’s patrol hadn’t come back. It would have only confirmed Thistleclaw’s paranoia.

Blueflower shivered. She needed to warn Sunstar about Thistleclaw.

Back at camp, Sunstar listened as Thistleclaw and Adderfang gave a report. He’d taken them to his hut. Blueflower sat at the edge of the clearing, frustrated as she imagined just how much Thistleclaw must be over exaggerating. She waited impatiently.

“You should eat something.” Thrushpelt offered her a sparrow leg.

Blueflower sighed and sat down. It was pointless to pretend she wasn’t hungry. She was constantly hungry these days.

Thrushpelt watched as she ate. “Have you thought about what I said?”

Blueflower swallowed. Thistleclaw might get suspicious, now that he’d seen Blueflower defend Oakheart. Besides, the Clan wouldn’t be satisfied until they knew who the father was. How could she refuse? “Do you really mean it?”

Thrushpelt nodded.

“Thank you.” As she took another bite, the lichen of Sunstar’s hut swished. Adderfang and Thistleclaw walked out.

Blueflower glanced at Thrushpelt. “Give me a moment.” she hurried to the ThunderClan leader’s hut. “It’s Blueflower. Can I come in?”

“Go ahead.”

She pushed through the lichen, sending light rippling over the sandy cave.

Sunstar sat in his bed. “We’re lucky to have a loyal warrior like Thistleclaw.”

Blueflower stiffened. “Actually, I’m-”

“He’s a warrior ThunderClan can be proud of.”

“I was there when he attacked Oakheart.”

“Attacked?” Sunstar cocked his head. “He said he was defending our land from a trespasser.”

“Well, I guess he was, but you didn’t see how ruthless he was. If I wasn’t there, he probably would have murd-”

“You shouldn’t be getting involved with border skirmishes.”

Blueflower blinked. Didn’t he trust her?

Sunstar looked at her stomach. “For the good of the baby.”

“How’d you know?” Blueflower gasped.

“I’m not an idiot,” Sunstar laughed. “I may not have children of my own, but I know what a pregnant woman looks like.” He walked past her, then paused at the vine curtain. “You’ll make a wonderful mother, and your child will be an asset to the Clan.” He sighed. “I’d hoped you’d follow in my footsteps one day, but it seems StarClan has a different path for you.” He looked into the clearing. “Fortunately, there’s another warrior who’s just as capable as leading our Clan.”

Blueflower followed his gaze to Thistleclaw.

The black haired man as boasting about his victory to the younger warriors. Tigerclaw was standing beside him, eyes glowing with admiration.

Blueflower shuddered.

Thistleclaw couldn’t be allowed to take over ThunderClan. He’d kill them all!

Chapter Text

“Is it coming yet?” Swiftbreeze asked, tugging Red back into her bed.

Sunlight filtered through the nursery, muted by a thick layer of snow. The inside was warmed by several people crowding into it.

“Not long now,” Featherwhisker murmured, concentrating as Blueflower shuddered with another contraction.

Spotted leaned close. Although she wasn’t old enough to be an apprentice yet, Featherwhisker was still teaching her a few things.

“Put your hand here.” Featherwhisker placed the girl’s small hand on Blueflower’s stomach. “Can you feel her body trying to push the baby out?”

Spotted nodded. Goosefeather had moved to the elder’s hut, which meant there was a spot open for a new healer apprentice. Featherwhisker and Swiftbreeze had already spoken to Sunstar about making Spotted a healer when she was old enough. The whole Clan had agreed. Spotted had always been a compassionate, loving girl. The role of healer would suit her.

“Get off!” Blueflower cried, wracked by another contraction. As it faded, she noticed dismay in Spotted’s brown eyes. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I just didn’t expect this to hurt so much.”

“Did I hurt you?” Spotted fretted.

Featherwhisker shook his head. “No,” he assured her. “Giving birth is very painful, and it makes women crabby.” He looked at Blueflower. “Some crabbier than others.”

“You’d be crabby, too, if you’d been in labor since dawn!” Blueflower snapped, pain convulsing through her once more.

“Here it comes,” Featherwhisker said. “Spotted, when it arrives, wrap it in my cloak. We have to keep it warm and get it breathing.” He unclipped his gray cloak and handed it to the girl.

Blueflower screamed as she gave a mighty push.

“A boy!” Featherwhisker announced.

“How is he?” Blueflower craned her neck to see her son, trembling with excitement.

“Quick, Spotted!” Featherwhisker instructed. “Rub his back!”

Blueflower gasped. “Is he breathing?”

“Now he is.” Featherwhisker picked up the tiny boy and put him in Blueflower’s arms.

He felt warm and wet against her. Trembling with relief, she examined him. He looked exactly like her, with black hair and honey brown skin.

Another wave of pain rippled through her, making her cry out. Wasn’t it over?

“Another baby’s coming!” Featherwhisker announced.

“Twins?” Swiftbreeze blinked in surprise.

Blueflower gave a mighty push.

“A girl,” Featherwhisker said, then placed a hand on Blueflower’s stomach. “Dear StarClan, it’s triplets!”

There was a final, heaving pain, then Blueflower collapsed back into bed, panting.

“Well done!” Featherwhisker congratulated her. “Another girl! All three are healthy and strong.”

Blueflower gasped for breath. Three babies? How could she handle so many at once? She let the girls suckle first, feeling overwhelmed. She wondered how Oakheart would feel about it.

