“Twigpaw!”
As she headed toward Leafpool’s den, Sandynose called her.
She turned, pricking her ears. The tabby tom was heading toward her, his gaze serious. Twigpaw swallowed back a sigh. What was he going to find fault with now?
She stopped and waited. “Was prey running well?” she asked as he reached her.
“As well as can be expected in this weather.” Rain streamed from his whiskers but he didn’t seem to notice. He blinked at her sternly. “I want to speak with you about Finpaw while he’s out of camp.”
Twigpaw frowned. What did he want to say to her that he couldn’t say in front of Finpaw?
“I don’t think you should be around him so much.”
She stared. “We share a den!” How was she supposed to avoid her denmates?
“I know,” Sandynose went on. “But that doesn’t mean you have to go exploring with him or hunting with him every chance you get.”
“You make it sound like I’m stalking him.” Twigpaw’s pelt bristled. “He wants to hunt with me.”
Sandynose grunted. “Try to discourage him.”
“Why?” Twigpaw could hardly believe her ears. Finpaw was a Clanmate. What was wrong with being with him?
Sandynose looked at her steadily. “He’s trying to recover his confidence after his accident. Training is harder for him with half a tail. And he’s got a lot of catching up to do. Seeing you doing everything so easily must be hard for him.”
Twigpaw felt hot. Was that true? “But I’ve been helping him.” Together, they had found new ways for him to stalk and pounce that took advantage of his short tail. “Yesterday we worked out a new hunting crouch.”
“He’s young and he’s clearly fond of you.” Sandynose didn’t seem to be listening. “I don’t want him taking risks to impress you.”
“I’d never let him take a risk!” Twigpaw was angry. Why was Sandynose being so unfair?
“You’re distracting him from his training.” Sandynose’s tail twitched impatiently. “Just stay away from him. It’s for the good of SkyClan.”
He walked away before Twigpaw could reply.
She stared after her mentor, her heart pounding with rage. How dare he tell her to stay away from her Clanmate? For the good of SkyClan? What did that mean? I’m SkyClan too! He talked as though she wasn’t one of them.
Paw steps sounded at the entrance tunnel. Twigpaw glanced toward it. Hope flashed in her belly. Was it Hawkwing’s patrol?
Her ears twitched with surprise as she saw Ivypool lead Lionblaze, Fernsong, and Thornclaw into the clearing.
The ThunderClan warriors stopped beside the stream as Leafstar padded toward them. Sandynose came closer and stared as Dewpaw and Sagenose watched uneasily from beside the fresh-kill pile.
Ivypool dipped her head low. “We waited at the border for a patrol,” she meowed apologetically. “But no cat came.”
Leafstar glanced at the falling rain. “No cat wants to be out on a day like this. And, until Hawkwing returns with our Clanmates, our patrols are a little thin.”
As she spoke, Quailkit and Pigeonkit tumbled out of the nursery.
“Invaders!” Quailkit squeaked in alarm.
Sunnykit scrambled out, puffing her ginger kit-fluff against the weather.
Quailkit shook rain from his crow-black ears. “Are they rogues?”
“No, dear.” Tinycloud followed her kits out. “They’re ThunderClan warriors.”
“I thought ThunderClan warriors were like foxes,” Sunnykit mewed.
“That’s ShadowClan,” Pigeonkit announced knowledgeably.
Tinycloud swept her tail around them and scooped them close, shielding them from the rain. “Be quiet, my dears, and listen.”
Beside the medicine den, Reedpaw sat back on her haunches and poked Leafpool. “Your Clanmates are here.”
Leafpool, absorbed in her work, looked up. “Thornclaw!” Her gaze warmed when she saw the golden-brown tom. She shook mud and moss from her paws and crossed the camp to greet him. “How’s Blossomfall?”
“She’s well.” Thornclaw nodded graciously.
“And the kits?” Leafpool’s eyes sparkled.
“Eaglekit and Shellkit are determined to climb the rock tumble and explore Bramblestar’s cave,” Thornclaw told her. “Stemkit and Plumkit prefer to hang around the medicine den.”
Leafpool purred. “I expect Jayfeather isn’t too pleased.”
“No.” Thornclaw’s whiskers twitched. “But Alderheart says he enjoys having something to complain about.”
A twinge of homesickness jabbed Twigpaw’s heart. Jayfeather used to complain about her.
Ivypool looked at Thornclaw, her eyes dark. “We came to discuss a serious matter.”
Thornclaw lowered his head as she went on.
“We’re searching for Dovewing.” Ivypool’s mew was taut with worry.
Leafstar tipped her head to one side. “Is she missing?”
“She left camp two days ago and hasn’t been seen since.”
Twigpaw stiffened. She’s gone?
“Did she say where she was going?” Leafstar asked.
Lionblaze’s pelt rippled along his spine. “She left without a word to anyone.”
Leafpool leaned closer. “Have you searched the forest?”
“We’ve searched ThunderClan’s part of the forest,” Ivypool told her. “We’ve also traveled to ShadowClan’s camp to ask if they’ve seen her.”
“Have they?” Leafstar asked.
“Rowanstar says they haven’t.” Ivypool’s ears twitched uneasily.
Leafstar turned to Sandynose. “Has there been any sign of her on SkyClan territory?”
“No cat’s reported any strange scents to me,” he reported.
“No cat?” Ivypool looked at Twigpaw.
Twigpaw shifted her paws guiltily. Should she have reported seeing Tigerheart and Dovewing? Ivypool stared at her wordlessly until Leafstar followed her gaze. Sandynose narrowed his eyes.
“Twigpaw? Do you know something?” Leafstar asked.
Twigpaw’s pelt prickled uncomfortably. “I saw Dovewing talking to Tigerheart near the ThunderClan border a quarter moon ago.” She glanced at Ivypool quizzically. Why had her former mentor put her in this position? “But it didn’t seem to be anything to do with SkyClan.”
“Were they on our territory?” Leafstar asked.
“Yes, but they were talking about ShadowClan,” Twigpaw mewed quickly.
Leafstar’s ears pricked. “What were they saying?”
Twigpaw’s thoughts seemed to tangle into knots. What should she say? Should she betray Tigerheart’s fears for ShadowClan? Or his love for Dovewing? Words shriveled on her tongue. She felt she was being disloyal to everyone. “Tigerheart was worried about his Clan, that’s all,” she mewed at last.
Leafstar narrowed her eyes.
Sandynose padded toward Twigpaw. “Why didn’t you report this at the time?”
“It didn’t seem important.”
“They were on our territory,” Sandynose growled.
“But it was ShadowClan’s land half a moon ago. I just figured borders weren’t as fixed as they used to be.”
Sandynose’s gaze glittered with anger. “Since when were a Clan’s borders not fixed?”
Twigpaw looked at the ground. “There have just been so many changes lately,” she mumbled.
“Yes,” Sandynose meowed icily. “Perhaps, for some cats, change isn’t always good.”