Alderpaw recognized his father’s coloring am ong the splotches in the tortoiseshell’s m ottled pelt.
She was Bramblestar’s sister, and for the first time Alderpaw realized how strange it felt to have kin in another Clan. He thought of Twigkit. How much stranger it must feel when that kin was a littermate.
Tawny pelt greeted them warm ly. “Thank you for coming,” she meowed, signaling with her tail to a white tom at her side. “Help carry their herbs, Stonewing.”
Leafpool laid down the parcel of herbs she had been carry ing and let him take it. “Thank you.”
Alderpaw recognized Sleekpaw standing beside them. He remembered the feisty she-cat from his first Gathering. Twigkit’s feather was tickling his nose, sticking out from the wad of rolled leaves he was carry ing between his jaws, and he looked hopefully at the y ellow apprentice, wondering if she might offer to help carry his bundle.
Sleekpaw glanced at him haughtily and headed away between the pines.
Alderpaw sneezed.
“Let m e help.” Tawny pelt took the leaves from him gently, tugging them with her teeth. The feather fluttered to the ground, and Alderpaw snatched it up quickly.
Tawny pelt and Stonewing followed Sleekpaw between the trunks. Alderpaw hesitated, glancing at the straight, evenly spaced pines. This was the first time he’d been in ShadowClan territory, and he was surprised how different it was from ThunderClan’s forest, where twisting trunks and low branches covered dips and rises, their leaves already browning and falling. In
ShadowClan, the forest floor was sm ooth, dotted here and there with brambles and rutted occasionally with ditches, and there seem ed to be no leaf-fall at all. Pines stretched into the distance, their thick canopy blocking out the sun. Countless moons’ worth of fallen needles m ade the ground feel springy beneath his paws.
Leafpool nudged him. “Stop staring and keep up,” she whispered. “I don’t want you getting lost.”
Alderpaw hurried forward, following Stonewing as he leaped over a fallen tree. He scram bled over the rough bark, landing clum sily as Leafpool dropped lightly beside him.
“I don’t see why we need to ask ThunderClan for help,” Sleekpaw meowed loudly.
Tawny pelt flicked her tail but didn’t reply. Stonewing continued walking. Alderpaw guessed that the herb parcels between their jaws were keeping them silent. But he wondered if they felt the sam e way about leading ThunderClan cats to their camp.
Leafpool sniffed. “Someone needs to take care of Littlecloud.”
“I don’t see why,” Sleekpaw retorted. “It’s not like you can cure him. He’s so old he should have j oined StarClan moons ago.”
Tawny pelt halted with a growl and dropped her herb parcel. “Carry this, Sleekpaw,” she mewed sharply. “It’ll help you hold your tongue.”
Sleekpaw glowered at the ShadowClan deputy, but she took the parcel and, lifting her tail, m arched on through the woods.
Tawny pelt looked apologetically at Leafpool. “Young cats don’t seem to have any respect these day s.”
Young ShadowClan cats, Alderpaw thought crossly. He resented being lum ped in with arrogant furballs like Sleekpaw. He remembered being shocked by how she and Needlepaw had m ocked their elders at the Gathering. Perhaps that was just the way ShadowClan cats were. Needlepaw had always enjoy ed breaking rules. That was why she’d left her Clan to follow him on his quest.
Needlepaw. Thinking about the young she-cat m ade his fur tingle. He couldn’t help adm iring her carefree self-assurance. Would he see her in camp? His belly tightened. He’d been sure that they had become friends on the quest, but she’d been pretty hostile at the last Gathering. What if she was as unfriendly as Sleekpaw now?
He realized the others were pulling ahead, and he broke into a run, catching up as they neared a towering wall of bramble. Tawny pelt was already disappearing through a tunnel, Stonewing at her heels. Sleekpaw pushed past Leafpool and ducked in next. Alderpaw followed Leafpool, unnerved by the heavy stench of ShadowClan.