The hut rustled as Thrushpelt squeezed in. “How is she?”

“Blueflower’s fine,” Featherwhisker told him. “She’s had triplets. A boy and two girls.”

Thrushpelt gasped happily and Blueflower felt a rush of gratitude toward him. He hadn’t tried to come on to her, and only talked about their so called relationship vaguely. Their Clanmates had been pleased, fully accepting him as their father.

“I owe you everything,” she whispered as he came to knelt beside her.

“It’s what friends are for,” he murmured back.

“What will you name them?” Swiftbreeze asked.

“I’ll call this one Lily.” Blueflower gestured to the first girl. She had darker, almond skin, like her father. “And the boy will be Reed.” She wanted to give them names of the river, to remember their father.

“What about this one,” Thrushpelt asked. The youngest girl was tiny and looked exactly like Blueflower.

“Moss,” Blueflower decided.

Featherwhisker laughed. “You’re not letting the father choose any names?”

Blueflower smiled at Thrushpelt. “I think he’ll like them, anyway.” Oakheart certainly would.

She was glad none of them had Oakheart’s auburn hair or they might be too recognizable. She could still see resemblances her Clanmates wouldn’t recognize, like Reed’s round chin or Moss’ oily hair.

Hugging them close, she closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.

Chapter Text

Snow lay heavily around camp. Blueflower sat at the entrance to the nursery, worried it would be too cold for her children to play. The three year olds were trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues.

“Should I take them inside?” she asked Robinwing.

“Kids are tougher than they look,” Robinwing soothed. She held a newborn boy in her arms. “If their noses turn red, then it’s time to take them inside.”

Blueflower looked at her children's faces. None of them looked red, but she noticed that Lily and Reed’s noses were sharp, like Oakheart’s. Love and sorrow washed into her heart, mixing together like a poisonous concoction.

The triplets were running around the camp, chasing one another and trying not to get tagged by Dark. Willowpelt, a new warrior, hadn’t been in the warrior’s hut for long before she moved to the nursery with Whitestorm’s child. Dark was only a year old, chasing his cousins on stubby legs.

Adderfang was clearing snow from the entrance tunnel with Windflight and Swiftbreeze, who’d moved back to the warrior’s hut now that Red and Spotted were apprentices. Thistleclaw was showing off his moves to Mousefur, a new warrior. Sunstar and Stormtail were shoveling snow away from the firepit.

“Not much food left,” Sunstar said, looking disappointed.

Stormtail sighed. “We’ll just have to keep sending out hunting patrols until we find something.” He glanced at the nursery, eyes dark with worry.

Featherwhisker was carrying a bundle of herbs to the elders’ hut.

“Is everything okay?” Sunstar called to him.

“Yes,” Featherwhisker replied. “I’m just trying to make sure it stays that way.” He nodded to Goosefeather, who was just emerging from under the tilted tree.

Blueflower watched the old healer as he approached. He had a fierce, glazed look in his eyes. Did he have something to say? She glanced at the triplets, who were throwing snow near the warrior’s hut. “Don’t disturb Smallear!” she warned. “He’s trying to sleep.”

“We won’t,” Reed promised, chucking a ball of snow at his sisters.

Blueflower smiled fondly.

A shadow fell across her. “This was not part of the prophecy,” Goosefeather growled. “Fire must burn without bonds.”

Blueflower stood up. She may have doubted that fire burned inside her, but she knew it did now. She felt it scorching through her blood, giving her the strength to protect her children. “The prophecy can wait,” she growled. “My children need me.”

“What about your Clan?” Goosefeather turned and looked at Thistleclaw on the other side of the clearing. He was trying to coax Red to jump higher.

“You have to strike high!” he snapped.

Blueflower sighed. There was nothing she could do now.

“Watch this!” Lily called, jumping into a snow pile.

The warrior’s hut shook as Smallear stormed out. “Can’t you kids play somewhere else?” he grumbled.

“Sorry, Smallear!” Blueflower called.

Smallear’s gaze softened as Moss dove into the snow beside him, giggling.

“I suppose they’ll be apprentices soon enough,” the warrior sighed, walking over to the fallen tree. “Perhaps Stonepelt will let me have a nap in here.”

Goosefeather’s blue eyes were burning. “If Thistleclaw becomes deputy, ThunderClan will be destroyed.”

Blueflower narrowed her eyes. “My children need me,” she repeated.

“What about their father?” Goosefeather growled. “He can raise them.”

“Thrushpelt is too busy. With winter setting in, we need all the hands we can get in the forest.”

“Not Thrushpelt,” Goosefeather growled. “Oakheart.”

Blueflower flinched. How did he know? Had StarClan said something?

“I do not judge you, Blueflower,” Goosefeather said gently. “You never set out to betray our Clan, but those kids will drown in blood with the rest of the Clan unless you become deputy.”

“Mama!” Reed’s panicked squeak made her spin around. Moss had sunken into a drift up to her chin. Blueflower hurried over to dig her out, dusting the snow from the tiny girl.

Was Goosefeather right? Was she the only one who could save her Clan? He’d been wrong in the past. His Clanmates had stopped listening to his warnings long before he’d retired. Did he really know the future?

Snow slumped from the gorse barrier as a hunting patrol pushed through the entrance tunnel. Whitestorm, Lionheart, Runningwind and Goldenflower walked in, heads down. Whitestorm carried a scrawny sparrow.

“That’s it?” Sunstar demanded.

