Dark River полностью

Firestar plucked at the earth. “Let’s start the meeting.

Then we can all find out.” He leaped onto the lowest branch of the oak, Leopardstar following. Blackstar and Onestar climbed up beside him. Below, the Clans jostled as they struggled to find space to settle.

Willowpaw stayed beside the pregnant cat.

“Is everything all right?” Hollypaw hissed.

“Join your Clanmates.” Willowpaw pawed at the ball of herbs, avoiding her friend’s gaze. “Please!”

Hollypaw nodded and fell in behind a group of RiverClan warriors padding toward the oak. Their heads were high, their tails flicking fretfully. A gray RiverClan queen pushed past her, heading in the other direction.

“Sorry!” Hollypaw swerved out of the way, but the queen didn’t seem to notice her.

“Graymist! You’re here!” Swallowtail’s mew was filled with relief as the queen reached her. The kits hurried to greet their mother, but Graymist shooed them back and followed Swallowtail to a clump of ferns where RiverClan elders and kits were already sheltering. Their eyes glowed warily from the shadows.

Hollypaw hurried to join her Clanmates. Berrypaw flinched as she squeezed past him. “Watch my tail!”

“Careful!” Dustpelt warned as she stepped on his paw.

“Sorry!” Hollypaw slid gingerly around Lionpaw, making sure she only put her feet on solid ground.

“Did you find anything out?” he hissed.

“No.”

“Just sit down and keep quiet,” Brackenfur ordered.

Hollypaw blinked a silent apology and looked up at Leopardstar.

The RiverClan leader gazed steadily from the oak. A kit wailed and was quickly silenced. “We have a small problem on RiverClan territory,” Leopardstar began.

Small? Hollypaw’s heart pounded. Then why are you all here?

“We’ve had to leave our camp.”

“Leave your camp?” Blackstar’s eyes glittered with interest.

“Only for a short time,” Leopardstar meowed quickly.

“We’re sorting the trouble out. We shall move back as soon as it’s fixed. Until then we’ll be staying on the island.”

What about Gatherings? Hollypaw glanced up anxiously at Silverpelt. Gatherings were governed by the warrior code; they took place on land shared equally by the Clans. Surely this broke with the tradition laid down by their ancestors?

“Where are you hunting?” Onestar stared accusingly at the RiverClan leader.

Russetfur stood up, the fur pricking along her spine.

“There can’t possibly be enough food on the island for the whole Clan.”

Leopardstar glared at the ShadowClan deputy. “We have the lake!”

“Is that enough?” Crowfeather called. “What will you do when you have fished out the shallow waters around the island?”

Mistyfoot bristled. “We’re not eating rabbit, if that’s what you’re worried about!” The RiverClan deputy curled her lip as though rabbit was the last thing she’d dream of swallowing.

“What about Gatherings?” Firestar gazed calmly at Leopardstar.

“We hope to be back in our camp by the next full moon,” Leopardstar meowed.

“And what if you’re not?” Blackstar demanded. “It’s not fair if you outnumber every other Clan at the Gatherings.”

Thornclaw stood up. “No cat ever lived at Fourtrees,” he pointed out. “It was special to all the Clans, like Mother-mouth.”

Leopardstar met his gaze. “We would not be doing this if we had another option.”

“What if you can never return to your camp?” Onestar’s claws scratched the bark underneath him. “Where will you go then?”

“Will you move to new territory?”

“Will you invade another Clan’s land?”

Anxious mews sounded from the clearing.

Leopardstar’s gaze swept the cats. “You are worrying about something that will never happen!”

Blackstar’s tail was twitching. “But what if it does?” he hissed.

“Three territories can’t support four Clans!” Onestar meowed.

Smokefoot, a ShadowClan warrior, lifted his chin. “One Clan will have to go!”

Silence gripped the clearing. Nervous glances flashed from one cat to another.

Hollypaw’s belly tightened. Could one Clan really be driven from the lake? No! There had to be four Clans! That was the way it was meant to be.

“We have to believe Leopardstar,” Firestar’s mew rang over the clearing. “We must give RiverClan a chance to return to their territory.”

“At least until the next Gathering,” Sandstorm put in. The Clans muttered, but no cat argued.

Firestar nodded. “If RiverClan is still living on the island next full moon, we can decide what to do.” He stared at the other leaders. “Does that seem fair?”

Blackstar nodded curtly.

Onestar flicked his tail. “I guess,” he muttered.

“Then it’s settled.” Firestar gazed out over the Clans.

“ThunderClan has little to report. One of our apprentices was wounded, but she is recovering well.” He glanced at Onestar. “And newleaf has brought plenty of prey to the forest.”

Hollypaw dug her claws into the earth. He’s hinting about the squirrels.

Onestar narrowed his eyes. “WindClan is healthy. And prey is running well on our lands too.”

Hollypaw felt Berrypaw’s breath ruffle her ear. “He said prey, not rabbits,” he whispered fiercely.