“What?” Redstar stepped forward. “My patrols have reported more Twolegs in your territory, and noise from monsters, but they can’t possibly have destroyed it all.”
“They have.” Cloudstar stared through the dark trees, as if he might be able to see all the way to SkyClan’s ravaged home. “They came with huge monsters that pushed over our trees and churned up the earth. All our prey is dead or frightened off. The monsters are crouched around our camp now, waiting to pounce. SkyClan’s home has gone.” He turned back to the other leaders. “I have brought my Clan here to ask your help. You must give us some of your territories.”
Yowls of protest rose from the cats below the rock. Cloudstar’s heart ached as he saw his Clanmates stiffen, as if they were bracing themselves for an attack. We are only asking for help!
Swiftstar was the first to reply. “You can’t just walk in here and demand part of our territory. We can barely feed our own Clans as it is.”
Redstar scraped one forepaw over the hard gray stone. “The prey is running well now in greenleaf, but what’s going to happen when leaf-fall comes? ThunderClan won’t be able to spare any then.”
“Nor will ShadowClan,” Dawnstar meowed, standing up and meeting Cloudstar’s gaze. “My Clan is bigger than any other. We need every paw step of ground to feed our own cats.”
Cloudstar looked at the fourth leader. “Birchstar? What do you think?”
“I’d like to help,” she mewed. “I really would. But the river is very low and it’s harder than ever to catch enough fish. Besides, SkyClan cats don’t know how to fish.”
“Exactly,” Swiftstar added. “And only WindClan cats are fast enough to catch rabbits and birds on the moors. There’s certainly nowhere in our territory where you could make a camp. You’d soon get tired of sleeping under gorse bushes.”
Cloudstar looked at them for a long moment. “Then what is my Clan supposed to do?”
Every cat in the hollow was silent. Cloudstar felt his heart pounding beneath his fur. Please help us! Without StarClan, you are our only help!
Redstar spoke first. “Leave.”
Cloudstar blinked. What?
“That’s right.” There was a hint of a snarl in Swiftstar’s meow. “Leave the forest and find yourselves another place, far enough away that you can’t steal our prey.”
At the foot of the rock, Larkwing, the WindClan medicine cat, stood up. “Swiftstar,” she called, “as your medicine cat, I can tell you that StarClan won’t be pleased if the rest of us drive out SkyClan. There have always been five Clans in the forest.”
Swiftstar looked down at her with a hint of impatience in his eyes. “Larkwing, you say you know the will of StarClan, but can you tell me why the moon is still shining? If StarClan didn’t agree that SkyClan should leave the forest, they would send clouds to cover the sky.”
Larkwing shook her head and sat down again, looking troubled.
Cloudstar felt a wave of panic rising in his chest. “Five Clans have lived in this forest for longer than any cat can remember,” he reminded the other leaders. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“Things change,” Redstar replied. “Is it possible that the will of StarClan has changed also? StarClan gave each Clan the skills they need to survive in their own territory. RiverClan cats swim well. ThunderClan cats are good at stalking prey in the undergrowth. SkyClan cats can leap into trees because there’s not much cover in their territory. Doesn’t this mean that each Clan couldn’t live in another Clan’s territory?”
Molepelt, ShadowClan’s scrawny and rumpled medicine cat, tipped his head back to look directly at Cloudstar. “You keep saying that StarClan wants five Clans in the forest, but are you sure that’s true? There are four oaks here at Fourtrees. That could be a sign that there should be only four Clans.”
“SkyClan doesn’t belong here,” hissed a WindClan silver tabby in the middle of the hollow. “Let’s drive them out now.”
Cloudstar saw his warriors bristle and unsheathe their claws, ready to fight in spite of their hunger and exhaustion. Oh my brave Clanmates! I am so sorry it has come to this. Abandoned by StarClan, and now by the only cats who could have helped us.
“Stop!” he called. “Warriors of SkyClan, we are not cowards, but this is a battle we cannot win. We have seen tonight what the warrior code is worth. From now on we will be alone, and we will depend on no cat but ourselves.” He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling his heart break in two. Without territory, SkyClan had no food and no shelter. Without StarClan, they had no hope. There is nothing left for us here. I am the leader who could not save his Clan.
Cloudstar jumped down from the Great Rock and pushed through the cats until he was standing next to Birdflight. His kits mewled at her paws, staring up at him with huge, frightened eyes. They looked as fragile as hatchlings. Cloudstar met Birdflight’s gaze, and knew at once what she was going to say.
“Cloudstar.” Birdflight’s voice trembled. “Our kits are too small to make a long journey. I’ll stay here with them, if any Clan will have us.”
For a heartbeat Cloudstar cursed the night that StarClan had given him nine lives. If he wasn’t SkyClan’s leader, he could stay here as well, or live with Birdflight as rogues, beyond the wretched warrior code. Now his nine lives stretched ahead of him, cold and lonely and endless. Oh Birdflight. Do I have to lose you, too?
Kestrelwing, the ThunderClan medicine cat, pushed his way between two SkyClan warriors, ignoring their snarls, and bent his head to sniff the kits. “You will all be welcome in ThunderClan.”
Cloudstar spun around to face him. “Are you sure?” he demanded. “After what your leader said to us today?”
Kestrelwing’s eyes darkened. “I believe my leader was wrong,” he meowed. “But he won’t condemn helpless kits to die. They will have a future in ThunderClan, and so will you, Birdflight.”
Birdflight dipped her head. “Thank you.” She turned to Cloudstar, sorrow brimming in her green eyes. “Then this is good-bye.”
“Birdflight, no.” Suddenly, Cloudstar couldn’t be brave any longer. “How can I leave you?”
“You must.” Birdflight’s voice shook. “Our Clan needs you, but our kits need me just now.”
Cloudstar bowed his head. “I’ll wait for you,” he whispered. “I’ll wait for you forever.” He pressed his muzzle against Birdflight’s side. “Stay with Kestrelwing. He’ll find warriors to help carry the kits back to ThunderClan’s camp.” To the ThunderClan medicine cat, he added, “Take care of them.”
Kestrelwing nodded. “Of course.”
Cloudstar nuzzled each of his kits in turn, first Gorsekit, then Spottedkit. He inhaled their sweet milky scent, knowing he would carry it with him until his last breath. He wondered if they would ever remember him. Then he looked at Birdflight, drinking in the sight of her as if it were the only thing he would see for the rest of his life. I’m so sorry.
Birdflight gave a tiny nod, and Cloudstar knew what she was thinking. She was reminding him that he was still the leader of their Clan. Without their home, without food, without StarClan, their Clanmates depended on him alone. Cloudstar lifted his head and signaled with his tail to the rest of his Clan. “Follow me.”
He led the way toward the slope, but before he could plunge into the bushes Redstar called from the top of the Great Rock. “May StarClan go with you!”
Cloudstar turned and fixed a cold gaze on the ThunderClan leader. “StarClan may go where they please,” he hissed. “They have betrayed SkyClan. From this day on, I will have nothing more to do with our warrior ancestors.” He ignored the gasps of shock around him, some from his own Clan. “StarClan allowed the Twolegs to destroy our home. They look down on us now, and let the moon go on shining while you drive us out. They said there would always be five Clans in the forest, but they lied. SkyClan will never look to the stars again.”