“We searched the whole forest,” Lionheart reported. “There’s nothing else.”

“We even checked Snakerocks,” Goldenflower sighed.

Sunstar scanned the Clan. “The children must eat first,” he decided.

Whitestorm carried the sparrow to the firepit to start cooking it.

Blueflower looked around, seeing a few glares from the other warriors. They hadn’t eaten in days.

Featherwhisker emerged from the fallen tree. “Is that food?” he called. “The elders are starving.”

“It’s for the kids,” Whitestorm said.

“Perhaps Tawnyspots should have some,” Robinwing said. “He needs to keep his strength up.” This year had been particularly bad on the ThunderClan deputy. He couldn’t even leave the healer’s hut to use the waste place.

“He won’t eat it,” Featherwhisker murmured. “He can’t keep anything down.”

Blueflower froze. “Is he going to die?”

Featherwhisker met her gaze. “He’s not getting better.”

Blueflower’s gaze turned to Thistleclaw. The younger warrior was watching Featherwhisker, his eyes gleaming.

Blueflower blinked, noticing Thistleclaw’s arms and face were glistening. He looked wet. Something dark and sticky flowed down his front.

Blood!

Thistleclaw was drenched with blood. It oozed down his face and arms, staining the snow around him scarlet.

Horrified, Blueflower backed away.

She blinked, and the blood was gone. Thistleclaw noticed her staring and narrowed his eyes.

She turned away and noticed Goosefeather. The old healer’s eyes were wide as he turned away from Thistleclaw to meet her gaze, nodding. He’d seen the vision, too.

Shaking, Blueflower stared at the triplets. How could she give them up?

“I’m hungry!” Lily complained.

“Let’s go inside.” The words stuck in Blueflower’s throat.

She didn’t have a choice. She had to save her Clan.

Chapter Text

A full moon hung above Fourtrees. The clouds had cleared, though the forest was still covered in snow.

Blueflower stared around the clearing, blind to the crowd mingling around her. She saw the tree her and Oakheart had climbed, and the small dip where they’d slept. The branches they had climbed looked so high. She wished she was up there now, close to the stars and far from the problems plaguing her Clan.

There was no time to indulge in sadness or memories. She searched the crowd around her, praying Oakheart was there.

The hollow was noisy and filled with chatter. Sunstar had let her come to the Gathering, even though she had children to look after. She wondered if he’d noticed the desperation in her eyes. She knew the triplets were safe with Robinwing and Willowpelt.

Oakheart!

She finally spotted him moving gently through the crowd. Shouldering her way through a cluster of ShadowClan warriors, she headed for him, keeping her gaze fixed on him.

“Oakheart,” she hissed as she drew near.

He spun around, eyes lighting up when he saw her.

“We need to talk.”

He nodded and darted through the crowd. Blueflower followed him behind one of the great oaks.

“I haven’t seen you in years,” he murmured. “I heard you had triplets! Amazing! How are they? What do they look like?” His eyes were glowing with pride.

“They’re beautiful,” she breathed. “I named them Reed, Lily and Moss.”

Oakheart sighed. “I wish I could see them.”

“You can.” Blueflower took a deep breath. “I can’t keep them.”

“What?” Oakheart stared at her in disbelief.

“My Clan needs me.”

“I-I don’t understand.”

He never would. She knew she must seem heartless. “Our children are lucky,” she said. “They have both you and me to protect them. ThunderClan only has me.”

“What are you going to do?” Oakheart asked.

“You have to take them. I’ll bring them to Sunningrocks tomorrow night.”

Oakheart narrowed his eyes. “If I take them, they’ll be raised as RiverClan warriors. They’ll never know their mother.”

“I know,” Blueflower whispered. She wondered if the triplets would completely forget about her. Perhaps that was for the best. If she didn’t give them up, they would be killed when Thistleclaw came into power. She turned away.

Oakheart’s hand was on her shoulder. “Blueflower.”

“What?” She turned back.

“This isn’t like you,” he murmured. “You love our children more than anything. You’re a good mother.”

Her voice cracked. “I have to be a bad one, or our children will die. This is the only way I can save my Clan.” Tears clouded her gaze. “It’s better this way. Just promise me they will always know they are loved. Don’t ever let them think they were unwanted. Even if they don’t remember me, I’ll be happy if they are happy.”

Oakheart nodded. “They’ll always have me,” he promised. “I’ll meet you tomorrow night.”

Chapter Text

“Wake up.” Blueflower kept her voice low, trying not to disturb the other nursery mothers and their babies. “Come on, Moss, wake up.” She gently shook the triples one by one, watching as they stretched

Reed yawned. “Is it dawn?”

“Not yet,” Blueflower murmured. “So we have to be quiet. We don’t want to wake anyone up.”

“Why?” Lily squeaked.

“Hush.” Blueflower looked anxiously toward Robinwing. Long was fidgeting and cooing. He quieted down after just a moment. “We’re going to play a game, but you have to be very, very quiet.”

Reed was wide awake. “What game?”

“It’s called Secret Escape.” Blueflower forced herself to smile.

Lily stood up. “How do we play?”

“It’s an adventure,” Blueflower explained. “We pretend that ShadowClan has invaded the camp. We have to escape without being seen, and meet our Clanmates at Sunningrocks.”

Moss’ eyes were round and anxious. “We’re leaving camp?”

“How else will we get to Sunningrocks?” Reed hissed.

“But daddy says we’re too little to leave camp,” Moss fretted.