The tunnel opened onto a clearing surrounded by thick bramble. Low branches hung over the camp, and a large rock stood at one end. He scanned the camp, wondering where the medicine den was and hoping to see Needlepaw or Violetkit. He spotted neither, but warriors m oved around the edges, where scrubby grass sprouted beneath the trailing brambles. They watched him, their eyes sharp with distrust. Only one cat hurried forward to greet them. The cream -furred she-cat looked pleased to see them. “Thank StarClan you’re here,” she meowed with relief.
“Dawnpelt.” Leafpool m et her gaze. “How’s Littlecloud?”
“He’s in pain, and I’ve run out of poppy seeds,” the she-cat told her.
“Don’t worry,” Leafpool told her. “We’ve brought plenty of herbs. I will ease his suffering the best I can.”
“This way.” Dawnpelt headed toward an opening in the brambles. Stonewing reached it first and dropped his bundle of herbs at the entrance.
Sleekpaw spat hers out with a snort. “These taste foul.”
Leafpool nudged her away and sniffed at the herbs, as though m aking sure none had been dam aged. “It doesn’t m atter what they taste like; it’s what they do that counts.”
“Leafpool!” A deep mew called across the clearing.
Alderpaw turned to see Crowfrost hurry ing toward them, his black-and-white pelt rippling in the breeze.
Rowanstar followed more slowly, his eyes dark with worry. “We need to talk to you.”
Leafpool dipped her head respectfully to the ShadowClan leader and his deputy. “I must check on Littlecloud first.”
The ShadowClan leader halted. “Of course.” He sat down and curled his tail over his paws.
“We will be waiting when you’re done.”
Leafpool nodded to Alderpaw. “Come with m e.” She picked up an herb bundle and disappeared inside.
Relieved to escape the stares of ShadowClan, Alderpaw followed her into the den, wrinkling his nose as the stench of sickness rolled over him.
Leafpool crouched beside Littlecloud.
Alderpaw stared at the sick medicine cat, shock pricking his paws. Littlecloud’s fur was m atted, and he looked so sm all, curled in a nest that looked as though the bedding hadn’t been changed in a moon. His nose was pale and dry, his eyes half-closed and cloudy. He wheezed with every breath.
Carefully Alderpaw laid the feather he’d been carry ing on the needle-strewn floor of the den.
As he did so, Dawnpelt padded in, her eyes shimmering with worry.
“Who’s been looking after him?” Leafpool turned on her. “His nest is filthy, and he needs water.”
Dawnpelt flinched. “I’ve been doing m y best.”
“Couldn’t you have sent an apprentice for clean bedding or wet m oss?” Leafpool dem anded.
Dawnpelt dropped her gaze. “I’m sorry.”
Alderpaw felt a wave of sy m pathy for the she-cat. She looked weary and anxious. He wouldn’t have liked to have to ask an apprentice like Sleekpaw to help with m undane duties like m oss gathering.
Leafpool’s gaze softened. “I’m sure you’ve done your best. But we need to get him more com fortable.”
“Should I fetch m oss now?” Dawnpelt offered.
“Not y et.” Leafpool straightened. “I need to speak with Rowanstar and Crowfrost, then check on Grassheart.” She looked worried, as though she feared the queen might be as poorly cared for as Littlecloud. “Stay here until I get back.” Deftly she unwrapped the bundle of herbs and pulled out a few stalks of tansy. “Chew this into a pulp and try to get Littlecloud to swallow it. It should ease his breathing.” She shoved the tansy toward Dawnpelt, then hurried out of the den.
Alderpaw paused, uncertain what to do.
“Alderpaw!” Leafpool’s call m ade him j um p. He hurried after her, catching up as she reached Rowanstar and Crowfrost. He tried to ignore the gazes of the other ShadowClan cats, who were still watching from the edge of the clearing. Tawny pelt stood, looking anxious, beside