Tree turned away, heading for his den, and Violetshine padded alongside him to retrieve her bunch of ferns.
“Do you think Frecklewish is right? Could StarClan intend for you to become a medicine cat?” she asked him.
Tree shook his head. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Medicine cats talk about weird stuff. Besides, I’d have to memorize all the herbs and remedies, and get really close to sick cats.” His nose wrinkled. “It’s kind of gross. . . . I’m not sure that sort of life is for me. I’d rather be sunning myself on a rock.”
Wouldn’t we all? Violetshine wondered, though at the same time she felt an odd wash of relief, like the first cool lap of water on a hot day.
She half turned toward where she had left the ferns, then turned back. “Tree,” she mewed, “I want to ask you something about your visions.”
“Ask away,” Tree responded amiably.
“Do you ever see Needletail these days?” Violetshine waited eagerly for his response. Tree had helped the cats of ShadowClan see and speak to their Clanmates who had died because of Darktail, and Violetshine had at last been able to let go of her guilt over Needletail’s death. Needletail didn’t blame her, had never blamed her, and that was a weight off Violetshine’s mind, but she still missed her friend. Tree’s ability to see dead cats made her feel that she still had some connection to Needletail.
Tree thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No, I haven’t seen her for a while. Perhaps she’s in StarClan.”
As she said good-bye to Tree and began dragging the bundle of fern fronds over to the warriors’ den, Violetshine wondered if that was true. I hope it is; I like the idea of Needletail watching over me. Maybe Pebbleshine is watching too.
The idea was comforting, as if her mother and her friend were still close to her, as if they were still a part of her life. Then her tail drooped as another thought crept into her mind.
Can Pebbleshine watch over both me and Twigpaw, if we live in different Clans?
“You lay out herbs on boulders to dry,” Frecklewish meowed. “How else would you do it?”
“Hang them on twigs and leaves, of course,” Puddleshine replied.
Violetshine was lingering at the edge of the medicine-cat den in the cave under the roots of the old cedar. Morning sunshine flowed into the camp, and a fresh, invigorating breeze ruffled her fur. Watching her Clanmates, she saw Frecklewish’s whiskers twitch in exasperation.
“Well, this is the way we do it,” Frecklewish insisted.
Puddleshine looked confused. “I don’t see why I can’t do it my own way. That’s how Yellowfang taught me, and she’s a StarClan cat. It’s the way we’ve always done it by the lake, for moons upon moons.”
Frecklewish’s neck fur began to bristle. “You don’t always know better just because you were taught by Yellowfang,” she hissed. “You’re a SkyClan cat now, and you’ll do things the SkyClan way.”
Violetshine spotted Tree, sitting a tail-length away from Frecklewish. He had been training with her for a quarter moon now, though Violetshine didn’t think he was enjoying himself much.
“Hang on a moment,” he meowed, interrupting the two medicine cats, who were glaring at each other in mutual irritation. “Does it really matter, if you get the same result?”
Both medicine cats transferred their glares to Tree, who looked completely relaxed, his fur flat and his tail still, as if he really had no idea what the fuss was about. Did he really not care that Frecklewish and Puddleshine were arguing? Even if Tree’s visions meant that he was a natural medicine cat, maybe he still wasn’t cut out to be a Clan cat.
He’ll probably decide to move on, she told herself, trying to ignore the hollow feeling in her chest. Just one more cat who leaves me behind, whether he means to or not.
Puddleshine and Frecklewish had resumed their argument, making Violetshine’s fur prickle with annoyance. Since she didn’t want to listen anymore, she turned away, wondering if there was a hunting patrol she might join. As she headed toward the warriors’ den to see who was around, she was intercepted by her father, Hawkwing.
“Is everything okay with you?” he asked her, looking concerned and even a little suspicious.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Violetshine assured him. “I’m just tired. There’s a lot going on in camp just now. I’m sure you’ve noticed that too!”
Hawkwing glanced toward the medicine-cat den and nodded. “Making one Clan out of two isn’t as simple as moving all the cats into the same camp.”
At that moment Leafstar slid through the lichen that screened her den and took up a position on the tangle of cedar roots outside the entrance. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highroot for a Clan meeting!” she yowled.
Cats appeared from the warriors’ den and sat in a ragged semicircle around the rock. They were joined a few heartbeats later by the apprentices, scampering over from their den under the low-growing juniper boughs. Frecklewish and Puddleshine gave up their argument and moved away from their den entrance to sit next to the elders. Last of all, Tree strolled over to join Hawkwing and Violetshine.
When the cats were assembled, Leafstar let her gaze travel over the combined Clan until it rested on the former ShadowClan leader. “Rowanstar, do you want to stand up here with me?” she asked.
Nearly as one, all the Clan cats turned their heads toward Rowanclaw, waiting to find out how he would respond.
The ginger tom dipped his head. “I wouldn’t want to tread on your tail, Leafstar,” he meowed. “I’m just a SkyClan warrior now. And I’m not Rowanstar anymore—just Rowanclaw.”
At his words, a deep groan of dismay came from one of the former ShadowClan cats, but when Violetshine turned her head, trying to work out which cat it had come from, she couldn’t be sure.
With a nod of appreciation to Rowanclaw, Leafstar began to assign the day’s duties. Violetshine wondered why she didn’t leave that task to her deputy, then realized that maybe with so much confusion it was better for orders to come from the Clan leader.
“Rowanclaw,” she mewed, “I’d like you to lead a patrol down to the old ShadowClan camp. And while you’re there, maybe you could collect some of the material for nests that was left there.”
“What?” Tawnypelt, Rowanclaw’s mate, sprang to her paws, her tortoiseshell fur fluffed up and her green eyes glittering with fury. “That’s an apprentice job. Rowanclaw is a former leader!”
“It’s not a slight on Rowanclaw,” Leafstar assured her. “It’s just that you both know your old camp really well.”
“I’m okay with it,” Rowanclaw added, resting his tail on Tawnypelt’s shoulder. “I’m not a leader anymore, and I want to pitch in and help, just like any cat.”
Violetshine noticed that even while he spoke to Tawnypelt, Rowanclaw was avoiding her gaze with a faint look of guilt. She wondered whether disappointing his mate was the worst part of his decision to disband ShadowClan.
“Thank you, Rowanclaw,” Leafstar mewed. “I’m grateful that you feel that way. Tawnypelt, you can go with him. And Violetshine, too,” she went on, turning toward her. “You know ShadowClan territory from the time you lived with them.”
“Sure, Leafstar,” Violetshine replied.
“May I go too?” Hawkwing asked.
Violetshine glanced at her father with narrowed eyes. I’m a warrior now! I can go on a patrol without any cat to watch over me.
But she said nothing, and after a brief hesitation Leafstar nodded. “Of course, Hawkwing. It’ll be good for you to learn every paw step of our new territory.”