Blueflower winced. She hated when they called Thrushpelt their father.

“I’m hungry,” Lily complained.

Blueflower fought down frustration. “We’ll eat when we get to Sunningrocks. Let’s play first.” She nudged them out of bed.

Reed bounced to the entrance. “I can’t believe we’re leaving camp!” he said excitedly.

“Hush!” Blueflower whispered. “If we wake anyone, we lose the game.”

She squeezed out first and turned to help the triplets through the snow. There’d been a new fall, but the clouds had cleared and the camp shone white in the moonlight. She scanned the clearing, but no one was around.

Her breath billowed as she hurried the triplets behind the nursery. The air was needle sharp with cold. “We’re going to use the waste place tunnel,” she whispered. “That’s the exit route if the camp was really invaded.”

Blueflower hurried them through the narrow tunnel and past the sheltered clearing of the waste place.

Lily covered her nose. “It stinks!”

Reed stared up through the bare branches. “The forest is so big!”

“I know, my son.” Blueflower nudged him on. “You know, I was only a child, too, when I first left camp. Sunstar- he was still just deputy back then- took me to the top of the ravine. It was very exciting.”

The side of the ravine loomed above them. The triplets had to incline their heads to stare up at it.

“I’ll have to carry you up,” Blueflower told them.

Lily’s eyes widened. “You can climb that?”

Blueflower listened for Stormtail, knowing he was guarding camp tonight. She longed to tell her father the true, and what she was doing, but she knew he wouldn’t understand. He’d never been good with children.

“We have to be extra careful,” Blueflower whispered. “ShadowClan warriors might be lurking.”

Lily looked around. “I see someone!”

Blueflower’s heart lurched. “Where?”

“Oh, I was just pretending,” Lily giggled.

Sighing, Blueflower scooped her up and headed up the first timble of rocks. Leaving the girl at the top, she went back for Reed. She left Moss for last since she was the smallest.

“I could have climbed it myself,” Reed complained.

“There isn't time.” Blueflower glanced at the rising moon in the sky. Oakheart should be at Sunningrocks soon.

Reed stared around the forest. “It’s so big,” he murmured.

Even under the cover of the trees, the snow was so deep that they had to struggle each step, stomping from one drift and sinking into the next. Blueflower bundled them along, glad to see Reed seemed to be able to manage himself.

He glanced back at her. “Does the forest go on forever?”

Blueflower shook her head. “But it is big. It feeds us and keeps us safe.”

“I heard grandpa say it’s not feeding the Clan much now,” Moss grumbled.

“It’s better in the summer.” Blueflower’s heart twisted. Would they remember how green and lovely the forest was in the summer? “There are deer and birds and rabbits. They all taste great.”

Reed knelt in the snow. “Red showed me the hunting crouch,” he said.

“Well done, dear.” Blueflower felt a surge of pride to see him with his back straight but feet apart. He was a natural. “You try,” she urged Lily and Moss. She wanted them to know how ThunderClan hunted.

The two girls crouched awkwardly.

“It’s too cold,” Lily protested.

Blueflower blinked. The forest was too cold for this. They needed to get going.

“Come on,” she urged. “We can practice hunting later.”

They were halfway to Sunningrocks when the triplets began to tire. Lily was shivering and Moss’ blue eyes were glazed with exhaustion.

“Can we go home now?” she whimpered. “I’m cold.”

“We have to keep moving,” Blueflower insisted, pulling Reed from snow drift. “I’ll carry each of you in turn.”

“I don’t like this game!” Lily began to sob.

Reed’s teeth were chattering as he shivered. Blueflower realized how small they were and how little fat they had o keep them arm.

“Just a bit farther,” she urged.

Reed raised his arms. “I can’t feel my hands,” he announced. “What if they fall off?”

Lily and Moss huddled together. Lily was trying to wipe the tears from her face as they froze.

“Okay, Lily’s turn.” She put Reed down and picked up Lily instead, cradling her in her arms. “Keep going. You can make it.”

They drew nearer to Sunningrocks, although slowly. Moss was starting to trail behind, stumbling through the snow.

“Can we go home now?” Reed whimpered.

“We have to get to Sunningrocks first.” Blueflower forced herself to sound cheerful.

“Why?” Even Lily’s voice was trembling.

Blueflower glanced through the trees toward Sunningrocks. She couldn’t see Oakheart yet. “Let’s rest here for a bit,” she suggested. She took shelter beneath a thick oak tree, bringing all three of them into her arms.

They felt colder than the snow.

“Can we go home now?” Moss whimpered.

“You can sleep here for a while,” Blueflower said.

Moss closed her eyes as Lily snuggled closer.

“This was fun.” Reed yawned. “Did we win?”

Blueflower bent to press a kiss to the top of his head. “Yes, dear, you won.”

She unclipped her blue cloak to throw over them. Reed and Lily snuggled close to each other, breathing easily. Moss hadn’t responded.

“Moss?”

The little girl wasn’t even shivering anymore. Blueflower put a hand on her cheek. It felt like ice.

“Moss!”

Panic gripped her. She took her daughter into her arms, but the girl was perfectly still.

“Please, wake up,” Blueflower begged. “There’s warmth on the other side of the river. Your father wants to meet you. Please, just a little farther.”

“Blueflower.”

Snowfur’s voice stirred the branches.

“She’s with StarClan. I will look after her.”

“No!” Blueflower cried. “You can’t take her!”

“There’s nothing you can do. She’s already gone.”

