Twigpaw gazed at her, eyes shining, for a moment, before racing from the apprentices’ den to greet her. Purring loudly, she rubbed her muzzle along Violetpaw’s jaw, then turned to press her cheek to Hawkwing’s nose. “You’re safe.” Her words came as a happy sigh. She blinked at the rest of the patrol. “And you found so many.”
“We’re glad to be home,” Hawkwing told her. “How have you been?”
“Great!”
Violetpaw thought she saw hesitation flash in Twigpaw’s gaze. Had she really been fine?
Twigpaw didn’t give her a chance to wonder. “How was the journey? Was it hard finding our Clanmates? Were there dogs? Foxes?” She was breathless with excitement.
“We’ll tell you about it later.” Hawkwing sounded distracted. His gaze kept flitting to Rowanstar, who was crouched stiffly beside Tawnypelt while his Clanmates watched SkyClan’s reunion. “First we need to know what’s going on here.” He padded to Leafstar, interrupting her conversation with Frecklewish and Fidgetpaw. “Why are there ShadowClan warriors in our camp?” he asked bluntly.
Silence spread among the SkyClan cats. ShadowClan moved closer together. Rowanstar narrowed his eyes.
Only Snakepaw carried on chattering. “I hope Finpaw brings back plenty of ferns. We’re going to need even more nests than we thought. I’ve never seen so many—” She stopped as she looked around, as though suddenly aware that she was the only cat talking.
Leafstar met Hawkwing’s gaze. “Rowanstar disbanded ShadowClan at the Gathering last night. He asked for sanctuary here for himself and his Clan.”
“Sanctuary?” Hawkwing looked around. “From what? Are the rogues back?”
“No.” Leafstar glanced at the ShadowClan leader and lowered her voice. “I think he wanted sanctuary from his own Clanmates,” she whispered.
Hawkwing’s eyes narrowed. “But they’re here, with him.”
“They are SkyClan now,” Leafstar told him. “And, unlike Rowanstar, I will not tolerate disloyalty or arguments between Clanmates.”
Violetpaw shifted her paws uneasily. She looked at the ShadowClan leader, hunched at the edge of the camp; she could understand why his Clanmates had lost respect for him. He seemed defeated in a way Leafstar could never be.
Blossomheart frowned. “So ShadowClan is part of SkyClan now?”
“Yes,” Leafstar meowed. “Rowanstar gave us their land. And without land, a Clan can’t survive.”
“We did,” Hawkwing reminded her.
“Only just.” Leafstar looked around at her returned Clanmates. “But now we are together once more, and we have our own territory.” She began purring. “You must be hungry. I will organize hunting patrols.”
Violetpaw realized that her belly was hollow. The stale mouse she’d eaten that morning had done little to satisfy the hunger of traveling for so long.
“Bellaleaf.” Leafstar nodded to the pale orange she-cat. “Take Sandynose and two ShadowClan warriors and hunt near ShadowClan’s old camp. Plumwillow, take Sagenose—”
Sandynose cut in. He was staring at Tree. “Who’s he?”
The loner shifted nervously a tail-length outside the group. “I’m Tree,” he murmured.
Leafstar blinked at Nettlesplash. “Did you recruit him at the gorge?”
Nettlesplash shook his head.
Violetpaw stepped forward. “I found him,” she mewed. “He was on his own. I thought he should come with us.”
“Needletail led Violetpaw to him,” Hawkwing explained.
Leafstar looked puzzled. “I thought Needletail was dead.”
“She is,” Hawkwing told her. “She visited Violetpaw and told her that Tree was important to the Clans.”
Tawnypelt padded forward, staring at Tree through narrowed eyes. “He looks familiar,” she mewed. “I think I saw him with Needletail many moons ago.” She paced around the loner, inspecting him. “But having Needletail as a friend is no recommendation.” Her gaze flicked sharply to Violetpaw.
“That’s not fair!” Violetpaw bristled. “Needletail gave her life to save the Clans!”
“After she betrayed them,” Tawnypelt growled.
Hawkwing moved closer to Violetpaw. “Violetpaw trusts Needletail, and I trust Violetpaw.”
“Violetpaw is young. The young make mistakes.” Leafstar’s hard gaze flitted from Violetpaw to Rowanstar. “We have seen for ourselves what happens to a Clan that lets strangers in.”
Violetpaw’s heart sank. She’s going to send him away! “But he might be important!” She had to stop Leafstar from making the wrong choice.
Leafstar looked unconvinced. “If he were important, StarClan would have led you to him, not Needletail. She can’t be truste—”
“Wait!” Puddleshine cut her off. The medicine cat was staring at Tree’s paws. He pushed his way through the crowd of SkyClan cats and nudged Tawnypelt out of the way. “Look at his hind paw!” His pelt was prickling excitedly.
Leafpool hurried after him, following his gaze. “Six toes,” she breathed. She stared at Leafstar. “There really is a six-toed cat. This is the cat StarClan told us about!”
Hawkwing frowned, puzzled. “StarClan told you about Tree?”
“They sent a vision to Willowshine,” Puddleshine told him. “They showed her a cat with six toes on its hind paw and said, ‘To fend off a storm, you will need an extra claw.’” The medicine cat’s eyes shone with relief. “And now we’ve found him.”
Leafpool’s gaze trailed thoughtfully over Tree. “We need to figure out what’s special about him.”
“And how he can help us.” Puddleshine paced excitedly around the loner.
Leafstar’s tail twitched. “I suppose that if StarClan has prophesied it, then we must accept you.” She padded closer to Tree, wariness in her gaze. “For now.”
Relief flooded through Violetpaw. She wondered if Needletail could see this. Was she on her way to StarClan?
“Bellaleaf! Plumwillow!” Leafstar beckoned to the two warriors. “Take those hunting patrols out. We have mouths to feed.”
The Clans broke from the stillness that had held them. Violetpaw blinked as warriors moved around her. It felt strange to be home and surrounded by so many cats. She glanced toward the apprentices’ den.
Twigpaw’s pelt brushed her side. “Finpaw and I have been building nests since you went. But we didn’t realize we’d need so many.” She glanced toward Fringepaw and her littermates. “I’m not sure the apprentices’ den will be big enough.”
Leafstar padded toward them, her muzzle high. “You two won’t need nests.” She caught Violetpaw’s eye. “It’s time you and your sister moved to the warriors’ den.”
Excitement welled in Violetpaw’s chest. “Really?” She could hardly believe her ears.
Leafstar dipped her head. “Twigpaw has learned enough about SkyClan’s ways, and you have traveled beyond the horizon to bring your Clanmates home. You have both earned warrior names.”
Violetpaw turned to Twigpaw, her heart almost bursting with joy. At last they would be warriors together, fighting and hunting for the same Clan. With a purr, she touched Twigpaw’s cheek. Everything was finally as it should be.
CHAPTER 22
Twigpaw felt Violetpaw’s breath on her cheek. They were going to be warriors. She waited for happiness to well in her chest, but nothing stirred.
Hawkwing’s rich purr throbbed in her ears. “I’m proud of you both,” he rumbled. “You’ll be great SkyClan warriors.”
Fringepaw, Reedpaw, and Dewpaw crowded around them. Twigpaw blinked numbly, wondering why she felt so far away.
“You’re going to get your warrior name!” Dewpaw thrust his muzzle against hers. “Congratulations.” His eyes widened. “I have to fetch Finpaw. He’ll want to watch the ceremony.”