Blueflower bundled Moss into her arms. Lily and Reed stirred but didn’t wake.

“You can’t have her!” Blueflower sobbed.

“It’s too late.” Snowfur’s voice echoed through her mind. Soon, her sister faded away, leaving Moss still and silent.

“Blueflower?” Oakheart’s figure appeared ahead.

Reed was woken by the unfamiliar voice. “Who’s there?”

“Go back to the rocks,” Blueflower called. “I’ll bring them to you.”

“Let me help,” Oakheart offered.

Blueflower glared at him. “They don’t know you yet. Leave!” As Oakheart disappeared, she roused Lily. “We need to go.”

“But I was just getting warm.”

“You’ll be warm soon,” Blueflower promised.

“Where are we going?” Reed demanded.

“I’m taking you to meet your father.”

Reed blinked. “But he’s in camp, isn’t he?”

“Not Thrushpelt. Your real father- Oakheart. From RiverClan.”

“RiverClan?” Reed echoed in disbelief.

“Come on,” Blueflower ordered.

Lily glanced back at Moss. “What about Moss?”

“I’ll come back for her.”

“But we’re ThunderClan,” Reed wailed. “How can we be RiverClan, too?”

Blueflower didn’t answer. She let them stumble along, glancing back to see if Moss might struggling against them. Instead, the snow was already covering her up.

“Are they okay?” Oakheart asked when they arrived in the Sunningrocks clearing.

Blueflower nodded, not looking up. His presence warmed and comforted her. For a fleeting moment, she thought about going with him. She wanted to walk the rest of her days at Oakheart’s side, never leaving him or her children.

But she couldn’t.

She had to save her Clan.

Reed and Lily stared up at the stranger.

“This is Reed,” Blueflower said. “And this is Lily.” Her throat grew tight and she began to back away, tears blurring her vision. “Please take care of them.”

“I thought they were triplets,” Oakheart called.

“Moss is dead!” Blueflower turned and stumbled back into the forest.

“Mama, come back!”

“Where are you going?”

“You’ll be back, right?”

Unable to bear their calls, she broke into a sprint.

By the time she got back to camp, the moon was sliding down the sky. There was one last thing she had to do- one last lie to tell her Clanmates. She slipped into camp through the waste place tunnel and quietly broke a hole into the back of the nursery.

Then, she squeezed through the entrance and climbed into her bed. After a moment, she took a deep breath, and called out an alarm.

“My babies! My babies are gone!”

Chapter Text

Adderfang’s voice was soft. “Blueflower, would you like to come hunting?”
Blueflower raised her head, trying to focus on his face.

A month had passed since she’d left her remaining children with Oakheart. The nursery walls had been fortified with bramble thorns and extra layers of wood. Two warriors sat guard through each freezing night to make sure no wolf or bear ever stole from the nursery again. The Clan had believed Blueflower’s story- that she’d woken to find the triplets gone and a giant hole in the nursery. Everyone believed they’d been taken by an animal that had broken in, driven by starvation to venture into camp.

They’d searched the entire forest, not knowing where to look. Blueflower had scoured the woods with her Clanmates, numb with guilt, reminding herself over and over that she’d done it for her Clan. She’d subtly led the Clan to Moss’ corpse, which had frozen in the snow. Now, everyone in the Clan had accepted that the other two had suffered similar fates, and the search had stopped.

They spoke in low voices, huddling in knots, eyeing Blueflower sympathetically.

She wondered if Moss was watching from StarClan, hating her mother for letting her die in the cold. Had Snowfur explained that her life had been sacrificed for the good of the Clan?

“Blueflower.” Adderfang raised his voice. “Do you want to go hunting?”

“I’ll go with you.” Thrushpelt hurried over, sadness darkening his gaze. He was grieving as if he’d really been their father. He’d worked harder than anyone to reinforce the nursery. Blueflower wished she could tell him the truth.

She shook her head. “I’d rather hunt alone.”

Adderfang nodded. ‘Of course.”

Thrushpelt turned away, eyes cloudy.

“Blueflower!” Rosetail called. “Do you want some company?”

“I’m fine,” Blueflower answered. There was nothing her Clanmates could do.

She headed out of camp and into the forest. As the Owl Tree came into view, a rabbit darted across her path. She froze, face burning from the cold. She dropped into a hunting crouch, back straight and feet apart.

She wondered if Reed still remembered this stance.

She pushed away the thought and struck, stabbing the rabbit through the heart.

“Nice catch.”

Goosefeather’s rasp made her whip around.

“What are you doing here?” She hadn’t thought the old man could make it up the ravine anymore.

“Going for a walk,” he said.

“What do you want?” she growled. “Are you here to ruin my life further with your stupid prophecy?”

Goosefeather scoffed. “No, actually. I came to tell you I’m proud of you.”

“What?”

“You did what was best for your Clan,” Goosefeather went on. “The prophecy left no room for a family.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” she growled. She hated the prophecy and she hated Goosefeather.

Goosefeather blinked. “It’s not your destiny to feel good, it’s your destiny to save your Clan.”

“And I will,” she growled. “But I will never stop loving my children.”

“You did not choose to have children,” Goosefeather said. “They were in accident, and I believe they were a mistake, but I know you don’t feel the same. StarClan will honor you for your sacrifice.”

“StarClan can bite it!” Blueflower growled. “I lost everything! My children-”

“They’re still alive.”

“Not Moss.”

“She sacrificed herself for the Clan.”

“No, I sacrificed her! It’s my fault she died.”

“It’s a small price to pay for salvation.”

Blueflower shook her head. He could call her selfish, StarClan could doom her, but she’d never stop regretting what she’d done. Those children had not been a mistake- giving them up was.

“There’s something else I needed to tell you,” Goosefeather said. “Sunstar wants to talk with you.”

He turned and walked back into the trees.

Curiously, Blueflower followed. The ThunderClan leader was just climbing over the ravine.

“Blueflower.” Sunstar greeted her. “I want to talk to you. Walk with me.”

As Goosefeather stomped down the ravine, Sunstar steered Blueflower away from camp.

Blueflower fell in beside him, remembering how he’d spoken to her about Moonflower and again about Snowfur. She groaned. “Please don’t lecture me about death and moving on,” she growled. “I’m tired of it.”

He shook his head. “It seems you’re destined to suffer,” he sighed. Blueflower noticed how old the ThunderClan leader was looking. He was a few years from turning sixty, and making ThunderClan strong had cost him plenty. He’d lost three blessings in battle and two to sickness. Goosefeather had told her she was destined to be leader, but did she want to be? Had she given up her children just to grow old and tired with responsibility?

She didn’t have a choice. This was StarClan's will.

She would not let Moss have died in vain.

“I can tell you only what I’ve said before,” Sunstar began. “Life goes on.” They brushed past a bush where tiny green buds had pushed through the snow. “Winter is followed by spring, then summer. The forest won’t be frozen forever. You must remember that. I know this loss will make you stronger than ever.”
Would he be so sympathetic if he knew two of them lived on in RiverClan?
They walked farther into the trees. Sunstar seemed to have something on his mind. Blueflower waited for him to speak. They hopped over a narrow stream, swift with snowmelt, and stepped over a low bramble thicket.

Sunstar led the way through the thicket, holding back a tendril. “Are you ready to be deputy?” he asked.

Blueflower stopped. This was it. This was what everything had led up to.

“Tawnyspots isn’t going to get better,” Sunstar went on. “He’s asked if he can retire. I need a new deputy.” He gazed at her. “Will you accept?”

Blueflower blinked. “What about Thistleclaw?” She knew Sunstar had once had his eyes set on the fierce warrior.

Sunstar stared into the trees. “Thistleclaw is courageous and proud, but he lives to fight. Our borders are strong, with or without constant bloodshed. I fear giving him Tigerclaw as an apprentice was a mistake. Both of them want nothing more than to watch blood pour. ThunderClan deserves peace, and I know you are compassionate enough to bring that.”

Blueflower hesitated, remembering her children, and Oakheart at the top of the tree, and Thistleclaw covered in blood.

“Will you accept, Blueflower?” Sunstar repeated.

Blueflower nodded. “Yes.”

Chapter Text

The lasting snow was melting with the sparkle of the setting sun. Sunstar stood at the foot of Highrock with Tawnyspots and Blueflower. The ThunderClan deputy’s shoulders were hunched, his entire body trembling with pain.
Sunstar lowered his head. “Tawnyspots, ThunderClan thanks you for your loyalty and your courage. You have served your Clan well, and we hope that your days in the elder’s hut will be peaceful. Your stories and wisdom will still have a place in the Clan, and we will continue to learn from you.”

“Tawnyspots! Tawnyspots!” Thrushpelt and Dappletail called for their older brother. Thistleclaw lifted his head, choking out the name. Blueflower flinched, wondering how Thistleclaw felt about not becoming deputy.

“Blueflower.” Sunstar turned to her. “You will be ThunderClan’s deputy from this day forward. May StarClan grant you the courage to help your Clan face whatever lies in its path. And when the time comes for you to take my place, I hope you will shine at the head of our Clan.”

“Blueflower! Blueflower!”

The pale sun warmed her skin as she took in a deep breath. This was her home, and her territory, more than before.

Whitestorm cheered the loudest, pride in his voice. Thistleclaw called loudly as well, although Blueflower noticed his eyes were gleaming with fury. She knew he was only trying to appeal to the Clan.

If only the Clan knew what a monster he really was, choking out Oakheart or letting his apprentice murder a helpless child. This was what made giving up her children worth it. She’d sacrificed her happiness to make sure he never came into power.

For the first time in months, there was enough food for a feast. Early spring brought fawns and plenty of rabbits. As the Clan shared what they had, Sunstar called Blueflower to his hut.

“I Know I’ve made the right choice,” he said. “You still have a lot to learn, but I’m glad to call myself your mentor again.”

Blueflower nodded. “I’m sure you’ll have an easier time this go around. I’m a lot more mature.”

Sunstar laughed. “That is true. I just wanted you to know, you don’t ever have to be afraid to tell me something. I trust your judgement and will listen to you.”

“Then can I speak to you about Thistleclaw?” Blueflower risked.

Sunstar nodded. “I already know. But, I believe he is loyal and strong, and we should be proud to have him in his Clan.” The ThunderClan leader looked down. “While we’re being honest, there’s something else you should know. Only Featherwhisker and Tawnyspots know about it.”

Blueflower narrowed her eyes.

“I have only three blessings left, not four,” Sunstar confessed.

Blueflower blinked. “When did you lose it?”

“I didn’t. I never received it. When Pinestar left, he still had one blessing. StarClan counted this against me. They gave me only eight because Pinestar still had his ninth.”

Blueflower understood. “You kept it as a secret so your Clan would think you’d been giving all nine blessings. But can’t you tell them, now? You’ve more than proved that you’re a great leader.”

“Yes, but I’m afraid some might take it as a reason to usurp the order.”

Blueflower nodded in agreement. Thistleclaw would be waiting for any reason to make her step down as deputy, or for Sunstar to give up his leadership so the deputy position would be open.

“Thank you for telling me this, Sunstar,” she said. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

Chapter Text

“Come on!” Featherwhisker called from the shadows of Mothermouth.

Blueflower took in a breath of the cold air. It reminded her of when she’d come here with Pinestar, many years ago. Now, she was here to receive her nine blessings. When she returned to her Clan, she’d be their leader.

Sunstar had died just that day, run down by a bear that had wandered into the forest. It had killed him before the patrol could drive it off. Blueflower mourned his death deeply, regretting that she couldn’t save him. But she took comfort in knowing that he hadn't suffered a slow death like Tawnyspots had, joining StarClan just a few days after retiring five years ago.

Featherwhisker led her through the tunnel. The darkness still made Blueflower uncomfortable. It felt like she was drowning in the black. At the end of the tunnel, the cavern was filled with shadows. Watery starlight filtered through the hole in the roof.

“Midnight is coming,” Featherwhisker said.

Blueflower walked across the rough cave floor to sit at the foot of the Moonstone. It was dull without the light of the moon. But, just as Blueflower was sliding to the ground, the moon slipped acros the hole and the crystal shimmered.

She closed her eyes and was immediately swept into a dream. She felt grass beneath her.

She opened her eyes to see the Great Rock rising above her, the four great oaks sitting in each corner. She was in Fourtrees. Alone. She glanced at the black sky, dotted with stars.

Where was StarClan? Didn’t they want to make her leader of ThunderClan? Perhaps they hadn’t forgiven her for what she’d done with Oakheart.

Suddenly, the stars swirled down from the ground like leaves in the breeze. They gained speed until they were blurring together in a silver spiral, moving closer to Fourtrees.

Blueflower’s heart leaped into her throat.

The spiral slowed and the members of StarClan appeared in the clearing. Frost sparkled in their figures and glittered in their eyes.

Countless people lined the hollow, their figures shimmering as they filled the slopes silently. Blueflower cowered in the center. She forced herself to look brave and stared around, surprised when she recognized a few people. Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker stood on either side of Larksong, looking pleased to have been reunited. Goosefeather was with them. He had died just as he thought he'd predicted, during the first snow of that previous winter.

Pinestar stood not far away. It seemed StarClan had accepted him, despite his betrayal.

Blueflower searched the crowd, finally seeing Snowfur. Her starry figure was dazzling, her eyes sparkling with pride. She was standing beside Moonflower, who had her hands on Moss’ shoulders.

Blueflower wanted to rush forward and bundle up her daughter, but Moonflower shot her a warning glance. Blueflower could hardly bear to be so near to her precious daughter, yet unable to touch. She searched her daughter’s bright blue gaze, and saw nothing but happy love. Moss was safe with her aunt and grandmother.

“Welcome, Blueflower.” One clear voice rang through the clearing. Pinestar had stepped forward. He moved close to Blueflower and leaned his forehead against her’s. His touch scorched her skin, as though she were being frozen and burned at the same time, but she couldn’t move.

“I give you the blessing of compassion,” Pinestar murmured. “Judge as much with your heart as with your mind.”

A bolt of energy, fierce as lightning, seared through Blueflower. She stiffened against the pain, but it soon melted into a soft warmth that filled her entire body. She was left trembling as the warmth drained away.

As Pinestar turned away, another man came forward. Mumblefoot made the same gesture. “I give you the blessing of endurance. Use it to keep going, even when you feel as though all hope and strength have left you.”

She was seized by a dull agony that made her muscles stiff.

“Endure it,” Mumblefoot whispered. “Have faith in your own strength.”

Blueflower took a deep breath, feeling the pain ebb away. She felt as if she’d been drowning and just reached the surface.

Larksong came next. “I give you the blessing of humor. Use it to lighten the burdens of your Clan and to lift the spirits of your Clanmates.”

Something dazzling flickered through her, making her shudder. Larksong winked as she turned away.

A small girl was weaving through the ranks toward her.

“Sweet!” Blueflower greeted happily.

The apprentice’s eyes shone with stars. He heart ached with joy as Sweet stretched up to touch their foreheads together. “I give you the blessing of hope,” she announced. “Even in the darkest nights, it will be there, waiting for you.”

Energy fired through Blueflower. She wanted to go running and feel the wind in her hair.

Sweet walked away, replaced by Sunstar. “I give you the gift of courage. You know how to use it.” His gaze was filled with warmth. Blueflower felt a shimmer of satisfaction surge through her. They’d made a good team.

“I give you the blessing of patience.” Goosefeather stepped forward. His gaze was clear and his voice was gentle. “You’ll need it.” As he touched her, peace flooded through her. Everything would happen in its turn, she just had to be ready for it. Was this why Goosefeather had so rarely mentioned the prophecy when she was little? Even after the triplets were born, had he known everything would turn how well?

Who would give her the next blessing? She scanned the ranks and smiled when Moss stepped forward. Blueflower had to kneel for them to touch. “I give you the blessing of trust. Believe in your Clan and in yourself. Never doubt your decisions.”

“Moss.” Blueflower’s voice cracked. “I’m so sorry. I never should have-”

“It’s okay,” Moss said. “I know why you did it, and I forgive you. But I miss you.”

Moonflower came next. Blueflower’s heart ached as she felt her mother’s touch. “I give you the blessing of love. Cherish your Clan as though they were all your family.”

Blueflower gasped as her breath was crushed from her lungs. She felt as though she were suffocating until, suddenly, light exploded into her heart, spreading through her body and burning her skin. She was left trembling.

Snowfur was last.

“You sacrificed so much,” Snowfur said. “And our Clan has been saved. I give you the blessing of pride, so that you may know your own worth and the worth of your Clan.”

Heart seared through Blueflower, although it was over in an instant.

“Thank you for raising Whitestorm,” Snowfur said. “I’m glad you were there to keep Thistleclaw in line. Use all these blessings to help your Clan. We will be with you always. If you need us, come see us. You were chosen long ago, and StarClan never makes a mistake.”

Chapter Text

Bluestar sat on Highrock, warmed by the spring sunshine. The stone beneath her was cold, though. ThunderClan had suffered a hard winter and food was still scarce. Even Lionheart and Tigerclaw were looking thin, despite their usual bulkiness. Lionheart sat with Whitestorm, eating and chatting beside the nettle patch.

Tigerclaw had just returned from patrol with two of the newest warriors, Darkstripe and Longtail, Willowpelt and Robinwing’s eldest sons respectively. Tigerclaw had been Darkstripe’s mentor. Longtail’s mentor had been Leopardfoot, who was also Bluestar’s original deputy, but she’d died just a year ago. Afterwards, Tigerclaw had taken on Longtail as a second apprentice. The three had grown close. Dust, Robinwing’s second son, was sparring with Sand and Gray, Willowpelt’s two younger children. They chased each other around with wooden swords.

Redtail, the new ThunderClan deputy, sat beside Bluestar. “They could use some training.” His voice was light and amused.

Another young apprentice, Raven sat away from the others, absentmindedly stripping a flower of its petals. He was Robinwing’s youngest and last child, as the woman had grown too old and died that winter. While her other children had grown accustomed to not having their mother around, Raven still seemed upset.

Bluestar knew the feeling.

Dust was sneaking up on his little brother, practicing his stalking. He pounced, letting out a battle cry. Raven squeaked in terror and jumped up, turning on him.

Bluestar smiled sympathetically at the young boy. Raven had always been nervous, and the death of his mother hadn’t helped that. Bluestar had given him to Tigerclaw as an apprentice, hoping the fierce warrior could teach him some courage.

“Do you remember when you became an apprentice?” Redtail asked.

Bluestar nodded, sighing as memories warmed her heart. She had played like this with Snowfur and Leopardfoot, but both of them were gone now. So many people were gone...Stormtail, Swiftbreeze, Thrushpelt and Poppydawn had all gone during a particularly harsh winter, starving to death. Thistleclaw had died in a pool of his own blood, murdered after attacking a RiverClan patrol. Robinwing and Fuzzypelt had gone around the same time, seeming unable to live without each other.

The Clan was weaker without him, but Bluestar didn’t miss him. Not like how she missed Thrushpelt. Her friend had kept her secret till the end, only ever speaking of the triplets like a grieving father would. Bluestar had never told him that two of them lived on, under different names. To her relief, no one seemed to suspect Mistyfoot and Stonefur were her children. Oakheart had told her than he’d given them to Graypool and her husband Rippleclaw to raise. The couple had treated them well, even though Rippleclaw was dead now.

Bluestar tried to keep her distance at Gatherings, fearing someone might link Bluestar’s triplets disappearing within the same month as two random child appearing in RiverClan.

“I’ve led a good life,” she murmured.

Redtail glanced at her. “Feeling nostalgic?”

Bluestar sighed. “Sorry. I must sound like an old bat.”

“You’re not old,” Redtail argued.

Bluestar smiled. “I’m not young, either. Look, my hair is turning gray.”

She couldn’t help but feel some of that had been caused by Thistleclaw. He’d questioned her every order, snapping at her in private. He’d been furious when she’d made Leopardfoot deputy, then Redtail just a year ago. He was the reason she’d hidden how many blessings she’d had left.

The Clan thought she had five blessings left, but she really only had two. Not even Redtail knew the truth.

Bluestar sighed.

Redtail glanced at her. “Are you alright?”

“I was just thinking,” Bluestar murmured. “We have so many elders this year, and so few warriors. Who will kept them fed this winter?” Sparrowpelt, Smallear, Patchpelt, Whiteye and Dappletail were all elders now.

On the far side of the clearing, Spottedleaf emerged from the rock crag. She was the Clan’s only healer now that Featherwhisker had died, killed by the same bout of greencough that had taken one of Bluestar’s blessings. But Featherwhisker had trained his apprentice well and Spottedleaf was a natural healer.

The blonde woman looked exhaustion. The sun had risen that morning over a camp of bleeding, disheartened warriors, driven away from Sunningrocks the day before after a desperate attempt to take it back from RiverClan. Bluestar hadn’t wanted to battle over the disputed rocks again, especially after Adderfang had recently died in a battle there. But she couldn’t let ThunderClan be seen as weak for not challenging RiverClan.

Redtail and Tigerclaw had led the patrols, but lost, chased back into the forest, back to their camp with too many elders and not enough apprentices.

Bluestar took a deep breath, praying StarClan would send her a miracle.